B.F.F

December has been a month of holidays, parties and celebration towards this new year!
So sorry to have neglected this blog for a bit due to finals and a pretty busy few months!!
Moving on, I'd like to share with you all some of my favourite products during the holiday season!

1. SK-II Facial Treatment Essence
I've never purchased any SK-II products because of its price and also because of certain negative reviews about it once you stop using it.
This bottle is a door gift from one of their events that I attended and I figured since I didn't need to pay for it, there should be no harm in trying it just for a month or so right?


For the first few weeks, I apply it every 2-3 days to make sure my skin doesn't rely on it too much and the results have been pretty good. I noticed a slight glow on my skin despite the lack of sleep that I had during those weeks. Even when I've stopped using it for a few weeks, my skin doesn't get worse.  Ever since then, I've continued using this product every few days and I'm quite satisfied with it! One thing that I'm not so fond of is just the scent of it. But overall, this essence is very lightweight and is quickly absorbed into my skin, approximately 3 drops is enough for the entire face.

2. Etude House -Look at my Eyes Jewel Eyeshadow Pigment
I LOVE eye looks that have shimmer on them but so far most of my shimmer eye shadows do not suit my eye type as shimmer does not look too good on puffy Asian eyes.
However, I stumbled upon this product while I was shopping and I bought it immediately after doing some swatches in the shop!
If you have hooded eyes and tanned skin tone like mine, I'd recommend these two shades as it will not look too light or weird on your eyelids.

BE104- This tone is really bright with silver multicoloured shimmer, somehow reminds me of Christmas! This looks really good especially if you apply on the inner corner of your eyes which can really brighten up your eye look.
BR410- This tone is more towards a warm golden pigment shimmer and its really suitable for tanned skin and even for those of you with puffy eyelids who are looking for something shimmery for your eyes!

I've not regretted buying this product and I really love how it looks on my eyelids especially during this holiday season. Since its not exactly powder based, it will last the whole day!


Some Lip Products!

1. Claire Organics Lip Balm
I received this lip balm as a gift during Christmas and the first time I tried it, I fell in love with it immediately! My lips were so chapped previously and after applying this, it was so much more better. If you guys are into homemade organic products, do check out their Facebook page!

2. Kiko Smart Lipstick -Shade 914 Amaranth
If you are ever in the UK, Buy This Brand!! Their products are super affordable without compromising too much on the quality. I have three shades and this is the shade I've been using during the holidays. Will do a swatch review on the other two shades soon!

3. Maybelline Bold Matte - Shade Mat6
One thing I like about their matte lipstick is that it does not make my lips dry despite having a matte effect. This product is really smooth and moisturizing so if you girls are looking for a more affordable and moisturizing product, go for this!

Here's to the start of this new year!

xx
Carmen!

WHAT YOU NEED
- Dish soap/ shampoo, olive oil, a bowl and paper towels!

You can use dish or hand soap that is antibacterial to remove any bacteria and dirt on your brush. The olive oil is to condition the bristles on the brushes to prevent them from drying out. I usually mix two parts of dish soap to one part of olive oil to prevent my brushes from being too oily after washing.

Once you've gathered your ingredients and dirty brushes, we can begin!


1. Mix both ingredients into the bowl and stir it.
2. Start with your smallest brush, dip just the bristle into the mixture, then swirl the brush onto your palm to work out the dirt in your brush. I usually clean my powder and foundation brush the last.
3. Rinse your brush under your tap water to release out the dirt and cleansing mixture. Make sure the water that you squeeze out from the brush is clear after you've rinse it with water.
4. Use a cloth or paper towel to squeeze out the water from your brush and make sure to reshape your brush as you dry it. Dry it as much as possible with paper towels before you air-dry them.
Lay your brushes on a paper towel and leave it to dry overnight.
Elevate the end of your brushes to let the water flow out of your brushes. This will prevent the water from flowing into the brush which might loosen the bristles and cause them to fall out in future.

I'd recommend washing them every week if its for personal use. I personally wash them right after each use especially when I use it on other people to make sure it is hygienic.
I hope this this post helps to start getting you into the habit of cleaning your brushes more often!

xx Carmen

We all have days like these where we just feel so lazy so we rush through the process of removing our makeup without giving it a second thought.
Or, sometimes we are unsure of how to properly remove it, leading our skin to have breakouts, clogged pores, dull and unhealthy skin.

Remove Eye Makeup
Choose an oil based eye makeup remover to make it easier to remove stubborn waterproof mascara and eyeliner!  The one I usually use is a dual phase eye remover that consists of equal water and oil portions.
1. Shake the bottle to mix the oil and water equally, then saturate a cotton pad with the remover.
2. Gently press the cotton pad onto your eyelids for 10 seconds to let it dissolve your makeup.
3. Wipe the cotton pad across your eyelid, you can flip the cotton and reuse the other side again.
4. Repeat the process on our eyebrows as well.
- Do Not rub or tug at your eyelids.
- Avoid using cleansing wipes as it may not be so suitable especially for those with sensitive skin, it may be a little harsh for your eye area.
- Lightly dip a cotton bud into the remover to remove any leftover liner or mascara between your lashes.

Remove Face Makeup
There are different types of removers such as cleansing wipes, cleansing oil, cleansing water, cleansing milk/creams. Pick a cleanser that has makeup removal properties to ensure proper cleansing. Different skin types might need different types of cleanser, so make sure your remover is suitable you! 
2. Cleansing water - I've been using recently and it has been great for my skin. Cleansing water can remove light eye makeup and double up as a cleanser without leaving any sticky feeling. Just saturate your cotton pad and remove your makeup like how you would on your eye areas.
3. Cleansing milk/cream - Cleansing cream has a slightly thicker consistency compared to milk but they're both used the same way. Apply and massage it onto your entire face and rinse it off with water. Depending on brand, some just requires you to wipe off with a cotton pad.
4. Cleansing oil - Cleansing oil is able to remove all types of makeup including your eye makeup. Apply and massage into your skin and rinse off properly with water, you can even use it to remove your eye makeup which makes it very efficient. However, it may take awhile for you to get used to it and requires more rinsing time to ensure your face is totally clean.

Remove Lipstick
We tend to skip this step especially when our lipstick wears off at night. However sometimes we wear long lasting lipstick that stains our lips and doesn't wear of even after a long day.
Don't like oily lip makeup removers? Try using lip balm or Vaseline instead!
1. Apply a layer of lip balm or Vaseline.
2.Leave it on your lips for a few awhile then use a soft cloth or cotton bud to wipe it away, your lipstick will come off together.
3. Reapply another layer of lip balm to moisturize your lips.
I prefer this method as it does not leave my lips feeling oily unlike lip makeup removers.


I hope this post gives you more insight on how to properly remove your makeup, do make sure you rinse your face properly before you go through your skin care routine! Do click here if you're not sure on the proper steps for skin care :)

xx Carmen

Recently I've gotten quite a handful of new products through friends,contests and event and I'm hoping to get some reviews up soon since I've been going through my finals for the past few weeks.

SO, here's a sneak peek on some makeup haul and prizes I've won over this few weeks!
It's been an exciting few weeks with all these new products and I really can't wait to test it out and share my thoughts on it with you girls :)