Lately (hospitalization, thoughts on new beauty launches and some shopping)

Well well well. Where could I begin? Eh, The Convenient Beauty went muted for nearly a month. I also disappeared from my favorite blogs for even longer than that.

I was sick and was sent to the hospital for a few days. At first I felt like the earth shattered beneath my feet. I'm very scared of the hospitals in general. Oddly enough though, I had a great time there. I was making friends with everybody from nurses, doctors, administrative staff, cleaning staff, totally random patients, the room service ladies and having fun. But I was SO happy when my doctor sent me home. Then I spent the next few weeks to get back on track.

My friends during August and September. Never want to see them again. 

I still read your blogs, follow your conversation on twitter, browsing your youtube tutorials and drooling over your latest hauls on instagram. You still put a big smile on my face. I just didn't have the energy to join the talks :(.

Speaking of instagram, you guys probably recognized my obsession for flats. I ain't care if that extra half an inch looks more fashionable. Everybody knows that I'm petite. Plus, flats are ridiculously cute, aren't they?

My recent splurges! The wish list goes on, especially J Crew. 

Top left: Coach Unique flats; Bottom left: Coach Wendy Snake Polka Dots

Top right: J Crew Cece flat; Bottom right: J Crew studded Cece flats 

Since my last makeup haul, I completed my Tom Ford blush collection with Wicked (swatches of all blushes are coming) and expanded my Tom Ford brushes. The only fall makeup I got was Tom Ford Orchid Haze eyeshadow quad (review coming soon). Then there were some essentials, i.e. Shiseido urban environment sunscreen, and YSL baby doll mascara full size. No haul is complete without some compulsive purchases. I'm obsessed with Formula X for Sephora in Ignite and Blazing. Guys, you must check it out!!

Some beauty goodies since July. 
Top row: Le Metier de Beaute kaleidoscope Spendid Frost, Formula X for Sephora Ignite, Shiseido Urban environment Oil-free sunscreen SPF 42, Tom Ford brushes
Bottom row: Tom Ford blush Wicked, Formula X for Sephora Blazing, YSL Babydoll mascara, Tom Ford eyecolor quad Orchid Haze 

August and September were also the launch month of long-awaited makeup lines. Michael Kors beauty is a big fat MEH. It's just pile of shimmer, and lack of personality and pigmentation. But I gotta admit the promo pictures are utterly glamorous and stunning. Also, I've been underwhelmed and unimpressed by the entire Marc Jacobs' beauty line, well, except for his liquid eyeliner.

On a more positive note, I'm so excited about Charlotte Tilburry's makeup line, especially all of her eyeliners, the bronzer/highlighter, and the eyeshadow quads. I can't wait until she ships it to the US. That $40 shipping from Selfridge doesn't cut it for me.

Michelle Phan's em cosmetics also grabbed my attention. I don't plan on testing out her line but I applaud her for the very well-designed range. The idea is spot-on for her target audience, although I don't think the price point addresses them well.

Have any of you checked out Torry Burch's beauty line? I would love to hear your thoughts. The fragrance was OK but I'm curious about the rest of her makeup line.

That's it! I'm alive. Had some time off. Shopped. Enjoying life as it is. What about you? 

Look: Soft stain lips

When the fall comes, I just simply can't resist deeper lip colors. My two favorite vampy lipsticks for fall are Bite Beauty Mulberry (review is here) and Tom Ford Black Orchid which by the way looks almost identical to its replacement Bruised Plum (yay!). I love the dark deep decadent shade of plum yet sporting it daily can be over the top. Lately, I've been wearing Tom Ford Black Orchid non-stop as a stain and pair it with his cream eyeshadows to create a softer and youthful look. Tons of compliments have been received. Hope you enjoy! The full list of products used is at the bottom as usual. 

Color products used. In my very own fashion, I forgot Dior Beige Massai :D but I link to it below. 

Look breakdown

Face

Tom Ford Traceless Foundation Stick No 5

Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer Custard

Laura Mercier Translucent Setting Powder

Tom Ford Shade and Illuminate #2

Dior Healthy Glow Powder Aurora

Tom Ford Cheek Color Ravish

Eyes

Nars Pro-prime Eye primer

Tom Ford Cream eyeshadow in Pink Haze (main lid color) and Escapade (1/3 inner lid)

Tom Ford Eyeshadow Quad Golden Mink (the brown shade for outer V)

Dior 5-color Eyeshadow Quint Beige Massai (deepest brown to define lower lash line)

Sephora Eyeliner Retractable Waterproof #10 Matte Brown/Black (this baby puts Chanel version at shame) 

YSL Volume Effect Faux Cils Babydoll Mascara
Tom Ford Brow Scupltor Espresso

Lips

Tom Ford Lip Color Black Orchid (2 sheer layers) 

Review: Formula X for Sephora Blazing

Blazing ($10.5 for 0.5 oz) took my breathe away... I don't think my description will do the justice.

I love everything about it. The three-free formula (no toluene, no formandehide, no DBS, which is supposed to be pregnancy-safe). The unbelievably stunning color. The shimmer. The texture. The smoothness. The ease of application, especially for such a dark color. It evens out by itself if you know what I mean. My clumpy hands spread the polish unevenly leaving behind streaks, yet the jelly texture of Blazing just auto-corrects it. Amazing! 

Blazing is supposed to last 2 weeks if being coupled with the Formula X system (cleanse, base, color and top coat). I used Butter London base coat and hardware top coat and it last 5 days without chipping. But I do have to take care of my nail. I find the brush a good size, very easy to use. 

Indoors to show you the burgundy undertone. 

I have received tons of compliments. Blazing is one of those shades you can carry all the way to the holiday season. I myself will wear it year round, probably not for corporate environment. It's perfect to dress up an outfit and add some edgy punk to the look.

One last look at Blazing. I feel so dazzling.

Bottom line. LOVE. Get it! 

Review: Tom Ford Cheek Color 02 Frantic Pink

It took me quite some time to finish the review of Tom Ford Frantic Pink as I wasn't sure how I felt about it. It's a very good blush. Beautiful. Lovely. Natural. Long-wearing. Smooth. But it isn't as phenomenal as the rest of Tom Ford's blushes (reviews of Love Lust, Flush, Savage, Ravish, Wicked, Narcissist). While I still love Frantic Pink, I don't reach for it very often. Here is why.

Tom Ford Frantic Pink blush ($56 for 0.28 oz) is a light peachy pink with golden shimmer. On my light medium skin tone, it's a soft peachy pink. The pigmentation is sheerer than the rest of Tom Ford blushes. Also because Frantic Pink is a soft color, it doesn't show up very well on me. If I keep layering the blush to get more opaque result, Frantic Pink washes me off. My solutions are 1) layering on top of a brighter blush (my favorite is Edward Bess compact rouge in Love Affair, subtle bright pink!) and 2) applying it on top of the cheekbones as a highlighter.

Frantic Pink softens and enhances a brighter blush, creating a soft glow and tone down the strong pigmentation. On deeper skin tones, Frantic Pink would work beautifully as a highlighter. I prefer a stronger glow that requires a much lighter color and a bit more shimmer. So it doesn't highlight my cheekbones much. In other words, I need to use Frantic Pink together with something else. And I'm lazy about it. Yes, the combination will be beautiful. It's just not what I expect from a Tom Ford blush. 

Swatched under direct sunlight

With that being said, Frantic Pink still offers excellent quality. Like other powder products from the brand, Frantic Pink has velvety smooth texture and delivers a sophisticated sheen. You won't detect the shimmer, yeah I know, I've emphasized how elegant Tom Ford shimmer is. 

The ingredients

Bottom line. A nice-to-have blush for me. An excellent blush although not as phenomenal as the rest of Tom Ford blush range. If you have fair to light skin, you'll rock it way better than me. 

Review: Le Metier de Beaute Classic Flawless Finish Foundation SPF 8 No 5

via Neiman Marcus (non affiliate link)

A few months back, I did a mini-exploration with Le Metier de Beaute and came home with a sample of the famous Classic Flawless Finish Foundation. It comes in 11 shades ($68 for 1 oz). I picked shade 5 but shade 6 could work on my skin tone too (FYI, my top three foundations are Clarins Ever Matte 108, Tom Ford Traceless Stick No 5, Burberry Sheer Luminous Trench 6).

The first thought came to my mind was that the finish, texture and coverage felt very similar to those of Burberry Luminous Trench foundation. But LMdB's has slightly thicker formula and hence offers a bit fuller coverage. It's light weight and smooth. I love how it evens out my skin tone and creates a ultra smooth finish.

Swatched under direct sunlight

I also found No 5 a good color match. It leans a bit pinker than my overall facial. LMdB Classic Flawless does oxidize slightly on my skin and warms up to half shade deeper. However, this oxidation falls into my workable zone and isn't as obvious as many other foundations that I must pass over. 

A facial shot. I use LMdB Splendid Frost kaleidoscope kit for eyes and cheeks. Tom Ford Blush Nude on my lips. 

More close-up

LMdB Classic Flawless last all day in humid weather. This, alone, beats my beloved Burberry Sheer Luminous. I didn't need to set it with powder. It stayed fresh for 6 hours then warmed up slightly and looked good until hour 8. Burberry Luminous stays 6 hr only and becomes shiny and fates quickly after 6 hours.

The only throw-offs, you may not be surprised, are parabens and mineral oils. I try to avoid these ingredients in my makeup and skincare as much as possible. I prefer Burberry's for color match and preservative-free, but it's only because it suits my taste better than LMdB Classic Flawless. If those ingredients ain't your concern and you prefer natural full coverage and long-wearing formula, LMdB got you covered.

Bottom line. Highly recommended! 

Review: Chanel Cream Blush 65 Affinite

Chanel Le Blush Creme de Chanel 65 Affinite ($38 for 0.09 oz) is one of the new six cream blushes from the brand, and was probably the most sought after. It was unavailable for a while after the launch of the other fives. I scooped mine up on Chanel.com but now you can order it at Chanel counters of major department stores and online.

Before testing Chanel cream blushes at the counter, I was leaning toward Dior cream blushes for their lovely colors and creamy texture. Yet Chanel's really swept me off my feet. They melt into the skin seamlessly in the matte finish that mimics your skin texture. But no worries, you still have time to blend the blushes out afterward. The texture is very different from traditional cream blushes. They're not sticky. It crosses between cream and powder. I love applying Affinite with clean fingers. It's just easy and really quick. Chanel cream blushes are simply lovely and beautiful! 

Affinite is a bright watermelon pink that resembles healthy blushing cheeks after good work-out. Although it's bright pink, I find it different from all the pink blushes I have (here and here). It leans more watermelon and warmer. That's why I picked it up :D.

Stronger direct sunlight

 

Blent out - this is how I love to wear Affinite. 

Chanel Affinite wears well for a full working day under the ridiculously humid weather we had here in Houston. If you're looking for a long-wearing, natural, easy-to-use and low maintenance kind of blush, the new generation of Chanel cream blushes got you cover. 

Now, I think the price point is actually reasonable, especially for a bright shade like Affinite. A little goes a long way. It vaporizes almost instantly on the cheeks that you don't waste much product. 

Finally, the ingredients

Bottom line. Phenomenal quality! Affinite is a must-have for those who want an instant pick-me-up complexion. I highly recommend for all skin tones and types.

Have you tried the new Chanel cream blushes? What's your favorite?