New In // Recent Hauls

I've collected a few new things in the last 3 months, some I bought and some were gifted to me by some very generous people, so I've chucked them all into this post today.

Morphe Brushes 35E Palette and 35P Palette (Swatch + Review)

If you missed the first part of my Morphe Brushes haul on the Jaclyn Hill Favorites Palette and 35O Palette, you can catch up here. Today's post is about the other 2 palettes and brushes that I bought from the Morphe Store in LA. Read on to see swatches and hear my thoughts :)

Morphe Brushes Jacyln Hill Favorites Palette and 35O Palette (Swatch + Review)

Hey everyone! Today I am sharing with you 2 of the palettes that I bought when I had the chance to visit the Morphe Brushes store in Burbank, LA. 

Before I get into the review and swatches, here are my overall thoughts across all 4 palettes that I purchased:

♡ They are definitely great value for the price if you divide it by each pan in the palettes (50c - $1 for each shadow). I think they are great for people just starting out and might want to experiment with a range of colours.

♡ The packaging is quite crappy, I appreciate the snap closure but it does feel really thin and flimsy. I guess that is a factor that keeps the brand so inexpensive though. Probably not something you'd ever want to travel with. 

♡ There is a smell to the eyeshadows that is really off-putting - an industrial, cheap, powdery smell? It's not super obvious but when I do get a whiff of it, I'm like uh uh.

♡ The matte eyeshadows were hit and miss. Even when they were good, they were not amazing. I had trouble with a lot of the mattes in a couple of these palettes. They felt stiff and went on patchy.

♡ The metallic eyeshadows however, are incredible in colour payoff and texture, almost like cream shadows to the touch. By far my favourite thing about these palettes.

♡ I had some issues with the rich purples and burgundies staining my fingers and arm pink when I was swatching them and removing the swatches. I've never had a eyeshadow do that to me before so I'm wondering if that's because the eyeshadows are that cheap... probably not a good thing.

♡ I had no problems with fallout or longevity with any of the shadows. They lasted all day for me creasing or fading. I always wear an eye primer anyway.

Read on to see my swatches and reviews :)

HK + US Trip Haul

These were the goodies that I managed to accumulate on my 7 weeks away from home... I love a good haul post just as much as anyone, they're some of my favourite posts to read but oh man, the guilt is so real when it is your own haul, especially one this big ^_^' Honestly, it could have been worse. Who am I kidding, I'm just saying that to make myself feel better. But seriously, you don't know what I'm capable of - If I REALLY put my mind to it, I could have done a whole lot more damage. (See, I feel better already)
Our dollar was so weak at the time I exchanged my money (and still is), it was actually heartbreaking. I tried my hardest to get products that weren't as readily available in Australia or things that were considerably cheaper but even then, a few cheeky purchases made their way into my luggage. Let's be real, I reached VIB status pretty quickly. It was hilarious when I did because the girl serving me at the counter kept shouting "I APPRECIATE YOU!" at me over and over and I was just like uhh thanks..? It was really confusing and embarrassing coz she wouldn't stop and there was a huge line behind me. This Sephora status also meant that I got to pick up a lot of these things during the 20% off VIB sale though.

SooOoOooo 6 palettes as well as a bunch of single eyeshadows were probably a bit of an overkill on the eyeshadow front but I didn't really plan on buying 4 Morphe palettes. That literally happened on our last day in LA - we had already packed and checked out of our hotel. We needed to kill time before our flight and this was my idea of killing time - to visit the Morphe store.
Safe to say, I am definitely on an eyeshadow ban now which is sad because I really want to try out Makeup Geek eyeshadows T_T. Maybe when I get a job, that can be my reward. I will say now though, I am making an exception for the Too Faced Bon Bons palette when it hits Aussie shores in March so don't berate me for that. This is also the part where I confess that I ordered ONE Colourpop eyeshadow with my friend when she put in an order last week. Ok I promise that's it.
I realised last year that I hardly owned any bright or colourful eyeshadows. Everything I had was on the safe and neutral side. I hope that with these additions, I can try and be a little more adventurous/creative with my makeup looks and perhaps I will document them here.

Looking back now, I kind of wish I picked up more skincare products. I think part of the reason I didn't is because I am really happy with my skincare routine at the moment and I don't really want to disrupt that.
I probably won't get around to reviewing every last item but I will definitely try and throw up some reviews and keep you guys updated with how I'm liking everything through other posts such as favorites, empties etc. Sorry if this post seemed really rambley, I'm high on makeup.

Let me know if there are any particular products that you want me to review or do a post on first :) 

And while I am asking:

What would you like to see more posts of in 2016 on Status Chlo? 

chloé

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.

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

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:

New In // Recent Hauls

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

Alexander Wang x H&M

Unless you live in a pineapple under the sea or you completely go out of your way just to avoid any news about fashion - you probably would have heard/seen something about the Alexander Wang x H&M collab at some point or another. The collection finally dropped on Thursday and I was all over it. Alexander Wang is one of my favorite labels but not something I can afford easily.

New In // Recent Hauls: Ikea (Candles + Make Up Storage) + Lush

I really like reading haul posts and I haven't done a haul post in over a year! My haul posts are usually right at the end of my travel posts but I think I will be featuring more of them on my blog. I rarely do a whole heap of shopping in one go and I do a lot of my shopping online, but if timing works and I have a few things lying around, I'll share them with you guys c:

Hong Kong + Trip Haul (Pic Heavy)

Alrighty, last of my travel posts. I have to seriously apologise...I feel so at home in HK, i can never be bothered to take my camera out LOL. During my 2 week stay in HK, i literally brought my camera out with me 3 times. BAD BLOGGER! so here's a mix of photos from my camera, my iPhone and my instagram.

Heart & Seoul: Last Day + Seoul Haul

Our flight on our last day was in the afternoon so early in the morning we went to get my grandma some ginseng and herbal medicine for her health ^^ I bought my skirt on the second day around Ewha Womans University c: 

My grandpa and I

 Mummy and I

So in love with my iridescent oxfords. They were surprisingly so comfortable to walk in! I wore them the entire day for the last 2 days in Seoul and my feet were more than fine.

On the spotless train, we were really lucky because we had pretty good weather on this trip c:

The market we went to was called Gyeongdong Market and it is just a street market selling all sorts of medicinal herbs and ginseng.

At the station itself, there were a lot of 'traditional medicine' displays

My mum and my aunty picked out the ginsengs and some other herbs. I know nothing about Ginseng but thought i should take a photo anyway and this is it LOL.

Had the most amazing froyo before returning back to the hotel for check out. It was Green Apple, Pineapple and Strawberry flavored yogurt topped with kiwi fruit, mochi, and crunchy cookie crumble. Mochi is officially my favorite froyo topping EVER!

Back at the hotel. Hilarious story: We decided to stay at Lotte World mainly for Charlie. On the first night, he was extremely afraid of these Raccoon characters and he wasn't the only one, i was pretty freaked out. We stayed on the character floor so everything from the wallpaper to the bedsheets to the clocks to the couches to the carpet to the door to the soap to the shower cap, etc (you get the idea) had these characters all over them. We tried switching rooms on the first day coz Charlie was just bawling his eyes out but the hotel was booked out so we had to stay. He eventually warmed up to them especially after visiting Lotte World and this was him on the last day right before we had to check out ^

 There was a scenic lift at the hotel and Charlie and i went on it before boarding our airport bus and heading back to HK. How cute is this hat that my dad bought for Charlie, the little monster.

Snapped this while waiting to board

Annnnnnnd finally - the haul. This feels like nothing considering i was expecting to spend most of the money i saved up for this Asia trip in Seoul. 

 This is a close up of the skirt i bought and wore on the last day c: It's so adorable

The make up haul. Found some really decent products that i've been loving! Can't wait to do all the reviews and share them with you guys c:

All the samples i received! It was actually crazy the amount of samples they gave, it seemed really excessive especially when i got a bunch of samples for buying one small thing haha.

Shamless Selfies. Overall, i found Seoul to be a little overrated for shopping however i really did enjoy just seeing different parts of Seoul, all the yummy soups/food and spending time with the family c: I'm really hoping to save up enough to go to Japan early next year, that's somewhere i've always wanted to go and i'm sure i'll love! :3 

=('.')=

chloé