Crossing the Blues

Saturday, October 31, 2009

The genius of You Tube

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I’d  like to believe that YOU TUBE was founded by beauty gurus who needed an avenue to post all their beauty hauls and what not in moment of makeup enlightenment but the simple truth is that it was founded by 3 pretty attractive looking guys( some still say it’s 2 guys and I am totally not sure about this but since Wikipedia stated 3,I’m sticking with it)! Above is Chad and Steve. The third dude is Jawed Karim and from what I see through Google images, he’s not bad looking. Totally unexpected .

This raises another case in point, IT WIZs can be very attractive and good looking. I really love these guys as they have helped me get over my TV Addiction. You Tube has everything a girl would ever need to keep herself occupied and readily informed.

I love you tube cause it has spawned so many amazing beauty gurus like Michelle Phan , Fafinette, binosusume, beautyQQ, manwomanfilm and many others.

I love how you can be surfing for one thing and a great link to something similar pops up and since my attention span is that of a goldfish, I can easily switch videos super fast and I rarely get bored!

ADDICTIVE YOU TUBE VIDEOS\ CHANNELS :-

KOREAN COOKING CHANNEL:

MAANGCHI

This lovely korean lady makes cooking complex Korean Dishes look easy, fun and yummy. I bet it’s not as easy to make though for a klutz like me! All those veggies, yummy!

CURRENT FAVOURITE ENTERTAINMENT CHANNEL:

X FACTOR 

OLLY MURS. I am such a big fan of his!! His old school singing, dancing and on stage performance is the reason why I have to watch him online every week!

CRAIG FURGERSON

His interviews with celebrities (esp. Jennifer Love Hewitt) & monologues always crack me up.

JOHNATHAN ROSS *LUV HIM*

FAVOURITE HANDY CRAFT\BEAUTY\INTELLIGENT INDIVIDUAL:

Secretlifeofabionerd

PROBABLY THE MOST POPULAR BEAUTY GURU TO DATE:

RICEBUNNY\MICHELLE PHAN

BEAUTY AND HAUL EXTRAORDINAIRE:

THECURRENTCUSTOMS

She’s honest, funny and totally sexy. Amazing hauls too!

ANIME CHANNELS:

My current hot favourite anime is WITCHBLADE & VAMPIRE KNIGHT.  Lots of fun. I check out anime songs and everything anime related on you tube all the time :)

JAPANESE INSPIRED STYLE MAKEUP:
Eemeraude

MUSIC CHANNELS GALORE\UNPLUGGED MUSIC CHANNELS:

My current favourite music video has to be Miss Shanghai

For all my KPOP, Jap, German, English songs. Lately, I’ve been totally stuck to Park Bom Latest single:

From  Vampire Knight Guilty

Hope you enjoyed this post, it’s beauty related yet not beauty related… hee hee ^_^

If there are any channels you adore, pls comment below! I would love love to know :)

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Thursday, October 29, 2009

Lippy Addiction *-*

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Lipstick was the very first cosmetic that I ever fell in love with. I can’t describe the feeling when I first applied my mommy’s red lipstick but I knew then that I wanted tons of lipsticks when I grew up.

Some people have pictures, furniture, dairies, to remind them of different stages in their lives and I have my LIPSTICKS. The lipsticks I keep for ages,  bring back precious memories for me and I just can’t throw them away!

As a poor  University student, I would really save up to buy Anna Sui, Shu Uemura, Biotherm, Chanel, MAC and MUFE. I was totally into buying “branded” lipsticks and glosses and it was usually a reward after my exams or tests! Yes, I needed beautiful incentives to get through school, cause it was so damn boring. After my Uni days, I spent a yr in MUNICH and all I had was the mainstream  brands such as MAC, YSL, maybelline and etc… I got to try some of the German made lipsticks from Manhattan and Art Deco. Still, I was super deprived of the Asian and regular brands that were easily avaliable in Spore. So, now that I’ve been back home  for 3 yrs, I totally appreciate the variety of lippies that I can get super easily from a local drugstore or shopping centre.

I have tried quite a number of lipsticks and glosses and nothing beats ANNA SUI, YSL and SHU UEMURA LIPSTICKS and MAC & Japanese LIPGLOSSES:

Here’s a Checklist for things I bear in mind when I go lippy hunting

  • PACKAGING – If the lipstick is cheap, I don’t expect maximum durability and beautiful packaging. It still has to be relatively decent though. If I buy expensive lipstick, it should be able to withstand some serious tossing around in my bag. Also, it should look pretty gorgeous ( just like YSL Lipsticks).
  • Avaliable  Testers that I can swatch with  is a must. I like to have a feel of the lippy b4 buying it.
  • SMELL – No fishy, plastic smells pls. This is sometimes why I steer clear of  cheaper lipsticks. They can smell pretty bad sometimes. Whereas MAC glosses smell like vanilla even after a long time. I actually adore the smell of Anna Sui Lippies too!
  • COLOR REPRODUCTION – I like what I see in the tube to be very close to what I have on my lips, bearing in mind that I do have pigmented lips.
  • CONSISTENCY – I prefer lipsticks which aren’t too sticky and creamy because they come off very quickly. I think I have slippery lips.
  • COLORS – I usually steer clear of very very dark lip colors cause I look very old with them. I used to be into  brown shades but now I like pinks and nudes. Shades of purple seem to suit my slightly pigmented lips really well too.
  • PRODUCT – I had a creamy MAC LIPSTICK that broke!  It was so soft, it practically melted and fell out the tube after 3 weeks ( I didn’t even use it everyday). MAC’s matte lipsticks don’t break as easily. Shu Uemura (SU) Lipsticks on the other hand have lasted years and years for me. Everything from the  ink on the packaging to the plastic casing and lipstick is still nicely in tact.
  • PRICE – I have a different budget from time to time.

Here’s some of my lippies from my makeup stash:

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IMG_1832IMG_1833  IMG_1834IMG_1837 IMG_1838

* Shu Uemura Colors are a little dated cause they are a little old..hehe.. can’t bear to throw them out.. I love the texture and look of the lipstick. Also, I have yet to find a close match to Anna Sui Matte Lipsticks *

I pretty keen on growing my nude/ pinkish/ purplish collection :) I have MAC’s Honey love, Blankety and myth, Revlon’s Nude Attitude and some OCC in mind too.. you guys have anything else to recommend ??

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Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Kim Kardashian @ Dolphins Stadium







Kim Kardashian @ Miami Airport











CORTRY Hydration Mask Review

Now dears, I’m having a giveaway to say thanks to my readers!! so if you haven’t had a chance to check it out, pls do so HERE :)

I’m really touched that so many of you have posted my giveaway on your blogs and I hope it was a relatively quick and painless process !! hehe LOL!

Okie…  so I’m on a MASK frenzy lately as my skin has been feeling very blah. I’m pretty positive that it’s due to stress.

My sister in law did rave about Cortry Face  Mask some time ago  so I got one during lunch at Guardian for 2SGD ( really cheap!)Here’s my thoughts on this all natural herbal treatment.

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*I love taking pictures with mask, it hides all my imperfections*

CORTRY MASK

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THE FACTS AS STATED:-

*WHAT IT DOES:

This intensive hydrating mask contains intensive herbal essence extracted from precious Chinese herbs that aids active deep penetration and hydration, infusing the skin with daily loss of moisture. This special Chinese herbal formula is specially formulated for Asian Skin. It deeply penetrates and helps revitalize, repair and satisfy skin thirst , keeping the skin supple and completely moisturized.

* USAGE:

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Use warm water to clean skin b4 using Cortry Hydrating Face Mask. You can lightly tap the mask for it be smoothened on your skin. After 15 minuted remove mask and cleanse skin.

Recommended Usage

Week 1: Daily usage

Week 2: Alternate Day Usage

Week 3: Usage twice a week

* Ingredients:

Codonpsis Pilosula Nannf, Aloe, Green Tea, Sweet Almond, Lucid Ganoderma FUNGUS, Pearl Powder, Water and Sodium Benzoate.

MY REVIEW:-

What it did for me?

This Cortry Starter Pack contains 2 mask, one neck mask and one face mask.

I slapped on Cortry’s  Face Mask for 15 minutes exactly and I must say that the mask was a strange brown color ( totally weird) and a little  funky smelling. I did not expect it to be super herbal but at least I know that the brown color was most likely coming from the Active Herbal Ingredient Ling Zhi.

After 15 Minutes, my face felt seriously moisturized. My skin felt like it had been soaked in a herbal bath and the after feeling kinda left me with mixed feelings. The mask made me feel like my skin had been totally moisture deprived.

Towards the end of 15 minutes, I was desperate to get the  ill fitting mask off my face only because of the funky herbal smell. It reminded me of the black Chinese Tonic ( holds nose) that my dad used to brew.

Afterwards, my skin looked very plump, very moisturized without any oily film and very relaxed. Yea, I know it’s a bit strange to say that my skin looks relaxed but it seriously looked like I had gotten a good night’s rest and there was a mild brightening effect too ( I suspect that this is the effect of the pearl powder ingredient). Another plus is that my red post acne scars looked less inflamed.

Ingredients wise, I am quite a fan. It’s not packed full of a thousand different ingredients but I know that it contains a few potent ones such as pearl powder, green tea and Ling Zhi,which is one of the most effective Chinese herbs around.

~A little info on Herbal Ingredient LINGZHI~

Ling Zhi Health benefits:

Aids in strengthening of immune system, chronic bronchitis & Asthma, Diabetes, etc… & Boost Beauty Benefits:

Lingzhi retains and regulates water in the skin and helps maintain the skin's elasticity, keeping the skin hydrated and smooth. It also helps to inhibit the formation and deposit of melanin in skin. Today, Lingzhi beauty care products are becoming new stars in the cosmetic industry. By adding Lingzhi into the bath, not only can skin be kept smooth but it can also help prevent bacterial infections.

Would I repurchase?

This is a mask I love and hate.

I would repurchase for the brightening and moisturising effectiveness. Plus the fact that it made my skin very supple. The mask has a lovely oriental packaging that gives no indication of it’s very affordable price. 

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I would not repurchase because it’s stinky, brown in color and it's too small for my face :( I am actually pretty particular about the packaging and actual look of a product…….Oh and I actually left the used mask on a piece of paper and it stained the paper brown too.. Kinda repulsive for a clean freak like me… hahaha

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