Chantecaille – Bubbly Michelle

Luxury Holiday Gift Guide 2019

December 18, 2019December 18, 2019by Bubbly Michelle1 Comment

For me Christmas is all about spoiling the loved ones. Nothing excites me more than discovering that perfect gift for a friend or family member that I KNOW will bring a smile to their face.

Personally I believe there are no ‘terrible gift givers’, just lazy ones and some who just don’t have the time to be out shopping. Whatever reason for being behind on checking off that gift list (me included this year), i’ve rounded up a few luxurious gifts that are sure to be enjoyed.

Holiday gift guide luxury

As you might have guessed, there’s a theme for todays gift guide. All things golden and shiny! Who doesn’t love a little extra sparkle during the holidays right? Gold packaging has this magical ability to instantly transform the most simple everyday things into something decadent!

1. Louboutin Beauty Metallic Eye Colour

Finally Louboutin Beauty has made its way to Singapore this year and now easily accessible. My very first Louboutin Beauty product was a lipstick from a few years ago and I remember being smitten. When I finally got to see everything in real life I found the eyeshadows to be just as Ah-mazing, if not better! There isn’t a huge shade range but the colours are beautiful and are super long wearing (read budge-proof).

I chose two shades, Morganite (shimmering pink) and Black Sapphire

2. Chantecaille Eclat Brilliant Highlighter

is total packaging goals! But of course Chantecaille do in-fact make fantastic highlighters. This years holiday collection featured a gorgeous true gold highlight Eclat Brilliant, just perfect for the festivities coming up! The texture is ultra silky and applies without looking powdery. I find the quality excellent!

P.S- While you are browsing, do check out the three limited edition Lip Cristals for some extra shimmer this holiday season. The packaging is gold of course with a chic, almost jewelled bullet that is a pearl pigment formula.

ALSO for each lipstick purchased Chantecaille continues with the 1 lipstick = 1 tree campaign, where they pledge to plant one tree in Kenya for each lipstick sold! It’s the gift that keeps on giving.

More swatches here.

Chantecaille holiday 2019 Lip Cristal

3. Hourglass Scattered Light Glitter Eyeshadow Holiday Trio

If it’s gifting glitter, Hourglass is the way to go! I’m a sucker for adding some extra shimmer to my holiday makeup looks and nothing quite does it for me like these. They can be applied with fingers and add the most brilliant sparkle to the lids. This year (again) Hourglass have released a gorgeous limited edition holiday trio . The pots are slightly smaller than the regular size but just perfect to dip a finger in to grab some iridescent sparkle!

Hourglass scattered light glitter

4. Byredo Perfume Sampler Set

Personally I dont gift perfume unless it’s for my girlfriends or family. It can be tricky picking something without knowing their preferences and generally fragrance is a very personal thing.

However I make an exception for mini/trial sized perfume sets, I think it’s a great way to try a brand and also ideal for gifting. Byredo, one of THE most luxe fragrance houses out there does a sampler kit called La Selection. There’re several fragrance groups to pick from. If you know what the recipient normally favours, why not let them try something new! I have been loving my La Tulip Roll On for quite some time now, the smaller handy size makes it great for keeping in my makeup bag and travels so well! Most of all why I love Byredo is the fragrances are so unique and special, they make the most lovely gifts.

5. YSL Sequin Crush Eyeshadow.

YSL Sequin Crush Eyeshadow

What’s the point of Christmas if you don’t get to throw on some extra glitter…right? ,I guess I just successfully justified another glitter shadow as a gift idea 😉

Have you seen YSL’s new(ish) Sequin Crush Eyeshadow . I spotted a gold and a silver and couldn’t resist picking them up! Packaging is A+, and so is the glitter inside! It’s pigment galore with these. The overall effect is a high sheen foiled look rather than outright glitter. Count me obsessed!

6. CHANEL Gabrielle Shower Gel

Luxury shower gels are a total splurge and make the best gifts. I know I love receiving them.

CHANEL Gabrielle is for the floral lover. A mix of Jasmine, Ylang-Ylang, Orange Blossom with a hint of Tuberose. This comes in a decent 200ml bottle that’ll look perfect in anyones shower.

For other delectable gift worthy shower gels, check out Aerins selection. I love the Tuberose Body Wash and the Body Cream. A must have if you love white flower fragrances. This one’s extra decadent with it’s silky, creamy formula!

Chanel Gabrielle Shower Gel

7. Chanel Sublimage Gel-to-Oil Cleanser

Skincare is always a welcome gift in my books, and one of the most luxurious additions to my shelf is the newly launched Sublimage Gel-to-Oil Cleanser. It’s a major love for me. Review here!

Cleansers are pretty much fool proof, so I like to make it extra luxe so it’s truly special. A very lucky someone deserves to have one slipped in their stocking.

8. Silke London Hair Wrap

Something extra luxurious and a truly unique gift is a silk hair wrap by Silke. It protects your hair from tangling and eliminates frizz therefore minimizing hair damage while you sleep.

Also great for keeping the hair away from the face when you get ready in the morning. Order via Net-a-Porter! They deliver within 2-3 days, definitely making it in time for Christmas.

9. COVETEUR Coffee Table book

Gifting Coffee Table books will never go out of style. One of my favourite books to date is Coveteur. Be it flipping pages taking in the drool worthy editorial photography or reading about celebs wardrobes dripping in couture. This one’s for the girl who enjoys the finer things in life. Plenty of inspo in here.

10. A Spa voucher

If you made it at least halfway through holiday shopping by now, you KNOW how hard the holidays can be! Every friend deserves a little pampering and some me time especially after Christmas. Be it a new mom, a corporate rockstar or even Mommy dearest who deserves a little me time of her own. It’s honestly one of the easiest ways to make someone happy! I’m all for gifting experiences, it’s less stress on our planet and eliminates any need for unnecessary packaging. Do you think of zero waste gifting ideas too?

That wraps up todays guide. I’m working on a few more linked guides before the weekend since it’s the very last weekend before Christmas! I hope you manage to pick up the perfect presents for your loved ones before it’s too late. ❤ Happy Shopping!

Makeup

Foundation recommendations for Dry & Normal skin

September 13, 2015September 13, 2015by Bubbly Michelle4 Comments

Todays post is all about foundations suitable for dry and normal skin. A chatty entry, just running through a few bases that i’ve been loving for their nourishing and smoothing properties. As you may know I have combination skin with cheeks that are slightly dry and on my search for the perfect base, I came across these gems which would work better for normal, dry or mature skin types. If you fit the description, this post is specially for you!

A. Medium coverage foundations

These particular suggestions also happen to be hybrids. Foundations infused with skincare which I highly recommend for mature skin types so that you receive some anti ageing action, while looking flawless!

1. Clé de Peau Beauté Radiant Fluid Foundation.

A lightweight satin finish foundation that glides on like silk while correcting any redness and minor imperfections with ease. As the name suggests, this foundation is all about delivering a radiant, luminous glow associated with healthy youthful skin which instantly brings life to a dull complexion for a younger and well rested look.

This foundation was my everyday staple before I moved to a warmer climate. It has good sun protection (SPF 25) which made it great for day to day use but didn’t last too well in extreme heat, specially on my oily t-zone. The drier parts of my face do hold up well though, therefore best suited for normal to dry skin types.

2. Lancome Absolue Sublime Rejuvenating Essence Foundation

This too has a similar finish to the Clé de Peau. Coverage wise it’s a solid medium and buildable to a fuller finish. What makes this special though is that it comes with the skincare benefits of Lancomes premium skincare line, the Absolue range. Highly recommend this for mature skin types that are showing signs of ageing. It’s a beautiful lightweight option for those of you who like a skin like finish without compromising on coverage.

3. By Terry Sheer Expert

It was love at first sight. This foundation perfects the skin, colour correcting, blurring pores and imperfections without breaking a sweat. It’s still one of my favourite day time bases. Of course with my oilier skin this does slide off easily if I don’t prep well with a mattifying primer, but the extra work does pay off as this never fails to get me compliments on my very ‘healthy looking’ skin. As with the other two high end options, this too beats $100 price mark since it does contain skincare properties, but as they say, good things don’t come cheap and this is a splurge well worth the money.

*If you prefer a fuller coverage foundation, you can try the By Terry Cover Expert. A bit more perfecting in comparison to this. But just as good!

Here’re all three swatched so you get a rough idea of the formula.

B. Sheer coverage foundations

1. La Mer The Reparative Skin Tint SPF 30

This one’s more of a tinted moisturiser type base. Very lightweight, offering sheer but slightly buildable coverage. The finish is extremely dewy with luminosity like you’ll never believe! A nice option for glowy summer skin (incidentally it launched right on time for summer! Smart move La Mer.)

I found this lacking the coverage I am used to, but if you already have good skin and looking for something luxurious to splurge on, you might like this! It comes infused with the signature La Mer Miracle Broth promising skin luminosity while visibly smoothing skin and energising it’s natural repair process. It’s more skincare with a touch of colour.

As someone who’s already familiar with their skincare and it’s incredible regenerative properties, you’d see why I didn’t waste any time trying this. The only down side being the high price point and the very narrow colour selection of 5 shades (I use light medium 03). Anyway I like this one and you might too!

2. Make Up Store Ultra Light Foundation (best suited for normal skin)

This is a very light weight sheer foundation. Just a wash of colour while lightly colour correcting the complexion. This would also work great as a sheer base for a powder foundation providing the skin with light hydration maintaining the bare skin effect. You won’t feel like you have anything on to be honest!

A good option if you are new to wearing foundation and prefer a lighter coverage with the added perk of a more affordable price point. Also a nice base for summer time when you don’t want to look like you are wearing foundation but don’t feel comfortable heading out bare faced.

3. Chantecaille Future Skin

One of my all time favourite foundations. It’s ultra light weight and the most skin like base i’ve ever used. Future Skin has a very high water content which makes it hydrating without the rich and heavy feel of an oil based foundation. I’d recommend this for normal to slightly drier skin types (not so much for the very dehydrated and dry ones).

Formula is a lightweight gel/whipped consistency, and recommended that you use a brush or fingers as a sponge would absorb a lot of the product (after all it’s said to contain 60% charged water!). The best thing though is this colour corrects beautifully without much coverage (sheer to medium), leaving the skin hydrated and slightly glowy.

Onto swatches of the three.

C. Full Coverage Foundation

Just one option here as I don’t own any other full coverage foundation that’s nourishing and suitable for drier skin types.

1. Mac Pro Longwear Nourishing Waterproof Foundation

I’ll keep it brief as I have just reviewed this foundation already, which i’ll link HERE. But here’s the gist of it.

Pro Longwear Nourishing Waterproof foundation is a lightweight, full coverage foundation suitable for all skin types.

This applies smooth without catching onto any dry patches and perfects skin to a flawless finish. It also has excellent oil control properties making it ideal for normal to combination skin alike although nourishing and smoothing on dry skin. An all rounder with impressive staying power, one of the best foundations i’ve tried this year and comes highly recommended!

P.S- If you have severely dry skin with flakiness, make sure you prime well with a moisturiser to make sure application is smooth. Eitherway, it’s something definitely looking into.

With that I conclude todays post. I thank you for reading and hope you found it informative. If you need any additional info on the bases featured here, please feel free to ask me in the comments! Hopefully you found something that suits your needs!

Wishing you a wonderful day! Michelle.

Makeup, Skincare

April Favourites 2014

May 5, 2014May 5, 2014by Bubbly Michelle5 Comments

Another month gone! So it’s time for a favourites post. Yeah thooooose patchy entries lol!
So this month was pretty much mostly about lipstick. Nearly every brand I loved, released one form or the other of liquid lipsticks. Matte AND gloss versions!

Apart from the lip products there’s also new base products I’ve been trying out as well.. so read on and I hope you like the mix of things I plan to share with you today!

…Starting with lipsticks…

The Shu Uemura Tint in Gelato sticks which were the first to release. They are a matte liquid lipstick formula that can also be used as a cream blush for cheeks. In general I am not all for matte lipsticks as they can be pretty drying and uncomfortable to wear. However I feel the Gelato sticks are something in between matte and cream lipsticks and are of a whipped texture. They aren’t drying and don’t have that extreme matte feel.

My most go-to is PK03, the one I initially thought was unflattering on me! >.<

Next to release were the Dior Fluid Sticks. A hybrid between gloss and lipstick. This wore with an intense shine while at the same time packing on some serious colour! I found the feather light formula comfortable to wear and was quite long lasting (as far as gloss lipsticks go). And if you have a weakness for red, as do I, this collection is heaven sent.

The last installment of the liquid lipstick was the Lancôme Lip Lover. They just released in May but I had the opportunity to sample them before they hit the stores. I felt they were very well pigmented lip glosses and not necessarily lipsticks. The one thing that stood out though was that they looked so juicy when applied. My lips looked plump and lip lines were visibly reduced so they looked more luscious and ‘kissable’. I also loved how the colours mix well together and you could do a no fuss ombre lip with these in 30 secs.

Apart from the liquid lipsticks I also enjoyed #18 Colour Crush Shine lipstick by The Body Shop. It was a perfect non fussy lipstick (coral peach) for everyday use, which didn’t break the bank. I’d highly recommend that one if you are looking for something new to try.

Now onto base products!

I am very happy to say that I think I may have found the perfect foundation for myself colour and finish wise. The Chantecaille Future Skin foundation.

I really love how light the texture is and that it looks soo skin-like. There’s no way anyone would detect this on your face EVER! And given that I find it soo darn hard getting a proper foundation colour match (without having to mix two shades). I was ecstatic that the shade Chamomile matched perfectly.

It’s an oil free water based formula, so it doesn’t add to an already oily situation which we deal with in hot weather like this. What’s more, it’s specially formulated to keep skin feeling hydrated all day! So your makeup stays looking fresh throughout.

Another excellent new find is the Dolce & Gabbana Perfect Luminous foundation. This is a more fuller coverage foundation compared to the Chantecaille one. I love the smooth finish and it sits on the skin well. It also doesn’t oxidise on me and is perfect for mixing with Future skin if you want higher coverage with a more skin like finish. Both wore very well, although blotting was inevitable around the 4-5 hour.

You can read more about this foundation over here at my sweet friend MonsiieurAlexx’s blog 🙂

And finally onto something I’ve been steadily using since January but never did a full review on! The amazing Clé de Peau concealer. This is the best concealer I have ever tried. And I love it for the undereyes as so far nothing I’ve tried has managed to achieve such opaque coverage with a lightweight formula. It’s slightly on the dryer side so I recommend never skipping eye cream when using this.

One of the pluses of a dryer formula is that they don’t slide around and migrate as your day goes on. It stays put. Although many claim that this doesn’t settle into lines, I find that it does. Minimally though. Maybe cos my two wrinkles are pretty deep >.< Anyhow, overall I am in love with this and would recommend it to everyone who is on the look out for a good concealer. On the downside, it’s not the most wallet friendly option!

Come Spring/Summer I start including my trusty old Guerlain Terracotta bronzer in my daily routine! This little fella and I go a long long way back. Been almost two years now and we still love each other very much. If you are looking for a bronzer without that evil orange undertone, you need to stop by the Guerlain counter. They make the best. I use this to warm up my complexion whenever I tan so that my face matches my arms.

My current shade is 03, meant for beige complexions (01, 03 are for warm undertones and 02, 04 are for those with cooler undertones). Unless you are very fair, the shade 01 might be a little too light of a bronzer. I feel many could get away with 03 depending on how much product you use in one sitting. I actually need only a very little to warm up my face as this is a significantly dark shade. But the slight satin finish and the weightless formula is undetectable and I love that about it.

Another good one to try is the 4 seasons bronzer by Guerlain which was a newer addition to its range of permanent bronzing powder products.

On to more powder products that I have been loving lately, this gorgeous Chanel Blush in the shade In Love. I totally forgot to take a close up of this beauty but it’s a blush that would universally flatter warmer skin tones. I love this satin peachy beige, as it pairs extremely well with smokey eyes or on days when you want to go for a natural look.

Now moving on to a few eyeliners that made it into my HG products.

The Shu Uemura Calligraph:ink liner and the Long Lasting Soft Gel Pencil. Both are incredible as far as pigmentation goes. The blackest black I have ever seen. I have tried many drugstore and high end liners and they don’t even compare to these. Pure love!

You can read more about this product in a comparison review I did a few posts back.

And finally as we near the end of my favourites post, I want to sneak in this new UV protection I’ve been trying. It’s by Avène. Their Day Protector UV EX which has SPF 30 .

Possibly the best sunscreen I have used as far as texture goes. I love that it feels more like a moisturizer than a sunscreen and absorbs easily without leaving any oily residue. A full review on this will be up hopefully by next week. Just in time for you to stock up on sunscreen for Summer!

So last but not least brushes!

I know some of you love brush reviews so here are a few that I’ve been really enjoying this last month. All are new brushes from my last Hakuhodo haul. Initial entires here and here.

First up is this magnificent brush, the Hakuhodo Kokutan blush brush H2282. Possibly the most luxurious brush in my possession. And yes! Love it more than the Tom Ford one.

The soft bristles are tapered and apply blush with the lightest feathery stroke. Although I looks similar in shape to the Chikuhodo Z4 I find this one a tiny bit smaller and a very good size for my face. Between the two if I had to pick, it would be the Kokutan brush, as it has a softer, lighter touch.

Apart from performance, it’s very hard to ignore the beauty of a wooden handle with signature carved Japanese lettering. Just a work of art. I will most certainly be buying more of those!

Second up, no surprise here, is the J5523. The work horse of my brush collection. This is actually the second one I purchased and I use them everyday! It’s so easy to use and is very soft and blends all eye makeup without causing any irritation. If you love your Mac 217, then this is something you need to try. It’s the Mac 217 on steroids!

Lastly the final final favourite of the month, the Hakuhodo B133 a flat eye brush made of Canadian squirrel hair. This is used for placing and building up eyeshadow on the lid. I really love it for it’s impossibly soft feel. And the size is just perfect without it being too big or too small. Something luxe to have in anyone’s collection.

With that I conclude my lengthy favourites post! Thank you for dropping by,

Michelle.

Makeup

Save the Bees Palette by Chantecaille

March 1, 2014March 8, 2015by Bubbly Michelle6 Comments

From all the Spring palette releases, there was one that stood out to me, that’s the Chantecaille Save the Bees palette. After my friend Lydia mentioned this new release, my curiosity grew and when I happened to see the Chantecaille palette in person at Neiman Marcus, my heart skipped a beat. There it was in all it’s glory, the definition of Spring itself!

So my palette adventures didn’t just end there, I actually had the pleasure of meeting the person who co designed it 😀 Fernando Cadavid, the global makeup artist of Chantecaille. He along with Olivia Chantecaille come up with the seasons most sort after colour mixes in the form of palettes, lipsticks and cheek products. Now doesn’t that sound like one amazing job?!!!

Even with all his success Mr. Cadavid is such a charming person, and I am glad I got to spend some time with him learning more about Chantecaille. He even matched me to Future skin foundation which he highly recommended I try! Truly a memorable experience..

Below is a little collage of the Neiman marcus Spring makeup trend event I attended.

Moving on to the good stuff, what you have been waiting for 😉 this is what the palette looks like when unboxed.

They say god is in the details and this palette surely is heavenly! The mirrored honeycomb pattern with the beautiful bee icon on it is something that makes this palette feel very special. And I love that this palette shuts closed very firmly, no chance of it randomly opening up and getting scratched by the contents of your handbag/makeup bag in case you happen to be taking this with you for touch ups.

So inside…

As you can see, the palette comes with four different colours. Two of which are meant as eyeshadows, one highlighter and the last as a blush shade. All of them have a little golden bee sitting on top of it. This is an overspray and comes off once you use it.

I sneakily did all the swatching and makeup look by using just the sides so I don’t mess up my pretty bees!

*Note that all the colours in this palette are Limited Edition.

Honey – A shimmering warm gold shade, it had exceptional pigmentation. I used it not only as a highlight but also as a wash of colour for the entire lid. It looks amazing, and best of all, zero fallout while application!

Beehive – This is a medium grey brown shade with shimmer, also with good pigmentation. Silky to the touch and works as a great crease colour for adding depth to your eye makeup look. Again no fallout.

Sky – A sheer, light blue iridescent shade. My favourite from this whole palette! Absolutely stunning. It’s ability to open up the eyes and make them look bright and awake was phenomenal. When I swatched all these colours they felt soo fine and lightweight with no powderiness. I just love the quality!

Nectar – A warm coral pink. I loved this more than I expected. Coming from someone who hoards coral blushes, I found that I didn’t really have an exact dupe for this in my stash. This too had good pigmentation with no powderiness.

Overall I love the quality of all 4 shades. They are very well pigmented and and found no creasing while I wore them. They show up vividly and last all day long without fading.

Product details-

This palette contains 12g .42 oz of product, retails for $83

It is a Limited Edition release for Spring 2014 and I purchased mine at Neiman Marcus. It’s also available at Barneys as well as Space NK online.

I also want to mention that 5% of the proceeds from this palette are donated to The Xerces Society to help protect bees and our environment. Beauty for a cause 🙂

Thank you for stopping by, and wishing you all a wonderful weekend!