Weekly Photo Challenge Yumeko: the Summer favourites

I will join one of Yumeko's photo-challenges for the first time and tell about some specific summer-favourites of mine. Read about the original challenge on Yumeko's blog here:

1. First Base:- Base Makeup

1. Green People Sun Lotion SPF25 Medium (Edelweiss Extract) This 82% organic, *just* SPF 25 is blocking the sunrays quite well and it's whitening Edelweis Extract actually does something more. 2. Kiss Me Sunkiller Whitening Water SPF 50+. If I really want protection and keep my face light/N20-ish; I reach for Japanese sunblocks, period! 3. NARS Tinted foundation in St. Moritz (review). I almost HG-ed my new Koh Ren Doh 123 but this is a darker tint which makes up for the fact my sunblocks worked too well keeping me paler. 4. Kanebo Freshel BB MoistLife (review). City-protection! The easy route being quite protected & covered and having anti-ageing/other benefits. 5. Lotree Rosa Davurica Powder Pact 25 (review) My fave summer-powder on the road. 6. Giorgio Armani High Precision Retouch. Cover enough & handy enough for diminishing post seasalt-water redness.

2. Second Base -Point Makeup
2.a. The Cheeky chatters...

1. Shu Uemura Pulse. In summer I often reach for a colour that DrivellerKate would call a "platonic colour" because it's so innocent.  Corals are perfect for creating that "standard sweet-girl look" that I make extra generic with a (faux) tan and faux-or-real smile. And my darling platonic blush. ofcourse.
2. NARS with that name that shouldn't be mentioned... I told my friend I wouldn't pay for anything called that so I got it by trading for another blush. For it's unromantic/technical connotations with either the film or activity it's a beautiful platonic pinky-peach done right like NARS can. 
3. Bobbi Brown Pale Pink: I have no idea what's so pale about this pink because it's medium toned pink but I like it's cooler hue a lot.
4. Giorgio Armani bronzer in 01: There is absolutely no orangy colour in it which makes it better for neutral to cooler skintones: it applies sheer and suits lighter complexions.
5. DeliPlus Color Colerete Multicolor:These are quite cheap & handy from the Spanish supermarkets and I picked it up during my travels.

2B-Let the eyes & lips have it!

1& 2. Teals, aquas & turquoises....bring them on...let my eyes reflect all tropical oceans. (Lunasol reviewed).3. The unbulgable Mascaras! (review) Kiss Me Heroine Make Curl Impact & Frame is the Superqueen of staying put... The Dejavu Tiny Sniper gives that cute Twiggy underlash look for sultry-hot nights. 4. Kiko! Lots of their waterproof eyecrayons. 5 Gold! Eyes need Paul & Joe eyegloss in 01 and for lips I have a French Lipgloss from Gloss Frisson that adds warmth. 6. My slightly battered case of Guerlain Rouge Automatique in Chamade 164. 

Base 3: Sunshielding Accessories:

Hats, Topshop sunglasses & scarfs...All there!

Base 4: the un-pong-ers

Perfume-wise, I have been loving the Annick Goutale Nimfeo Mio for a couple of summers and this year's new love is L'Été En Douce.

5. Base 5: The Rest:

 1.Xen Tan Self Tan Extra Dark. My fave self tan for face is the Collistar one, but for the body I use this. 2. Shower stuff...I live on mini's and showers with warmer weather. 3. Getting Footsy: Foot-healing balms such as Alexandro Pedix is for making up to my feet when I'd put them in unsuitable shoes. The Chanel Mimosa '11 is for a fun summer pedi. 4. Organic post-beach care: Wearing a high-duty Japanese sunscreen needs a good cleansing balm to get everything off, otherwise it's pimple time: Suti is quite good at it. Pukka's firming Face oil  is so lovely for treating post-beach skin.5. Rohto eyedrops:  Rohto is quite good in taking some seasalt-water redness out. Also nice when flying a lot.

Also a special mention to all my hairstuff I reviewed over here...

I would be fantastic if everyone tries to join this challenge and tell us what your summer-musthaves are! RougeDeluxe has joined as well. So comment on Yumeko's Bittenbefore blog over here and get writing, photographing and publishing!

Eye Love 3

Kiss Me Heroine Make Smooth Eyeliner

I don't know if it's really the best but I reach for it a lot: the liner is thin but not too thin and the colour stays put for a long time.

Mini review: Kiss Me HEAVY ROTATION long volume dynamic mascara

In my last venture on the mascara front I told you I wasn't completely overwhelmed with the Kiss Me Heroine latest mascara (post here). I still wanted to try another one, just for the heck of it and because of my eternal search for longer, fluttering lashes.

I think I mentioned I was curious about the Kiss Me Heavy Rotation one? At least, I was...so I purchased this one with my last Adambeauty order.

In general, I already noticed that the brush would probably the most standard of brushes: the old-fashion hairy brush that I actually find soft enough for my sensitive eyes. Yeh, you actually coat your lashes instead of your eyes ;P, but the plastic brush types sometimes poke in the border between lash and skin.

The title says minireview, so I am going to be really short about this. One of the reason I buy Japanese mascaras is because they understand the need to keep the curl that girls with straight lashes carefully apply to their lashes before applying mascara. Lots of Western girls, me excluded, already seem to have fluttery and curly eyelashes by themselves, and their Western mascara just fits them.

So I need a formula that keeps the curl...and basically, this mascara doesn't keep any curl at all.

For the rest it is a ok mascara, quite black, although not pitch-black. It only volumises a little bit and it doesn't really do so much lenghtwise. It will be one of those mascaras I have to wear with either my Kanebo Kate base or the Fairy Drops base in order to be noticed and keep the curl.

But overal, I can get similar type from the Western brands and that is not quite the reason I bought this one, in order to get a mediocre, Western-type mascara.

For my goal: it doesn't fit the bill. However, I love Kiss Me Heroine Gel eyeliner, so do not abandon this brand for just this mascara, their eyeliner (the pot one) is really ace.

I bought mine over here for about $12.

Targeting eyelashes: DejaVu Tiny Sniper Mascara & Kiss Me Heroine Make Impact frame & curl mascara

 I have been trying out two new types of  mascaras lately.

They have both a different purpose. Eyelashes are eyelashes, but the brush and formula can make the difference. So I have a under-row lash mascara for review and a 'standard' mascara.

I start off with the special one. I spotted the DejaVu Tiny Sniper on sasa, and it was the name that got me.

Sniper, according to Wiki:

A sniper is a marksman who shoots targets from concealed positions or distances exceeding the capabilities of regular personnel. Snipers typically have specialized training and distinct high-precision rifles.

So the name is a bit...violent? But I get the idea that the sniper mascara is so good it targets the smallest lashes:

DejaVu Tiny Sniper lower lash mascara

That brings me to Sasa's description:

One of the hottest makeup items in Japan, DEJAVU FIBERWIG Tiny Sniper is a paint-on false lash that instantly transforms into wrapping firm and multiple fiber to lengthen your lashes.

Lengthen the tiny lash at the corners of eyes and lower lash

It contains the ultra-soft fiber which is specially for tiny lashes, resulting in separate lash look.

Light and smooth mascara does not cake, resulting in long and natural-looking makeup finish.

The tiny brush and long handle enable convenient and accurate application.

No “panda eyes”

It instantly transforms into adhering firm to resist sebum, water and sweat. No smudge.

Convenient removal

It could be removed by warm water. No damage to lashes

1. Comb eyelashes with eyelash brush. Curl up eyelashes with lash curler.
2. Take out the mascara brush. Brush your eyelashes outwards and horizontally. Brush the outer side of eyelashes first then the inner side for curly eyelashes.  
3. Apply the second layer if necessary. Reapply after the previous layer dries.  
4. Tidy up with eyelash brush.

I really like and enjoy the mascara for the tiny lashes of my under ánd upperlashes. That is right: I use it as a upperlash mascara as well. It is so precise that I get this wonderfully long and defined look. It only takes a bit longer to obtain the look, but it works.

It does wash off with warmer water. People who know the wash-off formula know it crumbles down to black tiny balls, and you can wash it off.

Overall, a wonderful mascara for a lengthening (not so thickening) and precise application of mascara.

I purchased the Tiny Sniper on sasa (here) for $12.20

To give away the clue, I have not been so enthousiastic about the next one: Kiss me Heroine Make Impact Frame & Curl Mascara.
But it is a question of preference...I will explain further.

Adambeauty has this description up on the Lash & Curl (the black, new one)
Google translate translated the Chinese into this:

Ying Xian Feng exceptionally strong long mascara. III design with a round brush to create his best eyelashes, like wearing false eyelashes, Fung Ying effect of 80% over the same series. 。 Plant wax components with triple, so lasting curl mascara all day.

 Lasting waterproof formula, anti-sweat, tears, and grease.  Repair plant components, protect the eyelashes break. 

Yeh, I never said Google translate is perfect...

First, the Frame and Curl is the one in black on top, and the other one in red is the Kiss Me Heroine Long& Curl one.

I basically like the red Long & Curl for the formula, but most importantly because of the brush. The formula leaves lashes curled and black, but not too stiff.

The stiffness is the biggest problem of the Frame & Curl one. But it has other downsides I dislike:

1. The brush is not precise enough. It is one of those plastic brushes with both sides, one with hardly any brush and the other side with longer, comb-like pins. One coat left my eyelashes overcoated, and my upper eyelids as well!
2. The formula leaves lashes like a thick coat of Superglue. Horribly stiff and unconfortable.
3. That makes it a B%&@# to take it off. It rivals the notorious Majolica Majorca mascara times 10....
4. So, I gotten irritated eyes the morning after because of the almost impossible way to remove it all. Yeh, I have tons of Japanese mascaras so I know how stubborn some can be (Majolica Majorca??), but this tops them all.

On the plus side, it is the most black and glossy formula ever...

I am suprised this mascara is so different than the red long & curl one of Kiss Me Heroine, because I really like that one and I rotate it on regular basis.

Still, it gotten some raves on other blogs, so it might not work for me but it could work for you.

I bought the Kiss me Heroine Frame and Curl on adambeauty over here for $15.50

Now I am curious for the Kiss Me Heavy Rotation Long Volume Dynamic mascara. I wonder how that one will work...

Did you have any new mascara discoveries lately?