Oh you know...

Just the things I want but can't buy because I'm supposed to be saving up for a big purchase. I'm going on a no-buy soon. & It so happens that just as I've decided to go on a no-buy, all my favourite companies come up the the most amazing things. 

I've been the biggest fan of Archie comics ever since I was a kid, I was obsessed with collecting & reading them. I'm definitely Team Betty though, are you? 

I knew I wanted to own pieces from this collection when I first saw it (hello blushes & eyeshadow quad & face powder!). The packaging is too cute ♥

MAC is releasing EIGHT new pro longwear paint pots! :O I think I've said it more than enough, but paint pots are my absolute favourite thing from MAC (the MSFs come a very close second). Look at the gorgeous shade on the top row, I need them all! 

I know I'm definitely going to get Vintage Selection & Let Me Pop (3rd & 4th ones in the top row). These were first seen in the Champale collection in 2010 and I didn't get them because I wasn't into wearing much eye makeup then.

And finaaaaally, the pastels from China Glaze's Avant Garden collection. I'm a sucker for pastels. I haven't looked up swatches yet, but I probably have something similar to the lilac & periwinkle colours in my collection. I'm pretty sure I'm going to get the darker pink, mint & white colour though. 

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I just need a teeny bit of self control, I'll pick out a couple of things to buy from each collection and I won't go overboard :/

New In: Makeup!

I went on a work retreat with my colleagues (to Bangkok, my second trip there this year!) and I picked up a couple of things at the airport! I rarely buy makeup from department stores/makeup counters because they are RIDICULOUSLY expensive where I live, so when I travel, I like to make use of the opportunity to pick up some makeup from the duty-free shop!

I'm pretty pleased with the stuff I got this time, even though I didn't manage to get my hands on the eyeshadow palette from Chanel's holiday collection :(

I've wanted to try this Revlon shadow stick ever since I watched Amarixe's tutorial (here). I love the colors & they go on so smoothly on the eyes. The only downside is that you have to blend them out fast because they dry/set very quickly! You definitely have to do one eye at a time.

This is my very first NARS eyeshadow duo :') I've been lusting over NARS eyeshadows for a while now, and I couldn't decide between Kuala Lumpur, Kalahari & Isolde. When I saw them in real life, I decided to go with Isolde because Kalahari looked really muddy on my skin. I'm glad I decided to wait til I saw them IRL instead of buying them online!

I got a YSL Rouge Volupte in no. 29, I think a YSL lippie is going to be my travel tradition from now on. I don't really wear lip products but YSL has the most gorgeous packaging ever, I have to collect it! Both the Chanel lipstick & lipgloss are for my BFF & her mom because they're super lovely & they always get me souvenirs when they travel ♥

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I really enjoyed my trip to Bangkok, my colleagues were a pleasure to shop with, the weather was good, the apartment we stayed in was amazing. Everything went perfectly and I'm very thankful for that.

I know I haven't done a nail post in a while. It'll be up in 2 or 3 days! It's a new Deborah Lippmann nail polish ♥

Questionnaire #1

I got a bunch of questions off Amarixe's (one of my fave beauty bloggers/Youtubers) website & I thought they'd be quite fun to do! She does these things on a weekly basis, but I don't think I will. I love reading about someone else's life but I highly doubt anyone would want to read about my life/feelings so frequently, and I'm not sure if I'll have anything interesting to say anyway!

[A bit of me time before I have to go for class.]

1.) Mood:

Mostly happy, but also a little annoyed over a few insignificant issues.

2.) On the topic of Hurricane Sandy, are any natural disasters common where you live?

No, not at all. I don't live near the edge of a tectonic plate so it's pretty safe here! (Applying Geography I learnt half a decade ago, whoop whoop!)

3.) What is your favorite song at the moment?

I spent all of last night listening to the acoustic version of Pumped Up Kicks by Foster The People

4.) Current nail polish:

OPI's We'll Always Have Paris ❤

5.) If you could only use one makeup product, what would it be?

Definitely, without a doubt, my eyebrow pencil. I have really sparse brows and I look really weird when I don't fill them in.

6.) Current outfit:

A green, fitted v-neck tshirt from Forever 21 & dark wash denim shorts from American Eagle.

7.) Are you good at keeping in touch with friends and family?

It depends. I'll only initiate get togethers/dinners/shopping dates if my friends make the same effort too. If I have to be the one who keeps asking someone out, I won't do it. I'm pretty good about replying texts & emails though!

8.) Are you excited about any holiday makeup collections this year?

UGH. MAC has this rose gold + bows (two of my fave things) collection coming out, It's unbelievably pretty. And also so unbelievably expensive, I really doubt I'll be purchasing anything. I can still be excited about it though!

9.) The world's most wonderful chef is at your home ready to fix any meal you desire-- what do you order?

HMMM... Can I have duck confit, parma ham pizza, aglio olio, tiramisu and red velvet cupcakes, thank you!

 

10.) Weekly goals:

Finish that social psych assignment & NOT drink anything from Starbucks ( I love my little coffee machine & I need to cut down on overpriced drinks anyway).

M.A.C Must Haves!

I was thinking of doing a MAC Starter Kit post recently but when I looked at my (pretty small) makeup collection, I realised that there aren't that many things I love from M.A.C. Don't get me wrong, I do love M.A.C. , but I just don't like some of their products. So, I decided to do a post on my M.A.C. must haves instead.

These are my M.A.C. must haves! I will ALWAYS repurchase these products when I run out.

I think Mineralized Skin Finish (MSF) products are amazing! I've been using the MSF Natural (powder on the right) ever since I started using makeup 2 years ago & I've tried other powders but nothing comes close. I really like that the MSF Natural doesn't make me look COMPLETELY matte or cakey. I'm an NC25-30 and the shade Medium is slightly too light for me. The product does oxidise a little after a while, so I usually leave the house the house with it matching my skin tone though. Medium Plus is too dark, I use it to shade/contour sometimes.

The other MSF pictured is Soft and Gentle, which I think is great because it suits every skin tone, you can use it to highlight and it looks very natural and I even use it as a lid color if I'm going for a simple/natural makeup look. I love products that can be used in more than one way! The thing about MSFs is that, if you use them as highlighters & eyeshadow, they last FOREVER because they come in such big pots.

The last product would be a Paint Pot. I love love love paint pots, which is evident in my other post here! My recommendation would be Rubenesque, simply because it will match ANY skin tone, and it's such a lovely champagne color! You can use it as an eyeshadow base or wear it on it's own. 

I definitely can't wait to try out more M.A.C. products. There's something about the sleek black packaging of almost all their products that appeals to me. I really like how they sit in my makeup drawers all neat and matchy matchy!

Travel MAC Palette?

I purchased a 4 pan palette from MAC a couple of days ago. I actually already own a 15 pan palette from MAC but I wanted something that I could take with me if I'm traveling or going to be doing my makeup on the go. 

Top row: Naked Lunch, All That Glitters

Second row: Mythology, Honey Lust

I meant to take pictures of the swatches but I forgot ☹ I chose to put only neutral shades inside so that they'd match everything. When my friend saw this palette, she said that all the colors look the same haha, I really should try venturing into colors but I don't want to look like a clown.

Absolute Fave: MAC Paint Pots

Paint pots are my absolute favorite things from M.A.C Cosmetics (their MSFs come a close second)! I love that you can wear them as primers or on their own. I don't have as many as I'd like to have though, because I'm terribly paranoid about them drying up. Here is my collection of 6. 

Top row: Bare Study, Painterly, Morning Frost(LE)

Bottom row: Rubenesque, Indianwood, Groundwork

As you can see, Indianwood is starting to dry up & pull away from the edges :( When I got it, I noticed the texture was considerably drier than the others. Not sure if it's meant to be like that or if mine is just dried out. 

Bare Study is a shimmery skin tone color and Painterly is a slightly darker, matte version of Painterly. They would be a great base if you're about an NC/NW15/20 in M.A.C shades. They're good worn with eyeshadow on top but too slightly too light to be worn on their own on my NC25/30 skin tone, especially if I don't take the time to blend them out. 

Morning Frost is limited edition from the Glitter and Ice collection (released late 2011) and it's a frosty taupe color. 

Rubenesque was my very first paint pot and this is my second pot of it, I love that stuff! It's adds a peachy, shimmery wash of color to your lids and I think it's a great paint pot to have, no matter what your skin tone is. 

Indianwood has to be my FAVORITE by far, it's the paint pot I reach for the most. It's a very dark bronze color which goes well with my skin tone. It gives me depth in the outer corners of my eyes so it's the easiest to wear on it's own. It's like an entire eye makeup look without the fuss.

Groundwork seems like a matte brown but I'm pretty sure it has the slightest hint of shimmer in it. Nothing too major, but enough to make you want to take a closer look. It's a good nude color for anyone with darker skin.

Left to right: Bare Study, Painterly, Morning Frost

Left to right: Rubenesque, Indianwood, Groundwork

Paint pots are the best primers in my opionion. I've tried the Urban Decay Primer Potion and Too Faced Shadow Insurance but paint pots are the best. I'm definitely looking to collect more M.A.C paint pots but I'll take my time and wait to see what the other collections offer!