I Won Some Clarins Skincare

During the earlier part of the year, I was diligently entering contests organized by some magazines like Cleo, Malaysian Women's Weekly, Her World and Female (4 of the women's magazines that I like to purchase for my leisure reading), and sometimes, Marie Clarie.

And last month, I saw my name in the winners' list of the Malaysian Women's Weekly for the prize of a Clarins skincare hamper!! Yippee!!!

I finally got my prizes a few days ago. I had to drive all the way to Damansara Uptown to collect it. Initially, my friend Wing had agreed to help me collect them but she couldn't due to some unforeseen circumstances, and instead of troubling my dear Miu, I decided to look up the map and found my way there. Hehe! Well, I had been there once but not driving by myself so I wouldn't be able to figure out how to get there.

So here's my prize........

From left to right: Gentle Foaming Cleanser 20ml, Renewing Gentle Exfoliator 50ml, Hydrating Whitening Aqua-Milk 50ml, and Repairing Whitening Night Cream 15ml.
The latter 3 are from the White Plus HP range.

I am very happy indeed to win these prizes as I have been wanting to try out Clarins products after attending a very well-conducted Clarins skincare workshop entitled Clarins Power To Try Workshop about a week and a half ago. Though these prizes may not be some of the products that I want to try, but hey, I won it and it's free. It's always nice to get freebies especially when they come in quite generous sizes. :))

EOTD: Experimenting With Stila Kajal Eye Liners As Eyeshadows

I have been feeling quite adventurous lately with my makeup and while rummaging through my stash, I found my many have-been-almost-forgotten Stila Kajal Eye Liners in different colors ranging from Sapphire to Smokey Quartz to Rose Quartz and Topaz.

And I was wondering what to do with the lighter-colored Kajal Eye Liners such as Rose Quartz. Then it struck my mind to try using it as an eyeshadow. You know, just paint my lid with the liner, smudge it a bit then may be highlight the upper part of the lid with some liquid eye shimmer?

Haha!! And I did just that step-by-step as I had 'chronicled' in the paragraph above. Huh! So what did I get? Another nude look....muahaha....

Swatch of Stila Kajal Eye Liner in Rose Quartz

Haha, yes, I am fair and actually, I almost cannot see the liner swatched on my hand.
*crease my forehead*

Eye Of The Day

-I drew the liner on my upper lash line, then repeated several times to get the intensity I wanted (but didn't seem to get any more intense) and also to get a thicker line of color up to my double eye lid.
*Now it occured to me that perhaps with an eye base, the intensity of the color will come out better. A point to note for myself.*
-Then I just used my finger to blend the color a bit toward the crease.
-I dabbed some Paul & Joe eye gloss in 04 Marbre (shimmery light teal color) below my brow bone and blended it to meet with the liner/shadow. DONE!
-Of course, not to forget the brow which I used Stila Automatic brow definer in Coffee.
-And finished off with Estee Lauder Turbolash mascara for my lashes!

There you are, another nude eye makeup!
:D



That's not all, ladies....

Later during the day, I went a little crazy and decided to play with the Stila Kajal Eye Liner in Sapphire. I was already at home. It wasn't planned but just an impulse to try out the Sapphire since I already had on the Rose Quartz for the whole day which surprisingly didn't crease (despite not using eye base for the EOTD above), So before I remove my makeup, I took out the Sapphire Kajal Eye Liner and did the same steps as above but over the Rose Quartz. And Hubby got a shock with the dark blue color. I took some photos of it but am not showing it here :P.

But what I did was to tone it down with a blue eyeshadow - I Nuovi D27 in Electric. I swiped the I Nuovi D27 in Electric over the liner and also a bit up to the crease. Here you go....please don't laugh at the following photo ;), as it's just only an experiment. Will definitely improve on that in future.

The photos were taken with flash at night.

My Retail Therapy

Well, instead of naming it another 'haul' post, for a change, indeed it was a retail therapy for me over the weekend. As I had been on some sort of shopping ban for a while, I had been postponing the purchase of some of the MAC eyeshadows from Love That Look collection, then came the SMS informing me of the Kiehl's special Merdeka offer and then, there's Anna Sui with its irresistible offers and GWPs.....

Huh!! So the 'treatments' I got as part of my retail therapy are.............


From MAC.....

Well, these 3 colors are not quite the usual colors I'd get for eyeshadows but I thought why not give these 3 a try this time. The rest of the colors from Love That Look collection either don't really attract me that much or I already have similar colors. Besides, I am waiting to check out the eyeshadows from the Make-Up Art Cosmetics Maira Kalman collection which is already out in MAC stores, and also the brightly colored Technokohls!

And pssttt....*whispering* heard that MAC will be increasing some of their prices in September. So might as well get them while it's still RM57 per shadow!

From Kiehl's....

My latest Kiehl's haul and some samples

Both items I got are Kiehl's star products!
The Over-Night Biological Peel - I started using it last night (25 August 2009). It says can be used up to 3 times a week. I'll review it after a few usage. Stay tuned.

And the CDC body moisturizer....I had made a short review on it a while ago based on the sample I got. A full review will be coming up as well.

From Anna Sui.....

My Anna Sui haul
Top row: The new Anna Sui Moisture Rich Powder Foundation in B-02 with its rose casing.

Bottom row, from left to right: Face Color Accent in #350 (a similar color to BB blush in Pink Sugar, but I'd rather pay slightly more for the nicer Anna Sui packaging, better service from the Anna Sui SA and more generous promotional offers/GWPs!!); Anna Sui oil blotter refill which I bought to top up to RM400 to qualify for the GWPs, including the Star Lamp; Eye glitter in gold (don't remember the number, huh!); and Anna Sui foldable hair brush (I need a hair brush to carry around in my bag, so why not get an Anna Sui's).

A free Anna Sui tote bag with the purchase of the new Anna Sui Moisture Rich Powder Foundation in B-02 with its rose casing. . Actually, we had a choice of a sequinned pouch or some other smaller cosmetic pouches, but I have been wanting to get the Anna Sui tote bag for a while now. Really glad for this offer! :D

And the generous GWPs.
The sweet SA also topped up a couple other samples for me(not in the photo).

For now....something for you to 'cuci mata', some eye candies.....BLOGGING WILL CONTINUE after dinner. I am rushing out to the Ramadhan bazaar to buy yummy ayam percik for my dinner...haha, and the yummy sweets and cakes....oh my weight!! There was no ayam percik at the bazaar which I went to last night. Today (26 August 2009), I am going to another bigger bazaar...hehehe...

Calling Everyone Who Attended My Kiehl's Party...

This is an announcement to everyone who had attended my Kiehl's Party on the 8th of August 2009 at the Kiehl's store in Pavilion KL!

Please, please, if you have attended the party and blogged about The Party in your respective blogs, kindly leave the link(s) to your Kiehl's Party blog post(s) in the comment section below. I will compile all your links under my blog post on The Party for future reference and also for photos exchange.

Thank you for your help and kind cooperation.

Vonvon

Kiehl's Special Offer

In conjunction with celebrating our Independence Day, Kiehl's Malaysia is having a special offer starting 21st August till 31st August 2009, whereby for every purchase of RM100, you get a RM10 off!

Kiehl's rarely have a sale, so this would be a great opportunity for you to stock up on your Kiehl's favorites!

I have already done some of my Kiehl's shopping with this offer...well, just a small haul this time....

Will post up my Kiehl's haul and also my hauls from MAC and Anna Sui soon.........

EOTD: Blue And Jades

OK, this is my 1st MAC Paint Pot which is a gift from the sweet Tutu, in Rollickin', and also my 1st attempt at using it.

Basically this whole EOTD was more like an experimental one as while doing this, I was using all 3 of the following products for the 1st time. So it didn't turn out to be quite what I had expected. But this is also part of my craze now into cream shadows, though I must admit, I am quite lazy to use it. May be just crazy collecting them...hehe...

Just a few words before I proceed....

The MAC Paint Pot has a somewhat dry texture. I was advised by Tutu to use it as a base and apply it with finger which I did but it kind of dry up very quickly on my lids before I could finish blending it. Hence I ended up with some unevenness as you can see in the following photos.

Products used:

Top left: MAC Paint Pot in Rollickin'
Top right: Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place ShadowCreme in 03 Precious Jade
Bottom: Stila Smudge Pot in Jade and Stila brush #4 for its application (not shown in the photo)

Firstly, I applied MAC Paint Pot in Rollickin' with my finger up to the crease. Note some unevenness in the color distribution.





Then, I applied Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place ShadowCreme in 03 Precious Jade, again with my finger, from the outer corners of my eyes inward to about 1/3 and blend it with Rollickin'. (Not so clearly seen as I just used a very light hand.)





Finally, using Stila brush #4, I applied Stila Smudge Pot in Jade onto my upper lash line and finished off with a touch of the Estee Lauder Turbolash mascara.

Eye Of The Day

So this is my 1st try at using all cream products for EOTD. Lots more room for improvement definitely! :)

FOTD: Another Nude But STONEd Look

OK, last week it was Nude and 'catsy'....this week, it will be Nude and STONEd??

Can anybody decipher the 'meaning' of 'STONEd'? ;)

Haha!!

Alright, this time, I used Stila's Convertible Eye Color in STONE to get a natural look which I think will be perfect for a day look, when I am super lazy and/or I just want the slightest hint of color on my face just to go to the post office or to Tesco for my grocery shopping.....haha!!


Products used:
-Stila Convertible Eye Color (CEC) in STONE (see pix below)
-Estee Lauder Turbolash mascara
-Stila eyebrow definer in Coffee
-The Body Shop Roseflower blush in Pink
-Stila Long Wear Lip Color in Darling



After skincare, I applied the Stila Oil-free tinted moisturiser SPF 30 in Light 02 on my face and dabbed on some Angel Light Compact Foundation in shade c.

Then, I dabbed some of the loose shadow from the Stone CEC on my lids and blended it with my finger. I lined my upper lash lines with the 'pencil' and finish off with the Estee Lauder Turbolash Mascara. Defined my brows with Stila eyebrow definer in Coffee.

Eye Of The Day

I put on The Body Shop Roseflower blush in Pink which was suggested by Gio and Bryan in my previous Nude look post. This blush is so light that you almost cannot see any color on my cheeks.

I used Stila Long Wear Lip Color in Darling - a shimmery brown-beige shade which goes on almost nude on my lips.

Face Of The Day

It took me about 5 minutes to get this look done!

Good for when you are running late and especially for Moms with brat(s) like me whose brat(s) can't even wait another 2 seconds for you to put on your lipstick and are already whining and unlocking the door......you know all those craps, right Mommies, especially when you have no helper or nanny or whatever.......... Right now, I am one of those Moms with my brat pulling my hand away from the computer.....AAAARRRRGGGHHHH!!!!!!!!!!

Freebies

Let's see....yes, I am a freebieholic but sometimes, it does get very tiring just chasing freebies after freebies...well, for me, at least. The thrill of getting freebies is always fun but from time-to-time, it does wane off and on like a sinusoidal chart, or to put it simply, like a yo-yo. You can say that I am not really a hard-core freebieholic or I am just simply a lazy person, so lazy to the point of even lazy to go out and get my freebies! Haha! There you go..... But on the other hand, with the raging H1N1 epidemic, going out less also means less risk of being exposed and lower risk of contracting it.

Enough of some dry humor from me....if you can get it, that is. ;)

So here are some of the freebies I had collected over the past few weeks.....not too many, I must say...


From Clarins.....

I was given a Parkson newsletter by a friend which had a voucher to redeem 2 free Clarins samples. Yep, no obligation, except to fill up your details. I didn't know if we could choose but I was given the High Definiton Body Lift for Cellulite Control (well, I could try this out with my current weight condition, hehe) and HydraQuench Cooling Cream-gel samples (I think I have read some reviews on it somewhere, but I shall try to do a short review after testing the sample myself).

From N.V. Perricone, MD....

Wow!! My 1st Nick Perricone (a.k.a. Dr Perricone), the famous master of anti-aging, samples/products. OK, N.V. Perricone, M.D., is a high-end premium skincare brand. Well, I haven't done too much research into this brand.

From Sothys....

My dear Miu was so sweet to help me buy FACES magazine for July, or was it August 2009, which gave out a freebie in the form a Sothys goodie bag with a cleanser 15ml worth RM59 and some Sothys vouchers.
Thanks Miu dear.....

From MiLab.....

Has anyone heard of MiLab?
I was informed by a friend that there was a supplement in the Star newspapers last week whereby you called this company's customer care line (03-78802932), give them your address and answer a few questions on your skin type and skin health and they will send you 1 sample from any of their 4 types of Good Nite masks: Strawberry for brightening, Pineapple for soothing, Papaya for pore refining (which I got) and Grape for age defense.

I had tried out this mask last night.....so expect a review coming up soon.

From Estee Lauder.........

Finally, the NEW improved Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair (ANR) with the DNA repair technology is here!! Actually, I got several of the new ANR samples and also the Advanced Night Repair Eye Recovery Complex....
Used the eye cream before which is still the same formula as before.
But can't wait to try the new ANR. Gonna ditch my Idealist which is almost finishing already as it doesn't seem to be working much in refining my pores anymore (my Kiehl's Brightening Surface Exfoliator takes much better care of that), but instead I should be more concerned with my fast-appearing fine lines and hydration level of my skin which are some of the benefits the new ANR promise.

And last, but not least, and probably the best and prettiest IMO......from ANNA SUI.........

Samples from Anna Sui
I was at the Anna Sui counter a few days ago to make appointment for the exclusive for IMCC members makeover and the SA was so sweet to introduce me to the new Anna Sui Moisture Rich Base Makeup range. And she gave me these samples to try. I was so shocked when she brought out such pretty pamphlets with sachets of their new primer and fluid foundation and even the signature black rose miniature sample powder foundation.

So cute.....even comes with a small purple Anna Sui sponge.

That's all for now on freebies.... speaking of quality vs. quantity????

Letting Go.....

The following are the stuff I am letting go. To enquire, please leave a comment below or send me an email at vonbeautyexpress@gmail.com
Please email me directly if you have any question and for the price. Please do not leave your email here. Thank you.

First-come-first-served please. That means whoever pays first will get their stuff as the items are very limited. All prices quoted excluding postage, unless stated otherwise. Postage by Poslaju to West Malaysia (RM10) and to East Malaysia (RM15).




HOT ITEM!! Letting go STILA 'SNOW' POWDER (1 available)....for RM80 + a surprise freebie (postage not included)


From BENEFIT!

Benefit BADgal Mascara in Plum
Mfg date: 2008/06
2 available
RM50 (Retail: RM95)


Benefit D'finer D'liner
Clear lip liner
1 available
RM40 (Retail: RM93)

I also have Betty Brush Bag (Bag ONLY!) - RM35 each. (Free postage for purchase of this item alone).





From STILA!
1) Lip talking palette



2) Sheer tinted moisturiser in Bare (light 02)

3) Lip glaze stick with sharpener - Fruit Punch

4) Lip glaze sticks only in Orange, Starfruit, Vanilla, Blackberry

5) Pon Pon Gerbera lip glaze


6) Blanc eye palette

7) Noire eye palette (pix above)

8) Pomegranate crushes lip and cheek stain

9) Long wear lip color in in Darling

10) Mystique eye shadow trio (pix above)

11) Contouring trio

12) Lip liner contour no.4



13) Smoky eye palette - the Bronzes

14) Montmartre eye palette

15) Marrakesh eye palette



From LANCOME!!
1) Hydra Zen Nuit Neurocalm(TM) Soothing Recharging Night Cream 50ml (full-sized) - 1 available
Price: RM120 (Retail: RM200)
- Brand new, NEVER used, but box a bit deformed with sticker mark. The jar also has some sticker mark. Got this as a tier gift from Lancome.








From ESTEE LAUDER!!
1)Nutritious Vita-Mineral Moisture Gel Creme 15ml - 1 available
Price: RM40 (Retail: about RM80+)
-Brand new, NEVER used. Got it as tier gift.




From ISSEY MIYAKE!!
1) L'Eau D'Issey Pour Homme (for man) Shower Gel 30ml - 1 available
Price: RM30
-Brand new, NEVER used. Got this as a tier gift.






All the above items are only in 1 or 2 pieces. Please leave a comment below or email me (vonbeautyexpress@gmail.com). I'll get back to you A.S.A.P.

FOTD: Nude And Meeeoooowww

Wow!! And how is it that nude look can be catsy as well??? ;)

Well, there's been some talk about going nude lately, in terms of nude makeup, of course! So, I decided to experiment with some nude looks from the existing cosmetics I have in my collection. Hopefully, this can save some of you some money instead of paying a few hundred Ringgit just to learn how to do some nude makeup. OK, I am no professional when it comes to doing makeups but I would like to share with my readers what little I know and I have learned from reading many makeup blogs and by observing makeup artists at work!


OK, so....you must be wondering what I am trying to show you today. Nude and catsy? Oh well, Meeeooooowww here refers to Stila's Kitten! Kitten Silk Eye Shadow Wash and Kitten Shimmer Gloss! Yes, I tried doing a nude look using these. Not some cat's eyes look.


Products used:
-Stila Kitten Silk Eye Shadow Wash
-Stila Kajal Eye Liner in Tiger's Eye
-Estee Lauder Turbolash Mascara
-Stila eyebrow definer in Coffee
-Clinique Blushing Blush Powder Blush in 121 ENCHANTED BRONZE
-Stila Kitten Shimmer Gloss
-Anna Sui Control Color Primer UV (sample)
-Stila Angel Lite Compact Foundation in shade c


Let's start with prepping my face. After skincare, I applied Anna Sui Control Color Primer UV as a base. This is a pinkish lilac colored cream with a very light texture and has a beautiful tea rose scent characteristic of Anna Sui products. Pleasant! This primer made my complexion brighter and managed to provide some coverage for the redness on my cheeks and even made the pores around my nose less visible. And it has some shimmer which makes my face glow a little.




Then, I just dabbed some Stila Angel Lite Compact Foundation in shade c lightly all over my face to get better coverage and for a more dewy flawless complexion.


And now, the Nude Look starts with............

The 3 main items I used for this nude look

I didn't use an eye base for this. I applied Stila Kitten Silk Eye Shadow Wash directly from its doe-foot applicator onto my lids up to the crease. It gave a little cooling feel as I applied it on my lids. Then I just dabbed and blended it with my finger. I used Stila Kajal Eye Liner in Tiger's Eye to line my upper lash lines and finished off with Estee Lauder Turbolash Mascara. Of course, I defined my brows with Stila Eyebrow Definer in Coffee.

Then, for the lips, I just applied Stila Kitten Shimmer Gloss 2 coats. Done!!

My Kitten nude look with Clinique's Blush/bronzer on my cheeks

But since I looked rather pale at that time I did this look, I decided to test out my Clinique blush/bronzer I got for RM5 at the Estee Lauder Staff Sale last month. It's my first blush from Clinique and my first so-called bronzer as well. And also my first time trying out a bronzer! I haven't tried out any bronzer before this because I wasn't into the tanned look and I had read that for skin tone like mine, bronzer might make my cheeks look 'dirty'. Boy, was I so wrong......

My first Clinique Blush/bronzer which I got for only RM5, without the casing of course. But who cares? It's only RM5 and it's encased in some plastic cover anyways.

Look at what a blush/bronzer did to my look...........

Just some light gentle stroke of the blush with Stila brush #24

Face Of The Day

What do you think of my 1st attempt at nude look?
Any suggestion for further improvement?


Coming up next.....STONEd look!