HOURGLASS AMBIENT LIGHTING BLUSH

This is a scheduled post. I'm currently on holiday in Hong Kong & Singapore, so things will be a little slow here in the meantime. I promise to catch up on everything as soon as possible, and will definitely be back with lots of hauls and travel pics to share! 

As you can probably tell, I've been on a roll with Hourglass. Since I was going to splurge on the Ambient Lighting Powder, I decided to add this to the bag! These Ambient Lighting Blushes, just like the powders, have been much raved about in the blogosphere, so I just could not resist. Have you tried these? What did you think of them? I'm interested to know! ;)

The texture of these Ambient Lighting Blushes are much like the powders. It's finely milled, lightweight and does not wear powdery on the skin. The finish is super natural - it's the perfect combination of colour and highlight, giving depth and dimension to the face without the need of additional highlighter. 

Jump for swatches!

HOURGLASS AMBIENT LIGHTING POWDER

Yes, I've given in to the craze! I was hesitant to jump on the bandwagon initially, mainly because I was pretty happy with what I have (Rimmel Stay Matte Powder is still very much loved - and well priced) and didn't buy into the hype given it was simply a finishing powder. But this stuff is amazing! It really is! So let's get into it! ;)

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder promises to 'capture, diffuse and soften the way light is reflected on the skin, brighten the appearance and conceal imperfections'. The formula contains something called 'photoluminescent technology', which are particles that refract light and create a more translucent and natural finish, as oppose to traditional powders that use opaque pigments and can often make the skin appear flat.

The shade that I have is Dim Light, which is a gorgeous neutral beige with peachy undertones. When I first swatched this at the counter, I thought it was WAY too shimmery, but once blended out, it leaves a beautiful soft glow on the skin. The powder itself is super fine, and almost undetectable once applied - even in photography!

Jump for a side-by-side comparison!

MY INFLIGHT ESSENTIALS & ROUTINE

Guess what! In about a weeks time, I will be flying out to Singapore & Hong Kong! I'm not staying too long in Singapore, but am beyond excited because I've never visited this wonderful place that promises nothing but good food and lots of shopping. I have pretty much planned out everything I'm going to pack, as you do when you are anticipating a holiday getaway! So let's talk inflight essentials!

We all know how exhausting a long haul flight can be, so it's all about taking care of the skin when I'm on a plane. As soon as it takes off, I whip out Neutrogena Cleansing Towelettes to remove my makeup, then double cleanse with Bioderma Crealine H20 Solution (I will be buying a travel size for the flight). I think Bioderma is extra crucial when I'm travelling, as it does not require any rinsing and is super gentle on the skin.

Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask (which I will be putting in a small jar) is the best way to treat the skin without any hassle. It applies like a thick hydrating cream and dries clear, so no one can tell that you are doing a mask while you have it on - which is good when you are sitting next to a stranger! I generally slap a generous amount of this stuff on my face, along with Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment and Dr. Lipp Original Nipple Balm for Lips (yeh, it sounds weird), then settle down for a couple of movies and possibly a nap.

BOURJOIS ROUGE EDITION VELVET LIPSTICK

Bourjois never ceases to amaze me, and they've done it again with their latest release of these Rouge Edition Velvet lipsticks. Liquid lipsticks are nothing new - I initially expected them to be somewhat similar to the Rimmel Apocalips, but the formula of Bourjois Rouge Velvet lipsticks are a step above, and I'm absolutely obsessed with them. Let me explain!

There are 8 shades available in the range, and I picked up 04 Peach Club and 07 Nude-ist - probably the 2 most tamest/boring colours from the collection. The majority of range consists of bright reds and oranges, which is very spring appropriate, unless you live down under that is! Though I'll be sure to pick out more of these when warmer weather comes back around.

The intensity of the colours are incredible, and you can easily achieve an opaque finish with just one swatch. The formula is smooth and easy to apply, unlike a lot of other liquid lipsticks (I'm thinking OCC Lip Tars) which can be thick, sticky and hard to spread out. These velvet lipsticks last almost all day long, and does not bleed or dry out my lips as time progresses. It does take a good makeup remover to clean off at the end of the day, as the brighter shades (such as Peach Club) will leave a stain on the lips.