DIY Double-Sided Earrings

Hi Lovelees!

My heart literally stopped when I saw these Dior double pearl earrings. And when one of my favorite DIY blogs, A Pair & A Spare, posted a tutorial to make them, I dropped everything and started right away. Unfortunately, I didn't have the perfect size of pearl beads, and I was too impatient to wait to go to Michaels the next day. So I improvised! And sometimes, improv turns out even better...

Materials:

- 1 pair of pearl earrings
- 2 rubber earring backs
- 2 wooden cube beads
- a CD

- e6000 glue
- sharp scissors
- marker

- optional: white acrylic paint and a thin paintbrush

Instructions:

1. Using a toothpick, put a small dot of glue into the hole of the bead.

2. Press the earring back into the hole. Repeat with the other bead. Let dry for 20-30 minutes.

3. You could be done right here, with a pair of pearl and wood double-sided earrings! But I went a step further by using a CD to make them iridescent/holographic. Cut the CD in half. Be careful!

4. At the cut edge, gently separate the CD into two. One side should be just clear plastic, and the other side will have the shiny stuff. Discard the clear plastic.

5. Trace the sides of the bead onto the non-shiny part of the CD with a marker. Cut the squares out. Remember, you don't need to cover the side with the earring back!

6. Glue the small CD squares onto the bead. Repeat with the other cube.

7. Let dry for at least 1 hour.

8. I painted the edges and the tops of the beads with white paint to polish it up, but that's up to you!

 

 

And now you have pearl and iridescent double-sided earrings! I love how they look perfect from every angle. I legit wear them everyday; they're casual, elegant and edgy all at the same time. Give them a try and let me know how it goes! Thanks for visiting!

Love,
Rachelle
@RachelleMLee     @MakeYouLoveLee

DIY Statement Beanie

Hey Lovelees!

So the weather here in Edmonton has taken a turn, which means it's time to bust out the beanies! Ah, something fashionable and cool. Statement beanies have been popping up everywhere, but I thought I would give it my own spin by adding some tasteful bling. Try this easy fix to spice up a plain, kinda boring, black beanie.

Materials:
- beanie
- necklace (I used this one, and similar here)
- needle and thread (try using embroidery thread if you can, it makes things quicker and easier)
- optional: pliers

Instructions:
1. Slide the letter beads off of the chain. Depending on the necklace you choose, you may need to remove the clasp in order to take the beads off. The pliers should do the trick.

2. Lay your beanie flat and position the letters.

3. Once you're happy with the look, it's time to sew them on. I used about 2-3 stitches per letter with the embroidery thread. If you're using regular sewing thread, the more the merrier!

And that's it! I gotta say, I'm quite impressed with myself. So easy but it still looks so cool and chic.There are tons of other inexpensive pendants and charms out, so go crazy people (what do you think of using this?). Give it a shot and please let me know how it goes!

Love!
Rachelle
@RachelleMLee @MakeYouLoveLee

Dark circle fix - a review of Priori Coffeeberry Eye Radiance serum

Hello Lovelees,

Today I would like to rave about my new eye serum. - Priori Coffeeberry Eye Radiance serum 15mL.

If I had to pick something that I believe is my biggest flaw if I go out with a "naked" face, it would be my dark circles and bags around my eyes.

I may not be the cutest giant panda around but I'd make that red panda a good run for its money.

Find a red panda photo here: http://www.123rf.com/photo_8651222_close-up-of-young-red-panda-or-shining-cat-ailurus-fulgens-7-months-old-in-front-of-white-background.html

I choose to compare myself with an animal instead of showing a picture because I don't know if my portrait will show it enough...It has like a purplish/grey undertone to it. Not very flattering. My mum has on one occasion said it was my makeup (presumably smokey eye look) gone wrong when I fought back defiantly with the line "You're WRONG cos I didn't wear any makeup today and cos all the other days I DID and it was so good you couldn't tell!"

The rest of the occasions she believes I didn't take off my makeup properly. Also wrong.

If you would like to see how I cover my flaws please check this post on concealers (tips and tricks here  ) and here (massive review here).

Cut to the chase :I LOVE Priori Coffeeberry Radiance Eye Serum !!  I found it off watching youtube of Avaliu (an HK singstar and beauty guru).  She speaks mainly in Cantonese and she has an online beauty store that sells the brand Priori so she was recommending and promoting the stuff. There may be vested interest but you have to give it to her when she talks she sounds extremely knowledgeable and convincing and believes in the products she stocks.  I bought my serum from amazon though haha.

Basically from what she said (in rough translation) was that coffeeberry stimulates the circulation of the fine capillaries around your eyes to reduce the puff and darkness.  Why stimulating circulation is important is because the darkness is basically from the bloodcells gathering in the capillaries and breaking down under your eyes and lingering there producing dullness.  When you apply the serum it produces this kind of heat around your eyes that also helps circulation.  The worser your circulation, the warmer it is so after prolonged use this heat should be less because your eye circulation should be better.

There are other gurus that talk about what causes the dark circles and the most often causes pointed out are:

• allergies (rubbing eyes)
• poor diet
• lack of sleep
• genetics 
• UV 

For me I'm going to say ALLERGIES are my main enemies.  My right eye circles or worse than left, because I rub my eyes more on the right. Bad Connie.

I have no "before and after " pic sorry that will do enough justice as the difference is subtle at this stage and it's only been a month.  This stuff is not cheap but anecdotally I have already bought a second bottle because I think it has made a marked difference in the one month I've been using it!

I love the super light silky texture - it absorbs quickly, easy to spread.  Another plus about this serum is that it is so light in texture and absorbs so well I could be blending my eye makeup over it and it does not "roll up" like other eye creams and gels might.

The colour is not the most flattering as it comes out brownish (does not stain skin from what I can tell personally), and the smell is unusual as it is not the usual light fragrance we encounter in skincare products, but strongly smells of the coffee/coffeeberry extract.  Takes some getting used to overcoming these prejudices but it is not major!  They say it is fragrance and colorant free (I assume that meant no SYNTHETIC fragrance/colours).

I don't have many fine lines YET for it to be my chief complaint to monitor it's other capabilities...but it hasn't gotten any worse that i've noticed in that time?

From the Priori website and official stockists it says it is 99.2% natural and fortified with 0.5% coffeeberry extract providing one of nature's most potent antioxidant protection.  This fights free radicals which cause skin ageing.  They say it suits all skin types.

That last claim I might debate about suiting all skin types, it can suit - but I think if you need more moisture and have mature skin you might need to have something else to supplement it to be BETTER.

In conclusion - it is an unusual product in that it also "warms" up your eyes, not necessarily cheap but I have bought a second bottle already because I think it is effective in reducing dark circles!

What's your favourite eye serum /cream and why?

Till next time!
;)Connie
Follow on Twitter @makeyoulovelee and Facebook 

DIY Knit Shorts

Hey Lovelees!

I don't have any new DIY tutorials today because I was working on these awesome knit shorts! Yep, I knit these babies all by my self. It took quite some time, but the actual knitting pretty easy. I followed this simple pattern from Scarffaces and I parked myself in front of the TV for the whole week. Pretty time-consuming, but I think they're worth it. They turned out even better than expected and they are perfect for the fall weather right now! What do you guys think of these?

- Rachelle
@MakeYouLoveLee @RachelleMLee

DIY Spherical Earrings

Hey Lovelees!

I'm back from an amazing experience interning in New York, and I thought of so many new projects while I was there! This particular project was inspired by these earrings from European brand & Other Stories. The only way to buy them was to fly to Europe, so I came up with this DIY instead. I saved a lot of money, and now you can too!

Materials:

- silver-plated plastic beads in varying sizes (I stuck to 2 sizes, but it's completely up to you!)
- 2 silver earring posts
- 2 earring backs
- e6000 glue

Instructions:

1. Arrange the beads into whatever pattern you like. I took a picture of the order to reference later on.

2. Glue the beads together. Make sure the holes of the beads are facing inward to get the full spherical effect.

3. Leave to dry.

4. Glue the earring posts. For stability, attach them to a larger bead in the cluster. Let dry and add on the earring backs.

And that's it! So simple and easy, but they end up looking so elegant and classy. You could also use copper beads to imitate the original ones, or try gold beads too! If you try this out, please send us a picture!!

Rachelle
@RachelleMLee @makeyoulovelee
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Smoke it up - *gasp* even in the daytime! For EYES ONLY

Hello Lovelees!
Long time no see!
Rachelle's gonna have amazing stories to tell when she's back from New York from her internship, but she has had to put her projects on hold since her tools etc are all here in Edmonton haha.
Meanwhile I've been really busy with work, relocating and organising cos our office has just moved to be bigger and better yay!

Anyways suddenly I had an itch to do a tutorial one day (it does help that a few people have been asking why I've been MIA...) because I came up with a smokey daytime look that I really like!!

Usually I am the lazy variety with just BBcream, eyeliner , mascara and blush. Eyeshadow is an optional and can be time consuming thing - just cos with my Asian hooded eyes - there's a lot of finesse  and "special effects" needed to make it extra dimensional and flattering, than our usually flat faces, features and eyes. When you do it right though - it would look amazing, you would feel amazing and ...in this case I felt sophisticated haha.

I chose slate today because it's dark enough to not be black, it almost gives a grey smokey look without actually being grey but that it's bluish to add some interest and keep it looking casual but mature.



Here's the tutorial - Enjoy!:

Products used:

Kat Von D High Voltage Eye Primer
Neutrogena Nourishing Eyeliner in Twilight Blue
Lorac Pro Palette  -eyeshadow- Slate
MAC eyeshadow- Soft Brown
Loreal Lineur Intense - Black Mica
Sephora Pantone Universe Foiled waterproof eyeliner in Rose Gold and Silver

I am crazy with mascaras - I now use 3 concurrently:
Upper lashes: Buxom Lash mascara for the volume and length with nourishing ingredients as a base, then waterproof Maybelline Full n Soft mascara to add even more volume set my curl and make more water/smudge resistant
Lower Lashes - Clinique Lash Power mascara.




The key to keeping it as a daytime look is that you don't lay the colour too far up your eyelid, the blue should end just below the crease and then your transition blending colour goes right into the crease (socket) and not much further past.  I also put the light foiled eyeliner under the lower lash line to lighten up the look and create a bright innocent eye.  Try to keep your eyebrows relatively full but not too densely filled.



If you were to transform it to evening look then you would basically extend the colours further out past your lids, rim your waterlines with black kohl pencil, add some falsies and replace the light coloured pencil under the lower lash line with a dark drop shadow instead.  For the rest of your face you should also contour more, fill your eyebrows darker and more arched with highlights.

Pair those eyes with a light peachy cheek and nude lips so that the focus are on your eyes.  I think this look is appropriate for work especially if you often wear some power suits or any winter appropriate outfit.   It's definitely a more mature look. If you had a bright cheery summer outfit then this is probably not the "cutest" look to go for haha.  Depending on your smile - you can technically still try to pull the cute look off! haha eg:

;)Connie
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3 steps to convert wimpy lashes to REAL long and healthy lashes!! (no falsies)

Hello Lovelees

I want to share with you guys one of my favourite eyelash looks lately. Rachelle and I have been quiet because we just came back from our mediterranean cruise holiday ! yay!

How to batter eyelashes that are real! It's a 3 step approach but it DOESN'T INVOLVE FALSIES!!

RIGHT EYE with my 3 steps, LEFT EYE natural

STEP 1 - Nutraluxe Lash (MD)

This is a serum that you paint along your eyelashes like you would a liquid eyeliner.  It shows real results in 2 weeks if you apply twice a day. It thickens and lengthens your eyelashes.  It can be applied to eyelashes or eyebrows in areas you feel are sparse.  It only thickens hairs and follicles where it already exists and not in places where follicles were never present. So eg if it is a scarred area or you are naturally not so hairy it may not have the desired effect.  This is not an individual downfall of the product but any "lash stimulating" product on the market is limited by your natural number of hair follicles.

 Actually the instructions say just use once a day.  A beautician in Hong Kong introduced it to me a couple years ago and she was raving about how she tried tons and this one actually works and shows results fast! She told me to apply twice a day to get it going.  After I noticed results I went back to once a day (as recommended by manufacturer) for maintenance.

All lash enhancing serums work on including a prostaglandin in the ingredient which are also included in glaucoma medication eyedrops.  In optometry school we used to learn that a side effect of the prostaglandin eye drop in the treatment of glaucoma disease is that it may darken the eye area and also cause thicker eyelashes.  My optometry friends (girls) and I always thought that wasn't so negative a side effect, most of us were asian anyway- darker eyes than we already had was not an issue.  Our usually wimpy short lashes however...were.  We just didn't know that a couple years later that doctors would use this in a cosmetic application safely - for real!  The first and most recognized drug/application for lash enhancement was actually Latisse.  It requires prescription from your doctor but I think it is more a matter of request rather than the doctor denying you of it.  It was not a particularly affordable product though.

Later the market is flooded with a variety of products that claim the same effect.  I won't say they don't work but I can't be sure either.  Feedback is very mixed.


STEP 2- Etude House Lash Perm Primer Basecara


LOVE this stuff.  It has a bent smiley face wand that helps curl lashes as you apply and the basecara is a greyish substance.  On the box the English description says it is a lash conditioning undercoat that has a unique polymer  that helps mascara stay on for a longer fuller look.

You can see that it probably helps build your lashes to be longer by extending it with little 'fibres' as the basecara dries in little "spikes".

You apply it like mascara, one coat of it before you apply the actual mascara.  You do not need to particularly wait for it to dry.

I find the basecara really helps separate the lashes when I'm using Lashionista (Maybelline mascara).  Without it the Lashionista still gives similar length but the lashes will tend to clump in longer spikes rather than having separated dense looking set of lashes.

Basecara also claims it helps mascara wash off easier.  I tend towards non-waterproof mascara anyway so washing it off was never an issue.  I think it does help A LITTLE in washing/removing waterproof mascara long as you are not applying too many coats of mascara...So in short - it KINDA works but don't count on it to be magic.

When I use this basecara - I mainly like it because it helps (in order of favourite advantages)
1. condition lashes
2.add volume and length without clumping
3.curl
4.base to help cleaning mascara off a bit easier.

I usually only use mascara with good smudge-resistance anyway when it is used alone so I don't necessarily rely on it for helping mascara "stay on longer" as their advertised advantage.


STEP 3 - Maybelline Lashionista Mascara

It doesn't seem to be available on the Canadian (maybe even USA??) market at the moment even though it is by Maybelline NEW YORK but it brags in Hong Kong to be the number 1 selling mascara in Japan.  In Hong Kong youth culture we often are drawn towards Japanese or Korean beauty, pop and fashion as the trend setters so I decided to buy it even though I have a lot of mascara unopened etc lying around at home.

It might be  a drugstore mascara but surprisingly if I convert the currency from HKD back to CAD I almost pay the same if not maybe a little more for my Clinique mascara. Go figure.  But I actually think it's worth it.

It's effect is extremely similar to the Clinique Lash Power that I have written about before here.  But this is even BETTER.

Top with flash - you can see fibres on the brush, bottom without flash: see the little fibres out of the mouth of the tube?

So in short it is oil and moisture resistant and doesn't/smudge onto my eyelids as the day goes by.  It extends the lashes by almost..."attaching" these fibres that you can see forming as you pull the brush out of the tube and see the excess mascara gathering on the mouth of the tube is spikey fibre like.  When you brush through it's almost like attaching these fibres along the length of your lashes and then building on itself after that.  As with any other structure if it is too 'top heavy" with no real support then it will start crumpling sideways - which is what may happen if you are over ambitious with your application.  With experience you will know when to stop and when it is too many coats haha.

Add caption

I find the Etude House basecara really helps to separate the lashes, avoiding clumping with this mascara.

It will require at least 2 coats.  I curl my lashes after application by resting my lashes on the length of my index/pointing fingers and pushing my finger upwards until the mascara dries and sets (about 10-15s). Ie point your fingers towards the bridge of your nose along the length of your eye,  but have your lashes resting in a bent position on your fingers.  This saves my lashes from  potentially getting damaged or weakened by the clamping action of a curler.

In real life the end result is super cute in the innocent wide eyed way.



If the weather is a little bit humid causing you to lose your curl during the day, or you want to save time with getting the mascara to dry in the curled position by using the method i described above, often I might apply a coat of waterproof mascara on top so that it will set and dry the product underneath faster.  Because you already primed your lashes with non waterproof mascara and only coating the waterproof mascara on the top - end of day cleaning is just as easy, or almost as easy as washing off just the non-waterproof mascara.

Share this if you learnt something and check us out on Facebook!
See if you like and comment!

;)Connie
Follow on twitter @Makeyoulovelee

DIY Striped Purse

Hey Lovelees!

I have been obsessed with black and white stripes lately. It's an interesting pattern that's simple and intricate at the same time. I'm pretty sure it's my easiest tutorial yet, but it still looks so sophisticated. Go ahead, try it out!

Materials:

- black structured purse/clutch
- white leather/faux leather
- printed pattern of stripes (I just searched 'stripes' on Google images)

- e6000 glue
- scissors and/or Xacto knife
- marker or pen

Instructions:

1. Measure the length and width of your purse. Then use these measurements to draw a rectangle onto your printed sheet of stripes. Cut out.

2. Draw a border of about 0.5 cm inside the rectangle. Then, using the Xacto knife or your scissors, cut out either the black or the white set of stripes. Do not cut through the border!

3. Place this stencil onto the back of the leather. Trace it onto the leather, then cut out. I put my piece on a black background so it's easier to see!

4. Carefully glue leather piece onto the purse (I did it one stripe at a time). Let dry.

And your beautiful striped purse is finito! I only did one side, but feel free to repeat Steps 3 and 4. You can wear it with bright, solid colors or a simple pattern, like polka dots.

Enjoy!
Rachelle

Concealers- How to avoid creasing, caking or cracking!

Hello Lovelees!

A dear friend requested some tips or review on concealers in particular because she got super frustrated with hers.  Sorry long time coming but I hope this sheds some light! ;)

Just to cover the basics..

Concealer is a very densely pigmented cream or liquid, sometimes even mineral powder (usually from the indie companies), that helps you cover up blemishes or dark spots with just a small amount of product. It allows a more targeted and powerful coverage in a particular area.  You usually add it on top of your base (foundation or BB cream) in areas that you feel additional coverage is required.  Some cases it will give a better blended or smoother result with it under the foundation.  To give the best blended result is to apply concealer with small dots  then blur /blend/ press in the edges gradually to avoid a big slick of it. 

For under the eyes

Choice is to pick a colour that matches rest of your face (recommended if your eyes tend a bit small) or, Pick a shade that is a shade or 2 lighter than the rest of your face so that you can brighten /freshen the look of that area.  This method is also good for highlighting areas that needed extra coverage anyway (for me it's the bulb of my nose).  If you have puffy bags though, don't highlight the puffs with a lighter concealer - use the shade that matches!  Space out the concealer blobs under the eye, but not too close to the bottom lash line. This avoids a whole slab of product under your eye and a lighter/even blend into the rest of the face by fading it towards your lashline and rest of your face.  Preference really is to apply and blend /spread out with clean fingers especially for cream or liquid concealers so that you can use the warmth of your hand to melt and press in the product more seamlessly, brushes would need to be used with the powder concealers of course (otherwise there's more product on your finger than your face...)!  If you feel you need more coverage, especially in that inner triangular corner wedge of your eyebags (where it tends to be darker)- I may again press/blend in another layer.   Don't rub too much, otherwise you only just displace the under layer - just pat it in and make sure no fingerprints are left on your face afterwards haha. 

On blemishes or smaller areas in other places I usually like to dab a dot of concealer a bit larger than the pimple/dark spot you are covering, that larger overlapping zone on healthy skin is your blend zone so that you have full coverage on the actual blemish so that the blend area is on the outside of the blemish perimeter.  The shade selection in this case should match the rest of your face, definitely don't use a lighter one (e.g. the under eye shade) or any that has light reflecting particles in it... because that will simply HIGHLIGHT where the bump of your pimple is! :(

Usual complaints with a concealer is:
-Cakey/ Thick
-Creasing
-Migration into fine lines
-Cracks
-Poor coverage
-Aggravates blemishes
-Poor lasting power

How to extend / "freshen" wear time:

Massive Concealer Product Review - Concealers of all price ranges!!

Hi Lovelees!
Welcome to part 2 of my concealer review (part 1 here).  This has been a long time writing because there are so many included in here and I like to give these concealers a full day test...and there are days I lean towards my favourites and don't give my other products a chance long enough to write extensively about it...that and there's a vid with all this and i'm slow editing..

I'd just like to say at the time of writing I'm in winter so my skin is on the dry side so I test these products WITHOUT application of powder on top to see how well they perform alone (Well i prep my face with a light moisturiser and will say below if I added more moisturiser  for drier formulas).  I am also the philosophy - less is more.  if you can find a way to go without the powder under your eyes I think that's better because that means there's less product/layers shifting  and therefore if it DOES happen to crease or crack it's less obvious.  The reverse side is if you KNOW it will crease then yeh- that's what the powder or other setting techniques are for!!

Climate in edmonton is very dry especially in winter. But also in summer too it is not very humid.  It is your laundry's dream but maybe not so much for your skin.  I have a humidifier at home i have running 24/7.  If you have oilier skin or probably for summer i may need to be more conscientious about setting with powder.  I have found I tend toward the setting powders more in humid areas eg Hong Kong because I glow too much in the not so flattering ways there.

Missha M Perfect Cover BB cream, MUFE Full Cover concealer, Amazing Cosmetics Concealer

Missha Perfect Cover #23 :no crease -great for under eye area.  Compared to other BBcreams used for rest of face does not give skin as much vibrancy/luminosity over time (still some). Compared to other BBcreams I've tried eg Skin 79 it doesn't continue to hide pores and has a slightly more oily sheen to its luminosity finish.  These are all minor differences- I do like the product and use it often but it's not PERFECT...


Make Up For Ever Full Cover concealer (in #7):LOVE! Though it did not make a good initial impression because while it is liquid the formula is quite sticky so when I tried to blend in using fingers it tugged around the eye a bit.  Doesn't glide as easy as other concealers.  That means the application technique has to be a using very little product with light hand and dabbing motion to blend or build coverage.  It is very pigmented so a little goes a long way and allows us a very quick fix.  I have concluded that the sticky nature is due to the fact that it sets really fast.  One layer would dry quickly and I can apply another layer of concealer on easily to build coverage, without the use of powder.  On my nose it did a pretty good job covering/filling pores with good staying power.  Natural looking "skin" finish where it is not completely flat/ matte, ie satin.  I can imagine if i wanted to only invest in one face product and super lazy I'd be tempted to just get this one and spot treat.  I think I would consider diluting it down with moisturiser if i were to consistently use it to cover the rest of my face.  It lasts all day - it is non-comedogenic and waterproof, with no creasing.  Mild cracking occurs after a very long day but that is being very nitpicky because it is so subtle, it is easily fixed by making sure you moisturise very well before application.

Amazing Cosmetics Amazing concealer (medium beige) - Introduced to me recently by my friend Elaine (she blogs about new motherhood and other things) it's also pretty great! I think it performs like the Makeup For Ever Full Cover concealer but this swatches a bit more peachy, it will eventually blend into your skin pretty well, without the stickiness.  The offset is that it's safer to set with powder with this one as it may slide especially around tzone areas. It is of a more emollient texture than MUFE Full Cover and doesn't crease under eye , but may crack after a super long day but i think this could be forgiven.  It also does not aggravate blemishes.  Again use sparingly because it is super pigmented and then layer on as needed.  Also great for weddings because it is water resistant ;)

Benefit Boi-ing, Neutrogena Skin Clearing Blemish Concealer, Covergirl Olay Concealer Balm

Covergirl Olay concealer balm (#330 light -good for MAC NC 20-25 generally, NC30 for under eye) good for under eye 80% of time (in that it doesn't crease).  It's good for dry skin, glides smooth, staying power average for under eye. I find it a bit too oily on my nose or for tzone areas and so it likes to migrate, if you set these areas with powder it shouldn't be a problem. It doesn't clog pores or aggravate blemishes.  It's a light-medium coverage, and difficult to build without powders etc to help.  I like using this with the makeup setting spray to build coverage under eye and set - then it's perfect.  I quite like this combo method too.

Neutrogena Skin Clearing Blemish Concealer with Microclear technology (in Medium 15 for me, matches MAC NC30 perfectly): I think does a fair job  at drying(60-70% of time where I think the zit improved), while concealing pimples.  They are not miracle wielders where your zit goes flat by the end of the day like how they tend to exaggerate generally in any of the salicylic acid products.  However i think i am just happy finding one that does not aggravate them.  For me I think every pimple is different.  Some are more superficial, some are big and deeper.  Neutrogena i think MOST of the time helps to dry out the pimple where the pimple may choose to disappear.  One time it was interesting where it looked like a smaller pimple was peaking and collecting a pus centre in the morning and did not get better during the day after using the Neutrogena concealer.  In the evening after i cleansed my skin and wiped my face i found i had somehow taken the pimple off and left behind a pink mark.  Other times i think it didn't necessarily worsen but it definitely didnt help and the pimple had progressed. My Hawaii tan has faded and the colour doesn't match and I feel the concealer does oxidise making the shade disparity even more apparent. The way i like to apply it is dot the concealer directly on the pimple then use the sponge tip to diffuse out the area past the margins of the pimple.  I let it dry for a few seconds so that the product settles better in the skin and is not easily blended away and i start blotting down the edges of the concealer with my fingers into my skin.

I think because you are using this specifically on pimples it's very important to keep the spongetip clean, otherwise you are only aggravating it more with the extra germs.  I suggest at least on a weekly basis wiping down/rubbing down the tip with alcohol wipes and let it dry (say 15s) before recapping.
Using this can get dry around my eye area and around mouth.


Benefit Boi-ing (in #02 before they extended the color range from 3 to 5 shades): This was one of the first branded concealers I forked out for years and years ago because I recall it winning the Allure (i think) awards for the year.  The shade is a bit orangey pinkish which I think is perfect for hiding under eye circles (as described above about the colour correctors), for the rest of the face though it didn't quite match my yellow skin tone perfectly.  It allows full cover building but can migrate if not set with powder. It doesn't sit in my fine lines but it's a bit cakey hence mildly emphasising my fine lines.  It irritated my pimples at the end of the day if I tried to hide them with it.  It's not my favourite product , I occasionally use it if I can't find my favs within reach but largely I have moved on from it.

Nars concealer in Ginger for MAC NC30, Custard for MAC NC20-25: Texture is quite dry at first and can accentuate lines, because it comes in like a skinny lipstick packaging and the surface can be a bit dry.   So moisturize well (eg with some argan oil mixed in to usual eyecream) .  This can layer well to high medium coverage and doesn't crack, though I think it does still gather in my smile lines a little bit over a long day.  That's me being picky and hovering very close to the mirror.   Once you use it each time and get past that drier top layer on the stick it glides quite well, especially if you warm it with your fingers.  I've used it to cover some blemishes and it doesn't seem to aggravate them.  Not bad.  Overall I think this should be more for spot/blemish coverage to do it's best work.  There's a new Nars Radiant Creamy concealer (in a lipgloss packaging with doe foot applicator) that's good for under the eyes which can also build to medium-full coverage, but too radiating for blemishes haha.  Yet to try for myself though!

Performance Colors Creamy Undereye concealer -Etsy:  Sorry they only ship to USA and Canada! I used medlite and it fit my then MAC NC 25 skin ok with it being lighter under my eyes - but they have extended their colour range to include more yellow based shades).  Fragrance is strong and I have a sensitive nose that don't favour some fragrances. after application the scent continues to linger for another 45mins+, and then I fell asleep...  Very creamy easy to apply/ blend and has a matte finish.  Does a fair job if you want to use it for the rest of your face but it is not meant for full coverage as the description on Etsy says and I think ultimately not super long lasting against the oils on your face.  The matte finish does not match my everyday taste of preferring a more satin luminous finish.  With time it settles into your skin a little bit better.  No creasing, but very slight cracking just because it is such a matte formula and seems to float above the skin so of course your smile lines on your face underneath are going to do some shifting causing the cracks. It's very fine and you would alleviate that dried look with some added moisturiser.  I'm unsure how it would perform on more mature skin or a more heavy lined face because the matte finish kind of makes the lines stand out more in my opinion.  For the price though the performance is very good!!



Hope that all helps! Share the link if you learnt something!

;)Connie
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Tony Moly Kiss Kiss Lip Scrub Review

Hello Lovelees!

Sorry I've been quiet but Rachelle has been cooking up a storm with all her awesome DIY fashion.  You guys' readership has been totally fuelling her passion and practice makes perfect cos she's getting pretty fast at showing off her new projects and rocking them!

I've just been back from 3 wks in Hk/taipei and have some makeup and skincare haul and shopping tips  to provide you guys with.  I've been a bit slow cos i'm getting weirdly hindered with a lot of aches and pains lately sighz...

To ease back into it I want to share with you one of my new skincare faves - Lip Scrub!



WHY?
Summer/spring coming up it is an even bigger opportunity to rock a bright happy lipstick or gloss.  But if  you've ever tried a lipstick that is especially light and matte -either pastel or just bright- if you haven't been taking care of your lips then this will definitely show you up! :(  The lipstick would gather in your lines and dead skin .  Your lips will look uneven and clumpy - and that will be the first thing others will see with your attention grabbing lipstick...



BEFORE:
I mean I thought I knew a thing or two with lip scrubbing and exfoliating, e.g. use a toothbrush to massage it when you are brushing your teeth; or use a warm wet towel to massage it when you are washing your face; and of course the DIY home remedies with sugar lip scrubs (ok so I didn't try that one because I'm lazy and seems a waste and hassle when you make up a batch and really you only need like a tablespoonful at a time).

NOW:
So I've read good things about the Tony Moly Kiss Kiss Lip scrub so I've decided to try it! The texture of the scrub is a light mousse feel with small visible granules with a gentle strawberry aroma.  This is all packaged in a cute hot pink plastic lip shaped container, inside it also has a plastic cover slip to help avoid product leakage.

INSTRUCTIONS:
 from Sasa.com (where you can get it from) is

1. Gently massage a proper amount onto the lips for 1 – 2 minutes.
2. Rinse with lukewarm water.
3. Apply once or twice a week.

According to Sasa.com: It is made with natural ingredients that will not irritate your lips including argan oil that will nourish and hydrate them.

A quick google though also has other information eg from ebay saying it has UV control Lip essence for antiaging, macadamia and jojoba oil to soothe dry lips, honey to provide a variety of nutrients such as protein, vitamins, minerals and amino acid, with the vegetable grain scrub.

I'm sorry I can't read Korean on the labels so can't say definitively but there is in the Kiss Kiss range also the Kiss Kiss Lip Essence Balm (same size/shape packaging but red coloured lips) .  I wonder if the UV part of the above is talking about that despite the picture/description,  because I know for a fact that the Lip Essence balm does have UV protection.

But let's just say for sure from it's actual usage I don't have the unsightly dead skin bunching the lipstick and immediately post scrub my lips feel moisturised and the following lip balm almost slips, rather than glides along my lips when I apply it!


If you prefer video talk and live demo:

BONUS:
I tend to have some hyperpigmentation on the corner of my lips and i feel that scrubbing around that area has also lightened the darkness there :) Note - don't be too vigorous with the scrubbing otherwise you will leave yourself a stinging and ravaged kind of sensation...I learnt it the hard way haha - i missed the word GENTLY in the instructions...

If I run out of it I will definitely be buying again!

;)Connie

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DIY Lace-up Back

Hey Lovelees!

Sorry for the lack of posts lately, I've been busy with school and Connie over here has been traveling again! Today's DIY is inspired by this picture from Vogue Street Style. It just perfectly mixes the sporty trend with a classic leather jacket. The lace-up back is a small detail with a whole lotta oomph. So go ahead, take a teeny break from those darn awful finals, and try out this DIY!

Materials:

- leather jacket
- black leather/faux leather scraps
- red cord

- e6000 glue
- scissors
- ruler
- lighter
- optional: plastic cord stopper (mine is from an old backpack)

Instructions:

1. Cut the back of your jacket, so you end up with 2 pieces. Try to use a jacket that has a seam at the back, so it will make this step easier.

2. Cut the vinyl into 10 rectangles measuring approximately 1 cm x 3 cm.

3. Fold these in half and glue. Make sure to leave enough space for your cord to go through! Let dry.

4. Place 5 loops on one side of the jacket and glue in place. Do the same on the other half of the jacket. Let dry again.

5. If your jacket has a lining, glue it to the outside of the jacket, sandwiching the loops between the two layers. I used paper clips to keep it in place while it dried. Ghetto I know, but it works!

6. Thread the cord through the loops to create a criss-crossing pattern.

7. Use a lighter on the cord ends to keep them from fraying.

8. Knot the ends together or thread them through the cord stopper.

And know you have an uber sweet lace-up back leather jacket! It's perfect for the spring weather here in Edmonton, and trust me, it will go with every outfit. Please don't hesitate to let me know how it goes!

LOVE
Rachelle
Follow me on Twitter! @RachelleMLee @makeyoulovelee
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DIY Grid Shirt - Western Canada Fashion Week

Hey Lovelees!

The last week has been so exciting, as I showed some of my DIY pieces during Western Canada Fashion Week! I participated in the Stylist Competition, but I also helped a student group from the University of Alberta called ECO-Style. ECO-Style's show consisted of DIY'ed clothes created by the whole group. I decided to have a tutorial for one of the pieces I did for the show: the grid shirt. Click here to see it on the runway!

It's mod but in a delicate way, and it's super easy!

Materials:

- white/cream blouse or shirt
- black fine permanent fabric marker
- ruler

Optional:
- black beads
- needle and thread

Instructions:

1. Lay your blouse out on a flat surface. Put some scrap paper inside, so that the marker doesn't bleed onto the other side of the shirt.

2. Lay your ruler on the shirt, and use the marker to draw horizontal lines across the shirt. I left about 3 inches between each line. Drawing the lines may be tricky, but just take your time, and carefully make short strokes along the ruler.

3. Draw vertical lines across the horizontal ones, with 3 inches between each line again. Don't worry about making perfect 90 degree angles, it looks better if it's imperfect!

Optional step: Once the marker has dried, sew a bead onto each intersection of the grid.

And now you have a classic white shirt with a mod twist. This patterned shirt seriously goes with everything!

Rachelle
@RachelleMLee @makeyoulovelee
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*updated by Connie Apr 8 2013*
look what I found at Zara in Hong Kong after I saw the post from Rachelle!!

Orange and Pink Spring Look

Hello Lovelees!!

This look would be great for summer/ spring coupled with bold coloured outfits.  Not busy. Just bold and sharp block colours.




Products used:

Face:
Skin79 Super + Hot Pink BB cream
Amazing Cosmetics Concealer (Given by a friend - but I know you can buy from Sephora!)- Medium Beige
Tarte Smooth Operator Translucent Powder
Arezia  Eyeshadow and Blush palette (Given by my same friend -it's a Japanese brand she found to try) - Peach blush
Hard Candy So Baked Bronzer -Heat Wave

Eyes:
NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil - Milk
Arezia Palette  - Fiery Tangerine orange, Medium Blue-based pink (ie pink leaning very subtly to purple),
Lorac Pro Palette - Taupe, White, Espresso
Sephora Aspen Summit No.23 Eyeshadow (shimmery white)
Urban Decay 24/7 Glide on Pencil - Yeyo
Wet n Wild Liquid Eyeliner -Black-Brown
Maybelline Full n Soft Waterproof mascara - Black

Lips:

Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick -Airy Fairy
Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick -Twinkled Pink

Check out the Vid tutorial:

As a brief review the Arezia palette is a very fun and colourful palette with amazing presentation and variety.  However I think the colour payoff is not the strongest but the powder is fine enough to not leave chalky chunks on a single swipe swatch.  Be mindful to make sure you prime your lids well- the orange eyeshadow did stain my lids mildly and temporarily after I first removed my eyeshadow after wearing it for 5hrs.

Wet n Wild Liquid Eyeliner in Black Brown was a new purchase for me and the performance being budge-proof will not hold very well against oily lids. So prime and oil control well.  I found laying down a combo of Tarte Smooth Operator plus some eyeshadow powder before applying the eyeliner worked well.  Wearing the eyeliner by itself will not, as opposed to how Loreal Lineur Intense (my favourite liquid eyeliner) can hold its own.  The applicator comes to a stiff pointed tip so control is quite easy.  In conclusion, long as you put in the correct oil control preparation on your lids - this liquid eyeliner is a pretty good bang for buck!

Hard Candy So Baked Bronzer in Heat Wave - it costed about $CAD10 in Walmart and I think it's awesome quality.  Baked powder products has a characteristic dome shape and they're always so cute!  Baked products also mean that it can be used dry, or wet for a more intense colour. It has the mildest gold shimmer without looking glittery and it's also not too orange.



Try it- it might be a bit out there but it's actually pretty wearable and striking, fun look to do!

;) Connie  Follow Twitter @makeyoulovelee ; Facebook: makeyoulovelee