Dupe Alert: NARS Blush & Bronzer Duo vs. ELF Contouring Blush & Bronzing Powder.

Its a leap year!! And its only happens once every 4 years. That's the reason why I should post this highly requested dupe alert from my readers. =p

Speaking of dupe alert, there's so much comparison of my favorite brand NARS out there. NARS is one of the top notch cosmetic brand that actually drugged most of the girls out there. (Say yesss.... =) ) If you couldn't get your pocket to afford NARS, will ELF be a better choice for you?

So today, we'll have an argument with my lovely NARS Blush & Bronzer Duo and the dupe alternative ELF Contouring Blush & Bronzing Powder.

NARS Blush & Bronzer Duo, a makeup masterpiece and my all-time-favorite product. Who would come with an ideal of having a blusher and bronzer together?? Initially this US$40 masterpiece is too far from cheap. So the ideal of blusher and bronzer came in from a drugstore product - ELF Contouring Blush & Bronzing Powder to rescue our pocket.

NARS (left) , ELF (Right)

FYI, my NARS Blush & Bronzer Duo is Deep Throat (Blush) & Laguna (Bronzer). This palette is a Limited Edition palette. The usual available duo color will be Orgasm & Laguna which you may browse through Sephora.

NARS Blush & Bronzer Duo

Price: US$41 (The price increased by $1 recently)
Packaging: 5g of blush (Deep Throat) & 4.5g of Bronzer (Laguna). Comes with rubbery packaging which attracts dirt and stickiness.
 

Texture & Pigmentation:  It's texture of the product is fine & silky. It's not dusty and the shimmer doesn't goes everywhere. It's extremely pigmented that you gonna be light-handed.

ELF Contouring Blush & Bronzing Powder

Price: US$3 (It's more than x 10 cheaper than NARS!! Great for pocket)
Packaging: 4.5g of Blush/ 4g of Bronzer. Comes with a black plastic packaging and a huge mirror in it.

Texture & Pigmentation: It's texture of the product is quite sheer and soft. The powders are little grainier  comparing to NARS. Yet it is very well-pigmented that you have to be light-handed as well.

Swatches comparison:

Do you think both of these are dupe?

Comparing both NARS Laguna Bronzer (top) and ELF Bronzing Powder (bottom)

Comparing with NARS Orgasm (O), NARS Deep Throat (D) and ELF Contouring Blush (E).

The bronzer does look like a dupe, but the blusher it's not a total dupe for it.

Conclusion:

The biggest difference between NARS and ELF us the shimmer. NARS duo has a very fine golden shimmer that give a nice glowy look on your skin.

Bronzer wise, ELF is about three shades darker than NARS Laguna. It can turn out looking dirty if you applied too much. For the blush, ELF is more towards peachy-coral tone than pink. Both NARS Orgasm and Deep Throat are very pigmented. One or two swipe of it you'll get the color. Unlike ELF, I have to swipe a few more for the color to appear on my hand.

If takes two or more for me to actually blend in the ELF powder onto my face. As I mentioned, the texture is a bit much grainier than NARS. But both has the same long-lasting power.

Packaging wise, you all know how annoying NARS rubbery packaging is. I personally prefer ELF plastic packaging because it doesn't attract any dirt and dust. So I wouldn't have to clean it nicely everytime I used it or bring it when I am travelling.

Overall, ELF powder definitely make it as a drugstore product especially with the price. I do love both of these products, but if I have to choose, I'll invest on NARS duo =)

Dupe or no?

You decide.

Vanity Trove's Giveaway Winner!!

The Vanity Trove's Giveaway Winner list is with me now!! 

A BIG thank you to everyone who participate on this.

Check out the actual post review here.

So the WINNERS are

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Congrats to LING & RANE!!

*Checkout your email*

For those who did not get win this time.

Let me give you a good news!!

You girls are entitled to a special discount when you subscribe to Vanity Trove.
For more info, do check your emails.
(PS: Give me a little time to blast out the mails ya..I'm sorting out all your emails in once)

HAVE A GREAT MONDAY!!!

Review: ELF Studio Cream Eyeshadow in Eggplant

ELF (Eyes Lips Face) is one of my favorite budget- cosmetic products. Their Studio Line products has been a hype in the blogging world. I never really into eyeshadow products, but I bought this ELF Studio Cream Eyeshadow quite long ago after reading lots of raves online. 

They says: 
" Line, shade and contour your eyes with this ultra pigmented and creaseless cream shadow. Easy to blend for layering and building color. The silky smooth and smudge-proof formula provides long lasting color for a beautiful look all day. "

Packaging:

The cream eyeshadow packaged in a plastic jar with a screw top cap. To be honest, the jar is quite huge and bulky!! Seriously, I thought it's a bit space consuming with such a little product in it (10g).


Ingredients:

Swatches: 

 The name of Eggplant doesn't suit the color of the product. It's more towards purple with a tint of red in. (The color look like I am having a bruise). Nevertheless, the texture is very creamy and pigmented.


My say:

I tried applying the cream shadow alone with brushes, it's doesn't turn out too great as in blending to the lids. It works better with fingers and applying them 'wet'. (PS: I always use cream eyeshadow with my fingers as it blends better). The texture is very creamy, smooth and color are well-pigmented. But, it will be chunky if you applied too much at once. So, try to apply layer by layer to build in the intensity. A little is for more in this case.

The eyeshadow does stay on my lids for 4 hours before it started to crease. So my best advise is to work them with eye primer. Since the cream eyeshadow doesn't really work alone, it work best as an eyeshadow base. And yes it works really well as a base. =)

Rating: 3.5/5

If you were talking about Eggplant, the color is not to my liking. But overall, I paid only US$1.50 for this jar of product after their 50% discount. It's one of the very inexpensive cream eyeshadow you can get. I am aiming for other colors like Dawn, Bronze, Purple Pleaser, Smoke which are also very pigmented as well. 


Not sure how this works compare to Benefit Creaseless and Paintpot, but no harm trying them out for the price of this. ^_^

PS: Don't forget to join my Beauty Box's Giveaway - ending in 4 days!!

Vanity Trove: Beautiful Surpises to Malaysia!!

Finally, beauty box subscription arrived in Malaysia!!! Beauty boxes have been one of the latest trends around in the blog-sphere.  We have brands like Birchbox (US), Glossybox (UK), Glamabox (HK), Fukubukuro (Japan), Bellabox and now Vanity Trove hit Malaysia!! =)) Excited ain't you??

How beauty box subscription works? Every month, you need to pay a certain subscription fee amount for this box which contained beauty samples and products selected for you. After so, you only have to wait for them to deliver this beautiful surprises to your doorsteps. Ladies who love surprises will definitely love it!!! You won't have a single ideas of what's inside the parcel until you open it up. Isn't it sounds so fun?? 

Honestly, I really like how they packed their boxes. The white large box is sturdy and very thick in quality. I love how we have to pull-out the items in like a drawer. And then, you'll see things wrapped nicely under the beautiful pink tissue-paper.

And so, they even inserted a beautiful small note from the editor team telling you about the box and products in!! The theme was 'A New Beginning, A New You'. It's definitely a way to Welcome 2012 and welcome Vanity Trove to Malaysia! Besides that, they included a list of the products with description so you won't be so blur on what and how to use the product inside the box. =)

And here's what we got for the January's Vanity Trove!!

(No wonder the box are quite a weight)

And here you got a few samples of beauty products. Some of them is very new to me!! Definitely an exciting box for those who wanna try them on but afraid to pay for the full products in case it doesn't work. =D =D

Review & Swatches: Urban Decay Naked 2 palette!!

FINALLY!! The Urban Decay Naked 2 palette is on my hands!! I knew there's too many reviews and swatches around, but I will still do it to share with you girls =P (You can feel how excited I am?) The hype of the first Naked Palette from Urban Decay was a successful one. So when Urban Decay introduced Naked 2 (USD50), I wasn't too surprised. But what surprise me was the name. Naked 2?? You bet!

The new Naked 2 palette comes in a sturdy metal packaging which includes 12 gorgeous neutral eyeshadows with a double-ended brush and a mini lip gloss. 

This palette were sold at US$50. Do you think it's worth for the price tag? Let's see with 12 full size eyeshadow worth $204, $24 worth of brush, $6 worth of lip gloss, it come up with a total $234. Definitely yes just like the previous palette.

When I first got this, I am in love with the sturdy metal packaging. The wording Naked 2 is so much better than my original Naked palette. That's because my original Naked palette wording started to fade off after it aggressively travel along with me. Other than that, I do not have any issues with Naked 1 palette. 

New Year Giveaway Winner

Sorry for the delayed of the results. Thanks for everyone who joined my New Year Giveaway. Now I guess most of you would like to know who's the winner.

I've announced the Facebook winner on my page last week. Congrats to the winner!!
And now....It's time to reveal the winner for my blog.

Jeng jeng jeng...... And the winner is.......

Random Name Generator has spoken. It's Nana- Diana Ling. Congrats!!

I'll emailed you shortly. For those who've participated, thank you very much!!! Please stay tune with my blog, I'll have more future giveaways coming up soon.

Happy Monday everyone!!

Sneakpeek: Revlon Lip Butters hit the town!!

The title show it out. We've been reading lots of raves about these tinted lip balms on the blogging world. And finally, we're getting it here either it is in Malaysia or Singapore (yes! Both countries have them now!) Excited ain't cha? I've even showcase it on my Facebook Page. (Do check it out for more updates)

Originally in US there were 24 different colors from this range but here, we're only getting 8 colors. Not too bad I shall say, and I got myself two colors as well. =) Revlon Lip Butters are now in Watsons, Guardian and even Sasa.

This is the Revlon Lip Butter stand I saw in Watsons at my place. =)) I was soooo excited and did swatches of all the color to determine which is the best I should get.

So here's the swatches for you:
(Please excuse me for the pic quality as I took this with my phone)

Based on the swatches, have you decided which color to pick up?? I bought Peach Parfait and Strawberry Shortcake.

Eventually, I went back to Watsons today and buy something and was told my the Revlon SA that Peach Parfait is almost OOS!! (But...It was out less than a week??) It was the best selling color there. o_O

Amazing isn't it? Creamy, smooth, pigmented and best affordable. What can you expect? It's priced at S$15.90 and RM24.90 each. Honestly, Malaysia price is even lower than US Dollar after convertion of exchange rates. That's incredible good price. So, hunt them down at your nearest stores now and let me know what you get. I'll do a full review later on.

Have a great weekend!!

Review: ELF Contouring Blush & Bronzing Powder

This is one of my very first bronzer palette I purchased years ago and I couldn't believe it still nicely placed in my wardrobe till now. My bestie love this so much and I eventually gave it to her ever since my makeup table expanded. So far my purchases on ELF Studio line has been fairly good for me. Out of 10 products I have only one of them which I am not favorable with. 

When this palette released years ago, it got into hyped and raves online for a dupe of NARS but much more cheaper!! Without much consideration and I need my first bronzer and yes this is MINE!! Initially, during then there wasn't much bronzers for ELF Studio line. 

They say:

"Create a healthy and natural glow all year long. The Blush highlights the cheeks to add a flush of color, while the Bronzer accents and contours cheekbones for beautiful definition."

Glamabox - Glam Your Life!

The beauty box subscriptions are trending now in our blogsphere. I've been getting into this box as well for one of the brand here and now my first ever box all the way from HK - Glamabox. Glamabox started by Lisa S (our handsome actor Daniel Wu's wife *coughs), it is based in HK and had been very popular there. (Many bloggers even reviewed about it).

How this beauty box subscription works? Every month, you only need to pay S$18 for this box which has about 4-5 beauty products hand-picked by Lisa S and delivered to your doorsteps.Sounds good and easy? Ladies who love surprises and love to try on new products sample would love this box!

Another pink color box?? I like the box design but it kinda ruined during the transit from HK. Unlike Bellabox, it doesn't come with additional box inside - which is more environmental friendly i guess?? My first impression when I got this was: "why is this so light?" *disappointed* Eventually, the box I have is for Christmas/December box. (Not sure why the delivery kinda slow - I received it on Jan 2012)

Then I proceed on opening the box like pizza. *heart pumping fast*

My Addiction

Before I started my beauty blog, I am a skincare freak. Which mean buying skincare and testing them out was my addiction. After several years, I am still a skincare freak but the frequency of me testing out new skincare items has been decreased. My addiction has gone further miles to makeup now.

I believe you girls who love makeup has something that you favorable most such as blusher, eyeliner or etc. So today I gonna show you my addiction or shall I say my beauty craze stash? =P

PENCIL EYELINERS 

Pencil eyeliner is the first eyeliner I own just because it is easier to use. Back to basic, among all kind of liners, I still love pencil eyeliners the most. Why? Because it's travel friendly (as I just place it inside my handbag wherever I go), easier to work with - to draw my waterline. . So I just couldn't stop buying them!

I can ensure that I have more pencil eyeliners but I am not sure where did I placed them when I took this pic. =p

NEUTRAL/ BROWN EYESHADOW PALETTES

If you've been reading my blog, you must have knew that I LOVE neutral/brown eyeshadow very much. I do find that this warm color flatters me much than others. Thus, nothing could goes wrong with neutral color. Any occasion from job interview, meeting clients, dinner date, party at club it works well. :D You don't have to doubt that if I've seen a pretty nice brown color palette, I'll buy. Oh! I do have some brown singles as well.

New Year Giveaway [CLOSED]

Happy New Year Everyone!!

I just wanna say thank you very much to all my awesome readers that give me wonderful support all these while. It's been gracefully 2 years since I started blogging.

You guys rocks my world and let's rock our world together!! =D

 

May you have a fantastic January, Loveable February, Marvelous March, Luckiest April, Enjoyable May, Successful June, Wonderful July, Independent August, Tastiest October, Beautiful November & Happiest December. Have a Victorious 2012 Year!! 

 To start off our awesome 2012, I am going to have a little giveaway time!!

Two little prizes to be won each from my blog here and my Facebook Page.

Now your question is how do I join?

1) Follow me via Google Friends Connect (on the right sidebar)

 OR 

'Like' my Facebook Page (on the right sidebar)

2) Leave me a valid email address here.

Easy-peasy?? To make it easy copy & page the below and comment on this page.

Follower ID (via GFC):
Facebook Name: (pls let me know if you need me to filter out for privacy purposes)
Email Address:

That's it!! Everyone here stand a chance to win either from blog or Facebook. If you had already join both platforms, so you'll get both chances as well. Giveaway opens internationally and will end on 13th January 2012 12am (GMT +8) and winner will be chosen via Random.org.

UPDATE: Giveaway officially closed. Stay tune for result.

Tagged: The Nice & Naughty List 2011

I did my Nice & Naughty List 2010 last year after my favorite beauty blogger, Jen did so. I decided to list down the same list for this year and drafted this post out a few weeks ago. Apparently, Jen did the same thing too. (You guys just gonna check her blog- she's awesome!) Since Christmas is over, Santa won't make it for my list. Therefore, Smurf is the one who's going to coordinate the award list for this year. ( I 'smurf' you!!)

The list featured top 5 favorite products and 5 most disappointing products for this year. Let's Smurf bring you the Naughty list!!

NAUGHTY LIST

1) Herbal Essences Shampoo

I tried Herbal Essences Shampoo ages ago and it wasn't a good experience for me. After years, I decided to give it a shot as I believe they should have improve their formula and packaging too. And I didn't know why, I love the smell of the shampoo but every time after wash, it makes my hair sooo DRY...I am so sorry for you all who love this but I just didn't think this works for me.

2) Maybelline Great Lash Mascara

I love Maybelline mascaras!! It is my first mascara brand and I love them. I bought this mascara around RM10 during promo so it's definitely cheap!! But seriously, this mascara is very disappointing. I am not sure what formula did they used for this but when I applied, it does a very little lengthening and volume on my lashes. It make my lashes feels droppy and it clumps!! Gosh..Don't mentioned about the flakes and smudge as well. *sigh*