By Terry Touche Veloutee Highlighting Concealer Brush

Only just a few days before I bought this, I thought "I'm not going to spend that much money on a concealer pen. Come on!" And this being fresh in my mind from just recently reading some blog reviews about it, I swatched it (why do I do this? my bank account asks). This is my first time trying something from By Terry. I have to admit, something puts me off about these newly established brands and I just can't justify paying similar to what you would pay for Guerlain and Dior etc for these lesser known brands. So I have no idea what came over me when I told the sales girl that "I'll to take this one in 02 Cream please!"

After using the Touche Veloutee, I can't say that I'm in love. I'm still a bit on the fence. Everytime I grab it to use it, I wish I would fall in love with this product because the packaging just makes it seem so luxurious and lovely. My first impression when using this was that I don't like the brush at all. It is 3 times bigger than that of YSL Touche Eclat, Chanel's Eclat Lumiere Highlighter pen and Mac's Prep + Prime Highligher Pen and also feels about three times stiffer. The bristles are not soft and it was quite uncomfortable rubbing it along my sensitive under-eyes. I couldn't take it and patted the product in with my fingers. 

The actual concealer smells divine (rose scented I believe), and the texture is very creamy. It has strong coverage yet is lightweight which already makes it better than most of the concealers on the market. However, I still don't think it trumps my holygrail Covergirl under eye concealer which is $18 for 9g. There was slight creasing in my wrinkles (yes wrinkles! urgh) after a few hours of wear but nothing that's going to turn me off from using it again. In terms of correcting, I think that's all a bunch of BS. Dark circles are either genetic or from lack of sleep, none of which makeup can fix.

Now Terry Gunzburg is the lady behind YSL's infamous Touche Eclat and has now established her own brand. The Touche Veloutee actually smells really really similar to my Le Teint Touche Eclat Foundation come to think about it! I definitely believe that she has improved the formula since Touche Eclat as the Veloutee has fuller coverage and has more of a matte finish. 

comparison of Touche Eclat to Touche Veloutee

comparison of brush size

Sans Touche Veloutee

With Touche Veloutee

As you can see, I don;t really have terrible dark circles to begin with. But the Veloutee does hide most of the discoloration and flattens the appearance of bags under the eyes. I used Maybelline's Dream Matte powder and Real Techniques Contour Brush to set the Veloutee. 

For $79 I definitely think it's more worth it than YSL's Touche Eclat which is $55 for 2.5mL (insane!). Do I love the packaging? Yes, it's absolutely beautiful and just feel expensive. It's chunky and extravagant. The formulation is nice but it wouldn't hurt to have a little more stronger coverage. If you suffer from dark circles, this product is great for when you're on-the-go (i.e. rushing to work and applying your makeup on the train etc) as it is just so convenient.

Bobbi Brown Old Hollywood Palette

Oh Bobbi, Bobbi, Bobbi...Thank you so much for bringing this dreamy 9 shadow creation to life. And what makes it even better is that they are now reduced to $87.50 (from $125) after Christmas on bobbibrown.com.au.

Again, I can't compliment enough about Bobbi's shipping and handling time. 2 days for domestic delivery is really something out of the norm in Australia as parcels usually take 4-6 days and that's not including the companies processing time. And this time, I treated myself to a complimentary gift wrapping. If you want to make someone special feel a million bucks, select gift-wrapping with your order because ohmygod it's lovely!

Here is how the parcel was packaged. It seems so extravagant for such a small eyeshadow palette! And I LOVE it!

Now, onto the actual eyeshadows. There are 3 matte shades, 2 metallic and 3 sparkle shades. 

The top row shadows are from left to right: Ivory (matte bone), Golden Pink (metallic rose gold), Gold (Gold sparkle). Ivory and Golden pink are very creamy, soft and pigmented shades which are a dream to apply and blend but the sparkle eyeshadow (just like all Bobbi's glitter eyeshadows) is quite hard/stiff and need a little more patience when applying it.

Swatch L-R: Ivory, Golden Pink, Gold

The second row is Opal (silver sparkle), Fog (matte grey-brown), Beige (matte tan). I don't care so much for Opal or Fog. I usually use Fog to shade in my eyebrows as this way I won't need to carry yet another beauty product in my bag. I love the shade Beige as it is the perfect colour for an all over lid colour or transitional colour for the crease as my skin tone is quite yellow and tanned. It is so pigmented and easy to pick up with a brush.

Swatch L-R: Opal, Fog, Beige

The third row is Chocolate Bronze (metallic brown), Candlelight Gold (metallic cream), Eclipse (matte black). I really don't like black eyeshadow and I believe it is a waste to have a matte black in all my eyeshadow palettes (I think this is probably the reason why I love Tom Ford eyeshadow quads so much. He hardly ever includes black!). Chocolate Bronze and Candlelight Gold are my 2 favorite shades from this palette and Chocolate Bronze was the only colour that I actually swatched in store and just went "yup, i'm buying this."

Swatch L-R: Chocolate Bronze, Candelight Gold, Eclipse

I can't really capture it on camera but chocolate bronze actually has purple and gold glitter pigments throughout the brown shadow. It is just amazing when seen up close. This is a great palette for me as it takes care of my eye makeup and brows. Easy!

Organi Honey Facial Peel

I guess Organi is one of those Australian-made brands that no one knows about, and because no one buys their products, the prices are outrageously expensive. Organi has one of those pop-up stands underneath the Myer in Sydney CBD and I was stopped (harassed) by one of the sales consultants to try their miracle peeling mask. 

Now I usually hate this technique of selling from lesser-known companies. 120% of the time I get approached in the streets to try something out, I just smile and continue my business so I don't really know what intrigues me to stop at this counter and give the products a go. 

The minute I put the tub to my nose, I was drawn-in, the smell is amazing. It smells so yummy, you can definitely smell in the honey in it. And it did remove a layer of dead/dry skin from the inner half of my wrist. The consultant then told me that I would also receive a complimentary 200mL Salt scrub and a 300mL Body butter with a purchase of the Honey facial peel and the prospect of great freebies was too much for my self restraint. 

The peel is like a translucent, silicone-like cream and you apply it onto a damp face like you would any cleanser (I always cleanse my face before I use this peel) and slowly, you can feel lumps rubbing off your skin with the product. Once rinsed off, face feels tight and baby-smooth and slightly lighter in colour than before the peel. I also feel that my serum and moisturizer is absorbed quicker after I have done the peel each time meaning that due to dead/dry skin, my serums have not been fully absorbed into my skin previously.

I think every girl should own a peel like this even if you don't wear make up as it also removes any excess sunscreen, moisturizer that hasn't been absorbed/washed off properly allowing the skin to breathe and accept new products that you apply onto your face. Even after 2-3 days of using this peel, my skin still glows and feels smooth and tight. This I think is because all the serums that I lather onto my face has been absorbed and put to use.

I purchased the Honey Facial Peel for $90 at the time with the 2 complimentary salt scrub and body butter. I researched online and organi.com.au sells the peel for $150 and $100 each for the scrub and body body! Eek! 

Is there a peel that you use that works wonders?

Wishlists & Resolutions 2014

Dear God...

All I ask for in the new year is a big fat bank account and a slim lean body...

Please don't mix these up like you did last year!

Aaaaamen.

On a more serious note, my new years resolution is to wear make up every day so that I can use up my impossible-to-finish amount of make up so that I can justify buying more.

Here is a list of products that I am set out to purchase sometime in this year.

Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Sheer Powder

Chanel Illusion D'Ombre in Empatant

Benefit Rockateur blush

Mac Prep & Prime Highlighter stick

Diorskin Shimmer Poudre in Amber Diamond

Diorskin Nude BB Cream

Estee Lauder eyeshadow duo in Raisins

Stila In the Light palette

What are your beauty resolutions this year?

Bobbi Brown Illuminating Bronzing Powder (Blush) - Santa Barbara

Recently I strolled through David Jones (beauty section, of course!)  pushing my pram looking for Christmas specials. I walked past the Bobbi Brown counter and a new display caught my eye. I sidled over and swatched the new bronzer and blush. The bronzer is light, perfect for fair skinned ladies (and gents), but i already have ----loads that I couldn't imagine ever finishing. The blush is gorgeous peach-pink with finely milled gold shimmer flecks throughout. It instantly reminded me of Nars Orgasm, theBalm Hot mama and sleek's Rose Gold.

I was quite excited about this, as this was hailed as a "new" product by the Bobbi Brown counter that I visited, but to my disappointment, it had already come out in the U.S. (like...a year ago) when I tried to find reviews of it on google. Story of my life. 

This is a very true colour representation of the blush. I know sometimes the colour changes in pictures due to the lighting and angle. 

I apply the blush with my Real Techniques blush brush

front view

side view

When compared next to Orgasm, Santa Barbara is more peachy where as Orgasm has a pink base underneath the gold shimmer. Bobbi's blush is also more pigmented and the product seems to be more powdery making it easier to be picked up by a brush. Having said this, you will have to apply with a light hand in order to avoid a blush patch in the centre of your cheek.

Nars Orgasm

L-R: Nars Orgasm, BB Santa Barbara

L-R: Nars Orgasm, BB Santa Barbara

To take home one of these babies you will need to part with $60, which I know is quite steep for a blush. Bobbi Brown is infamous for doubling their prices once their products get imported into Australia. But you do get 8g of gorgeousness in this compact as opposed to $45 for 4.8g of product for a Nars blush. If you are looking for a summer blush and bronzer, I strongly suggest you try these from Bobbi Brown at a Myer or David Jones.

BareMinerals Ready Eyeshadow 2.0 - The Epiphany

I can never come out of a Mecca store empty handed. (For those who don't know what Mecca is, it is a store in Australia which is like a mini version of Sephora. It carries brands like Stila, Nars, Hourglass, BareMinerals, Chantacaille and By Terry which no other retailer in Australia stock)

This is what I purchased from one of my visits last month. The BareMinerals Ready 2.0 Eyeshadow Duo in The Epiphany.

It contains two eyeshadows A-Ha and Foreshadow. A-Ha is a bronze, coppery soft shimmer shadow and Foreshadow is a matte chocolate brown. Both the colours are super pigmented and they compliment each other. However, I do feel that there needs to be a transition shadow between the two as the finish and contrast in colour is so vast. (This is one of the reasons that I rarely buy shadow duos as it is never a complete palette for me. I always have to add something to finish the look). The reason I bought this duo is because of A-Ha, when I swatched it in the shop with my fingers, it was so creamy and so smooth. I just couldn't bare to leave it in the shop any longer. When applied onto my eyelids with a shadow brush, not as much product was picked up so the finish was not as opaque and metallic as I had hoped for. I love this duo non the less :)

L-R: A-Ha and Foreshadow

It was only after I used The Epiphany a few times that I realized A-Ha looks quite familiar. I actually have a shadow that is really similar in shade and texture. This is the Nudes palette by Chi Chi. This is a cheap dupe palette for the Urban Decay Naked 1. It retails for $22 AUD from Myer and Target. And the 4th shade (which on the Naked palette is called "Sidecar" I believe) is very similar, just a little bit less coppery than A-Ha.

L-R: A-ha and Sidecar dupe shadow

Have you created a unique look with this duo?