Muji Cosmetics and Dupe for Benefit's Georgia!

For those of you that aren't familiar with Muji, it's actually a Japanese store that sells a variety of things without labels. Their product lines include very basic clothes, accessories, kitchenware, houseware, stationary, prepackaged food snacks ETC... and COSMETICS! The whole store is really basic and simple so their cosmetic line is no different. They have some basic brushes, foundations, lipglosses, blushes, eyeshadows etc...

Staying true to their "simpleness", they don't have a large variety of colors but I have found 2 items that I really like!

The Lipliner...

This dusty rose / brownish color is a great nude color that can match of lot of lipsticks. It goes perfectly well with my Burberry Lip Cover in Delicate Rose (check out my review here) so I've been using it every single day lately. For those of you that follow Lisa Eldridge's videos on Youtube, you will find that this color is very similar to the No7 Perfect Lips Liner in Nude that she uses quite a bit. I loooove this color! If you haven't seen her videos before, check it out --> Lisa Eldridge Everyday Makeup Look Video

The Blush...

This is also another fave of mine from Muji. It's very fine and has a lot of color payoff for a pale peach color - something that I haven't been able to find in a lot of higher end brands. The darker peach color on the the right side is what I always wanted from Benefit's Georgia. I've always thought that Georgia looks a lot paler on the face than in the box and I what I want is the exact color that it looks like in the packaging. This Muji blush stays very true to color upon application. The color that is actually very similar to Georgia when applied on the face is the highlight powder on the left side.

If you love Benefit's Georgia and feels sad that is discontinued just like me then no worries! Try out Muji, but of course it doesn't have all of that nice packaging that Benefit does. Wondering how similar they are? Take a look at these pictures:

From Left: Muji Blush Highlight Color, Peach Color, Benefit's Georgia Blush

Same order as above but on white paper background

Final Thoughts..

I've had this blush for about a year now and I find myself going back to this color all the time. I still haven't been able to find another peach this great in color payoff yet. This blush also doesn't form a hard layer on top after a few days of use for me like the Chanel and Mac blushes.

I purchased the liner for about 2 weeks now and it's another one of those colors that are not easy to find.

Highly recommend these two products, especially if you are on a budget!


Chihuahua Beauty
XOXO

Burberry Cosmetics - Eyeshadows and Lipsticks Review

I was never really a Burberry fan but I have to say, their cosmetics line is awesome. Not only does the style reflect the overall Burberry look, it is also very very good quality. What I mean is that it is by far the highest quality high-end cosmetic brand available in Hong Kong.

Let's go into the packaging first...

Sheer Eyeshadow Cases with Velvet Pouch

The whole line sports a very sleek, Burberry-checked chrome coloured packaging that closes with a magnetic clasp. Something I have to mention is that its really heavy compared to products from other brands such as Chanel and Dior. This is what I mean by lux! Honestly, I never thought Chanel had good packaging as it's quite outdated and boring. I just think that they have a lot of room for improvement in that area. Compared to Burberry, they are definitely way behind. Don't get me wrong, I am definitely a Chanel fan (way more than Burberry) but I've never been fully satisfied with their cosmetics. Although Dolce and Gabbana cosmetics is not available in Hong Kong yet, I believe their packaging should be ok and I also have really high hopes for the Tom Ford line coming soon!

Lip Cover and Lip Mist

The packaging for the lipcolours are also worth mentioning. It has built-in magnets that pulls the cover in place no matter which angle you slip the cover on. Super unique and fun, I know a lot of people like playing with it!

Multi-purpose Brush with Velvet Pouch

I also purchased a multi purpose brush...I don't remember the exact name but this is what it looks like.
You could use it for both blush and all over powder application. It's quite soft and dense but not as dense as kabuki brushes. The size is perfect for the cheeks and contouring. It also comes with a velvet pouch that makes it great for travelling. I wouldn't say that it's a must-buy because you could easily get retractable kabuki brushes at any drugstore or SaSa store. The only reason why I got it was because I wanted to buy over a certain amount to get a free gift =P --> take a look at these mini lipsticks!

From Left: Mini Lip Cover in Cameo Pink and Rosewood

From Left: Normal Size Lipstick and Mini Collectible Lipstick

Most brands rarely give gifts with purchases that are this cute and high quality these days so I had to get it. I'm not going to swatch these as I want to collect them but don't worry, these colours are available in their permanent collection!


Lipstick Colors and Textures

I bought one color from each of the lipstick textures that they offer. The dusty rose color is the Lip Cover in Delicate Rose No.22. This texture is really creamy and soft, similar to the Rouge G de Guerlain. They are highly moisturizing and also covers the lip lines quite well. The color is very opaque and stays true to color. I really love this color because I think it's great for both summer and winter.

From Left: Lip Cover in Delicate Rose No. 22 and Lip Mist in Copper No. 202

The second color I purchased is the Lip Mist Copper No. 202. I was originally looking for a cappuccino color but the sales talked me into trying this copper color that is sheerer and has a bit more shine to it. This color is more of a fall color for me since I'm quite fair skinned. Right now, I'm not a big fan of this color but I may grow to like it in the winter time...who knows? It's not an ugly color but just not my regular cup of tea. My advice is, never listen to color recommendations from the sales unless you are absolutely clueless!

Eyeshadow Colors and Textures

I'm a crazy neutral color maniac so the Burberry colors are perfect for me. Both the Gold Trench No. 04 and the Pearl Grey No. 17 are their signature colors and both of them are gorgeous. Slightly shimmery and not overly matte. The textures are very soft and they feel really moisturizing. The particles are really fine and smoothes the eye without accentuating fine lines. Upon application, they don't make the eyes look dry, a problem that I've been encountering with Nars and Chanel eyeshadows. The other color I got was Porcelain No. 03, which is a goldish nude shimmer. It's great to pair with the Pearl Grey and the Gold Trench or used as a highlight for the inner corner of the eyes. All the eyeshadows are very sheer but buildable.

From Left: Porcelain No. 03, Gold Trench No. 04 and Pearl Grey No. 17

Final Thoughts....

This is a great cosmetic line if you love neutrals but I think at times it could be a bit boring for me. Although I wear neutral colors most of the time, I also like using more vibrant colors on special occasions. Therefore, as a makeup brand, it isn't as dynamic as Dior, Giorgio Armani, Chanel etc...just like their clothes, it's very classic but not very innovative at times...

Hopefully they'll come out with more interesting products soon!


Visit the Burberry website for more product info: www.burberry.com

Chihuahua Beauty
XOXO

Vidi Vici Makeup Styler Review and Swatches

Welcome to my blog! This is my first entry ever but more will be coming very soon =)

Let's get started!

The Vidi Vici Makeup Styler - 04 Groovy Styler

I've been really interested in this brand ever since I purchased my first item (the Makeup Styler) at the Vidi Vici Counter in Lane Crawford, Hong Kong. I don't understand why but they have a particularly messy counter compared to the rest of the brands in LC. Dodgy counters are not attractive but my mind was already made up to purchase something from this brand after watching the YouTube videos of the lovely Queenie Chan from BeautyQQ (check out her channel!). She demonstrated some other products from Vidi Vici that I would like to try in the future. I've always wanted skin like hers and anything that she uses is an easy sell for me!

I don't know too much about this brand but I do know that it was created by a Korean make-up artist Lee Kyung Min. It's definitely considered one of the higher end cosmetic brands in Korea as it is reflected in the superb quality of the products. This Makeup Styler is one of the most popular products of Vidi Vici along with the Small Face Case and I have heard that their powders are very good quality as well. I didn't purchase the small face case just cause' I'm not very into powders unless they are very moisturizing...

Packaging

This kaleidoscope packaging makes it a really interesting item and definitely attracts buyers. Chrome colored with a flap top along with three layers of colors that could be swiveled out makes it a great traveling companion. The flap top closes very nicely as I suspect that there should be a spring clasp of some sort inside that holds it in place (excuse me for my lack of engineering knowledge). This makes its feel a lot more luxurious than something that simply locks with a click. Although it is plastic, it doesn't feel very cheap because it's not too light. I don't know too many other brands that have this design other than Le Metier de Beaute so this is definitely very special.

 Living in a Hong Kong, time is of essence and I needed a palette that was compact enough for me to bring to work and also enabled me to use my fingers to apply on the MTR in the morning. Of course, there are a lot of palettes out there that are designed just for that purpose like the Bobbi Brown's customizable palettes, but none of them were ever really perfect or me. When I'm in a rush, I don't spend time using brushes to do my makeup so cream based colours are ideal for that reason as well as for my dehydrated, sensitive skin.

1st Layer - Metal Bronze Cream Eyeshadow

The top metal bronze color is extremely shimmery, a perfect color for everyday use and looks good as a single color on the eyelid. Even though it's a cream based shadow, it lasts for at least 6 hours without an eyeshadow base. Quite impressive as I have very oily eyelids and most cream shadows crease in about two or three hours except for Bobbi Brown's. However, BB's shimmery cream eyeshadows don't look shimmery on my eyes, the glitter just looks like specs of dirt or peeling skin (anybody else have that problem?!).

2nd Layer - Pearl Cream Highlighter

The second layer is a white cream color with pink undertones. It has no glitter, just a shimmery effect. I think this is meant to be used as a highlighter since its softer and easier to blend than the top metal bronze color. With the extra creamy consistency, it is very to blend and it doesn't feel sticky at the same time. I must say, I love highlighters and this is definitely one of the best ones I've used so far.

3rd Layer - Coral Cream Blush

Coral colors are pretty much my favorite blush colors of all times so this is perfect for me to use everyday. There are many tones of coral colors and everybody describes them differently. This one is more on the pink side and is suitable for most skin tones. I'm an NC15 - to NC20 and this looks very natural on my skin as compared to the Nars Orgasm blush that is a bit too dark for me. This color will give any skin tone an instant youthful glow. The consistency is the same as the pearl highlighter, soft enough to blend easily without rubbing off the foundation underneath. As with all cream blushes though, you still need to use a light hand with a dabbing motion for application. If you don't want that dewy glow or you want it to last longer then you could add a similar powder blush colour on top to set it.

Note* - Both the coral and pearl color could be used on the eye as well as the face if you wish; however, since the consistency is softer and creamier than the metal bronze cream eyeshadow, it may not stay on as well without creasing.

4th Layer - Pink Lipgloss

This strawberry pink lipgloss has tiny gold sparkles in it but the color is quite sheer on the lips. I have naturally very red lips so this color is very close to my lip color, but better! I do wish the color could be a bit more opaque like the Nars Chelsea Girls lip lacquer. This lipgloss isn't as spectacular as the other layers but it definitely completes the look and this very compatible everyday palette.

From Left: Metal Bronze Cream Eyeshadow, Cream Highlighter, Coral Cream Blush, Pink Lipgloss

Final Thoughts...
I don't remember the exact price but I think I purchased it for around 700 something HKD. It's definitely very pricey but it remains to be one of my favorite items in my makeup drawer right now. These cream formulations are by far the best ones I've used so far, they aren't sticky but are still long lasting.

Consider Buying If You...
- have normal to dry skin and want to achieve a dewy glow
- have a dull complexion and need something to brighten your look
- have wrinkles or starting to (cream bases make wrinkles less noticeable)
- like cream textures
- use earth tones as everyday colors
- are looking for this exact combination of colors
- want a palette that is suitable for both daytime and nighttime

Don't Consider Buying If You...
- have oily / acne prone skin (anything that is dewy and shimmery could enhance the look of the bumps)
- do not not fancy cream textures
- don't like these colors


All in all I do think this is an absolutely fantastic palette. Vidi Vici also has a customizable palette in the same kaleidoscope design. If you like the design but don't fancy cream bases or these colours, you could opt to choose other colours in pressed powder form.

Hope you like my review and I'd love your feedback if you've tried this product before!


Chihuahua Beauty
XOXO