New Sigma Extravaganza 18k Gold Complete Kit

Gorgeous and luxurious new Sigma face brushes

Exciting new Sigma Synthetic Vegan makeup brushes - Bunny Collection

This is great for vegans, synthetic brush lovers who wanted to try the Sigma original brushes. The Bunny Collection comes in Mr. Bunny(classic black handles) and Mrs. Bunny (sky blue handles with purple guards). There are the standard full size brushes as well as the cute travel size brushes. Retail on the website for $109.00 (Full size) and $59.00 (travel size). Discount code: MAX2011 for 10% off of any purchase. Highly recommend this series, and Sigma's regular and synthetic brushes are all very great. Check them out, and shop at www.sigmabeauty.com!

New Sigma limited edition travel cities brushes

new Revlon luxurious color diamond lust eye shadow in 105 Plum Galaxy

New Revlon luxurious color diamond lust eye shadow Fall 2011 collection created by famous makeup artist Gucci Westman

 105 Plum Galaxy - purple/plum with blue and purple sparkles

retails at local Duane Reade for $5.99/6.99(?) price may vary

contains 0.8g of product

swatch without any base/primer

Pros: pigmented, easy to blend, beautiful finish with sparkles, smooth finish, will stay longer with a base/primer

Cons: not much product, some fallout (mostly the sparkles)

Illamasqua Powder Blusher in Morale Shimmer

 Illamasqua powder blusher


Morale Shimmer - shimmery magenta pink

retails at Sephora for $24.00

contains 4.5g of product

 swatch without any base/primer

Pros: super pigmented, easy to blend, not powdery, beautiful magenta pink (rare) with pearly shimmer, great as a cheek color with built-in highlight, wearable

Cons: does not last/stay on for too long, need to be light handed when apply

Sephora Collection colorful mono eyeshadow in Mysterious Forest 46

 Retails at Sephora for $ 12.00

Contains 2g of product

Paraben Free

Mysterious Forest 46 - dark smokey green with iridescent glitter

swatch without a base/primer

Pros: long lasting, paraben free, easy to blend, pigmented, tons of gold/green glitters

Cons: lots of fallout (mostly the glitters)

Suggest using a primer/shadow adhesive underneath as well as applying before foundation or use scotch tape to catch the glitter fallout.

Sephora smoky cream liner (waterproof)

Sephora's own smoky cream liner, and they are waterproof. Instead of the usual dark matte black eyeliner, these come in 10 different shades plus soft shimmer. Some are even a little metallic, and allow few seconds to blend/smudge. They retail at Sephora for $10 each, and contain 4.5g of product.

swatches without any base/primer using a fluffy eyeshadow brush

(left to right from picture above, bottom to top from picture on the left)

 Bewitch Me - Metallic deep violet

Statue Bronze - burnish brown with golden shimmer (I've been using this daily as a quick wash over the lids for work)

Made in Manhattan - smokey sapphire with blue shimmer (more of a gunmetal/blue silvery grey color)

Pros: super long lasting, goes on smooth and creamy, super pigmented, affordable, great value, double as cream eyeshadow/eyeshadow base, blend-able, smudge proof, won't crease if used as a cream eyeshadow even without having a primer/base underneath

Cons: very little time to blend/smudge out the color (need to work fast once it's on)

I have been using these with a fluffy eyeshadow brush as a cream shadow. When I don't have time to do makeup in the morning for work, I can just fluff some of this onto my eyelids even without a primer and I'm good to go. I usually need an eye primer because the shadows tend to disappear on my lids through midday, but these stayed on all day without creasing! To intensify the look, I just put a similar powder shadow over. I will be uploading a quick everyday work makeup tutorial by using the color Statue Bronze, so be sure to check that out on my Youtube channel:) http://www.youtube.com/user/TheArtofsign

Black Radiance radiant lip gloss

 Black Radiance Radiant Lip Gloss

 Colors (from top to bottom): Copper Glow, Radiant Red, & Posh Plum

Retails at local Rite Aid for $2.99
Appears to be new collection. The top two are shimmering color, and the bottom is prismatic color.

  Actually I see shimmer in all three of them. Beautiful holiday colors! Copper glow is more gold, Radiant red is more coppery, and Posh plum has gold shimmer.

 Applicators: shimmering color series (copper glow and radiant red) have brush applicators

 

Prismatic color series (posh plum) has a sponge applicator

swatches on the back of my hand

Since there are different applicators, they give different color payoff. The brush applicator definitely picks up more products, and one swipe leaves behind a pigmented gloss. The sponge applicator does not pick up much, and the plum looks very sheer (cons). It also takes few swipes to get to the exact shade in the package.

Swatches on lips

Copper Glow

Pros: I love the gold appearance, especially how it leaves subtle gold shimmer on my lips after wiping the gloss off. It gives the illusion of fuller lips;)

 Radiant Red - a coppery red with golden shimmer. It is shiny, smooth, and super glossy.

 Posh Plum - deep plum burgundy color with less golden shimmer. Unlike the color from the tube, it goes on rather sheer. Takes few coats of application in order to achieve a pigmented look. (quite disappointed) It does not leave behind any shimmer/sparkles after wiping it off, either. It is better to layer on top of a lipstick.

Celebrity makeup tutorial - Emma Watson for Lancome Tresor Midnight Rose perfume

New L'Oreal Voluminous False Lashes (blackest black)

 size comparison:
next to L'Oreal Voluminous
Million Lashes (right)

Mascara wand is not the plastic like the Million Lashes, and it's longer, leaner, more bristles, slant shape (similar to Lancome new doll eye mascara wand), except this carries tons of fibers.

 this is my before shot. I do have decent lashes, and they are not very short. I just need to curl them first since they are a bit straight. My previous favorite was the L'Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes. I love, love, love it! It gives me so much volume, thickness, and darkness. I even like the rounded body, and love the package. When this new False Lashes came out, I was hesitant to purchase. One it could be the similarity of the two packaging might lies with similarity in products. Two it could be the fear of finding another great mascara, and abandoning the current favor. Three it could be that I have tried fiber mascara before, and did not like it at all. So here is the result after applying only one coat of new L'Oreal Voluminous False Lashes in blackest black without curling my lashes. 

I did not have any makeup nor eyeliner on, and only a sheer layer of bronze cream color around my eyes. It definitely makes my eyes look like I have eyeliner on, and it curled my lashes with only one coat. My lashes lengthened as well, and this formula is build-able. I did not apply it on my bottom lashes though. Overall, I love this mascara, and it is my new favorite. I do feel a little bad for using this more often now than the Million Lashes. I still love the other one, and I have them both on my table. I have not tried to layer those two together, but I think I will give it a try and see if the combination can give me false lashes effect. I purchased it at local Duane Reade for $9.99/$10.99. It is a bit pricy, but so worth it!

Sigma Cleansing & Polishing Tool

I finally purchased the Sigma face brush along with the new synthetic brushes (already blogged about it). I have been eyeing this system ever since it came out. Sure everyone wants to try the Clarisonic, but it's too expensive. Even when Mia came out, I was tempted to purchase that. I decided to wait and see if something similar but more affordable come out. I also wanted to try the Olay one as lots people compared that to the Clarisonic one, and many preferred the inexpensive version. Actually the Olay one is cheaper than the Sigma face brush. The Sigma cleansing and polishing tool retails $39.00, which is $10 more than Olay. Although it does not come with a cleanser, I would have used my own cleanser anyway. Besides, I was really sold on the whole package of Sigma one because the Retro look as well as convenience for travel (comes in a cute light pink box). Sigma also sells replacement brush heads for $9.00 on it's website. I doubt I will be replacing them. Since it is winter, and my skin tends to lean towards the dryer side (I have combination skin). I did not want to bother with the medium and exfoliator. The Sigma one has two speed, one click goes on low, and another click goes on high. The tool is decent weight and nests comfortably in my hand. Two AA batteries are needed for it, and I think it is better because that means I can use it even when there is no outlet. (I use rechargeable batteries) I like this tool, and I cannot say that I recommend to use it everyday. It is winter, and the brutal wind and cold air tend to dry out skin. It is wise not to exfoliate too much during this season. If do, please put a thick layer of moisturizer after to keep the skin hydrated. After using it once with the soft brush, I saw an immediate result. My pores looked a lot smaller, and my face lightened up. My face looked so clean like I just did my weekend facial cleanse routine (which will be cleanse, scrub, bliss triple oxygen mask, bosia detoxifying mask on T-zone, Lancome hydrating mask on cheeks, organic rose water toner, serum, spot treatment, eye cream, moisturizer, and lip balm). I know it's a lot! I only do this once a week, and usually on either Saturday or Sunday night. It is too much and I have been lazy lately. I was glad that Sigma tool can achieve that within few minutes of just cleansing. I thought they usually say it is gentle enough to use daily, but it is not the case for me. I used it again the next day, and the brush head started to hurt my cheeks as that area can get sensitive for me. It felt scratchy, and I had to stop. I was wondering it might be that I was doing back to back Halloween makeup tutorials on those two days. My skin was already overworked, and the cleansing tool was brushing against my tender layer of skin. Either way, ever since that day, I got dry blotchy spots on my cheeks, and I cannot get rid of them. I used the Sigma tool on and off, mainly for my T-zone. I still like it because it does deep clean and get rid of daily build up or makeup. I have cut down the brushing time to about 10 seconds, and I switched my cleanser to a more hydrating formula. Overall, I recommend this Sigma cleansing and polishing tool. I like it for it's packaging, durability, convenience, effectiveness, and price. There is a 10% coupon code: MAX2011, and also free gift with every purchase over $40 (usually a Sigma brush, mostly blending brush which is essential!) http://www.sigmabeauty.com

Halloween tutorial - Chinese Opera Mask

Halloween tutorial - Evil Queen from Snow White

Halloween tutorial - Coraline's other mother

Halloween tutorial - scream pumpkin

Maybelline New York Baby Lips

New products from Maybelline New York - Baby Lips Lipbalm
(used at backstage for 2012 S/S New York Fashion Week)
Tinted and Untinted moisturizing lipbalms
Top to Bottom: Grape Vine
                          Pink Punch
                          Quenched
Retail price at Target: $3.49

Pros: Moisturizing, buttery, faint fruity scents, sheer, easy to apply, portable, adorable, multi-purpose (clear one can be used as a glossy eye cream for a fresh look), Pink Punch is actually quite pigmented and gives a beautiful sheer pink finish.

Cons: Not all are pigmented, very sheer, Grape Vine(center color) looks dark in the tube but goes on the lips almost clear and does not give a berry tint (even though it gives light color in the swatch).