Review: Cosmo Products QUICK EYELINER EX

Just before I went to Hong Kong, I purchased the Quick Eyeliner EX from Cosmo Products at a bargain of S$5 on eBay. It's currently still retailing on sasa.com for US$8.40 (http://www.sasa.com/SasaWeb/eng/product/viewProductDetail.jspa?itemno=103125001002). 

I didn't really know what to expect out of this eyeliner, but the price was too low to pass. I also wanted to try an eyeliner that was less harsh. I always apply the blackest of black eyeliners, and I wondered how I would look with a less jarring eyeliner colour. 

Sasa.com indicated that this Quick Eyeliner EX contains "sembri maidenhair tree extract, that permeates instantly along eyelines to boost the growth of lashes". I didn't know about this AT ALL when I bought it because the entire packaging was in Japanese, so YAY SCORE! 

It also claims to be "extra waterproof protective". And yes, IT IS HIGHLY WATERPROOF IT'S CRAZY.

The eyeliner itself has a thicker-than-usual felt tip and because of how tapered the pen is, application is quite a breeze. Even the beginner of all beginners will have no major problem applying this eyeliner.

Also, because it's tapered, it's rather easy to alter the width of your eyeliner application. You want a thin line, you just apply in an almost 90 degrees angle. Then, just keep adjusting your angle to get your desired line!

The colour is really less harsh than black. I applied it today (sorry no photos!) and I instantly looked less serious. Black-brown eyeliners are really suitable for everyday, no-fuss wear.

Swatches with camera flash - different width of applications

Swatches with camera flash - after intense rubbing

Swatches with camera flash - after placing hand under running water

Swatches with camera flash - after intense rubbing under running water

Pigmentation: It's not an eyeliner with fantastic colour pay-off, but it's alright.

Longevity: CRAZY GOOD. I had it on for more than 12 hours today. NO SMUDGING WHATSOEVER. Nice!

Waterproof?: Extremely waterproof. I placed my hand under running water and scrubbed really hard, and the swatches didn't budge at all. Not even the slightest cell of eyeliner budged!

Application: As said above, application is very very simple. However, I noticed that when you try to reapply more eyeliner on an applied area, the product has the tendency to create these fibres that will drop to your lower eyelid area. A bit troublesome to clean up that area again, and this morning some of those teeny fibres when inside my eye! Yikes!

Will I buy it again? Not really. But from this, I know that black brown eyeliners are quite precious. I shall try black brown eyeliners from other brands!

Off we go for MTV World Stage 2012!

I'll be at the MTV World Stage 2012 at Sunway Lagoon (Kuala Lumpur) over the weekend! Nope definitely not to enjoy the great acts like Justin Bieber, Jay Park and KARA, but to work my ass off as a researcher. Oh dear gosh, please wish me luck.

The luggage weighs in at a current monster of 26.1kg. 90% of that are bundles and bundles of questionnaires. So scared of helpers dropping out! PLEASE BE RESPONSIBLE DEAR MALAYSIAN COLLEGE STUDENTS!

I hope everything goes well, and I hope I get to convince my manager to take me in after I graduate! HEEHEE.

Free samples: L'oreal White Perfect Laser

Another free sample up for grabs, and this time it's from the latest product from L'oreal Paris - their White Perfect Laser products! 

To grab some free samples, just like this page:

http://www.facebook.com/lorealparissingapore/app_321174177960580 

Click on "White Perfect Laser Sampling"! 

Quite excited to try this out because I WANT TO GET FAIRER. I think it's a growing up thing. In the past, I used to hate getting pale, but now I JUST WANT TO LOOK LIKE A VAMPIRE!! HEHE :D

GO GRAB SOME AWESOME SAMPLES! :)

Trampoline Self Esteem

I need to stop thinking that everyone is judging me based on how I have changed. It's quite frustrating because now I'm trying to cure a rather serious (in my terms, it's rather serious. According to my sister, it's not that bad) skin problem that was mainly driven by the massive extraction process during my facial sessions.

Now I have tiny bumps appearing all around my face and I'm advised to not go for extractions anymore because now my combination skin has turned into oily/sensitive skin with damaged cells. FML seriously.

I cried about it a fortnight ago, but the situation has been much better now. It's no longer flaring and painful acne everywhere, but more of just tiny bumps that don't hurt. It got so bad two weeks ago that when I smiled, it hurt.

I'm trying to cure it using medicines now but the effect can only be seen slowly. Not what I want, but better than nothing.

I'm just trying to smile it off everyday. What's the point in crying right? Maybe crying will even make it worse (stress and everything)! Might as well just be calm, be normal and laugh it off. I'm quite sure things will be brighter in the near future. Not so soon, but it will come eventually.

My mom even said that she had the exact problems when she was in her early twenties and so if genetics really work, I shouldn't worry so much. She is now approaching 50 and her skin is actually quite impressive - of course all those SKII helped too.

So I have to just pray, laugh and be positive.

Things will be alright soon. I know it.

This post is also a shout-out to my boyfriend who has been the perfect boyfriend all this time. I went to HK still with flaring acne and he didn't comment much about it and even made me think that most of the flares were gone (when they were obviously still there). He was also the ever attentive person who attended to me first in everything before himself. We may not have worked out 4 years ago, but I'm quite sure I want to be with him till forever and ever now. This is so mushy, but I didn't grow up with lots of love, and he is the first person to shower me with generous helpings of love.

I think I'm quite lucky and hence I know things will be fine again soon. Pray, laugh and be positive, Fifi.

Hong Kong 2012 - instagram experience

Review: essence Stay Natural Concealer

I recently found out that Lot 1's Watsons carries essence and I went to check it out - came back with more purchases. LOL. However, essence cosmetics are not very expensive to begin with. Normal nail polishes go for S$2.80? Freaking cheap and the quality is superb for the price tag!

I decided to try the essence Stay Natural Concealer because obviously I need as many concealers as possible (fml because of my acne problems but whatever haha). It retails for either S$4.30 or S$4.50. HOW CRAZILY CHEAP IS THAT?!?! And let me tell you, the quality of this product is quite awesome and I'm now itching to try the foundation! 

It's one of those stick liquid concealers in which you have to turn the other end to get some product out. Quite a good packaging concept because it's easy to control how much concealer you exactly need. 

In case the words are not clear, the description reads "naturally covers imperfections and reduces dark circles, with vitamin a". 

Although the packaging states that the concealer can be kept for 6 months, I think it's better to throw it out after 2-3 months? Concealers with brush applicators can harbour bacteria which is TERRIBLE for acne-prone skin. NO NO NO. Replace your concealers even if there is still tons of product left!! 

It's quite easy to get the product out - somehow turning the bottom part is rather therapeutic for me. Tick, tick, tick and I'm like yeahhhh do some more. :D HAHAHAHAH that sounds so wrong on every level. Of course I get excess product every single time because I turn too much. :P

Pigmentation: It's not the most pigmented of all concealers, but it does its job fairly well. Blemishes are well-covered and that's good enough. 

Coverage: As said above, coverage is fairly good: light to medium coverage. I use it together with my mineral powder concealer from everyday minerals and they prove to be a lethal concealing combination :D

Consistency: It's not creamy, so my pores don't feel choked. It's not so liquid-y too, so I still can blend it well. 

Colour range: This will be the downfall of this product. I'm currently using the darkest shade - o4 - and I'm not very dark or tanned in the first place. I hope they introduce more shades so it can extend its awesomeness to tanner/darker skinned girls (and guys!). 

Will I buy it again? Definitely yes, yes, YES! I'm stocking up!!

Hong Kong Haul: Fashion Products

Shopping in Hong Kong is really a dream come true. :') It helped that I allocated some amount of money in shopping and this amount just took forever to deplete. Things were so cheap, MY MONEY COULDN'T FINISH LAR. :D 

Langham Place was a dream because there was MONKI and a hugeass H&M that were both having huge sales! There's this shopping centre at Argyle Street that sells things twice (or even thrice) cheaper than what Bugis/FEP normally sells them for. And of course, there were the night markets in which things were crazy cheap already. :D 

Here are my fashion product loots! 

From Monki, I got myself 2 tanks (not in any photos, completely forgot to take aiyahhh) and a phone holder and a shades holder! :) I also got myself a new wallet (last photo of the post) and all 5 items totalled to around 260hkd? 

Random colourful bracelets from night market and a rose gold bracelet from H&M. The trio was 3 for 50hkd and the H&M one was 20hkd!

So many pretty necklaces!! All these were less than 150hkd!

GAP was having crazy sales - they will deduct a further 40% on already discounted items. This bag practically cost me nothing. It was already on 60% discount, then you take another 40% off the remaining 40% (if you think that amounts to 0%, your math fail ar!).

This bag was also from GAP and I bought the taupe one while ky bought the blue. Too nice to pass and who cares if it's meant for guys!

H&M bag for 50hkd!

Best purchases ever - 2 envelope clutches for 100hkd!!! One of these can easily cost S$19.90 in Singapore! CRAZYYYY.

Bought myself 4 pairs of shoes. Actually I just kept buying and didn't realise I bought so many haha.

The first pair is 50hkd from some random store! It looks filmsy and painful but it's not! VERY COMFY! :D

Sandals from H&M for 100hkd!

Flats from H&M for 70hkd!

Another acquisition from GAP - I paid less than 100hkd for this. Technically, GAP was cheaper than H&M the week I went to Hong Kong. WOOTS!

Tops from H&M!

The front top is from GAP and the back one is from some random store (49.90hkd!).

Striped top from Mango (79hkd!), I also bought another one in a different colour for my mom. The polka dot top is from GAP!

Skirts + 1 pant from H&M and random stores.

And wallets! :)

Obviously I went crazy shopping there, but I came back with spare cash. WHO SAID YOU NEED MORE THAN 800 BUCKS IN HONG KONG. My shopping + food + touring fees < S$700. Of course it helps that my bf paid for some things lar. hahahahahahaha.

Hong Kong Haul: Beauty and Skincare Products

I just came back from Hong Kong yesterday and it was AMAZING. Of course, having my boyfriend just for myself for 5 whole days was the main part of why it was amazing. HOWEVER, THE SHOPPING IS CRAZY. Summer Sales really Summer Sales, they do no teeny weeny tiny sales here, THEY GO BIG ON THE DISCOUNTS. 

I went completely bonkers in Sasa, and after two trips, I accumulated all these. 

I only bought three beauty products (surprise surprise) because I figured I have too many already :P. 

The Heavy Rotation Liner was ~70hkd (S$11+) and the sunscreen and mascara were in a combo set that retailed for 75hkd (S$12+). AWESOME. 

I also found the best cleansing cotton wipes ever. I hope Singapore's Sasa has this in stock because I'm going to use them forever and ever. They were around S$2 each.

I went craycray for the masks. They were all so affordable! And they had cute combo sets with highly cute packaging, I WANT THEM ALL. But of course, the luggage problem is kind of a huge one. :( I had to settle for less. HAIS.

I'm not going to name the masks because that would too long of a post. So I'm briefly going through everything!

The first set is a 7-mask set and it retailed for 28hkd (siao), which worked out to be S$4++. ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME?

This was more expensive because it was one of those with the neck mask attached kind. It was 52hkd? Around S$9 for 5!

Nobody can miss out on My Beauty Diary masks. I bought these two for 58hkd each (S$9++)! In Singapore they sell this for more than S$15 for a pack of 10 at Watsons! Or was it S$19.90? Can't really remember.

New masks from My Beauty Diary that has the 2-step regime. This is the latest trend with masks huh?
They were also around 50+hkd each and each pack had 7!

Also some random masks because they were on sale for bundle purchases! :)

I now have enough masks to last me for a good year. HOORAH! :D