Recent Favorites

Hello Hello!

It's been a long time since I posted my last monthly favorite, mainly because I didn't switch products that often on the past few months so I got nothing much to show as monthly favorite. But now I have quite some products I've been loving lately, so here they are :

• L'Oreal Elvital Öl Magique : I have problems with oily scalp but dry and split ends, so I like to apply hair oil at my ends but it is not easy to find a nice hair oil that doesn't leave greasy residue. I was using my Caudalie Divine Oil before I got this one but now I prefer this one from L'Oreal because my hair gets easier to comb, less dry and more shiny ( not in a greasy way ). This one is also cheaper in comparison to the Caudalie one. It smells good and absorbs quickly. I even sometimes apply it to some dry - rough parts on my body like my elbows, heels or nail cuticles.
• Benefit Porefessional : A really nice face primer that surprisingly lasts quite a long time. I bought it in February so it's been ca. 3 months on duty ( there's still 1/3 left on the tube ). Now I am considering to repurchase it because 32€ for 3 months ( and still counting ) doesn't seem as expensive as it used to. 
• Alverde Eye Brow Gel : It is the last step of my every day brow routine. It does its job well and it is affordable so I like it.
• Revlon Colorstay Whipped Foundation : I love this foundation! It has nice finish, good coverage, and great for warm weather. It bugs me because I can't get it here in Germany. I might ask my mom to send me back ups from Indonesia.
• LUSH Rub Rub Rub : I have my 3rd pot now. This scrub has become my favorite. I am a fan of body scrub / peeling and this one is not too rough nor too 'smooth', just the perfect consistency. I usually apply it on dry skin before shower, let it harden a bit before washing it for deeper peeling. But on normal days, I apply it on wet skin because applying it on dry skin can be a too rough sometimes.
• Bourjois Round Pot Blush in Rose Ambre : My most worn blush for the past 3 months. The color is pretty and it suits every kind of look I'm having at the day. 
• Burberry Eye Shadow Palette in Plum Pink : I've just posted my review on it recently. This is such a nice , versatile palette with amazing quality. 
• Essie Mint Candy Apple + Revlon Whimsical : The 2 worn together has been on my nails quite often. I love how they look , very pretty.
• Givenchy Rouge Interdit in Fruity Orange : I wasn't a fan of the formula and the shade the first time I got it from my mom. I am still not a fan of the formula until now, but I started to like the bright orange color. It is now spring here in Germany so I think it's a perfect color to wear since my much loved red and vampy shades are a tad 'too dark' for this season.
• Maybelline 24 Hour Color Tattoo in On and On Bronze & Metallic Pomegranate : Cream eye shadows are my staples on busy mornings. And these cream shadows from Maybelline have been my staples recently. Easy application, great staying power and pretty shades.

So those are my recent favorites for this first 2013 quartal . How about yours?

Love,
Pam

P2 Couture Lip Polish and Stain

To be honest, I am not really a fan of lip stains. I like how they look on somebody else, but not on myself. But a lot of fellow german beauty bloggers have been raving about this new lip stain from P2. P2 is a local drugstore brand from Germany, it is available in DM ( one of the biggest drugstore chain in Germany ). So I decided to give it a try.

The lip stain comes in a simple 'lip gloss kind of tube'. It also comes with a doe foot applicator. I took the shade #060 in Spotlights on. Spotlights on is a matte orangey red.

The texture of this lip gloss/stain is watery at first but after few seconds, it dries into a nice glossy finish. The texture reminds me a lot of the YSL glossy stain, though this one has a slightly thicker consistency. The color applies bold right after the application but it fades a little bit once it dries up. The feeling on the lips is comfortable, soft and smooth and not sticky.  

5 minutes after application

3-4 hours after application

This lip gloss/stain is a nice decent product, though I am not sure if I'd reach for this one often. Mainly because I found that it bleeds easily, and applying a lip liner beforehand isn't an option since it will end up looking so ugly. Applying this on a hurry is also not recommended as you have to be very precise , otherwise it will dry up unevenly. 

But nonetheless, as said before, this is a nice decent product with affordable price tag ( 3,25€ / 7ml ) and I'd love to look at some other shades. Lighter shades might need less effort to apply and also less bleeding. 

Love,

Pam

Maybelline New York Pure BB Mineral 8 in 1

I got this from a lovely friend of mine, she got it from Taiwan so I bet this version is only available in Asia. 

As some of you might have known, I am usually not a friend of Maybelline face product, either foundation or BB Cream. They are always too cakey or too yellow for my complexion. So, is this one an exception? Let's see.

The BB Cream comes in a squeeze tube packaging which not the most beautiful packaging ever, but indeed practical. It is travel friendly, easy to dispense and hygienic. This BB Cream comes with SPF 50 PA +++, please don't ask me what does the +++ mean, but I think it means a super good protection for the skin against the UV. 

This BB Cream has liquid consistency but not watery. As you see on the swatches above, it doesn't really have a strong yellow undertone like the other Maybelline face products usually have. The undertone is more natural - beige.

This BB Cream promises to give 8 in 1 benefits which are :

radiance, smoothness, improve clarity, better appearance, more even tone, less redness, more hydration and fewer lines. 8 benefit promise is a bit too high of expectation I'd say, but let's see if all the 8 benefit promise is true. 

BEFORE

AFTER

This is what the website says :

" Maybelline Pure mineral BB mineral 8 in 1 is a japanese BB Cream formulated with 8 minerals to improve 8 aspects of skins in 8 weeks. The BB Cream helps protect against intense UV Rays, moisturize, increase skin's smoothness, enhance skin's clarity, give a healthy glow looking, cover pores, brighten skin tone by 1 shade , and even skin tone. The water based formulation dries to non sticky finish, leaving skin feel fresh and comfortable all day. Developed to suit japanese women skin tone. "

This BB Cream has surprisingly natural radiance finish. The coverage is sheer, just enough to even out the complexion but not really cover blemishes or some 'hardcore' redness. But even though the finish is sheer and  lightweight, the texture is more on the 'heavy' side. It doesn't soak in to my skin really well. It is like I can definitely feel like I am wearing a kind of thick foundation though the finish is natural and radiance.

My skin looks healthy wearing this BB Cream, but I must say the oil control is not really the best. I have to blot it with powder after 2 hours and constantly touching up every another 2-3 hours. The finish

can be a bit cakey if my skin is not well moisturized before. This BB Cream is not scented which is good for those of you who are sensitive to scent. But in other hand, it smells like chemical/medicine which I don't really fancy. But not a big deal .

After trying this BB Cream for the past month, I didn't experience any breakouts but I didn't experience my skin getting better either like it promises to.

So overall, this BB Cream did live up to my expectation. It is definitely better than any Maybelline BB Cream / Foundation I've ever encountered but it is not a favorite for me.

Love,

Pam

Butter London Trio

Back to the last december, around christmas time, fellow german beauty bloggers were all ordering this trio because one German seller on amazon sold this trio ( all 3 are full size ) for only 16€ .. Butter London nail polishes retail for 16€ each here in Germany, so no wonder it was sold out within few hours at that time. And I was too late. T.T

But few weeks ago, my boyfriend told me he saw on his amazon newsletter about this special offer and he remembered I wanted to get it, so thank to him I grabbed it on time.

Rosie Lee - Fairy Cake - The Black Knight

Butter London nail polishes come in a sturdy square bottle . I love the shape of the bottle because it looks unusual and 'expensive'.

Rosie Lee - Fairy Cake - The Black Knight all 3 coats.

Rosie Lee is a strawberry pink color with the same shade-glitters, Fairy Cake is a silver with multicolored glitters and The Black Knight is a black with multicolored glitters.

The glitters are fine and applied and dried smooth on the nails. It dried quickly as well. The formula is nice, it is not too thin or too thick and the glitters are not flaky. The application was smooth and not streaky. They are pretty sheer though, I needed 3 coats to reach opacity. The staying power was great though, I topped it with Essence topcoat and it stayed on my nails with no chipping for good 4 days. ( usual nail polishes chip on my nails in less than 2-3days )

To be honest, I wasn't really impressed with the quality of them. They are no doubt, beautiful glitter polishes but I don't think they're worth the 16€ price tag. The formula didn't wow me like Essie, OPI or Sally Hansen nail polishes.  

Have you tried Butter London nail polishes?

Love,

Pam

Kiss Me Heroine Mascara

I've been really happy with my mascara routine recently. I apply 2 coats of Benefit They're Real and another 2 coats of Max Factor Clump Defy. They work amazingly for my pathetic lashes that I don't feel the urge to buy another mascara because I think I have found my perfect combination.

But lovely Sharlynn from The Blackmentosbeautybox introduced me to this mascara and was very nice to give me this set of 1 mascara and 1 mascara remover. She said that it is her holy grail mascara so it must be great!!

I love the packaging so much!! Asian brands are really 1 step ahead in terms of cute packaging! I love the vintage manga character there,just like the characters in manga 'Candy Candy'.

Sharlynn gave me a set of 1 mascara and 1 mascara remover. She said the mascara is really waterproof that it needs 'special' remover for itself.

All instructions and product description are written in japanese ( I believe it is japanese ) so I understand literally nothing. lol

Both the mascara and the remover come in a slim tube with golden 'Heroine mascara' logo printed on it. The mascara has fuschia tube with black cap and the remover has a pale pink tube with the same color cap.

THE MASCARA

MASCARA REMOVER

The mascara comes with a curved wand. The wand is made of plastic, and the size and curve are perfect for my sparse short lashes. I usually have problems with bigger wands but this one is just the right size.

The remover comes with a really interesting wand. It is plastic and straight. It is difficult to describe so please take a look at the picture :P

Now to the result.

Since all the descriptions are written in japanase, I can't read what this mascara promises. This mascara does elongate and curl my lashes and it holds the curl. It also doesn't clump and doesn't create spider lashes. It separates my lashes really really well which I like very much.

But it is lacking in volume. And it is not 'black enough' for my liking. I like this mascara though, but I still prefer my Benefit They're Real. If you see the before after picture, you can definitely see the difference it makes, but I need more 'drama'. lol

And this mascara is also very waterproof, so I am happy that Sharlynn got me the set with the remover because it is kind of hard to remove with usual make up remover. My waterproof eye make up remover from Balea does remove this mascara though, but not as effective as the remover that came with this set.

Overall, it is a really nice mascara but I still need the help from Benefit They're Real for more drama. ;)

What is your holy grail mascara?
Love,
Pam



Plum Pink

Among other high end brands, Burberry is def on the top of my list. I love everything about it, from the packaging, the concept, the products and etc etc.

I've tried the foundation, face powder, blushes, and lipsticks from Burberry but not yet the eye shadow. Burberry eye shadows have been getting a lot of compliments from the beauty community so I am so curious to try.

After doing some research on internet, I decided that the shade I'd like to try 1st was Mulberry. Unfortunately it was not available at Burberry beauty counter in Galeries Lafayette-Berlin, so the SA recommended me this palette and voila! you know the rest.

The palette comes in a trademark Burberry metal case with magnetic closure. It also comes in a 'velvet' pouch with 3 applicators. I don't have to say much about the packaging, but I love it! 

Inside, the eye shadows are divided to 4 stripes, with the 2 shades in the middle having the most space. I love the face that they give more amount for the 2 shades in the middle because they are the shades I'd use the most. The eye shadows are embossed with Burberry signature check patterns. Lovely, yes?

Okay, first of all I have to give applause to Burberry. These eye shadows are bomb. The texture is soooo smooth, fallout is minimal, pigmentation is just perfect and the finish is beautiful. I believe you can see on pictures above, the satin-sheen finish, right? 

Plum pink is not an ordinary neutral palette. It is something more 'playful'. It is the combination between taupe, plum and mauve and peach. It is totally my cup of tea.  The plum shade on the palette gives a nice pop of color without going too far from the neutral border. It's easy to create a subtle everyday look as well as a more intense smokey look. 

All the shades don't need any effort to apply. And once applied, they give the most beautiful satin sheen velvety finish I have never experienced before from any other brands. They don't crease, they have great staying power even on my oily lids + no base, the powder is finely milled and they blend like heaven.  

Oh I can go on and on raving about this.. 

After reading some reviews online, some people said that the quality of the eye shadows on this palette is not as good as the individual ones. Wow that surprised me! Because this one has already impressed me , I wonder how good the individuals are.. Any of you have tried both ? Which one do you prefer?

Because price-wise, this palette is a bargain compare to the single eye shadows. The singles retail for 25€ and this palette for 51€. But I'll def check the singles later, since I am still on the look for 'Mulberry'.

Love,

Pam

My Foundation Routine for Spring / Summer

After the endless winter, it is now finally spring here in Berlin. It's sometimes still cold and windy , but at least, the sun is there and the weather is warmer. 

So, now I want to do a little different post than the usual product reviews and show you my foundation routine for the warmer months. 

STEP 1 - 4

Skin Care + Base

1. Clarins Pore Minimizing Serum. 
• I've been using this serum for the last 6 months and I still love it so far. It minimizes the appearance of big pores and smoothes the skin texture.
2. Hada Labo Hyaluronic Acid face lotion.
• My new holy grail skin moisturizer. I first tried it when I was in Indonesia and it is so moisturizing without being greasy or oily. In winter , I usually apply the moisturizing milk after this lotion ( it has water consistency even though it is called lotion. It is common for asian skin care ) but in warmer months, the milk is a bit too 'moisturizing'.
3. Paul and Joe Protective Foundation Primer UV SPF 40++
• I use this primer regardless of the seasons. It has high SPF which I need especially in spring/summer and it doesn't make my skin oily although It doesn't make my make up last longer either. That's why I still apply another primer over this one.
4. Benefit Porefessional.
• I apply Benefit Porefessional over my Paul&Joe protective base because I noticed that it works better when applied after the Paul&Joe primer. It gives a smooth-matte base and my make up stays on longer over this base. 

STEP 5-6

Foundation + Concealer + Powder

5.   Revlon Whipped Creme Foundation 

• I really like this foundation. It covers up just enough imperfections without making my skin look dull. It has beautiful finish with impressive staying power. It doesn't look cakey and it is perfect for warmer seasons. 

6.   Benefit Fake Up Concealer

• I've been having this concealer for around 2 months and I've been using it literally almost every single day. It is a nice decent concealer for under eye areas. It doesn't provide a lot of coverage but it is brightening so I don't mind the minimum coverage. 

7.   Essence Fix and Matte Translucent Loose Powder

• Setting powder is a must for warmer months since I have oily T-zone. But I prefer translucent powder because it gives more natural and flawless finish without being cakey. This powder from Essence is really nice and finely milled.

So that's my foundation routine for spring / summer! :D

I sometimes switch the foundation with another one or BB Creams but most of the time, I use the Revlon one. 

What is your foundation routine for warmer months?

Love,

Pam

Shiseido Perfect Rouge Tender Sheer - PK 327

I fell in love with this lipstick the first time I saw it on Lu's blog. I have never owned a Shiseido lipstick so this is my first encounter with Shiseido lipstick.

I went to Shiseido counter at Galeries Lafayette and the sales lady was so nice and helpful. I loooooove nice and helpful SAs. :D

The lipstick comes in a sleek purplish black metal bullet with magnetic closure. The bullet looks expensive and well made, yet simple and shopisticated. The packaging is just what you expected from the higher price.

I knew exactly from the beginning what shade I wanted so I didn't do a lot of swatches on the counter. The SA lady helped me apply this lipstick on my lips so I could see how the color looked on me. I also tried on another similar shade which is #RS326 but it was too milky and pale for my liking so I picked up this one.

#PK 327 is a sheer nude pink lipstick. It is a 'your lips but better' shade. The texture is balmy and so moisturizing. It is really easy to apply, the kind of lipstick you can re apply without a mirror. The pigmentation is sheer just like it is supposed to be. But it is not very sheer either, it still gives a nice hint of color to my lips.

It glides on smoothly on my lips and it has a nice sheer balmy finish. It feels so comfortable on the lips mainly because of its balmy texture.  I've been wearing this lipstick a lot to uni because its lightweight feeling and wearable color. The texture reminds me a lot of Clinique Chubby Stick. This lipstick is taste and scent free. 

The staying power is pretty short, but I don't mind having to re apply a bit often.

Despite of the expensive price ( 26 € ) and relatively 'usual' color, I still like this lipstick a lot. It def won't be my last lipstick from Shiseido.

Love,
Pam

Benefit World Famous Neutrals - Most glamorous nudes ever

I got this lovely Benefit eye shadow set from my colleagues at work as my birthday gift in March. Aren't they nice?? ;) They know exactly how I love make up, so they got me make up! :D

I got the kit 'Most glamorous nudes ever' which was actually on my wish list, so I was so happy that they decided to get me this set, because all the shades are totally my cup of tea. 

This kit contains 2 mini creaseless creme shadows in Birthday suit ( a shimmery super wearable champagne ) and My two cents ( a warm shimmery chopper ) and 4 long wear powder shadows in Call my Buff ( a sheer pearl white ), Kiss me I'm tipsy ( a reddish brown ), It's complicated ( a beautiful peach with golden sheen ) and Gilt-y pleasure ( a shimmery peach with gold touch ).

The kit comes in a hard paper box packaging that is so cute. Benefit never fails me in terms of cute-retro looking packaging. They really pay a lot of attention to the small details. The box itself can be used after you finish the product though I don't know if I will ever use up the product. It also comes with a mirror and Tips and Tricks How to cards that you can detach if you don't want to keep them.

To be honest, I was surprised at how creamy the creaseless cream shadows are. This kit is my first encounter with Benefit's eye shadows. The creaseless cream shadows are creamy and soft and they apply sooooo smooth and glides on literally like butter. The pigmentation is good, and the staying power is okay as long as I apply eye shadow base underneath. 

The long staying shadow powders have smooth and almost creamy texture. They are not dusty and easy to blend. The pigmentation is great, and they stay on for a long time as well.

The set will be good for travelling as you get cream + powder shadows that are all wearable. But you can also create dramatic look with this set.  I love how Benefit combined all the colors because I think they all look good together and you can play with it to create a lot of looks. This set will make a good gift as well!

Love,

Pam