Goodbye false eyelashes! Silk eyelash extensions courtesy of Groupon

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A few weeks ago www.groupon.com.au asked me to review one of their coupons. I decided to try out the eyelash deal at Extreme Lash in Sydney. For $50, I got a full set of silk eyelashes and one infill.

I’ve wanted to try out eyelash extensions for such a long time, but I’ve always been a bit hesitant. The kinds of questions that would run through my were:

• would they look good?
• would they last long?
• are they difficult to maintain?
• does it hurt?!

So in case those of your who haven’t tried eyelash extensions before, and my be wondering the same things, I’d like to share the answers I’ve found through this experience!

Do they look as good?

I chose medium long curled lashes for my extensions. Apparently the longest lashes they have is 1.4cm. I thought this might have been just a bit too long.

I was seriously impressed by how natural silk extensions look! They really just look like my own lashes, if they ever could grow that long! Because of the added volume, it looks like I’m wearing eyeliner and mascara when I wake up in the morning.

And how do lash extensions compare with my beloved Dolly Wink False lashes? In the blow pick I’m wearing Dolly Wink No.2 in the left picture, and in the right, I'm simply sporting my extensions. I think the advantage of false eyelashes is you can change up the look, and create length and thickness that’s just not possible for even extensions. While with just lash extensions, the looks is much less dramatic, for me it’s not a huge difference and I am perfectly happy with the look! And by the way, you can only use mascara that’s specifically made for silk lashes, and water proof mascara is a definite no no!

 

I also love that the extensions stay permanently curled, so I really don’t have to do anything at all. I’ve been able to skip the upper false lash step in my makeup routine, but basically achieve the same look!

To give you guys a good idea of how the extensions looks fully made up, I’ve partnered up with my good friend Nurie (http://whatnurieworetoday.tumblr.com/) to prepare a video close up! I never knew how well we would work together on a creative project! I hate to be a Steven Covey twat, but I have to say, there was ‘synergy’. Could this be foreshadowing future Closet Voyage youtube videos?! I have a feeling this would all depend on the extent of my computer literacy, or lack there of…

How long do they last?

If you take care of them, eyelash extensions should last the full cycle of your lash’s life. Eyelashes generally fall out after two months. However, keep in mind that at the time the extensions were applied, your lashes would have been at various stages of their life cycle. You can also book in infill with your salon, which is usually much cheaper than getting the extensions applied in the first place. Extreme Lash recommended that I come in for infills every two weeks.

I haven’t gone to any effort to take care of my lashes. It’s now been one week since I had mine done, and while there is no sign of any extensions coming off, I do notice that my lashes are getting a bit ‘unkempt’. One thing I notice is that because extensions are so long, if I’m not careful, I can accidentally spin the lash around, which twists my own lash, and this does hurt!

Are they difficult to maintain?

I was really previous about my extensions when I first got them, but apparently you can subject them to pretty much anything in your normal life, showering, swimming, sweat, what ever. But there are some things to look out for. In the first 24 hours after you get the extensions, you’re not to get them wet, as you need to allow the glue to dry completely. As I said, normal mascara is not allowed. Also to be avoided is oil-based products, especially makeup removers, around the eye area, which will dissolve the glue.

Does it hurt?

It really doesn’t feel like anything. You just lie there and relax until it’s done!

 

So now a little bit about the coupon and the salon I went to.

With a $50 budget, I was able to get a full set of lashes and one infill. Below is my coupon, which was emailed to me after I purchased it on www.groupon.com.au.

 

I’ve heard some of my friends they they are reluctant to try deal website like Groupon because they’re not sure if the deals are for real, and they think it would be a hassle redeeming the coupon. Being a regular Groupon user, I have to tell you, it’s the best thing ever! There are new deals everyday, and from what I’ve seen, they really are as good as they claim to be.

To verify the claim of the coupon of being ‘up to $250 value’, I looked at Extreme Lash’s price list when I turned up to my appointment. So their normal price for a ‘Glamourous’ full set is $150, while infills are $25 if bought one at a time. So if you bought one full set and two infills, this is $250. Deal confirmed.

Buying a Groupon coupon couldn’t be easier. First you find the coupon you want and simply press ‘Buy Now!’.

Then you pay the coupon in advance, and simply turn up with a print out of you coupon to redeem it. However do note that if you don’t use the coupon within the time frame allowed, it will just go to waste :(.

The coupon arrives in the mail after the deal period ends!

And you can always access all your coupons on your Groupon account.

Redeeming the coupon was completely effortless as well. In fact, I didn’t remember to print out my coupon, but the ladies at Extreme Lash were perfectly happy to check my coupon through my iphone! Though I do recommend following the redemption steps written on the coupon to the letter to avoid any problems!

The Salon

Extreme Lash is a cute little boutique tucked away in the shopping arcade at 320 Pitt Street in Sydney. I thought it was super cute, with lovely decor and a relaxing ambiance. The girls were also really friendly. Although I was 30 minutes late, they still agreed to fit me in!

This is me, being a happy customer in front of their sign. When they showed me my lashes in the mirror I was seriously gobsmacked at how amazing they looked! Look at the glow of satisfaction on my face haha.

A final look at my extensions! Don’t they look great? :D

I also noticed there’s a really similar deal on at the moment! It’s a bit more expensive than the one I bought, but still great value!

Review: Skin79 Dream Girls BB Cream

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I’ve seen a lot of comments on my BB Cream reviews that people are not getting the best results out of BB Cream because of oily skin. So here is one of the few BB Creams that is specifically designed for oil and sensitive skin types – Skin79 dream girls BB! Also, like the Skin79 Lovely Girl BB Cream I reviewed a couple of weeks ago, and you can guess from the whimsical packaging, Skin79 dream girls BB is marketed towards teenage skin.

I love the quilted embossing on the box of Skin79 dream girls BB – it reminds me of my pillow haha.

Like all Skin79 BB Creams, dream girls BB comes foil sealed, so you can have complete peace of mind that this is fresh from the factory to you!

So now on to the promises of Skin79 dream girls BB! These are:

• Strong sebum controlling effect
• Formulated to be suitable for sensitive and troubled skin
• Excellent UV Protection at SPF30/PA++
• Evens out skin tone and conceals flaws, apparently helping you achieve baby like skin
• Non-oily and feels fresh when applied

Apparently Skin79 dream girls BB is also suitable for dry skin types, complimented by your usual skin moisturising regiment. For oil skin types, it is recommended that you skip any moisturising step prior to applying BB cream.

So here’s the product out of the tube. Immediately you can see that this formulation is very different from other Skin79 BB creams in that it’s much thinner and begins to flatten out immediately.

Skin79 dream girls BB is so smooth and easily spreads onto the skin. It is non-oily, as promised, and feels very fresh on the skin. A little also seems to go a long way. Compared to the Skin79 Super BB creams, dream girls BB is much more sheer, and therefore more readily blends to your skin colour. However, as discussed below, it has less potential for coverage. The finish is dewy…at first!

And it appears to turn matte after the moisturising component is fully absorbed into the skin. I prefer a matte finish, so this gets a tick from me!

Now to the coverage. (If you’ve been following my BB cream review series, you’re probably getting sick of seeing this side of my face!) You can see that in the first picture, my bare skin has quite uneven skin tone and some pesky pimple scaring. After applying two layers of Skin79 dream girls BB, my skin tone is much improved. Notice that this BB cream hasn’t totally made my face pale! However, while my scars have become a little fainter, they are still definitely there. So to complete the look, I applied concealer to completely erase the scars and then mineral powder to matte out the finish.

I think looking at these snaps you’ll agree that Skin79 dream girls BB really does help you achieve the appearance of baby soft skin! Because of its lower pigmentation, it’s completely buildable even for people with darker skin tones. But due to the relatively light coverage, it’s probably not a BB cream that you can wear on its own. Concealer is definitely a must. This BB cream would also be perfect as a non-irritating, non-oily makeup base under foundation.

Here’s my look, created with Skin79 dream girls BB cream!

When I first tried this BB cream I was disappointed by the low level of coverage. But as with all BB creams I’ve reviewed, I continued to use the product for at least one week before forming an opinion. My final assessment is that while Skin79 dream girls BB cream has less coverage than other BB creams I’ve tried, I love the way that it makes my skin look so smooth and…well..fresh! Also I’ve found that applying multiple layers greatly improved the coverage potential. I also love that it doesn’t completely pale out my skin, even when several layers are applied. Best of all, this BB cream has been great in controlling oiliness. I experienced no shine throughout the day.

• Thin and smooth formula that is easy to apply
• Non-oily and feels light on the skin
• Provides sufficient moisture for oily skin while at the same time effective in controlling sebum
• Formulated to be caring and non-irritating for sensitive skin
• Also great for dry skin types, however extra moisturiser should be used before application
• Evens out skin tone and makes skin appear smooth, fresh, and youthful
• While the finish is dewy at first, it tends to matte out after the moisture is absorbed into the skin
• Likely to make a great primer as it is non-oily and evens out skin tone
• Due to lower pigmentation, is more likely to blend to darker skin tones

• Light coverage that may not be enough for people with more than minor blemishes
• May not provide sufficient moisture for dry skin types, but this is countered by applying additional moisturiser underneath
• Only comes in one light shade and may not be suitable for all skin tones

This BB cream was sent to me by www.mybbcream.com.au!

I first caught wind of this vendor when I saw their special offer on http://www.ouffer.com/. It seemed clear to me that this company was interested not only to sell BB Cream to current fans of BB Cream in Australia (mostly Asian customers), but also to bring Korea BB Cream into the main stream. If this is one of their goals then I’m right behind them – in my mind Korean BB Creams are still the ‘original’ and the best.

This from their website:

If you are wondering which BB cream is right for you, check out mybbcream’s skin type analysis and their 2 step process to picking your perfect product!

I had a read of their Wholesale page and it looks like if you can get 4 of your friends together to buy and share, you can get 1/4 knocked off the price! This from the website:

• Get any 5 BB Creams & enjoy 25% discount!
• Get any 10 BB Creams & enjoy 30% discount!
• Get any 20 BB Creams & enjoy 35% discount! (Mix-and-match accepted)

Also, for a limited time you’ll get miniatures as free gifts of any purchase of full sized BB Cream!

As well as BB Creams, Mybbcream stocks an impressive range of other Korean beauty products from makeup to skincare.

They have a great well structured and easily to navigate website – I really hope you guys check it out!

 

 

Also don’t forget that there are less than FIVE DAYS to join my Favourites Giveaway!

Don’t miss out!

Review: Geo Grang Grang (Big) Brown Circle Lens

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A couple of weeks ago, I posted my review of the Geo Grang Grang (Big) Choco, which I declared was an amazing natural brown lens to rival Geo Bambi Princess Mimi Almond Brown! Today I’ll be reviewing Grang Grang Choco’s little sister, the much lighter in colour Geo Grang Grang (Big) Brown!

This pair of Geo Grang Grang (Big) Brown was provided by my lovely sponsor, www.eyecandylens.com! The reason www.eyecandylens.com is one of my favourite contact lens distributors is the love they put into packaging their products! I love how the lenses come rapped up safe and sound in several layers of bubble wrap and then inside an adorable gift bag.

• Brand: GEO
• Origin: South Korea
• Water content: 38%
• Diameter: 15.0 mm
• Use: 1 year disposable

So here’s the Geo Grang Grang (Big) Brown close up. Like Geo Grang Grang Choco, the design looks like pieces of randomly overlapping shards of honey brown crystals. They form a defined brown circle around edge of this lens, which will give you the enlarging effect. Also like Choco, there is a discrete ‘B’ camouflaged among the design elements. I deducted that this was to indicate that this is the ‘Big’ 15mm Grang Grang, rather than the regular size, which is 14.2mm. But rest assured. This little B definitely does not show up when you put these lenses on!

While looking at Geo Grang Grang Brown in the solution, the design really is identical to Geo Grang Grang Choco, but when you put them on, the look is dramatically different.

As a comparison, here are pictures of Geo Grang Grang Choco:

So while Grang Grang Choco gives a beautiful deep dolly brown look to your eyes, Grang Grang Brown, while every bit as natural looking at Choco, delivers a lovely halo effect that makes your eyes look as though they have an inner glow! Also, being much lighter, Grang Grang Brown allows for the design details to show up more vividly. In my Grang Grang Choco review, I commented that Choco looked extremely similar to Bambi Princes Mimi Almond Brown. This comment definitely doesn’t extend to Grang Grang Brown, which looks totally unique in its own right, and does not resemble any lens I’ve tried to date.

I’m totally in love with both colours from the Grang Grang series!! Now it’s just a matter of deciding which one to get.

My search for the perfect brown lens may be at an end…or is it?? :)

• Beautiful natural brown that make your eyes appear to glow
• Due to the light tone of the design, this lens shows up beautifully against even dark eyes, like mine
• Impeccable dolly and enlarging effect
• Very comfortable, despite the relatively low water content of 38%
• Also comes in a smaller 14.2mm design that’s even less noticeable when worn

• Relatively low water content, at 38% but this does not seem to affect the comfort level of this lens!

Pick up this lens for a discounted price of $26.88 at www.eyecandylens.com with free shipping! Also don’t forget, if you use my discount code “CLOSETVOYAGE” you’ll get a free gift with our purchase!

You can also try your hand at winning a pair in my current circle lens giveaway!

Introducing de Leon ‘indie’ Australian cosmetics brand

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A while ago I caught wind of this idea of home grown ‘indie’ Australian cosmetics companies. Since when?! I had no idea Australians had this kind of ingenuity, hence the reason I don’t own any makeup products made by Australian brands, like Australis and Face of Australia. While some brands like LUSH have their products hand made in Australia, the concept and formulas come from the brand’s head office in the UK, so on so many levels Australia just isn’t known to be that original.

Then along comes de Leon. With head honcho Gladys de Leon at the wheels, the brand has released a range of eye and lip products (however their flagship product ‘Post’s of Colour’ can really be used for eye, cheek and lips). Gladys was kind enough to send me a few samples to try out and introduce to my readers!

de Leon Cosmetics is all about:

• high quality mineral makeup at affordable prices
• products that are the result of two years of research and development
• formulated and handcrafted in Queensland, Australia
• formulations are long lasting and created without cheap fillers
• Not tested on animals

While de Leon cosmetics’ packaging is somewhat plain, and I think they would go a long way if they were to invested in more marketing (taking a leaf out of books of brands that ride on their marketing like Australian brand MOR US indie brand Lime Crime), this also emphasizes the ‘indie’ feel of this brand, and anyway the products speak for themselves.

So first up is the de Leon Eye Primer. Apparently this Eye Primer can also be used as a lip primer. It looks and feels like lip balm, and works treat in smoothing out the skin.

The below shows eye shadow (Frustrated Horde) applied on the left, directly on my skin, and on the right, over a patch of skin after applying primer. It does appear that after primer, the pigment grabs on more strongly and smoothly.

Rubbing the eye shadow off with a tissue, it’s clear that the eye shadow has adhered better to my skin after applying the primer. So this product gets a tick!

Next is de Leon’s flagship product, their ‘Pot’s of Colour’. I chose:

• Knock out punch – Blackened plum satin with a pink sheen.
• Frustrated Horde – Electric blue satin with violet overtones.
• Absinthe sugar – Pearlescent yellow toned green with a high shimmer.

I was interested in the stories behind the names of these colours, and asked Gladys to elaborate:

Knock out punch - reminded me of the colour that comes up in bruising when you've got a black eye. That pretty colour at the start, not the yellow green colour at the end that seems to linger!!!

Absinthe sugar - I've tried absinthe and this colour reminded me of the sugar as you pour the liquid through, a sparkly green, tinged with a bit of yellow because the glass I was using had yellow in it. Random and probably no one else will see that!

Frustrated Horde - my fiancee and son used to play WOW. Not only was I a WOW widow, I was also a girl all alone in a house of males that could talk strategy and "stuff" for hours. This phrase popped into my head one day and wouldn't go away till I named something. This colour is one of my favourites (and fabulous with a silver) and even though the boys have gone on to play other games, it still represents that gaming attitude for me.

I admit that one of the reason I picked ‘Frustrated Horde’ was that it reminded me of World of Warcraft, and it was hilarious to find out that it in fact was a reference to the game!

So here are my swatches of the colours. My favourite one is definitely ‘Absinth Sugar’, which is a gorgeous sheer but vibrant shimmer green/yellow. Each of the colours are highly pigmented, and are extremely buildable. “Knock Out Punch”, while it is a pretty colour, really is reminiscent of bruising, which is interesting, but I’m not sure it would be everyone’s cup of tea. I mean, worn on its own, it might be too convincing as a black eye!

Next up are the de Leon lip products. The Lip glosses promise to be highly pigmented and still moisturising; not too oily with a great shine.

Interestingly, each lip gloss is complimented by a range of ‘lip stick balms’ of the same colour. The de Leon ‘lipstick balms’ are unique in that they have the full pigmentation of a lipstick and have a high level of opacity.

It’s difficult to represent this in photos, but “I like the ruffles” is a fluorescent light pink, and man is it vibrant! There so many other unique colours in the lip range, including Captain Tightpants, which is a shimmery violet, Spank your inner moppet, a navy blue, and my favourite, Girl know things, a vibrant apricot.

Here’s my look created with the de Leon products. For lips I layered the lip gloss over the lip balm as de Leon's product statement suggests. I think both products together is brilliant, and delivers fully opaque and pigmented colour, but I’m not sure that either product on its own would be enough. The lip balm is indeed highly pigmented, but due to its waxy formulation, creates a matte and powdery finish. The lip gloss by itself is shiny, and feel great on (not sticky at all), but looks best laid over the lip balm, which gives it an extra boost of pigmentation.

Over all, I was impressed with the quality of de Leon products. de Leon’s eye shadow products are high quality, and the colours are original and very pretty. The lip products are unique, and I love the colour range. I think this brand has enormous potential. It’s obvious that the brains behind this operation, Gladys, is full of ideas. I can’t wait to see what else she comes up with!