Hello from Hong Kong!

This is more of a sneak preview. I'm not REALLY back yet (still too busy moving around)... just saying "Hi" and that I miss my beauty gal pals. =)

See that? That's the street I'm going to live in, by day (everyday) it's a street market. Unique huh?

I'm not fully moved in yet. Internet only arrives next Saturday and I don't willingly live anywhere without internet! So I'm moving in very gradually over the coming week.

My new place is lovely but tiinyy (as expected). So as there's no room for a dresser...

I used this window cubby hole as my makeup station. It's just the right height and full of natural light in the mornings.

The Helmer + My Makeup Organisation ~

So last week I told you I was considering a few options for extra makeup storage space. I'd been considering the Ikea Helmer, and after checking it out firsthand, I decided I liked it enough to bring it home.


And so now, my dressing table has a little partner-in-crime. I do love my makeup corner.

Your Say: A Good Base Coat for Nail Polish

(Am blogging on the go from Tawau, Sabah so bear with the bleary BB pics)

Don't you hate it whenever your brand new manicure chips? It took me a while to figure it out but the reason why my manicures have been chipping and peeling so easily is due to the Face Shop base coat I have been using.

There are lots of reasons to love the TFS base coat: It's cheap, provides a smooth surface for nail polish, dries quickly and doesn't discolour my nails. BUT it doesn't have enough "grip" on my nails making my manicure peel away quite quickly.

Let's hear it from you girls, what are your recommendations for a great base coat?

Monday's Lust List: Five things I want this summer. Mostly blush.

Ah summer.

One of my favourite lines of summer ever, are from Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird.

"Summer was our best season: it was sleeping on the back screened porch in cots, or trying to sleep in the tree-house; summer was everything good to eat; it was a thousand colours in a parched landscape; but most of all, summer was Dill."

Isn't that line just beautiful?

Inspired by Tine's List of Lusts which I came across the other day (which absolutely didn't help at all that she spoke of nothing but blush), today's my turn to give my Lust List a go. Not necessarily specifically summer collections, these are just items I'm eyeballing this time of the year.

A current favourite: Estee Lauder Signature lipstick in Dune Rose

Hey dearies,

The weather in Kuala Lumpur has just been going nuts over the last week or so. One minute it's blazing hot, and the next it's a thunderstorm. Which has kinda resulted in me being a little under the weather. One minute I was fine, and the next I was feeling feverish and blegh.

Anyhoo, here's giving you a look at one of my favourite lipsticks at the moment - Estee Lauder Signature lipstick in Dune Rose.

Review: Biore Cleansing Oil

I forgot to pack my eye-makeup remover during a work trip some time back. My colleague had forgot hers as well so we rushed into the nearest pharmacy once our meeting was over.

As the brands I usually use were out of stock, I found myself looking at a purple bottle of Biore cleansing oil. Sure, I have read good reviews about it but cleansing oils and I are a bad mix. The few I have tried resulted in either milia or clogged pores so I was quite doubtful if this would work for me.

Desperate times result in foolish decisions so I bought it.

Storage options now that my makeup collection has exploded. Kinda.

Because now I can't fit all of it into my dresser anymore. Well... it's definitely expanded.

Which is both good and bad news. *winks*

Lately I've been rather obsessed with checking out my options of extra storage space. To start things of, my dresser looks somewhat similar to this one here. It's got a big mirror with three lovely deep drawers, which are filled. Eek!


However, I will be moving homes in about a year (I think) so I might be changing my dresser altogether. I have not decided on that yet.

Bearing these in mind, here are the options.

Weekend Sneak Peek: Soleil Tan de Chanel in Bronze Corail

Bought this the day after the Summer Collection 2011 launched in Sabah. I bought the second last powder in Bronze Corail, meaning that there's only one left at Suria Sabah. Rush if you want this ladies!

Repurposing old buys:The brush for heavy cream undereye concealers

It all started with a post on Not Martha referencing The Muse's review of Sephora's Professionnel Platinum Concealer Airbrush. I looked closer at the brush and thought "Hey that looks like my barely used Everyday Minerals Kabuki Eye Brush!". Which in turn made me think "Why not?"

I gave it a try with Bobbi Brown's concealer and it was... magic.

Review: Neutrogena Oil-free Eye Makeup Remover

I can't believe that I have never reviewed this before. Ladies, meet my favourite eye makeup remover. I stocked up on what? 3 bottles of this when I was in Australia last year and am down to the last 1/5 in my very last bottle.

Sigh. I can feel withdrawal symptoms coming on.

Unexpected find: SilkyGirl's Double Intense Waterproof Mascara

Just when  I'd decided that Maybelline's Volum' Express Hypercurl Mascara was my go-to budget everyday mascara along comes SilkyGirl with this little beauty. At a crazy affordable price it's a very decent  mascara with a more than decent wand.

Formula
The formula apes the "tube" mascaras so it won't smudge or run and it is waterproof but it may flake in heat and water. It can however be a little hard to remove without warm water but I find oil-cleansers and makeup removers do a decent job with some patience. It also appears thick and waxy but isn't that prone to clumping. I've also noticed that they included fibers in the mascara so you can build some extra length onto your lashes (not much though).

But what really sells and the reason behind the "double intense" name is The Wand.

I actually prefer bristly wands because I like a more feathery rather than spikey lash but I can't fault this silicone baby's effectiveness. The short end is my favourite as it lets me get into the roots of my lashes without smudging AND it lets me apply mascara on my bottom lashes. Something beauty gurus around me have started advocating. 

The longer side lets me comb through the mascara and build on the ends a little for length and volume. While for true glamour I'd prefer more length and curl, it makes for a very pretty, slightly amped up everyday lash:

And we are THREE!

Hello lovelies!!!

Believe it or not, we turned THREE last month. Yes last month. But because we've been a little busy over here at the So Loverly central we actually forgot our birthday.

Apparently that's possible.

And so, we decided that we'll celebrate it today instead. *tee hee*

Yes, I'm loving yet another Peach blush. By Korres.

I reeeally have a thing for all things peachy, don't I?


Name it peach, and I'm a sucker for it already. And the one I'm loving now is the Korres Zea Mays Powder Blush in Peach #18.

Can You See That? Why I Culled my Lipstick Collection

Remember how I showed you my lipstick collection a few weeks ago? Well, the original count was actually more than 12 -- somewhere around 24, I think. But, it was clear that some of them had to go.

Squint at the picture. Can you see what I saw?

Guess not. Click on the jump to get a better picture.

Beauty Roundup and a little more...

Hello lovelies,

This was supposed to be up yesterday, but I was horribly busy, so ah well... it's on today.

• One of the few Benefit blushers I don't have, Paris of My Women Stuff talks about this one that makes her heart Thrrrob.
  
• If your previous experience with Ascience hair products have left you with hay, Connie of Skindeco might change your mind about their Shine Therapy range.
  
• Mousse? For sunblock? I'll let Lipglosseater Jenn tell you more about it.
  
• I'm always on the lookout for a great powder foundation. And Nikki of Askmewhats is sorely tempting me with this.
  
• Detox while you sleep. I am honestly fascinated by this detoxing spree that Xin of Prettybeautiful has going on. Seriously!

And now for a little more random stuff.