Valentine Look - Black Smokey Eye & Brief product reviews

I'm back with another eye tutorial! This time I did not have enough time to take pictures of each step like I did in my last eye makeup tutorial but this one is so simple, I promise!

"Smokey eye" is a type of technique you use to apply eyeshadow. You can use any colours you like and still have a smokey eye effect. There are two smokey eye techniques, I demonstrated the first type in my Simple Soft Neutral Smokey Eye For Hooded/Asian Eyes post, where you smoke-out your outer corner of your eyes (outer V). Today I will show you the second way of creating a smokey eye. Keep reading if you like what you see =]

Glymm Box: January 2012 and Product Reviews

I'm back with another post on Glymm Box! I know I was a pretty bad blogger for a few months near the end of 2011 which is why I didn't post any glymm/luxe boxes. So I'm starting fresh with my first Glymm box of the year =D. Enjoy! ^^

CLICK to enlarge picture =]

Simple Soft Neutral Smokey Eye For Hooded/Asian Eyes

Looking for a simple, easy, quick eye tutorial for hooded eyes? Well, hope this post helps =)

To get a more dramatic and intense look, simply use the same techniques and layer more colours on or use darker/more pigmented shadows. I only did one layer of each colour in the pictures below which makes this smokey eye very soft and wearable; even in the day time.

Keep reading for a detailed step by step tutorial =], ENJOY!

July's Luxe Box by Loose Button

I know I'm kinda late on this post but better late than never =]

I will assume that you all know that Luxe Box is a monthly subscription that delivers 3-5 deluxe beauty samples in a pretty box for $12/month, $36/3month or $120/year, currently only available to Canadians and that you can purchase your Luxe Box hereeeeeeeeee ;)

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I was just thinking that I might be creating a lot of waste if I were to receive a Luxe Box per month for the next while because they are heavily packaged. So I kindly emailed them to ship my July Luxe Box in the bubble wrap envelope only and skip the box, ribbons, tissue papers and the sheet of cotton even thought I know  we can completely recycle all these materials with the help of some imagination and creativity but I just wanted to try this out for a month and see how it goes. Let me tell you, it's not as exciting opened a Luxe Box WITHOUT the box and all the other goodies so I will be requesting my future Luxe Boxes to be shipped as it used to be and I will recycle the materials myself =] (will make a post in the future on how I reuse these boxes, tissue papers, ribbons and cotton =]).

This month, I was away from home so couldn't open my box until a week later so I spoiled my own surprise by searching it on YT and google. 

• I was kinda sad that we were getting another polish because I'm not a polish girl. 
• Kinda sad that we were getting a lip liner cause I never use a lip liner.
• But glad that these were full sizes =].
• Kinda sad that there was a fragrance sampler because I'm not into perfumes.
• Kinda sad that there was another oil treatment sampler since we already got one from Joico last month
• BUT THEN, THAT'S JUST ME... Don't even know why I still love them soooooooo much when I dislike so many types of beauty products, I think it's the surprise we get each month and the fact that we can really find things we love or hate just so we know what to buy and what not to buy in full sizes.
  
  
  
  *I got some different products than what is listed above, so keep reading to find out more =]*

Super small packaging compared to what it used to be

Greeting Cards, description and price of the full size products (just wished they would include how big the full sizes are)

Not too appealing to the eye without the box is it? =P

I got four things this month and no chocolate =[, perhaps it's because of the hot weather? I would love to see some sour candies as a substitute *yumm*

This box includes:

• 2 eye cream and 1 moisturizer sample from Consonant Skincare
  Full size eye cream retails for $36, moisturizer retails for $54
• (Full Size) Essie Nail Polish in Formal Affair (Red with tiny reflexes)
  Full size retails for $8
• Stella In Two Peony fragrance sampler
  Full size retails for $56
• (Full Size) Trucco Pro Eye Pencil in Sebastian 7094
  Full size retail for $20

Consonant Skincare

Consonant Skincare
3 small samples, haven't tried these yet but I think I will love it because I  loved the natural soap bar and the foaming face cleanser that I received in past Luxe Boxes

Stella In Two Peony
Love how it looks but didn't really care for the scent. It's too woody, and heavy for me. 

Essie Nail Polsih
I HATE RED! lol, already got a red China Glaze polish last month so I don't really need another one =[

Formal Affair
Applies sheer
needs 3-4 coats to get get it opaque
has tiny gold reflexes
looks like a coral-ly/orangy if you only apply one coat

Pro Eye Liner (bottom: swatch and top: blended)
Very smooth and moisturizing
Feels like a melting lipstick
Colour suitable as a cheek stain or lip colour
I might be able to use it as an eyeshadow/base/primer by for now I think I will only use in on my lip because its too moisturizing for my oily eyelids

Overall, I still like this service and the idea behind it so I renewed my subscription for another year. July's box wasn't really for me because I was really bummed when I saw a red polish but the rest of the box is workable, not loving but workable.
However, I did love almost all the products in my past Luxe Boxes, if you'd like to check those out then feel free to click the followings:
June's Edition
May's Edition
March's Edition

For those who have bought this month's Luxe Box, did you find anything you love/hated? Let me know by commenting below =]


Want more of these services? Try GLYMM BOX, it's a little different but I will explain it when I get my next box arrives but feel free to explore their website to find more about glymm box. I am currently subscribed to both LUXE BOX and GLYMM BOX so I'm supper excited to see what's in my August edition and how they compare =]

**Alx**

Review: ELF Cream Eyeliner (requested)

Fine fine fine.. I'll post something!!.. even if I'm super mad at blogger for not showing my updates on dashboard for the LONGEST time!! a month or so already? T_T.. anyone else experiencing the same problem? How can I resolve this? A fellow blogger told me that I can't fix it =[, does that mean it will always stay like this? =`[...I'm totally unmotivated to blog =[

Moreover, I have to pick out my courses for next year and it's pain in the tush! because it's my last year and I can't mess this up! I need to make sure I have the right courses and the right amount of credits so I've been slacking off a WHOLE lot......But I am pretty active on Twitter. Follow me there if you want small little updates, giveaways, freebies, awesome sales like 60% off ELF, food posts, mini hauls and quick tips and tricks on how to beautify yourself. Tweet me and I'll make sure I follow back =].

Okay, lets move on with this post. Tiffo wanted to know how I liked the  ELF Cream Eyeliner when she saw it on my ELF haul here. Yes, it was a month ago!!!, I really am lazy, no? So here we go, read the captions below each picture for the Review =]

ELF Cream Eyeliner in Black, comes with a mini angled brush which I love!
Buy it here
$3 (but never checkout without a coupon code!)

*Ignore the other swatches, focus on the black liner please =P*

One layer of swatch, went on smoothly, dried quickly and it was very pigmented
Using the brush provided, you can easily line your eyes as well as tight lining you upper lash lines
With an eye primer, this eyeliner will stay better but still smudging a little
Without an eye primer, this eyeliner will smudge like no other, you will end up with a raccoon eye

*Sorry about the bad photo quality, I took it with the front camera of my phone*
After 5 hours: oily eye lids, hot and humid weather
The line is already less pigmented, needs touch ups if you want a sharp and define line
However, if you want a more natural and softer look then this eyeliner would be great because throughout the day, it will get less intense
*Wearing L'Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black on upper lashes only*

With a primer: I used ELF's $1 eyelid primer, maybe it will stay even better if I used a better primer?
Hope you can see a small amount of smudging on the lower outer corner of my eye, not too visible but it's there.

Without a primer: Yes, I went to school with one eye primed and not the other, came home having one raccoon eye =P
You can clearly see how badly smudged this cream eyeliner is without a primer! So make sure to use a primer of any kind! Even the $1 ELF eyelid primer helped a whole lot =].

Overall,
PROS:
- The formula of the liner is very pigmented, and creamy therefore making the application super easy
- The brush that it came with is very soft to the touch but stiff enough to perfect a line of any thickness (maybe not a super thin line but still loveable to use it to tight line)
- Can easily do a winged eye-look
- Can easily reverse a mistake by wiping it because the staying power is not that good
- Affordable and suitable for beginners
- Would repurchase it just because it's so user friendly, inexpensive and works fine with a primer
CONS:
- Does not stay long
- Easily smudged
- Cute but over packaged product
- Brush is very short and tiny, can't be easily found in my makeup bag

Has anyone else tried this cream liner before? How do you like it? Any inexpensive primer alternatives (I just ordered their mineral eyeshadow primer which I heard is a dupe to the urban decay primer potion)?




Hope my problems gets resolved quickly or else you all might not see me smile anymore =[




**Alx**