Haul: Stage Cosmetics Closing Down Sale

The Backstory

My lovely friend tweeted about the sale and after seeing (ahh the wonders of twitpic) and hearing of her purchases, I decided I needed to get down to Bugis and spend some moolah.

To be honest, I kinda forced my money to part with me. (WHAT?!) Yes. Sad but true. There wasn't really much that was left at the sale. Plus, I have never tried any Stage Cosmetics products. I was just barely aware of the brand's existence really.

The Haul

An overall shot of the haul. I bought 9 things altogether. What you're not seeing in the picture is the extra pink makeup case that I started using already. They are mega roomy and fit all sorts of brushes and pencils. Superb.

Everyone needs a good eye primer and we're all on the search for the one that fits us best (I don't believe that Urban Decay's Primer Potion or Too Faced Shadow Insurance suits everyone's personal taste!) Stage has two eye primers, one in Vanilla (if I'm not mistaken) and one in Almond. I'm guessing the purpose of different tones is to suit variable skin tones but a base is a base. I got PRIME TIME in Almond. 

The color is not very similar to my skin tone, it's much lighter. So much for primer shades for different skin tones. 

There were 3 lip gloss colors left. I mean, good for them that their stock has sold out. Bad for me. I chose a rather 05 Helen a light nude shimmer gloss and 03 Minerva a totally sexy brown nude for the darker girls out there. 

I am loving the brown nude. So sexy, shiny, shimmery 

And of course, what's a makeup haul from a sale without lipstick? I bought Red Revolution, Paparazzi Pink, Walnut Wonder and Framboise Frenzy. Loving the names. 

Basically the names translate to classic red, amazing pink (in LOVE with this color!!), classic nude and a cross fuschia-plum color. I am loving Paparazzi Pink. I tested it out the other day (as in wore it, rather than hand swatch-ing it) and I LOVED IT. Staying power isn't amazeballs but I think with liner and gloss it might do better. It's so hot hot hot. 

And that's the haul. I'm loving the lipsticks the most. 

The Damage

Overall it was.... SGD45! I was so surprised. 9 items - that's a sweet $5 for each! I really wished I had been to the store earlier to see the full range on sale. Maybe then we'd be talking expenditure in the 3 figure category.

I hope you enjoyed the haul lovelies! Anyone head out to buy anything from the sale? It was just last week! (I went on the 29th of March)

Peace lovies. 


Til the next post.

Haul: Daiso Love

I just love love love heading to Daiso. 

I mean, what's not to love? Bargain buys EVERYWHERE in the store. I especially love the bargain beauty buys. 

Now personally, some things I picked up cost a little bit more than other stores when you do cost per item calculations (if you do, most people don't - I do though). But I was too lazy to brave crowds to go to another store, so I just picked the things up from Daiso.

My favorite Daiso is probably the one at Plaza Singapura. Although, I do love the VivoCity one because of it's sheer size!

On to the haul! I did pick up some box containers that I am using for my MUA kit. I didn't think they were that interesting to feature so I left them out :) Oh and I don't think I need to mention that everything cost $2 each!

Enjoy!

2 packs of the 13pc Triangle Sponges

These are simply amazing for powder and working foundation into the crevices of the face (around the nose, corner of the eyes). They also do really well when wet. They are so cheap you could choose to just throw away after use!

1 pack of the 10pc Square Sponges

I'm not a true fan of square sponges but they are good for using a lot of different kinds of powder. I bought them more as a back up to my triangle sponges. But in retrospect, I have so many triangle sponges, I think I'll hardly use these.

Eyebrow Gel

I was first introduced to the Daiso version of eyebrow gel when I attended the Advanced Makeup Workshop by DollMeUp Cosmetics. The trainer, Nazlin, swears by certain products from Daiso because they're inexpensive and good. 

I wanted to try the product for myself before deciding if I should add it into my kit. I currently use the eyebrow gel from The Body Shop. Maybe I'll work on a comparison sometime soon?

Loose Powder in A and B

This is another product that DMU Cosmetics MUA & Trainer, Nazlin uses. She mainly uses it when doing smokey eyes or arabic eyes to easily sweep away fall out and clean up after completing eye makeup. I wanted to give these products a try too. I figure if they're just simple loose powder and the shades can be used on a variety of skin tones, then why not! The powder is meant to be wiped away anyways.

If you understand Japanese, please tell me what it says! I can only understand the A & B :)

Pack of 12 mini Barrette clips

MUAs need to be able to do basic hair. Thus they need clips.

MUAs also need to keep hair away from face while applying makeup. Thus they need clips.

Sponge Detergent

I have always felt the need for a sponge detergent. Regular brush cleansers just don't do the proper job when cleaning sponges. I actually considered spending over $30 on a SPONGE cleanser from MUFE. Needless to say, that just doesn't make sense. I mean, my sponges cost approximately 15c a piece. I seriously do not need an expensive sponge cleanser.

So I picked this baby up when buying my sponges. I saw it, couldn't understand the Japanese and was about to pass it up as just another brush cleanser til I saw the words Detergent. The photo below doesn't show the part where it says it cleans sponges. But not to worry. I'm in love with this product and I'm going to do some sort of review on this thing!

This is definitely my best buy of the day :)

So that was my lovely spending spree at Daiso. So tempted to go back again and hunt for more. Since I am perpetually on broke-mode, I shall have to save the spree for another occasion!

Peace lovies!

Til the next post.

xoxo

Crown Brushes

Up until recently, my dreams of becoming a Makeup Artist (MUA) have been in the backseat thanks to graduating, finding a job and earning the money to buy myself an MUA kit. Well, since working, I've attended some makeup workshops and I am starting to buy myself a quality kit. 

No one likes to spend spend spend their hard earned money on just anything, which is why I love it when you get promo codes! 

Check out the Crown Brush 15 Pc Pro Set w/ Designer Case.

The original price is USD43.99 but by using the promo code KANDEE, you get the entire brush set for USD29.99 (~SGD39.99) which includes free continental U.S. shipping! The shipping to Singapore depends on how much vPost will charge me but I figure it'll less than SGD20.

The brush set includes:

Chisel Powder • Chisel Blush • Angle Blush • Foundation

Angle Blender • Oval Shadow • Blending Fluff • Flat Liner

Concealer • Lash Fan • Brow/Lash Groomer • Angle Liner 

Oval Lip • Mini Smudger • Round Crease • Faux Reptile Case

The brushes were highly recommended by Kandee Johnson, one of the best MUAs on YouTube. She likes these brushes even more than the ones by MAC and that is saying something!


I watched a video of hers recently and it provided the promotion code for the brushes and I thought, "Well, WHY NOT?!". I trust Kandee's opinion and the brush set is filled with 15 basic brushes that every MUA should have. 


There are 3 different brush sets to choose from, all with the same brushes. The only differences being the ferrules and handles of the brushes and the designer case that the brushes come in. 


I picked the bronze metallic ferrule with a matte black handle and a bronze faux reptile case. The other options include a black faux reptile case with glossy black ferrule and glossy red handles or a fuschia faux reptile case with glossy black ferrule and matte black handle. 


I can't wait to start doing makeup with these! I am particularly excited about the Lash Fan brush!


I'll post a review of the brushes when I get them!


Peace lovies!


Til the next post!

Makeup: Pocket-friendly tools - UBU

I went pretty ape-shit crazy at Watson's the other day thanks to their Christmas Sale prices and temptations. I got a great number of things but decided against posting all of them in one post. (My attempt to be more user/reader friendly and to maximize the number of posts I can get from this haul!).




Meet the Urban Beauty United Stippling Brush.




I first saw the range of brushes in their Christmas specials catalog. The pink bristles attracted me immediately but I was pessimistic about finding them at any of the Watson's near me.

So I lovingly went about one of the Watson's and to my surprise, spotted the all-too-familiar pink bristles!




The Picture Perfect Professional Stippling Brush costs SGD 14.90.




Now I don't own a MAC 188 or 187 but I have felt them before and I do know that Stippling Brushes are meant to be a little stiff but not pokey.

The UBU Stippling Brush feels soft and stiff at the same time. And it produces a great airbrushed-like result when used.




I have been using it post-application of my foundation. And I find that my makeup looks a little more polished than usual (usually I just use my fingers).

I am considering buying the rest of the brushes for my kit. Will put up another post if I do!

Peace lovies!

Til the next post!

Lovingly posted on-the-go using BlogPress from my iPhone :)

Makeup Haul: A Tartan Tale

Almost an entire week has passed since I got my hands on some lovely products from the MAC 2010 Holiday Collection A Tartan Tale. And I want to share what I got with everyone!

If you want to read what I had to say about it initially, click here. All photos from Temptalia.com unless otherwise stated.

Anyhoots, here's what I got:

Vain & Glorious Lip Bag 

SGD70

Yup yup. Sticking true to my guns, I bought the pink lip bag kit. Comes with Mellow Mood Lipstick, Baby Sparks Dazzleglass and In Sync Lip Pencil. In Sync is about half the size of a regular lip pencil but no one ever uses pencils down anyways so no big dealio. 

The peachy colors from the Dazzle the Lads lip kit are tempting but the lip bag is exactly the same! And apparently, most items are in the permanent collection.

Reelers & Rockers Eyeshadow Palette

SGD76

Colors include: (First Row) White Rabbit, Melt My Heart, Carbon, (Second Row) Family Treasure, Gaellic Gold, Crown & Sceptre. Palette includes a mini (like super mini) 213.

I know I didn't want any of the e/s palettes initially but I couldn't help myself! They were all so beautiful but this one struck me as the key one to get. And especially since I'm not made of money, I had to pick ONE out of the four possibilities. Palettes are great money-savers, even though to call a $76 palette is a money-saver is an oxymoron. You get six great shades with amazing color payoff for less than what you would pay if you were buying each color individually (i.e. SGD26 x 6 = too much money to pay). 


Plus, I felt the colors suited my tried and tested go-to looks = a smokey eye and a gold/bronzey eye. Plus all possible color combos that I have yet to try out.

MAC Glamorous Mineralize Kit

SGD80

Photo from maccosmetics.com

Comes with: Indianwood Paint Pot, Mini Zoomblack Zoom Lash, Blessedly Rich Lipglass, Noble Touch Mineralized Eyeshadow. 


The most expensive of my loot! I didn't really think that these kits were as "exclusive" as the website describes them but since I didn't have any of products and I wanted the tin especially, I thought Hmm, Why not? An especially dangerous thought but I really am in love with Indianwood. Golden heaven. 


My Scottish Fling, the other mineralized kit, came with the Bare Study paint pot, something that I never wanted in the first place. 




So that's my haul! I am planning on getting the Viva Glam V Lip Bag from the collection. The bag is different and it comes with the Viva Glam V lipstick and lipglass. 100% of the purchase price goes to the MAC Viva Glam Foundation, so WHY NOT HELP A GOOD CAUSE OUT? Plus, I don't have Viva Glam V at ALL (sad I know). So when I pop into Sephora, I promise to share it up on the blog.


I bought all these lovely MAC goodies after my Estee Lauder Expert Makeup Workshop, which is another story for another time! I promise to share my Glamour is Golden Holiday Blockbuster Collection with you all soon.


Peace lovies!


Til the next post!