Minnie Mouse Bow - Would you go for it?

After the Japanese hair style odango (meatball bun on the top of the head) made a successful landing in the western hemisphere and gradually took over the fashion world, it seems that there is another budding(more like thriving) trend going on in Japanese fashion circle: The Minnie Mouse Bow...Angelababy (and another chick I don't recognize on the left, sorry girl!) for a clothing campaign. Angelababy is cute as usual but I think...she would be cuter when she takes it easy with the (hair, *cough cough* ) accessory. Hasegawa Jun, one of the three spoke models for Shiseido ZA, for a spread about Coach bags. The leopard print goes well with her skin and hair color but is it just me or...

Her hair band is kind of big? (I know magazine always do daring looking but Japanese magazines, different from western magazines, are known for their "layered. complicated but wearable" styles...)A July the 4th manicure and the model (who is clearly over 12 years old) is spotting a plush bow...Fujii Lena and friend (see, the Rinka cut is still hot this season! I wonder how long would it takes it get popular in US, or it already it? ) with supposedly wearable bows...

Street-style Minnie Mice...
Two styles in one head: odango (which I personally don't mind but am too lazy to wear it myself) and the bow. Frankly I think she kind of over killed it with the huge earrings...See, a big, messy-looking bun looks pretty by itself already, no need for bow! Speaking of plain odango...Korean classical violinist Kyung Wha Chung (my current girl crush) already rocked the style 20-30 years ago! And look at that violinist dude (dazed by her beauty, maybe?) at the back lol.She was also rocking that bell shaped hair!Look with more angles... Love her taste in dresses as well!
Anyway, Vanessa Hudgens's bun looks a bit bland as it's too sleek (I think most American version of odango are like this, which I personally don't like that much), I guess she could use a floral hair clip...

While I am not certain if I can take big bows on my hair...I don't mind huge flowers though...Kishimodo Cecil looks pretty cute with these hair clip...

Enough rambling, what about you guys? Would you ever go for the Minnie Mouse bow? (My answer: I think I am too old to take it...a smaller one on the side, like those Blair headbands is OK though...not that I am in a hurry to try it.)

Top 10 Favorite Lip Gloss

I remember I did a top 10 favorite lip gloss post last year. I have gotten plenty of lip gloss for the past year so it's time to do an update!In no particular order, my top 10 (Actally there are only nine of them here, I brought the Burt's Bees blam instead of L'Oreal Jelly balm out = = ) lip gloss are

Lancome Juicy Tube
Anna Sui Mini Rouge
NYX lip gloss in Beige
Anna Sui Sui Lip Gloss
Mac tinted lip conditioner
Bobbi Brown Lip Gloss in Rosy
Revlon Super Lustrous Lip Gloss
L'Oreal Color Juicy Any shimmerless shades
Sally Hansen Gentle Plumping Lip Treatment

By the way, today, the 30th of June is the 25th birthday of my idol Rafal Blechacz.
Happy Birthday Rafal!

If you bother, here is a video of Rafal Blechacz playing an early Beethoven sonata.

NYC Color Wheel Mosaic Powder Blush

Picked up during the CVS clearance sale (along with a dollar off coupon, which made this babe 25 cents), NYC Color Wheel Mosaic Powder Blush is a multi-colored face color/blush.The NYC's brand slogan is "You are beautiful and smart, why paying more?", each of their products is supposed to be a cheap alternative for some high end cult favorite. For this Mosaic Face Color , it's not hard to tell they are knocking off Guerlain's pressed meteorite.Anyway, the bronze-brown-apricot creates a soft, nude peachy blush on the face (what I call a baby blush). The color is quite nice and doesn't look muddy if applied with the right fluffy blush but the texture is on the chalky side so that it requires a brush that applies very light and even wash of color.

Overall: Not bad for 25 cents. I will still use Nars though, because I have it...

MAC Lipglass in Perennial High Style

Another (super) belated review for a limited edtion MAC product, of course I got it just for the heck of the packaging.MAC lipglass in Perennial High Style is a creamy, shimmer-free coral lip gloss that leans towards the pink side. The pigmentation of the gloss is decent (similar to Revlon gloss but with a thicker consistency which takes a little while to settle down to appear more natural) and the gloss comes with a soft vanilla scent like most MAC lip products. Perennial High Style is a pink/peach that's lighter than my natural lip color (I define it as a nude lip gloss), I don't come across nude lip gloss that doesn't wash me out very often so this turns out to be a pleasant find.

Overall: It's nice but I still prefer something deeper/brighter.

Fuchsia Face-Off : Lancome and YSL

Since I bought the YSL rouge volupte in No.10 provocative pink to see how does it compare to my beloved (but discontinued) Lancome Satin fuchsia, I reckon it would make reviewing the lipstick easier if I put them side by side and do a quick comparison.

First there are several external factors:Packaging
For YSL rouge volupte, the tube feels very substantial/heavy, I would think its weight is 150% that of the lancome. The decorative band gives a pretty decent representation of the actual color of the lipstick which means you can buy several of them without mixing the color up. The lid, which has a inner plastic layer, somewhat holds the lipstick well so it doesn't come off easily. At the top of the lid, there is also a well made (to see how well made a mirror is, just look at how smooth the edge and how tough the surface is) mirror, in a size that's between a dime and a quarter.

Lancome Le Rouge Absolu comes with a golden tube with blue coffin shaped metal lid, the closure is normal (there is no magnet or suction involved) but the lid doesn't come off easily. The tube is reflective enough for imaging but probably not as handy as an actual mirror due to the color. On the bright side, it doesn't collect finger print like Department of Homeland Security.

Size Both of them are around 4g.

Price YSL costs 34 dollars regularly (but I have seen people buying other shades from those private sale websites and a random nude shade on eBay for 14 dollars) while Lancome Le Rouge Absolu is 26 dollars. Anyway, Satin fuchsia was discontinued last year though.Scent YSL has a creamy, fruity sorbet kind of scent while Lancome smells like grandma (a powdery, flowery artificial smell.)

Color- YSL le rouge volupte #10 is a deep rose while Lancome satin fuchsia is a bright fuchsia that's more blue and a tad lighter than YSL.

Texture- YSL is extremely creamy and soft so I need to be very careful not applying too much while Lancome has a melt-upon-pressing kind of texture that glides nicely without leaving a lot of product.

Finish- Both of them are matte with a very soft focused shine. YSL is so bold that I only dare to wear it as a stain. But Lancome looks good with various intensity.

Conclusion - Lancome is still my favorite fuchsia, although I do love the YSL packaging.Quick lip combo- Lancome Le Rouge Absolu Satin Fuchsia with Revlon Super Lustrous lip gloss in Power Walk Pink

Revlon Super Lustrous Lip Gloss Coral Reef

For summer 2010 Day Dreamer Collection, Revlon has introduced five new Super Lustrous lip gloss into the line up (and got rid of three of the old ones, if I remember it correctly) Coral Reef is one of them. It surprised me a little bit that I haven't include Revlon Super Lustrous lip gloss in my previous Top 10 favorite lip gloss post( guess it's time for an update!). I got my first tube back in early 2006 (the shade was called Wild Orchid) and has run through at least four tubes for the past four years (that's a lot consider the flooding amount of my lip gloss collection).

Anyway, for all the shades I have tried,these glosses are fairly pigmented (but not too much that it becomes unwearable), have a nice, non sticky texture and give a plump and watery but not too glossy finish.Coral Reef is just like all the other Revlon Super Lustrous lip gloss I have tried, except it's quite different/lot prettier than the old ones: The bright, summery orange-coral just looks so fresh and youthful (and I usually like to call Revlon a auntie-brand as it contains so many toned down neutral and deep reds of the sort) and I don't see the point buying MAC lip glass (well, I got one anyway for the packaging anyway, shame on me = =...) when you can get the same, if not better, pigmentation and texture and probably better overall effect for 1/2 to 1/4 of the price.

Overall: Revlon is the bomb (And watch out for more bombing) .

Earrings Window Shopping

During summer I tend to ditch makeup all together because the sweat would pretty much melt everything (or just I am getting lazy when it's hot = = ) . Instead, I like to wear some accessories since they go well with hair that's pulled back (have to do that, my black hair is absorbing too much heat).

Anyway, here are some spy cam pictures I took a while ago.Betsey Johnson costume earring. I usually love these ornate earrings and they are not that expensive (at Nordstrom Racks) The big ones should go well with a little black dress.Probably good for punk/rock girls?Here are some colorful ones, I like the second pair from the bottom row, should look pretty nice with a flowing red sun dress.

Maybelline Color Sensational The Pearls

It seems that beside the four color families (red, pink, mauve and nudes) , Maybelline added one more shade family, into the Color Sensational lipstick/lip gloss collection.
I am never a fan of Maybelline (I have tried many times to love it, just couldn't...) , nude or shimmery lipstick/gloss so this would be another safe skip for me.

The poster is really pretty though.

Loew Cornell Painting Brushes (for Makeup!) - A Quick Review

I have heard a lot of people talking about these brushes over Youtube so when I saw them in that craft store Micheal's (back to parent's house and I am no longer live closed to that stock-everything-first grocery store...Boo...) I got a bit excited and played with them for a while.
There weren't many Loew Cornell brushes available at the time of visit so my review would be fairly brief. First, these brushes feel very solid and nicely made with no flimsy-looking or light handles, the two brushes I picked up and play with (running them through my face and arm...so yeah, wash your paint brushes when you get them == ) are dome round brush (for eyeshadow blending) and Maxine's Mop(blush or bronzer). As for the hair, these are relatively soft, a lot better than the CVS Essenes of Beauty ones but a tad scratchy, maybe scratchy isn't the right word, stiff is (only a tiny tiny bit, I would say) compared to Sonia Kashuk makeup brushes. Of course it's nowhere near the quality of my beloved Stila, but heck, those are like 20-50bucks a piece!

The best part about these Loew Cornell brushes is of course, the price. If I remember it correctly, those natural haired brushes are around 8 (smaller one) to 12 (mop brush) dollars a piece and if you just do some simple Google, you will be able to find 40% off coupon on any single item of your choice and you can only use one coupon per day. ( But you know what friends are for,right?)

Anna Sui Face Color Accent : Give me rosy cheeks, literally!

I have reviewed Anna Sui Face Color Accent in 400 back in 2008, while I liked the silky texture, high pigmentation and adorable packaging. The red color just looks weird on me no matter when/how I use it. My dissatisfaction has little to do with the product itself, I decided to give it another go when I found a makeup set containing the blush (so this time instead of paying 24 dollars for a single blush, I chipped in 27 bucks for a makeup pouch, a lip gloss and this limited edition blush!)Face Color Accent R (for rose) 03 from Anna Sui is packaged similar to the ones from the permanent line, It comes with a typical Anna Sui rose scent, oval compact with clear window and a soft and tiny brush. The only difference would be the 3d rose engrave and there is golden shimmer on the lighter side/background.
The matte rose is in fuchsia (hot color for the season!) and the shimmery side merely gives a soft champagne glow to the face. When used together (I like to use a big brush so it's hard to pick up the colors each by itself) the blush gives a soft rosy flush along with a glow.

Overall: A really neat and basic item (not to mention it looks super cute in your makeup pouch!) I got more than half a year ago(Yeah, I am slow).

By the way: Thanks to an anonymous reader (Yeah, I am supposed to delete all those nameless comments but then I got lazy as some of them did provided some useful info, like naming this OPI nail polish) for the info, Anna Sui cosmetics (along with Paul & Joe, NYX, Medusa, Japonesque etc.) is now available at Urban Outfitter's official website. The stock is not that big at the moment but I can already see all the Face Color Accent, Eye Color Accent, and the new Lip Rouge D. The price is alright similar to its Japanese counterpart and the best part is that there is free shipping on purchase with any regular prized beauty related item!

Rimmel Vintage Pink Moisture Renew Lipstick

Since I am relatively happy with my last Rimmel purchase, I decided to get two more when I spotted some coupons along with a CVS BOGO sale. This time is another lipstick from the Moisture Renew Line.The shade I have chosen is Vintage Pink, a muted medium mauve pink with no shimmer (my last one Pink Chic looks matte from a distance but has some tiny silver shimmer to achieve that light, pastel look) whatsoever.At first I thought Rimmel Vintage pink would be a new color in my growing lipstick collection but it turns out to be quite similar to Revlon Berry Haute once it's on my purply skin (that's why it looks more purple that it should be in the lip swatch). I quite like this particular formula in the Rimmel Moisture Renew line: it's quite smooth (a lot easier to apply than the MAC creme sheen and lustre lipstick) , pigmented and relatively moisturizing (still not as good as Lancome le Rouge Absolu but heck, that's my holy grail for a reason!) plus you can't beat the 1.5 dollars price tag (7 dollars original price, buy one get one sale, two 2-dollar-off coupons)!

Overall: Rimmel lipstick beats Revlon by a landslide!