DIY Manicure: Lava Lust Nails

Hey everyone!

I was doing my nails and experimenting with different colours when I came up with this funky look. I call it Lava Lust Nails. 

Achieving this look is very easy. Just follow these steps:

01. Cut and file your nails like you would with a typical manicure. Then, apply a base coat.

     

*Note: Applying a base coat is important because it prevent your nails from turning

          yellow.

02. Apply nail colour to your nails - any colour you want. Bright, bold colours work well

     with this look.

     (I used aqua blue and coral on my nails.)

03. Apply a crackle nail colour in black.

     (I used the crackle nail colour in black from Elianto. 

      It applies very well and dries extremely FAST. I love it!)

04. Apply a clear nail colour with glitter.

05. Apply a top coat. And you're done!

*     *     *     *     *     *     *

I love this look - it's funky and looks like a professional manicure! I call the two colours Aqua Lava Lust and Velvet Lava Lust. Have a go! :)

Signing off...

~ Lil' Missy ~

Make-Up Delights For Under RM 140

Hey everyone!

Remember I wrote last week about the Elianto sale ending on 1st September? Guess what the champion did? (by champion, I'm referring to none other than yours truly) I went shopping at Elianto. AGAIN.

In case some of you are wondering, I'm not a shopaholic. Really, I'm not! I'm of the opinion that purchasing items that are value for money is a real steal!

This time around, I bought 11 (count that: ELEVEN) items at Elianto for only RM132.50!

Eye & Lip Make-up Remover, Kabuki Brush & Lip Gloss

This is the first time I've used Elianto's eye and lip make-up remover and I like it! It has a subtle scent, isn't very oily and removes make up well.

I've been wanting to get a Kabuki brush from Sephora or M.A.C, but when I saw this baby on sale at Elianto, I grabbed it! This brush applies powder very well. Definitely value for money!

The lip gloss is pretty nice too. It has a very pretty pinkish/brownish colour that glides well on your lips. And it's so inexpensive!! Value for money for this too, people!

Items?
Deep Sea Water Eye & Lip Make-Up Remover
Kabuki Brush
Risplendere Shine Lip Gloss in 05 Plum Wine

Prices? 
Eye & Lip Make-Up Remover
Before Discount: RM 24.00
After Discount: RM 21.60

Kabuki Brush
Before Discount: RM 21.00
After Discount: RM 10.50

Lip Gloss
Before Discount: RM 23.00
After Discount: RM 6.90

Eyeshadows

I really LIKE Elianto's colours and textures. They apply well, look good, and are inexpensive! They also stay on long - make sure you use an eyelid primer/concealer/base first. I'd definitely recommend these!

Colours?
Safari Shadow in 04 Soft Sandalwood (glittery) *this was a free gift with my purchase
Ardour Shadow in 08 Blushing Purple (non glittery) *this was a free gift with my purchase
Lustre Shadow in 05 Dusky Pink (glittery, great as a highlight)

Prices? 
Before Discount: RM 10.00
After Discount: RM 7.00

Blusher

This is a nice slightly shimmery, marble blusher that applies well and leaves a glow on your cheeks. I tried it and you need to apply only a little to have the subtle colour and glow. Try it!

Colour?
Baked Blusher in 03 Sunrise Bronze

Price? 
Before Discount: RM 33.00
After Discount: RM 23.10

Nail Colour Remover & Nail Colours

I've used their nail colours before and they apply well and look good. The black is interesting because it's a crackle nail colour that leaves a "cracked" look on your nails. 

Items?
Grape Nail Colour Remover 100ml
Nail Colour in 02 White
Crackle Nail Colour in 02 Black

Prices? 
Nail Remover
Before Discount: RM 10.00
After Discount: RM 9.00

Nail Colour in White
No Discount: RM 6.00

Crackle Nail Colour in Black
Before Discount: RM 19.00
After Discount: RM 9.50

Fan Brush & Sinma Nail Colours

The 3 nail colours on the right are from Sinma. They apply well and look alright. You'd need at least 3 or 4 coats to see the colours, though. I wouldn't recommend these.

Items?
Elianto Fan Brush
C.A.L.A.R clear nail colour with glitter (code: 056)
C.A.L.A.R nail colour in yellow (code: 020)
C.A.L.A.R nail colour in purple (code: 028)

Prices? 
Elianto Fan Brush
Before Discount: RM 11.00
After Discount: RM 5.50

C.A.L.A.R Nail Colours from Sinma 
Each for only RM 5.00

Eyeshadow Refill Palette

I bought this empty palette to fit my gorgeous Elianto eyeshadows in. It comes in black, looks simple, and serves the purpose.

Item?
Elianto 6-Colour Refill Palette

Price?
No Discount: RM 18.00

*     *     *     *     *     *     *

Overall, I'm very happy with what I've bought. The quality's decent, the products are good - they apply well and look good. I'd recommend them. Try them out and let me know what you think. I'd love to hear from you!

I'm off to do my nails now. Have an awesome weekend, everyone! :) xx

Signing off...

~ Lil' Missy ~

Balm Stain for Kissable Lips

Hey everyone!

Do you like wearing lip balms?

Do you like a little colour on your lips without wearing a lipstick? 

If you're a smoker, have you been looking for a lip balm that gives just enough colour to hide your darkened lips?

If your answer is yes to at least 2 of the questions above, then you must try this: 
Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain.

I've not been a particularly big fan of Revlon products. It's not that I don't find their products good; it's just that I haven't really fancied any of their stuff.

One evening last week, though, I saw someone applying what looked like a crayon or mini marker pen on her lips and I caught a glimpse of the Revlon brand. I thought, "Hmm.. interesting..". I was curious, so I went to a Watson's store to see if I could find it. I didn't go right after I witnessed this, by the way. I went a couple of days after.

The crayon/mini marker pen thingy? I found it at Watson's and it's a balm stain.

Lip balm. Balm stain. Same difference to me.

Revlon has this product in several delicious colours and I tested them all. Yep. I tried them ALL. I decided on 001 Honey Douce because I liked the delicate pink colour. I bought it on sale for RM 26.80.

I've worn this everyday for a week now and I like it! It's not as moisturising as a lip balm and not as drying as a lip stain. What it does, though, is keep your lips somewhat moist and the colour stays on for a good few hours without having to reapply - even after drinking from a glass/cup.

It also works pretty well as a lip liner. What I've been doing is lining my outer lips like I would with a lip liner, then I fill in my lips. After about 15 seconds or so, I apply my creamy pink Sephora lipstick. They match beautifully! Also, guess what? The lipstick doesn't feather! The lipstick wears off after drinking, but the balm stain stays on.

When you hold it upright, it's probably about 3 inches tall. Size matters, some say. ;)

I wouldn't recommend this if you have dry lips because it's a matte balm stain. What you could try to do is use a moisturising lip balm/Vaseline under the balm stain. If you do this, the balm stain won't stay on long, though.

Overall, I'd recommend this for those who like this type of lip product. I admit it's more expensive than some lip balms, but it's definitely cheaper than most lipsticks. 

Try it and let me know how "bitten" you are! :)

Signing off...

~ Lil' Missy ~

Make-Up Treats For Less Than RM 50

I've run out of lip liner, so I decided to get a new one over the weekend. I've used Elianto lip liner before and it was quite good albeit a little dry. This time I figured I'd try a different type and went to a Watson's store and got me a retractable Silkygirl one.

Then.. And then...

I went to Elianto in Paradigm Mall and got me another lip liner. And two eyeshadows. And a loose powder. Shush, don't judge me.

By the way, Elianto's having a sale until 1st September (I found out only when i went there) so if you like their products or want to try them, go to one of their outlets before the sale ends! Discounts are up to 80% for all ranges while stocks last!

Lip Liners

These are the two lip liners that I bought. I like both colours, although Silkygirl's less dry compared to Elianto. I usually use a moisturising lip balm before applying my lip liner anyhow, so I'm fine with both. 

Colours?
Silkygirl Long-Wearing Lipliner in 02 Mauve (retractable)
Elianto Ultra-Define Lip Liner Pencil in Sienna (pencil)

Price? 
Silkygirl (RM 16.11)
Before Discount: Elianto (RM 12.00)
After Discount: Elianto (RM 8.40)

Eyeshadows

They have many pretty and vibrant colours, but I like these two and they're great for evenings because the colours are a little shiny. My favourite of the two is definitely Sunlight Copper - it's bronze-ish, looks natural and matches my skin tone well (my tone's medium). 

Sunlight Copper looks a wee bit damaged here in the photo because I was testing it and accidentally dug my nail into it. I'm really smooth like that. Really. I am.

Colours?
14 Sunlight Copper
06 Marble Blue

Price? 
Before Discount: RM 10.00 each
After Discount: RM 7.00 each

Mineral Loose Powder

I've been wanting to try a mineral loose powder for a while now and since I was in Paradigm Mall, I went to Sephora to check out their Bare Minerals one. The beauty advisor I spoke with told me that it costs about RM 99.00. 

Say what? RM 99.00 for a mineral loose powder? I'm on a tight budget! Seriously??

I have to say that I'm quite happy with my newly-purchased Elianto powder. When used with the right powder puff/brush, it's almost as good as the Bare Minerals one. It's definitely value for money, so it's good enough for me! 

Colour?
03 Neutral Beige

Price? 
Before Discount: RM 33.00   
After Discount: RM 16.50 

*      *      *      *      *      *      *

I'm happy with my purchases, and the best part is that I spent ONLY RM 38.90 for 4 items at Elianto. WOOHOO!! :)

Did I mention that Elianto's having a sale until 1st September? Go, people. GO. Get some of their stuff - they are pretty decent and affordable.

Signing off...

~ Lil' Missy ~

Lemon and Sugar Facial Scrub

Hey everyone!

When life gives you lemons, make facial scrub!

I've watched many different YouTube videos and read many different articles about this home-made scrub, and thought I'd try it out. 

Firstly, there was no particular video I watched or article I read to be able to cite sources. Secondly, well... there is no secondly! ;)

Here's how you do it: 

Ingredients

Lemon

Sugar (brown or white - your preference)

Facial Cotton

Steps

01. Cleanse your face with a facial cleanser.

02. Cut a slice of lemon and squeeze the juice into a bowl, making sure there are no seeds
      in the bowl.

03. Take the facial cotton and dip it into the lemon juice. Make sure that it soaks up the
      juice.

04. Take a little sugar and put it on the already-soaked-with-lemon-juice facial cotton.

     (I used half a small teaspoon of white sugar. You can use either white or brown sugar.)

05. Make sure your face is dry.

06. Rub your face and neck in gentle, circular motions. Make sure you avoid the entire eye
     area.

     (I would suggest leaning over a sink when you're doing this so that the sugar falls into the
     sink, and not all over the floor.)

*Note: You may experience a slight stinging sensation because of the lemon juice - this is normal. 
          If it feels painful or if the stinging persists and is very uncomfortable, then STOP and
          immediately wash your face. 
          Also, be mindful if you have any cuts or open wounds on your face because it WILL hurt. Best
          to wait until the cut or wound heals.

07. Wash your face with lukewarm/warm/cold water, then gently pat your face dry with a
      face towel.

08. Apply your toner (if you use one) and facial moisturiser like your normally would.

Results?

My skin looked immediately brighter and cleaner. And it felt fresh! (I'm a happy camper!)

Why use lemon?

Lemons are a natural skin lightener. If you have dark spots or would just like to lighten your complexion, try using lemons.

What's the sugar for?

Sugar acts as a natural exfoliator (bet you didn't know that):

•  does not clog pores

•  helps eliminate blemishes

•  restores balance to skin’s oils. 

First, sugar is a natural humectant, meaning it draws moisture from the environment into the skin. So when you apply products with sugar or sugar derivatives, they’ll actually help hydrate your skin and keep moisture within.

Secondly, sugar is a natural source of glycolic acid, an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) that penetrates the skin and breaks down the “glue” that bonds skin cells, encouraging cell turnover and generating fresher, younger-looking skin. Glycolic acid is typically used to treat sun-damaged and aging skin. Because it can be irritating to certain skin types, over-the-counter products typically contain less than a 10 percent concentration of glycolic acid in their formulas.

Finally, sugar’s small particles make an excellent topical exfoliant, and are used in a number of body scrubs to exfoliate dead surface skin cells and reveal the glowing, healthy-looking skin underneath.

Why this scrub is GOOD?

•  The ingredients can be easily found in your kitchen. Or grocery store.

•  It's home made, which means that NO chemicals and preservatives are used.

•  It's cheap, people. It's cheap!

•  It's effective. But you must be patient because you'll see long-term results only over the
    course of weeks.

This scrub is suitable for combination or oily skin types because lemon can be a little drying when applied to the skin. Best to use this 2 - 3 times a week.

Give it a go and let me know what you think! :)

Tea For Your Eyes, Anyone?

Some people like coffee. I like coffee and tea. And scones! And pastries! That's besides the point, though.

Today's post is all about tea. Not for drinking, but for using on your face. That's right. With the Eid Mubarak festivity and long weekend already started, now's not the time for your eyes to be puffy. Or any other time for that matter.

I'm going to share with you how using tea bags can reduce puffiness around your eyes.

Ingredient

2 unflavoured tea bags

Steps

01. Make tea like you normally would. Whether you boil the water in a pot/kettle or microwave it in
     a cup doesn't matter. What you need is warm/hot water in a cup.

02. Take the tea bags and soak them in the cup.
     (Do not add milk/cream/sugar. Remember, you're not making the tea to drink. 
      Not unless you'd like to drink the tea after Step 4. For real.)

03. Leave the tea bags in the cup with warm/hot water for about 1 - 2 minutes.

04. Remove the tea bags and leave them to cool.

05. Once the tea bags are cool (it could take anywhere between 5 - 10 minutes), put them on a saucer
     and leave them in the fridge. 

06. When the tea bags are nice and cold from chilling in the fridge, remove them. 
     (They usually cool in mine for about 15 - 25 minutes. 
      I cut off the handy string that are attached to the bags because I don't need them.)

07. Dampen the tea bags with cold/lukewarm water and "flatten" them, so that the bags have an even
     surface of tea leaves. 
     You want to do this so that the tea leaves are spread out over your entire eye area and not just
     on some parts.

08. Lie down, get comfy, and close your eyes (stop your mind from straying and stay with me).

09. Place each tea bag on each of your eye, making sure that each bag covers each entire eye area
     and under eye area.
     (You can position the bags to cover your eyes vertically or horizontically - this is your
      preference. It doesn't matter as long as they cover your eye area.) 

*Note: If you think your eye area will be stained with tea, simply wrap a piece of tissue around each
          bag before placing them on your eyes.

10. Remain lying down and rest for 10 - 15 minutes.

You'll find that the puffiness has reduced a little. Now you can get ready and head out the door without worrying too much about your puffy eyes!

Each time I do this, I find that I can reuse the tea bags at least once more. This is why I store them in a covered container/jar in the fridge (so they don't dry out too quickly).

Also, I usually use unflavoured tea bags because I don't like the scent of flavoured tea on my face. If any of you have tried using flavoured tea, let me know how it works. 

Have a wonderful time and happy holidays! :)

Quick Way To Plump Your Skin And Minimise Pores

Here’s a really quick tip for you.

My mum taught me this when I was in school and I didn't listen to her (Sorry, mummy! And yes, you were right all along.)

Use ice cubes to temporarily plump your skin and minimise pores. It’s super cheap, easy, and it takes ONLY 15 - 30 seconds of your time. How quick is that?

Ingredients

Ice cube (make sure it’s a large cube and it doesn’t have any jagged edges or it may cut your skin)

Face towel

Steps

1.  Take the ice cube and gently rub it all over your face in circular motions.

     (I usually close my eyes when I’m doing this because I’ve this thought that the cube

      may explode and some tiny bits of it may get into my eyes. Some call it paranoia, I

      call it taking precaution.)

2.  Do not rub the ice cube around your eye area as the skin here is very thin and sensitive.

3.  Continue with Step 1 for about 15 – 30 seconds 

     (you may take a shorter time if you can’t stand the cold on your face).

*Note: Your face may be a little numb from the cold. Don't worry, this is temporary.

4.  Take your face towel and gently dab your face dry, and you’re done!

You can do this anytime after you cleanse/scrub/remove whiteheads and blackheads.

If you want to feel refreshed, especially on a warm day, rub the ice cube all over your neck and back of the neck. It’ll feel cold, but it’ll also feel oh-so-good!

This is only temporary, people. So don’t be expecting your skin to stay plump throughout the day or your pores to be closed forever.

Stay cool, folks! :)