World Cup 2014 Argentina Inspired Make Up

Hola, senoritas!

Today I am going to show you my make up inspired by Tango team Argentina in World Cup 2014, since I saw the Brazil and Netherlands Inspired Make Up here and I was so excited to prepare my make up look that inspired from my favorite team; Argentina.

I have been supporting Argentina football team since I watched football firstly in 1994, when the World Cup was held in USA. My favorite player was the super striker Batistuta. He retired in 2005 at the age of 36. He has been one of the key players in Tango team with 56 international goals in 78 caps. Too bad that during his performance, Argentina wasn't able to reach the World Cup trophy. Now, almost 10 years after and who would have not known Lionel Messi? He's one of the world's rising stars yet very down to earth and humble in personality. Right now I am still supporting Argentina and for you who didn't follow the World Cup recently, I am proudly telling you that Argentina went into semi-final round against Netherlands.

-pictures courtesy from several different sources-

The major colors of Argentina national football team exactly looks like the flag, the light blue and the white. In international tournament, every team has first uniform and second uniform, or as we call it home and away uniform. While Argentina's first uniform reflects its flag; the blue-white vertical stripped with white pants (actually I prefer their previous uniform with black pants), their second uniform is darker blue with some white stripes on the chest and shoulder. This combination that would inspire me to create my make up look today.

For this EOTD, I am using:
Sephora Pret-a-Porter palette in blue nuance (they have other 5 palettes in green, pink, brown, black and purple). In this individual palette, it consists of 4 eyeshadows, 2 lipglosses and 1 blush on. The blue palette has the colors that I wanted to make this look. I used primer underneath to make the color more intense. I applied the white color all over my lid, applied the turquoise blue on the inner corner to the middle, and create a crease cut with the dark blue. Blend it well. For the outer water line, I used the medium blue, along with TheBalm Mary Lou on the inner corner. I couldn't find my silvery white eye pencil (my daughter must have played with it and lost it) thus I was using the Mary Lou as back up.

For eyeliner, I currently fall in love with Mizzu. It's cheap, easy to use, super pigmented and long lasting without smudging and budging. Go to Lazada to get it with free delivery!
For cheeks, I also fall in love with MUA Blusher Shade No. 1. It is a very soft, cool toned pinky blush that will make your cheeks flush so natural. Like the pinkish tone that appears when you pinch your cheeks. It looks healthy, gives dewy finish but with no shimmer or glitter. This one's also cheap, even the cheapest blusher that I own so far. If you are interested, I bought it here. In this picture, I was using Wet 'n Wild Megalast Lipstick in Rose Bud, for the coral-ish pink that will suit to my white-blue uniform. I was wearing unbranded falsies and X2 Ice No. 8 Nude Eyes in Grey.

So, what do you think of this look? Do you have favorite team in World Cup? ~xoxo~

Review: TheBalm Shelter Tinted Moisturizer in Medium

Hello, beauties!

Another review from TheBalm today, don't get bored, since I've been reviewing TheBalm so often lately. Yes, I'm currently a fan! None of their products I found disappointing, even a little, until I tried out its well-known tinted moisturizer (TM): TheBalm Shelter.

I have been eye-ing this TM since months ago. As I have typical of super oily skin (especially during summer like now!), I used to avoid myself using TM. TM is usually good for drier skin, and for someone who doesn't like to apply heavy make up daily. As for myself, without intention to get the heavy make up, I always pick the foundation which provides long-lasting and matte finish. My HG for drugstore in Revlon Colorstay Liquid Foundation shade True Beige and MAC Studio Fix Fluid NW30 for high-end. BUT, I have a big 'BUT' here. As I am now under dermatologist's medication (oh how I hate to comeback!!), she would strongly recommend me to use TM instead of foundation because TM's consistency is much thinner to let the skin breath.

So, with all my pleasure, I purchased this TM, hoping that all good reviews and raves in neighbor's blogs are true and accurate. To make sure to which shade I belong, I went to its counter at Debenhams and the BA said that my shade is Medium. Heard from the beauty bloggers that TheBalm Shelter has darker types of shades, I was thinking to buy myself the Light/Medium, but suddenly afraid of having my face with ghostly effect. Nay!

It's longer than my palm!

TheBalm describes this as:

"This weightless, silky-smooth tinted moisturizer with SPF 18 offers sun protection for everyday drama while helping to improve the look of your skin’s tone and texture, leaving you with a polished complexion."

My take after using this product:

1. COVERAGE is light to medium. It's great to even out skin tone, but not to cover acne scars or old blemishes. You definitely still need concealer.
2. CONSISTENCY is one of my likings. It's thick, not runny. A little goes along the way.
3. SHADES are only available in 3 (three) here, unlike in USA where they have 7 shades. The color is more beige-y than yellow-ish. For you who have fair(er) skin and used to love using BB cream the colors might a little bit too dark. You may choose the 'Light' one, because even 'Medium' doesn't match my medium-tan complexion. Since I have neutral undertone, I had to apply concealer with yellow-er shade to balance out the beige-y tone.
4. PRICE is not that cheap, originally sold for USD 25. Not a budget-typed of TM, but since they have 64 ml of product (it's even more than Etude Bright Fit BB Cream), the amount is worth the price.
5. LONG LASTING or not? It depends on the weather, I assume. Sometimes in Jakarta's current humid summer days, foundation with matte effect and long lasting promise is preferable. But again, as TM, this one would stay for around 4-5 hours. Not so bad.
6. PACKAGING is the winner! Even the tube is very sleek, soft, weight-less and travel friendly. I love it!
7. INGREDIENTS is paraben-free! That's why I fall in love with TheBalm products <3
8. OVERALL score is 3,9 our of 5,0. It's not a bad product, but maybe because I have been too impressed with my HG foundations, so this TM is not comparable. However, if you are looking for natural look, dewy finish and healthy glow face, this one is the answer.

No filter, no edit, just using self-focus and natural sunlight

Products I used: 

Base: TheBalm Shelter Tinted Moisturizer in Medium, Inez Corrective Cream in Dark, TonyMoly Dear Me Petite Pact in Natural Beige.

Eyes: Maxfactor Smoky Eyes Effect Eyeshadow in Purple Dust, Maxfactor Wild Shadow Pots in Ferocious Black, Silkygirl Gel Liner in Brown, L'oreal Telescopic Mascara in Carbon Black.

Cheeks: MAC Extra Dimension Blush in Autoerotique, TheBalm CindyLou

Lips: Stila All Day Liquid Lipstick in Dolce 

See ya later in my next review! ~xoxo~

Natural Plum Make Up: TheBalm Pinstripe & NARS Tonkin Review

Hello, Missy!

Duh, mau blogging tapi kok lagi gak mood nulis bahasa Inggris, jadi mari yuk kita review produk kali ini dengan bahasa Indonesia aja (walaupun berasanya jadi aneh tapi marilah kita coba).
Jadi hari ini judulnya aku mau share pengalaman aku yang paling seneng sama warna ungu, pake baju nuansa ungu, dan ber-make up pun hobi banget sama warna yang satu ini. Nah, berhubung kulitku ini gelap (hey, I'm proud of having tanned skin loh!), jadi mesti rada hati2 juga milih warna ungu, karena gak semua ungu cocok untuk kulit gelap.

Lavender mood

Lavender looks good on Natalie's Portman skin!

Jenis ungu yang menyerupai warna lavender atau ungu muda akan lebih bagus kalau diaplikasikan di kulit cenderung terang. Selain warnanya akan lebih kelihatan, warna ini juga akan menonjolkan kelembutan di wajah. Dan buat yang bosen sama warna abadi yang namanya 'pink', warna lavender bisa jadi alternatif yang paling oke selain peach/coral. So, princess-y look is no longer boring :)

Glam plum

Untuk kulit yang mendium-tan alias lebih gelap, warna ungu yang bisa dipilih adalah warna ungu cenderung plum, magenta atau berry. Kalau saya pribadi prefer plum atau magenta, karena berry akan kelihatan lebih cocok untuk kulit yang warnanya olive (seperti orang Latin atau Italiano).

Plum does match the darker skin tone

Warna plum di atas bisa kelihatan sangat glamor kalau diaplikasikan dengan tepat dan sesuai proporsi. Maksudnya, antara mata, pipi atau bibir, kita harus milih dua diantara tiga yang bisa dipakaikan warna plum. Yang satunya harus dibiarkan nude/polos. Biar nggak kayak nge-lenong ya Ciin :p

Nah, untuk urusan make up plum, aku serahkan sama blush on favoritku yang satu ini: TheBalm Instain Blush Pinstripe. Seperti yang para bloggers udah tau, Instain ini punya 6 shades warna yang cantik-cantik, yaitu Swissdot (orange/peach), Houndstooth (mauvey pink), Toile (strawberry/red), Lace (bright/barbie pink), Argyle (petal pink) dan Pinstripe (plum). Pinstripe bisa dibilang warna paling gelap dari keenam shades yang ada. Alasan kenapa saya pilih ini karena jarang sekali ada blush on merk lain yang warnanya menyerupai Pinstripe.

TheBalm Instain in Pinstripe

Vintage design, lovin' it!

The bold plum looks much softer on my skin

TheBalm sekarang ini jadi brand make up favorit aku. Selain packaging-nya yang super vintage dan cantik, kualitasnya juga worth it sama harganya. Oiya, kalau beli Instain baiknya sih di online shop, karena mereka biasanya beli saat TheBalm lagi diskon besar di negara asalnya USA sana, kalau beli di counter-nya (Debenhams Senayan City, misalnya), harganya sudah hampir dua kali lipat. Overall rating untuk blusher ini 4.0/5.0

Kalau untuk bibir, aku prefer warna plummy nude alias lipstik yang judulnya nude tapi punya hint coklat keunguan sehingga kalau diaplikasikan ke bibir jatuhnya plum. Bulan lalu, aku nitip salah satu temanku yang business trip ke USA karena aku penasaran sama lipstick NARS. Harga lipstick ini kalau pre-order di online shop berkisar di angka 380 ribuan. Wow, it's so pricey! Harga aslinya di Sephora adalah usd 26 plus pajak, jadilah aku beli NARS Pure Matte Lipstick ini 'cuma' seharga 320 ribu. Tetep mahal, dan officially jadi lipstick termahal dari semua koleksi, tapi it's definitely recommended for matte & nude lip lovers!

Kenapa?

Look how small NARS lipstick is!

Plummy nude colour

• NARS Pure Matte Lipstick ini gak bikin bibir terasa kering. 
• Konsistensinya bagus, kelihatan banget kalau ini barang high-end
• Opaque dan pigmented
• Tahan lama, kalau gak pakai makan (hanya minum) warnanya bakalan stay di bibir sampai 6 jam
• Gak gampang faded 
• Review lebih lengkap ada di sini

It's plummy but natural

Kalau ada pro, pasti tetap ada cons ya. Aku gak suka banget sama kemasannya yang walaupun sturdy, tapi KECIL! Saking kecilnya, lipstick ini baru aku pakai 3 minggu dan sudah habis hampir sepertiga walaupun cuma apply 2x sehari.

Courtesy of Karlasugar

Tonkin sendiri dideskripsikan oleh webiste Sephora sebagai "Cinnamon Plum", dan buatku warnanya memang jadi plum di bibir dan bukan beige seperti swatch di atas. Overall rating 4.0/5.0 untuk lipstik ini.

Finally, FOTD! Till the next review... <3

TheBalm Voyage Make Up Competition: Earthy-Turkey Look

Ladies!

I am going to submit my make up look to participate in the Balm Voyage Make Up Competition, held by the lovely Ms. Chell Sanjaya and Lotte Shopping Avenue.

I am a big fan of TheBalm Cosmetics quite recently. IMHO, they are unique. I love the packaging (sooo vintage!) and the products are mostly great, at least so far I have tried its luminizer combo; Mary Lou and Cindy Lou, the Plump Your Plucker lip gloss (I am not a lipgloss person but I can tell that this lipgloss is quite nice because it has fruity scent and tingling sensation) and I have also ordered that plummy Instain Blush in Pinstripe. can't wait to try it on and make a review!

Last night, I was surprised because my daughter slept so early at 9 (yes, 9 is so early, because she used to go to bed at 11-12), thus I had a free time to create the make up look. For those who've never heard about TheBalm Voyage or even TheBalm Cosmetic, just go to this link to see how pretty their products are.

Balm Voyage - cover

Balm Voyage - color selections

Balm Voyage

Holiday Face Palette

Girls, for you who love travelling… you must really have this best holiday palette from theBalm, Balm Voyage. This travel friendly palette has unique packaging that contains 16 jet setting shadow paired with 3 lip and cheek cream, very practical, complete and easy to carry anywhere. Have high color pigmentation with an excellent level of visibility and long-wearing. So, you do not need to frequently look at the mirror to make sure your makeup, because the colors will always stay to beautify your face no matter how long you are out enjoying your days. In addition, it has many choices of colors; it’s easy for you to create any looks based on your desire.

Hey, that thing really suits me! I DO love traveling. Of course I wouldn't ignore this competition because its theme is rather interesting. After a tough deliberation (as if this is America's Next Top Model's show), I initially thinking to create the Australian look or Manila, as I am pretty much sure that people would prefer Ameirca and Italy. But finally I decided to pick Istanbul look, because I love to make an earthy make up and I thought the Istanbul will be good to represent the look.

ISTANBUL is the largest city of Turkey, a country that is located both in Asia and Europe. Common people usually misled to think that Istanbul is the Turkey's capital, yet the real capital city is Ankara. The biggest event in Turkey's history was the Ottoman Empire that held the power for more than 6 centuries (1200ish-1900ish), before it was collapsed at the end of World War I. Turkey is widely known as a country that consists of big Muslim community that upholds secularism. Speaking of Turkish women, they are naturally beautiful, because they have combination between Caucasian, Arabic and Persian. They used to wear Hijab/scarf with style, that's what I like from them, like the picture below. Oh, I am so inspired now!

Courtesy of www.raihaneh.com

Now let's go to the tutorial. Firstly, prime+prep your face to create a good canvas with primer and if you have dry skin, you can add moisturizer. Apply your favorite foundation afterwards, use brush for a more airbrushed finish. Put some finishing powder if you have oily skin, to keep your face fresh longer.

I always found that the eye make up as the most challenging task. Not only because I have a typical Asian small eyes, but I also have a narrow lid which really limits me  to be creative with thousand shades of eye shadows out there.
Step 1: Apply rich brown shadow on lower lid.
Step 2: Apply thinly grey taupe shadow from crease to the upper lid.

Step 3: Apply lime green shade on the outer corner of the lid. Blend seamlessly.

Step 4:  Apply TheBalm Cindy Loumanizer at the inner corner of the lid to highlight.

Step 5: Apply Revlon Grow Luscious Lash Liner in Emerald at the outer corner of lower lash line to add some sparkles.

Step 6: Apply the brown/black eye liner

Step 7: Apply mascara and eyebrow to make your eyebrow thicker and neat.

After your eyes are set, the next thing to do is to contour the cheek. Because I was making an earthy look, so I was consistent to pick warmer tones for contouring (orangy brown) and blush (dusty warm rose). At the end, I put a terracotta lipstick to complete the look.

Don't forget to add scarf as an accessories, then voila, I magically turned into a Turkish woman (well at least I tried, though my Asian eyes can't lie) :D

EYES: 

• Bourjouis Ombre a Paupieres #74 in Brun Somptueux (Rich Brown) 
• Urban Decay Dangerous Palette in Mushrooms 
• Too Faced Glamour to Go Palette in Lime Green
•  TheBalm Cindy Loumanizer
•  Revlon Grow Luscious Lash Liner in Emerald
• Silky Girl Gel Eyeliner in Brown
• Mavala Waterproof Mascara in Black
• Revlon Eye Brow Pencil in Brown

BASE:

• BareMinerals Prime Time Primer
• Revlon Airbrush Photoready Mousse Make Up in Medium Beige

CHEEKS:

• Bourjois Blush in Tomette
• MAC Extra Dimensional Blush in Autoerotique

LIPS:

• MAC Matte in Chili
• Make Up Forever Aqua Rouge in Brown Beige
  

Are you ready to fly to Istanbul with me? ~xoxo~

Cindy-Lou and Mary-Lou; the Great Luminizer Combo from TheBalm

Beauties,

Let me introduce you to the most wanted girls named Mary-Lou and Cindy-Lou. They are the highlighters from TheBalm. I have to tell you that I am deeply and totally in love with them BOTH!

I was introduced to Mary-Lou from one of my cousins (actually I saw it already at TheBalm counter in Plaza Senayan yet I was being so ignorant about highlighters). I thought, how would I need a highlighters on my face. Doesn't it just accentuate my gigantic pores and imperfections?

The answer is NO. These highlighters are just very pigmented. They make you glow but not glittery. They do not accentuate large pores, even somehow could diffuse the texture of your skin and make it look polished. Just a tiny amount, and you're all set. Are they that magical?

MARY-LOU

Mary-Loumanizer is exactly reflects its name as luminizer. It has champagne, subtle gold color that will be great to be applied in your upper cheek bone and brow bone. It gives you something to get everyone's attention, if you use it in the right amount. Mary-Lou can be wearable during the day, but it looks better to wear at night. Works better if combined with bronzer, and of course, suitable from the lighter skin (they can use it on eyelid as well to create no-makeup eye make up) to darker skin. I've never seen a highlighter that is so subtle and blendable like this before in my life!

I bought mine as one of my self birthday present on January. I love, super love, that it has a large mirror in the packaging, the mirror is even better than my MAC compact powder. One night when my daughter had tantrum (you may have to check what tantrum is on google, if you're still single, it's hard to explain :p), she kicked everything around her and voila, my one-month-baby Mary-Lou was dropped onto floor and broken into pieces. Seriously.

So I found that the packaging, though it looks sturdy, but fragile :( One minus, I guess. I moved it to the small jar, at least, instead of bringing the broken one because it would be so messy. I am so sad, yet suddenly I saw this newest baby on.

My score is 4.1 out of 5.0 for Mary-Lou :)

CINDY-LOU

It comes as a surprise, when I was really disappointed because my Mary-Lou compact must be rest in peace at home, I found the other version of Mary-Lou, named Cindy-Loumanizer. And it's corally dusty pink. At first minute, I was thinking that buying this could relieve my broken Mary-Lou :)

And it turns out to be my new favorite, as I can use it as BLUSH ON instead of just a highlighter. Perfect! Even if I use it on my cheeks, it's barely noticeable, only a slight pinky peach flush with subtle glow. Wearable in office hours, I guarantee :)

My score for Cindy-Lou is 4.0 out of 5.0

Below I compare my look with Cindy-Lou and Mary-Lou:

With Cindy-Lou on both cheeks. See the glowing pink flush?

With Mary-Lou as highlighter, on top of MAC Blush in Aquaerotique

If I had to choose, I would definitely choose BOTH!