Review: My Little Pony x ColourPop Palette (+ swatches!)

Monday, 27 November 2017 at November 27, 2017

Kawaii isn't usually the style I'm drawn towards to, but when I saw the My Little Pony Palette from Colourpop, I just couldn't resist myself. I've always been a huge fan of Colourpop due to the affordable prices and high quality products. So far, I don't think any other brands can match up to the prices and quality of Colourpop's products. The only reason why I don't have even more Colourpop products than I currently have, is because it takes forever to ship in to Singapore, and I guess I'm not very patient when it comes to that. But for their latest My Little Pony Palette, it was well worth the wait.



Because of what I do on Youtube and on this blog, I own an insane amount of eyeshadows. Therefore, purchasing a new one would require at least 3 good reasons to justify my new purchase. So what made me purchase the My Little Pony Palette?



1. It looks cute as heck. Come on. You guys know that eyeshadow palettes are my weakness when it comes to makeup, not to mention an eyeshadow palette that comes in a gorgeous, or in this case, flipping cute packaging. I know for some of you guys, the packaging of an eyeshadow doesn't really make a good reason to purchase it, but it is for me and it's in fact a rather huge deciding factor for me. If an eyeshadow is boring in its packaging... 90% of the time, I wouldn't get it. Plus, the packaging of this eyeshadow palette is also lightweight and non-plastic, which means you won't have to worry about it smashing in your makeup pouch!



The only thing I don't like about this packaging is the lack of mirror on the palette. As you all know, I often film my makeup looks, and it's just so much easier to hold the palette as a mirror whilst applying my eyeshadow, rather than using another handheld mirror.



2. The shades are gorgeous. Like I said, I've always been a huge fan of Colourpop as their eyeshadows are all highly pigmented, smooth and easy to work with. Therefore, quality isn't something I have doubts about when it comes to Colourpop. On first glance, these shades doesn't seem to be ones I tend to use on a daily basis as I'm more of a neutral, warm-toned eyeshadow girl. But at the same time, I'm a frequent user of peaches, pinks, oranges and yellow eyeshadows, which are majority of these shades.



One of the shades that really struck to me is the teal shade (Princess Sparkle) on the most bottom right. I've never tried or owned a teal eyeshadow, and I've seen many other Youtubers rocking it on their lids so it's definitely something I'd like to try out for myself!


As you might be able to tell, this palette has a "unicorn" sorta theme or vibe even though technically, they are ponies and not unicorns. But with that said, there are a handful of shades here that are extremely glittery, iridescent, and magical (swatches below!).


3. It's only retailing at USD16 (~S$22). That's S$1.80 per shade which is really affordable! Honestly, it's so difficult to find a cheap yet high quality eyeshadow palette these days. If it was over S$30, I'd probably give this palette a miss. But it's $22........ For all 12 shades! Can't find a better deal than this if you were to ask me.



Overall, this palette is worth every single bucks (and yes, the long wait) for me. I love the versatility of the shades and the amount of different looks you can pull off with just this one palette. Even though on first glance, it might look like a mixture of loud and bold colours, they are actually really wearable and easy to mix and match with my other palettes. I think this is also a great palette to start out with if you are hoping to venture into bolder colours because of the price, quality, and variety of shades. If you're really not that fond of pinky shades and you still prefer to stick with the basic browns and golds, this palette might not be the one for you due to the lack of neutral shades in this palette.

Labels: beauty, eyeshadow palettes, make-up, review

Christmas Gift Ideas with Cosme-de.Com (in different price ranges!)

Tuesday, 21 November 2017 at November 21, 2017

Christmas is approaching in 5 weeks time, and if you haven't got time to do your Christmas presents shopping, here is a Christmas gift guide for y'all last minute shoppers! Once again, I've partnered up with Cosme-de.com, and today I have picked a handful of gifts that I will either love to give, or receive as Christmas presents this year.

If you're completely new to Cosme-de.com, they are basically an online shop that offers a wide range of beauty products, including fragrances. Their prices are extremely competitive as compared to retail stores, so you'll definitely get the most bang for your buck here. In addition, get 15% off all your purchases using my discount code "thatxxrin15"! The great thing about Cosme-de.com is how quick they send out your order, so they'll definitely be able to reach you in time for Christmas... Unless you placed your order a day before Christmas...


I have divided my picks into various price ranges so it will be easier for you to go according with your budget, and to keep them pocket-friendly, all of the gifts are under US$100! So let's hurry up and go through them!

Gifts under US$20

1. Thisworks Deep Sleep Pillow Spray - US$13.00


Everyone loves a good night sleep, but not everyone is born with the gift to be able to fall asleep like a baby the moment their head hits the pillow. Thisworks Deep Sleep Pillow Spray is clinically proven to not only help you fall asleep faster, but also enhances your sleep, making you fall into a deeper sleep so you get the proper rest you need. A survey among 200 users above the age of 18 was conducted and 92% felt more refreshed and recharged in the morning!

This pillow spray is formulated with the scents of Lavender (my favourite!), Vetivert, and Camomile, which helps to calm and relax your mind and body while you drift into your sweetest dreams.

Bonus: Gifting this to someone you love will also trigger them think of you before they sleep, hohoho.

2. Tangle Teezer: The Professional Detangling Hairbrush - US15.00


In my opinion, the best kind of gifts are the ones that are unexpected, but at the same time, the ones that you use the most. A hairbrush is something seldom people will think of when it comes to gifting a present, but a hairbrush is actually an essential product that everyone of all ages uses everyday! True story, I actually received a hairbrush (this one!) from my Dad on my 24th birthday and I've been using it every single day without fail.

The Tangle Teezer Hairbrush is not like any ordinary hairbrush, it is designed specially to easily, gently, and effectively detangles hair without hurting your scalp. Even though it looks completely nothing like our usual hairbrush, it is actually very palm-friendly and has a non-slip fit. It also comes in various different colours such as black, pink, purple, and gold. I freaking love this hairbrush and so does my boyfriend!

Gifts under US$60 

1. Aromatherapy Associates Bath and Shower Oil in Deep Relax - US50.00



The most popular bath products in Singapore are most probably bath bombs and bubble bars, so if you know someone who loves taking baths, why not let them try out something new? If you've read my 2017 Birthday and Christmas Wishlist, you may already know that I've been wanting to try out bath oils. Bath oils are not only good for its scent, but it also helps to nourish, smooth, and moisturize your skin. Aromatherapy Associates, also the company who makes my favaourite bath salts, offers a good selection of different bath and shower oils to tackle different needs such as improving digestion (this one), reducing stress (this one), and relaxing, which is the one I'm recommending today because this bath oil is awarded the Best Bath Oil in the 2009 InStyle Best Beauty Buys Awards!

This bath oil is available in 2 versions, Deep Relax, and Light Relax. Oh, and it also comes in an exquisite looking bottle that will look 10/10 in any bathroom!

Bonus: This is a bath AND shower oil, so even if you don't have a bath tub at home, you can still use it! I've used it twice as a shower oil and I love it as the scent stays on my skin and it keeps my skin so smooth and hydrated.

2. Aromatherapy Associates Relax Candle - US$38.00


I absolutely love aromatherapy, and especially so when it's done with a candle. There's just something special about the flickering burning wick and warmth from a candle that enhances the experience of aromatherapy. So with that said, I may or may not have chosen quite a number of candles to include in this list. I also feel like candles make one of the best gifts because of the wide range of fragrance you can choose from, and who doesn't love a nice smelling room?

This first candle in the list is also from Aromatherapy Associates. The relaxing scent is made up of a blend of West Indian Bay and Myrrh Essential oils that will help to calm, soothe and uplift your mind. Whenever I think of relaxing fragrances, all I can think of are the mainstream ones such as lavender, chamomile, ylang ylang, eucalyptus... So I was really curious as to how West Indian Bay and Myrrh Essential oils would smell like. To my pleasant surprise, this candle is a total game changer for me. Just sniffing the candle itself makes me feel so much more relaxed it's insane! It's difficult to explain, but I highly recommend it if you're into relaxing candles!

3. Fresh Cocoa Body Exfoliant - US$54.00


The key to maintaining smooth, soft, bright and healthy skin, is to exfoliate it well to prevent the built up of nasty dead skin cells, and what better way to do it than to use a body scrub that smells like a blend of chocolate, coffee, and coconut?! I kid you not, this cocoa body exfoliant from Fresh is pretty much the most delicious smelling scrub I've used in my entire life. Containing naturally sourced crushed cocoa and coconut shells, this scrub is able to buff away any dry and dull skin, while the cocoa butter helps to nourish and moisturize your skin.

Be careful if you're planning to get this for your partner though, because you might not be able to keep your hands away from them after they've used it!

4. Diptyque Figuier / Fig Tree Scented Candle - US$59.00


Diptyque candles have been rising in popularity in the recent years, not only due to its high quality and massive collection of differently scented candles, but also because of its simple, yet for some reasons, 'insta-worthy' packaging.

Like I mentioned, candles make great gifts, because they not only help in aromatherapy, but they can also warm, and get rid of any unpleasant odour lurking in your home. The first candle to make this list was a calming scented candle for those who needs to destress and relax. So this time round, I wanted to go for something different to cater for a different group of people. Therefore, I've picked out one of Diptyque's best selling fragrance, the Figuier/Fig Tree Scented Candle. This candle literally smells like trees and it's surprisingly pleasant and relaxing too. It has a crisp, and slightly fruity fragrance that will remind you of the fresh and natural scents of nature. Smelling this candle makes me feel like I'm walking through the woods during a warm winter morning... Ahhh... How relaxing.

Gifts Under US$100 

1. Chanel No. 5 Body Lotion - US$64.00


I used to work in Victoria's Secrets, and I'd say half of our customers come in to buy fragrances as gifts. But there's always a common problem, and that is most people don't know what scents their loved ones prefers. Whenever this happens, we will always recommend our classic fragrance. Classic fragrance are fragrances that are most loved and most well-known to the brand, therefore are often the safest choice to make. I probably don't even need to say this as you might already know that Victoria's Secrets signature scent is Bombshell, and as a matter of fact, I received my first Victoria Secrets Bombshell EDP as a gift for my 21st birthday and it's hands down my favourite scent from VS!

Therefore, for our first gift under US$100, I've picked out the Chanel No.5 fragrance, aka, Chanel's most popular and best selling fragrance, ever. Do a quick google search of the most loved classic fragrances and you'll always see Chanel No.5 in the list. This fragrance is luxurious, classy, elegant, feminine, and most importantly, timeless.

Most fragrances comes with a body lotion of the same scent, and because the EDP costs US$131 for a 50ml, a body lotion of the fragrance is a great alternative for those who are under a tight budget. In a body lotion, you still get to have the same fragrance, plus it also adds moisture to your skin, making it smell good, and smooth to touch.

2. Jo Malone Lime Basil & Mandarin Scented Candle - US$69.00



The last candle in this list is from Jo Malone, another rising brand known for its candles and fragrances. Jo Malone offers a huge range of different scents, so once again, I've decided to go for one of their best selling, signature fragrance, the Lime Basil and Mandarin scent. This fragrance is a blend of peppery basil and aromatic white thyme. It is citrusy, slightly musky, and at the same time, uplifting, luxurious, and magnificent.

As a bonus, this candle is also very well-packaged in an exquisite-looking gift box so you probably don't even need extra gift wrapping!

3. SK-II Facial Treatment Masks (6 pcs) - US$71.00

When it comes to gifting someone a skincare product, I always go for a brand that is more well-known and trust-worthy, especially when I'm gifting it to someone like my mom, who is not that into exploring new and upcoming brands. Therefore, for my skincare gift, I've chosen to go with the SK-II Facial Treatment Masks. I've been an active user of the SK-II Facial Treatment Essence since late Feb'17 and I absolutely love it. I definitely saw an improvement in my skin in terms of the appearance and texture which is why I strongly believe that even though SK-II products are on the pricier side, they work!

Since the SK-II Facial Treatment Essences costs over US$100, I have chosen the 6-pieces masks pack instead. I've heard many good reviews on this product and how it effectively brightens and moisturize your skin in one sheet. There is also a constant hype about SK-II products, so I'm sure that even if your Santee hasn't used any of their products, they'll gladly try them out.

4. Viktor and Rolf Flowerbomb Eau De Parfum 50ml - US93


I've saved the most expensive gift for the last, and it's a fragrance! The Viktor and Rolf Flowerbomb fragrance has been one that I've been wanting to own ever since I was 20 years old. Its top notes are Bergamot and Tea, its heart notes are Jasmine, Freesia, and Orchid, and its base notes are Centiflora Rose and Patchouli.  As you can tell from the name, it is a floral scent, but surprisingly (I don't usually go for super floral-ish fragrances) it is very light, delicate, and romantic. Honestly... I think this is now my favourite fragrance. I also love the vintage looking diamond glass bottle of the perfume as it adds an elegant touch to my dressing table.

Unsure if this is a scent your Santee will love? Well, the Viktor and Rolf Flowerbomb also makes it to the lists of classic fragrances, and it's also an Allure Best of Beauty award winner!


And that wraps up my gift ideas for you this Christmas! Have you thought of what to get for your loved ones yet?

Labels: beauty, bodycare, face, haircare, lifestyle, review, skincare, tips

Review: ColourPop You Had Me At Hello Palette (+ swatches!)

Tuesday, 14 November 2017 at November 14, 2017

Whoooops... So I uhh went a little crazy and ordered myself a bunch of new eyeshadow palettes from ColourPop. One of the palettes I decided to get is the fairly new You Had Me At Hello Palette which I will be reviewing today. This palette was released about 2 to 3 weeks ago, but ColourPop takes forever to reach me (nearly 2 weeks to be exact), so that's the reason why all my ColourPop reviews are always a little, or very late... Nevertheless, better late than never!

Most of the eyeshadow palettes from ColourPop have the same type of packaging; a lightweight, simple, and compact palette. Which is actually the kind I love because it's so light and flat, you can pretty much bring it everywhere you want and it will not occupy much space. Plus, it's made up of a cardboard-liked material which means it will not break like a plastic packaging. The You Had Me At Hello palette has a pink and purple bokeh theme with gold details which reminds me of tumblr aesthetics a few years back.



This palette contains a total of 12 gorgeous shades and the best part is, it is only retailing at US$16 (~S$22)! The shades in this palette are a good selection of pinks, purples, neutrals and browns, which, in my opinion, are the perfect colours to put on your lids during fall/winter. In addition, they are also evenly divided into 6 matte shades, and 6 glitter shades.

My favourite shades from this palette are definitely The Knot, Two Peas, Candygram, Winning Ticket, Pulling Strings, Want U Back, and Sparks Fly.

The Knot is a metallic, light ivory shade, and being someone who loves peach eyeshadows, I feel like this is definitely going to be my new to-go inner eye highlight shade as the subtle pink tones in this shade will go so well with peach and pinks. Two Peas is a matte medium beige with peachy tones which is perfect to use as a blending shade for my peach eyeshadows and beige skin. Candygram is a shimmer rose gold-ish shade, and I said rose gold-ish because most rose gold eyeshadows are pink with gold duochrome, but Candygram has a slightly more red base than pink which adds a louder and bolder pop of colour. Winning Ticket is a dusty blush shade, again, another perfect shade for blending eyeshadows as well as creating a romantic day time look. The last 3 shades I've chosen as my favs are matte browns, perfect for intensifying the eye look, as well as a blending shade.




Using this palette, I decided to create a festive, holiday glam look using the purple and golds in this palette. This is actually my very first time using a purple eyeshadow and I am now obsessed! I absolutely love how this look turned out and will definitely be wearing it lots for the rest of the year. If you wish to see how I achieved this look, click here.

Overall, this palette is gorgeous and I think it will make a perfect Christmas gift for those who are still trying to experiment with colours. All the shades are extremely wearable, and perfect for this holiday season!

Labels: beauty, eyeshadow palettes, looks, make-up, review, tutorials

Review: Zoeva Opulence Brush Set

Monday, 13 November 2017 at November 13, 2017

Every Christmas, I like to give myself a present, and before you think I'm weird, I believe I'm not the only one who does it. Honestly, I don't know why, but I think it's because I tend to spend a ridiculous amount of money during the holiday season, so to make myself feel better about my purchases, I like to label it as a "Christmas gift" for myself.


So for this year's Christmas gift to myself, I decided to go with the newly released Zoeva Opulence Brush Set... Which costs a whopping S$155... So let me lessen my guilt by trying to justify why I got it. Now, I'm not someone who buys makeup brushes often, even though my last makeup brushes purchase was only 6 months ago, ahem, I actually did not buy a single brush in 2016. So there, I'm not a crazy makeup brush hoarder. Plus, I own the Zoeva Luxe Rose Gold makeup brushes and I absolutely love them. They are the ones that refrained me from getting new brushes in the whole of 2016, so hopefully this new set will stop me from getting new ones in 2018. :-)



Both the Zoeva Luxe Rose Gold brush set and the Opulence Brush set are really pricey, but I feel like they are by far the best makeup brushes I've owned. Makeup brushes are also not makeup, they are makeup tools, and so they will be able to last you for a really, really, really long period of time if you take good care of them. I've owned other makeup brushes and I noticed that after washing them for a couple of times, the bristles starts to fall out but it didn't occur with the brushes from Zoeva.

Am I done justifying my purchase? Yes. Do I feel less guilty now? Yes. Good. On with the review...



This brush set was pretty much love at first sight for me. It definitely suits its name "Opulence" well as it does look very exquisite and luxurious. I love the dark plum shade on the handle that matches elegantly with the matte black. Honestly, the colour low key reminds me of Hogwarts. The names of the brushes are also embossed onto the handle in gold which adds a nice touch of metallic colour.



Another reason why I was attracted to this set was the pouch that comes along with it. My Zoeva Luxe Rose Gold brush set also came with a matching pouch and I love it. The quality is great, it's spacious, and I even used it as a clutch from time to time. This time round, the pouch has a special zipper on it as well as a pretty floral pattern on the insides of the pouch.



Like I mentioned, this set costs S$155, which sounds crazy, I know, but once you break it down, it's actually not that crazy! This set comes with a total of 10 brushes and a pouch. Let's say the pouch is free, $155 for 10 brushes makes it only S$15.50 per brush! To think that few weeks back I was considering of getting Tarte's double ended face brush and that costs S$50!


Half of the brushes are face brushes, while the other half consists of 4 eyeshadow brushes and 1 lip brush. Without further ado, let's begin talking about the face brushes.




First up, we've got the 104 Buffer, which is great for buffing in powder and liquid foundation. This brush is extremely soft so it doesn't prick your skin at all, and I feel like in comparison with a beauty blender, this brush has a similar finish but it doesn't absorb as much product as the beauty blender. The 110 Face Shape, which is supposedly a contour brush for liquid or cream contours but I have been using my Rose Gold one as an under eye concealer brush. The 142 Concealer Buffer, for blending in your concealer, thank you, Captain Obvious. The 135 Petit Face Definer which is one I've never tried before and I'm quite sure it can be used for either your setting powder, or highlight. The last face brush is the 137 Petit Fan which is one of the brushes that made me want to get this set even more. I love using a fan brush for my highlighter and previously I was using a really old and huge one from Coastal Scents, so I think this makes a good replacement because it's a lot smaller and precise which is great for highlighting my nose and cupid's bow.




Moving on to the eyeshadow brushes, we've got the 223 Petit Eye Blender, a small and dense brush which will work great in depositing any dark eyeshadows on the outer corners of my eyes. The 227 Soft Definer which is a fluffy blending brush to blend out any harsh edges of eyeshadow or nose contour. The 233 Cream Shader which is a flat dense brush, suitable for apply concealer, cream eyeshadows as well as glitter pigments, and lastly, the 317 Wing Liner, basically an angled brush for creating straight and thin lines. Our final brush in this set is the 331 Precision Lip which is best used to apply dark lip colours accurately.



Overall, I do not regret this purchase. I think a good makeup brush is worth investing in because it really affects the application and appearance of your makeup. I also used these makeup brushes in a Holiday Glam makeup look, so if you're interested to see how these brushes will blend out your foundation, concealer, and eyeshadows, click here!

Labels: face, make-up, review