Polishes -Sephora - Sephora by OPI - Only Gold for Me
hikuto 2/23/2013 10:38:00 AM
... I refer to this as my pot of gold X'D (in a literal sense as well as metaphorically) Absolutely adore this as its so pretty with big gold glitters and smaller gold sparkles. Really like the different size of glitter in this. I find that I like to use this top coat best with dark rich colours like emeralds or reds. It still looks nice and sweet with lighter colours, but it truly shines with more intense colours. My only complaint is that it's hard to get the bigger glitter chunks out, usually have to specifically fish them out. Also if you're looking for something with dense glitter this won't give you that result. However I like the fact that it isn't overly dense as it's more for complimenting the base colour (hence it's a top coat). Another thing I did end up having to be careful while fishing out for gold glitter is that you may end up with globs of clear nail polish .... which can result in messes ;;; Other than that I totally recommend this!
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Treatments -Unlisted Brand - 3M - Nexcare Acne Patch
hikuto 10/17/2011 3:00:00 AM
I really like using this on my acnes as it really helps to suck up that nasty stuff. What I like about them is that they cover the acne sucking up the yucky stuff, but at the same time it protects it from stuff that may aggravate my acne (making it less painful). This is especially true when I sleep as I tend to roll a bit. I do have to say thro, it only really work its wonders when your acne has that white head to it and feels like it'll burst. It however won't help acnes that are below the surface of your skin =(
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Eyeliner -Unlisted Brand - K-Palette - 24 Hr Real Lasting Eyeliner
hikuto 10/17/2011 2:35:00 AM
I got this eyeliner in the waterproof formula and in 102 Jet black. I'm guessing this is also a limited edition as it's pink and from my friend's translation it contains grape seed oil for a moisturizing effect. I do have to say I've heard about the raves on this eyeliner, but it wasn't until I saw the pink packaging did I go and buy it lol. When I first swatched this the first thing that I noticed was that it indeed was a very pigmented black. That is a point in my books. The ink flowed quite nicely and dried pretty quickly. When trying this on my lid the colour looks just as black and dried fairly quickly unless I accidentally blinked my eyes right after application. So it works pretty well, another important point for my is that it's smudge-proof, which thankfully it was. It stayed on my lids all day and I do have pretty oily lids as they're hooded. However it does tend to fade around the outer corners of my eyes by mid-day. Also for the waterproof test, it's so-so. I tear-up occasionally as I wear contacts and eyes can get a bit tired and water a bit. In this aspect it faded as well. So my final verdict is that it's a great eyeliner, very easy to use and even more handy to keep around. The package was super cute. But it works just as well as my Heronine make which cost at least 40HKD less ... I think I'll go back to that unless they make another cute pretty packaging LOL
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Mascara -Lancome - Hypnose Waterproof
hikuto 10/17/2011 2:07:00 AM
I got this as a gift before the summer. I was really happy to see that the mascara was a waterproof formula as my previous experience (virtose(?) the lengthening one) was not great as was too wet and made my lashes flop hence smudging occurs. Hypnose waterproof however gave me a surprise as it held my lashes pretty well (probably due to the waterproof formula), voluminous my lashes slightly giving making my lashes look neat. It makes my lashes not too over done as it doesn't clump much, I also liked the fact that it didn't have fibers in the formula (or as far as I can see there wasn't any fall out what-so-ever). Overall it's a great mascara, the only downside is the price. As great as it is I can't really justify the cost as I throw my mascaras out every 3-4 months. Also the Japanese drugstore brands do just as good of a job, but at a fraction of a price. For me the product is one of a luxury which is great, but I can do without.
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Makeup Brushes -Clinique - Foundation Brush
hikuto 10/17/2011 1:50:00 AM
I've had this foundation brush for over a year and a half and having washed it quite frequently (I use it nearly every other day, rotating my brushes) it has surprisingly held up really well. The bristles aren't extremely long which results them to feel kind of stiff, but I think that is the reason why it holds its shape so well. Although this may be the case I still find the brush nice to use and it actually feels quite soft, doesn't scratch the face either. Washing this was really easy too as I just use a bit of Mac brush cleanser to kind of melt the foundation then wash it with baby shampoo and it turns out squeaky clean. In terms of actually putting foundation on it does quite a decent job in blending the foundation onto my skin. However you do have to work in small sections to achieve this (mainly due to the brush size) or you risk having large streak marks. As for the price I thought it was quite affordable as I got it for 160HKD (roughly 20USD). The price has rose to 180HKD since then. I'm quite surprised that it's considerably cheaper than what it was listed in the US site (30USD) seeing as how all their other products are more expensive here ... But o wells. I wouldn't say it's the best foundation brush out there, but I do think it's a good brush to have either as a brush to rotate, or use on others (as I do for cosplays) as the quality of the brush is really good.
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BB Cream -Ishizawa Labs - Nanoce BB Moist Cream
hikuto 7/18/2011 11:42:00 AM
Unlike the BB creams I was using previously I was glad that they offered a darker shade that didn't have a pink undertone! I got the BB cream in 02 healthy orce which I find to match my skin pretty well. When I put this on I feel like it brightens my face, but not in a whitish cast sort of way. This was one major thing that made me love this bb cream a lot as I hated how the few Korean BB creams I've tried are always either too white or too pink. Although it's suppose to be moisturizing, I do find that if the areas around my noise starts flaking it does show, so moisturizing well before putting on the BB cream is a must. Also as I have combination skin I like to top the bb cream with a light dust of finishing powder to make it last longer. Oil control is soso, as nothing seems to work on my nose anyways so I generally don't count that. In terms of coverage I would say light to medium depending on how you build it up. I do use a separate concealer however to conceal the redness around my nose and the occasional blemish as the BB cream only partially covers them. The smell however may put some off, but I actually like that herbal smell to the product. In terms of price, its not exactly cheap thro. I got it for 248HKD (roughly 30USD) which I know is more than what it cost in Japan (and even the US from other people's review ;;; ). Also my first tube lasted a little more than 5 months with daily use so I'm pretty ok with it. Over all I'm pretty pleased with the product, especially with the colour match (where I don't look ridiculously white) and the natural finish it gives, not too glossy, but not completely matte either.
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Moisturizers -Clinique - Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief
hikuto 7/12/2011 3:59:00 AM
I really like how this hydrates my skin without a really heavy feel to it due to the gel texture. I have combination-acne prone skin, but using this feels so soothing and my skin seems to absorb it well. I am however very annoyed about the pricing since I'm pretty sure there hasn't been any change to the product. The reason being that the first jar I bought was 300HKD, then a year later it was 330HKD! That's like 10% ... well ok fine can't do much about it. But what annoyed me was that during Christmas it was still 330HKD, then came the new year they increased the price again! Then came Chinese new year that was around 2 months later and it went to 350HKD -___- that's barely 3 months! I really find it being ridiculous ... Oh btw this is only the cost for the 1.7oz jar too ... Unfortunately it after trying 2 other gel moisturizers (Garnier & Kiehl's) this does feel the most hydrating and doesn't break me out and doesn't seem to contain alcohol unlike the other 2 which I clearly felt the slight tingly feeling. It's a bummer cause as much as I like it, It's a little hard to justify especially comparing the price with the US it's about 100HKD difference for the same product. I understand that HK probably doesn't have the most costly price, but still it doesn't make me a happy consumer.
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Mascara -Kiss Me - HEROINE MAKE volume and curl mascara (black)
hikuto 6/4/2011 5:54:00 AM
This is becoming a fast favourite of mine and pretty much replaced my HG MJ lash expander frame plus. I mainly decided to try this mascara due to my MJ mascara increasing the price (to match the price of its newer mascaras ....) which kinda put me off. Even more so because I got the same mascara almost 30% cheaper in Taiwan. Anyways my experience is that in terms of the finish, it pretty much reminds me of lash expander frame plus where my lashes are lengthened slightly due to the fibers. It also adds a bit of volume, can't say it gave a dramatic change, but a supple one. However what I did like was that it indeeds hold curls pretty well even without a base and that it's water & sweat proof. Unlike my MJ mascara I'm thankful that I never really notice any fiber fallouts XDD Great cause I wear contacts. However because it's waterproof it does take some work to remove it. This isn't a problem since I remove my make-up with cleansing oil anyways. But I'm not too sure if warm water will really get everything off like it claims. As price was one of the main factors for the switch here's a comparison (Hong Kong prices): Heroine make - volume & curl 79HKD Majolica Majorca - lash expander frame plus 129HKD (previously 119HKD, and in Taiwan roughly 80HKD) Definitely a keeper in my books =D
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Polishes -OPI - Teenage Dream (Katy Perry)
hikuto 4/27/2011 6:40:00 AM
I was first attracted to this due to the display where the shop used this nail polish as a gradient effect. I was also looking for something to go with another nail polish (Catch the Garter) I got recently. I totally fell in love with the results as its really cute and so princessy. On its own I actually don't like it very much, too much glitter and bling. But adding it on top of another colour really makes it shine. I've tried this on different shades of pink, and it works best with pale colours, where as with darker colours only the silver glitter was visable.
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Eyeliner -Kiss Me - heroine make smooth liquid eyeliner BK 01
hikuto 1/22/2011 10:44:00 AM
I really like felt tip liquid eyeliners and wanted to try something different since my previous one clogs up every now and then making application patchy. I took the plunge and bought this as it was relatively cheap at 65HKD per pen. This is becoming a fast favourite as the ink flows really smoothly making application so quick and easy. It's also quite black which I like very much. This also didn't smudge with my oily hooded eye lids which is a big plus since I tend to just use eyeliner for work and no eye shadow (so nothing to set the liner). This is also water resistant although tearing up a bit does fade it a bit. I use cleansing oil to takes it off my make up and the eyeliner gets removed with ease. Over all I'm loving this eyeliner, not only is it cheap but its quick and easy to use. The ink flows easily and doesn't get clogged or leak out of the pen =]
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Eye Shadow -Bobbi Brown - Shimmer Wash Eyeshadow - Black Plum #15
hikuto 1/22/2011 10:32:00 AM
This is another one of my favourite eye shadows. In uni this was practically the only eye shadow I had and I used it all the time for high table dinners. I love to use this for smokey looks, its really wearable. I use to use this on its own and it stays on for a good couple of hours, but I thing this looks nicer when paired with other eye shadows as its not as shimmery as it looks in the pan and can look a little flat instead. Don't really have much complaints about this, it was a little more expensive than I would like, but its lasting for a very long time and doesn't look like I'll hit pan anytime soon.
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Eye Shadow -Shu Uemura - Cream Eye Shadow in P Taupe
hikuto 1/22/2011 10:23:00 AM
I originally bought this for my sister to use, but since it was left lying around I ended up using this it instead. I was first really attracted to the taupe colour as it looked quite natural. But I do have to say that the texture was a lot dryer than I expected. It was difficult to apply this at first I tried a synthetic brush which didn't help. It applies better with fingers, but I don't like blending it that way. My more recent application method is to use a sponge tip applicator which I found works quite decently and blends it well too. The colour can be quite sure, but is also buildable which I like so you can control the intensity quite nicely. I also like to pair this very much with my Bobbie Brown shimmer wash eye shadow in black plum for a smokey eye look. The cream e/s works as a nice base for the powder eye shadow and I didn't find it to crease/smudge. Other than the dryness of the e/s this is a pretty nice eye shadow and works alright as an eyeliner too.
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Cleansers -Shiseido - "Perfect Whip" Foam
hikuto 1/7/2011 11:51:00 PM
I bought this mainly to use with my clarisonic mia, but I'm so glad to have tried it out as I really like using this even on its own. I've been changing cleansers quite often since I haven't found one I liked enough, some are too drying yet some I find don't foam as much as I like. With the perfect whip foam I like how its really true 'a little goes a long way'. There isn't much of a smell to it which i also like. After washing my face I do feel like my face is clean and that my face only feels slightly tight, not as much as a lot of other cleansers I've used (like the pureness deep cleansing foam from shiseido). I also didn't feel like it was stripping my skin of moisture, but its still cleaning it quite nicely. The price was a big plus too as its quite cheap, I got it for 48HKD (around 6-7USD) at colourmix so it was pretty easy to get as well. My sis tried it and liked it too so will definately repurchase.
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Concealers -Shu Uemura - Pro Concealer [DISCONTINUED]
hikuto 11/28/2010 4:32:00 AM
Finally found a concealer that I would definitely buy again! This is great for covering blemishes and red areas around the nose. I like how I got a perfect match as well (I got 7YR medium light, I'm 764 for shu uemura foundations) so I can just use this topped with bit of powder. Although the texture is kind of thick, it isn't very had to blend, but it does help to warm it up with your fingers. I use a concealer brush instead and it works fine (I feel its more hygienic this way). This is also good for under eyes and you don't need a lot of it, a little goes a long way. The lasting powder is also quite decent and I rarely need to touch up on this as it'll last me a good 6-7 hours. Edit: During the summer they changed the formula to a gel one and changed the packaging + amount of product. It's now a round glass jar (heavier and harder to take out >_<). But I have to say the new formula is even better and lasts even longer. Previously it cost 150HKD for 2.5g, now it's 190HKD for 5g. Better value for money too, although having less means using it faster and I risk the concealer drying up by the time I'm almost finished.
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Makeup Brushes -Sephora - Professionnel Platinum Air Brush #55
hikuto 11/28/2010 4:23:00 AM
I got this from a swap during the summer and have been using this for the past 3 months so I thought its a good time for a review. Although I rotate between my brushes, I tend to lean towards using this one more often. In terms of using this for liquid foundation I do find that I require almost half the amount of foundation in comparison to using traditional foundation brushes. Also as the top is quite big, its very quick to finish my whole face using the stipple and swirl method. Another thing is that I find it does give me a nice finish, can't really say airbrush, but an even finish. I use the mac 187 as well and it gives me a nice finish too, but I find the sephora brush to spread the foundation more evenly. Although I would say I use them slightly differently too. The brush is also good for other uses and I really like using this for powder foundation as it doesn't cake my foundation, but gives a nice polish finish. For the brush itself, its not the softest brush I have, but it doesn't irritate my skin and I like how its completely synthetic. I have not noticed any shedding from it as well, and it dries relatively quickly without the need to shape it with a brush guard like the 187. Overall a pretty good face brush that would be used in a variety of ways, sort of wish HK still have Sephora as I would most likely get another one.
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