HK "Gift To Self" Haul

Shoot. I've abandoned my blog again. Apologies my lovelies! You know how it is when real life gets in the way of blogging duties ya? ;) I got a lot of requests on Twitter to share photos of the stuff I got during my recent trip to Hong Kong. Its been a while since I did a haul post, so I figured I'd give it a go. 

OMGee. I couldn't just tell you how much fun and destructive it is (for the wallet) to shop with a fellow beauty blogger.  I have to SHOW you.

*waves hello to Jennifer*

here's a group pic:

close ups:

I'm running really low on my current Aqualabel skin care so I took advantage of the reasonably priced box set + enhancer at SaSa :)

also stocked up on my favorite bubble hair dye because selection is better and its so much cheaper in Hong Kong with all the promotions during the July SALE.

Sweet Apricot and Dark Chocolat

My Beauty Diary LE Masks and Sweet Teatime Set :)

I'm so excited to try these, the packaging is so darn cute!

Orbis UV Cut Sunscreen and Foam Esthe pack:

the sunscreen is the new version I've been told, hence the new packaging color.

loaded up on essential and portable brushes, the price difference between Hong Kong and Manila is huge especially for Shu Uemura brushes (my favorite brand).

I finally have S.U. 18R and the MAC 187  (my first MAC brush)! *happy dance*

base makeup, all powders were recommended by my dear friend/ evil enabler J. :P

The Nanoce BB moist cream was not on my "shoplist" but I was surprised when I saw it at CitySuper so I grabbed it. I've been wanting to try it for the longest time because of Nic Nic's good feedback and HG status. Go see her FOTD's to see what I mean. :)

Make Up For Ever:

I've been testing the black one, my review will be posted soon.

BeneFit:

liquid pearl luminizer, brightening makeup base and a foaming wash (sample)

Blushers:

JS Milky Strawberry and BeneFit Sugarbomb

Dior Addict Lippies in 322 and 333. 

Natural looking shades in the beige family. <3

Eye makeup:

you didn't think I was going back without some DollyWink cuteness did you? ^___^

also, I caved in and finally got a Helena Rubinstein mascara at HKIA Duty Free. xD

last but definitely not the least, Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill Intense Eyeshadows!

OMfrigginGee. I feel like doing a blog sale, sell all my e/s palettes and just collect all the ETK shades. Serious!

I hope you enjoyed the haul post as much as I had a blast shopping for them. *evil laughter* hey, its my birthday haul! lol. the lamest excuse. I know.

Have a great Monday!

♡,

G

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-on Eye Pencils 15th Anniversary Collection

If you dont already know, Urban Decay has the creamiest, smooth gliding, long wearing eye pencils out there. These pencil liners don't tug at the lids, helping you make a solid, straight and pigmented line in one easy swipe. Some gals love their MUFE Aqua Eyes, but I let go of mine right after I tried the creamy goodness of UD 24/7's. ;)

This is a great set to have especially if you're just starting to grow your eye liner collection. It retails for USD92 which sounds insane but is actually a great deal considering a pencil costs USD18 each if bought separately. You get 9 permanent shades and 6 new and exclusive colors. Unfortunately, it is not available locally. A shout out to the lovely Kat for helping me get this LE set! <3

it's so nice to look at!

can you spot the difference between the regular and the LE eye pencils?

the pencil from the LE set has a different font for the logo and a "UD15" printed right before the pencil shade, it also has a glossy cap and end while the regular one has a matte finish.

swatches:

(L-R) Stray Dog, Corrupt, Bourbon, Baked, Midnight Cowboy, Stash, Mildew, Perversion, Electric, Binge, Ransom, Asphyxia, Rockstar, Zero, Uzi

Bourbon is my everyday favorite for the soft but defined look it gives, Mildew is really nice for brown eyed gals, Midnight Cowboy is ideal for the lower waterline and I like to use Zero when going out at night. So far those are the only ones I've used. The FUN and vibrant colors are teasing me already. :)

I put the pencils to a test and tried taking them off using a cotton pad with alcohol but as you can see most of them stay put. Ironically, the "blackest black" Perversion is gone in a swipe.

(L-R) Stray Dog, Corrupt, Bourbon, Baked, Midnight Cowboy, Stash, Mildew, Perversion, Electric, Binge, Ransom, Asphyxia, Rockstar, Zero, Uzi

Now let's talk about "Grind House", an awesome sharpener which also comes with the set. Ohmygosh. I never thought I would rave about a sharpener in my life but, this one just rocks!

It doesn't waste product and it leaves the edge of the pencil smooth so it doesn't poke your eye when the eyeliner color runs out. (I hope you get what I mean!)

I highly recommend Urban Decay 24/7 eye pencils, just try one if you don't want to splurge on the whole set. Get the "Grind House" sharpener while you're at it! I'm sure you'll love it too!

Thanks for reading!

♡,

G

ps. sorry for the week-long absence lovelies! I've been sick since Friday and still battling the flu right now. What a wonderful way to start June! :(

DollyWink and Heroine Make Liquid Eyeliners Comparative Review

Hello lovelies! Today I'm going to review and compare two Japanese drugstore eyeliners, DollyWink Deep Black and Heroine Make Kiss Me Black liquid eyeliners.

in their original packaging, both are available at Sasa.com, prices online are a bit higher than   the Sasa outlets in Hong Kong, but still very reasonable as these are drugstore brands.

same tube size, obviously, I like the DollyWink packaging much better because it's cuter (hello, there's a bow!) and easier to spot in my stash than the Heroine Make's dark tube.

both have very thin tips, but the difference will be seen on the swatch, as seen on the photo below:

top left and right: Dollywink

bottom left and right: Heroine Make Kiss Me

As you can see, DollyWink gives a thinner line while the Heroine Make can give a thicker, bolder line. If its good or bad, will depend on your personal preference. They both have dark pigmentation and both liquid liners dry very fast, and when they do, they won't smudge and budge throughout the day as they're both waterproof but can be easily removed with plain soap as I did with the swatches. When it comes application, I find the DollyWink to be easier to use since the tip is a bit softer than the Heroine Make.

SUMMARY:

PACKAGING: DollyWink > Heroine Make Kiss Me

PRICE: DollyWink USD12.50 > Heroine Make Kiss Me USD11.40

PIGMENTATION: DollyWink = Heroine Make Kiss Me

EASE OF USE: DollyWink > Heroine Make Kiss Me

STAYING POWER: DollyWink = Heroine Make Kiss Me

I hope this helps those who are trying to decide which one to get! Honestly, they're almost the same, but the one I will repurchase is DollyWink even if its a couple of dollars pricier. You just can't beat ease of use especially if you're a liquid liner noob like me. :P

Thank you for reading!

♡,

G