MOTD Feb 15th 2016 I l - Guerlain's "Enjoy", YSL Tint-in-Oil & LM Laduree

I love Tulips!

Ahh... Spring (well in Australia, we're heading into Autumn) always promises so many things. Most importantly for us makeup lovers, the release of very pretty Spring collections from the various great houses of fashion and beauty.

This is Guerlain's Écrin 1 Couleur Eyeshadow in "13 Enjoy".  It is a single eyeshadow which is quite unusual for the House of Guerlain. They usually release a palette. I would describe the gorgeous case as being a colour between rose gold and copper. It has a good weight to it, which makes it more luxurious.

Enjoy!

I think it is very clever of Guerlain to jump on board the whole tech craze. The "font" used is very reminiscent of old computer games or arcade games. Very cute. When I tried this on, I very carefully use my brush around the "Enjoy" imprint. It come with a double ended sponge tip applicator. I normally toss those out. 

Swatch

It is a pleasant pale sunshine gold colour. Just perfect for those days when you need a pick me up. You can wear it on it's on, and I do recommend a primer if you have oily lids (and even if don't to really show off the colour). I like to wear it all over the lid with a bit of Naked 2 + Faint from the Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette in the crease and outer corners.

This is a beautiful metal compact from Maison de Reefur with the Lip & Eye Colour "Queen".  I use it mostly as an eye shadow as it gives off a very lovely glistening effect. Used with the Guerlain "Enjoy", the effect is quite astounding. 

Maison de Reefur is a Japanese boutique in Yubinbango150-0033 24-7 Daikanyama, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Sarugakucho Plaza Building 1F. It is a very chic boutique. Very french. The shop is perfectly styled. They sell a mixture of their own brand goods as well as a carefully curated selection of items from around the World.

The interchangeable lip case (the case itself comes in different shades of silver and gold) has an in-built mirror. If you don't want to use it to contain the interchangeable lip shades, you can use it as a pill case, or a little case to store tiny things.

I love discovering beautiful makeup items. I was most drawn to the retro design. 

I am so obsessed with YSL's Volupte Tint-In-Oils. They have just released a few more in this amazing formula. It's yummy, it miraculous, I don't know how it works to be honest. HaHaHa. I think I like the packaging. No. Seriously, it smells delicious, and my lips feel so luscious after I apply it. I feel so Marilyn, so pucker-your-plump-lips-ish. Like I've just had a lip-surgery thingie (sorry, I've never done one, I think it's where they inject something into your lips??? The horror).

This is "No. 11 Love Me Nude". 

As you can see from the swatch, "No. 11 Love Me Nude", is more pink than nude. if you want a true nude, try "No. 3 Me" which is a more sheer no colour oil. This colour that I have here does coat your lips with a very pretty pink. It leaves a stain. The more you apply, the more intense it becomes, but I find that one application is enough for me, and then maybe a touch-up mid-day. 

I suppose if you really wanted to build up the colour, you could apply a layer. Then wait. Wipe off the oil, apply, and repeat the process, till you get the intensity you want. 

The oil does not taste like much. Maybe a bit sweet? It has a scent, but not much of a taste to me. Which is what I really appreciate about it.

This is the Les Merveillleuses Ladurée Pressed Cheek Color compact. The compact is made of plastic but made to resemble gilded ivory.

It's quite a delight to behold. The Les Merveillleuses Ladurée makeup range is very popular in Japan. The quality is amazing and the packaging oh so adorable. For more information check out their website (http://www.lm-laduree.com/en/)

Each compact is made to allow for interchangeable colours. It's a design that is quite common in Japan. Almost every brand I saw there has some form of this type of packaging. You buy the compact/container, choose the colour to place in it, and when new colours come out, you change it out.

The colour I chose is No. 21, It is a purplish colour. I wanted to try something different. I don't think I would have found the LM Laduree store in Omotesando in Tokyo without the help of my friend Saori.

        Yours Truly and Lots of Love, TeaCupofMakeup

The Year of the Monkey by Giorgio Armani Golden Monkey Illuminating Palette

The 福 sign was so hard to photograph!

Welcome to the Year of the Red Fire Monkey! In honour of this most auspicious year, Giorgio Armani ("GM") released a special edition highlighting palette, which I think was aimed at capturing the affluent Chinese market.

I was told that only 10 of such palettes (o.k. it's really not a palette but just a highlighter compact) was sent to each Giorgio Armani counter/store and not all of them received it. You could also only purchase it as part of a set with two other items. I chose two limited edition Ecstasy Lacquers (more on those in another blog).

The Gift Box

The satin "pillow" is a tiny bean bag ;)

It all came packaged in a special red Giorgio Armani box (see above). You will note from the RED packaging and the use of the "福" sign imprint (which means "prosperity"), that the designers at GM were blatantly and unapologetically targeting a very specific market. Uhmm... I think they might have missed the mark with the black satin "pillow" though. Black, though forever chic and fashionable, is not a lucky colour, especially avoided during Chinese New Year. It's quite taboo.

Hey there monkey-moo

It's nice that the monkey was not a sprayed overlay. The imprint of the graphic design is not too shallow and not too deep. The compact is fairly light to hold. Almost flimsy.

There is that nice contrast between black and red from a design standpoint.

There is a brush included in the bottom level. The quality of the brush is so-so, fairly standard for all high-end brand included brushes. It is not dense at all. Same as Chanel and Dior and YSL. So-so. I have yet to come across a brand that includes a brush that makes me go:"wow, nice brush, what a bonus!"

A pretty "ordinary" brush"

The highlight is a neutral toned demi-matte shade. As you can see from the swatches above, it is a very pretty almost champagne colour (no perceptible pink-tones in it). To me it looks demi-matte, to other's it make come across matte. Definitely not a shiny highlighter. 

This is how the shade is described on the Giorgio Armani website:

"Celebrate the Chinese New Year with a Highlighting Powder of light gold shimmer, bronze and champagne pearls, stamped with a graphic monkey pattern as an ode to the year of the Monkey. This pressed powder leaves a matte,natural, and transparent veil over the skin, highlighting feminine beauty.This universal shade flatters every skin tone, highlighting the skin's complexion and reflecting light with its weightless texture."

The "non-shiny" factor makes this very wearable. I can see myself reaching for it as the yellowish undertones suit my Asian skin tone very well and is quite flattering on. I suspect that I will be using a fairly narrow brush, possibly one as small as the MAC 217 to pick up the colour and brush it on my face. Why would I do such a ludicrous thing you ask? WHY to preserve the darn MONKEY print of course!

The fact that it is such a limited edition item makes me very tempted to store it away in a ziplock bag with a moisture absorbing packet and locked away in one of my air-tight containers along with my other treasures. Never to be touched again, until I decide to sell it on eBay. 

Or maybe I'll just hit pan on this one, super fast.

This is the Chinese Character "福" meaning Prosperity
.

Happy Chinese New Year to all of you!

新年快乐, 恭喜发财, 年年有余! 

Yours Truly and Lots of Love, TeaCupofMakeup

It Cosmetics Regrams - WOW so happy

Pretty Cool (Their Instagram) Source: It Cosmetics' Instagram

Another brand that I simply adore, It Cosmetics (http://www.itcosmetics.com/)

I used to have to order it online from the U.S.A. and it was also available at PM Studios. Now it seems that it is available exclusively at Sephora in Australia.

I was so blown away to see that they chose this! Source: It Cosmetics' Instagram (link)

Their caption to my photo above just made me so happy, they called it "Makeup Heaven". I don't think they will ever know just how happy it made me feel. I saw this regram only after I came out of hospital. The day I left hospital was a very happy day for me and this was the cherry on top. Tears of joy. :)


It Cosmetics - A Great brand with an awesome positive vibe.


Yours Truly and Lots of Love, TeaCupofMakeup

Bobbi Brown's Highlighting Powder in "Pink Glow"

Classic Bobbi Brown

The first ever makeup brand I tried was Bobbi Brown. Mum thought it would be a good idea to get some makeup for my first proper job (at a big professional firm, lah lah lah) and we went to the nearest department store and as it was organised in alphabetical order, we naturally went to the Bobbi Brown counter first. I think we left with a compact cream foundation, a pressed powder, three lipsticks and that was all. I think I looked pretty good for my first day at work.

Since then, I've kinda been touch and go with makeup. It wasn't till late 2010 that I discovered Sephora (Makeup Heaven) when we went to New York for a holiday and was tasked by a very sweet friend to go to this place called "Sephora" to pick up a few things for her. Once I stepped into that magical store, I was hooked. I now have a makeup collection worthy of the title "Makeup Hoarder".

Pink Glow

I digress.

Here you see the very beautiful, very lovely, utterly seductive highlighting powder from Bobbi Brown in "Pink Gold". This is part of the whole "strobbing" trend. Strobbing = highlighting A.K.A contouring is passé. I like it! you bring things forward instead of backward. Though, I do believe, we will all still be contouring away... in secret.

As you can see, it is very beautiful. The trend, it seems, is to design the packaging to seduce. The criss cross tiled embossed look is very "in" and you do see more and more brands coming out with very attractive "embossed" products (for example, Laura Mercier's (in)famous "Indiscretion" highlighter with its waves that had all of my secretaries going "oohhh ahhhh". That highlighter was a limited edition release but is now part of the permanent collection).

Applied with my Rae Morris Brush

It's a highly pigmented product. It is also fool-proof, in that you can't mess this up. I chose pink over the other "gold toned" offering because I felt this would make a very nice contrast to my usual Warm colour palette. You can apply it with any blush, fan or contour brush. Here I used my trusty old Rae Morris brush.

The next few photos may scare you...

Only because of the size of my pores.

In bright sunlight

Under normal indoor lighting conditions

As you can see, it's very subtle. I LOVE it. I hate that over highlighted look that you can spot a mile away. Makeup should enhance not distract. I was at the Lover warehouse sale the other day and I missed out on a few bargains because I was so distracted by this woman's highlighted cheekbones. It was as if she had decided to really pile it on. It was so bright. So shiny. I was distracted. It looked like she decided to pour glitter all over her face.

Lasting power: at least 12 hours in hot humid sweaty weather.

Verdict: Run. Buy. Before it sells out. In Australia, it retails for AUD80. 

You can get it from http://www.bobbibrown.com.au/product/14460/39587/New/Highlighting-Powder--Pink-Glow/SS16#undefined3

Or you can get at Myer and David Jones.

Hugs&LotsofKisses.

Yours truly, TeacupofMakeup

Super Swap with mademoisellelorraine!!!!

Hello Friends!! I hope you have all been well! :) I have a swap to share with you today.

I'm really lucky cause it is with the beautiful and amazing mademoisellelorraine !!!

http://mademoisellelorraine.blogspot.ro/

She is so lovely and truly a girl who is beautiful inside and out. Do click on the link above to check out her amazing blog!

Link to her Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/makeupbymllelorraine

Isn't she beautiful?? So stunning. Wait... one more photo of her before we get into the goodies she sent me.

Woohoo! So GORGEOUS!! 

SORRY GUYS! She is absolutely happily married to the man of her dreams. :)

Now into the goodies!!

Oh boy! She really spoilt me! We did set a budget but both of us did not stick to it! Hahaha. 

We exchanged our gifts before Christmas, so when you see her video and my video, you will see a lot of Christmas wrapping. Uhmm... sorry, I guess you know by now that I have been and still am sick? Which can incapacitate me for days or weeks. So I am very thankful that Lorena (that's her) is so very very patient.

So, are you ready? Here it comes!!

iQ Cosmetics Color Collection Shadow Palette  

I am still playing with this palette and I can report that it is very pigmented!!

L’Oreal La Palette Nude in 01 Rose

So So lovely! I want to wear this everyday. I doubt if this will be available in Australia anytime soon, as we are yet to get the Maybelline Nudes palette.

Super spoiled with lots of beautiful high quality lipsticks! Look how pretty the colours are!!

Revlon Lip Palette in Hello Honey

Chantecaille Lipstick in Hibiscus

Oriflame More by Demi Lipstick in Hollywood Red

Oriflame More by Demi Lipstick in Princess Pink

Oriflame Giordani Gold Iconic Lipstick SPF 15 in Creamy Nude

Oriflame The One 5-In-1 Colour Stylist Lipstick Red Haute Couture

Close ups - they are all so creamy and very comfortable on the lips!

I love them so much, I wear them only once in a while because I don't want them to run out! Oriflame is not available in Australia - why?? why!?!

Ohhh these creme eye shadows are the bomb! The texture is mousse like and very light, yet the colour payoff is so amazingly strong. LOVE IT!

Oriflame Giordani Gold Luminous Cream Eyeshadow in Frosted White

Oriflame Giordani Gold Luminous Cream Eyeshadow in Bronzed Burgundy

Cute huh? When I saw this, I thought, Chocolates? Bon Bons?

Oriflame Tender Care Gift Box - four different flavours of balms that you can use on your lips, your hands, just about everywhere! They did amazing things for my very dry cuticles! A little goes a long way. :)

Oh la la! Look at this delicious plate of eyeshadows!

From the top - clockwise:

NYC 913 High Street - Blue eyeshadow single

Kiko Eyeshadow Palette Color Fever

Manhattan Cosmetics Eyemazing Effect Eyeshadow Top of the Taupe 96D

VS Shimmer Eyeshadow in Ultraviolet

All are simply stunning, but I must say I really do think the Kiko one is outstanding!! LOVE IT!!

WOW! WHAT? WHAT!

I was so stunned when I saw these. Flabbergasted. The two items go so well together and make the perfect night out on the town look. 

Charlotte Tilbury Luxury Palette Colour Coded Eyeshadows in the Golden Goddess

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Luminous Modern Matte Lipstick in Lost Cherry

Ahh Diego, whoever you are, you are amazing!

diego dalla palma la vie en beige nude eye palette

The perfect nude palette for the working girl. I love this palette so much. It takes the thinking out of getting ready quickly in the morning. The way I would use it is as a duo vertically - so there are 3 duos, then as a trio horizontally - so 2 (hurray for me I can count) and as quads with the middle colours overlapping, or skipped if you combine the outermost colours so 3 quads.

Hurray! I now own something from D&G & they certainly live up to the D&G style of "Sweet & Sharp"

Dolce & Gabbana Glam Liner in Dahlia 3

Dolce & Gabbana Eyeshadow Duo Desire 105 Tester

Dolce & Gabbana Eyeshadow Quad Stomboli 130 Tester

I am proud to report that these eyeshadows and the eyeliner are of a high quality and last very long. AND I LOVE THEM!!!!

So pretty!

Hand made Hair Band

Oriflame The One Black Khol Eye Pencil x 2

Pierre Rene Eye Matic in Black

Look by Bipa Blender Brush

That Pierre Rene eye pencil is crazy! It does not budge. After I tested it on the back of my hand, it did not come off with just water & soap. I had to use the heavy duty eye makeup remover!

OMG!!!

Oriflame Red Case Travel Makeup Kit.

Isn't this the coolest makeup kit ever? I love travel kits like this. So many pigmented colours to choose from!

I am so spoiled....

YSL Wildly Gold Complete Makeup Palette.

I was thinking about getting this as a Christmas present to myself, but she did it. She went and got it for me!!! OMG!! I love it. It's so perfect. From the packaging to the colours. You simply can't go wrong with YSL.

My eyes were so dazzled by this!

neve cosmetics Duochrome palette.

Yup. Truly. My eyes went a bit blurry when I saw this. The colours are amazing and so different from what I already have. I am so going to love creating looks with this. Every single colour is just amazing. LOVE IT!!!

SO, Please watch my youtube video

Here is the link: http://youtu.be/FMsRQ8hGZ4Y

Or click the photo below!

Watch her video here!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIBQ3eHqkac

Thanks for stopping by!! See you all real soon!

xoxo!