Product Review: Maybelline Hello Kitty x Volum' Express Cat Eyes Mascara

Got this as part of Maybelline's HyperCouture Fashion Show last month, and it presided in its little baggie since then, till at length yesterday I decided to take it out and break it in.

But you can probably see why, can't you? I'm not that much of a Hello Kitty fan but even I gotta admit that the packaging is gorgeous. Like many Hello Kitty collaborations, this one is limited edition as well. I'm pretty ambivalent about LE stuff -- on one hand there's the exclusivity, but on the other hand this means if you actually love the product, it wouldn't be readily available! The kicker? It's only available in Asia, so readers from other parts of the world would have to scour Ebay in order to find it. : C

That aside, the packaging is almost entirely in Japanese as well, but this volume-boosting mascara claims to create up to 5x more volume with a sky-high curl, even without using an eyelash curler. Its Curl-Lock Technology also helps lashes stay curly for as long as 18 hours.

Luckily for us, at least the ingredients list is in English.

And on to the mascara itself.

The mascara wand is a comb-type applicator common to a lot of lengthening mascaras. Personally I thought the applicator didn't really work that well with the formulation. Like most volumizing mascaras, the formulation tends to clump, and a comb-type applicator isn't well-suited to applying thicker mascara evenly.

The formulation itself is thick and dry, which does well at volumizing individual lashes, but inevitably clump on the second coat onwards. It is decidedly smudge-proof and waterproof on the lashes though, good news for those who routinely rub their eyes out or get caught in torrential rains.

It stayed on the entire day for me, though trying to remove it as gently as possible was rather a pain. But nevertheless, a small trade-off for its lasting power.

Before and after application, respectively. Pardon the messiness (I was barely awake).

Side and bottom view.

I prefer a softer look so this isn't my favorite mascara, but it's certainly a decent one. Clearly though, its main selling point is its feline mascot, the actual effectiveness of the product itself is almost secondary.

Ratings:
Volumizing effect: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ (does volumize a little, but there are better ones in Maybelline's range)
Lasting power: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ (hold its own)
Ability to hold curls: ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆
Overall: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Disclaimer: Product given as part of Maybelline's Hypercoulture Fashion Show 2011.

Product Review : Maybelline Hyper Diamonds Liquid Liner

I've noticed that I have tons of Maybelline products lying around unopened. So I decided to open them and try it out. Recently, I opened the...

I do have colored liners but they're the pencil kind. This is a liquid liner, something that I think does not smudge as easily so I was really excited to try it. I was also a little apprehensive because of THIS GLITTER LINER I tried awhile back. 

When I opened it, I thought the purple looked lovely, very luscious and rich.

The brush is a little thick though, it's really hard to line thinly if that's what you're aiming for.

Now I've tried really hard to swatch it as thin as possible but it just didn't work out as well as I wanted it to. For me, that's the downside because it's harder to flick my liner at the end. Here's my attempt.

L - Without flash / R - With flash

L - Without flash / R - With flash

Final shot, looking straight ahead

It looks pretty good right? Except for the fact that my lighting does not do the color any justice. I'm still able to flick my liner out on my first attempt. Now I actually like this liner. Why? As opposed to the Etude House one that has glitters suspended in a clear liquid, this has mostly silver multidimensional color glitters suspended in a rich purple liquid. By multidimensional I mean that the glitters are not flat, they aren't just silver / gold / purple, they can reflect light to produce different colors.

This takes a short time to dry and WILL smudge if you open your eyes then. However once it's dry, it does not budge. Or at least it doesn't smudge but it will flake off a little if you start rubbing at it. I do not think it is waterproof either so beware when it rains!

Other than the fat brush that I think one still can work with, with sufficient practice, I don't see why one wouldn't like it. Unless you don't like purple. On your usual days, you can use this liner to add a little color and funk into your life. Personally I'd recommend for this to be paired with a yellow gold eyeshadow. Both colors will really pop and look beautiful!

I'm sure this is currently still available in Watsons but I'm not sure about the price. You can however ask them about their pricing on their Facebook page!

Texture : ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ (The glitters can be slightly smoother)

Application : ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ (Takes a little bit of getting used to but it's alright for me.)

Lasting power : ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ (No smudging so far :D)

Overall : ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ (To me, this is affordable and it works, so why not?)

Cheers,
Chiharu ❤

Disclaimer : I won this from the previous Maybelline BB face of the week! This does not affect the honesty of my review in any way :D

Product Review : Maybelline Full' N Soft Mascara

I haven't really done a non-sponsored review in awhile. That's because of all the deadline I've been showered with =/ I also still owe someone a review for a facial scrub > o < Soon soon, all in due time!

Moving on with my review, today's product will be something from Maybelline BUT it's currently still NA in SG.

The very highly recommended Maybelline Full' N Soft Mascara! Xteeener loves it too :D I actually bought this because of her!

Has quite a big and fat brush.

If you've read my previous post about mascara and their wands, you'll know that this is a number 3 brush except that it's fat all around. Of course if you've forgotten, you can read about it HERE!

Left - Without / Right - With, looking straight ahead

Here's the before and after.Please note that lashes have been curled already. Just from the photo, you can pretty much tell that this mascara weighed my lashes down already. I honestly think that mascaras that are not waterproof tend to be heavier and generally unable to hold curls.

With mascara on, looking straight ahead

Don't be freaked at my eyeball! I'm just trying to show the curls :) As you can see, there's almost no curl. It really weighed my lashes down and they're somewhat as good as non existent.

With mascara on, looking upwards

I have to look up for my lashes to be more visible. But that wouldn't really work because I can't be looking up all the time.

With mascara, eyes closed

This mascara does do what it claims to be able to do. My lashes are indeed fuller and no doubt, they're still soft though I can't let you all touch them. The main thing I don't like about this mascara is that it "uncurls" my lashes because of how heavy the formula is. Then again, it might be just my lashes because this mascara worked well for others. My lashes usually only remain curled IF the mascara is waterproof. This one isn't so those who like waterproof mascara should take note!

The other thing about non waterproof mascara is that they usually smudge. This one is no exception. It gives me panda eyes after a few hours especially when I start getting oily. Personally, I don't like to risk getting panda eyes because I'm just anal about looking like a ghoul. And if you can tell from the way I'm speaking/typing, I'm not going to repurchase this mascara.

In my honest opinion, you can get a better mascara regardless of whether it's waterproof or not. This one gives volume but it's not like a "whoa" kinda effect. It's pretty natural actually so if that's what you want, you can consider this. I still prefer to stick to my FairyDrops or Majolica Majorca one. Waterproof ones are still my favorite because so far, only waterproof ones keep my lashes up.

Ability to hold curls : ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ (Weighs my lashes down instantly upon application.)

Lasting Power : ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ (I really hate mascara that smudges!)

Volume : ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ (It's just too subtle in my opinion.)

Overall : ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ (Unfortunately, I really don't like this.)

Cheers,

Chiharu ❤

Disclaimer : I bought this with my own money. Just because it didn't work for me does not mean it wouldn't work for you. Xteeener loves it but I don't so who knows, maybe you will too. My review is based on my experience with the product.

Product Review : Maybelline Eyebrow Pencil By Eyestudio in Brown

You all have to love me for being so punctual in posting nowadays! Okay in all honesty it's just because I blog during midnight and  schedule for 10am so everyone can read when they're awake! I've not blogged about brow products for a really long time because I like to stick to the same brow stuff :D

HOWEVER, FEW DAYS AGO, my brow pencil died. It ran out of juice so I had to get a new one. Then it struck me, I had a Maybelline one stashed somewhere! So I dug it out and here it is!

Ta da! It's like a color pencil :X Kinda retro but cute.

Can you imagine yourself doodling on brows with this pencil? :D

Top - Swatched Lightly

Middle - Swatched with Zig Zag Motions

Bottom - Swatched heavily

Swatches! As you can see, it's a pretty dark chocolate brown. Once again, this had a slight reddish tint to it, similar to my previous Lioele Artist Auto Eyebrow in Natural / Light Brown. On hand, this seemed like a pretty blah brow pencil. It didn't look very pigmented so I thought that was good because I am safe to doodle as I please on my brows without worrying about becoming...

Image taken from google.images

UNFORTUNATELY, I was very wrong. I tried to be light handed already but this is what it looks like...

L - With / R - Without

See the huge difference? I swear I tried my best being light handed but I might be a lil too used to my less pigmented brow pencil. Heed my warning, you need to be super light handed with this on your brows. This can be a good or bad thing depending on your own preference as there are also people out there that love a good pigmented brow pencil. This pencil glides on super smoothly which is why some of us might go overboard with it. A light touch will do the trick and define your brows nicely.

Now what do I not like about this product? The fact that it does not come with a spoolie attached to the other end! If you can see from my naked brow picture, I have quite a lot of brow hair. Is that what you call it? So basically, I really need a spoolie to comb through my brows and tame them. It's like my ESSENTIAL. Luckily I had a spare one at home so it isn't much of a problem. Those who are spoolie-less, please take note :)

All in all, it's a product that's really quick and easy to use IF you can be light handed with it. However my brown hair no longer has any red in it. So I rarely use this now. I might pass it on to Ringo though cause her hair is still the same color. This product is very easily available from any Watsons / Guardians near you. I'm not sure how much it costs though but you can ask Maybelline on their Facebook Page!

Pigmentation: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (Super uber pigmented, be careful with it!)

Application: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ (A little too easy to overdo.)

Lasting power: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ (It will smudge if your brows get oily. Remember to blot gently!)

Overall: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ (It's not a bad product but it's not the right one for my hair color now~)

Cheers,
Chiharu ❤

Disclaimer : I won this for being Maybelline's BB face of the week!

Product Review : Maybelline HyperSharp Liner

Once again, it's the time you'd consider an extremely early morning. I feel like Domokie's lacking a certain nutrient, and that is make up reviews! Or maybe it's just me but recently it's been either skincare or events! So here's one to satisfy me, Domokie and all the make up lovers out there~

Before that! Have you voted for us on Ginvera today? If no, PLEASE! Vote for us HERE. If we win, we'll be having an exclusive giveaway for all Domokie fans with.. Dollywink! And the Ginvera products too~ All votes are sincerely appreciated, TIA!

Now presenting...

The very new and exciting...

Cool right! Maybelline's now selling makeup pouch. Okay no I'm kidding. Really. Remember the event I went to at Forever 21 HERE?

It was so nice of Maybelline to send me a press kit for that event that also featured their new HyperSharp Liner!

These are the templates given in the press kit! You can use them to draw funky designs beside your eye area or even on your cheek!

These two are my personal favorites. I'm girly as you all know well enough by now...

Not forgetting the star of this post, the HyperSharp Liner! I really like the choice of colors here. It's so... I don't know how to describe it but the gold cap and words give a pop of color to the usual boring black. Also, I like the color gold. But no over-using too please.

I tried really hard to get the whole of the ingredients list in but... Yes I failed and I apologize. I hope this is good enough.

Here's my favorite part of the liner. I believe you all will find it familiar. You've seen the same kind of brush on the Dollywink and the Pink Brown one! The whole fine pointy little brush is made out of fine bristles that makes it similar to the structure of a paintbrush. They may look similar but this liner has no metal balls to clank within. Sounds weirdly phrased but very true.

Here's the swatches. They look really light but trust me that's just the light bouncing off it! It's as black as my Dollywink one and I really love that fact. Here's a picture of it on my eyes to show it's pretty black. You can draw a thick or thin line depending on the way you hold the brush! Scroll up to see how fine the tip is~ You can line extremely close to your lashline and make it super thin for a very natural look!

You can click to enlarge it further. Yijing's using the liner too!

Click to enlarge! I'm not lying about how pigmented it is!

This is my attempt at doodling with the eyeliner. I love wings and this is sort of like my recreation of those cute wings from animes! It bleeds a little because I have dry shriveled skin. Not on my eyes of course. It works really crisp and precise on my eyes.

At the moment, it sounds like a fantastic product right? Here's the downside. It smudges on me because I have really oily lids. I've tried using a primer underneath, powdering it like crazy... But it still smudges on me. However, let me state at this point that my lids are one of the worst kind out there, anything that's NOT liquid cannot stay on me and even those that are liquid might not stay on me. I would suggest people who doesn't have SUPERBLY EXTREMELY oily lids to try this. Or swatch it when you swing by Watsons :) It retails at Watsons for $19.90 if I am not wrong!

Texture: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (Very pigmented and doesn't take a long time to dry)
Application: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (As mentioned, I love such applicators. Smooth, clean and crisp lines!)
Lasting power: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ (A little bit of smudging but I'm just very anal towards any smudges at all.)
Overall: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ (I think it's worth a shot, considering how it's way more affordable and available than Dollywink! I think this is a great dupe!)

Cheers,
Chiharu ❤

Disclaimer : This liner was sent to me by Maybelline as part of their press kit. I received it because I attended the event that they were the official make up sponsors of. Once again, this will never affect the honesty of my reviews.

Event : Forever 21 x SMRT @ Orchard Xchange

I'm really really tired because editing drains all my energy. Nevertheless, Domokie needs nutrients, so here's an event we were invited to last Wednesday!

Yes, Domokie was "on the red carpet" at F21! A big thank you to Maybelline for inviting Domokie to this event! Maybelline was the official make up  sponsor for this fashion show and we were there to be impressed by their newly launched Hypersharp Liner! By we, I meant me and Yijing! She was invited too and we had a great time being, noisy people xD

Pretty flowers to congratulate the opening of F21~~~

Just because I adore red roses.

Was quite lost there, so I do what my camera does best. Taking pictures of everyone but me.

The DJ for that day and a model.

Randomly grabbed my F21 cupcake and snapped a pic of it. So adorable right? It's pretty good, it's in my tummy already.

F21 board! That equates to "must-take-picture-with-board" and guess what, every single picture is with Yijing. And I'm too tired to steal it off her blog. So I shall present to you those that were taken by the pro!

Printed instantly and given to us! I like the picture on the left more because I appear taller.

Our very friendly photographer.

Ribbon cutting with Domokie on the red carpet again :D

Found this mannequin after stepping into the store.

YES, SHE'S ACTUALLY HUMAN. I want her figure and her complexion!

YES, WE ARE IN ACTION. We were busy snapping pictures that you're seeing today! But this signboard wasn't for us, it was for the three local bloggers who were invited to dress up some models for the fashion show~

They were dancing to entertain themselves before the dressing up starts.

The same model as above mannequin.

Unfortunately, I don't really lust after guys so... Yea.

Love this model because she's sooooo pretty.

Busy dressing their models up!

Finished~

I personally prefer this look, it's more feminine and I'm a girly person.

The models!!!! So tall and skinny. Can you spot something..?

Their liner art beside their eyes~~~

Clean

Crisp

Precise.

No smudges seen. Domokie will be reviewing that product soon! Excited? Wait for it, I'll do it on Thursday after I've tested it out for a couple of days~

Other than that, I'm not sure what else to say because I'm more of a beauty blogger so I'm a teensy bit lost at fashion events. I do shop at F21 myself but let's not bore ya'all with where I do my shopping. I hope this post was enjoyable enough and thank you once again to Forever 21 and Maybelline for inviting Domokie to this event!

Ends post with a random picture of Yijing loving Singapore.

Love,
Chiharu ❤