September Favourites :)

Did I say I'd get back to posting regularly? What a load of bollocks that was - sorry! :P

September was madness in calendar form. I went to Kyoto with my mom, I had university bureaucracy to deal with, I came back to the UK and am still in the process of adapting to city life (did anyone try to get on the Jubilee line today?! My goodness, I felt like I was back in rush hour Tokyo!), and I'm starting uni in 2 days! Madness in calendar form.

So I'm back now but not going to make any promises of consistent posting as I have no idea how long this madness intends to continue for! But October promises to be a great month with meet-ups and reunifications with some favourite bloggers - and the TOWIB event of course! :) Excitingggg tiiiimesss!

Anyway, enough babbling :)

My favourite blog/YouTube by far in September had to be Sandra's YouTube. She has such an open mind about products and doesn't just stick to cult products, so she brings in loads of products in her videos that I've never heard of before. She also has really good taste, and has massively enabled me in many of her videos! :) Sandra's also incredibly honest about products no matter how big the hype, and I feel like she's one of those people who doesn't just hoard and never use products, but actually has a reason for a lot of the products she buys which adds to her personality, and also kind of gives a hint as to why and in what situation I would want something :) She also has a lovely voice to listen to! :P

And here are my favourite beauty products of September :)

Were any of these in your favourites too?

What were your favourites? :)

<3yu

FOTD: What Do I Do With You Amber Diamond?!

A few days ago I posted about my Dior haul, and picked up what is probably the most raved-about highlighter in the blogging community - Dior Shimmer Powder in Amber Diamond 02.

Now I was going to get this baby no matter what unless it was absolute crap because I only have 1 other (not amazing) powder highlighter in my collection so it wasn't like I was using my dosh on something I already had - so I walked out of the store liking it, but not completely sure as to how I was going to use this product in the way I loved it most..

The sad thing is, I'm still not 100% sure! :(

So far, I've used it in 3 ways on my face, all with the MAC 109. I've used the lightest two shades on the left which gives a really sharp highlight that I will adore for the evening, and I've used all the colours together or the two colours on the right, both of which look invisible on my skin until light hits in, at which point it gives me a sheeny glow.. like this:

Face:

- MAC Studio Fix Fluid in NC25 mixed with Bourjois Healthymix in 56

- Bourjois Compact Powder in 73 Miel Dore

- MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NC35

- Bobbi Brown Correcter in Peach

- MAC Blush in Melba

- Rimmel Sunshimmer Bronzer in Medium Matte

- Dior Amber Diamond

Eyes:

- Clinique Superfine Liner for Brows in Deep Dark 03

- Dior Amber Diamond

- MaxFactor False Lash Effect Mascara in Black

Lips:

- MAC Lipstick in Vegas Volt

As you can see when it hits the light (second picture), it definitely gives me cheekbones, browbones the whole shabam - but otherwise (first picture) it really doesn't show.

And as much as I could make use of the 2 ways I've found to use Amber Diamond, I feel like I want an inbetween - some cheekbone enhancing way that actually shows subtly on my skin without having to constantly stand underneath direct light because I was looking forward to using this in the winter, when I've got matte foundation/blushers and want some dimension!

 Or do I have a totally weird sense of what a highlighter is?! :P

I must say, I quite like it as an eyeshadow though, and the consistency is to die for!

So anyway, I wanted to ask all the Dior Amber Diamond ravers out there - how do you use yours day-to-day? What brushes do you use, which colours and how much do you use?

Hopefully I will have a better grasp of why other people rave about Amber Diamond after this post :) Thanks in advance :)

<3yu

I Got Dior-ed.

I was all up for some Dior-haulage on Monday after my stressful week prepping for my visa appointment. I had some vouchers off family, and thought I'd use them on things I usually couldn't afford/justify. I still get pangs of guilt though - Dior is, afterall, a luxury brand and I'm a student and unemployed :P Yep. Bless Emma, I texted her completely freaking out at whether I was mental or just excited - I came to the conclusion that it was a bit of both :P

First up is what I originally went in for, which is the ever-hyped Dior Amber Diamond :) I lacked a natural powder highlighter so I naturally went for the beauty blogger's favourite ;) 

Phwoarrrrrr. Need I say more?

I absolutely LOVE how unique this product is. You can highlight in different ways, like using the lighter side for defining the cheekbones, and a colour more similar to your skintone for a natural glow, AND you can also use it as an e/s or even contouring.

I feel like Amber Diamond isn't your average highlighter though, because it gives almost a duo-chrome sheen, instead of your conventional, lighter-shade highlight. So although I love it for what it is, it's not HG just yet - I think I need get to know it better first! :)

This is the goodie that I wasn't supposed to buy :P As I said in my wishlist post, I've been looking for a sheer peach lippy so I picked up a Dior Addict Lipstick in Miss Dior 343 after the MUA tried it on me :)

It's PERFECT.

This lipstick is nothing like what I thought it would be - it's not watery, slippery, or a colourless mess but balmy, naturally glossy and decently pigmented. It's what I always wanted tinted lipbalms to be - that little bit more pigmented! :) It's also my answer to a better quality 17 Mirror Shine.

I'm really glad I bit the bullet because it's perfect and I can see myself using it everyday! But it is quite expensive, so I hope I find a cheaper alternative before I run out :P It's a little treat to myself for now ;)

Dear Natalie Portman, please may have your eyebrows and eyes? Thanks.

As a quasi-hippy, I do have a little problem with Dior's packaging being unnecessary extravagant. In the future, I hope to make an effort to choose other brands over Dior because of this, unless the product is just undupe-able - which these two I think are!

But there you go :) I'm really happy with my haul, and spend less time feeling guilty the more I use them.  They filled big gaps in my collection, and I know I will get almost daily use out of them - very excited! :)

How about you, have you ever got Dior-ed? :)
What's your favourite product from them, or what do you want the most?! :)

Keep your eyes out for some FOTD's with these gorgeous products!

<3yu

Products I Miss Most..

We all do it - we overpack when we're going somewhere, and we still manage to forget things or not think of a situation that may require different/more make up - am I right? :P I've definitely had that these past few weeks, and sure there have been several products I thought "dang, I wish I had that with me!", but there have been a couple that I thought that on several occasions!

Here are probably the ones I've thought of the most..

NARS Sin

(I thought it was an autumn/winter colour but it'd be a nice natural accent on the face when I'm not wearing e/s and having a tan. Pinks/corals makes me look a be clowny atm..) 

 28 Neutral Palette

(I want this for highlighting - not liking MAC Brule very much - and for matte light browns!)

Lipbalms

(I only brought my Body Shop Lip Roll On, which is lovely - but it's a bit wet. I miss that balmy feel! The ones in particular that I miss are the BodyShop Born Lippy, the LipIce ones and the Burt's Bees.) 

 OPI Coney Island Cotton Candy (centre)

(A sheer nude that when you have long nails, can make you look like you have french nails - compliments the lightness of summer! I've only got cream/opaque or bright colours atm!)

MAC Style

(Like I said, corals and pinks can look a bit clowny on me at, but MAC Style is relatively sheer - so it'd be a nice wash of colour on my cheeks right about now :( )

Sigma F80 (right)

(Getting a bit sick of applying foundation with my hands - it can get a bit dirty, and I always have to be cautious about streaks! At the same time, I'm not quite sure how often I would've used it cuz it doesn't seem to work with my Diorskin Forever.) 

Pirates of the Caribbean Box Set

(It's not make up but I've watched this set more times than I care to mention - atm I only have the third one, because it was what was in my laptop when I left the UK and as much as I love the film, it's getting a bit repetitive.. AND my favourite one is the second one.)

and finally..

Dior Amber Diamond

(No, I'm not quite sure you can miss something you never had - but I miss having a shimmery white highlight for my inner corner, and I miss highlighting my cheek bones. I actually only have 1 e/s shimmery highlight and 1 powder highlight and that one can look quite white on me when I'm tan, so I'm thinking it would be wise to invest in this at a early stage so I don't spend so much finding the perfect one. I've swatched it and it was a bit shimmery but I reckon it's cuz your finger picks up a lot! Other than that I thought it was perfect, esp cuz I've heard it can be used as eyeshadow too! So I'm debating using some vouchers to get this baby.. of course, after I try it on my face :))

A bit of a self-ramble there at the end, lol, oops. But I'm thinking this is proof that all these products are, or have been at one point, some of my favourite products, as I don't need to see them to think about them and how good they are, and they just pop into mind when you want something in particular!

It sucks, but it's also a good feeling cuz you know you've got some gems in your collection :)

What products have you missed when you were out and about? :)

<3yu

Review: Dior Diorskin Forever Foundation Review

When I settled on the Dior Diorskin Forever Extreme Wear Flawless Make Up with SPF 25, a lot of people seemed to show interest in it, and there aren't enough reviews out there in my opinion, so here is my two cents on this foundation :)

Shades:

Firstly, my shade is 030 which is Medium Beige (MAC NC35-ish). The coding system for Dior foundations work so that the second number indicates the darkness, and the last number indicates the tone. For example, 0 is neutral, 1 is warm/yellow-toned, and 2 is cool/pink-toned. I know there is a 050, but not sure about the range inbetween and beyond that. I think this oxidizes ever so slightly, so it's best to keep that in mind.

Packaging:

I'm not a fan of the navy lid, but the frosted glass, the 'CD' imprint on top and the silver band with "DIORSKIN" is gorgeous. However, it is heavy and sturdy-feeling so it's more of a vanity foundation. Also - I feel like it'll be such a waste when I finish it. High end companies should have foundation refills.. who's with me?! *eco-warrior mode*

The pump is great - it's pretty, high-quality, and it's controllable.

Formula:

The formula is quite watery, and you do have to shake it before you use it but it's not as runny as the Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua or the Bourjois Healthymix (i.e. it's not dripping in the above picture).

A little goes a long way, and I find that the most I use is 2.5 pumps, which is with a duo-fibre brush, and with fingers, I use 1.5 for my whole face.

There is a relatively strong smell, but it does go away after you put the formula on your face. It's a very perfume-y smell so if you are sensitive to smells I'd suggest to give it a sniff before you buy it.

SPF 25 = No no to flash photography.

Some people say light-to-medium coverage, I think it's full on medium. I could even use this as concealer if I wanted to, because it's so light it doesn't cake :)

The Wear:

Absolutely gorgeous. It disappears into my skin, and it really looks as if I'm not wearing foundation. Does it feel like I'm not wearing foundation? Close enough, but it's definitely not heavy!

As an "Extreme Wear" make up, it's supposed to last you through "unfriendly environments". I haven't been in many unfriendly environments to be honest lol, but the truth is it wears away in such a natural way - no creases, no patchiness, no nothing, so I can't really tell until I use a make-up wipe how much is left on my face - which is usually quite a lot. I've read reviews that said the person has walked through rain with it on and it was still good :) (Hopefully will never come to that).

I think it's also meant to be transfer resistant but that claim is always a bit dubious cuz most people put blusher/bronzer/powder over it anyway.

The Finish:

I'd say it was a semi-matte finish, and the finish of Forever is as natural as a foundation could be in my opinion - looking at my face in the mirror, I can't really tell that I'm wearing a foundation. If I can't tell, others probably can't either. The finish of this has made me want to invest in cream products so I can maintain that naturalness so I don't have to powder.

But but but.. it isn't the best at oil control so I always have to powder my t-zone, which kinda ruins the natural look (MAC MSFN is natural, but it's no good at oil control) and after a while it does start to feel like you have foundation on cuz you can feel yourself oiling up (gross, sorry!). Might be okay for those with normal skin! I've recently bought a mattifying lotion - so hopefully that will help!

Is this my HG foundation?

In formula, it could be - like I said, the finish and wear is to die for. But the lack of oil-control, the unnecessarily extravagant jar, and the price - £28.50 - puts me off a little bit. But again, a mattifying moisturizer may help.

Positives:

- Looks like you're not wearing foundation

- Light-weight

- Medium coverage

- Long-lasting

- Wears away nicely

- Little goes a long way

- SPF 25

Negatives:

- Not great at oil control

- Waste of a jar when you're done!

As it is my first ever high-end foundation, I will probably keep looking. But I really do like this foundation, and don't regret buying it at all :) I'd give it a 8/10!

UPDATE: You can buy the new formula from Debenham's for £29.50 :)

Have you tried any Dior foundations? What's your HG foundation?

<3yu

Summer Foundation: The Decision :)

After the amazing response of my Summer Foundation Dilemma post, it would be rude not to tell you all what I have decided will be my first high-end foundation. Thanks to everyone who gave a suggestion - I looked up each and everyone of them, I feel like a foundation encyclopedia now lol! Anyway, without further ado, I chose..

The Diorskin Forever Extreme Wear Flawless Make Up in Shade 030 Medium Beige

I got this in the Debenham's 10% off sale for about £25.65 which I think is a good price to try a high-end foundation. It usually retails at £28.50.

The packaging isn't blowing me away - I think I'm still feeling awkward because it does not fit in with my other make-up at ALL because it's so friggin' luxurious. I'm sat here looking at it like, "..who are you, where are you from, and what are you doing here, you don't belong here!' (I've developed a habit of talking to make-up.. dear God).

Here are my expectations, drawing from reviews and the description:

- Lightweight

- Long-lasting

- Medium Coverage

- Semi Matte Finish

I've swatched it on my hand and WOW - it's so liquidy, but the coverage is there and the finish is definitely semi-matte, and nothing like what I've seen the MAC Face & Body to be like:

There seems to be no cakiness, or even a feeling that I have make-up on my hand, yet the coverage is there. It's also very velvety to the touch, and has a fragrance, which I didn't smell until I put my nose to it. And it's pretty impressive that what you see above was the tiniest pump I could have possibly done (the pump itself is very high quality and controllable), and it covered the whole back of my hand.

So far I'm preferring it to the Diorskin Nude, Dior Satin Eclat, and the NARS Sheerglow, but I won't know if I prefer it over the Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua until I actually apply it.

I'm looking forward to try this out. I have to say I'm not 100% convinced yet as I have yet to get that really giddy and EEEP!-ing feeling about this product, but I think that's to be expected when your face hasn't experienced it yet!

My foundation hunt, to say the least, has been stressful! I've learnt from the lovely Delyteful Speaks (who has stuck with me through my uhm's, and ah's - bless her!) that it's very hard to pick the perfect foundation and that it can be very stressful, but it seems I've found a foundation that in theory matches what I want - here's to the start of the HG foundation hunt! :P

What is your HG foundation? :)

Remember to keep an eye out for the full review in a few weeks time! I hope it's a good one ;)

<3yu