Benefit Cosmetics Blogger Meet

Hello :} I have been meaning to write this post for quite some time now and I've finally had the chance to do so. Last month, there was an ABBM brand meet up with Benefit cosmetics on a lovely Friday night. This was actually one of my favourite ABBM meets that I've been to and it wasn't only because of the cosmetics involved - the place was decorated so nicely and when events like these provide drinks and nibbles, I'm one happy girl!

I forgot to bring my digital camera so I could only snap pictures on my phone. Excuse any not-so clear pictures!

 This event was for the launch of Benefit's new product 'Fake Up', a hydrating concealer.

Held at this fabulous VIP place:

Credit: AdelBeautyCon

Presented by our very own ABBMer and resident makeup artiste, Kitty! (left), Gemma and Joyce

We all sat down around these tables and tested out a few of the products on the tables while listening to the 3 Benefit gals talk to us about specific products.

 It's all so pretty *_*

Joyce did the honours of officially introducing us to Fake Up

We were given the Benefit Fake Up in 'tablet' form to dissolve into a cup of water. I had no idea what was going to happen... and then....

 Oooh it's expanded!

... and opens up to be a moist towel. An analogy of Fake Up being moist and hydrating!

I thought that was very clever and a great thing for each of us to do :)

 We each got a Fake Up to try which was hidden in the handle of the mirror!!

They come in 3 shades - light, medium and dark and retails for $35 AUD

We also got to try Benefit's popular 'They're Real!' mascara which is said to give a falsies effect - RRP $38 AUD

The product which fascinated me the most was this stick blush in gorgeous rose gold packaging!! The blush is easily blendable and I quite like the idea of having 3 colours in 1

 

Kitty's demo #1 - using the Benefit brow palette on Suki

Kitty's demo #2 - using one of the Benefit palettes on Kathy

 The new colour range of eyeshadows and lipglosses that we were briefly introduced to

Gemma getting cosy with Fake Up on the couch ;)

What could all those mysterious bags be :O ?!?

Goodie bags of course!

L-R: Amy, me, Kitty, Kathy, Steph, Sherry and Celeste

Credit: AdelBeautyCon

Overall it was a very fun-filled, girly night full of laughs! Thank you so so much to everyone who worked hard to make this event possible - just to name a few, Gemma and Joyce from Benefit who made their way to Adelaide for this event and to Kitty for all the planning, prepping that went on behind the scenes (and demo'ing)!

I would have been happy walking out empty-handed but weeeeee, a goodie bag for each of us. I was stoked :)

Containing booklet and leaflets as well as two full-sized products that we tested on the night:

• Benefit Fake Up
• Benefit They're Real! Beyond Mascara

 But before I discuss the products, I just wanted to say that this is the coolest promo/business card I've seen! Love the hidden descriptions behind the flaps that you have to open up yourself

Benefit Fake Up crease-control hydrating concealer

 I got the medium shade and I reckon it's the best match for me. It really does feel moist on my skin... it reminds me of lip balm but in concealer form haha. The packaging is just like a lipstick case. The silver and pink is very attractive :)

Benefit They're Real Beyond mascara

with a 'specially designed brush that reveals lashes you never knew you had'

So far so good. The brush isn't too thick and the glossy tube totally screams 'high-end'. Love it

I'd actually recommend both products they're honestly not too expensive for a high-end makeup brand. Pretty packaging and awesome quality = A+ rating!

Kate from Seduced by Beauty filmed some footage on the night and has uploaded it on her YouTube. I've decided to embed it here in case anyone was interested in seeing/hearing more about the event :) Credits to Kate for this video!

Questjen of the week:

Have you tried any Benefit cosmetics? If so, was there anything that you liked?

Prior to this event, I had only tried Benefit's the POREfessional which I received in a goodie bag at ABC 2011. I highly recommend it as a primer for oily skin as it does a great job with minimising oils and the appearance of pores and fine lines.

These two months (May and June) are going to be very busy for me which means that I may only blog again once during this period... I wish I could do weekly blogging again :(

And I'm turning 20 on Wednesday... my 'teen' life is coming to an end!

Hope everyone is well~

♥ Jen

FOTD with Arbonne Cosmetics

So I've had the opportunity to try out some products from the brand Arbonne and have used them to create a very simple look suitable for daytime wear.

My makeup style is fairly natural/neutral, however you like to call it. I love looking fresh and youthful and although I admire bold, colourful makeup on others, sometimes I feel that simple is best for me and the only 'drama' I like to have on my face is my winged eyeliner and lengthened, volumised lashes. As you may already know, I am highly influenced by Korean/ulzzang makeup style where eyeshadow is not always a must and thick/straight brows are preferred over thin/arched ones.

I wore this look on two occasions, day and night as found that this look was appropriate for both (you can disagree) 

Created with the help of the following products:

~ Face of Australia Face Base Primer

~ Revlon Colorstay 24 Hour Makeup in 240 Medium Beige

~ Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles in 30 Medium Moyen (LOVE this product!)

~ Australis Eyeshadow Primer

~ Kiss Me Heroine Make Smooth Liquid Eyeliner in 01 Black

~ Models Prefer Black Pencil Eyeliner

~ Models Prefer Lash Primer

~ Dolly Wink Brown Brow Pencil

~ Arbonne Triple Action Mascara in Black/Noir

~ Arbonne Lipstick in Rose Petal

~ Arbonne Blush in Ballet

Out of that list, these are the products that I am going to be reviewing:

Whenever I see makeup products in black cardboard packaging with white writing, I instantly think of high-end and that's a good thing. It makes me think that these products would be of high quality due to how... 'professional' they look. Examples of other brands with packaging like this are MAC and Inglot which I have heard are pretty good in terms of quality. First impressions always last and my first impression of Arbonne cosmetics was that they'd be great to test out.

A little about Arbonne cosmetics...

They started out in Switzerland in 1975 where Arbonne's product line aimed to fulfill the vision of having products that naturally enhances your beauty and well-being and at the same time, be pure, safe and beneficial products to use. And that was what they achieved with their skincare and cosmetics line.

I like to work my way down so let's start with a product for the eyes - mascara.

Arbonne Triple Action Mascara

RRP $43 AUD

The product's claims:

• Define, lengthen and volumise eyelashes
• New formula is smudge resistant, long-wearing and will nurture and moisture lashes

Ingredients:

• Natural hair conditioning agents such as Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract 

Knowing that this product 'cares' for my lashes is great and many mascaras out there don't highlight any particular ingredient that is beneficial for eyelashes, and I actually think that that's quite important. Not only do you want to look your best but you'd also want to know that the ingredients in a cosmetic product are safe and suitable, right? That is usually what differs between standard and high-end cosmetics and their prices.

I applied the mascara on after I curled my lashes

It did define, lengthen and volumise my lashes as it claims and I'd say that it gets a tick for being smudge-proof and long-lasting. However I wouldn't say that this is the best mascara that I've ever used. I have used ones that have ticked more boxes for me and were a fraction of the price. But about the ingredients of other mascaras, I wouldn't be able to compare them to this one. So really it does come down to personal preference - a mascara that does more but has no key ingredients to condition the lashes or one that does less, is still good and can be seen as less 'harmful' due to its special formula.

I would recommend this mascara to those who are interested in using makeup products that are safe, beneficial and have quality.

Arbonne Blush in Ballet

RRP $40 AUD

The product's claims:

• Mineral-infused and highly pigmented blush
• Provides perfect natural colour to help highlight and complement the complexion
• Lightweight powder accentuates and sculpts cheeks

Ingredients:

• Infused with Vitamins A, C and E and cucumber extract 

Before I start talking about the blush itself, I want to mention the packaging just briefly. Yes it looks like a typical blush but this case has a button to help pop open the lid and it clicks back nicely when you close it. Not like those typical blushes where you manually prop open the lid (where it is prone to opening accidentally on its own in you bag or something).

It's a gorgeous pale pink and as pretty as it itself may be, I found that it wasn't the best match for my not-so-pale complexion. I did manage to snap a picture of myself under bright lighting to see how it looks like on me but I reckon if you saw me in person, it would definitely be less noticeable.

Keep in mind that my natural flush is underneath the blush

Unfortunately my camera couldn't clearly pick up on the pale pink on the back of my hand but yes I can confirm that this blush is pigmented (as seen on the finger swatch). I love it when blushes are lightweight because that means it's okay for the blush to be layered on to build colour (if necessary) and there won't be that cakey feeling. I was glad that there was hardly any excess on my brush after swelling it in the pan and it smoothed on nicely onto my cheeks. And yes I agree with the claim that it provides a natural colour to help highlight and complement the complexion, despite feeling that this blush wasn't the best shade for my tone/complexion. I would go with a more coral pink but for a natural look, this is absolutely fine :)

With many vitamins, minerals and cucumber extract, I would recommend this product for sure! It states that it is suitable for all skin types which is great. The colour is beautiful and I would love to see this on someone who is more pale than I am.

Arbonne Lipstick in Rose Petal

RRP $36

The product's claims and ingredients:

• Packed with Vitamins A, C and E as well as pomegranate extract, the formular intensely hydrates and conditions lips with a rich colour and beautiful scent that glides on smoothly for buildable coverage

Wow, the lipstick is very hydrating, and the fact that both the hydration and the pigment is buildable is perfect! I find that my pigmented lipsticks are a bit drying as they only require one 'coat' which I guess isn't sufficient for giving my lips moisture. This lipstick feels more like a lip balm as it makes my lips feel smoother and softer.

The thinner-than usual-lipsticks tube is actually what I prefer because it makes applying a lot easier and more precise. I know that using a lip brush is much more accurate but... ain't nobody got time for that? Kidding hehe and yeah I just use lipstick directly from its tube because it's quicker.

A pucker-up test. See how hydrated my lips look and how the lippie isn't cracking?

I describe the colour as a dark coral pink and yep 'rose petal' is a suitable name. There is a bit of shimmer and I'm completely satisfied with that as I don't find shimmer to be very necessary (less is more). This lippie is appropriate for day as its not too out-there and appropriate for night... just because :)

I can't comment on its lasting power as I didn't do any tests but with a lippie so gorgeous and moisturising, does it really matter how long it lasts before reapplying? I say no, absolutely not! In fact, I'm totally cool with reapplying this because it feels and looks great!

I'd definitely recommend this. There's just one thing that I was a bit puzzled about with its description: "beautiful scent". I didn't notice any scent in this lipstick... unless they mean that scentless = beautiful scent? Haha I'm only joking x)

So there you have it, three lovely products from Arbonne that I have reviewed. Hopefully this was an interesting read and that you've learnt something new. In Australia, it isn't a well-known product so I thought that giving them a shoutout on my blog would help them out a bit :) And perhaps you guys could help spread the word! FYI I am not being paid to endorse, nor am I affiliated with them in any way. I am just very impressed, especially with their lipstick.

(Random) Questjen of the week:

Which look do you prefer: Bold eyes or bold lips?

I'm one of those undecided 'I'd rather be in between/neutral' people so I have no answer hehe sorry :(

♥ Jen xx

P.S: Who shopped it up at Priceline for their 40% off sale?? I did!

Tony Moly Panda's Dream Good-bye Dark Eye Corrector

Hello I am alive! I feel so guilty when I don't have a new blog post up each week (maybe I should stop feeling bad about this) because it's supposed to be part of a routine and so when I don't blog I just feel... so..... slack :( But don't fret as I have not lost my blogging motivation! It's just that my current circumstances don't allow me to make blogging a top priority. It's great to be writing a new post now though :)

Speaking of priorities, I have evaluated my purchasing/spending priorities and have realised that I have more than enough cosmetics at the moment. Thus I have decided to spend less/none on new makeup products and more on things I need... or just save more. Oh and a couple of months ago, Mandy sent me a huge box of makeup/skincare goodies (I know right, so generous and sweet of her) which is all just too much for me to keep/use! Some products will be included in a giveaway in the near future (don't worry, she's cool with the idea) so do keep an eye out for that.

Anyway, the point is is that my blog may not always focus on beauty due to the lack of new products to review I guess (me purchasing less and sadly losing my active circle lens sponsor, mukuCHU as they will be closing very soon). Which makes me think that maybe I could try blogging more about other categories like fashion, food... but we'll see. Last month I did my very first online book review so who knows what could happen next on this blog :)

Here I am back with a post on a non-sponsored item which I purchased not too long ago - a product that I felt that I NEEDED more than WANTED!

Credit: Qoo10

Now is it a skincare product or a makeup product? I'm not quite sure but either way, I was sold on its description. And its pink panda packaging omgawd cuteness overload (gwiyomiiii~! ^^v Bahaha..) Apparently it's a 'panda's dream' to say goodbye to those dark circles lol.

I'm neither ashamed or proud to admit that I have panda eyes aka dark circles/under eye bags. How I like to express half-sadness or half-happiness about anything is with a wink frown face ---> ;( I think I've used it on Twitter before and I hope no one thought of it as a typo wink smiley.... *awkward*

I have a love-hate relationship with my dark circles. The obvious reasons for hating them are that they make me look tired and in my opinion, make me look less youthful. And the reason I like/love them is because when I have a full face of makeup on, I actually prefer the look that the dark circles give to my eyes/overall appearance compared to when they are covered with concealer. I don't know but it looks unnatural on me when they're concealed. However it'd definitely be better if I naturally didn't have dark circles at all.

I have a number of under eye concealers and they're all fine but when I came across this product online... I was so curious to try it out that I implulse-bought it! Mind you, that's something that I rarely do :P

I purchased mine from eBay at around $12 USD shipped which I suppose is decent for an under eye cream of this size. It didn't come with any plastic packaging like the image above. There was a seal inside the cap so I was assured that this tube hadn't been used/opened before.

I admit that if this under eye cream was manufactured by a different brand and had plain packaging... I wouldn't have been as tempted to buy it xD Packaging is so important!! To me anyway hehe.

Credit: My Baby Skin

It's a 'whitening cream' and I wish I knew how whitening creams worked. All I know is that this product includes the ingredients 'Niacinamide' (prevents melanin formation) and 'Haloxyl' (improves dark circles and dull skin tone) according to what I've read. I've never intentionally used any whitening creams prior to this which meant that I couldn't compare it to others and their whitening effects.

The million-dollar question is.......... does it work?!

As with many skincare products like whitening, brightening, anti-aging, anti-wrinkle etc., you can't always tell for sure that an improvement has been implicated as a result of using a product. And while some products do show signs of improvement, the improvement may no longer be visible with discontinued use. Also, there isn't an indication of when its effects can be seen so then again it's hard for me to say whether it 'works' yet. But what I can say is that after roughly two weeks of daily use, I haven't seen a whitening effect or a change. Maybe my dark circles are too dark to lighten T_T I will continue to use it daily until it runs out and then maybe I'll do an update/review when the product is finished.

Do let me know if you'd like to see a full review of this product on my blog! 

Questjen of the week:

Are you attracted to cute/pretty packaging?

Haha, a bit of a silly questjen - I'm sure everyone is!!

[Hint about my next post: Cosmetics review and FOTD! Hope you guys will like it]

 ♥ Jen xx