Illamasqua - Underworld (Lipstick) and Boost (Lipgloss)

♫ Super Junior M - Break Down (Korean ver.)
I swear, this post has been sitting in my drafts for far too long.


Hello again, pretty peeps! Does the name Illamasqua ring a bell? It's a really popular high street cosmetic brand in the UK and US, but due to its extremely limited availability in our Asian regions, it doesn't have as much recognition here.


I was really lucky to win one of the giveaways by Nancy last December, and she sent me not only the Illamasqua lipstick and lip gloss, but also added three Maybelline Color Tattoos in my parcel after knowing that we don't have them here in Malaysia. :') Thank you so much! ♥

Illamasqua Lipstick in "Underworld"

Sleek, glossy and Gothic ;)
The packaging for Illamasqua products is primarily black, and has a very Gothic feel to it, from their sigil-like logo to the sleek glossy black casing. The lid is large and snaps shut with a firm click, so no worries about it coming off by accident. The shape of the lipstick tube is also very unique, and is made from plastic that is lightweight without feeling 'cheap'. Unfortunately, the glossy surface also makes it a major fingerprint magnet.

Underworld is a iridescent purple shade with a strong blue duochrome. I have never worn or owned any purple lipsticks before, so this is definitely a first. The lipstick has a sweet scent, which kinda reminds me of cookies or donuts. (。♥‿♥。)

The blue sheen is much more apparent than shown here; my camera couldn't seem to catch it. :(
I expected the lipstick to be much more opaque, so I was a little disappointed when it swatched like this. The colour is very sheer indeed. However, the redeeming part is that this particular shade is unique. It is purple with a very ethereal blue sheen, reminiscent of dragonfly wings.

Bare lips
Illamasqua lipstick in "Underworld"
The lipstick is sheer, so it merely adds an iridescent sheen to your lips' natural colour. The shade is definitely interesting, and a change from the usual pinks, reds and nudes you see every day. The downside of this lipstick, besides its sheerness, is that the formula is very drying. I suggest putting a layer of lip balm to prep beforehand. However, from the reviews I'd seen, this problem only applies for Underworld, as the usual Illamasqua lipsticks are quite moisturizing in general. The lipstick itself is also very soft/fragile, as evidenced when it broke at the base when I was applying it straight from the tube. (; ̄д ̄)

Illamasqua Intense Lipgloss in "Boost"

The packaging for the Illamasqua Intense Lipgloss is pretty normal but classy nonetheless, with its clear tube to showcase the lipgloss shade and a glossy black cap.

Boost is a stunning purple lipgloss with a shimmery blue undertone. It's basically the opaque, lip gloss version of Underworld lipstick, and definitely not one for the faint of heart.

It comes with a brush applicator, which works perfectly to apply the lipgloss. Normally I prefer doe-foot wands for lip gloss, but for this particular lip gloss, the brush works much better to ensure smooth and precise application.

Above is the swatch for Boost. It is a very opaque purple shade with strong blue shimmer undertones. There is a faint scent of something sweet and fruity to this gloss, which does not bother me, but those with sensitive noses should take note. Texture wise, this gloss is thick but not too sticky, and lasts well over 4 hours with minimal eating and drinking.

Comparison: Boost lipgloss and Underworld lipstick
I would say that both are unique, and it really depends on personal preference when choosing between the Underworld lipstick and Boost lipgloss. Of course, in terms of colour payoff and texture, Boost wins hands down, but if you're looking for something a little more work-appropriate and daytime-friendly, Underworld is the one I'd pick. :)

Rocking Boost over Underworld with my fave shades and trying to act cool (^_^;)
Hope you enjoyed the review! Now I'm off to channel my inner Cyber Goth girl with Purple Line. (ノ´∀`*)ノ

Not Sure If...

So...... Elie and I were trying to get a taxi from Maybank Tower to Masjid Jamek LRT this evening after finishing registration.

*le wild taxi spotted at bus stop*
*le driver seems to be asleep at the wheel*


Elie opens the door, "Hello?"
No response.
"Hello?" again, twice.
Still no response from driver.

*closes door loudly*

Taxi driver doesn't move at all.

*bus honks loudly behind taxi*

Taxi driver is still hunched over the wheel.

We slowly back away from the motionless taxi and its driver.

OFFICIALLY THE MOST DAFUQWHATJUSTHAPPENED MOMENT OF 2013 SO FAR.

First Date With The Lilac Box (Unboxing)

♫ 周杰伦 - 明明就


Remember my teaser about The Lilac Box last month? Well, it finally arrived at my doorstep last week! Let me share with you how my "first date" with The Lilac Box went. ;) Dubbed "The Valentine's Day Box", read on to find out how much love this particular box gets from me. :P

I got you... The Lilac Box
The beauty box itself came securely wrapped in another layer of cardboard, which ensured that nothing was damaged during delivery. The presentation was simple - purple polka dot ribbon bow, sturdy (as in very sturdy indeed) cardboard box and a sticker with the words "I got you The Lilac Box".

A message from The Lilac Box
True to its name, the colour scheme for the box is lilac. Lilac ribbon, lilac paper, lilac shredded packing paper... even the note's piping is lilac-coloured. A first peek into the box reveals some eye-catching products.

First peek inside The Lilac Box
There are a total of 6 items included in this debut box, which is actually pretty darn good.

Burberry Fresh Glow Luminous Fluid Base (1ml x 4)
I love base makeup samples like these, if only because they're so easy to carry around. Burberry? Yes please!

Kérastase Resistance Rinse-Out Treatment (75ml)
Kérastase Resistance Reconstructing Shampoo (80ml)
Looks like hair care is becoming a legitimate concern these days, judging from the amount of hair care products I've seen in beauty boxes thus far. Anything that can help my damaged hair, I will gladly accept.

Roberto Cavalli Perfumed Body Lotion (30ml)
A word of warning: this scent is definitely not for those with dainty noses. It smells very grown-up, sexy and is definitely an attention-seeker. Reminds me of something, but I just cannot recall what it is. =/ The lotion itself is very lightweight, and easily absorbed into skin. I like it, but it's not the type of scent I would typically purchase.

MaxFactor Limited Edition Mini Nailfinity in "Boji" (4ml)
A very work-appropriate shade, this purple-grey-beige colour isn't exactly my cup of tea. I'd take a full-on nude shade or the usual pinks/reds any day.

Decléor Paris Aroma Cleanse Essential Cleansing Milk (10ml)
Decléor Paris Aroma Cleanse Essential Tonifying Lotion (10ml)
I've never really thought much about skincare from Decléor Paris, but this mini travel set is really cute. I'll probably pass this on to one of my friends who will actually use it though, instead of letting it sit in my stash.
Just for size comparison. ^^;;
Wait, there's more! I found a couple of vouchers hidden underneath the packing paper.
Hidden vouchers!
Hair care and facial vouchers
At the bottom of the box, there were 2 vouchers. One is an RM50 cash voucher for Centro Hair Salon, and another is a voucher for a Decléor Signature Aromaplasty Facial @ RM98.

I honestly did not expect so many items to be inside this debut Lilac Box, so it was definitely a pleasant surprise to see these goodies inside. I was especially glad to receive the RC perfumed lotion, Burberry samples and MaxFactor nail polish. The Lilac Box's claim of only providing premium brands? They've managed to meet expectations, so kudos to The Lilac Box team! :D


Now, let's see if they can exceed expectations for their next box, shall we? ;)

Unboxing Malaysia's Debut Vanity Trove

♫ 周杰伦 - 明明就


Woohoo! I finally received the debut VanityTrove Malaysia box last week, and I'm excited to share my thoughts on it with you girls (and guys too).

A very handy pull-out drawer
The trove is presented in a sturdy white box that has a pink pull-out drawer. The overall design is simple, elegant and effective, but I do wish it had a little more patterns or designs on it. *ish kicked for being fussy about packaging* XD
First glance inside the debut VanityTrove Malaysia
The contents of the trove were packed securely inside, and the first thing you'll notice is the pretty little personalized greeting card. (They addressed me as "Mei" - which is part of my full name - instead of Laura, lol. ^^;;) There is also an info card with details of the products in the trove, and several brochures and vouchers for some of the products inside.

The personal greeting card is a nice touch
Here's the first look into the trove. Quite a few items inside, aye? :)

Here are the individual items found inside the box:

Benefit The Pore-fessional (7.5ml)
I've read so many reviews about this particular product from Benefit,so I'm glad to see this in my trove!
Benefit The Pore-fessional
Di Palomo Tuscan Rose Hand & Nail Cream (25ml)
I've never heard of this brand before (Which is a good thing, right? Since these boxes are supposed to introduce us to new stuff) but the scent has me hooked - it is absolutely lovely! It really does smell of roses, and the texture is very smooth and non-oily/sticky. Made in England.
Di Palomo Tuscan Rose Hand & Nail Cream
Wella System Professional (SP) Repair Shampoo (30ml)
Wella System Professional (SP) Repair Mask (30ml)
My hair needs some major TLC right about now, so I'm glad to see these in my trove. I probably need a trim first though. >_<
Wella System Professional (SP) Repair Shampoo & Mask
ORIKS Wild Ginseng Stemcell Twister Essence (5ml)
From the description, I guess this essence is supposed to help make skin smoother, more hydrated and also tighten enlarged pores. Sounds interesting enough, and it smells pretty decent.
ORIKS Wild Ginseng Stemcell Twister Essence
ORIKS Wild Ginseng Stemcall Essence Twister BB Cream (2ml x 2)
Basically, this is the BB cream version of the aforementioned Wild Ginseng Stemcell Twister Essence. I'd probably get more use out of this than the pure essence version.
ORIKS Wild Ginseng Stemcall Essence Twister BB Cream
b▪liv by Cellnique Off With Those Heads blackheads sebum gel (3ml)
Now this is something I really should start using. I've never really bothered much about blackheads until my first ever facial experience, but I have no idea how or where to go to get those nasty blackheads removed after that. x_x
b▪liv by Cellnique Off With Those Heads
Last but not least, there were some yummy Merci Petits chocolates inside the tiny box. :D

With so many items inside this debut VanityTrove Malaysia, I'm sure it has set the standard pretty high for subsequent troves. Overall, I'm quite pleased with its contents. However, I'm sure many will echo my sentiment for more cosmetic products. My favourite is, quite surprisingly, the Di Palomo Tuscan Rose hand cream, if only because the scent is so lovely and is absorbed quickly without leaving any oily or sticky feeling.

VanityTrove Malaysia debut box
Eager for more beautiful surprises to arrive at your doorstep each month? Subscribe to VanityTrove Malaysia now, or check our their Facebook page for more updates! ;)


Happy Chinese New Year!

Dong dong chiang! It's that time of the year again, when songs of wealth, prosperity and good fortune are blasted from every store and all you see is red, red, red!

Photo credits to Tokidoki
Today's the first day of Chinese New Year, so...

Happy Chinese New Year, everybody!

新年快乐!

May the year of the Snake slither in and bring you health, wealth and good fortune! :)
愿大家在新的一年里身体健康,眉飞“蛇”舞,一切都“蛇”全“蛇”美!ヾ(^∇^)

Review: Peripera My Color Lips in 27 Holy Coral

♫ Eric Nam - Heaven's Door

Last month, for my birthday, I fed my Peripera addiction with a new addition to my lipstick collection (wow, tongue-twister there, lol) - another My Color Lips lipstick, this time in their new shade, #27 Holy Coral. (✿◠‿◠) Judging from the name, I would say that this is the coral equivalent of 04 Holy Pink.

Still the most gorgeous lipstick I've ever seen :3
Once again, I made use of Ceebeery's excellent shopping service to purchase this lipstick from Gmarket Korea. Since their shopping service is on a spree basis, I received my items roughly 2 weeks after the spree ended, which is considered pretty fast.

The outer packaging
The lipstick itself
Every time I see the gorgeously intricate design of the lipstick, I fall in love with it all over again. (✿♥‿♥) 
(I'm basically repeating what I've said before, so you can just look at the photos, lol) The lipstick is packaged in a metallic pink cardboard box that has lace flower patterns printed on it. The packaging of the lipstick is really gorgeous. It has a pink plastic slip-on cover that has a pattern of lace and flowers with silver accents. The tube itself is metallic light pink all over with a ridged handle at the end, making it convenient to hold when pulling off the plastic cover. The overall design is very sturdy, including the plastic cover, and can definitely take a few bumps even when thrown into a messy handbag. 


The colour in shown in the promotional poster and the actual colour of the lipstick differs greatly.

Peripera My Color Lips 27 Holy Coral
In reality, the lipstick leans more on the orange side of coral. Compare my photo of the lipstick and the one in the promotional picture - the difference is quite apparent indeed. Let's continue with the swatches, shall we? ;)

The colour is actually closer to the brighter parts in this pic. Darn camera. >_<
As you can see from the swatch above, this coral lipstick definitely is tinged more orange than red. I have always shied away from orange-hued lipsticks, but surprisingly this one had enough pink/red in it that it didn't make me look yellow sallow. Instead, it helped to brighten up my complexion and was a refreshing change from my usual pink lippies. :D


This is definitely the one-of-a-kind shade in my lipstick collection, and I don't regret buying it. In fact, it just fanned my addiction into a borderline obsession. (⌒_⌒;) Beautiful packaging, large variety of shades, lovely scent, smooth opaque colour... What's not to love? Do note, however, that the brighter/lighter shades (Holy Pink and Holy Coral) tend to have a shorter lasting power and can accentuate dry lips.

The Peripera My Color Lips lipsticks (3.5g) retail for 15,000 KRW (price may vary on Gmarket) in Korea, S$19.90 in Singapore and US$21.00 in the US. Peripera lip tints and nail polishes are now available in selected Watsons outlets in Malaysia, but the lipsticks have yet to be brought in.

✓ Pros: Gorgeous packaging, great colour payoff, lovely rose scent, moisturizing formula, generous amount of product (3.5g), wide variety of colours, good lasting power.
✗ Cons: Packaging is bulky, higher price point, not easily available outside of Korea, colour will settle into lines on dry lips.


Check out my other Peripera reviews here! :)