L'OREAL NUTRI-GLOSS light conditioning spray

L'oreal Nutri-glss light with pearl protein and citrus

After a shower I always use a good leave in conditioner to keep my hair soft and easy to comb. I've lately been using this one from L'oreal which claims to be 'shine and weightless' for ' Greasy hair, dull and lacking shine', having just cut my hair I find that if I use too moisturising products like hair creams it weighs down my hair. The great thing about this is that it's light so my hair doesn't look slimy but it still gets that shine. It comes with a spray applicator which creates a fine mist so that the product doesn't collect (a major default on some products) and has a nice scent to it which isn't over powering. One critique would be that due to it being a spray I find I have less control but after a few uses I got the hang of it. I would definitely suggest you apply this and just comb through your hair for an even dispersal.

Elvive line from l'oreal with exact same properties

Some hair products, I find, I can't use when my hair is dry because it makes it look greasy so I had to get separate products but I find this works just fine due to it being so weightless. However I do like to experiment with serums just to mix it up, but if your someone who needs just one product I'd definitely suggest this. One problem I found which is that I seem to need a lot to use in order to get the desired effect so I've gone through this quite quickly, I think I should try out different products from this line or maybe get the normal version and see how I fare.

I believe this is one of their elsive line products, however in Asia it is not considered that but I think it's the same thing. I might try out the shampoo and conditioner from this range have any of you tried it?

March favourites

I thought it would be a good idea to show some of the products I've been loving this last month especially, springs come along and in Myanmar it's more like summer so I thought it would be a good idea to inject some colour in to my life.

I have been loving this balm stain from Revlon, personally I like to sheer it down by only applying one light coating and then rubbing it in. Due to it being in a balm form I find it really easy to do this! as pen forms don't allow enough movement. This particular colour is a bright orange which you can wear sheerly on a day to day occasion or more opaque for that fancy dinner. I actually quite like how it's not glossy after a while as I find it looks more natural. These crayons are retractable and big money saver if you were looking at the clinique chubby sticks as I find them to be able to build up, thus being more versatile.

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable balm stain in 040 rendevous rendevous

I've been loving sporting a glow and this product has really done it for me! I find most highstreet highlighters to be too light for my skintone otherwise too glittery. With just a sheer sweep of this on my cheekbones and cupids bow I look fresher and healthier. The powder also works great as an eyeshadow and I've been wearing this very sheerly across the lid on a daily basis this last month. If you increase the amount it's great for highlighting the brow bone as well as the tear duct area. In terms of using it as a bronzer, steer really clear, it's far too shimmery to work that way and too like my skintone to work as a bronzer. If you're paler than me perhaps you could use this as a product to give you a glow and could work as a powder form for laguna multiple from NARS Although quite expensive I definitely think it's worth it as the amount of product they give you will last you forever. 

The Balm Betty-Lou manizer

Swatch of Betty-lou Manizer

My next favourite is a Bourjois eyeshadow in Intense Extrait 05 a dark emerald green. This shade has a slight shimmer to it and the eyeshadow claims to stay for 16 hours. If you're someone like me with oily eyelids it's more like 4 hours but it's better to have that option. I'm not mentioning this product as an eyeshadow as I actually find it slightly difficult to work with in terms of blending. But due to the amazing pigmentation (the photo doesn't show it" I love using this as an eyeliner with an anglied brushed. I think it adds a subtle 'pop' to your eye makeup if you're someone who wears a wash of a light neutral, and is definitely a departure from black liner.

Bourjois eyeshadow Intense Extrait 05

eyeshadow Intense Extrait 05

Left, 1 swipe of Bourjois eyeshadow

Lastly, I've noticed a large trend is to have natural lashes. For me the Revlon growlucious mascara is great for whacking on in the mornings before school. I only apply one coat and it's clump free and looks very natural but lengthens my lashes. In fact after using this product I've been receiving a lot of compliments about how long my eyelashes look, as I have straight lashes so they're not very noticeable, yet people question whether I'm wearing any mascara or not! so a big bonus if you're someone who likes the no makeup makeup look. The wand is pretty big but I have quite large eyeballs so I don't find it too difficult, you can definitely layer this mascara to get a more dramatic effect of needed. This mascara doesn't really play on the volume side and I'm not sure about whether if it is actually helping my lashes grow but if it helps why not? I use the non-waterproof and I don't notice any flaking and my lashes are still flexible and not crunchy so as a whole I would definitely repurchase this mascara.

Revlon Growlucious plumping mascara non-waterproof

wand of growlucious mascara

what are your monthly favourite products?

Simple- soothing facial toner

Toner is something we all like to skip out on and honestly it's not always necessary I've always been weary towards toners because a lot of them contain a lot of alcohol which can strip your skin and doesn't have good effects for it. In general alcohol is used in a lot of facial products but sometimes you get a bit too much for your skin to handle! If you have acne prone skin you may want to look at a toners which contain benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid in them. Witch Hazel is a key thing I look for in toners because it can help reduce swelling, soften skin, helps combat eczema (so is great if you have dry skin) as well as prevent acne. Even if you have oily skin I think it's important to put as much moisture in to your skin as possible so that your skin won't need to produce excess oils due to it thinking that your skin is dry.

Going back to the topic of the simple toner, If you haven't read my previous post I've started using the simple kind to skin cleansing lotion and I needed to use a toner to get rid of the residue as well as to make sure that all the gunk was definitely of my face. I had already used a whole bottle before even using the cleansing lotion and I found that it's a lot more moisturising than other toners. After immediately using it I notice my skin looks a lot fresher. This toner definitely works for me because it's not harsh but still gets the dirt of my face including any left over makeup. In terms of a good primer for teens who have slightly combo skin I would recommend this...the price is also difficult to beat! I think I'm going to be repurchasing this one because I think it does the job and would definitely recommend this for people with sensitive skin and maybe slighly combination.

Simple- cleansing lotion

These past few years I've been trying out some skin care from simple, a UK brand which is quickly becoming quite popular. Simple has a few different categories of skin types that it caters for but the 3 sold in Malaysia are the age defying, kind to skin and oily, I gravitate more towards the kind to skin because my skin is more sensitive then oily. So because my skin is really sensitive and I was breaking out (pimples ewww) quite a lot a few months ago so I had this strong feeling that it was due to constantly changing cleansers and a few of them being quite harsh for my skin. I've slowly been graduating towards simple products because they're really cheap but also claim to have none of those chemical nasties. I was looking at their website and saw that their purifying cleansing lotion was getting a lot of buzz so I decided to check it out.



How I use it:

1. get a cotton pad
2. squeeze around a pea size amount on to cotton pad
3. dot around face
4. then just wipe face with a cotton pad
5. use toner on cotton pad to get rid of residue

honestly I was quite sceptical because you don't use water and I've never used a lotion for my face. I think this one is really good because it really does take of the dirt, I've tried a clean and clear one before  and it was so strong (alcoholic) that I was so scared of using it even though it got rid of the gunk. Especially near the eye area that one was never going to even reach that section! this one feels really light and because it has no perfume and stuff I think it's fine, I've tried it and my eyesight is fine and it doesn't sting or anything.

As a whole I think it's great but I always use a toner after just to be sure the gunk is all off. This is really great if you're camping or something and don't want to use wipes or if you want to clean your face before makeup but don't want to wash your face all over again (which can be bad for your skin). It's really easy to use but I would recommend this more for people with dry skin because if your not careful and don't use toner you can look oily.

soap and glory it's about prime, eye primer

Eye primers can literally save your life if you have oily lids and need something to make your eyeshadow last longer. A lot of people say they use things such as a 'base' to make the colours stand out more and last longer. If you're some one who has dry skin usually you don't need an eye primer for longevity but you may use it to intensify colour. If you're someone like me who has super oily eyelids and you notice that there is no longer any eyeshadow left on your eyelid, you need an eye primer or a good base. A base can be a cream shadow or another eyeshadow but these don't always work for those of us with oily lids because the cream can move around (unless you get specific ones) and shadows just don't stay put. Eye primers work in the same way as face primers, they absorb/stop oil and make your, in this case, eyeshadow last longer. Now that that's said I'm not going to give a list of good or bad eye primers because I haven't tried enough but I will recommend a few really well known ones at the end.

Soap and glory is a British brand who have been raved about in the youtube beauty community quite a lot, mainly due to their hand cream and body scrub. Their makeup line is fairly new and I believe it's only sold in the UK but you can get the rest of the soap and glory line in sephora's in asia. The primer is called: IT'S ABOUT PRIME.

That to me is a really cute name because it links to the time and how primer... never mind. There are 2 shades of this primer, one dark grey and one light cream.

The product comes with a doe foot applicator which isn't the best because it's had to get everything out, I wish it was a squeezy tube instead but unlike the old UD primer potion the bottle isn't a weird shape so hopefully it won't be too difficult to get to all the product.

Now on my skin tone it is pale but when you've done the eyes the white looks natural enough as a brow highlight so I can skip that sometimes!

 I have the shade bright light which is the whiter shade. I find that I don't have to use a brow highlight as it works well on my skintone! The white also cover any veins on my lids which is a definite bonus. If you want a clear everyday primer though this isn't for you.

Left, no primer. Right, with primer

 In terms of improving the intensity of colour this primer works, this photo doesn't really show it but it works.

Lastly, this primer makes your eyeshadow last all day. Yesterday I was out in the boiling heat of Myanmar (it was hotter than 35 degrees Celsius!) and I had to sing on stage with really hot lights and my eyeshadow lasted the whole time. So if you're anywhere colder that that you're set.



Other primers which are highly praised-
high end:
Urban Decay primer potion
Too faced shadow insurance

lower end:
Wet n Wild fergie primer
NYX eyeshadow primer


you can also use certain cream shadows like:

• maybelline colour tatoos
• benefit creasless cream shadows
• topshop cream eyeshadows
• make up forever aqua eyes cream shadows
• MAC paint pots
• mememe cream eyeshadow

makeup for dummies (makeup 101) lips

Lipstick: a solid colour on your lips, it comes in a variety of colours and different finishes. Just like eyeshadows these lipsticks come in matte, satin frost and many more. Matte lip shades are great for older woman and if your wearing a really shimmery eye where as shimmery lips can really spice up a look. My personal favourite finish is cream because some brands with their matte lipsticks can look really chalky but I'll explain more about lipsticks in another post. I don't really wear lipsticks too often and am slightly scared of the darker shades but it depends on the person. My sister hates lipstick, the closest thing she wears to it is the revlon lip butters in the really neutral shades, I think the main reason lipstick isn't everyone cup of tea is because it doesn't look natural and if you're someone like me when I first started wearing makeup you don't want everyone to notice your wearing it, another fact may be that older people wear it and you don't want to look old!

Lip liner: usually comes in pencil form, its really hard to get off unlike lipstick where if you have a bite of food it comes of (tips on how to stop your lipstick from fading/smudging in a post to come!) lip liner will stop your lipstick from 'bleeding' (leaving the line on your lips). For people with a lot of small lines around their lips it's essential especially if you are wearing a darker shade of lipstick. Lip liner can also be used to make your lips look fuller and to define your lip line more.

Lip stain: one of my favourite products to use. The name itself describes the function... don't worry you can take it off! but it's great if  you want that colour but for it to look more natural. Lipstick completely covers your lips with a coat but this does not form a layer. Lip stains also last a lot longer on the lips then lipstick so they're great if you're like me and don't think it cool to apply lipstick in front of everyone but for no one to tell you one side of your lip looks different to the other. Again there are a few different ways they can come but in general they come like a felt tip pen with a balm or as a balm hybrid (the balmy thing goes away if you don't like it in the balm hybrid versions) it's a good thing they come with a balm though because it can make your lips feel a bit dry (not in a serious way just not like a normal product that slightly smoothens your lips) so if you have really chapped lips it might accentuate that trait unless you keep applying balm but it works on almost everyone.

Lip gloss: a really sheeny liquidy texture. It can make your lips look quite big. You can get clear or coloured glosses in different finishes like cream and shimmer. My sister REALLY doesn't like glosses because they look really unnatural but I quite like the way it looks. Some come really pigmented and can be worn alone others can be worn over lipstick or even lip liner placed all over the lip. Lip plumpers have this funny tingly feeling which apparently make your lips bigger and fuller due to a slight swelling (don't worry it's not bad and it doesn't hurt its the same thing as you tugging/playin with your lip) but some people love it and some people hate it so you'll have to try it.

Lip stain: great if you have chapped lips and only want a light colour. If you want more colour I would suggest you get a creamy lipstick like the revlon lip butters. Great for everyday wear and gives natural healthy lips. It's sort of like a lip stain with the lip balm and all but obviously this is formulated as a balm and is more noticeable and won't last as long and usually the colour isn't as intence. 

So I hoped that helped and I know it's really long but that's the basics and knowing it will give you a good foundation. I'll go in to more details about some of these in future posts and give more tips and way of using these products so please come back to read more! I'll be blogging every week from here and don't worry products and product review and looks will be coming up!

makeup for dummies (makeup 101) eyes

Eye Primer: Yes there are different primers, eye primer, like a face primer allows eyeshadows to stick on to the lid better. If your like me and have oily lids and you notice some of your eyeshadow has gone this will definitely help. Eye primers also help in terms of deepening the colour so if you have an eyeshadow which doesn't really show up and eye primer is the best bet. However if you want one for this function higher end primers are your best bet.

Cream Eyeshadow: these can be used as an eye primer except cream eyeshadows usually have colour to it but this can help neutralise the lid colour if you get a skin tone colour. Bright colours can add to a look, in general colour coordination is best. However, bright iridescent whites etc. under deep eyeshadows can really make your eye look 'pop' same with dark colours. In general cream eyeshadows don't stay on the lid too well so if you have oily skin watch out but it depends on the quality some are great for oily eyes to act as a base (I would suggest you put an eyeshadow on top it really helps it stay like when you put powder on top of foundation to make it stay, same concept), some are great as an everyday sheeny eye look (high end brand work better for this purpose).

Eyeshadow: well I hope you guys know what this is, it's pretty self explanatory so I'm going to suggest you buy neutrals like a dark brown and a skin tone colour and then slowly build to get brighter colours. If you have these neutrals you can create many eyes looks and not have to buy may products because if you buy a bright blue and pink you won't really be able to wear them but you can pair the two with the neutrals and create tons of different looks. One thing that baffled me when I first started buying eyeshadows was the different finishes. There are so many it would be hard to count, in general matte shades are good basics to have but if your only planning to wear makeup once and want those sparkly looks that you see in the prom magazines go for a shimmer or pearl finish. They also show up more and matte shades in the high street are hard to come by.

Lash primer: this product 'primes' your eyelashes for mascara. It usually comes clear or white and coats your lashes so that your lashes look thicker and your mascara adheres better. Many mascaras are double ended with a white side which is usually the eyelash primer. If you use it and your lashes turn white there's no need to worry because you can coat it with black and you won't be able to notice the different. Unless your buying those double ended mascara I think purchasing lash primer separately is a waste; however, if your eyelids are really oily or you love the way a mascara looks on you but it doesn't stay this product may be right up your alley.

Mascara: defines your eyelashes. You can get different types like volumising or lengthening. It's really hard with mascaras because some clump and some formulations just don't work on certain people. If you find that your mascara smudges or you have oily lids I would suggest waterproof also if you're only going to wear it once to a party. If you're only going to use it a few times I would suggest you buy it from the high street because they're just as good as the high end ones. However, some waterproof versions are so difficult to take off and if you don't have makeup remover an absolute nightmare I would suggest you get non-waterproof but just make sure you know it doesn't smudge on you. I have oily eyelids but my mascara doesn't smudge another reason for that is because I allow it to dry without touching my eyes and I don't let it dry up because when it starts to dry that's when it starts to flake all over your face. I'll post up some of my popular ones but it really depends on you, also they come in a variety of colours so you might want to get one which makes your eye colour 'pop'.

Eyeliner: I like to use kohl but make sure you get one which stays on the lash line and is creamy so that you don't have to tug on your eye. You can use this to line your water line, lash line, tight line or upper lash line. It helps to define and you can use fun colours to make your eye colour pop or bring life to a boring neutral look. Brown looks softer whereas black looks piercing. You could also use a white or for my skin tone a light nude colour in the water line to make your eyes bigger but more tips in an upcoming post. They an also act as bases or you smudge them to get a cool effect.

Liquid liner: ONLY USE THIS FOR YOUR UPPER LASH LINE... NEVER use it for your waterline!! I don't get the fuss with liquid liners because you have to get a pencil and gel with it if you want to do the whole eye makeup lining and many people find it difficult to use ( I thought it was ok, you just need practice the first time I ever tried to line my upper lash line it was an absolute nightmare so don't worry). However, apparently it looks more striking in photos but I think it looks the same as gel liner but doesn't last as long on the lids. It's not bad, but it's not necessary.

Gel eyeliner: This is my favourite for upper lash lining because it lasts for literally forever and you can also use it on you water line and it WONT BUDGE. You can get gel eyeliner in pencil form if you prefer but I like the pot version just the same. Its amazing, there are so many colours and it defines and looks great in photos! get it.

Brow liner/shadow/felt tip: used to fill in the gaps of you brow. If you have dark almost black hair I would suggest use a greyish brown colour. If you have a warm brown use your average dark brown (also good for almost black hair). If you have lighter brown use a lighter brown (warmer is better) and if you have reddish hair get a brow liner or shadow which is brown but has a reddish tone to it. If your hair is blonde same as with light brown just use a light taupey brown because it depends what type of blonde you are honey blondes go with a warm light brown and bleach blonde or if you have those really dark brown natural highlights go with a cool greyish taupey brown. Liners and felt tips give more definition whereas shadow looks a lot more natural (apply with an angles brush) you can use both to get different textures for a naturally defined brow but eyeshadow can be used as well just with a more controlled brush to give a defined look. If you don't have brushes I would suggest the liner version or the felt tip. Make sure you get a matte eyeshadow if you want to use shadow because it'll look unnatural if you have glitter in your eyebrows.

Brow gel: sets the brows and stops them from moving so if you have unruly eyebrows it can help. You can get clear or tinted brow gels so if you want more colour make sure you get the colour suited to you. You can use clear mascara if you can't find a brow gel.