Rinoa Cosplay with Dolly Wink

I'm so excited about this post, thanks for all the comments on the Dolly Wink lashes. As much as I love them, I think I'd only use them when I go out to have fun, otherwise they're too crazy for day to day.
As you can see, the post is about my cosplay at FanExpo Toronto, but first I'd like to show to you the makeup I used.

I was going to purchase the Dolly Wink 01 eyeshadow at Pacific Mall to use with my lashes, but I didn't have time nor was I prepared to over spend on something I know would be over priced. But, my dear friend from Hong Kong surprised me with it in the mail! I remember asking her if these were available at Sasa and she told me no, so I was quite surprised to get the package and looked ridiculous with my smile when I opened it on the subway.

I didn't have time to do a step by step picture tutorial and using the Dolly Wink e/s is pretty hard to get wrong anyway.

Products used in order:
Coffret D'or Fluffy Shine Eyes

Dolly Wink 01

MUFE Aqua Eyes 0L

MUFE Aqua Eyes 2L

Majolica Majorca Perfect Automatic Liner BK920

Fiberwig Mascara Extra Long

How To:
First apply Coffret D'or all over lids as a base, then:
1. All over lid
2. From lash line up halfway the lid
3. Lined upper lash line
4. Lined outer half of bottom lashes with MUFE 2L then smudged on top.
I also used to MJ liner to fill the spaces of my upper lash line, then finish with Dolly Wink 02 Lashes. I snipped off a very tiny bit of the inner part and they fit perfectly.
The lashes were a bit heavy though, whenever I blinked, I knew they were there, but it wasn't uncomfortable or anything.

I didn't do swatches of the eyeshadow since there are many bloggers that have done so, I'm just a bit late on the Dolly Wink bandwagon. However, I do have to say that I love the pigmentation of the eyeshadows and the lasting power! They're so easy to apply with my fingers.

Being a little vain before I got to the FanExpo, I kept looking at my eyes since I was so amazed at how the lashes transformed them. I totally forgot to use lipstick/gloss that day.

On to some FanExpo pictures! My nerdyness comes out.
I was a bit shy to ask people if they would take a picture with me, it seems kinda weird. I had a few that asked for my picture, or when I was posing for a picture with other cosplayers, I saw people snapping away with their cameras.

I think I looked pretty darn close to Rinoa from Final Fantasy 8. This isn't the first time I cosplayed her though, the other times I had black pants on and no boots. For FanExpo I went all out and got the boots including the grey detail on them, did the shorts and went anime eyes with the lashes. I think I also get a bonus point because I'm Asian already with my long hair and side swept bangs like Rinoa.

For those who don't know who this is, it's Tom Felton a.k.a. Malfoy from the Harry Potter movies.

Some Storm Troopers snooping around my bag.

Kairi from Kingdom Hearts 2, I love that game!

Another Storm Trooper, the guy was towering over me. He even had the mic to make the Storm Trooper voice. I do like Star Wars btw.

And just a couple pictures outside the Metro Convention Center thanks to Tim for them. I think I would definitely go again next year, or if there's any other conventions that come to Toronto that calls for the cosplayer in me haha, but I would totally think of another costume.

Base Makeup Updated~

I feel a bit disloyal to the Asian cosmetics that I normally like to buy, but sometimes it's hard to look for a new powder or foundation without trying it on. Eyeshadows, blushes etc.. haven't really caught my eyes the past year, maybe a few things but I think it's because I have too many products to finish first.

So I decided to switch to using some American brands. It's also a lot cheaper too, unless you buy it in Canada. For this haul, I only purchased the Bobbi Brown foundation in Canada...$55CAD compared to $45USD, is that ridiculous? Plus our 13% tax on top.
And I got the Sephora round powder brush #41 for only $36, I think it's $45 here? My only complaint is the white bristles...when I load up the brush with the pressed powder, I don't know how much I actually pick up and sometimes I end up powdering too much.

If you've ever been to Holt Renfrew at Yorkdale mall, you might have noticed that Benefit has their Brow Bar there. However, I recently found out that Benefit was being pulled out of Holt and they weren't going to carry the brand anymore...so sad, and I was about to get my brows done.

Since they weren't going to be sold at Holt anymore, there was a mini sale going on with a bunch of the Benefit products, ranging from $15, $20 and $25. The boxed blushes were all $20, cream eyeshadows were $15 and skincare was from $20-25! There were also things like the concealer kits, lipgloss and lip sticks, liquid blushes, eyeshadows and a few other eye brow things.Cheap right? But I only picked up the High Brow.
BTW, if you're in Toronto, head to Holt at Yorkdale, the lady told me the sale ends this week, but I'm not sure if she meant Friday or Saturday.

The High Brow is a unique brow lifting pencil. You basically use it to highlight your brow bone and this helps give your eyes a nice lift. The shade is a pale pink color, I don't think it's very universal and there was only 1 color to choose from.
You draw a line under your brow on the outer half like so...

Then blend away with your finger or brush. I find that 1 swipe is enough, otherwise it gets a bit difficult to blend. The product feels a bit chalky and if I add too much, I can see a white-ish hue under my brows rather than a natural highlight.

Do you know about Murale? If you've never heard of it, it's a beauty boutique opened by Shopppers Drug Mart. They carry a wide variety of products like NARS, Smashbox, Benefit, Cargo and...*gasp* Bobbi Brown!!!! I finally found somewhere that I get purchase Bobbi Brown products...without having to deal with the snooty service at Holt Renfrew, plus you can earn those Shoppers Drug Mart Optimum points at Murale.
I spent about 45mins at Murale getting a mini makeover and trying out their base makeup. The girl was super nice, if you ever go, look for Shannon.
I purchased the Skin Foundation SPF15 in Warm Beige 3.5, which gives a light-medium coverage and leaves a slight dewy finish...which I love. I don't like fully matte makeup.

I also purchased the Sheer Finish Pressed Powder in soft sand when I visited Buffalo. Darn you Canada, why are things so expensive... I got the powder for $34USD and it sells for $45CAD here.

In case you ever need a comparison for online shopping, here I'm comparing the shade with Fit Me 210, they're very similar except Fit Me is a bit more yellow toned.

I LOOOOOVEE my new foundation. I normally use a sponge to blend, but I can get away with using my fingers to blend and the result is a smooth even finish. The Fit Me needed a sponge for better blending.
BB definitely has more coverage than the Fit Me foundation, but a lower SPF.
Lasting power is quite good, my skin was more dewy by the end of an 8-10 hour day but it looked so smooth. The foundation feels quite runny and it also feels very light weight which helps it give a light-medium coverage. 1 full pump is also enough to cover my face without any being wasted.
I used the pressed powder on top and it matted my skin very well, which I wasn't too fond of, but after an hour or so my skin looked more dewy when the oils started to produce on my skin.

Chocolate Strawberries

I had noooo idea what to name this post. I was trying to decide what kind of eye makeup to do on my friend's wedding. I needed something quick and easy to do in the morning since I'm doing makeup for the guys, might as well figure it out now.
I couldn't decide on brown or pink (considering my dress was lavender with a hint of grey hue to it), so I decided on both. Hopefully I won't change my mind when time comes XD

Here's what I used:
Majolica Majorca cream shadow pink
Laura Mercier Sateen Eye Colour Duo Sandstone/Cognac
Integrate Accent Eyes PK760 (pink and shimmery highlight shade in the middle)
Jill Stuart Seductive Eyes - Seductive Doll 01 (bright pink shade)
MJ Perfect Automatic Liner BR601
MUFE Aqua Eyes 2L
Fiberwig Mascara Extra Long

I always start off with a cream base if I have one, makes the color appear more vibrant and lasts longer. And of course, I always use UDPP too.

Using Sandstone shade, apply all over lid and up to the crease.

I warm up the MUFE liner on my hand to make it easier to apply. Draw a thicker line than usual on top lashline.

Using the Cognac shade, smudge it slightly upwards and blend out any harsh edges.

Next, I blend the pink shade from the Integrate palette on top of the smudged liner, careful not to apply the pink on the lashline. This will wash out the brown color on the lashline if applied there.

Using the same Cognac shade, blend starting from the middle of the lashline out towards the outer corner, making sure to apply more on the outer.

Next, I blend and pat the bright pink shade from the Jill Stuart palette on the outer corner and into the crease. I pat the pink shade on top of the brown to avoid making it muddy looking.

Highlight the inner corner and lower half of the lashline with the shimmery highlight shade from the Integrate palette, and apply Cognac on the outer half.

Line the top lashline, careful not to make it too thick. Drag the line out a bit and create a slight wing.

Load up on the mascara top and bottom and add false lashes. It was so difficult applying mascara to my bottom lashes!..since I don't have a lot -___-'
I forgot to mention, I highlighted using Sandstone on my brow bone.

Oopps..looks like the lashes are coming off =p

I might end up changing my eye makeup for night time...thinking of just using brown and gold shades..but with a heavier hand...hmmm... decisions decisions..

Anyone heard of Beauty So Clean? Well, if you haven't, it's a makeup mist that you can spritz onto pressed powders, shadows, blushes and even cream foundations!

This spray kills bacteria and helps keep makeup cleaner, especially if you're like me and just can't seem to part with your eyeshadows hehe.

The spray is mostly alcohol, but it's also got added ingredients (like isopropyl palmitate - moisturizing ingredient) so it won't dry out or damage your makeup.

I purchased mine at school as a special order. I don't think you can get this size anywhere, unless you order online from Eve Pearl. Last week, I saw they had the large bottle, but it seems like they only have the small one in stock at the moment.

Otherwise I know you can purchase it at The Bay, but unfortunately, not the large size that I have. Either way, I think it's a good investment for makeup artists and for personal use to keep everything nice and sanitized.

Check out the Beauty So Clean website and you can see a few other products they have.

Kiehl's and Lavshuca

I really don't like editing my posts using Google Chrome. The pictures don't move around easily and it just makes it frustrating, but IE is always crashing on me.

Anyway, on to the post. Thank you for everyone's comments. I know I've been slacking in the commenting area but I still jump around blogs to keep myself updated.

A friend from school recently went to Hong Kong and helped me stock up on some MJ liners. I got the BR601 shade which is a deep shimmery brown. I've been using the shimmery black MJ liners for so long, I don't know why this is the first time I finally tried a different shade. Hmm...actually, I think I used to have a deep blue one, but who knows, it was so long ago.

She also got me a souvenir! It's a Lavshuca PK1 eyeshadow, I'm not too sure what it's supposed to be called, but I can imagine something like double, or duo something.

I've tried so many Japanese makeup from the past couple of years that I don't really remember if this is my first Lavshuca eyeshadow..I'm pretty sure it is. 

It comes with a pale pink that applies very smoothly and leaves and nice soft shimmer. The darker shade looks taupe with a hint of pink. It's not really pigmented enough to be used as a liner though, but great for adding definition.

I thought I'd post a quick picture tutorial with the eyeshadow. Nothing too difficult =D It's been a while since I did a picture tutorial.

First things first, I always start with a color base whenever possible, it really helps the eyeshadow last longer and gives a more vibrant finish.

The shadows actually last very long without having to touch up for at least 8 hours.

I also don't always put color on my lower lashline... I'm slowly getting more used to seeing myself with some color there, although it seems to fade really quickly, or my eyes get watery.

I love the MJ liquid liners...what would I do without them.

I curled my lashes and used a heated lash curler before applying mascara. Just using 1 coat with the heated lash curler is enough to make my lashes really stand out. I skipped the second coat since I was wearing glasses. And done!

A little update to the L'oreal Color Infailble. Just some good and some bad.. I wasn't too pleased with the product but wasn't disappointed either.
The good things about this shadow is the texture, it feels very silky, almost like cream but more powdery, but very light when applied to my lids. It has a more powdery finish. I'm not even sure if this can be considered a cream shadow.
It's also super pigmented and can be layered for a more intense finish..which I think is quite nice, considering some shadows don't appear any bolder no matter how many layers.

Besides those good things, I was slightly disappointed in the application. Although very silky in texture, I found it a little bit difficult to blend out the harsh edges, maybe because I was using my fingers? I also noticed the first signs of creasing after an hour of wear so I just took it off. I'll probably give it another chance another time. The color is very pretty but I don't see myself using it much because it's so much bolder than what I usually use.

I also changed my Maybelline Fit Me foundation. After using 125 for about a month, I started to feel it wasn't the right shade. It was a bit too pink, so on my visit to Buffalo, I picked up the 210 which was a better match. It has more of a yellow undertone while still looking more cool toned, which is what I apparently am now (according to my makeup teacher). So far, I still love this foundation because of the light-medium coverage. I don't like anything too heavy. I wish I could get my hands on the Paul & Joe Protective Fluid Foundation S, but it's so expensive online *sigh*

Birthday Goodies I

I like having my birthday in February because it's also near Chinese New Year, and of course most of you know what that means! I got some lovely presents this year and I'm gonna show a couple that I got from a friend. It's the new Paul & Joe Spring 2011 Parasol collection!

I loooooove the packaging..well pretty much all the packaging P&J comes in. Although the designs are so pretty, I'm a bit peeved that it's still made with cardboard...gggrrrru.. Nevertheless, it's still some nice eye candy.

I forgot to take swatch pictures, so you can view them on this blog.

I received the lipstick color in Chantilly 070 which is a sheer bubble gum pink. The color actually appears quite well on my lips.

I also got the Color Powder CS in Taffeta 072 which has a golden beige pink and a golden copper shade. The lighter shade goes in a bit sheer. I wasn't able to take some good pictures, but you can still see the darker shade show up on my eyes. I also used Coffret D'or Fluffy Shine Eyes (cream shadow) in gold as a base. This really helps with lasting power and helps prevent creasing. When the shadows are used alone with UDPP, it still creases slightly.

Just did basic application, lighter shade all over lid up to crease and darker shade on the outer.

I used the L'oreal Lineur Intense in Earthen Rock Brown, also a gift for my birthday. This has replaced my precious Lunasol liquid liner which has dried out considerably by now. (*le sigh*)

I've also used the Chantilly lipstick. Very cute pink indeed.

For those of you who are a VIB member, Sephora is giving away samples of the NARS pro prime pore refining primer (what a mouth full!). It's so tiny, probably enough for 2 uses. I look like a giant holding it.

Au Natural

Hello blog world,
Ever since I started the cosmetic program at Seneca, I realized that I probably had to be at school without makeup at one point or another, just to make it easier for my peers to practice on a clean face.
So with that said, I needed to get used to the fact that I probably wouldn't be using makeup, might as well try it out when I go out, however I cheated and still used something when I went out in public.
No eye makeup at all! I tried it once yesterday and again today, it ain't that bad. Since I didn't have any eye makeup on, I decided to add a bit more blush than usual.
On a side note, I am so proud of myself for using the JS blush (fresh apricot) so quickly.

For the natural look, I just filled in my brows, did some light concealing under my eyes (with Sana yellow concealer, not pictured) and gave my lips a little bit of pink color.

I mixed the #1 colors together and applied it on the lower part of my cheek, and did the same with #2 but higher for a glow because the colors were lighter. It's supposed to imitate the pink cheeks you get after going inside from the cold.
I took the photos using my iphone which explains the washed out colors.