Preparing for America Part #3

I really wanted to get a few posts queued before my trip but as always, I left myself with hardly any time to get everything ready so I'm currently blogging on my phone in Hong Kong which I must say is a first! So please excuse my iPhone photos or any issues with alignment and post formatting :3 

For my final installment of my America series, I'm going to share the beauty and skincare bits that I'm bringing with me on my trip and how I am organising it.

Mum's Asia Haul (Swatches)

My mum just got back from Asia and she picked up some fun stuff, I had a pretty good time going through it with her so I had to share with you guys too :) 

Preparing for America Part #2

Finally gave my blog the face lift it has been needing. I spent all day yesterday doing it and I'm so happy with the result! I hope you guys like the new layout c:

On this second instalment of my travel series, I will be sharing some of the things I have bought for my America trip (a semi-haul I guess), staring with this Travel Journal. I am a serious agenda/diary type of girl, I love stickers, highlighters, checklists, countdowns, the lot. I am obsessed with my Moleskin diary and we have a monthly calendar at home that I nag my family to fill out so we can be aware of each other's activities at all times. I just love to have everything I need to do and all important dates written down where I can visualise it on a week to week basis.

Etude House Look at Me Eyeshadows (Swatch + Review)

My mum recently came back from a short trip to Hong Kong and Seoul and while I will be sharing some of the beauty bits she picked up, this is by far my favorite item that she bought. This is an Etude House custom quad that she put together and my, does my mum have taste?!
Korean brands such as Etude House has always delivered products with great quality and price, but the quality of these eyeshadows completely BLEW. ME. AWAY! I was in no way prepared for that and I don't think you are either.

Preparing for America Part #1

I thought I would do something a bit different on here and share a series of posts before I leave, about my preparation for my 6 week trip to the U.S with my best friend, Isabella. This is the first BIG trip I've planned by myself without my parents and it's actually been an very enjoyable process so far! I've done small trips around Asia but never more than a week and usually I have a travel agent plan my flights/hotels/etc.

This time, Bella and I are visiting quite a few cities across the massive country so we've done a lot of research, budgeting and comparing different travel options - money vs. time, as well as accommodation options.

This is pretty much our trip as we have planned so far:

Los Angeles - Yosemite - San Francisco - Denver/Breckenridge - Chicago - New York - Boston - New York - Los Angeles - Melbourne

My First Empties ~ !

Sorry for my hiatus again. If you follow me on twitter (@statuschlo), then you may already know this but I've been really busy lately just working, saving and planning....for my America trip at the end of next month! I can't believe it's less than a month until I leave. Onto this post that has been sitting in my drafts for 2 months haha. 

I've never been one to collect my empties but when I started accumulating a few finished products at around the same time, I figured why not. 

Wishlist ♔

Haven't shared a wishlist with you all since November last year! You may notice a bit of a theme in this wishlist...

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

Recent Snaps + Update

Clio "Be Brown" Gelpresso Mini Pencil Gel Liner Set (Swatch + Review)

Hey everyone,  I'm really excited to be sharing this review with you today because it's something I've truly been loving lately.

Les Merveilleuses Ladurée Rouge Brillance Glossy Rouge in (Swatch + Review)

New In // Recent Hauls + a microreview of Marie Claire's "The Parcel"

An indulgent month for me...and I also thought I'd give you a short summary and also roundup on some of the products I've received from the beauty box subscription service from Marie Claire. 

Read on ;)

Finally bit the bullet and picked up quite* a few things from Colourpop, I've already swatched and photographed everything but I wanted to have a chance to properly wear and play around with them before writing a full review. Watch this space!

There is a store near my work that stocks Yankee Candles and I'm always in there smelling them. I think they're clearing out their candles or something though, because they had 20% off the full range and by the time I realised, they had already sold out of the majority of scents. I did manage to snatch this one up to and oh my god, it smells divine - like I constantly have brownies in the oven. The burn time for this is 110-150 hours so I'm a happy bunny.

I received this in the last "The Parcel" that I received and I really love it! Review to come soon! But for those of you who don't know what "The Parcel" is, it is a quarterly beauty box subscription service by the magazine, Marie Claire. Each quarterly box is $25 and the samples/full sized products are picked by the beauty editors of the magazine. I subscribed end of last year and so far I have received 2 boxes - 1 for the summer quarter and 1 for autumn. I have to say, I am really enjoying this subscription service. In short, here are the things I really like about it:
♡ There is no beauty profile, everyone gets the same products so there is no disappointment knowing that other people may have received better samples than you - except for example, nail polish shades/handcream scents, that may vary from box to box.
♡ The brands and products are well known and trusted, picked by beauty editors.
♡ It has a great mix of makeup, skincare, haircare and bodycare.
♡ It's quarterly instead of monthly, I'd much rather receive quarterly boxes that blow me away rather than too many less-than-average monthly boxes/samples/products. Seriously.
I never took proper photos of the boxes but here is one that I tweeted of my autumn box:

♡ I've actually discovered many new favorite products through the service already - some of these include Essie Sugar Daddy Nail Polish (full size), Garnier Miracle Cream (full size), Philosophy Purity Cleanser (sample size), Elizabeth Arden 8-Hour Cream (sample size), MaxFactor Masterpiece Transform Mascara (full size).
♡ While some of the other products didn't make it to my favorites, I have still been able to try them or I have still gotten my use out of them - e.g. Lancome Advanced Genifique Youth Activating Concentrate (sample size), Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Cream (sample size, came handy when I needed to take an eye cream to HK), L'Occitane Shea Zesty Lime Handcream (sample size, which I keep in my handbag), Neutrogena make-up remover wipes (nothing exciting but always useful and handy for post-swatching for the blog), John Freida volumnising haircare set (shampoo, conditioner and spray - sample size), a Schick Razor (full size, nothing revolutionary but something I actually need and use, I keep this one at my boyfriend's house), Essie Top Coat (full sized).
The first box I received, 3/10 products were full sized. In the second box, 5/8 were full sized. There has only been 2 products across the 2 boxes that I have no use for, and that is the bb/cc cream that they included (the shade Medium was too dark). That being said, I'm not fussed because the overall value and the array of products, still override that only con.
The Parcel is honestly what I wanted from every beauty subscription box.

I haven't used a brow pencil in years but I really wanted to see what all the hype was about surrounding the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz. The shade I got is quite different from my usual brow color so I'm still getting used to it but safe to say, I get the fuss. I also picked up a couple of bits from MAC.

After reading Sharlynn's post on this eyeliner set, I could not get it off my mind! I actually received it in the mail 3 weeks ago now and I have been using it religiously.

And that's a bit of a sneak peek for whats to come in the next few weeks on the blog :)

=('.')=

chloé

Inglot Eyeshadow #341 (Swatch + Review)

A few weeks ago, I came across swatches for the Too Faced Semi-Sweet Chocolate Bar palette and while the shade "Nougat"  jumped out at me, the rest of the palette didn't wow me. The dupe lists on Temptalia are always so helpful for this sort of thing.
I have never set foot inside Inglot despite having previously come across many reviews of their eyeshadows and freedom palettes. Their lack of shade names - only product numbers, and their extensive range was always intimidating and off putting for me. #341 however, was one of the dupes listed for "Nougat" so I went in there with the sole purpose of checking out this one color, and it came home with me.

A dose of cuteness for you: Rosy's Garden

I mentioned Rosy's Garden briefly in this post but I realised I owned so much stuff from her store so I wanted to show you guys some of the adorable things I have accumulated since discovering her store 2-3 years ago.

I first stumbled across her eBay store when I was scouring every website for the Arpakasso alpaca plushes because they were not as accessible as now (although the net is flooded with fakes ones these days) and she had just started selling them at the time.

These are only some of my beloved Arpakassos I got from her store. On the left hanging is a yellow pouch in the shape of an Arpakasso, I have those pouches in 4 colors and I keep my harddrive, portable charger and various cords in them:

Alexander Wang Large Fumo Wristlet from Cult Status (Review)

I've been on the lookout for a new wallet for about a year because I was using basically a pencilcase/pouch and that meant that I would fill it with a bunch of crap and receipts. I probably had over 30 loyalty cards which was ridiculous coz I'm only really loyal to a handful of stores HAHA 

I wanted something black, leather and timeless but didn't want a style that was too boring. I also didn't want anything with a massive logo. My last 2 wallets had been continental wallets so I was really getting over the long silhouette. 

DIY: Pencil Roll

This post is a bit different to what you'd usually see on Status Chlo but I wanted to share a project that I did last week :3
Disclaimer: I don't sew and I don't have a sewing machine but when my boyfriend needed a pencil case for his design course, I decided to rise to the challenge. I was like yeh! I can totally make a pencil case, it'll be easy! You just sew 3 sides of 2 pieces of rectangular cloths together and slap a zip on then turn it inside out, right? It'll be simple and quick!

Anniversary Dinner

Hey lovelies! Today is just a quick post on the look I wore on Tuesday for my boyfriend and I's anniversary dinner! I am sorry if this week has been a bit "coupley" on here, it's just because my boyfriend's birthday and our yearly anniversary falls only a week apart!

Beauty Essentials In My Bag

Boyfriend's Birthday

Monday night was my boyfriend's dinner so we went out for a nice dinner and I slapped on a bit more makeup than usual. I didn't plan to blog about my look of the evening so I didn't have my camera with me but after I finished my makeup, I really love how it turned out and wanted to blog about it. My boyfriend's bathroom is pretty well-lit so I tried my best to capture it on my iPhone!

For the eye look, I mostly used my Urban Decay Naked 3 palette. The shades I used were:
♡ Limit - all over the eyelid),
♡ Nooner - in the crease
♡ Liar - to deepen the outer V and create more depth and also along the outer half of the bottom lash line.
♡ Dust - in the inner corners
Then I tightlined using a deep brown gel liner on the upper lash line and a warmer brown on the lower lash line.

Afterwards, I decided I wanted the eyes to be a bit more glittery, so I patted some Urban Decay Moondust eyeshadow in Glitter Rock on the centre of my eyelid with my finger. My friend actually bought me a couple of shades in the Moondust eyeshadow range when he was in the States but I don't know why, I've never really played with it. The results were so sparkly, I loved it! The glitters were duo-chrome and reflective, it was really hard to capture on camera but it completely lit up my eyes.

NARS Sheer Glow is was my foundation of choice. After buffing it in with a Real Techniques buffing brush, I was reminded how much I loved this foundation all over again. It provided me with heavier coverage than I'm used to on a day to day basis but it went on so smoothly and left me with the loveliest radiant glow. Perfect for a night out.

The boy and I love our streetwear so we pretty much never dress up, we made an effort to this night though.

I didn't get a photo of my outfit but I wore a simple black jumpsuit with a sheer panel around the neckline and accessorised with my favorite Dallas and Carlos "C" gold chain and my YSL Arty Ring. I also took my red polka dot Miu Mius out for a spin!

On the nails was Dior Lady (first mentioned in this post).

A and I love a good steak so we went to Squire's Loft in Toorak for dinner. Here's a photo of the birthday boy with his present :3

I really want to try and make more of an effort to use the huge variety of makeup products.

I have made a new Instagram account for Status Chlo as a space where I can share more of my beauty and blog related bits on there

Please follow @status.chlo on Instagram

:)

=('.')=

chloé

New In // Recent Hauls

Makeup Forever Pro Finish Multi-Use Powder Foundation (Swatch + Review)

MAC Glass Slipper Lip Glass - Cinderella Collection (Swatch + Review)

Growing up as a little girl, Cinderella was my favorite Disney princess movie, I had the film on tape and I literally rewinded/replayed it until it broke (by then my mum was able to buy me a VCD copy of it, remember those?) 

So when MAC first released photos and information on the Cinderella collection for the upcoming real-live action film, I felt a huge sense of nostalgia and also excitement that I can re-experience the desire of wanting to be a princess but as an adult. 

What I was not excited about however, was having to deal with the MAC girls. I don't know if it's just me, but I have never found an in-store experience at MAC pleasant. I never walk away feeling satisfied and I find the staff to be quite rude and generally unhelpful. I asked a number of times, with different staff members when the collection would be released in-store and every one of them shook me off with an "I don't know, you just have to keep checking back", no one bothered to offer to look it up or give me anything beyond their answer. One girl just told me "It should be around the time the movie comes out." Why thank you, how helpful of you. Ok bitter rant aside, lets talk about the actual collection.

stay fly

Addicted to Blush Tag (Swatch)

I don't think I've ever done a tag on this blog but I actually really enjoy reading them. This tag created by Kitsch Snitch was hard to pass up after seeing it on Emma's blog because I absolutely love blushes and I thought it would be fun to go through all the ones in my collection.

New In // Recent Hauls Since November (Microreview)

I actually hardly bought any new make up all through 2014 and then in the last few months, I'm not sure what got into me but I ended up picking up a bunch of new things. This is going to be a microreview post because I'm sure you would have seen plenty of reviews and videos of people talking about these products already. Plus, a few of these items were limited edition so I don't want to go into it too much in case it's hard for you guys to obtain.

After exams, I planned a special Mecca trip to treat myself to a couple of goodies I had my eye on.

I was always going to get at least one Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush. Good thing I held out when they were first released because I was hoping they would release it in a palette much like their powder palette and they did! This palette really is something, everything from the quality of the blushes, the glowing finish, the longevity of wear and the shade selection is perfect - a pink, a peach and a darker plummy shade, suitable for any make-up look/season.I love the packaging and size too. Incandescent Electra (middle) has to be my favorite shade in the trio.

I wanted to try NARS Sheer Glow for the longest time and after I got a few sample pots to test out, I finally purchased the full sized bottle along with the pump. The shade I have is Fiji.
Sheer Glow does accentuates dry patches or any flaking. Luckily my skin has been behaving pretty well lately and I love the luminous finish it leaves me with. The coverage is far from sheer and probably too heavy for daily use, despite that, it never leaves my face looking dull or flat. A little goes a long way with this foundation, for special days/nights out or when I know I will be photographed, this is a lovely option.

After finishing my little tube of Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré that my cousin sent me from Paris, I was suffering from withdrawal symptoms. Then I came across a really good deal on Cosme-De. They were doing a promotion and the moisturiser was only $23 for the 75ml tube. So without hesitation, I bought 2 tubes because I LOVE this stuff.
I also picked up the DHC Deep Cleansing Oil, a purchase heavily influenced by Lena at Sleep and Water. I've only ever tried one other cleansing oil in the past and it was a Shu Uemura one but I was too young to appreciate it or remember how I got along with it. So far I'm really enjoying this cleansing oil. I keep this bottle at my boyfriend's house because I don't have all my normal skincare products there and I don't like bringing them back and forth. This does a great job of dissolving and removing all my make up as well as cleansing at the end of the day and it doesn't feel overly oily.
It was my first time ordering off Cosme-De but it was a pleasant experience. My order arrived quickly and safely bubble-wrapped. The promotion at the time was on their actual website but they also have an eBay store.

MAC Rebel is a color I've wanted to own for years but I just never bought it so when they released it as part of the Christmas Heirloom collection, it seemed like the perfect time to pick it up. I love the starry packaging of the lipstick tube. I actually haven't even tried/worn it yet. I'm going to blame it on the hot weather but in reality, I think I'm just hauling too much too quickly.

My best friend B picked up the Illamasqua nail polish in Raindrops for me after she heard me going on and on about it. She works in Myer and I think when she bought it, it was on sale as well so it ended up costing like $7. 

This is my first Illamasqua nail polish and I'm so impressed with the quality of them. The formulation and pigmentation are both amazing, and first signs of chipping didn't even appear until after a week. One of the longest-lasting nail polishes I've ever worn and I absolutely adore the color. Raindrops is a super light grey-blue with tiny silver flakes of all different sizes. It's so subtle and soft.

The same cousin who sent me the Embryolisse moisturizer from Paris, lives in the States and just after Christmas, she sent me a small parcel with some snacks, make up and bath and body works goodies (I am obsessed with their hand sanitisers and their scent portable air fresheners for the car!)

In the box, there was the Naked 3 palette as well as the NARS Virtual Domination cheek palette that I asked her to pick up for me. I've been using both palettes religiously since I received them.

This palette is seriously so pretty, every color in it is stunning. My favorite shades are Nooner, Liar and Factory. I only wish that the highlight/first shade was a bit brighter as it doesn't even show up on my skin. The packaging is much more sturdy than the Naked 1 palette, which is pretty much made of cardboard, but I'm not a massive fan of the textured exterior on the box. I think it looks a bit tacky.
It also came with a booklet with samples of UD's 4 different eye primers. They claim that each sample has enough for 1 week of usage. I haven't used any of them yet.

This NARS Virtual Domination palette caught my eye from the moment I saw the first bits of information/photos online. For one, there is no "Orgasm" blush in the palette. I have Orgasm and I have to say it's one of the most overrated products in the beauty world. Secondly, it held a massive pan (bigger than its normal size) of the famous Laguna bronzer that I've never tried. Thirdly, I don't have doubles of any of the colors - the other 3 shades are: Final Cut, Sex Fantasy and Miss Liberty (highlighter). All of these reasons combined, was a huge incentive for me to buy this. 

The only let down about the palette is Miss Liberty. I expected a lot more pigment for a highlighter but it was only a whole heap of glitter. That would be the only thing stopping me from calling this palette an all-in-one cheek palette. Shame, but the rest of the palette makes up for it I guess.

So those were some of the things that came into my possession between November - Mid January. 

It's funny, I don't think I bought any make-up in 2014 from January to October and then all hell broke loose after I bought my Lorac Mega Pro Palette (which I have dropped twice since - I was shattered, it was shattered, it was shattering).

Do you ever go through non-spendy then very spendy phases? haha

please say yes.

x

=('.')=

chloé