Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill Mascara

 Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill Mascara $32

When it comes to mascara, I have two main requirements: it has to be lengthening and it has to hold a curl. Not too tall of an order, right? But for the sake of a thorough review, let's go through the usual mascara checklist.

Application
One of the first things I noticed when applying this mascara is how creamy and smooth the formula is. Because it isn't watery like some other mascaras Ive encountered in the past, I have more time to go back in with the brush and fix any lashes that have gone astray before the formula sets. The wand, which is made of natural bristles is really easy to work with and really gets into the outer corners of my eyes, which I love to accentuate.

Volume
This mascara definitely doesn't fail you in this department. It really makes each lash look two times thicker.

Lengthening / Holding a Curl
This mascara did a decent job in this department-- nothing spidery, but a very wearable, natural length which I really liked. Unfortunately, because each lash was getting completely coated, it really caused my lashes to droop and lose their curl.

Throughout the day
I've yet to have any problem with smudging! It should be noted however, that I don't usually have a problem with panda eyes when it comes to mascara.


I definitely understand the hype surrounding this product because it really is a great formula + brush combination that's easy to work with. That being said, I didn't find it holding a curl as well as I would have liked and so the search continues!

Nars Lipstick Shrinagar

 Nars Lipstick Shrinagar $26

Shrinigar is a sheer sophisticated berry tone that gives you that edgy feel but in a still classic way. The best way to describe what I mean is when you see someone wearing dark lipstick and you think, "Oh yeah I see where you're going with that and it looks good! But I don't think I'm quite there yet." This lipstick pokes at that vampy edge without completely devoting to it. The staying power for me is about 4 four hours which is quite impressive as I don't usually build up with this lipstick because I prefer it to be quite subtle.

Dior Rosy Tan (754) Eyeshadow Palette

Dior Rosy Tan (754) Eyeshadow Palette $60

The first thing that I noticed about the DIOR 5-Color Rosy Tan palette is that all of the shades in this palette are incredibly silky and easy to blend. If you're going for a smooth smokey eye, this is your one stop shop. I especially love the upper right hand shade which is a rich burgundy with gold shimmer as it easily intensifies any eye look and gives a really luxurious shimmer. And because the colors are all neutral, the look created with these shadows won't compete with whatever cheek/lip duo you plan on sporting.

Of course, spending $60 on a palette creates some pretty high expectations so before you think that this palette is or is not for you, I'd like to mention two things that I'm not too impressed with. First of all, I have absolutely no use for the pink shade. Sure, its very pretty and looks like it fits well with the overall color scheme, but Im really not a pink eyeshadow kind of girl and I haven't touched it except to swatch. Second, the bottom right shadow is relatively cool toned. If you have a tan or are on the darker/warmer side of the spectrum, you may have some trouble working with this cool, taupe. For that reason, I love blending a little bit of Naked 1's Buck around the edges of wherever I place this shadow to avoid a gray cast. Lastly, the consistency of these shadows isn't super pigmented, which makes it easier to do a even sweep across the lid but harder to shape or sculpt. An example of this would be using the darkest shadow as an eyeliner; the shade just isn't pigmented enough for you to draw a wing.

Dior Rosy Tan (754) Eyeshadow Palette

FOTD: Asia Beauty Products

Hello hello! It's about time for a FOTD featuring a handful of summer appropriate asian beauty products. Lets get into it. Hi Rona if you're seeing this <3


Canmake Eyebrow Liquid 
I'd never used a liquid brow product before but decided to branch out with an eyebrow marker. It's a felt tip so that you can draw in specific hairs here and there. Caution: you need a pretty light hand to apply this product because its pretty pigmented and difficult to blend once its had a few seconds to try.

Baby Lips Color Poppy Red
Unfortunately this product is only available in Asia and I couldn't find it online in the US. It's a pretty red tinted lip balm with a peppermint tingle which I LOVE :) This is super easy for to apply and very summer appropriate.

Lovedrops Impact Eyeliner - Black
I was probably the most surprised by this product because it doesn't look like much from the packaging, but this eyeliner has got have the darkest blackest formula I have ever tried! It doesn't have as much precision as the dolly wink eyeliner, but is definitely more opaque.

Sweets Sweets Velvet Souffle Cheeks 03
This is a super fun cream cheek stain that looks really nice on all skin tones. In the pot it's quite a dark berry shade but on the skin it just barely comes across as a subtle flush which is so perfect for summer.

Hyper Curl Volum' Express Spiky Comb Waterproof Mascara (FULL REVIEW)
Can't forget about mascara! You can click the link to read my full review :)

Mac Prolongwear Concealer
This seriously covers up EVERYTHING. It worked out because I needed to get rid of a few spots around my nose and this concealer did the job quite beautifully.