Dolce and Gabbana Perfect Luminous Liquid Foundation

I've recently purchased DIOR forever flawless foundation to replace my empty Guerlain lingerie de peau. But unfortunately I was not entirely happy with the DIOR foundation so I went on hunting for the alternative. 

On my recent trip to Paris, I had a full face make up application at Dolce&Gabbana counter at Galeries Lafayette and I fell in love at the 1st sight with the foundation.

I said to the BA that I have combination to oily skin but after examining my skin, she said that she actually thought my skin was more normal to combination which I later agreed because I am mostly dry around the cheeks area and only a bit oilier around my Tzone. So we decided on the luminous foundation rather than the mattifying one.

The foundation comes in a typical high end packaging. It's a glass bottle with a golden cap and a pump that dispenses the perfect amount of product. The bottle is very well made and sturdy.

The foundation has thick-liquid consistency and mildly scented. I can't really tell what scent it is but I read somewhere that all Dolce and Gabbana make up has fig scent. It is very mild though, so don't worry. I find that the foundation is best applied with beauty blender for lighter coverage or stippling/buffing brush for fuller coverage.

BEFORE

AFTER

please mind my weird brows, i was having bad brow day

You can see the luminous finish better at this picture below. It was taken after 3 hours wearing this foundation.

The coverage of this foundation is medium to full, very buildable and doesn't feel heavy on the skin. You can layer this foundation for fuller coverage without ending up being cakey , mask-like or dull. On daily basis, I am happy with 1 layer of this foundation. The coverage is enough to cover any imperfections, blemishes, hyperpigmentations and rednesses.

It doesn't cling on pores or dry patches. It delivers such a lovely luminous finish just like the name advised. It is not luminous oily but more luminous dewy. People with very oily skin might find it a bit too dewy though but I personally love the finish that I don't feel that layering it with powder is a must.

The foundation is fairly long wearing as well. I got 8 hours straight before it starts to fade gradually. I don't feel the need to touch up with powder even after 8 hours, blotting powder is enough. 

I am very in love with the finish. It is something I have not achieved before with another foundation. The 'high end' feeling is definitely there and it is just... flawless. 

The foundation retails for €49,99,- / 30ml which is such a steep price but I do think it's worth every penny. I am loving this foundation very much, I think I've found my new holy grail high end foundation.

Love,

Pam

KIKO Long Lasting Stick Eye Shadow

I have been buying a few products from KIKO lately because they are having sale. Lovely Kate from drivelaboutfrivol wrote a post about this eyeshadow stick from KIKO and I have been wanting to try them since then.

So when KIKO was having sale, I took the chance and picked up 2 of these stick eye shadows.

I picked up the shade #07 Golden Beige and #05 Rosy Brown. Later I realized how similar both shades are to my recent Rimmel Scandalous stick eyeshadow. 

Rosy Brown is a dirty brown shade, it looks dirtier and less bronzy than on the swatch below. It has a lot glitter particles but not in any way flaky. Golden Beige is a light shimmery champagne shade which is perfect for highlighting inner corner or lower lash line. Some people love it for highlighting the brow bones but it is too shimmery for it, imho.

Both shades are indeed very similar to the Rimmel ones that I also have, but once applied, they are less alike. As I said before, Rosy Brown is dirtier and leans more to 'taupe brown' on the lids while Bad Girl Bronze from Rimmel leans more to bronze-coppery shade. And Golden Beige leans more to gold while Bulletproof Beige leans more to peach.

These stick eyeshadows from KIKO are creamy, smooth and easy to apply. They don't tug on the lids and glide on very well. They are easier to blend in comparison to the Rimmel ones which dry up very quick. The sticks from KIKO  take longer time to dry up and set so we have more time to blend. 

I love the fact that they are shimmery and glittery so they are good worn alone. They have duo chrome effect which looks very nice on the lids.

The staying power is amazing. They don't budge , don't move, don't smudge, really long lasting. I also like the fact that they are retractable but have small tip so we can go without sharpener without worrying that the tip will get dull and difficult to apply.

I am overall very happy with the purchase, will definitely look at more shades !

Love,

Pam

Öl Magique

I rarely do any review for hair product mainly because I don't have that many hair care products ( in comparison to make up or skin care ) and also because my hair is very low maintenance. But this time I'll dedicate a full post for this particular hair oil.

L'oreal Paris Elvital Öl Magique ( or L'oreal paris elvive extraordinary oil in some countries ) is a hair oil that can be used for various purposes such as hair mask, hair smoother, heat protector, to give shine to dry hair, or even to be mixed with shampoo.

I got a small tester of this oil from magazine and I loved it the 1st time I used it so I picked up the full size bottle for 8,95€ / 100ml

First of all, I like to give plus point to the packaging. The bottle is well made and sturdy and the pump spender works really well. Nice packaging for drugstore product.

The oil has quite runny consistency. It is definitely not greasy and it has a silicon 'matte-powdery feeling' when you rub it on your hands ( If you are familiar with Benefit Porefessional, you know what I'm talking about ). I apply this oil regularly on my hair ends after I wash my hair. It absorbs really fast and doesn't leave oily residue. My hair doesn't feel greasy at all even though I have oily hair. This oil makes my hair smoother and feels like silk. One thing I noticed after 3 months of using this oil is that it helps to avoid split ends. I used to have problems with split ends since I often use flat or curling iron , but after this oil, everything's changed. My hair feels healthier and smoother and shinier ( not in oily way ) which is impressive since I color my hair once in a month so my hair is actually 'cursed' to be dry and damage but it is not. And it really reduces the appearance of split ends. 

The oil also has gorgeous scent. The scent is very 'high end like' and it stays on pretty well. A lot of people say this oil is packed with silicon, hence the 'smooth and silky' effect but I don't really care as long as it does good things to my hair. I've been using this oil for the past 3 months and my hair condition has improved a lot. I have before used Caudalie Hui Divine oil which is more expensive than this one but it did nothing to my hair. So I'll definitely repurchase this one from L'oreal , it is indeed holy grail material for me.

Do you use hair oil? what is your favorite?

Love,

Pam

Products I Regret Buying

As an impulsive person ( read : shopper ), it happens to me a lot that I buy things without thinking or researching about it first. So I have quite a list of products I regret buying. But I have recently sold them on a blogsale so here are the things that are still on the list :

MAC Plumful Lipstick - I know a lot of people love MAC lipsticks and this particular shade. But I just don't have enough luck with MAC lipsticks. I have tried some shades, from different kind of finish, but still I don't feel comfortable wearing them. Plumful was my last attempt to befriend with MAC lipstick, but still it failed. The shade is pretty I admit, but the formula is just not my preference.

Shu Uemura ft Karl Lagerfeld eye shadow palette - I bought it mainly because of the packaging and I thought it was such a nice collector item. It is a nice palette but the formula is not groundbreaking. I have seen another brands doing better job. The price is not cheap, so I expected excellent quality which is not the case for this one. I am still happy to have it on my dressing table but I wish I did more research about it before I bought it. 

Manhattan Glossy Lip Balm and KIKO Kiss Balm - Both have same problem ; too slippery and not moisturizing enough for a 'tinted lip balm' .

Essence Me & My Ice Cream Shimmer Pearls - I have only worn it once since I bought it because I am clueless on how to wear it the right way. It is a bit too 'pearly' as finishing powder and too 'matte' as highlighter. A lot of people like it but I just don't get the concept. 

ESSIE nail polish Tart Deco - I expected it to be more 'pastel' and less 'neon', but on my nails, it is a bit too neon for my liking. The formula is also such a hassle to apply, very gloopy and thick and streaky. It is such a popular shade so I thought it would be very nice, unfortunately not for me.

Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation - too greasy for my combination skin. The shimmers are visible on my face so I look like disco ball wearing this foundation. It would be best for people with dry to normal skin I guess.

Do you have products you wish you didn't buy?

Love,

Pam

Hyde Park

The lovely sleepandwater is pretty much guilty for making me want to try the NARS satin lip pencil so bad. So I went on some swatchparty at NARS counter on my visit to Paris. I remembered trying on 3 different shades on the lips and loving the texture the very first time it touched my lips. I finally decided for Hyde Park ( I wanted Yu as well but it was out of stock ) .

Hyde Park is a deep berry red. It has ( of course -.- ) satin finish as the name advised. I don't really like how it looks like when applied alone with full coverage, but I love how it looks like when it's blotted and then topped with a sheer lip balm for a subtle balmy finish ( thanks for the tips, Sleepandwater! ). When it's blotted, it leaves such a nice stain, looking like a sultry just bitten lips.

Worn alone

The stain after 4 hours ( incl. minor eating + drinking )

Blotted + Balm

On the texture, Hyde Park has a very pleasant texture. It glides on smoothly but in no sense creamy if that makes sense. The texture is unique that I haven't experienced from another brands. It doesn't settle into lip lines and it stays on for hours when applied alone ( when applied with balm, it doesn't stay as long as when it's applied alone ). It leaves  a very nice stain as well after few hours. The stain is even and looks like you're wearing lip tint.

The pigmentation is great, it literally needs 1 swipe only to look opaque. I remember the SA told me that the satin lip pencils are enriched with hyaluronic acid to moisturize the lips. I can't find the info anywhere on NARS website but the lip pencil is trully moisturizing, it feels very comfortable on the lips. 

I have already owned enough lip products to last 3 generations but I really think I need more NARS satin lip pencils in my life. ( Yu and Luxembourg, my eyes are on you! ) :p

NARS satin lip pencil retails for €25,- each.

Love,

Pam

Amour

This NARS Blush in Amour was the only thing I bought from the big Sephora Store in Champ Elysees on my recent trip to Paris. I was über excited to see a big Sephora but was very disappointed once I got inside. It was very crowded, the staffs were all busy and the testers were dirty and unorganized, so all the excitement just went away.

90% of the brands they carry are available in Germany so I went straight to brands that are not available in my country like Urban Decay, NARS, Too Faced, MUFE and Sephora own make up line. I wanted to see the famous Sephora black pencil eyeliner but the counter was soooo full I just couldn't be bother. There were nothing interesting as well at UD, Too Faced and MUFE counters ( which were so full as well ) so I headed straight to NARS which was miraculously empty. I did some swatches of the blushes and asked my bf to choose the color , he chose Amour so there it went to my shopping basket.

Packaging wise, I like the sleek black case. It's thin and compact, very simple and it has built in mirror with decent size so it's good for traveling. It is well made and weighs well on my hand grip. Only the rubber surface gets dirty very easy, it annoys me -.-

Amour is a matte warm rose pink with a very very slightly hint of peach.  NARS describes it as peachy pink but I think it leans more to rosy pink rather than peachy pink. It could appear quite 'red' as well. The texture is very soft but it is a little bit dry, the powder is finely milled though, not powdery at all. The blush is highly pigmented so be careful not to apply too much product. It needs a bit more blending because of the slightly dry texture but it gives a pretty flushed on the cheeks. The staying power is rather average I'd say. It stays on for 4-5 hours before starting to fade ( I get 7-8 hours with Burberry blushes ). The overall quality of the blush reminds me a lot of MAC blushes.

For the price ; 30€ / 4,8gr of product, I expected it to have excellent quality and a 'wow factor'. This blush from NARS is no doubt a great product, but it is very expensive. MAC blushes retail for 23,50€ / 6gr and Burberry blushes retail for 38€ / 7gr of product. That makes NARS the most expensive if we divide it per gramm. I'd rather pay 8€ more for Burberry blushes, get more product, better packaging, and better quality. 

I am happy with this purchase but the best blushes I have are still the ones from Burberry.

Do you have NARS blushes? Which shade is your favorite?

Love,

Pam

Vulcano

I've been wanting to try some make up from Dolce and Gabbana beauty line. The beauty line is not available in Germany both in stores or online so I was very excited when I found out that Galeries Lafayette Paris carries the make up line. 

The counter was very full when I first came so I had to wait about 5-10 minutes until a very nice and friendly SA came to help me. I've seen Rae from theraeviewer raving about some of Dolce and Gabbana products so I asked the SA that I wanted to try a full face make up from foundation to lipstick. The SA was very gentle in make up application, asked me about what I like and dislike, about my skin condition , etc etc. The finish look she created on me was very nice, natural and fresh looking ( Sorry I forgot to take a pict of the finish look ).  As much as I wanted to buy everything she put on my face, I picked up only the foundation and the eye shadow quad ( I was on the edge to get the blush as well but I have just bought 2 NARS blushes so I didn't buy it ). I'm still trying out the foundation so now let's talk about the eye shadow quad now.

Packaging wise, the palette has great quality. The case is made of plastic but not cheap kind of plastic. The case is sturdy and well made, though very prone to finger prints. There is a built in mirror inside with 2 mini sponge applicators. It weighs well on my grip and it also comes with a velvet pouch like most high end brands do.

Vulcano consists of 4 shades. A light pearly yellow, a matte redish brown, a duochrome cranberry ( very similar to MAC cranberry ) , and a duochrome blackened eggplant shade. All shades work well together . They really compliment each other. Both of the duo chrome shades also look great worn alone.

The texture is so smooth, buttery and they apply well on the lids. The pigmentation is just perfect. They blend easily and give such a nice finish on the lids. The staying power is impressive, they stay on for more than 8 hours without base. 

Some of you might have known how I love Burberry eye shadow. This quad is just as great as the Burberry ones. Only the shades I picked up from D&G are not as wearable as the ones from Burberry. But I can create a lot of different looks with this D&G palette, from everyday natural look to bold smokey eye look. The color might not be everyone's cup of tea but I just wanted to have something a bit unusual, because I have already owned too many earthy brown shades.

How do you like the quad? Have you ever tried Dolce and Gabbana make up?

Love,

Pam

Shocking Coral

I have just cleaned my make up collection and got rid of a lot of stuffs I barely used. So now I don't have as many lipsticks as I used to, therefore, a reason to buy new ones! lol

I did some research online and a lot of people seem to like the Color Sensational vivid line from Maybelline. There are only 2 shades available in Germany and Shocking Coral is the most loved one so I bought it.  At first I was quite worried about the color being 'too neon' for me , but my local drugstore was having 20% off all maybelline products so I picked it up anyway.

The lipstick comes in a square bullet with transparent red closure lid. The packaging is quite nice for drugstore. It feels nice on the hand,not very plasticky or cheap looking.

Shocking Coral is a true neon coral shade. It leans more to orange on hand swatch but on the lips it leans more to pink. It is a very bright-neon shade. I am not sure how I feel about it as the shade is too neon for my liking. The texture is creamy but not slippery, a very nice texture actually. But it sets into lip lines very bad so make sure to moisturize your lips properly beforehand. The pigmentation is over the top, it takes only a light swipe to make it opaque. This is not the kind of lipstick you can apply or re apply without mirror.

I have to say, the color looks kind of nice on pictures above, but on real life it looks very 'Jersey Shore', definitely not flattering for my asian complexion. It makes my teeth appear more yellow and my skin appears dull. I know a lot of people love it, but it is just not meant for me. Aside of the color, the lipstick's formula is very nice. It is creamy and feels hydrating on the lips and it also stays on pretty well. 

It originally retails for 7,75€ but I got it for 20% off.

Have you tried the vivid line from Maybelline?

Love,

Pam

Bienvenue à Paris!

Hey guys! My 4 day trip to Paris is over T.T why holiday always flies like a jet plane?? Paris is a beautiful beautiful city. The fact that Paris is beautiful, I believe is no longer a secret for a lot of people. I didn't have much expectations though to be honest, because I have heard some 'not so good' things about Paris, e.g how 'unsafe' the city is from pickpockets, how 'unfriendly' the Parisians are, and how full the city is with loud and clueless tourists. But I have to say I was impressed with the city. Let me conclude it for you.

The Parisians - During my 4 day trip in Paris, I found that Parisians are friendly. The people on the streets,  staffs at dept.stores, boutiques, restaurants, cafes, even taxi drivers were all very friendly and helpful despite of my pathetic french skill . I only found that mostly people who work at public services were very unhelpful and unfriendly and unwilling to speak even a word in english ( which is such a shame because they are supposed to help -.- ) But anyway, the parisians are not that bad. It could be because I live in germany where the people are not considered the friendliest :p

The Metro - Okay, I was not impressed with the metro. I think it was even worse than the London's. I live in Berlin where public transportation is excellent, so Paris metro was a bit a shock for me. They were mostly on time though, but almost always so full-hot-and dirty, very old wagon ( but some lines have new wagons which are good ), too many exits and entrances per station so it is very difficult as a tourist. And the worst among all, is that you have to walk a very looooong endless tunnels every time you want to reach the train or transfer.

The Tourist Attractions / Sightseeing - Louvre, Eiffel, Notre Dame, Arc de Triomphe, Sacre Cour, what else? I am not the kind of person who love sightseeing, for me, taking must have tourist pics in front of the most famous landmarks is enough. I didn't go up the Eiffel tower, I didn't enter Louvre ( which I actually really wanted to , but didn't have time ), I didn't go to Sacre cour, so I don't really have much to say. But I did enter Notre dame church which is beautiful! the entrance is free so make sure you don't miss it! And if you want a good pict in front of eiffel, go to Trocadero station, best view is at night when the lights are on.

Disneyland - a must visit! 1 day is def not enough. I only managed to finish the disneyland park but didn't have time to visit the disney studio as they were closing at 6pm. It was a dream comes true. I am always a disney kid inside out, I grew up watching disney movies, I remember every scenes in cinderella and sing all the disney soundtracks, so being able to finally visit Disneyland was really a dream comes true for me. The park is huge! So wear comfortable shoes and bring empty water bottle as there are a lot of free water stations you can find all over the park. The 5pm parade was also soooo good I had tears on my eyes.

The Shopping - All the luxury boutiques at rue st.honore, rue cambon and rue fabourg are must visits. They have wonderful window displays and chic parisians walking down the pavements. The Hermes boutique is unbelievably full of asians and arabs ;p. Chanel boutique is huge and they have their own perfume and beauty corner. Most of the staffs in the boutiques are relatively friendly and helpful too. Printemps beaute and Galeries Lafayette beauty floor are also must visits. Printemps' NARS counter was the highlight while Dolce&Gabbana beauty counter at Lafayette was a dream home for me. 

Champ Elysees in other hand, was not very special. It is very paris but also very full, crowded, and overrated imho. The huge sephora there doesn't carry a lot of brands from the US. 90% of what they have are available in Germany as well so I didn't really spend a lot of time there . It was also very very very full and the stuffs were all busy, so save your time and better go to Lafayette or Printemps. 

 

Food - Paris have good steak and wine and pattiserie of course. L'aduree main store ( including a huge 2 storey restaurant ) in champ elysees is a must. The interior is soooooo paris and grandious and beautiful. Staffs were very friendly and tea and desserts were delish. Brunch on street cafes is also a must do.

I didn't find any 'drugstore' in Paris and I really wonder where the parisians buy their drugstore make up. There is a few selection of drugstore make up in lafayette but they are very over priced and there were only bourjois, lafayette own brand, maybelline and loreal and all of them are almost the same price as MAC. They have a lot of pharmacies though, but most pharmacies only carry skincare and medicine, no make up. So I saved the money and went for high end brands. I bought Amour Blush, Killing me softly cheek palette, and hyde park satin lip pencil from NARS, a set of 3 perfumes from Laura Mercier and Vulcano Eyeshadow quad + perfect luminous liquid foundation from Dolce&Gabbana beauty. Of course, reviews coming soon!

So, that's all about my paris trip, it was a wonderful 4 days in Paris and I'll def come back. 

Have you ever been to Paris?

Love,

Pam