Friday, March 23, 2012

Non-makeup Face vs. Makeup Face

Hi ♥! This a really random blog post that I decided to do because I thought it would be interesting. Anyway, at first I was a little worried about posting this and the pictures but then I thought to myself, "meh why not, there's not much to be ashamed of".

I feel bad for not showing my face as much as I used to for my previous blog posts so I dug out a few pictures that I took last month to include here. I will be sure to share more pictures of myself hopefully in upcoming posts. I just haven't had time to take pictures!

There may be people who aren't brave enough to show their bare face on the internet let alone in real-life but I however, have nothing to hide. Not saying it in a way that makes me seem like I 'love' my bare face but it's how I feel about my natural appearance. If you see me out and about at uni or shopping, it's likely that you will see me without makeup. Let me rephrase that. You probably will see me as I am naturally but with my eyelashes curled and lip balm on. I wouldn't count those as makeup.

I can confess that I use makeup not because I feel insecure with my appearance. To be honest, I don't mind my bare face but I wear makeup for special occasions because... it's just normal to and who doesn't wear makeup when they go out to like a party? I know that people do go to parties bare-faced but come on, where's the effort in making yourself 'look good' for an occasion?

I use it to enhance my natural features. Here is an example:

Because I am using photos of myself, I can be 100% honest without anyone feeling offended.


Both ready to leave the house but who looks more ready to party? 
Bigger eyes = black eyeliner, mascara, false eyelasehes

I know people believe that they're 'naturally pretty' and whatnot but makeup applied correctly can make you that much more gorgeous. What's my verdict on my before and after photo? Makeup and effort ftw.

As a beauty blogger, people may assume that I wear makeup all the time, every time. Incorrect. I rarely look like the girl on the right! For blog pictures I put in the effort because well... why shouldn't I? I'm presenting myself to over 700 people who are aware of me so I can't look like I just got out of bed, right? It's more polite I reckon. I love makeup but I hardly use it :P

People who see me in real-life are more likely to see the girl on the left. Though there are more people in public, I don't feel the need to present myself in a better way when I'm only going to uni or heading to the grocery store. I'm not trying to grab anyone's attention, nor do I want the attention!

Me in person is on a regular day is like the girl on the left... EXCEPT:
  • My hair will be brushed or tied up
  • My lashes will be curled
  • I'll have lip balm/gloss on 
  • My face will be moisturised or tinted-moisturised
  • Faint pencil eyeliner only on my waterline 
  • Concealer on a fresh pimple

To me, that's HARDLY makeup because I'll only improve my appearance by around 10%. Makeup is the whole lot including foundation, eyeshadow, blush, thick eyeliner, mascara, powder, filled-in brows, bronzer and lipstick. Thinking about putting all of that on just to go to uni gives me a headache :S Not to mention, fake lashes, circle lenses, double eyelid tape.

You know what they say... hard work always pays off. SO true. And I also came across this quote:

"There are no ugly girls, just lazy ones. All girls have the potential to be beautiful"

I agree. Have you seen those Taiwanese makeover show pictures of the girls before and after they put on makeup?? The transformation is quite incredible. Sorry that my before and after pictures weren't that amazing to see. It would only look dramatic if I did gyaru because that requires even more effort *kudos to those who go through that effort each day*

Along with makeup and appearance-enhancing is plastic surgery, which is a touchy subject. I have mixed thoughts about it... I don't think I'll ever get any done but who hasn't been tempted or looked in the mirror and thought, "what if I got _____?"

Well guess what? I did do something.



Possible things people can assume:
"nose job"
"cheek implants"

I contoured my nose! The power of makeup allowed me to have a visible bridge xD It's entertaining to see the before and after. I could probably convince someone that I got a nose job. Blush gives me more defined cheek bones :)

I'm still pretty noob at contouring but I believe that with more practice I can become better at it. This is why I love makeup! You can trick people into thinking that you're pretty ;) Or in my case, trick people into thinking that my nose is slim and defined when it really isn't at all haha. 

And you know what? Society is predictable. I'm sure that if people had to pick the 'prettier' one out of the two above, 99% of people will pick the one on the right. Would they know that it's the same person? I believe that makeup makes one more pleasant-looking for the eyes. This must be why famous people like musicians, actresses, models wear makeup.

In all honesty, I don't think I'm naturally pretty. And at the same time I don't think I'm hideous. Lol maybe people do think I am but that's okay, I'll still respect your opinion. Beauty is subjective. 

I do admit that I like seeing myself all dolled up because it amazes me how I can temporarily look better than what I was born with. It's got nothing to do with being insecure, I can go without makeup but I choose not to. I am confident without it and I can be even more confident with it on. And besides, naturally beautiful girls ALWAYS look better with properly applied makeup anyway. Name someone who doesn't :P ?

Effort is only needed when it's required. You're bound to get looked down upon if you wear heavy makeup to school. I just don't see the point. And aren't you too young anyway? I haven't seen but I've heard of females wearing makeup to the gym... o_o

It requires common sense! I can't help but cringe when I see people wearing like, hot pink eyeshadow or blotchy foundation that doesn't match their skin tone. Thanks for making the effort to put stuff on your face but please do some research before you go out with it on. That's why there are magazines with tutorials, beauty bloggers, makeup gurus, forums etc.! Free online resources where most people know what they're talking about.

End of blog post. I still had doubts about writing this post however after receiving a complementary Dermalogica skin bar facial today, I've felt less worried about how I am perceived in public without makeup on! There's already a non-makeup photo of myself posted up on Liquid Hair's Facebook page while I was getting my facial on lol:

I am the one with the fluro-green headband on, applying my mask
Next to me is Linda and then Sakura :)

It was my first time doing a facial! My skin is so smooth now ^^

I came to the session bare-faced and left the session bare-faced. Saku took some photos of me which I don't have yet but that's ok~ I might do a blog post about my experience with Dermalogica products another time.

I hope this post was enjoyable to read. I've never been really personal on my blog before with my thoughts and opinions but I decided to today since my previous posts haven't been focused on me and my thoughts.

Please don't think that using cosmetics is a must. If you're not comfortable with putting it on or if you're a simplistic girl, just remember that the key to looking great and feeling great is to smile! I love smiley people :D

My questjen for the week is:

Are you truly comfortable with your natural, bare face?

My answer: Yes when it's not for a special occasion
Birthday dinners, parties, weddings etc. are events where I MUST wear makeup!  

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Guest Post: Staying stylish with your technology

Hi guys! I have a guest post for you all today aimed for you beauty lovers and fashionistas out there, brought in collaboration with Rentsmart - a technology rental company with a range of products varying from HDTVs to laptops and desktop PCs etc.

I'm sure that many bloggers as well as blog readers out there are big technology fanatics, including myself! I am constantly checking my updates and notifications on all social networking services wherever I am, because it has become so normal for me to stay on top of everything that's going on with friends, family, peers, media and even celebrities! Finding out news about these is really easy and accessible :)

But what about the latest trends in beauty and fashion? Why is it so difficult for me to keep up with two of my top interests?! On my phone and laptop I read blogs, I follow fashion and beauty companies on Twitter, I see status updates from 'liked' beauty and fashion pages on Facebook but I can never find all of the daily news about these topics in one place.

If you're a bit like me and haven't found the perfect forum or app to be in the know of all the latest beauty/fashion trends and styling tips, look no further...

***

Staying stylish with your technology

There’s more that you can do with your laptop, iPhone or iPad than surfing the web, making phone calls or e-mailing on the go. And if you’re a fashionista, you might be missing out on the endless opportunities that these different technologies provide to help stay stylish – it’s an untapped well of resources!



If you’re a bit of a novice when it comes to making the most out of your technology, here are some ways that your technology can help you stay on top of all the trends.



Applications on your iPhone

There are thousands of beauty and fashion apps that you can download onto your phone that can help you access beauty, style and fashion tips on the go. From beauty apps that provide you with information on different types of beauty products (such as the Beautyheaven.com.au app), fashion apps that pull all the latest trends, sales and insights from all the big brands (such as the Gucci Style app) and apps from popular magazines (such as Vogue VIP), these apps provide you with all the beauty information that you need, accessible at any time, from your iPhone.


Online shopping

If you haven’t already, it’s time to jump on the online shopping bandwagon. Shopping online can provide you with significant savings, and it’s a more convenient way to shop without having to leave your house. Online shopping also increases the pool of designers that you can shop from – international online shopping sites can ship you their products to you in days! You can access online shopping sites from laptops, smartphones or tablets, making it easy to shop wherever you are!




iPad e-Magazines
 
Referred to as ezines, eMagazines or webzines, there are both online versions of magazines and magazines that are specifically created for the web. Many of these are made to be iPad friendly, so that you can easily browse your favourite title from your iPad while you’re on the go. The inbuilt iPad application Newsstand is designed to help you read your favourite newspapers and magazines on your device, so that you can keep them all in one place. You can also search reading materials to match your interests – such as a number of fashion and style magazines.

If you would like to have an endless stream of beauty products and advice at your fingertips, it might be time to invest in that new iPad or a smartphone that can give you access to this pool of sartorial gold. If you want to spread the cost of this new technology, a smart alternative can be equipment rental. There are a number of companies out there that offer equipment rental – from tablet rental, to smartphone rental – you can even rent a television.

Are you making the most of your gadgets? What’s your favourite fashion or beauty app, online shopping site or e-Mag? 

***

I haven't got a favourite fashion app (yet) but beauty app would be the OPI app and... Etude! OPI because it has the full database of their nail polish shades and you can 'test' the colours on a hand. Haha, not an actual hand but one where you can customise the skin colour to match yours, so you'll know how the nail polish would look like if it were on your actual nails! Some particular shades of nail polishes can clash with skin colour so that's why I love this app - it's like trying before buying :D As for Etude, it's just such a pink and pretty app with 2NE1 and you can use a photo of yourself and apply eye makeup on your photo! It's as though you can photoshop a pair of false eyelashes onto yourself hehe~

So there you go, hopefully now you can successfully combine beauty and fashion with technology after discovering new resources and options. I'll definitely be downloading the apps onto my iPod; So glad that they're free!

Saturday, March 10, 2012

A Potential Birthday Present...? ghd Scarlet [Press Release]

Hi everyone, just thought I'd share this press release that I received in my inbox recently. It's about the new ghd Scarlet Collection which is a limited edition range. In case you didn't know, ghd is a considerably 'high-end' hair appliance brand (straighteners aka flat irons etc.) and ever since I knew about them, I've always wanted a ghd hair straightener. It's a fairly popular brand and I've heard that they're really great quality however I just haven't found the right time to fork out a few hundreds of dollars for one :(

It might be too soon to talk about my birthday (it's 2 months away) but the other day my dad asked me out of the blue, what I wanted for my birthday. When he asked I actually had nothing in particular in mind and it was only after when I gave it more thought, I thought about the beauty of owning a ghd. I am aware that I don't HAVE to own a straightener with a hefty cost but I do need a new straightener anyway! Might as well invest in a really good one, ay ;) ? I'm actually fine with any type, just as long as it's made by a well-known, trustworthy brand.

So here is the press release and small annotations I make here and there are in blue.

Introducing the new ghd Scarlet Collection limited edition


“Mirror, Mirror on the wall,
ghd Scarlet makes you the fiercest of them all”



The gorgeous Katy Perry!

I think this is the first time that I've seen a celebrity endorse ghd. Please correct me if I'm wrong...

World leading professional hair styling brand ghd introduces the ultimate gift – the ghd Scarlet Collection. This new limited edition collection sees the ghd Gold Classic styler transformed with opulent red accents in a celebration of 1920s glamour and glitz - one of this winter’s most enchanting and alluring trends.

Inspired by the revelry and glamour of the roaring 20s, the slick new styler offers a dramatic twist on this most alluring of decades and is available in two luxurious art deco styled gift set options.


To launch the collection, Katy Perry, face of ghd and the epitome of modern style and fashion has been given a ‘20s make over bringing to life the decadence and sophistication of the time. Katy is immortalised as a mystical Snow White for the Scarlet Collection campaign, shot by world renowned photographer David LaChapelle.

The limited editions are presented in two luxury art deco indulgent gift set options, both available for a limited time. The Scarlet Collection includes a gorgeous heat resistant red satin styler roll bag, perfectly encasing the limited edition red plated stylers, along with 2 sectioning clips and protective plate guard.

Ideal for girls on the go, the Scarlet Collection Deluxe also features a compact ghd travel hair dryer and styler clutch bag, enclosed in a deep red vanity case – making it the most enviable present to give and receive this season. Perhaps it could be something for Valentine’s day?

ghd Scarlet Collection Deluxe 

 Beautiful packaging

Presented in an eye-catching art deco inspired red vanity case, the ghd Scarlet Collection Deluxe gift set includes a ghd Gold Classic styler featuring limited edition red plates and accents, plus protective plate guard, a ghd travel hair dryer and two sectioning clips – plus a luxury satin heat resistant clutch.

ghd Scarlet Collection
 

Absolutely stunning!

Inspired by the slick trend of the 1920’s, the ghd Scarlet Collection includes the ghd Gold Classic styler with seductive red plates and accents, protective plate guard, two ghd sectioning clips – beautifully presented in a stunning red art deco inspired satin styler roll bag.

-End of Press Release-

If you wanted to know more about ghd, here are their achievements:

  • ghd IV styler named the ultimate styling gadget in the Readers kiss of approval Cosmopolitan Beauty Awards 2011 for the ninth consecutive year
  • Heralded as the ‘Aston Martin of Haircare’, by The Sunday Times
  • ghd was named best styling tool at the 2011 Sunday Times Style Beauty Awards, as voted by their readers
  • ghd won Best Life-Changing Product in the Fabulous 2011 Beauty Awards
  • Eras won the Best Gadget category Fabulous 2011 Beauty Awards
  • ghd was once again voted as a Coolbrand for 2010 by the Superbrands’ CoolBrands Initiative. The seventh annual CoolBrands results follow extensive independent research amongst both influential opinion formers and the British public
  • Visit http://www.ghdhair.com for more information

I honestly don't think that I would be lucky enough to be gifted a ghd in this collection or just one at all but if I ever do get one, I would definitely review it so that you can be informed about whether or not it's worth it. But after seeing these pictures and reading the press release, I have become more motivated to save up for one - possibly in the near future :)

If anyone does own a ghd, could you please send it my way haha just kidding :P Seriously, if anyone has one, please let me know your thoughts on it as I only knew a few people who have one! I would love to hear a range of opinions.

Questjen of the week:

Thoughts on ghd hair straighteners, yay or nay?

If you don't own one, would you want one? Or are you happy to own a different brand?

My answer: I don't own one but I'd love to!

I've owned 3 hair straighteners, all different brands and two of them stopped working. Not sure if it was just my fault of if they were actually faulty (perhaps I had bad luck). My third still works but isn't good for curling hair :( Hopefully a ghd makes a good 2-in-1 and won't fail on me like my previous?

Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post, nor is it an advertorial.

Thursday, March 1, 2012

EOS Ice Green Lenses {Sponsored by MukuCHU}

Hi hi~ I hope everyone is well ^.^ I realise that I haven't shown pictures of myself on a blog post in quite a long time and I don't know whether it's a good or bad thing for my readers (it's probably good lol jk) but now I have a legit reason to show myself again... yay for circle lens reviews! Thank you to one of my sponsors MukuCHU for providing me with these new lenses - I really like them and I hope you'll all enjoy reading my review~



I usually show at the start of the official lens model but since there is none, it is I :P

POWER/PRESCRIPTION: 0.00 (Plano) to -10.00
LENS USAGE:
UP TO 1 YEAR
SHELF LIFE:
3 YEARS
MANUFACTURER / ORIGIN:
SOUTH KOREA
MATERIALS:
2Hema
B.C.:
8.6mm
DIAMETER:
14.80mm
WATER CONTENT:
38%

The pattern/design:

So as you can tell by the name, the design is like the appearance of ice in a coloured way. Not that I have seen coloured ice before... but you can sort of imagine it to be like the images above. There is a really thin limbal ring around the lenses so the lenses don't give that much of a doll-like effect however as the lenses are 14.8mm, they do still make the eyes appear bigger. Bigger in a more 'natural' way I suppose. Looking closely to the pattern I can see the two tones of green which is not only pretty but also more effective for blending in with my naturally dark eyes. I love how they give off this really sultry look.

Natural lighting, no makeup.
Left = with lens
Right = without lens

Natural lighting, wearing makeup and top + bottom lashes
Left = with lens
Right = without lens


Natural lighting, wearing makeup and top + bottom lashes
Left and right = with lenses



Flash camera lighting, wearing makeup and top + bottom lashes
Left and right = with lenses

The colour:

Yes I love green eyes and I don't think I've ever seen anyone with this shade of green for their eyes naturally... but I reckon this is the perfect green for lenses on dark eyes! Any lighter it would look unnatural for blending and any darker it would be hard to notice. I am so impressed with the blending... it doesn't make me look like a green-eyed alien. Though others may think otherwise, like people who are against wearing circle lenses 'cause they think they look creepy or something -_-




Comfort:

Those who have worn circle lenses or have read many reviews would already know that EOS lenses are usually thinner than other brands and thus tend to be more comfortable! These lenses were extremely comfortable despite its large diameter.

Other angles



I wore some blue eyeshadow to complement the green lenses. Which reminds me - I haven't done a FOTD look or a tutorial in so long... maybe I should again?



FOTD products used:
Face of Australia Face Base Primer
Maybelline FITme Foundation in 220 Natural Beige
Manicare Precision Blending Sponge
Australis Eye Pencil in Blackest Black
Dolly Wink Black Liquid Eyeliner
QVS Eyelash Curler
Ardell LashGrip Eyelash Adhesive
Daiso Lashes in No. 205 (thanks Jen)
Taiwan Handmade Bottom Lashes in 030
Nutrimetics Lash Lightning Mascara
Face of Australia Blusher in Outback Terra
Maybelline Volume XL Selection Plumping Lipcolour in 140 Petal Attraction


I also noticed that these lenses looked sort of dark blue under yellow-ish lighting! Which makes sense because yellow and blue mixed together make green, and green and yellow mixed together make blue. I couldn't get it the way I wanted to on camera under yellow lighting so instead I captured pictures on my iPod which tends to make colours appear differently anyway (due to its low quality).


Is it just me or can you see the blueness to the green lenses?


I love them :x

Final words:

They are really gorgeous and I'd recommend them for people who want an enlargement but not a pair that makes them look creepy or too doll-like. The pattern is not at all crazy-looking so I reckon these are fine for day and night time wear. As I said before, I love how they look on dark eyes. I need to emphasise on the comfort of these because they seriously are one of the most comfortable lenses I have worn. I thought these would be a little difficult to put on because of the size but it wasn't a hassle at all - they fitted nicely like 14.0mm lenses.

If you're interested in purchasing a pair, MukuCHU sells EOS lenses for $20 AUD/USD a pair but I think these ones need to be be pre-ordered. Check them out here:


Thanks for reading my review, I hope that I provided enough information for you. In my previous lens reviews, I used to give 5/5 ratings for enlargement and colour etc. but I felt that those views would be a little biased. I tried to make this review with as little bias as possible but the first and foremost thing you should know is that I was randomly sent a pair of lenses to review, meaning that I wasn't given choice to pick a favourite or one that I wanted for the sake of having it. I used to choose my pair/s from MukuCHU however I have now decided that I want to be less choosy and picky with the items that I am sent to review. I don't know but I just feel better about it being like that, that's all ^_^

Anyway, I hope you didn't mind seeing my face again after a while ;;)

A random questjen for you, not in relateion to the circle lenses but to the pictures of me (oh that makes me sound do vain hahaha). I'm just curious...

Have you worn top AND bottom false lashes?

For pictures or for special events/cosplay? Often? Rarely? Never?

 My answer: Only a few times! And yes, only for pictures

I haven't worn top and bottom lashes out... I just don't feel comfortable wearing both. Even when I wear top lashes out I feel like it can be a bit too much (I'm a very simplistic girl) and I still have troubles with applying bottom lashes so when I do it successfully I feel that it's an accomplishment lol. I like the ones I've worn in the above pictures, the style looks really natural. The band isn't heaps comfortable but if I only wear them for a short period of time then it would be fine.

That's all from me. Take care, peace out. Not sure when I'll blog again as I am back to uni now but I will try to come back next week :)>-
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