Tanya Burr Lip Gloss / Champagne Toast

Tanya Burr Lip Gloss / Champagne Toast £6.99
When I first heard that Tanya Burr launched a lip gloss collection, I was not that keen on it to be honest. Don't get me wrong, I love Tanya and her videos, I have been watching her for years now and she always inspires me when it comes to beauty and makeup. But I thought her collection including lip gloss and nail polish, was for more younger viewers of her. So I wasn't even planning to purchase it, but eventually I did for some reason. I think it was because I spotted this particular shade "Champagne Toast" when I was looking for a beigy lip gloss. 

 In her original collection, I didn't see many nude shades. This one and Chic were the only nude shades and Chic was sold out (and it was too pinky for me anyway), so I decided to purchase Champagne Toast on feelunique.

I like this slim applicator which takes out the perfect amount of lip gloss. The firmness of it very good as well, unlike some really hard applicators that actually hurt your lips, it's very soft and hugs the lips.

Of course I hate lip gloss that is sticky, but I also hate one that is too thin and runny that makes me look like I just ate something oily like chips. In my opinion lip gloss has to be quite thick yet not sticky, like this one.

It might look too natural in the photos, but actually it gives a very nice beigy colour to my lips. I like adding it on top of a lip stick that looks too strong on its own, as it mutes the tone down instantly, plus it adds this sparkling effect. Although I don't usually like glittery lip gloss, I don't mind this one at all because it doesn't leave the glitter particles on the lips when the lip gloss has been worn off.

One last -and the biggest- thing that I love about this lip gloss is the scent. It smells like strawberry candies, which makes me feel so happy instantly. It says it expires 4 months after opening the product, but I don't think I can finish up within 4 months as it's pretty big and I don't need to touch up many times throughout the day, because it lasts on my lips for hours. It's rare for a lip gloss to stay on the lips for hours especially at work when I'm talking, drinking and eating constantly. 

It's impressive how good the quality is for the price, I am thinking of purchasing more from her collection. Recently she added new shades and I really want Berry Picking (a perfect wintery shade!) and Lunch Date (a pretty nudy pinky coral shade), but I'm waiting for YEN to be stronger again as it's 185yen / pound, though it used to be like 126yen / pound when I went to England for the first time in 2012! I can hardly shop at feelunique now :( Anyway, let me know if you have tried anything from her collection!

 

Majolica Majorca Puff de Cheek / Cherry Mix

Majolica Majorca Puff de Cheek  / Cherry Mix
I had been eying on this beautiful blusher since I saw it in a beauty magazine a couple of months ago. Majolica Majorca always had the blushes in the cute tins with their signature girly design on them called Puff de Cheek, but they were not appealing to me particularly. But this new range called "Puff de Cheek Flower Harmony"got into my wishlist instantly, mainly because of its cute looks. But I found out that it wasn't just the looks that was amazing about this product, the actual blush is brilliant too.

Puff de Cheek Flower Harmony comes in two permanent and one limited shades. Permanent shades are PK302 Strawberry Mix and RD303 Mandarin Mix, and a limited shade is RD401 Cherry Mix. As it's easy to get hold of the permanent shades, I decided to go for the limited one. And also, it looked like the perfect shade for autumn and winter.

The marble pattern is not only pretty but it's designed to give you a beautiful flush that looks like coming from within, simply by applying it with the fully puff that comes along in the cute tin. This shade is supposed to be red, but it looks more like hot pink with a blue undertone to me. It contains a little bit of shimmer but not the big glitter particles that make your face look like a disco ball. It's a "slightly lifts your cheekbones and make you look healthy" kind of shimmer. You know what I mean!

Another good point is the puff. It's very thick and fully, plus it's got a cute ribbon on top! What more can you ask for? I like the fact they pay attentions to small details like this, this is when I feel Japanese brands are amazing. 

As you may have noticed, this beautiful gradation of the blush creates a perfect "I'm blushing from within" kind of look. The centre of the blusher is the darkest pink, and it's got a lighter pink around it and more of the highlighter kind of shade at the edge. When you place the puff in the tin and swirl it around a little bit, you will get a perfect amount of the blusher.

And all you need to do is just pat your cheek with the puff a couple of times without re-applying the blusher. You will be amazed by the pigmentation of the blush as well as the perfect "ombre" kind of look on your cheek. Obviously I applied much more in this photo than I would apply it on my cheeks, but you can see what I mean by the "ombre" look. It's actually very beautiful that I always get compliments whenever I wear it. It may sound weird but I feel like it makes you look innocent and pure when you wear it, maybe because it makes your complexion look perfect for some reason just like a baby's! 

It's also very long lasting which is another bonus! I hate it when I apply a blusher in the morning and it's completely gone by the the time I get to the office, because then I have to look dead all day. It stays on the cheeks for all day without smudging, which is great but be careful if you are heavy-handed, it would be pain in the butt to remove if you've applied too much.

I just cannot rave enough about this blush. I am no longer wearing my favourite Tarte blush, or Sweets Sweets blush, because I'm completely obsessed with this one. It's already sold out at the drugstores and I got hold of a couple for you guys online. If you want to see more details of the blush, please have a look at my first-ever video on YouTube below!



You can purchase the product on my eBay shop Beaut in Japan! Click HERE to view the page.

Beaut in Japan is now open on eBay!

I am very happy that I can finally inform you that my very first eBay shop called "Beaut in Japan" is now open! This is where you can purchase the latest Japanese beauty items reviewed on this blog. Since I started my blog, I have been receiving e-mails from followers constantly asking where they can purchase he products I have talked about, and it always makes me feel bad that I cannot send the products to all of them. I came up with the idea to open an e-commerce shop to help them in the beginning of 2014, but there were so many factors that made it impossible for me to run by myself. But finally, I have setup an eBay account and everything is ready!

I also started making videos for the website, so that you can see more details before purchasing the products. What I am aiming to do is to make a website where you can shop the products as if you are actually shopping in a beauty store in Japan. Don't you have an experience where you purchased something online and it disappointed you when it arrived because it looked completely different from photos? I do, and it sucks. I don't want any of you to have that experience, so I decided to learn how to shoot and edit videos! I hope it helps :)

As I'm just starting up, I won't be stocking loads of merchandise. I want to see if there are people who are interested in it, then take it from there. So I will be updating my eBay shop every 2 weeks in the beginning with a new item. Each item will have a couple of stock which might be sold out pretty quickly, but you can request it to be restocked on Twitter. Yes, I setup a Twitter account for Beaut in Japan as well!

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do enjoy making it! The first item will be up within 24 hours :)

The best natural deodorant! Schmidt’s Deodorant

I know it can be kind of awkward to talk about deodorant, but let's face it, we all use it. I cannot live without deodorant, because I am such a paranoid person that have to wear body cream, hair spray, hand cream, perfume and deodorant that smell good to make sure there is no odour issue. I don't think I stink anyway (hopefully!) but I just have to pile on good-smelling stuff to make sure I smell good. 

But of course I'm aware of the risk of breast cancer from the use of chemical deodorant. I have tried some natural deodorants before but most of them felt sticky and uncomfortable. Then I stumbled across this company Schmidt’s and found some reviews raving about their deodorant cream. They kindly sent me some samples to try out, and oh gosh I love them all. 

Schmidt’s Deodorant has 5 different scents including Lavender and Sage, Ylang Ylang and Calendula, Cedarwood and Juniper, Bargamot and Lime and Fragrance Free. My favourites are Lavender and Sage, and Bargamot and Lime.

It's like a solid cream that melts at the body temperature. It has baking soda in it but doesn't feel gritty. The base is shea butter which means it's moisturising. Some deodorant dries out my under arms and it causes itchiness, but this does completely opposite which is beneficial. It doesn't stop you sweating, but it prevents odour. If you are not too sure about trying this out in summer, try during colder season to test it.

The scent is of course all natural too, and they all smell divine. I recommend Cedarwood and Juniper for men as it smells kind of manly, and Bargamot and Lime is a unisex scent that you can share with your boyfriend, too. 

A little goes a long way so the big jar would last for months. It's only $9.00 which is such a bargain considering the fact it's good for you, and does keep you away from the sweaty smelly hell. I like the simple yet colourful design too. Let me know on Twitter what your favourite natural deodorant is!

Magazine exposures -Thanks Canada!

I have never been to Canada, and I don't have many friends over there either. I don't think my blog is popular there, but for some reason, my blog has been featured in ELLE Quebec. They contacted me in summer and asked me to send a profile photo. I did reply and sent them a few photos to choose from, but had never heard back from them. A couple of weeks ago, when I was just searching about my blog, I came across ELLE Quebec website that mentions my blog! With a photo that they have taken from my instagram without permission....which is a little sad, but whatever, it's ELLE! I guess I was in the printed magazine (October issue) as well but I have no idea how to get it, as it's not sold on eBay nor Amazon.co.jp. But anyway, I was very surprised to be actually on their website, I am very honored!

My name is also mentioned in GLOW magazine, a Canadian beauty magazine. The writer Mishal contacted me in summer, the same week that ELLE contacted me. She asked for help writing an article about Japanese beauty, and we exchanged some long emails. I didn't even expect her to mention my name in there, it was a great surprise! She was such a lovely person to work with, and this magazine is pretty entertaining to read! Check it out if you are in Canada :)

October Favourites 2014

I usually don't like doing "Favourites" posts, but because I had some beauty products that I was obsessed with throughout the month, I thought to share my love towards them with you all.

Revlon Color Burst Lacquer Balm in Coy has been on my lips since I got it in the end of September. I usually don't emphasise my lips with a bold lip stick but this particular shade is absolutely gorgeous that I instantly fell in love. I might do an in-depth review soon so I'm not going to ramble about it now but it's a perfect autumn / winter shade. Another product that's been on my lips is L'Oreal L'Extraordinaire by Color Riche in 601 Nude Ballet. I think I got it in summer and I've been loving it since then, but especially in October I was wearing it a lot when I had strong eye makeup. It smells like peaches or apricots or something delicious, and makes my lips look glossy and full and just beautiful. Also it lasts for at least 2 hours on my lips which is impressive for this kind of formula.

No7 Stay Perfect Shade And Define in Cook Mink has been my favourite for months also. I got it in July, and I kind of regret why I didn't buy more shades. I only have Cool Mink and Glistening Ray, and I'm thinking of buying Coffee Bean and Velvet Truffle next time I come to the UK. Cool Mink looks much more pigmented when swatched on the back of my hand, than it does on my eyelids, but still it's such a beautiful taupe colour. It stays all day and never creases. For the cheeks, I've been loving PIERRE COULEUR Mineral Mousse Cheek in CK-1 Lovers Pink. It's a Japanese brand and I got this blusher a long time ago to review. The shade is perfect for autumn / winter as it's such a lovely plum colour. It's got this unique mousse-like texture, I apply it on my cheeks with my fingers and blend with Stippling Brush from Real Techniques. It creates such beautiful cheeks as if blushing from within.

For foundations, the combination of LUNASOL SKIN MODELING WATER CREAM FOUNDATION in OC01 and Dior Star in 020 has been my favourite. I wish I could use Dior Star by itself but the shade I got (again, to review) is a tad too dark for my skin tone and it kind of oxidises throughout the day, so I have to mix it with the one from LUNASOL which is too bright for my skin tone. This combo makes my skin looks flawless that sometimes I look in the mirror at work and think "WOW my skin looks amazing today". My skin doesn't get shiny when these foundations are on, and my pores are invisible. 

 
Skincare wise, I've been enjoying Twany Time Refresher. It's a serum that you apply right after you cleanse your face. Massage it into the skin for about 30 seconds, until it feels less slippery, then leave it for about 1 minute so that it sinks in. Then add lotion, moisturiser and eye cream like you usually do. When I use this serum / mask, my skin looks plumped and moisturised, and I can tell my skin is satisfied! It's such a lovely product.  Prada Candy L'eau is my signature winter scent. It smells very similar too Candy, but with a hint of citrus it smells a little lighter. It smells like caramel in a very sophisticated way, not like a body spray, which is suitable for business occasions too.

L'Oreal Extraordinary Oil for Thin Hair is a must-have for this season. It smells divine and makes me feel happy instantly. The oil itself is super light that doesn't weigh my hair down at all. The only downside is that the scent doesn't linger. I wish I could enjoy the scent all day. Alterna Bamboo Volume Weightless Whipped Mousse is such an amazing product. I apply it on my wet hair and blow dry as usual, and it gives such great volume! I have the cream version of it as well, but this one works better for my limp hair. I usually get it permed every 6 months or so but I am currently suffering from this weird skin disease on my scalp (I know it's gross but it's caused by stress and I just cannot get rid of it for months!) which makes it impossible to go get my hair done, thus my hair is really limp and boring. This mousse saved my life as it just sets my hair within seconds! Though it smells like grandpa for some reason, I am loving it.

Hope you enjoyed! x

A jelly-like blusher? Sweets Sweets Velvet Souffle Cheek

Sweets Sweets Velvet Souffle Cheek  900yen
I cannot believe that I forgot to write about this amazing blusher that I got back in August. I thought I wrote about it as it has been one of my favourite makeup items since I got it. This jelly-like blusher is from a Japanese drugstore brand called Sweets Sweets. The pricing is a little lower than Majolica Majorca, and a little higher than CANMAKE. I think they used to be a tacky brand before, but their stand at Matsu-Kiyo looks really nice now. 

I picked up this blusher as the idea that it's got this jelly-like texture sounded interesting, and the colour payoff was amazing when I tested at the store. There are 4 shades in total, and I picked the shade 03 Apricot Souffle as it was summer. I am thinking of purchasing 01 Apple Souffle now because I am looking for a deeper shade for the colder season.

I know you can't tell from the photos but the texture is very unique. It literally like jelly, soft and cold, and very pigmented as you can see from the photo above. The top swatch is when applied with a stippling brush, and the bottom one is done with my finger. It goes on a little patchy when I use my finger to apply, so I dip my stippling brush from Real Techniques directly, and apply on my cheeks. That way it gives a perfect finish that looks like my glow is coming from within.

I sometimes apply it as a "blush primer" if there was such a thing. I apply this before powder as you should be doing, and then add another powder blusher on top to make it last longer. It's such a lovely shade that never looks too much, so it's easy to pair it with a different blusher.

I absolutely love this blusher and think it's an amazing quality for 900yen. I am so going to purchase 01 Apple Souffle after writing this review, I want to go buy it now although it's 2:30AM. They just came out with some glossy lip sticks and oh gosh some shades look so pretty! I will definitely write another review when I've got them!

Autumn Skincare Routine 2014

As I often receive requests for a skincare routine post, I am sharing my autumn skincare routine today with you today.

To cleanse my skin in the morning, I use Peaches and Clean from Soap and Glory. I only use it in the morning to cleanse my skin, as it doesn't remove my makeup at all (though they claim it does).  It smells like fresh peaches which is refreshing in the morning, and does not strip the natural oils of the skin. Then I apply Organic Rose Skin Conditioner to balance out skin's pH balance. Though it's a very affordable product around 1,000yen mark, it's such a lovely lotion that moisturises my skin without making it greasy. 

I have been enjoying Superdefence SPF20 from Clinique since I got it in spring. It does leave a slightly oily feeling on the skin, so I blot with tissue before applying a makeup primer on top. It protects my skin from the sun damage and dryness, I love how it gets two jobs done within seconds! I use Superdefence SPF20 Eye Cream from Clinique to finish off my morning skincare routine. The formula separates for some reason and I need to shake the tube before use to mix the liquid and cream. It's kind of annoying that sometimes just liquid comes out and it makes a mess, but I still love this product because it hydrates the eye areas that tend to get dry, and creates a perfect base for concealers that I pile on later.

In the evening, I change up skincare products depending on my skin condition. To remove makeup / cleanse, I love using Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm from Clinique. It's very similar to the Chamomile Cleansing Butter from The Body Shop (and the Chamomile one smells divine whilst Clinique one is fragrance-free) but much more powerful in my opinion. You literally need a tiny bit to remove makeup, which makes this big jar last for ages. I use Badger Organic Beauty Balm Damascus Rose when I don't mind using a muslin cloth which I usually avoid. It smells divine and makes me feel relax.

After cleanse, I apply Even Better Essence Lotion from Clinique with the palm of my hands. It's moisturising yet not too heavy, I can literally feel that it makes my skin supple. It has an odd smell (very subtle though) which I am not a big fan of, but I still enjoy using it as it works really well.

SK II Stempower Essence is a serum that I've been using for about 3 months now. It smells like tea to me! It's got a very silicone-y texture and makes my skin surface silky smooth. It claims to reduce the appearance of pores on the cheeks but to be honest, that hasn't happened. For a 16,500yen serum, I have to say that it's not worth it. I will try to use it up as it feels nice on the skin, but I don't think it's doing anything. Advanced Night Repair from Estee Lauder is much better!

I choose a moisturiser depending on how dry my skin feels. When it feels very dry, which is rare, I use Dew Superior Concentrate Cream. It's a heavy moisturiser that felt too much in the warmer season. It melts on the skin and creates a barrier on the skin surface which protects it from dryness. It has collagen and hyaluronic acid to replenish the skin. It feels a little oily but my skin looks fresh and plumped in the morning!

I'm on my second jar of CyberWhite HD Advanced Brightening Night Creme and I absolutely love it. I'm not sure about the brightening affect, but it's such a lovely moisturiser to use all year round! Not too heavy, not too light, glides on like whipped cream, smells divine...the only downside is the price and the heavy jar. 

When my skin needs an extra tender care, I add a couple of drops of Terracuore Damask Rose Dew Oil . If you love a rose scent, you will love this oil. I talked about this amazing facial oil HERE so I'm not going to ramble about it again but this has been my skin saviour!

Lastly I apply an eye cream. You can use a serum instead but I recommend you to use an eye cream which is especially made for the skin around your eyes, if you are older than 25. I have tried many eye creams in my life as I have really bad dark circles and when the skin around there is dry, it looks super cakey and wrinkly when concealers are applied. I got a sample sachet of Midnight Recovery Eye from Kiehl's a few months ago and the shop assistant told me that it combats dark circles. But then I saw some YouTubers raving about Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado. I went back to the shop and asked what the difference was. She told me that the avocado one is for younger skin, especially for ones who don't have any specific concerns. It replenishes the skin around the eyes, which makes it look like the wrinkles are gone. She recommended Midnight Recovery Eye for my skin because of my concerns. And it works wonders. It definitely reduces the appearance of wrinkles and dark circles even when I'm lacking sleep. It smells lovely, feels very light yet moisturising, there's nothing to complain about this amazing eye cream. 

It got much longer than I expected... Thank you for reading, and hope you enjoyed it!

Autumn Lush Haul

Though my bathroom isn't as fancy as the ones I see in "Pamper Evening Routine" videos on YouTube, I still like having a long bath in autumn and winter. I have loads of bath soaks, bath salts and bath oils sitting on the shelf, but I needed to buy some bath bombs from LUSH when the Halloween and Christmas products came out.

As my skin doesn't agree with the bubble bars, I picked up bath bombs only. The first one I put in my basket was Luxury Lush Pud. It smelt divine and reminded me of some other Lush bath bombs. Then a shop assistant told me that it was exactly the same scent as Twilight and I thought "Right, that's it!". It smells sweet and calming with Lavender and Ylang Ylang.

Another limited bath bomb I picked up is Northern Lights. It smells absolutely amazing, although I usually don't like Jasmine and Ylang Ylang at all, this bath bomb instantly takes me to heaven whenever I sniff it. I also love the shape of it as it's easier to break. My bathtub is not big and a half or quarter of a bath bomb is enough at one bath.

Avobath was the first ever Lush product I bought when I was in high school. I didn't like Lush at that time because the smell of the shop was overpowering. But when I saw this "best selling bath bomb" and smelt it, I fell in love. Since then I have been a big fan of the brand. Avobath has a subtle lemongrass and bergamot scent which is zingy and energizing yet relaxing at the same time. If I remember correctly, it's got glitter particles. 

And then this is Think Pink which is smaller than other ones. The blend of Lavender, Vanilla and Neroli smells absolutely beautiful. It smells of Lavender when you sniff it, but when it's dissolved it smells more like sweets with a hint of the floral scent. Not overpowering at all and perfect for the colder season. It's got rice paper confetti hearts that look so pretty in the bath.

Last but not least, my winter skincare staple Let The Good Times Roll. It looks and smells like cookie dough. It's a super moisturising cleanser with fine scrubbing particles, which is definitely not suitable for my combination skin during summer. But in the colder season, it's a must-have. It leaves my hands and face smelling yummy which is the main reason why I love it, and also gently exfoliates my skin and makes it silky smooth.

Recently Lush Japan came out with the body lotions that have popular scents such as American Cream, Comforter, Tramp and Olive Branch. I am dying to try the Olive Branch Body Lotion as this is my favourite scent ever. But the annoying thing is that it's online exclusive. It's also limited and I have no idea until when it will be sold. I might as well just purchase it online (it's about 2,000yen) and give it a go. I hope it smells as good as the shower gel! I will write a review when it's arrived. 

Pretty Honest / Pretty Honestly Brilliant

Pretty Honest by Sali Hughes
When I discovered that there was a new beauty book coming out back in September, I pre-ordered without hesitation. I am shameless enough to admit that I had no idea who Sali was, but by reading reviews on some bloggers who had a chance to get it before it came out, I assumed it was a great book. 

It's such a thick book (it's got 336 pages!) and I'm still reading page 60 as it's too heavy to carry around that I don't have enough time to sit and read at home, but I can tell you this book is brilliant. 

It covers various topics related to beauty, from skincare to makeup to occasional events such as wedding or pregnancy. It's definitely a book that you "read" using your brain, not a kind that you flip a page and look at pretty pictures and enjoy. It's got loads of information but because she doesn't ramble at all and always gets to the point, it doesn't feel overwhelming. You start seeing her as your girl friend who has an incredible knowledge about beauty. 

She says "It's pointless" to a pointless thing, and "It's useless" to a useless thing. There are some things that I don't agree with her because clearly we have different habits and cultures, but I still enjoy her philosophy and appreciate the fact she is sharing her experiences and knowledge with us.

If you love beauty, I'm sure you will enjoy this book. It doesn't matter how much knowledge you already have, whether you just started loving beauty recently, or you have been a beauty addict for decades, there is something you enjoy in this book. 

One downside is that she doesn't recommend any specific products although she mentions the names of brands. She writes like "I like concealers from ***, *** and ***" but do not mention which particular ones they are.  If she didn't want to recommend any products, she shouldn't have mentioned the brands either in my opinion because it feels pointless. Well, it's just my opinion but I would have enjoyed much more if she could recommend some products too, because I personally want to know her favourites. 

Overall this is such a fun book to read for a beauty junkie like me. It's like a must-have beauty bible. I would love to give this book as a Christmas gift if I had a friend who is into beauty. If you are not sure whether you should buy it or not, check out Amazon.co.uk where you can read a few pages. And now it's 11 pound on Amazon.co.uk instead of the normal retail price which is 22 pound for some reason. (Not fair that it's 4,000yen on Amazon.co.jp though!) so now is the time to purchase if you are interested! :)