Monday, August 13, 2012

Lancome event - Michelle Phan + Glamour Eyes Kit

Guess who was in town (Sydney) on 2nd August? That's right, Michelle Phan!

Where? Myer Sydney (ground floor) corner of George and Market Sts.
When? 5.30pm!

Michelle was in the store to promote Lancome and take photos with several eager fans before flying to Melbourne for a Lancome Master Class the next day.

I arrived at Myer Sydney at 6pm to a packed store full of Michelle fans. All you had to do to have your photo with Michelle was to purchase a Lancome eye sets. I bought the one with Michelle on the box - Glamour Eye Set (AU$89), however other sets were also available which were cheaper. I figured, I'm here to see Michelle, so I might as well buy the kit with her on it.

So once you purchased a Lancome set, you received a wrist band and joined a queue to have your photo taken! I had a 40 minute wait before I had my photo taken. You got to say hi to Michelle and then smile with her for a photo. She looked beautiful and was probably a little tired after already having 40 minutes worth of photos with people. It was really cool through to meet her since I am a huge fan of hers.

You then waited for a few seconds and they provided you with a
photo. They also had staff there who could take photo of you from your phone which was also cool.

What do you receive? A 5 palette eye shadow, full size artliner  in black and a small sized Hypnose Doll Eyes mascara in black.

I'm not a entirely convinced that the Artliner eye liner is the best on the market. I still believe that Clio Waterproof Brush Liner Kill Black is slightly better than this Lancome Artliner. Click on the above link to go to the review.



I love Hypnose mascara and always have. Doll Eyes is no exception. I have small eye lashes so this is perfect!







So, the eye shadow palette initially looks very shimmery. I was a little worried how this would look on. It also comes with an instructional flyer with a day look and a night look.

When I tried this for myself the finished look is very wearable for both day and night looks. I used the palette, Artliner and Hypnose Doll Eyes mascara. Unfortunately you may not be able to tell from the photos below.

Day Look:



Night Look:



In conclusion, I really wanted to get my photo with Michelle Phan so I happily purchased my Lancome Glamour Eye set. I love Hypnose Doll Eyes mascara and the eye shadow palette.

Go check out Michelle Phan at http://www.michellephan.com/

Laters,
Ivy

Saturday, August 4, 2012

Skin Food - Black Sugar Mask

Yeh! Skin Food!

Who seriously doesn't love Skin Food! I for one have a soft spot for this Korean brand. Not all of their products are the best ever, but I like what the company stands for "food for your skin".



First impressions of packaging - nice and simple. Plastic tub with a white lid. Natural looking labels which is in line with the natural feel of the brand.

Purchased from - online at www.yesstyle.com.au, you could also purchase this from any store that sells Skin Food products eg. Blush Cosmetics http://www.blushcosmetics.com.au/ (however it's probably going to cost you around AU$30).

Price - AU$15.00 for 100g.

How to use - after cleansing, rub onto your face and leave for 10 minutes. Rinse off with warm water.

Impressions - it smells like some kind of lemon cleaning product. It's not the greatest smell for a product that contains sugar (I thought it would smell sweet). As it's a sugar scrub it's very grainy, therefore it's a very rough scrub. If this is what you like and look for in a scrub then you'll love it. If not, then I'd stick to a scrub that contains beads of product rather than sugar granules as they aren't smooth and round. The sugar is all different shapes and sizes which creates that rough texture. I really like the way that the product melts on your face. When you've rinsed the mask off, your face is left feeling very smooth and full of moisture. It won't leave your face feeling dry at all.

Product pics -

How long will it last? For 100g it actually last quite a while. You would only need to do this once a week.

Would you buy this again? I'm into trying new products, so probably not. Also given the fact that it's not easily available at a good price in Australia (you have to order it online not to be ripped off). I do like it though, just not enough to buy it again.

For more information and to find out if there's a store in your country check out -
http://eng.theskinfood.com/
So sad that there isn't an actual store in Australia.

Laters,
Ivy

Thursday, August 2, 2012

St Tropez - Self Tan Bronzing Lotion

Fake tan you say.... but not just any fake tan, it's St Tropez self tan!



It's a little cool in Sydney at the moment, and now that we're in the home stretch of winter I decided to review an oldie but a goodie. I've only ever tried two self tanners, the above St Tropez and Model Co Tan Mousse.

Key points for what I look for in a self tan -
1. I hate hate hate fake tan that smells like corn syrup! Yuk! You know that tell tale smell.
2. Tan that streaks. This can come down to the user though. If you don't apply your tan properly then yes, you will end up with a streaky, uneven, do it yourself look tan.
3. Orange fake tan! Some people like this and good for you, but I'm not a fan of looking like an Oompa Loompa.
4. A long lasting tan is a good tan. Again, this can come down to the user. If you don't exfoliate before then your tan won't last as long. If you don't moisturise then it also won't last as long as it might.

Having said all of the above, how does St Tropez Bronzing Lotion compare? Quite well. I think this brand has built a good name for itself because it works! It doesn't smell too much. It doesn't streak when applied correctly (I usually use a mitt to help buff in after using gloves to apply). You don't look like you've been dipped in orange paint (unless you apply a crazy amount of product but even then it's more of a darker chocolate base than orange). Finally, it lasts about a week before you need to top up.

Where to buy - you can purchase this at any good chemist, Priceline, Myer or David Jones store. You can also buy it directly from their website.

Cost - AU$39.95 for the 120ml bottle or AU$59.95 for the 240ml bottle.

Application tips - you can find tips on their website, but my best tips are...
1. Make sure you exfoliate before you apply.
2. Moisturise your knees, ankles and elbows (these areas will become super dark as the dry skin absorbs more product).
3. Wear gloves!
4. Make sure you shower 4 hours after you apply it. You could sleep overnight with the product on (let it dry first) but you may stain your sheets and if you sweat in your sleep you may end up with an uneven tan and stained sheets!



For more information visit - http://www.sttropez.com.au/

Happy self tanning!

Laters,
Ivy

P.S - I was able to meet Michelle Phan tonight at Myer Sydney! Very exciting! If you don't know who I'm talking about check her our on YouTube or visit http://www.michellephan.com/! I also picked up her Lancome make up pack which includes an eye shadow palette, mini mascara, and artliner.