bloomzy /

Review: Eyeshadow & Blush Palette

This post is sponsored by KKcenterhk
Recently I was sent the ‘10 Shimmer Eyeshadow-Blush Palette‘ to review, by kkcenterhk. And here it is…

Shimmery, no? The colours range from neutral to almost neon and it all comes in a handy black case – like this. The first thing I thought when I opened the package and saw the case was DECO PROJECT! It sounds a little strange but all I could see was a brilliant blank canvas…so I’ll keep you updated on that.
As for the colours…

[ignore my arm hairs haha] 

As you can see the colours are very vibrant, which I was really pleased with. I hate palettes that offer pale shadows, because I always end up trying to apply more and more with no real result. However these went on easily, cleanly and left a great colour!

I played around with a few of the colours and I was able to create a ‘pink’ look, inspired by Popteen’s love of pink make-up from last months issue. The 4 colours I used in these pictures were these ones. I also used the lightest shade as a highlighter and the darkest to shade underneath my lower lashes (that didn’t show up well on camera, unfortunately).

 [No lashes/Mascara] 
[Accent lashes & Mascara]

Overall I thought the colours were brilliant and shimmery (without being too glittery), with the shadows being easy to apply. The shadows are a good quality and texture, whilst still managing to keep the colours vivid – I can’t wait to try the rest out soon. I also want to test out the pink as a blush and combine it with the light cream as a highlighter. When I do I’ll make sure to link back to this post so you will all know!

The only downside is that the palette is rather large, however that also means you get a decent amount of shadow too, so there’s a silver lining. 

Want to order this palette for yourself? –


They ship worldwide and delivery is super fast~

KKcenterhk also sell cosmetics, wigs, hosiery etc. so be sure to check them out!!

Mie has also done a review of a similar palette from the same sponsor on her blog.
bloomzy /

Review: Lioele Gel & Pencil Eyeliner

Please say hello to my latest sponsor, LiliesShop.net
LS is a Korean cosmetic, wig, contact lens and fashion retailer and they sponsored me some of their lovely cosmetics by the brand Lioele. I personally love Korean make-up and it’s famous for it’s good quality at affordable prices – my Japanese tutor would often take trips to Korea just for the cosmetics. That’s why I was so happy to be sponsored by them.
And if you don’t believe me about the hype check out the latest issue of Popsister which has a big feature on Korean cosmetics and their brands. 
All of their cosmetics on the webstore are by the brand Lioele. The first thing I have to say about this brand is that their packaging is gorgeous – it’s simple but elegant. I am a big fan of packaging and I love displaying my cosmetics so these fit perfectly on my make-up table. Anyway, onto the reviews…

See I told you about the packaging! Simple but cute and I love that the brush fits into the lid when you are done with it, but not only that, the brush can be turned around and placed into the lid for a longer version. Very useful for a cat eye…my favourite!!

The gel itself is smooth and goes on easily, and depending on how much you apply it can be as light or dark as you wish. I also liked how it didn’t rub off when re-applying which is a problem I have had with some liquid liners such as Dollywink. It was also long-lasting (lasted the whole day) and smudge proof.

 

 

The pencil eyeliner was also in lovely packaging. As for performance I found that it applied easily and blended just as well – great for lower lash line or fixing your upper. It stayed on for the whole day but did smudge a little toward the end, nothing new for pencil liners (in my experience).

Swatch of the two.
Gel on the left, pencil on right.
Gel on upper, pencil on lower.
Nothing else on except for base – no mascara, lashes etc.

 

 

BB Cream samples.
But you can buy bottles here:
Swatch of the two.
Beyond on left, triple on right.
…and blended.
Beyond on inner eye, triple on outer.
BB Cream is an amazing innovation from Korea that is slowly making its way into the Western market. My sister has been using it for several years so I’ve been using it and loving it’s wonderful qualities for a while. It helps get rid of dark circles by evening out skin tones and it can even cover scars (which it did for a relative of mine). My sister commented on how she sees it as more of a skin care product with the added bonus of being a foundation.
Lioele’s cream covers skin easily with a natural finish whilst keeping moisture in and creating a smooth base for make-up. It applies like a lotion (light and thin) which makes it so easy and much better than a lot of liquid foundations that can be a bit stodgy. Check out their chart which shows all their BB Creams, including the functions, coverage, brightness etc. of each.
LiliesShop.net is based in Canada but they ship worldwide – shipping is super fast and affordable.
Not only that but they have offered my readers a special offer.
For 5% off use the coupon code : bloomzy
You can also check out their blog for the latest products and make-up tutorials – here.
bloomzy /

Japanese hair dye review; Beautylabo & Palty

Whilst in Japan I came across the problem of which hair dye to use – in the UK I was using the same brand and colour each time. Of course I knew and had heard of potential problems with Japanese hair dye, such as it not staying in Caucasian hair due to it being made for the Asian market. Even so, I thought I would give it a try…so here are two reviews for you.
Beautylabo Whip

Beautylabo whip is a relatively new item in the Beautylabo line with 15 colours in the range, 4 of which are new and were featured in the April issue of Popteen in a special fold-out. The novelty behind the ‘whip’ products is a new innovation that has also been hitting foreign markets lately – a foam (mousse) hair dye, rather than liquid (cream?!).

So why is it so great? The mousse application is supposedly easier and more manageable. The mousse doesn’t drip, so there are no worries about accidently dripping it on the work suface etc. *cough*

Also you don’t need to section your hair like you would with a regular hair dye – some brands have even gone as far to claim that you don’t need a mirror, but that’s just silly in my opinion as I’d probably poke myself in the eye – I never claimed I had amazing hand-eye coordination haha. You just massage the mousse in and away you go~

Gloves, powder and mix, conditioner, instructions etc.
And what it looks like when you put it all in the container.
Yep, you mix it in the container it all comes in (great use of packaging) and shake it up…
What you get is a stiff, non-drip foam (mousse).
My friend and I had fun holding it upside down and seeing if it would drip…it didn’t! 
After application…
It lathers on like a shampoo and then just sits like a regular dye. 
The final result: I felt that the end result wasn’t as bright as I had hoped for. Nicola of Graphic Noise also tried out the same colour; Caramel Custard, and said that it turned her hair a very yellow-y shade…which I was kinda hoping for, but unfortunately it just gave me a very light brown…and that was from an orange-y blonde beforehand. The application and dye itself was great and I would certainly use a similar product with the foam ‘technology’ again, but Beautylabo just didn’t cut it for me with colouring.
I would like to mention that it did stick better than a lot of Japanese hair dyes though, which usually wash out. Which brings me to…
Palty Bleach

Ok, so bleach isn’t really a hair DYE but I had tried Palty hair dyes previously and they just didn’t stick at all – as in they would wash out after a couple of shampoos…not good. That’s why I choose to use the Palty Bleach instead. I was a bit cautious to bleach my hair as I know it can be very damaging but I hadn’t done it for almost 6 years so I decided to give it another go.

I had a friend help me with the application after sectioning my hair and he did a very good job, but unfortunately there had not been enough of the bleach for a full coverage so that meant I had to use two lots.

First try, with the bleached hair and un-bleached. 

The final result: I was really happy with the colour, it was a lovely bright blonde for Spring , which I had been hoping for. My hair was a little more coarse and wirey afterwards (see pic) however my hair wasn’t in a much better state before that so I wasn’t really bothered by it.

Well that was back in Japan, and now I am in the UK and my roots were pretty bad (black roots with blonde hair, ewww) so I had a haircut and grabbed some dye from the brand I previously used. I decided to go back to being a brunette (less maintenance) but I also kept the blonde on my under layers after seeing some lovely two tone in the latest issue of Popteen.

So here is a small preview…

Have you used Japanese hair dye before? If so, what were the results like? 

Would you use it now if you hadn’t before?
bloomzy /

Review: Korean Bulk False Eyelashes

This post is sponsored by KKcenterhk
KKcenterhk are my current eyelash sponsor. They stock a variety of lashes and the ones I have been given are 2 packs of the 10 pair multipacks from the Korean company ‘ES’. I’m sure you have seen these online before, and I know some of you have even bought some yourselves.
I choose a pair of fuller top lashes and a pair of lower lashes.
I only applied a little bit of eyeliner/minimal make-up in the following pictures as I wanted to blend the lashes but show them off, without make-up. 

I am sorry for the quality of the photos and the re-use of the banner. These pictures were taken in my last few days in Japan when I was very rushed and stressed. However excuses will not be tolerated, so I shall definitely bring you better ones next time ;D
ES A101 – here
These lashes weren’t as harsh as previous fuller ones I had tried. Of course they’re not a lash to be worn with minimal make-up, but I feel that you can get a better look at the actual lashes this way. 
I plan on wearing them again with a more dramatic eye, probably to compliment a rock-style coordinate – a style which I am growing fond of again. The macro on my camera failed to catch a sharpened image of them but I like them all the same. 
ES A023 – here
These were the first pair of lower lashes I had tried from ES. The lashes themselves are very soft and sweet looking, however the lash band was a little harder to work with then other pairs I have worn. Even so it wasn’t so much of a problem that I wouldn’t try them again. 
I tried them with minimal make-up as I wanted to use them for a sweeter look in the future, however I felt they overpowered it a little. Maybe something more dainty next time?! Anyway, I felt the lashes were a good size and length – I did also cut some down to use as lower accent lashes, which I preferred.
Overall I am happy with the two sets I was sent this time.
Both sets of lashes are under $8 for a pack of 10!!
For some everyday-use or ‘first try’ lashes that’s such a bargain!!
They ship worldwide and delivery is super fast~
You can purchase any of these lashes and many more different types and brands here.

KKcenterhk also sell cosmetics, wigs, hosiery etc. so be sure to check them out!!
bloomzy /

Review: Bornprettystore Nail tips

This post is sponsored by born pretty 
When Born Pretty contacted me about a sponsorship I was so pleased to receive something from a nail art & nail products store. I really do love doing different things with my nails and since I can’t always afford gels or acrylics I enjoy experimenting with my own. 
Born Pretty offer everything from nail polish to uv lamps and much more! I choose a simple selection of a few different products; false nail tips, wooden stick nail art tool, nail glue, cuticle oil AND Swarovski crystals.

Onto the first product…

These were recommended to me by the store owner – I think they understand my interests pretty well. Chanel is a logo that pops up on a lot of Gal nail art so I was excited to try these out. As you can see I wore a full set at once, however I am already planning on mixing it up and wearing a few tips only with other nail designs.

I think they looked simple but effective. They would work with most outfits and styles, from Murua to Cecil McBee – the Chanel logo and a simple black nail is something that won’t go out of fashion.

The wooden sticks (more commonly used in manicures for cuticles) I choose because I was interested in doing some nail designs – plus they would also be useful in the future when I used the Swarovski crystals to decorate. They may not seem like a big deal but they’re so helpful and a must have for anyone starting out with nail art or needing supplies.

In the picture above you can see that I did a simple polka-dot & stripe design. The wooden tips were simple and easy to use and helped me create an effect I wouldn’t have been able to do with just a brush. I am also planning on doing a Sakura design soon with the same colours and of course, I shall be using the sticks!

Everyone knows it’s important to look after your nails, especially when you’re often getting acrylics, using tips etc. I love products like this so I jumped at the chance to try it. There are also a variety of types to choose from inc: apple, strawberry, rose, aloe vera, peach and more! 
I choose the Jasmine one, although it was difficult as I was so tempted by the full set (beauty products, especially sets, are one of my weaknesses). The pen is very simple to use, you just twist the end until the oil comes out and then you massage it into your cuticles. I am quite forgetful so I haven’t used it the recommended 3-5 times a week, however I have still noticed that my cuticles are a lot softer. I mainly noticed around an hour after I had applied it – they looked and felt a lot better.

I have yet to use the Swarovski crystals, but I have planned some nail designs already which I shall blog about soon, with a link back to this post, once I have done them. The great thing about these crystals is that you can also use them in your deco designs too! I know a lot of my readers and fellow Gal fashion bloggers also love deco and it’s just over $7 for 144 pieces – bargain!

As for the nail glue, I think it’s pretty obvious what that’s for. The store actually offers a variety of nail glues (inc. stickers for tips) but I choose the cheapest and it was pretty effective. I didn’t have any problem with the nail tips falling off. The only problem was it was a little hard to remove the residue from my own nails afterwards but that’s expected.

Want to order some of these items or more?!
Visit born pretty store and quote ‘BloomzyK31’ for a 10% discount!!
Yep, the lovely people at born pretty have offered my readers a special 10% discount which is valid until May 1 – so hurry over to bornpretty and pick up a great deal!!

Worldwide shipping is available!
Born Pretty also offer wholesale prices on all their products and if you spend over $200, EMS shipping is free!! 


Also for all you fans of extravagant nails, these gold electroplated tips are only $0.50 until 30/03!! 

bloomzy /

Review: Neon Series – Pink Circle Lenses

Neon Series Pink colour contact lenses*
Power/Prescription: 0.00 (plano) only
Lens Usage: Up to 12 months (depending on care)
Base Curve Radius: 8.6mm
Diameter: 14.50mm ~ 15.00mm
Water Content: 38%
I have blue-grey eyes, so the effect may differ on those with darker eyes.

The Neon Series (by EOS) features a darker outer rim giving a larger, more defined look. This series is specifically for creating a bold, bright eye.
Now onto the pictures…
These were taken in the morning, in Winter lighting – both were taken without flash.

No make-up.

With make-up.

Purikura featuring the lenses.
Look:
I wasn’t really a big fan of pink lenses, so I was a little hesitant when they sent these out. However I didn’t mind them as much when I put them in. They were certainly dramatic looking and I did get a few compliments on them. I felt that they blended pretty well with my eye colour, but would look even better with a darker eye.
I was a little worried at first as I felt like I had a ‘black swan’ vibe going on – these lenses would be great for a cosplay – but no one said anything and I got used to them the longer I wore them. They really do enlarge your eyes, and are therefore a great pair of circle lenses. The pink is also a nice bright but not in-your-face shade.
Feel:
These were very comfortable for 14.5mm lenses. I don’t usually like wearing over 14mm but the other violet pair I own are so pretty and comfortable that I had no worries. I only needed to apply solution twice during the day and that wasn’t so much because my eyes were dry or itchy but because I worry too much and didn’t want them to.
If it is your first time wearing lenses, take it slowly and wear them for only a few hours each day so your eyes will get used to them. I wouldn’t suggest wearing your lenses for too long unless you know it will be ok, and if they get dry just pop some contact lens-friendly eye solution in – never use water!
Thoughts:
After wearing this pair from the Neon Series I would certainly be interested in trying out other colours from the range as they were so bold, bright and defined. For me that’s what colour contacts should be about. However I am not a big fan of pink lenses for everyday use – they would be great for parties, fancy dress etc – so I don’t think I will be getting as much use out of them as some of my other pairs.

Want to order a pair for yourself? –

Don’t forget to mention ‘bloomzy’ when you purchase them ;D


Right now all 15mm xtra lenses (GEO) are only $22, whilst stocks last!
Plus, if you order 3 pairs you will receive a special lens case, 4 pairs a $5 coupon, and 5 pairs a FREE PAIR!

Their dispatch/shipping time is very fast and they ship worldwide!
For any other questions you might have, check out their FAQ page.

Feel free to leave comments or ask me any questions you might have.
bloomzy /

Review: Korean Bulk False Eyelashes

This post is sponsored by KKcenterhk
Recently, KKcenterhk offered to sponsor me with some of the eyelashes featured on their store. They stock a variety of lashes and the ones I choose were the 10 pair multipacks from the Korean company ‘ES’. I’m sure you have seen these online before, and I know some of you have even bought some yourselves.
I don’t currently own many ‘fuller lashes’ so I choose 3 packs from their large selection.
I only applied a little bit of eyeliner in the following pictures as I wanted to blend the lashes but show them off, without make-up.
A005 – here
As you can see, they’re a little shiny looking. However they don’t feel plastic-y, actually they’re very soft – but the band was a little stiff. They’re very full and thick looking though – maybe a little too much for me. These really are great though for a dramatic, full look.

Unfortunately they didn’t suit me – this picture makes them look unreal haha
I did have to cut the length slightly as they were too long. I always thought I had strange, tiny eyes and these lashes kind of exaggerated that…or maybe it was just me. Either way they would blend much better with make-up, of course.
A22 – here
These ones were slightly thinner, but still had a full look to them. They were also very soft and much easier to apply than the previous pair. I really liked the feathered look these lashes had, it made them a little more natural but still appropriate for heavier make-up.

I thought this pair were a lot better than the previous ones. I will definitely wear these more in the future when I want a heavier eye with thicker lashes.
A008 – here
These were my favourites of the 3 sets. The lashes were thicker, but more natural and the band wasn’t stiff – so easy to apply and quite comfortable. They weren’t as shiny and blended much better.

These lashes would be great for a ‘natural’ look but also with a more dramatic eye. I love that one pair of lashes can work for two different looks, hence why they are my favourites.
What about the lashes I didn’t like so much?!

I used a bit of silver glitter eyeliner and added a few sparkles to them.
This also separated them out a little bit so they’re not as full. I had seen quite a few pairs like these in-store and wanted to try them out, but I wasn’t sure about the glitter. So instead of wasting money and throwing the other pairs out, I created a new pair of lashes.

All of the above sets of lashes are under $4!!
For some everyday or ‘first try’ lashes that’s such a bargain!!
They ship worldwide and delivery is super fast~

You can purchase any of these lashes (except for the D.I.Y glitter ones) and many more different types and brands here.

KKcenterhk also sell cosmetics, wigs, hosiery etc. so be sure to check them out!!