Estee Lauder Coach Gift Sets: Desirable & Coveted - By The Intrepid Beauty

The Intrepid Beauty has got some photos of the Estee Lauder's Limited Edition Coach Gift Sets.

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Here are some preview pics of Estee Lauder's Coach Gift Sets which include Coach makeup bags in silver, gold and red. There just might be a stampede to Estee Lauder counters when these Gift Sets are made available. Although my favourite is the red Coach bag, I'm still considering whether to purchase as most (if not all) of the eyeshadows in the Coach Gift Sets are already in my Deluxe EyeShadow Compact (from the Blockbuster Collection). If it wasn't for that, I'd have placed a reservation immediately for either the Red or Gold Gift Set.

Top: Silver
Bottom - left: Gold, Right: Red

GOLD SET

RED SET

SILVER SET

The Coach Gift Sets can only be purchased for RM180 with any purchase of RM200 (not including value sets) so it's quite a good deal considering the price of Coach purses, never mind bags. My favourite lipsticks are from the Gold Gift Set, wish I could pick the bags to go with the cosmetics. Anyway, it's a hard decision as all the colours of the bags are quite lovely and special in their own way.


When will the Gift Sets be available? At Isetan, 14th November and at Parkson, 15th November. I've been informed that some customers have already placed reservations. Why do I have a feeling they'll be sold out in extra quick time? It's rare to be able to purchase something from Coach at an affordable price. I'd better make up my mind soon!



The Intrepid Beauty



Vonvon: If Vonvon could have her way, she would want all the 3 sets!!!! :D

My Tartan Tale Wish List

Yesterday was the official launch date of MAC A Tartan Tale Holiday Colour Collection (Chapter 1) in the US. And we will probably get it in Malaysia by next week.

Anyways, I was looking at the US MAC website, and drooling over some of the items... needless to guess, Vonvon is drooling over the eyeshadows, of course!

The beautiful Tartan Tale Eyeshadows..... despite the hoo-ha on the shadows and that the tartan striping actually not going all the way through (here), I am loving them...ALL!!! Saw the swatches on Temptalia, and yes, they swatched with moderate pigmentation, but the colors are simply beautiful. In fact, I'd prefer my eyeshadow shades to be like that more than being intensely pigmented. That said, I also like pigmented eyeshadows. It really depends...of course, these are all subjective.

Just some eye candies....am really tired from a whole afternoon out for retail therapy with my girlfriend and also our mommies' day out! :D

The following photos are from US MAC website. (Here)

Golden Crown

A Wish Come True

Follow Your Fantasy

Enviably Fun

Semi-Precious

Glamora Castle



And 2 of the 4 eyeshadow palettes....
This year, each palette comes with a small eyeshadow brush, unlike previous years.

6 Twists of Tartan Eyeshadows
I think it's obvious why Vonvon likes this palette, because of the multi-colors, though most of the shades are of Frost, Satin and Matte finishes. Vonvon's favorite is Veluxe Pearl finish. :)

6 Reelers & Rockers Eyeshadows
This palette has 4 Veluxe Pearl finish eyeshadows! Wow! And the shades are very classic which can be used not only throughout the holiday season but for any occasion during any season.

It's Friday! Any plan for the weekend? Trick or treat, anyone? ;)

Decleor Face Meridian Therapy - By The Intrepid Beauty

Decleor Paris Salon in MidValley launched their latest facial, Face Meridian Therapy on 1st October, 2010. Their trainer, Chloe gave a presentation in Cantonese on the benefits of the facial. I won't go into the technicalities here because fluent as my Cantonese is, something might be lost in translation!





To summarise, there are apparently 361 acupressure points located along our meridian where the "qi" of the channels rises close to the surface of the body. Each meridian is located to a body organ or function.




A cow's horn (as shown in the pic above) is used to massage the acupressure points. There are several types of essential oils used during the facial. There's Neroli for all skin types, to promote radiance. Then there's Iris for drier skins and Excellence to treat fine lines and sagging. The Manager of the Salon informed me that there's currently a promotion where they'll give a trial sized skincare pack with a facial purchased but for more details, call 22841198 or email decleorparis@luxasia.com.my.


The Intrepid Beauty

Review: Diorsnow Whitening Radiance Foam Cleanser - By The Intrepid Beauty

The Intrepid Beauty reviews a Dior cleanser which she bought at a bargain at a Dior warehouse sale.

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During the last Dior warehouse sale in mid-May, there were a lot of worthwhile buys from their skincare section but you had to be an early bird of course. One of these finds was the Diorsnow Whitening Radiance Foam Cleanser in its previous incarnation for the unprincely sum of RM40. Now that's a pretty good price for a Dior cleanser manufactured in 08/09 and 110ml. Note that the product by the same name currently available at the counters isn't the same as that one has the snow logo underneath the words "Diorsnow Sublissime" and it retails for RM130.

Anyway, being a Dior skincare product, I had a feeling it wasn't going to disappoint me. It has a lovely soft, creamy texture which produces a satisfying amount of foam. It does remove all traces of make-up (not eye make-up) and leaves my skin feeling soft and not tight. I won't say it helped to illuminate my complexion though. I haven't yet used a cleanser that can gradually help to brighten the complexion despite their claims.

I have to hand it to Dior for selling such recently manufactured products at their warehouse sale unlike some other brands which have hawked skincare and cosmetics manufactured more than a year or even 2 years ago. Sometimes you don't see the manufacturing date of the product until it's been sealed in a plastic bag. When you attend warehouse sale after warehouse sale, you become more discerning and there's no reason to help brands get rid of old stock no matter how low the prices are. At this warehouse sale, it was also a pleasant surprise to find eyeshadow palettes which were only a few months' old. You can bet I'll be at the next Dior warehouse sale.....early!



The Intrepid Beauty

Photos: Hauls - Urban Decay Loves NYC & Sleek MakeUp Shimmer Blush

This morning, I told you about my retail therapy in town and my shopping haul.....

It's been raining since morning, dark and grey, so I had to use artificial lighting to take the photos.

Sleek MakeUp Shimmer Blush in Pomegranate

Swatch of Pomegranate Shimmer Blush

Urban Decay Book of Shadows Vol. 3
UD Loves New York City

Still too new......don't have the heart to swatch the shadows yet.... But you can find the swatches online. ;)

Had A Fun Busy Monday!

Hello, everyone!

I just came home from a friend's birthday dinner at an Indian restaurant...yummy food! Now, just chilling and sipping a cup of hot chamomile tea...it's really cold outside and frost is forming on the grass and leaves and car windshields....it's 1 degree Celcius and it's not even November. Though my podruga (girlfriend in Russian) from coffee morning told me that it's already snowing (slightly) in Moscow, some 2 weeks ago! It's not a surprise to me that it snowed early in Moscow....

Anyways....woke up on Monday morning grumpy and groggy to a whiny little girl. But went for my retail therapy in the afternoon, yea....finally I hopped on a bus to town....gee, what a country bumpkin I have become ;P

Anyways, country bumpkin Vonvon went to the big Boots store where they have Urban Decay and there, stood proudly on the display....UD LOVES NYC in abundance! Despite the early craze and OOS here and there, there were quite a few Urban Decay Book of Shadows Vol. 3 New York City (GBP30.50) palettes and of course, I bought one. And I got double points for my Boots Advantage Card for this purchase, and I also received a special in-store offer for the day whereby purchase of GBP25 and above will entitle me to additional 150 points on top of the double points. Huh!!! Happy! And I got a GBP5 voucher for Boots No.7 or Ruby & Millie products. Considering getting the Boots No.7 foundation brush(GBP12), thanks to the recommendation from my loyal reader YS, with the voucher, so it will be only GBP7...if I decide to get it. Or I might get one of the No.7 bodywash....but...like I need another body wash..... just hauled 10 bottles of The Original Source shower gels in various scents from Superdrug few weeks ago!

Then passed by Superdrug and I just had to go in and take a peek at Sleek Makeup again. Horror!!! Their new Shimmer Blush of Rose Gold, Pomegranate and Sunrise....only Pomegranate is left, and the other 2 were SOLD OUT!!! :( I like Rose Gold a lot, it's a golden peach shimmer blush. In fact, I went to 2 different Superdrugs and both had only Pomegranate, a shimmery plummy shade which actually is quite suitable for the current Fall purple/plummy trend. And I was complaining to myself when I did my Black Berry EOTD that I didn't have a plum blush to go with it. So decided to get it and it's only GBP3.99!

Did lots of window shopping, especially for clothes......then, went into Topshop to take a peek at their new makeup line. Have read some raves on their makeup products....but managed to control my compulsiveness and didn't buy anything...yet....but am already considering going back.....

OK, just a little rambling before snoozing off...... I will take photos of my haul when the day breaks and post them up later...

Good morning to my readers from Malaysia....... have a nice day!

EOTD/FOTD: Smokey With Black Berry

This was the EOTDs I did yesterday with Bobbi Brown Black Berry Metallic Eye Shadow #77. This eyeshadow was from Bobbi Brown Fall '10 Black Velvet Collection.

Products used for the look

Bobbi Brown Metallic Eye Shadow in Black Berry #77 Swatch
Beauty Rush Eyeshadow in Gold Rush
Anna Sui Eye Brightener
MAC Pearlglide Intense Eye Liner in Almost Noir
Boots No.7 Exceptional Definition Nutrient Enriched Mascara in Brown/Black
Stila Pomegranate Crush Lip & Cheek Stain

Not in the photo: Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer
Juice Beauty Perfecting Foundation in Organic Sand
Guerlain Meteorites

I did each eye differently.

Eye(s) Of The Day

Right eye

- Apply Bobbi Brown Black Berry eyeshadow with finger on the lid, smudge and blend upward to the brow;
- Using a blending brush, apply Beauty Rush eyeshadow in Gold Rush to the area below the brow as highlight and dot on the inner corner;
- Line the upper lash line with MAC Pearlglide Intense Eye Liner in Almost Noir, wing it and continue on the lower lash line;
-Finish off with Boots No.7 Exceptional Definition Nutrient Enriched Mascara to the upper and lower lashes.

Left Eye

- Apply Almost Noir on the upper lid in a thick line as a base;
- Apply Black Berry with a shadow brush from the outer corner inward over Almost Noir and blend;
- Use Beauty Rush eyeshadow in Gold Rush as highlight under the brow and to the inner corner;
- Line the lower lash line with Almost Noir and add some Black Berry to soften the line;
- Finish off with Boots No.7 Exceptional Definition Nutrient Enriched Mascara.

Face Of The Day

Face: Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer
Juice Beauty Perfecting Foundation in Organic Sand
Guerlain Meteorites in Mythic to set the foundation

Cheeks and lips: Stila Pomegranate Crush Lip & Cheek Stain

Have a nice week ahead!

Palgantong Make-Up Star Products - By The Intrepid Beauty

The Intrepid Beauty tries out Palgantong Make-Up Star Products, the Theatrical Powder and Zebra Eyes Mascara, and she is impressed. And I have to say add that she isn't easily impressed by just about any product. ;) A very discerning beauty connoisseur she is, I must say!

Now, I have to sit up and listen to what she has to say.......

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According to Palgantong's product brochure, its make-up is formulated especially to suit Asian skins. Its BB Creams, Foundation & Theatrical Powder comes in rather limited shades, 2 or 3 shades at most. When I first saw the Theatrical Powder at SASA, I wasn't convinced of its special properties. What made it so different and unique?

When I received 2 of Palgantong's star products to try out, I found the answers. Firstly, the Theatrical Powder which is said to be very popular among professional make-up artists and famous entertainers in Asia. It comes in 2 sizes, i.e. 10g/RM49 in 3 shades and 25g/RM99 in 2 shades.

The 10g tub of powder comes with a sponge but I prefer to use a powder brush to apply on to my face. My tub of Theatrical Powder is Light Beige which suits me perfectly. My first impression is that it's soft and finely milled. It gave my face immaculate coverage, much better than loose powders from more expensive brands (I am currently also using loose powders from Dior, YSL and T. Le Clerc).

Needless to say, I was impressed by the immediate brightening and the fact that it really lived up to its other claims of giving a slimming effect (my face looked more contoured) and hydration (no cakeyness, my cheeks felt moisturised). The powder doesn't settle into pores nor does it accentuate the size of my pores as some other powders have been wont to do.



Am I raving about this powder? Well, the proof of the powder is in the application on oneself so you'd have to try it out to believe me. (See photo above) I love it and I don't usually say this about just any product, be it skincare or make-up as so many have their shortcomings but this Theatrical Powder rocks! I wouldn't hesitate to buy the 25g tub once I run out of this 10g tub but used sparingly, even 10g should last me some time (hopefully!).

The other product I tried was the Zebra Eyes Mascara (7ml/RM79) which is formulated with Vitamin E for conditioning the lashes. (Photos above) I found that it lengthens more than it thickens lashes but if you're looking for crazy lengthening, then you'd best look for something else. Nevertheless, I am quite satisfied with the length that it provides because I'm not into dramatic lengthening. I don't want my lashes to look too artificial which is why I'm not into fake lashes at all.

What I liked most about the Zebra Eyes Mascara is that it doesn't smudge or budge which is very important to someone like me, always prone to mascara smears on my undereye area. This mascara is a keeper if only for this reason. It's hard for me to find a mascara which doesn't leave unsightly marks. Other than the Anna Sui mascaras which score top marks in the unbudgeability department, the Zebra Eyes Mascara works well for me. Another plus factor is that the Zebra Eyes Mascara doesn't clump, it separates lashes satisfactorily.

The Intrepid Beauty

Random Ramblings - 3 Seasons In A Day!

Hello, my dear readers! Good evening to my dear readers from Malaysia. Bon apetit if you are having your dinner now. Or it's lunch time over here in the UK and Europe (may be slightly past lunchtime), Bon apetit to you too. How has your Sunday been?

Mine started almost at mid-morning. Sorry for not preparing any post since my last update at a little past midnight early Saturday morning Malaysian time.

The weather here has been pretty crazy.......literally getting 3 seasons in a day, actually in a span of few hours! One day, we can wake up to a warm sunny bright day like summer, the next minute the clouds start to loom ahead and temperature dropped to below 10 degrees Celcius (I think, and that's how I felt when the cold went all the way deep into my bones) like winter sans the snow...and then it rains cats and dogs. My, my, the rain in Europe which I had experienced was mostly equivalent to drizzling in Malaysia. But over here, we could have rain almost like the thunderstorm sans the thunder and lightning in Malaysia. My new Malaysian friend I met here, also agreed. Because we were caught in one just a few days ago.

On a bright sunny day in early autumn

And because of such ever-changing and unpredictable weather, my little girl also felt a little under the weather yesterday and was whiny and super-clingy hence, Mommy had to stay by her side all the time. And no time to go online......

She's better today and been bugging me to let her out to play with her friends.....grrrr..... Well may be I should...to take advantage of the sunny weather right at this moment.....


And this was what we had for dinner last night, thanks to Hubby the Chef......

Left: Beetroot salad with Greek feta cheese
Right: Hubby's own recipe of pan-fried cod fillet with prawns and mushroom bacon sauce with veggies.



So what's for your dinner/lunch/brunch today?

Have a nice Sunday!

Photos: October Is Breast Cancer Awareness Month & Another Pink Look

This is to support Karen of MBB's e-rally for the Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Another Pink Look

The EOTD is similar to the Pink Look I did the other day, but I added MAC Super Slick Liquid Liner in Nocturnal on the lower lash line for a more glam look. More details will be up soon.

EOTD Marathon, Vol. 3: Shiseido Luminizing Satin Eye Color Trios - GD804 Opera & GR305 Jungle - Part 2

This morning, I had shown you the EOTDs from GD804 Opera, and I decided, again, to publish the post in 2 parts, as not to burden your Internet connection, especially in Malaysia with so poor Internet connection.

I played with the Shiseido Luminizing Satin Eye Color Trio in GR305 Jungle at the same afternoon as I played with Opera. Hence, the Marathon. If not, how can I call it an EOTD Marathon, right? ;)

While playing with Jungle, I did snapped some photos of the process, so some EOTDs will be accompanied by mini-tutorial photos.

GR305 Jungle

Eye Look #1
Sheer Green

Decided to name this Sheer Green because of the sheer look on the lids with a bit of Olive Green on the lid for some contrast.

- Start by applying Silver Green (the shade on right of the palette, sometimes it looks like an Aqua shade depending in lighting) on the area below the brow, but only on the outer 2/3;
- Apply Green (the shade in the middle of the palette) on the inner 1/3 of the area below the brow and 'drag' the brush with the remaining color on the brush all the way to the inner corner of the eye;
- That leaves the lid area bare. Apply Olive Green on the lid and blend;
- Line the lower lid and waterline with Olive Green, and somehow it appeared gold-ish on the waterline.
I didn't apply mascara for this look.

Eye Look #2
Monochromatic


The above photos are the unblended shadows.

- Divide the lid area into 3 parts: inner, middle and outer 1/3;
- Apply Silver Green on the inner 1/3;
- Apply Green to the middle 1/3;
- Apply Olive Green to the outer 1/3.
The result was as in the photos above.


After blending........
- Line the upper and lower lash line with MAC Pearlglide Intense Eyeliner in Undercurrent. Winged the liner upwards at the corner on the upper lash line;
- Estee Lauder Zero-Smudge Lengthening Mascara to the upper and lower lashes.

I think I over-blended the 3 shades, and each individual color became very light and sheer. But you can still see different tones of green slightly, hence 'Monochromatic'.






Monochromatic




Eye Look #3
Double-Winged Green

Step 1: Apply Silver Green on the lid. There is some leftover of Undercurrent Pearlglide Liner from the previous look. And note that Silver Green appears slightly Aqua in the photo.


Step 2: Apply Olive Green on the area below the brow, but leave the crease 'bare'.


Step 3: Apply Green on the 'bare area' on the crease and blend them. (The 2 yellow lines denote the area where I applied the Green shade.)



- Line the upper lash line with MAC Pearlglide Intense Eyeliner in Undercurrent and winged it upward;
- Line the lower lash line with Undercurrent and winged it downward, hence creating the double-winged liner look.
I got this idea to create the double-winged liner look from Witoxicity in one of her EOTDs. I finally did it. :)







Double-Winged Green
The Double-winged Liner Look



What do you think of the EOTDs with Jungle?