Small Makeup Haul

Okay so many small isn't the best way to describe it but I've been on a makeup spending spree lately. And what I'm about to write about are only the products I have taken pictures of, meaning it does not include my most recent purchases (Which are from Shu Uemura).

Also a small lens review after as well because I don't want to make multiple posts. The lenses I will be talking about are monthly lenses so I have already thrown them out. I don't have many photos but I did buy another two pairs (Albeit a different colour) so I will be take note to photograph some of that instead.


I got hardwood flooring in the house now and it makes a pretty good backdrop!

 Haul: Illamasqua, NARS, Anatastasia, YSL, Face Shop

To start off, Illamasqua is closing its doors in Canada. Cue the sobbing because it really is a shame. However, I do understand there is not much of a market for them here (Sephora also stopped carrying Illamasqua last year). The few Illamasqua counters left at Hudson's Bay ended up having a 40% off sale to clear out their products, so here's what I picked up:

Lipstick - Scandal, Apocalypse

Nail Varnish - Hemlock, Collide

Skin Base foundation - 6.5

Cream Pigment - Delirious

Eyeshadow - Forgiveness, Imagine, Creep

 Eyeshadows L to R: Delirious (Cream), Forgiveness, Imagine, Creep

Random lip product purchase from The Face Shop and YSL. The Face Shop one is like the YSL Glossy Stain and it's a nice pink colour. The YSL one is from their matte lipstick collection for this fall.

Anastasia Brow Wiz and Brow Gel for my blonde hair. I got these because of the double points promotion Sephora was having. I think I have enough to redeem the 500 point reward now.

The Illamasqua lipsticks here! Scandal on the left, Apocalpyse on the right.

The new NARS Audacious Lipstick collection! I'm super in love with them and I've tried pretty much most of the collection by now. I picked up these two before the testers were even out. Liz on the left, Lana on the right.

More NARS stuff. Orgasm Lip Gloss, Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base, Multi-Action Hydrating Toner.

Not pictured are products from Shu Uemura, mainly the Calligraphink Eyeliner Pen, Brow Ink, and A/I Cleansing Oil, and Lightscapade Mineralize Skinfinish from MAC. The eyeliner pen is the best thing that has ever happened to me by the way. Perhaps if I'm not too lazy I'll do a post on them later (But I'll probably do a small makeup look post featuring them so you'll be able to see them anyways).

Next post will probably be a lens review ;) I tried out the Revocon monthly lenses and been loving them. More on that later!

I dolled up for board game night with friends, because I can.

The title says it all.
Board game night with my close friends, and I decided to do myself up because why not?

While waiting for my friends who live in west-end Toronto and Etobicoke to come uptown for dinner, I had enough to time to put a little more effort into how I looked. I was really feeling it too since I hadn't done myself up lately. I used to put on a full face any time I went out, whether it was for food, or for hanging out. I'm just too lazy nowadays.

Anyways, I went for a rose pink + brown sort of smokey cat eye with my beloved Ayamo Rockabilly lashes from the Eyemazing x Amoyamo collection. I even curled my hair slightly (　´∀｀)

Before curling

After!

Also wanted to show off my hair colour (｡･ω･｡) I got it touched up recently since my roots were kind of really bad...

It's a high lift ash blonde colour mixed with a 40 volume developer (No bleach!), which is the same colour I did last time. Because it's done on top of a high lift colour from before, the lightening is more apparent. Next time, I'm thinking of going blonde again（*´▽｀*）

Close-ups!

Please ignore the eyelash band (⌒_⌒;) The eyeliner I use isn't entirely matte; it has a bit of a shimmer to it, so it doesn't hide the lash band as well as a matte colour would.

(Also ignore that corner that came up shhhhh you wouldn't have been able to tell in real life)

Hmm I also need to do a bit of eyebrow grooming it seems. The problem with taking photos with a DSLR is the high-def. You can see every bit of eyebrow hairs that are growing (/□＼*)・゜

Rundown of products: 

Face:
• MAJOLICA MAJORCA Skin Lingerie Pore Cover
• ETUDE HOUSE Bright Fit BB Cream in W13 Natural Beige
• MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NC20
• MAJOLICA MAJORCA Skin Lingerie Pore Cover Pressed Powder

Eyes:
• SHU UEMURA 6♡PRINCESS Collection Heart-full Pink Parallel Palette
• MAJOLICA MAJORCA Perfect Automatic Liner in BR601 (Brown)
• EYEMAZING X AMOYAMO lashes in Rockabilly (Ayamo)
• INNISFREE Skinny Waterproof Microcara
• HEAVY ROTATION Powder Eyebrow & Nose Shadow in 02 Natural Brown
• DOLLY WINK Eyebrow Mascara in 03 Cocoa

Cheeks:
• SHU UEMURA 6♡PRINCESS Collection Heart-full Pink Parallel Palette (Cheek colour)
• BENEFIT Watt's Up

Lips:
• REVLON Super Lustrous Lipstick in Black Cherry

Circle lenses are Dueba Puffy 3 Tone Grey.

Overdue things: Pro discounts and a website

So I finally got off my ass and re-applied for my MAC Pro account, and decided to apply for the Make Up For Ever and Nigel Beauty Pro accounts while I was at that. Last time I applied for MAC Pro, I got a letter back saying that my application didn't go through because my credit card got declined. Probably because it wasn't an actual credit card but a VISA debit card (Though I've never had any troubles making payments with it, oh well), I ended up applying for a long overdue credit card. Then I found out I could've just sent a cheque.

Well then.

Along with my MAC Pro application, my credit card also gave way to paying for another long overdue item, a website! I had created a Squarespace account to try it out and I really like the way everything is easy to use while still looking professional. Paying an annual subscription comes with a personal domain, which is obviously the option I took (No one wants to see Squarespace.com in your link when you give your website out to people, am I right?).

Check it!
PHOEBEQQLIN.com

(If you haven't figured it out yet, I am a freelance makeup artist)


Out of the three applications I've sent in, Nigel got back to me the fastest. The form on their website wasn't accepting my scanned documents (Which is odd considering they are .jpeg files) so I decided to email them all my information and credentials. Their website said applications would take 7-10 days to process. I received an email confirming my pro account the next day.

I can tell you what a pleasant surprise that was, considering I'm incredibly impatient (Where is that eBay item I ordered yesterday?!) 

So what does a pro account holder get on Nigel Beauty? 20-40% off all brands!

OCC lip tars for $10.80, Anastasia Brow Wiz for $12, not to mention discounted Ellis Faas products! Nigel is one of the only places to stock Ellis Faas, which I have been dying to try out.

List of my to-buy list:

Vincent Kehoe 18 Part Palette KO ($57.60)

Vincent Kehoe 18 Part Palete Shinto ($57.60)

Dermablend Leg and Body Cover ($24)

Ellis Faas Concealer ($32)

Kevyn Aucoin The Sensual Skin Enhancer ($28.80)

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector ($32.80)

Embryolisse Lait Creme Concentrate ($22.36)

If you can't tell, I'm obsessed with skin products.
The base is the most important part of the makeup to get right, otherwise, nothing will look good.

Now I can't wait for that MAC and MUFE discount. 40% makes such a difference really.

eBay Purchases: Eyemazing and Innisfree

So lately I've been getting into buying cosmetic products off eBay. I hear so much about it from my friends that I decided to give it a shot. I've only ever bought clothing off eBay (You know, all that taobao stuff that's resold there) but I've never attempted to buy cosmetics because the risks of buying cosmetic products online is higher than that of clothing due to hygiene and authenticity.

After researching on legit sellers and checking feedback, I settled for sellers f2plus1 and rainbow-japan and I am really pleased with everything!

f2plus1 is the go-to seller for popular Korean cosmetic brands such as Etude House, Holika Holika, Skin Food and so on (Look at the 35000+ feedback will ya?) who not only sells for really good prices, but also offer wholesale and 2pc/3pc listings. Rainbow-Japan doesn't have as much feedback but all their feedback is from real customers (You can tell with the amount of detail in the reviews). As they are a much smaller group, they really take time to personalize all their orders.

I started out small, one product from both sellers.

From f2plus1, I purchased the Innisfree Skinny Waterproof Microcara and from rainbow-japan, I purchased the Eyemazing x Amoyamo eyelashes in Rockabilly. Both arrived in small parcel boxes.