Monday 27 May 2013

Mini shopping Haul from Malacca

Posted by Unknown at 03:00 1 comments
Hi everyone,

After hearing Keira's rave about how awesome shoe shopping in Malacca is, I decided to go there over Vesak Day long weekend and see for myself how great it is.

And pretty awesome it is, below is the mini haul I got over the past 2 days.

(Please excuse the poor photo quality, I was in a hurry and took pictures using my Nexus 10.)

I didn't go as crazy over shoes as Keira did during her trip, but I still managed to get 3 pairs of shoes. 2 for myself and one for my mother.



This is the pair I got for my mother,traditional Nyonya beaded slippers that are handmade. I imagined her wearing it with a black dress for a special occasion dinner and had to buy it, they are elegant and also extremely comfortable on the feet.

The shoes I got are both white,



The first pair is a cheap find from Payless for around 40 Ringits, and the second is leather heel sandals from Hush Puppies. The Hush Puppies one are really comfortable, I can foresee myself wearing them in lab without getting tired.

Clothes shopping in Malacca is also decent, but I was too hot and sticky to try on clothes, so in the end I only bought a peplum like dress from Nichi. (Nichi in Malaysia retails for about 60% of the price in Singapore.)


Finally, of course I managed to buy some makeup from my trip. Drugstore makeup items in Malacca generally around 20% to 50% cheaper than those in Singapore.

I bought 2 of my favorite lipsticks Revlon Lipbutters which were retailing at 22.30 Ringgit (Around 9.30 SGD) . These would cost SGD15.90 in Singapore, so if you are in Malaysia, I highly recommend buying one or two of them to try. I got 090 Macaroon which is a dusty red with some blue under tone, and 050 Berry smoothie which is a neutral pink. Both very pigmented and hydrating, great for every day wear (swatches here and here ).




Last but not least, I invested in a bronzey colored Maybelline color tattoo for the eyes, which is a cream based eyeshadow. It retails for RM 17.90 (SGD17.45) while in Singapore, it is on sale for SGD 14.90. This cream shadow is good for lazy days where I like apply it all over my eye lids to the socket line for some depth and color.



That's all folks, I didn't buy too many things this time, but I am very happy with everything I bought. Hope everyone had a good vesak day weekend, and are happily (I hope) back at work today!

xoxo,
Nicole.

Saturday 18 May 2013

Makeup and outfit to an Indian wedding (slightly AISHWARYA RAI inspired)

Posted by Unknown at 22:50 2 comments

My fiance and I went for an Indian Muslim wedding last night and I was extremely excited about it. It was the first Indian wedding I have ever attended, and I wanted to do a makeup that was sort of Bollywood glam. The person I thought of was Aishwarya Rai.



Of course Aishwarya Rai and I have entirely different facial structure, hers being nicely chiseled and mine being extremely flat. There is no way I can recreate her entire look, so what I focused on instead was to creaste a sultry look thatmimic her very lovely almond shaped eyes and the high cheek bone

Then end result was this:

Before                                                                         After
(Please excuse the weird shadow on the after picture, somehow the sun started setting when I was half way through the makeup, and I didn't realize the window grills were casting a shadow on my face until this morning.)

What I used for this makeup:


What I did:


I filled my brows in with a mix of dark brown and black eyeshadow because Rai had dark brows, and I also created a slight arch with the brows instead of using doing my usual straight brows. 

For eyeshadow, I used a L'oreal color infallible shadow in 004 Forever pink as a base, and then set the cream shadow with a plummy pink shadow from YSL 4 ombres a Paupieres palette 6. To create a subtle crease shape (see from the pictures, all of Rai's crease colors are very subtle, but it could be because she already has very definite eye socket), I used a matt brown shadow Tease from Urban Decay. Finally, I highlighted my brow bone with a beige shimmer color, Bootycall from Urban Decay.  


Eyeliner wise, I did a cat eye because it will elongate my eyes and emphasize more on the almond shape of my eyes in order to create an illusion that they are as beautiful as Rai's eyes. I drew the upper line with Heroine make's smooth liquid eyeliner. For a more natural cat eye look, the flick should be in line with the upward turn of your lower eyelid (shown by the line in the picture). I then lined my water line with Makeup forever aqua eye waterproof eyeliner pencil in 0L. I only lined half of my waterline so that it will look a little more natural, but if you prefer a fiercer look, line your entire waterline. Finally I set my liner with a black eye shadow, Carbon from M.A.C

For the lashes, I only used Maybelline's falsies mascara, because I had unfortunate accident with a recent eyelash extension and did not want to traumatize my lashes further with eyelash glue. But for a better effect, please apply some false lashes. 


Cheeks wise, 


I chose to use a bronzer and a highlighter to sculpt out my cheekbones and did not use any blush. I applied  taupe brown Rock and Republic eyeshadow in SPY as a bronzer to the hollows of my cheeks (the line). And to highlight my cheekbones (triangle area), I used Dior's Shimmer powder in 002 Amber Diamond. All these created an illusion of higher cheekbones.

Finally, to finish off,


I used Relvon's lip butter in Sugar plum to add a subtle plum color  that matches my dress. And for something extra, I added a stick on nose stud from Chameleon.  

As for outfit, 



I wore a dark magenta dress with indian inspired silver and crystal beadings on the collar, paired with a pair of white strappy heels. I piled on a ton of silver tone jewellery for accessories, and carried my vintage Dior clutch. 

All in all, it was a fun time doing the makeup and putting the look together. It might not be the best imitation of Aishwarya Rai's look, but I think it was a decent effort. What do you guys think? 

Thanks for reading! 

xoxo, 

Nicole. 

Sunday 12 May 2013

Maybelline Colorsensational NEONUDE NEO1 Blush Beige

Posted by Unknown at 00:25 0 comments
Hi guys,
Sorry I haven't been keeping to my one blog post a week schedule! Like Keira said, I had been down with a pretty bad bronchial infection which coincided with my cousin's visit to Singapore, so I have been sick and running around town (definitely not a great combo), it's hard to get down to blogging. I am still pretty tired so today's entry will be short (and hopefully sweet) to alert you to a great drugstore find in Singapore...


New lipsticks by Maybelline!!! Although I have been quite a fan of Maybelline products recently because of their fantastic mascaras, I still believe that Revlon is the winner when it comes to drugstore lip products (think Revlon Lip butters). However with the launch of Maybelline's 2 new color sensational lipsticks, I think Maybelline is now upping their game. Now available  is the BOLDMATT and NEONUDE lipsticks that promises color without drying your lips. I have yet to try the BOLDMATT lipsticks simply because I have too many bold colored lipsticks, but with how amazing the NEONUDEs are, you will be sure I am going in back to the drugstore next week to pick up some BOLDMATTs.



I only allowed myself to bring home one single NEONUDE lipstick in blush beige. The packaging is the same as their usual colorsensational line with a plastic cover which I am not a fan of because of how filmsy it is. However the product in it is pretty awesome, the lipstick is well pigmented, with a velvety finish. It wears for approximately 4 hours without eating which is pretty decent for a cream finish lipstick. The formula  glides on my lips smoothly and doesn't dry my lips (but not as moisturizing as Relvon's lip butters). I would call it a close dupe to Dior addict lipstick in 422 Tokyo which I love and am almost finishing.

Dior Addict Lipstick in 422 Tokyo

In fact, I think pigmentation wise, Maybelline's NEONUDE maybe even better than Dior Addict Tokyo.

After a single swatch
Multiple swatches of Dior Addict Tokyo and 2 swatches of NeoNude Blush Beige
Blush Beige swatches on the hand as a warm coral color, while 422 Tokyo is more pink. However on the lips, the 2 lipsticks are pretty similar, with 422 Tokyo swatching a little more beige than Blush Beige.


Blush beige is truly one great "my-lips-but-better" (MLBB) lipstick. Look at how it makes my lips look so soft and plump upon application.

Bare Lips and looking pale

With Blush Beige on
For the overlook, Blush Beige puts together my no-makeup-makeup-look, making me look less sickly, and more radiant. I love it!!

So if you are looking for a cheap MLBB lipstick, give Maybelline's NEONUDE line a try. They are retailing at Watsons, Guardian, SaSa, selected departmentail stores, major supermarkets and hypermarkets for SGD$17.90 (Watsons having a sale now for $14.90)

See how I used this lipstick in a bronzey make up look here: http://foreveerr29.blogspot.sg/2013/07/5-mins-smoky-bronzed-look.html

For more swatches from this line, go here.

Have a great rest of weekend!

xoxo,

Friday 10 May 2013

10 things that has changed ever since I turned 30.

Posted by Unknown at 03:35 0 comments
I'm soooo sorry that Nicole and I have been dropping the slack on posting. Deron had a case of dengue fever and the last 1.5 weeks has been hectic and stressful, to say the least. Nicole also went and got herself a nice sinus infection, so safe to say that our energy levels have been pretty low.

Today I wanted to blog about turning 30. After all, our blog was started this year, as we gracefully age into our third decade. Hehe.

I know people always over-dramatize the turning 30 part about their lives (well, at least until they are close to turning 40), and they obsess about it. I lamented during the last year about turning 30 as well, but in my heart, I knew that the difference between my last day of 29 and the first day of 30 is but a day. It was fun complaining about it though. Hehe.

The thing I didn't expect was that turning 30 really does make a difference to your life. It didn't happen in a heartbeat, but slowly and surely, my mindset begins to shift to a phase I cannot believe I would even get to. For the people who are dreading to turn 30, this is a advisory article, to tell you that you will change, but it's not exactly bad, just different. For people who already turned 30, you probably can empathize.

1) You stop caring about clubbing as much (especially if you are married or attached).

When I was 28 years old, I was still really into clubbing. I remember always thinking, damn, I don't think clubbing is just a phase to me, it's more like a lifestyle. I don't want to be the 30-something year old weeping at home because I'm too embarrassed to be still clubbing!

After I got married, the first year coming back was a big adjustment. It was hard to weed out clubbing, and I still went out quite a bit, but it wasn't the same anymore. As I tell my friends and I tell Deron, I just feel out of place most of the time because I no longer have anything to offer. I was already legally taken, and if I even talk to a stranger, people who are not friends will always judge and gossip. I still love the music, and dancing to it, but it no longer gave me the same enjoyment as before. After my new year resolution about not clubbing as much, I really realized that I don't care for it as much anymore. I look forward to nice dinners, lounging at home watching tv over the weekends, or having a drink with my friends. I'm just so sick of stuffing myself in tight dresses and painful heels and not sleeping till like 5am.

Also, I feel like death the morning after these days. Still remember the years when I could still come to lab on Fridays after college nights on Thursdays. Man.

Disclaimer: Vegas clubbing still rocks, so I am issuing a disclaimer about not clubbing in Vegas. Also, I will still go clubbing for birthday events of close friends. And this does not apply to single friends. I guess it is just different after marriage. They always say it doesn't change you, but it really does!

2) You learn to appreciate alcohol, not just for getting wasted.  

In my twenties, I am not exactly selective about my alcohol as long as it gets me there! I rarely got hangovers regardless of what I drank. Towards the end of my twenties, I can no longer stomach cheap alcohol. And I learn to appreciate sips of wine more than say tequila shots. There is something very rewarding about buying a good bottle of wine, and appreciating it. Same goes for beer, and good vodka for me.

3) You pay more attention to makeup.

You are probably thinking, this is a given because you are turning older, but I meant that you pay more attention not only to your makeup but others. I used to look at faces on the street and merely categorize them as "beautiful", "average" and "not so-good looking". I don't pay attention to the detail of the faces, just the general image. But these days, it really bothers me if someone didn't prune their brows, or wearing the wrong shade of eyeshadow, or uneven blush.

4) You appreciate your parents more.

This applies to me, and probably not everyone. This year, I really am starting to appreciate that my parents are indeed getting older and I really should pay more attention to them while I still can. Also, the unconditional love that they have showered me with over the years really gets to me these days.

5) Maternal instincts.

I used to think that having kids is something I would never do or do when I am in my late thirties. I just cannot imagine compromising my life for kids! The idea just feels so alien to me. Up to a year ago, I really do find most kids very annoying, and I cannot imagine having a little brat of my own. It must be the hormones, because I am just liking babies more and more these days! Nicole has always adored kids, so this point obviously depends on the individual.

6) Gossip and compliments do not affect you as much as before.

I attribute this to the growing mature confidence one gets as he/she ages. I used to be really affected by gossip, and really very encouraged by compliments. These days, I have a much better perception of gossip and compliments, maybe because with age, you get to know the world a little better, and realize that the world does not revolve around you, and that sometimes, it just isn't personal.

7) You limit your daily activities to a group of close friends.

Bye bye social butterfly. Whereas the younger me loved to have as many friends as possible, the older (and hopefully wiser) me feels warm and fuzzy in a small group of close friends. It takes way less effort, and is way more rewarding. Hopefully, we will stay friends until we read the obituaries page every day to check......Hehe.

8) You tone down on the makeup

I'm not sure if it's a growing confidence, or just a gradual lack of caring, but I wear way less makeup than in my twenties. Every time I travel when I was younger, my makeup bag is bursting at the seams with the eyeshadows and blushes I HAVE to have during my travels, but these days, I find it hard even to fit half of the same bag. I used to make god-awful decisions like blue eyeshadow and thin eyebrows, and I have to say that I am glad that I am less adventurous these days.

9) Comfort is the #1 priority.

I cannot stress enough on this point. Gone are the days when we could book a chalet and sleep 20 of us. I really need my own bed, and if I have to share, it has to be with just ONE more person and it has to be at least a double bed. Also, I pick clothes and shoes for the comfort level, not for the style anymore. I no longer can prance around in stilettos that make my feet bleed, or clothes where I cannot breathe in at all. Same goes for airlines and hotels. I just cannot settle for less anymore. I guess the cranky old lady is here to stay!

I just need more personal physical space in general. I guess it's a good thing that wealth usually correlates with age. Hurhur.

10) You tend to be more picky.

This applies to many things in general. You are more particular about the clothes you buy. They have to be of a certain acceptable fabric, and of a certain flattering cut.

Same goes in finding a spouse. When we are in our twenties, we just want someone we are physically attracted to. When we get older, we look for sooooo many things. Our partner needs to connect on an intellectual and social level, need to be able to promise security, need to have compatible habits etc, and looks take a backseat (although for some, this still persists). Sometimes, I can understand why some older men seek out younger woman, because they are not as picky. BUT, they can never settle with younger women who are not in the stage of their lives to just settle down and have kids. So, have heart, my friends!

Having said all these, I have to say that I am not unhappy about moving into this new phase of life. Life seems to hold more meaning, simply because you appreciate it more and not take everything for granted. Not looking forward to 40 though. Ha.

xoxo,
Keira





 

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