Garden Of Shadows Cosmetic Store

Heart of Gold Palette - Garden of Shadows Cosmetics

2012-01-16T15:38:00.001+11:00

This was an unexpected occurance!

I was planning to make a palette for myself to take on my travels including 4 of the 5 colours from the Heart of Gold Collection.

I didn't originally intend to sell it but thought it over and decided to make a few of these palettes to share with everyone!

They are SOOO CHEAP right now!

Since there's 50% off storewide you get 4 colours for just $9.76!

It's in handy packaging, they're pigmented and the colours complement each other beautifully.

How great is that?!

Love Porcelaine.

Review: Eyes Lips Face (E.L.F/ELF) Part 1 Shimmer Eyeliner Pencils in All colours

2012-01-14T17:56:00.000+11:00

ELF is widely known in the USA and it's only been recently that ELF has come over the Australia (for the second time in fact!). I made this complex (joking!) purchase through an overseas friend of a friend who made the order online on the US website then (ahem) shipped it to my friend who passed it on to me a whole year ago, yeah, complex... Here's part one of the GIGANTIC purchase and long overdue review!

What I bought, and what is it?

Let's start with the good stuff.
I bought the Shimmer Eyeliner pencils in EVERY COLOUR =P costing $1USD each on the US based website. This included the following colours (all have an underlying slight silver shimmer):

Iconic Ivory - White shimmer/sparkle
Precious Pink - Light neutral Pink shimmer with slight silver shimmer
Blissful Blush - Medium Taupe brown shimmer/metallic
Boldly Bronze - Bronze brown metallic with slight silver shimmer (more brown than the website's orange tone)
Grassy Green - Slightly blue mid green metallic with slight silver shimmer (more blue than website's swatch)
Twinkle Teal - Teal metallic with slight silver shimmer (not really green duochrome on website)
Plum Passion - Grape plum shimmer with slight silver shimmer
Gunmetal - Grey shimmer/metallic with slight silver shimmer
Black Bandit - Black base with slight silver shimmer

They are standard pencil eyeliners including a sharpening lid.

Left to right as listed above.

Here's the online description:

"Instantly brighten eyes with e.l.f. Cosmetics shimmering metallic liners that put the spotlight on eyes. The smooth formulation glides on effortlessly without tugging at the delicate eye area. Choose from an assortment of 9 vibrant shades designed to add depth, definition and a special sparkle to create a very glamorous look! Pencil includes a convenient sharpener cap for easy use!"

The Results?

These eyeliners are so soft, blendable and smooth to apply. They don't crumble when blunted but crumble when sharpened to a point. Lining your eyes are extremely easy with these as they are soft enough to transfer to the lid. Blend them out and you have a metallic and shimmer eyeshadow where the silver shimmer comes out more.

Taken with flash and blended down

When you use them as an eyeliner they last all day; I've never had a problem with transfer when doing a thin line at the lash line. As an eyeshadow it doesn't have the same staying power and can crease especially on oily lids, which is understandable.

Taken without flash and blended down.

The colours are slightly over saturated on the website but they contain a punch of shimmer! They are highly pigmented and the range of colours are adequate containing a few neutrals, a few brights and a few darker colours. They are handily packaged to resemble the pencil colour, even with a shimmery finish making it easy to recognise and the sharpening lid is a surprising bonus for something that costs $1.

There are few downsides but if it had to be said there are no added 'extras' in the eyeliner. It's not claimed to be smudgeproof, waterproof, etc. In that respect it doesn't claim to do anything other than what is said which is great. The lighter shades do help brighten the eye.

In these ELF reviews I can't comment on the outer packaging simply because there wasn't any! I don't think that was the case in the first place; it seems that the person who sent this over took away most of the packaging to reduce shipping costs as I've seen other people receiving their items in their packaging...

Would I Buy this Again?

OH YES, finally one I can absolutely shout about! It's has most of the important things needed in an eyeliner and it's quite a unique and flamboyant example of interesting eyeliners at an extremely affordable price.

What's your experience of ELF? Has anyone ordered from the new Aussie website?

Love Porcelaine.

Just Before I Go....!

2012-01-13T21:52:00.000+11:00

A reminder about what will happen in the coming month:

30% OFF STOREWIDE (to compensate for being away!)
I will be 'away' from now until 14th February. The shop will remain open and will be accepting orders but won't be made or shipped until I get back. I'll be unable to attend to emails or blogging as I will have limited internet connection (if any).
You might be wondering what will be happening with the blushes. I completed one pressed blush called Lotus! I will be working on making 2 more *bright* blushes when I'm back!
Here's is a link in case of boredom! My gothable Tumblr will be on queue and hopefully last till I'm back! My twitter will probably be quiet while I'm away. My Facebook has just been overhauled to reflect what's currently happening and I'll try and revive it to become more informative and streamlined (it will be a little quiet in the meantime).
There will be at least one more review to be posted and that will be on ELF Shimmer Pencil Eyeliners!
I'll try to take as many EOTDs. This is the first time in a long time of having continue excuses to do my makeup (except for being restricted in what I bring) as I'll be going out enjoying a different scenery.
Charity eyeshadows, hmmm. I've chosen to broaden my area of interest as it seems too obscure to find a particular charity to donate to. There will be 2 eyeshadows with ALL PROFITS going to a charitable cause. Who I'll choose is yet to be decided and details will be posted when I'm back. I don't only aim to raise money but to inform! If you haven't noticed I like putting facts on my product pages (though don't quote me on someone's life! =P!). I fully believe that knowledge and being educated are the foundations of life, should also be a joy and easy to access!
Hopefully when I'm back I'll be happy, healthy, refreshed, ready to roll on and bursting with more to come!

With love, Porcelaine.

Lotus Multiuse Pressed Blush Compact - Garden Of Shadows

2012-01-10T18:00:00.000+11:00

Turning the tables: A blush at last!

Although blushes have been on the agenda but have been late the fruit there's double the offering here with my first PRESSED product!

And yes, stunningly it can be used just about anywhere! Think of the possibilities!

The various releases planned have been a bit topsy turvy due to the upcoming hiatus but it's been decided that Lotus will be the first blush available to order Now and shipped around mid to late February!

Here's the lovely description!

"The Lotus plant is delicate, elegant and often pictured shrouded within an oriental scene.

Like the Lotus this Multiuse Pressed Blush Compact is a delicate cool frosty pink with a very subtle light green overlay and slight peach undertone.

This feminine and flirty colour can also be used as an eyeshadow and lip colour. Just use a small stiff brush, pack colour on and apply. Add a little lipgloss or lipbalm to lips as desired!

Every Lotus compact also comes with a free Lipstick Feminist eyeshadow*!"

I hope you enjoy this rare offering as much as I do!

Love Porcelaine.

Review on the Run: BYS Scented Nail Polish...

2012-01-09T18:00:00.000+11:00

I thought it be time to get some things out there and straight. I've never been a huge fan of BYS. Actually I dislike a lot of their stuff which has been hit and miss, mostly miss. Take in mind I've been buying from this brand for several years now so I've come to know its past and its present. Most of you know BYS as the famous Crackle nail polish brand. I haven't tried it yet...though I do plan to in the future.

It seems that BYS is improving. Well I personally can't say for sure that it has been improving overall. Yes, they have brought exciting and innovative products for an absolutely affordable price especially considering Aussie standards (we Aussie know too well that our cost of living is ridiculous and product prices highly inflated to international counterparts) but among the treasure trove of successes are some predictable and true failures.

So what can I say about BYS Scented nail polish?

Scented nail polishes in (I think) Navy Blue/Blueberry, Peacock/Tropical (excuse the horrible photo)

I tested these new BYS nail polishes with a quick coat at a store to see if they worked. I smelt the bottle and couldn't smell anything apart from the usual chemical scent. Then I applied it. Unfortunately the same old applies. It was thin to apply and when it dried I couldn't smell anything, not even the slightest! I tried scratching it a bit like you do with some stickers (the wear in the photo actually was naturally done) and nothing. So it was a complete fail, in fact a rather misleading claim of being a scented nail polish...

To be honest this is disappointing considering that other nail products have been hits. But on the other hand I'm relieved that this didn't work as I don't recommend snuffing chemical scents or any nail polish residue especially to the natural appeal to children. What's your view on BYS? Would you buy a new product by BYS if you couldn't try them first?

Love Porcelaine.

Review / NOTD: Hello Kitty Violet Salome Multichrome? & Priceline Range

2012-01-07T18:53:00.000+11:00

Hello Kitty is a much loved brand but it suffers from a certain ambiguity. I went to investigate Priceline's range! Here's a NOTD and mini review.

I bought one nail polish called Violet Salome which by the bottle looked like a multichrome costing $10. It's a grape nail polish with the particles sometimes reflecting pink glittery particles but isn't glitter, instead being a great alternative for glitter. It fully covers in 3 coats but you can get away with 2. Unfortunately once it starts chipping it chips fast especially which just 2 coats.

It isn't a multichrome. It can tend to reflect the colour of your surroundings but that doesn't really add any effect. You can see here the bottle looks very much like a multichrome but on the nails it's more a darkness on the sides of the nails instead of being a different colour. Despite this it's a stunning nail polish to add to your collection.

I did have a look at the other products which ranged from face powders to eyeshadows as well as the nail polishes. The eyeshadows were highly pigmented, beautifully bold colours, a little predictable. The other nail polishes were surprisingly bland and generic compared to Violet Salome.

Flash

What I dislike about Hello Kitty and similar brands is that the product ranges are usually licenced ones. There are many Hello Kitty brands out there, the most famous being MAC's collection and there are a lot in Asia (among its fakes), making it difficult to figure out or predict what kind of quality to expect from the particular brand you are looking for. As this range was from Priceline there is about no information out there (though I was pointed this way from Jerry @ SilhouetteScreams). The most I could gather was it came under a company called Heritage Brands (seeming like a wholesaler or something along those lines) including brands like Australis, Innoxa, Revlon Nails, Nailene and more. I'm not sure how long they will be in Priceline but I have a feeling it won't last long...

Would I buy this again? Probably would! It's a unique finish, eyecatching and almost worth it. The downside is that in the bottle the colour is misleading and the quality wasn't as expected for the money's worth.

What do you think of licensed brands? Does it have the same heart as other brands when considering the control of the products often comes under a separate entity?

Love Porcelaine.

Holiday Updates

2011-12-29T14:16:00.000+11:00

It's getting close to my hiatus so here is what to expect in the coming couple months:

My computer needs to be fixed. I know this is all terribly hectic! I probably won't be able to post and I'm not sure how long it will take. I'll still check up on emails and orders.
I will slowly be doing an overhaul of this blog. I've done some renaming of titles and tidying up of blog posts so that information is clearer.
I've released the eyeshadows for Heart of Gold Collection. It's been a few months of process to get this working but it has come clashing with my hiatus. These eyeshadows will be properly available in a couple weeks (under 'made to order' status) but until then any orders will expect to be processed with extended TATs as they are currently under the preorder period.
Most shop listings have been overhauled. I'll continue to simplify and clean up listings after Lipstick Feminist reformulation but that will be a while later.
I will not be processing orders from 16th January to 18th February. I'll be accepting orders during this time but they will definitely not be shipped until I come back.
I'm in the process of creating a store website. I'm not positive on whether or not it will work but that's on my wishlist. Have any ideas or recommendations?

Thanks for listening! Love Porcelaine.

Heart of Gold: Aurum Loose Eyeshadow

2011-12-22T12:00:00.000+11:00

I did eventually succumb to the true gold and went for this layered gold colour.

As much as gold could be gold there is a bit more complexity and I avoided a flat and dull look.

Here's the description:

The symbol for gold?

The element gold in the periodic table has a symbol of Au coming from the latin word Aurum. It might mean wealth, courage, warmth, power, the sun ..........

Aurum is a warm yellow metallic gold with light gold sparkles.

Love Porcelaine.

Heart of Gold: Alluvial Loose Eyeshadow

2011-12-21T12:00:00.000+11:00

If you are a budding gold enthusiast you probably know that mining gold for a hobby usually consists of panning for alluvial gold!

I've done this once at Bathurst which is probably the closest and most renowned place for gold near Sydney but it's still 3 hours away!

Instead if you're the type to watch car racing how about going to the Bathurst 1000 (yep, 1000 km of car racing on what's officially a road but is more like a race track up a hill) and then a detour to its tourist mining centres? Just a suggestion...

Here's the description:

*When the stream calls your name bring your pan to the specks of gold among the river stones.*

Searching for gold in streams by panning was a traditional way of obtaining gold. By removing the top layers of stones and moving the pan in a circular motion the gold settles to the bottom.

A lovely mid green base with gold metallic sheen.

Love Porcelaine.

Heart of Gold: Eureka! Loose Eyeshadow

2011-12-20T14:30:00.000+11:00

Even though my collection is based on Gold I was determined to add shades without adding gold in them. What could be more boring then 7 completely gold shades?

So I looked to the familiar Australian Gold Rush history (And what a story! You should look up the Eureka Stockade!).

Here's the description:

"We swear by the southern cross to stand truly by each other, and fight to defend our rights and liberties!"

Australia's gold rush came at a mortal cost. A sudden battle was fought by a group of miners against the invading government forces united under the new Eureka Flag. It depicted the Southern Cross - the Crux Constellation.

A navy shimmering base with silver stars and subtle purple undertones.

Now that quote is so heartwarming and powerful!

Love Porcelaine.

Review: BYS Neon Orange Eyeliner Followup

2011-12-19T23:00:00.000+11:00

On my introduction to my small BYS haul I mentioned about possibly using the Neon Orange Eyeliner as a lipliner with a coat of lipgloss to create a lipstick. As an eyeliner it was total rubbish.

Jerry from Silhouette Screams was curious to see a true orange rather than a red based one so I had a go trying it!

Previous swatch

It turned out pretty well actually. It was hard to apply since it still was hard and waxy but the colour seemed to stay true to the pumpkin orange that you see in the swatch. I applied a clear but shimmery Medusa's Makeup lip gloss on top which masked the smell of the eyeliner, smoothed out the waxy texture and softened the look of the eyeliner. I don't think I could build it up to be a lipstick texture as it was more like a pigmented lipbalm and it was hard to get full opacity without pulling at the lips. I don't think it would last long unless you put less lip gloss so that the eyeliner retains adhesion.

Verdict? It's worth a try at $3.95 if you can't find anything else to replace it. The only real downside is application.

Love Porcelaine.

Heart of Gold: Ingot Loose Eyeshadow

2011-12-19T14:06:00.000+11:00

A highlight colour is always good for a complement and to blur out the edges of your eyeshadow.

Blend, blend, blend as they say though I think this colour is suitable as a sheer eyeshadow itself, a brow, inner v or cheekbone highlight, or even a warm blush!

Since this is a subtle shade I went for the smaller version of gold storage - an Ingot!

So that means Blood Bullion is its bigger brother?

Maybe...

Here's the description:

Good things come in small packages!

The ingot is a small block of metal and like the bullion it's usually molded with a company signature. They can be used as commodity or for storage and manufacturing.

A sheer highlight eyeshadow of gold and warm tones.

Love Porcelaine.

Heart of Gold: Blood Bullion Loose Eyeshadow

2011-12-18T18:12:00.000+11:00

This colour came about in a sort of passing thought.

You've surely heard about blood diamonds that people will kill for (it's ironic that the value of uncut diamonds isn't much until you sharpen them up).

How about blood gold...Blood Bullion!

Nah, it was only a thought but here's the description:

Would you kill for this?

Gold is renowned as a relatively stable currency. It's value is usually secure. Interestingly its value rises in times of economic stress.

A sparkly metallic brown with a tones of red and gold. For high impact use with primer/sticky base.

Love Porcelaine.

Revelations! The new 'HEART OF GOLD' collection is on its way!

2011-12-17T23:30:00.000+11:00

The awaited collection theme is finally being released.

It's called Heart of Gold and based on that interesting periodic element!

The collection will contain 1 pressed blush, 1 pressed veil and 5 eyeshadows all named in theme with the collection!

You might remember Rosie the 'Lipsticker' as the sort of mascot for the Lipstick Feminist collection.

So as a sneak peek here is the Heart of Gold collection mascot!

I hand drew her on my computer and had to learn a new program just for this!

I've never actually drawn anything like this on the computer because I like the traditional drawing method, but I have to say it wasn't such a bad ordeal!

She look very CUTE indeed!

In the next week or so the items will be available for preorder at my store.

I will be continually posting the descriptions of each product, releasing EOTDs and if I have enough time before I go overseas I'll be holding a giveaway!

Meanwhile the listings for the old collection Lipstick Feminist will be overhauled and categorised.

This collection will be slightly complicated by the fact that I will be away during mid January to mid February. More news will be released on how this will be managed.

Love Porcelaine.

Review: Essence Vampire's Love Collection & Distribution

2011-12-13T15:31:00.000+11:00

Around the beginning of December I popped into Target and found the current Essence Collection called Vampire's Love. This was a very strange occurrence for me as Australia's Target hasn't really gotten the Essence limited edition ranges in order, they've been really slow to release things and haven't been found in every Target I've come across.

This one Target I visited previously did not have any Essence products but this time I found remnants of 2 old collections dating from 3/4 year back placed to the side and the latest one almost fully stocked in the main Essence displays. It seems that they have been popular (considering Target's makeup area doesn't sell that well for the range of brands they keep).

This time I purchased 2 items to refrain from overbuying. I picked Vampire's Love 01 Love at first bite Palette for $7.50 and 01 Gold Old Buffy nail polish at $3.50. Both are great value.

The palette contains 6 complementing colours: a dirty gold on matte black base, a blackened blue matte, dark purple shimmer, black matte with silver sparkles, sheer silver, and baby pink. The colours are thoughtful and sophisticated however the quality wasn't up to par. A lot of the colours were matte and tended to transfer everywhere when worn (I got the panda eye look). The mattes were pigmented but the shimmer was subtle and some colours when worn didn't tend to match the colour in the palette: e.g. the gold didn't come up that much and the black base is overwhelming. The formula is smooth, 'silky' as it claims, but it's not really layerable.

This packaging is great with each shade in their own compartment and a huge mirror spanning the whole area of the palette. It looks polished and professional and suits older people as well as their targeted youth. On the other hand the brush was rubbish, too stiff and plastic, and the sponge side too soft.

The nail polish range is also well conceptualised and Essence really has a great marketing strategy for innovative products. The colour Gold Old Buffy is a gorgeous antique gold on black base. It's not that glossy though, and takes 2~3 coats for full coverage.

Two other colours that I managed to get swatches of are I think called True Love (below left) which is a red plum shimmer and Into the Dark (below right) which was a unique denim blue with silver sparkles. Essence nail polishes seem easy to remove, not streaky though Gold Old Buffy was slightly patchy at 2 coats.

Coming back to the distribution I can only guess that the old collections were bought when they were in the process of slowly distributing products to each of the Target stores and then became outdated. Maybe this collection is the start of properly selling the current collections?

Would I buy these again?
Yes, At $7.50 the palette is a good catch and provides carefully conceptualised colours to create a dark, smokey and vampy look that is easy to achieve. The nail polish colours are nicely themed and most of the colours were unique, not overdone. As with all other Essence nail polishes I have tried I continue to be impressed with the interesting colours they offer and would certainly buy them again!

Have you tried Essence? Has anyone been able to find them around your area?

Love Porcelaine.

Review: BYS Haul Shimmer Pearls (05 Highlighter), Copper Shimmer Powder, Neon Orange Eyeliner

2011-12-11T13:48:00.000+11:00

Not long ago I made an introduction to a small BYS haul I made a while ago and this is the awaited review.

What I bought:

Shimmer Pearls (05 Highlighter) - $5.95
Copper Shimmer Powder - $4.95
Neon Orange Eyeliner - $3.95

Product & Results:

The Shimmer Pearls are a knockoff of Guerlain Meteorites and it's not the only one (e.g. from the reputable Korean brand Etude House with a few similar products, to cheap brand W7 which has a dupe up to the packaging). There are six shades available from the highlighting to bronzing type. I chose the shade 05 Highlighter because it was reminiscent of Guerlain's trademark shade and it had pretty pastels colours throughout: pink, pearl, orange, purple and green. It comes in a sealed clear top jar and a plastic insert to keep the pearls still.

As beautiful as this sounded, when it came to the crunch it was a different story. The pearls were hard and it was difficult to pick up the powder. It resulted in mostly sheer application. None of the colours were discernible when applied together and turned into a pale white fine shimmer. Each colour by itself when applied very hard looked beautiful. It applies a little powdery. The amount is small with only 1 layer of pearls covering the base of the jar. The worst part was the smell! It smells of a plasticy scent despite containing 'parfum' and is hardly bearable.

Copper Shimmer Powder Top left, Shimmer Pearls Top right, Neon Orange Eyeliner bottom

The Copper Shimmer Powder is the second cheapest. The title includes the shade name so it's confusing as to whether this was a whole range of Copper Shimmer Powder rather than a range of Shimmer Powders containing a Copper shade. In reality there are 5 shades ranging from bronze to gold to natural. They come in a fancy brush with the powder in a containment coming out of the brush to be applied on the skin. The brush has a plastic guard to prevent bent bristles and a cap. The brush itself and the whole device is sealed with plastic shrink wrap. The cap is sealed with a sticker. That's a lot of kerfuffle!

This is really a simple product. The product is one colour of mica shimmer. It can be applied to the face and I like to use it as a unique alternative to blush (It tends to look glittery). It can be built up to a more heavy shimmer or just a light sparkle. The brush is just horrendous quality. It's not a nice texture, its bristles fall out and it's too soft. Overall it's good value with thought in the product but BYS' quality remains the problem.

With the Neon Orange Eyeliner the colour doesn't look neon, more like pumpkin orange. The pencil is too hard to apply to the eye. It drags and it rubs off eyeshadow. The formula is too waxy, a little chalky, dry and not smooth. It comes in the generic wood pencil packaging with a clear lid which is a shame since not all of their range of eyeliners are in pencil form, though this is to be expected for the price.

Would I buy these again?

Unfortunately I find that the smell of the Shimmer Pearls to be the deal breaker and it's difficulty to pick up product would make it too hard to apply. The Copper Shimmer Powder at its afforable price makes it worth it and the brush is bearable to work with. The eyeliner is totally rubbish to be honest so I would definitely not buy it again.

Love Porcelaine.

Prelude to BYS Haul Shimmer Pearls (05 Highlighter), Copper Shimmer Powder, Neon Orange Eyeliner Review

2011-12-05T21:43:00.000+11:00

So I mentioned a while ago that I made the forbidden BYS haul. I couldn't stop kicking myself because I had almost resolutely said I would never buy their stuff again. But years have passed since my first purchases and BYS has grown, although not quite making it to high quality 'drug store' brands as you would say in the US. After going shopping with an old friend who wanted a few of my eyeshadows we ended up in a makeup shop which pretty much fully stocked BYS (and that's unheard of anywhere!). I had never come across the products I chose but when I did I couldn't help myself!

The first to catch my eyes were these curious set of powder balls called Shimmer Pearls. I made no mistake and I knew exactly what I was looking at! You had me at thought: "Guerlain Meteorites DUPE" and I had to buy it!

Sidetrack to story: Years ago I was staring at the Guerlain counter looking at the Meteorites and how pretty the packaging was and how beautiful all the colours of the balls were. Of course I didn't end up buying THAT and instead I bought a limited edition palette which I will never touch because of how beautiful the top design layer was. So I'm much the idiot makeup buyer with no sense or self control!

On to the next thing: Copper shimmer powder. I don't know why I bought this considering I could technically make this myself. But one could never stop being a makeup hoarder I suppose. Sparkly copper powder which could make a unique addition as a blush highlight that just hints at the copper colour made me fall for this. I keep going on about sparkly vampires when I hate *insert unsaid name vampire book series* but I think that's the story of my life: 'Gothic girl glimmers in moonlight' (and sunlight if you must ask). So this shimmer being no ordinary highlight colour just makes me swoon.

Lastly there's the Neon orange eyeliner. I don't think I intend to use this as an eyeliner alone. Truthfully I bought this because being addicted to bright true orange lipsticks I thought I might use this on my lips and put gloss over it therefore transforming this to a lipstick! But as an eyeliner it still has its uses and I welcome bright (obnoxious =P) eyeliners to have a party on my eyes any day! I did try out some sort of fluoro yellow eyeshadow on my hand but that is just over the line in terms of crazy and useless; it was significantly powdery and horrible application, the BYS benchmark.

So here's the story, what about the test? I have my reservations on BYS products but we'll see what happens when it gets to the review. Look out for it, it's coming!

Love Porcelaine.

NOTD: Essence Choose Me! & Inglot 203 Flakie

2011-12-02T20:30:00.000+11:00

On the quest for more ways to use flakies this turned out and I'm loving the mermaid nail attire! This is just a gorgeously complementing pair and looks as if it would make a great single colour with the match.

Essence Choose Me! is the base in 2 coats and Inglot 203 as top coat.

This is a close up of the best photos but it was SO hard to capture! It's really more beautiful in real life and the flakies are their own separate pieces rather than the glittery-ness of the photos.

No flash.

I think flakies work really well with glittery textures and make them a lot more complex unlike normal nail polish. Hopefully your friends will get a wow out of it when they see it in the corner of their eye!

Flash!

I really hope you enjoyed this even if the photos aren't great!

Have you ever had perfect combos of nail polish before?

Love Porcelaine.

Review: BYS Colour Change Nail Polish - Bright Pink + NOTD

2011-11-23T23:36:00.000+11:00

If you haven't already I've reviewed both Bright Purple and Blue Colour Change nail polishes. This time I'm reviewing Bright Pink.

Flash

Bright Pink is a fresh bubblegum pink (very lovable and attractive in my opinion) to dark pink colour changing nail polish. It's similar to Bright purple and has a similar matte plastic finish. This nail polish, like Blue, luckily had a fair consistency requiring a good 2 coats for opacity, dries reasonably quick and has no streaks at all!

No flash

Bright Pink wasn't spectacularly stunning in the colour change. Although it does change it's not a major step and you need a dramatic temperature change to notice it. Below you can see it's a bubblegum pink when warm, dark pink when cold.

Would I buy it again? Yes and no. It's a very affordable price (at $4 in my case) but the quality is unpredictable. Overall the nail polishes are a standard gimmick. Had Bright Purple's consistency been thicker and opaque in 2~3 coats I'd be happy to say it's a perfect catch with such an articulated colour change. It does what it says but not to stunning effect.

BYS is stocked in Kmart, The Reject Shop and Hot Dollar/discount stores around Australia!

Love Porcelaine.

Random Self Conversing #11 Revamped: Colour Love Affair

2011-11-21T19:16:00.000+11:00

I feel it's time that I let go of how I used to do this segment of my blog. You may have noticed that I haven't posted one of these for a long time and considering the mass of EOTD's I didn't feel that I should have to explain that I posted these. Instead I've opened up new ground and decided not to get rid of these completely but make use of this space as a way to just converse about makeup or any other issues that may arise. I think I could consider this the composite of my monthly adorations where I can be informal, include rants and talk directly to you! So here is the first of the RSCs Revamped!

Lately I've been getting into a pattern of purchasing products in similar colours or hunting down/browsing/surfing the net of products in these shades. I've become a little obsessed about bright orange lipstick that sits in the middle range rather than toning down to a red. So far I've bought Evil Shades' orange lipstick in Ardour, Mavala's 231 Ibiza lipstick, stalked Morgana's Shrieking Orange lippy and nearly bought MAC's Good To Go and Stila's orange lip glaze stick only to find that they were sold out just as I went to the checkout online...

But I think this strange orange obsession all started with Medusa's lipgloss in Loud Mouth! I was attracted by its tangerine scent but enamoured by the look of the gloss - coppery yet still clearly orange (in fact the frosty shimmer kept the shade lighter counteracting my pigmented lips). You could say I fell in love!

That wasn't the only colour I've fallen in love with. For lipgloss I've become attracted to blacks because of my gothic tendencies. YSL's famous black lipgloss would be my obvious choice, and Lipstick Queen's Black Tie Optional yet I haven't owned either (or MAC's Style Black collection). But instead I went for something more at arm's length: Lancome's Piha Black Lipgloss! I loved the jelly texture which was moisturising and glossy, and the real highlight of this gloss was the flurry of silver sparkles throughout the black gloss.

Last but not least eyeshadows went along the bright chartreuse direction. After getting a sample of Aromaleigh's Estranged from their Rocks! collection I started to get extremely attracted to all shades of chartreuse. My love deepened bitterly when Rocks! became discontinued but I felt that Estranged was so hypnotically perfect that I needed a replacement for it. That unleashed a whole fit of chartreuse collecting and I seemed to have ordered all shades of chartreuse that I should have enough yet none has matched Estranged's particular personality. My most recent acquisition? Inglot's AMC 41.

So this compulsion might be getting out of hand but I wonder does anyone else have a habit of collecting makeup with certain characteristics? I know I shouldn't buy more. Enough people have complained that you don't need more makeup because isn't a purple a purple? What are your thoughts on this?

Love Porcelaine.

Guess who's back? Back Again?!?!

2011-11-05T23:44:00.000+11:00

I'm back!!! And boy am I excited! For a while there I didn't post, but that's alright since I did promise myself I would post when I had time (and I didn't have time though wishing ever so much that I did!).
Getting back to the news related stuff, I guess you'll find this boring but bear with me.

I'm going to get back to the habit of posting starting with a renewed and refashioned RSC #11 (Random Self Conversing for those who have just started following!) and this is the chance to get all your stories out as well as mine!
I'm going to start a new collection with all new types of products and I've taken into account what a lot of people have commented. I like working with everyone since I think that's truly the way to progress and move forward (though don't point me out as another Gillard =P!!!). As soon as I've finished formulating I'll reveal the theme. I LOVE THEMES, if you haven't gathered that already... I'll also be doing some intensive testing of my products to get the most out of them that I can.
G-I-V-E-A-W-A-Y. I think that just about says it all. I think I'm ready to do another one and although I didn't get to do one for the last collection this new collection is a nice opportunity. We'll see how that goes but that will definitely come after I've sorted everything else.
I've started to learn a lot more about formulating since my last collection and I want to reformulate them. Before I can start doing that I need to move the old stock. That means discounts, sales, etc. which I'll have to think about. I do know that there will be freebies with the upcoming collection making them quite like a set of conjoined twins!
There will be a few odd projects here and there. A while ago I mentioned a charity eyeshadow but the cause I have chosen is rather obscure so I'm worried about the validity of it (though it is valid in my personal opinion. Tell me what you think about little known causes). If things go well with the upcoming collection then making the charity eyeshadow will be worth it. Christmas is another occasion I want to recognise so there might be an odd eyeshadow made depending on how time flies.
I will be having a hiatus around mid January to mid February as I'll be overseas. I rarely get this opportunity so I'm taking it! I'll be taking orders during that period but not shipping and may not be contactable until I'm back. If you're worried about getting your parcel on time please order by the beginning of the new year.
I've also done a lot of shopping. For the stuff I was supposed to review long ago I will try and get up the relevant ones. There will be new Inglot, Daiso, Essence, BYS and other random reviews. I like to focus on good affordable items since they are the surprises worth buying.
I have a renewed sense of humour so I'm going to play jokes if possible. Totally unrelated right?
Also lastly, SORRY FOR THE TUMBLR SPAM ON MY TWITTER THESE FEW MONTHS!!! I owe everyone some real ~~sweets haha, you wish~~ tweets!

Love Porcelaine.

Review: Inglot Flakies/203 Nail Polish

2011-09-11T14:31:00.001+10:00

So out of all the things I could choose from Inglot I had to choose a flakie. Some sort of illogical thought process went in my mind saying that a $15 nail polish would be cheaper and more responsible than getting a $25 discounted small palette. Of course now I regret it and feel like an idiot but at least I chose a nail polish that was the most interesting. I bought this in the beginning of the year and wore it four or so times in different ways which I'll show you in this post.

This was the first time on top of this NOTD (click) you might recognise. I painted my nails with each of the Inglot flakies at their store so you can see slight differences between them. Once upon a time they had an Inglot store at my local shopping centre which I found odd as it wasn't a metropolitan area. When they closed Inglot closed a large majority of their stores and only a couple remain in Sydney.

I found in particular that if you are using no base or light bases then the colours really come out in low light settings. Try a bathroom with evenly distributed light and you're set to see the actual colours shine.

That said it's an absolute pain trying to see the colours normally. Above you can see that in high light settings practically nothing turns up. Below from this NOTD is when I used it for a light periwinkle blue and that was in general an all out fail for Inglot.

This last NOTD really shows the flakie shine. Over a dark base it's brilliant and works wonders and you can see the shading from green to blue to purple. It is actually unbelievably beautiful, like a black opal and I'm glad I chose this colour (203) over the others because I'm sure this was the best in range of colour change and visibility.

I need to get on to reviewing the actual product. It's not anything extremely special. It's literally flakes in a clear base. However there is the perfect amount put into it and it's easy to get more flakes onto your finger with the brush. It dries quite smooth and wears well.

It comes is very simple white box with basic details, far from the most exciting to come across. The price is what really gets me. I think it's too expensive for such a simple product in a very small bottle (8 ml) but it falls in line with the other Inglot products. This size is actually smaller than the majority of other Inglot nail polishes so flakies are more expensive per ml!

Would I buy it again? No I wouldn't. I know there are alternatives. I know there are far cheaper alternative. Although I'm impressed by the quality it's not enough to make me want to buy any of Inglot's nail polishes but if you're the type who isn't miffed about pricing then this is the alley for you.

Have you tried Inglot? What do you think of them?

Love Porcelaine.

Say NO to lower lashline! EOTD

2011-08-27T13:20:00.000+10:00

Doing my lower lashline never looks good in real life.

I fooled myself into thinking of doing it again.

Okay, it's not that bad, but seriously, makeup doesn't go with my lower lashline,

pretty much end of story.
This EOTD was from ages ago.

Here's what I used:

Evileyes primer as base.

Fyrinnae PE spread evenly on top of Evileyes.

AL Mirelle on lid and outer corner of eye.

AL Jolie in crease and above lid.

Bourjois light purple with aqua duochrome loose shadow on inner corner of eye.

I put Innoxa black liquid eyeliner on after taking the pictures.

Love Porcelaine.

NOTD: Inglot on Black

2011-08-19T22:01:00.001+10:00

Again I did an Inglot layered NOTD.

The last one was from ages ago but this one was a couple weeks ago.

Same brand as base but a lovely black with subtle silver shimmer and the same great quality.

This time the Inglot flakie was very apparent whereas the last one was subtle.

Here you can see the different colours in different lights.

Light green to blue to purple on the peripheries.

Again I'll do a proper review post of this flakie.

Love Porcelaine.

Just Updates and Going Ons

2011-08-14T13:56:00.001+10:00

So I thought I was due for an update about not just my cosmetic making but the blog itself.

At the moment I've just resumed from a break and I have to get back to work which I'm doing more hours than before so it will be as hectic as EVER to put it ever so lightly.

I've tried to make some posts ready to schedule but there isn't much important content such as reviews which I know everyone loves to read a lot more than other posts.

So I've made a goal but will only commit to it if I have time.

No time, no new posts sadly.

So I'll try to do about 1:1 of new product reviews of just acquired products and old products that I was supposed to review in the Jurassic Period!

(That's just the review to review ratio, not the ratio to other posts.)

I've also massively queued my Tumblr which is here if you haven't seen it.

It's roughly a 2 a day posting so you might follow it or check on it once a week for some inspirational boost (or check my Twitter as it updates it)!

Lastly about my cosmetic making.

I am on limited time but I've also promised myself to take it slow and steady, create when I have time, and not to fret when I don't have time.

I have one collection in my store so I think it's okay that I don't release anything for a few months which does seem like a long time.

BUT it will be crazy cool stuff.

I have so many ideas that are in a queue (excuse the repetitiveness of the word 'queue'!)

It will be surprising and different.

I've spent much brain power on working on unique concepts that will have you blown away but ready to run and come back and see it all again (and the cycle continues! Haha).

Some will not be part of a formal collection so you won't have to 'catch them all'.

I also created new listings to buy 6 colours for a discount which is cheaper and easier!
(Also please do the poll on the top right of this blog about sample vs mini jars!)
I'm working on better deals and also better quality which is of utmost importance at the moment.

Posting may be more or less once a week.

That also means that again I might be late to answer to comments but I still expect a lively chat!

Love Porcelaine.

July Adoration

2011-08-07T12:34:00.003+10:00

A little bit late but better late than never. I've been all hands of deck lately and I'm back to dreaded work (which I still love to be fair but having a break was glorious and productive!).

This month the focus has been non-makeup! Having been testing my own eyeshadows (and trying not to quadruple post on them XD) I've decided to explore more of the skin care and perfume (no surprises) side.

First up is moisturiser. I have very oily skin (blame the genetics) and so I tend to avoid oily moisturisers. My T-zone usually never gets moisturised as it's just too oily. My cheeks however can get dry and flaky after I clean my face with acne cleanser and its drier in winter (in Australia it's currently winter). So I use a oil free moisturiser, just a very simple one to combat the occasional dry spots without making me oily.

What I use is Clean & Clear Active Clear Soothing oil free moisturiser. It has a delectable mature scent, is quite watery but light and effective for a boost to dry skin. I like it for its long term effects which keeps in moisture that your body naturally builds up over a few hours or more.

To follow on why not talk about acne cleansers? With oily skin I do get breakouts pretty much all the time. I don't have serious breakouts but I always like to have none than even a little. I've been trying everything after so long of not caring for cleansers and the two here are just a couple that I'm trying to get through. Neutrogena's Pink Grapefruit wash which I chose for the scent (I'm a sucker for citrus if you haven't picked that up by now!) and Power Clear scrub is my current go tos because they are stronger than most other cleansers, but there are a lot of others from Clearasil and Clean & Clear that I've tried too. I have to make note that nothing works when it comes to hormones or stress (which is hormones anyway) in play and the most stubborn breakouts don't even get a jolt from the strongest cleansers.

Perfume wise I've been keeping to Daisy by Marc Jacobs Eau de Parfum. It seems like winter weather warrants strong perfume. Daisy has been my long time favourite and if you've read the back end and what I consider the old era of my blog you'll see a billion posts on this perfume! Since buying this I haven't looked back and I own three bottles of it which include 2 Eau de Toilettes. I love it since it's refreshing and floral but still has a depth to it.

Lastly just a very quick mention of Aromaleigh's lip balm. I'm not a lip balm fan but having been itching to use up all the lip balms I acquired I've been getting used to the bare/lip balm look for every single day. I'm over it to be honest. It does the job but it's oh so boring. I've finished yuzu and pink grapefruit (which if you recall was mentioned in January, yes that long!) and half of italian blood orange. When I'm done I'm definitely switching to lip colour/glosses. It has made me a little scared to wear plums which is my usual winter routine every year which in itself is scaring me because I don't want to lose my dramatic self!

What have you been using in the last month? Do you ever have style changes? Do you ever try and use up makeup so that you can move on to new things?

Love Porcelaine.

Follow Up: Lip Stains

2011-08-02T18:11:00.001+10:00

After my review on the old Revlon Just Bitten lip stains I had come across other lip stains. I swatched them at Kmart but I forgot who made it. I have a feeling they are Covergirl Outlast but at the same time I felt like I recalled them as Maybelline and with different numbers. Well I'll just go with Outlast.

I've definitely seen them before but when you compare them to Revlon, Outlast is designed for 12 hour wear I think (or at least long wearing) whereas Revlon doesn't have any accommodation for this. I haven't tried them on my lips apart from swatch them but here are the swatches.

It's pretty much a red, neutral and neutral coral.

Love Porcelaine.

ELF's Australian Online Store

2011-07-29T21:39:00.000+10:00

If you Aussies haven't already heard E.L.F (Eyes, Lips, Face) has opened an Australian online store.

For a while now I've known about this but they haven't actually put all the products on their website which has been announced as gradually being added in the next 5 weeks.

I'm a bit half hearted about this.

It's great no doubt to finally have this famous line back in Australia,

and for so long ELF USA doesn't ship to Australia.

But consequently the store has significantly marked up the prices.

For example an eyeliner that normally costs $1 USD is nearly $4 AUD.

For most items the cost has been marked up about 400% which is a little worse than UK and Europe.

I know that by writing this I'm inadvertently publicising ELF which I'm not really wanting to do.

But I guess hear a few things.

If you are wanting ELF products then I suggest you find a friend in USA to save you the markup (which at the moment is huge due to the higher Australian dollar).

Secondly I'm keeping a watch on the Aussie ELF website to see what kind of deals they have.

If they are anything like the ones in USA then it might be a deal worth buying for.

Lastly I have a giant haul of ELF products yet to be reviewed.

Incredibly it has been sitting around for an eternity but I haven't the chance to do it.

When I do get around to it it may help you to decide whether to buy or not.

ELF is hit and miss and it's easy to blow 4 X more than you bargained for.

Love Porcelaine.

Dark Anne's Armour

2011-07-28T22:34:00.000+10:00

I didn't quite realise that I would go straight to doing a dark look,

A nice and smoky gothic eye look.

I messed about with one colour then another and then this came about.
Here's what I used:

Too Faced Shadow Insurance as base.

Garden of Shadows Eve on lid.

Anne in crease.

Kari on inner v.

Love Porcelaine.

We Need To Talk!

2011-07-24T23:25:00.000+10:00

So I'm mostly happy with how everything has been going so far.

But I feel there is something missing.

A little interaction?

Some women, or men power! I Want YOU!

I'd like to think that even though I'm running my store that all of this is a contribution from you!

So I want to hear feedback, questions, ideas, thoughts from you guys!

I also have a few direct question I'd like to ask of you.

Here's the first: What do you think of Heartsy?

Is it open to any sellers or are they exclusive to Etsy (would I have to open an Etsy store. Verification by credit card peeves me as I'm not too sure about using credit cards online)? From what I can gather it's open to all handmade sellers...?

What amount deal would you be most interested in getting?

Second: Would you buy mini jars or would you just tend to stick with samples if you were to buy from my store?

Third: I'm wondering about making an eyeshadow colour where some profits will go to charity.

Is this something people would be interested in?

Would it be worth my effort?

How do people feel about charity causes?

That's all for now.

I'm going to keep working on it.

I'm committed to improving and evolving what I make, and with your help!

Love Porcelaine.

Random Double NOTD with Inglot!

2011-07-23T14:09:00.001+10:00

This is from a very long time ago. This colour is gorgeous and awesome quality.

I'm guessing this is one or two coats.

This brand which I think is Korean makes nice dimensional colours, pigmented and good consistency.

The colours are always flattering!

But I also decided to pair this with Inglot's flaky nail polish.

This is the green/blue colour but unfortunately you can't quite see it in this picture.

It appears as a slightly ethereal light green on the blue.

I love this flaky and I'll write up a review of it when I have time!

Love Porcelaine.

THE LIPSTICK FEMINIST COLLECTION REVEALED

2011-07-20T11:43:00.002+10:00

So I know you've been waiting a fair bit but it's now time to show what all the fuss is all about (and to prove that, yes, things have actually been progressing!).

If you haven't seen it yet click here for the info about the collection. It is utterly heartfelt!

Here are the eyeshadow colours one by one. I'll probably do more detailed posts with EOTD's.
They are all named with names. They are based on real people but these names might not actually be their names (just to confuse you more!). Think of it as symbolic!

Kristina
I chose this picture in particular in this post so that you can see the universe in it =P!

Liv

Zhen

Cacau

Janelle

Katarina

Heather

Eve

Meg

Anne

Jane

Kari

And now for some details of how to buy:

I will be selling on this site, click to take you there!

For the listings there will be full size jars and sample bags (I might make mini jars later).
You can buy the whole collection in 'one click'.
Just have a look at the sidebar for categories.

There will also be bloggers packs where the eyeshadow samples are free when you review the colours.
I will be slowly posting in the next couple weeks each individual colour and hopefully an eye swatch.

Love Porcelaine.

ANNOUNCEMENT: THE NEW 'LIPSTICK FEMINIST' COLLECTION

2011-07-16T15:07:00.001+10:00

Finally the first new collection has arrived called 'Lipstick Feminist'!

This is something special to me. It is more than just makeup.

It is more than aesthetics but a celebration of women.

There are many things that the Lipstick Feminist Collection represents to me.

First it's about so many women who have surrounded me with their loving presence.

I can never deny that even as an adult these people have made life worth living.

They may be friends and they may be family and they may be people I look up to,

Many of which have been represented in an eyeshadow individually or collectively.

Secondly it's about women as a whole. Today women are still undervalued.

This is not about the external political battle (which is still so important).

The importance is the everyday ones where real women live everyday with stressful circumstances and responsibilities, perhaps having to be all the roles needed in their families or community.

I chose the line 'Lipstick Feminist' from a great friend who described me as one.

But I know it goes beyond describing me, but rather most women today in my country

and certainly many others around the world.

It's about women celebrating both being a woman, being proud to dress as they wish, be who they are, but at the same time remembering the power, rights and values they deserve.

It's alright to be the 'stereotypical woman' or not to be the stereotypical woman, but they should be able to choose which path they want to take.

Being caring and soft and beautiful shouldn't be shameful or weak.

Neither should being out of the stereotypical context considered as unnatural.

Thirdly you will soon notice that some of the eyeshadows have been based on bloggers.

I want to acknowledge some of those who take the time to blog as I know well the extra time and effort we take to keep going outside of our busy lives involving work, study or taking care of others.

Although it may seem out of touch with reality the online world should be considered as real as the people in our own physical 'reality'.
We all might not have come face to face but we are all a network of friends nonetheless!

Here's to the bloggers!

Pictures of the eyeshadows in the collection will be revealed shortly.

Love Porcelaine.

Review: Revlon Just Bitten Lip Stains (first release)

2011-07-12T17:01:00.000+10:00

My fellow blogger Cacau had just written a review on the current Revlon Just Bitten stains. Interestingly they didn't get the first limited edition range in Brazil but I just happen to have all four of the old ones! What does that call for? A review and comparison of course!

The Product and Results

A few years ago the first limited edition range by Revlon released accompanied by sugar dust, some intense blushes, chrome lip colours, some sort of velvet range of lipsticks and so on. I really loved these when they were released because at the time there wasn't a range of new and pioneering concepts that could be easily purchased. Being totally sucked in I bought a couple things full priced, then waited till the end of the phase and snatched up A LOT of discounted items.

Swatches! Plum Wicked, Berry Juicy, Cherry Tart, Blood Orange

So one of the stains I bought I think it was full priced and the other three were discounted. I loved the idea of a stain and much more than that it was reminiscent of how Elizabethan makeup used to be! These stains came in at least 4 self explanatory colours: Plum Wicked, Berry Juicy, Cherry Tart and Blood Orange. They come in a clear roller ball tube with silver foil text that looks so luxe but the label wears over time. It is a smooth liquid of lip stain, kind of like berry juice slightly reduced on the stove (in fact all colours have fruit extracts that correspond with the colour name)!

But there inlaid a problem. Trying to get 'full' coverage was impossible which you had to smooth out with your lips or your fingers because of the roller ball. The formula also doesn't 'set in' and dry on application; it stains but doesn't paint and will rub off at first. In comparison to Cacau's version, the new lip stains apply with a felt tip brush for precise application and I have a feeling it's a different formula, with all new colours.

I wiped the stains off with a tissue after a few minutes and they stained.

Courtesy of Cacau

But I have to say my formula is more typical of a 'lip stain'. It likes to cling to your inner lips rather than the outside and gives it more of a stained look rather than a painted one. If this is the look you are going for then the old one trumps! I also seem to see that it's more subtle and blended whereas the new one shows more of the patchiness. Both are good at letting your natural lip colour shine through (on my pigmented lips they redden).

Definitely nothing like this coverage

It doesn't wear well. I think that's a typical lip stain thing. It fades away when you eat and it's really for the effect. But it's good that it's a look that doesn't necessarily 'need' maintenance (except for having soft moisturised lips), the whole point is that it's a stain rather than a full application of lipstick.

Courtesy of Cacau. Her version is a bit patchy after eating.

Would I buy these products again?

Trying to compare blogger to blogger is a little complicated but from observation I think I can make reasonable conclusions. Overall when you compare the old and the new one there are separate advantages. I personally prefer my one for the 'Just bitten' lip stain look, but if you like subtle lip tints with proper coverage then the new one's for you. I would totally buy this again and you can tell seeing as I bought all four!

Love Porcelaine.

More news!

2011-07-07T11:56:00.000+10:00

Just thought I'd give an update.

The makeup stuff is still...coming (really, really soon).

But besides that I've decided to write up a page of some info about the store and such, kind of like an FAQ page on a website.

It contains basic information as well as a little on interesting things about my approach.

It also has links of where to find me.

Speaking of which here is a new link!

I've been sucked into the world of Tumblr (actually I did look at some Tumblrs but not frequently).

I thought this would be the best place for short updates and as well as a peek into my personality.

I'm a fairly private person but most people know I'm a little goth (definitely at heart!)

That - I'm not afraid to show so feel free to enjoy!

Here's the link: http://gardenofshadows.tumblr.com/

Predictable name of course!

And I'm sure you've all seen my first eyeshadow.

I've actually made more than that but I don't want to double/triple/quadruple/???? post when the whole collection is released...

Nonetheless I'm like a proud mum!

Love Porcelaine.

June Adoration (+ EOTD)

2011-07-05T00:03:00.000+10:00

Last month I've been a little preoccupied with all this cosmetic making buzz I've involved myself in. It's been interesting balancing this on the sidelines while living day to day life. But there's a lot of pleasure to be had with making such interesting colours, having this unique experience and especially being on the 'other side' of the cosmetic industry since I was a consumer of it rather than a seller.

I've played around mostly with my first colour Kristina. Here's an eye swatch I did. It looked unbelievably dramatic with such intensity I didn't anticipate. It was even too much for me to wear in the daytime (which is saying something since I'm a little crazy when it comes to day makeup). I toned it down when I wore it two other times with a pink shadow by Rimmel and a green shadow by fellow indie Meow cosmetics. It morphed into a lovely aqua tinged blue when blended out.

Garden of Shadow's Kristina with Meow Cosmetic's Tropical

Elf Shimmer eyeliner pencil in Black Bandit

I went to meet up with a few friends on the last day of June incidentally! She asked if I was going to make money at the price I was selling it for. It was a funny question because I had to think for a second whether I was or not and then began to doubt myself wondering if I was digging myself into a hole because I could be losing money. I didn't give an answer since they already moved on when I had to think about it! It's probably not the point to be swimming in cash (logistically covering costs is very advisable), more out of love, passion and fun!

Other than that I should point out that I'm still going to be reviewing like I have been. I like that side of the industry and proudly say that bloggers are a huge contributor to the 'glory' of the makeup industry. We shouldn't be cast aside because we're every day people with lives outside of blogging. We definitely don't need to be a beauty critic for a living to prove our words should be taken seriously.

Love Porcelaine.

Untraditional Tiramisu Basilica (?) Recipe! A twist.

2011-07-02T08:56:00.001+10:00

I was starting to get a sweet tooth the day I made this. I had to retry an old recipe but I wanted to change it up, make a bit of a presentation and show a different way of doing it.

The cream I made was the only cream I would eat a spoon of!

Here's my recipe for Honey & Orange Tiramisu Basilica =P!

You will need (1 serving)

1 heaped tsp of Instant Coffee
Boiling water to fill a couple cm in a shallow dish
2 1/4 Savoirardi biscotti (biscuits). It MUST be these, no other will work properly!
1/2 tsp honey
1/4 cup of icing sugar (can be used to replace honey or left out)
1 tablespoon Cream cheese (preferably room temperature)
50 ml thickened cream
1/4 tsp Vanilla extract
2 tablespoons Orange juice
Cocoa to sprinkle

What to do!

First put the cream cheese in the bowl. If it's room temperature it will help loosen it up and you can microwave it a little bit before it separates. The alternative is getting spreadable cream cheese. The cream cheese is a cheaper option to mascarpone. Mix it with an electric mixer and if it's a little too thick add a tiny bit of cream at a time till it's somewhat smooth.
Pour the rest of your thickened cream in a mixing bowl as well as vanilla, orange juice (which I didn't =P). If you're like me and you get the long life type you MUST put this in the fridge (I've many a time thrown away my cream thinking it was a long life thing and that only fresh would work but it's all in the temperature!). Get it as cold as you can without freezing it. Mix it up to get a smooth and fluffy mixture but don't overwhip.
If you have trouble with incorporating the thick cream cheese with the cream I'd sieve the whipped cream to stop the chunks getting in. If it's for yourself then you might not mind!
In another bowl put the instant coffee and boiling water in and mix until dissolved.
Now construct your tiramisu (much like building a house =P)! Put the cream in a piping bag (disposable ones are preferred). Pipe a strip of cream in a circular motion to the side of the centre of the plate. Dip one biscuit in the coffee water (be very careful not to burn yourself) for a couple seconds each side and turning them over, and quickly position on the bed of cream. Repeat the piping of the cream on top of the biscuit, lay another biscuit, pipe another row of cream, and then make a row of little drops of cream on the top layer of cream.
To finish dip a teaspoon of honey and make teardrop shapes in front of your Colosseum/Basilica! Do the same on the opposite side with your cream.
Bash up a 1/4 of the biscuit to breadcrumb texture and sprinkle on your cream teardrop.
Sift a bit of cocoa on top of your grand building. I couldn't find my cocoa and looked at drinking chocolate which was too powdery and light. My alternative? Milo!
Best put in the fridge for 1/2 hour to 1 hour before serving.

Love Porcelaine.

Opulent Vampire EOTD

2011-06-29T23:15:00.000+10:00

Back to black (well red actually!).

Here's another red look!

The layering is a little different this time. Excuse the blurry first picture =S

Here's what I used:

Evileyes primer as base.

BYS metallic black loose shadow on lid.

Manic Panic Vampire Red above crease on whole eye blended out.

L.A. Girl Mark My Eyes liquid felt tip black liner on lashline flicked out.

Love Porcelaine.

Why don't you "Snazzle"? NOTD # 6

2011-06-25T23:49:00.000+10:00

Here's another from my favourite cheapy brand. It's actually quite unique and well done which isn't often said about cheap polish brands. This colour is also a bit odd, and I was odd about how I put it on!

Yet again it's $2.50 from a local pharmacy by Ulta3.

The colour is called "Snazzle", a nicely dimensional silver demonstrated by the photo below.

The above photo, taken in sunlight, shows it shift from bright white to mid grey. I think this nail colour is slightly magical. But what I did with this polish was used one coat.

Why?

I rather like this colour with one coat. It has a transparency look about it and frankly I'm not really into 80's robot nails (though the below photo is vaguely reminescent of the glassy vampire nails).

The above taken indoors shows this 'glassiness' that I quite love. It makes the polish more wearable and natural. Solid silver tips may be a bit distracting and over dramatic.

Below I tried to take a photo at an angle to show this glassiness. Directly it's silver but indirectly it's almost transparent. I'm surprised a simple silver has some complicated behaviours!

Of course I'll try to show you 2 coats for those into solid silver tips!

Love Porcelaine.

Review: Baviphat Magic Girls BB Cream #1 Fresh for oily skin

2011-06-14T16:43:00.002+10:00

So after the general success of Skin79's BB cream I had to investigate further and also get a product that was tailored to my skin. After intense research and a long bout of decision making my next contestant came from Baviphat, often known as the Korean version of Benefit, and their BB cream version designed for oily skin. So here's to testing it out!

The Product and Results

As what has already been pointed out is that this Magic Girls BB cream is a version for oily skin which I chose because Skin79 created an 'oil slick' effect on my T-zone (not at all desirable!). Baviphat has another version suitable for dry skin. This BB cream gives a matte finish which fits well for oily skin (Skin79's is dewy which I forgot to point out). As usual the more you blend the better the application.

Middle is the cream normally, slightly thicker than Skin79, Left is lightly blended and Right is blended in.

But this product is different in many ways to Skin79's BB cream. There are a few understandable issues that I was slightly disappointed about. As it's made for oily skin the formula is much drier (which is indicative from the matte finish) and enhances any dry patches on your skin. It takes a while longer for it to meld and to be rid of the dryness so if you are typically dry in some areas it's not a good match. It's still layerable and it's actually very good coverage and a lot more like a traditional foundation! It's not too heavy and you can control how much you want.

Left is Baviphat, Right is Skin79

The colour is also a bit darker than Skin79's which I was a little disappointed. When blended it's probably the equivalent of a shade darker but you can really tell when put side to side in the creamy state. It takes time but it gradually blends to your skin colour. The wear is great!

Colour on white paper. It's not that dark when you wear it!

But I had to end with a slightly sorryful note. It's no perfect match. I've still found trouble with preventing the oil build up over the T-zone. After a few hours it's noticeable especially on hot days. Granted it's enormously better than Skin79's, can be almost fine during cool days and my skin is horridly oily normally. I'll cut some slack; if you are a very oily person this is your best bet!

How do I use it?
If you've seen my other blog posts you may have noticed that I've mentioned using this with Skin79's hot pink BB cream. I have a very oily T-zone but the rest of my face is generally normal. I apply Skin79's BB cream on my cheeks and Baviphat's on my T-zone, blending well. After 45 mins the shade difference and finish isn't noticeable and Baviphat's BB cream helps to keep the oilies away for longer.

Would I buy this products again?

I'm still searching for 'the one' but I have a feeling that in terms of dryness this is probably the driest you'll find on the market (there are only a couple others I'd consider trying in these stakes) and for this reason I would definitely repurchase if I find no better alternatives for oily skin.

Love Porcelaine.

May Adoration (+ Twihard mania?!?!)

2011-06-05T20:11:00.001+10:00

This month there seemed to be an endless supply of makeup on my tables and shelf. I think I've finally realised my hauling was *perhaps* going a bit over board? I had ordered a range of products online which arrived late April and am ashamed that I have a few bags of fairly untouched makeup (from this haul and other buying frenzies) including a tonne of ELF and Lancome cosmetics *#@%! My family also agrees that I'm nuts for buying all these things.

I left them there for a while to deal with 'later'. I did put them away! Not all from haul.

To add to it you might find that I seemed to be reduced to a teenager from the above picture. You're probably thinking "Twilight, ewww! Shiny vampires are a no go zone Porcelaine!". Ah, yes, I agree. However for anyone who knows me they know I cannot resist gothic tinged items. I'll head straight for the baroque covered books and boxes, take hostage of a few black, red and navy candles, lust for YSL's black lippy, MAC's Style Black collection and Lipstick Queens Black Tie Optional lipstick and gloss, and steal some fancy French boudoir armchair to go with it! So when I saw Twilight items at $3 at Priceline as well as online I couldn't resist.

One thing I cannot resist whether it be Twilight or not is interesting or coloured mascara. I remember trying to find red mascara everywhere (but never found them). Instead a friend got me a pink one which was gorgeous nonetheless, and I bought a purple one from Almay, started collecting glitter mascaras as soon as they popped up in the stores, hoarded a couple Lancome ones with a bit of sparkle throughout the formula and to end it all I picked up a couple Twilight ones this time to spoil the mix!

L-R: Pink mascara, purple Almay, Lancome sparkle, coloured, glitter, etc. Not everything but you get the idea!

So I concluded why regret because of a story? May I smother myself with makeup as long as I'm happy! No one can really tell I put some Twilight makeup anyway :P!

(P.S. This Twilight line is supposed to be made by Duwop which is a great and reputable brand, and the packaging is quite attractive. I love the gothic borders and the bare trees! Had they been made at kiddy standard I probably would have steered away in horror...)

Love Porcelaine.

#GOSPB: Work in Progress Update

2011-06-02T13:22:00.000+10:00

I thought it would be nice to update everyone with what is going on.

At the moment I'm still busy but my plans have been quite on schedule.

To get things going I've created two types of listings that will serve as a Precollection purchase.
HERE and HERE!

In other words you will be able to buy the upcoming collection at a HUGE DISCOUNT (up to 50% off).

It's a little reward for all the mystery and taking a leap of faith.

This will help support the making of the collection and being able to get supplies.

These listings will be on at a limited time until the release of the collection.

On to other news, I've also been trying to organise to have these sell in markets around Sydney.

So for those in Sydney I'll tell you when this might happen.

They will be marked up a little to cover market associated costs but might be better than having shipping costs.

(Unfortunately I won't be around but I'm sure you'll be in good hands!)

Remember to follow my Twitter as I'll be continuing updates and will try to post some pictures of the work in progress!

Love Porcelaine.

Review: Skin79 BB Balm Triple Function (Hot Pink)

2011-05-31T23:14:00.002+10:00

I'm not usually one to fall for trends but a few months worth of BB cream posts popping up everywhere had me curious to see what the commotion was about. The Asian makeup world is in rapture in it but it's time that I test this theory out!

Again this review will be slightly different to my normal approach. You'll have to note that the outreaching claims of BB creams in general is debatable and needs a more thorough and long term approach to be able to be properly reviewed!

What I Bought

Skin79's Hot pink BB balm is one of the lower end BB creams available in terms of price but is one of the most popular because of it's affordability. It features claims of whitening, blemish control and anti-aging properties, and SPF25. BB creams are a sort of all in one foundation/tinted moisturiser that can provides mid range coverage and reduces the appearances of blemishes usually coming in only one colour. This BB cream is recommended for those with oily skin and its counterpart is the Gold version of this BB cream for mature dry skin.

The Product and Results

Claims Galore!

Let's just get some of these claims out of the way. There is no way I can tell right now whether this can whiten or turns back wrinkles. I don't have wrinkles (bless the genes and fat!) so that makes this part un-assessable. I also lack the time or usage to show whether this will whiten my skin which would be a plus if that happened to be. But face it, it is unlikely that there is any possibility for these to work either because they don't or require a higher concentration and intense usage to see visible effects. BUT I am willing to try some of these style of products on a regular long term basis, something like 4 or 5 days a week after I trial a few more BB creams.

And the cacophony of ingredients!

So how about as a foundation? This BB cream, like most BB creams, is a cross between a moisturiser and a foundation. It is a medium coverage application, but what is truly stunning about this foundation is the quality of application. It applies basically flawlessly: flawlessly if you have pretty good skin, but so much better application than other foundations for somewhat dry and blemished skin due to the way it melds into your skin and the dryness could possibly go right away.

How to dispense the product. It's a press pump (yep, press on that tab).

You can also control the amount you need. Put less if you want it to act like a tinted moisuriser and you'll also get moderate SPF plus it will help counteract redness (it's amazing at evening out the skin and redness but moderately for dark spots in general). Put more and layer it on to get moderate coverage. Either way you end up with a light and comfortable feeling on your skin. It's not mask like, it feels like wearing nothing.

The colour range is ... well, almost nothing! There is only one shade available but don't let that fool you. On first appearance the shade gives a greyish cast but application and time should resolve that. If you have light-medium to medium coloured skin this foundation will blend right in. The trick to application is to rub it in with your fingers until it is smooth without streaks and blends into your skin colour. This is where it differs to conventional foundations in that it needs more blending in but instead the match to your skin works out a lot better rather than shade specific, masking foundation. If your colour match isn't perfect, 15 mins to half an hour causes a slight colour change. It doesn't drastically oxidise but is subtle and could very well cause a match.

I think the wear of this BB cream is quite good. The only problem is oiliness. For me the T-zone is always worse off and is obvious after a few hours, with a nice gloss =P after several hours! I know some people blot their face and I think this can be done without removing too much of the cream. Other parts of my face seem unaffected and I think use of this cream in winter time could perfectly balance out this problem and provide the moisturiser beneficial for dry climates. The foundation keeps its colour and doesn't fade significantly through the day.

In case you're wondering what the colour is!

And what about blemish control? I'm not sure how this acts or cures acne as it claims to do. I don't wear it everyday so what I can say is that it doesn't break me out more than I usually do. This is always a personal circumstance; like any cosmetics different people will have different reactions to those products, so try and see.

The key thing to remember is to treat it like foundation and not moisturiser at the end of the day. It NEEDS to be cleaned off with makeup remover.

Coming back to the price, I bought it on Ebay which made it extremely affordable but on their own site you're looking at a price of $40 which isn't ideal. Head to Ebay and it will be under $10 + shipping.

So BB creams, are they the way to go? I haven't worn any type of liquid foundation for years and have never worn them regularly in my life. For the past few years I used mineral foundation because they looked natural but on trying BB creams I'm almost convinced of using this as my main foundation. This BB cream is natural, light, easy to wear, applies faster than mineral and still matches my skin colour. Minerals aren't perfect either; they don't last long and still leaves you oily after a few hours. I'm seriously considering BB creams as a replacement and have purchased more to test this out!

Would I buy these products again?

In general in terms of BB creams, YES, I'm hooked! Skin79? Perhaps but it depends on how other BB creams fair against this one. If you are prone to oily skin stay away!

Love Porcelaine.

Stuck on Ambre

2011-05-30T16:14:00.000+10:00

These EOTDs are a little more simpler.

I've been having to get up early and run out of the house (still fashionably =P).

Here is what I used:

TFSI as base.

AL Ambre on lid.

AL Mirelle in crease.

Revlon Matte Vintage Lace blending crease colour.

Innoxa black liquid eyeliner on upper lashline.

Love Porcelaine.