thehanihanii: 2017

Best of theBalm Cosmetics + GIVEAWAY*

Hi lovelies!

Today I have teamed up with RY Australia to showcase some of my favourite products from theBalm Cosmetics and I might also have a sneaky giveaway for you all. One thing I love the most about theBalm is their packaging (YES! I'm an absolute sucker for pretty packaging), they are usually retro themed, adorable yet clever. I also really enjoy how they play with words in their quirky product names.

theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer and Cindy-Lou Manizer

First things first, I'm sure we have all heard about their cult product - the Mary-Lou Manizer!

This light champagne-y golden highlighter is too beautiful not to be included in my top picks. It has been one of my all time favourite, go-to highlighter for such a long time. The formula is velvety soft, smooth and concentrated. The intensity of the finish is totally in your control. You can gently sweep it on your cheeks for a soft glow or build it up on the high points for a blinding, "strobed" effect. Apart from the cheekbones, I especially like to use it to highlight my inner corners.

If you are looking for a more natural highlight to illuminate your features, this one is for you!

The Cindy-Lou Manizer is Mary's sister. It is a warm peachy highlight that has a hint of pink. With the pearlescent finish, it gives a very natural and subtle sheen on the cheeks. I like to use it as a shimmery blush or a blush topper to give my cheeks something-something. It can also double up as an eyeshadow to bring more light to the eyes.

Instain Long-Wearing Staining Powder Blush Houndstooth

Sticking to the topic of cheeks, their Instain Long-Wearing Staining Powder Blush is a finely milled blush with great staying power, it lasted up to 8-9 hours on me before fading. There is a total of 6 different shades in this blush range, and my favourite one has to be Houndstooth. It is a very wearable everyday mauve shade that leans more pink than plum. This is definitely a pigmented blush, I would suggest going in with a light hand and a fluffy brush to slowly build up to your desired intensity.

Here are swatches of the Mary-Lou Manizer, Cindy-Lou Manizer and Hounstooth blush:

Swatches of Mary-Lou Manizer, Cindy-Lou Manizer and Instain Blush Houndstooth

Next - we all know I'm a palette hoarder, so let's talk about their palettes!

The Appetit Eyeshadow Palette is something fairly new in my collection and I've been enjoying it. This palette includes 9 mostly cool-toned shades (except for Chris P. Bacon) in a range of matte, shimmer and foiled finishes. Just like all their other eyeshadows, they do have a drier texture, but the formula remains nicely pigmented and easy to blend. I feel like theBalm has outdone themselves with this packaging, it's seriously so adorable and the names of these shadows are very amusing and somewhat "appetizing" - haha.

Here are swatches of my favourite shades from the Appetit Eyeshadow palette:

Swatches of theBalm Appetit Eyeshadow Palette

Moving on to the ULTIMATE palette you need to have!

The In theBalm Of Your Hand All-In-One Face Palette is created based on all of theBalm's best-selling products and shades. This palette has quickly become a favourite of mine to take on short trips, simply because of how compact it is and it literally has everything I need for a complete makeup look.

It contains 4 complementary eyeshadows chosen from previous palettes, 3 powder blushes (Hot Mama, Instain Argyle and Cabanaboy), a matte bronzer (Bahama Mama), a highlighter (Mary-Lou Manizer), a red lipstick (Starring: Mia Moore) and a nude lip and cheek cream (Caramel).

Meet Matt(E) Hughes Mini Liquid Lipstick Collection

Lastly, how can I leave you guys without mentioning their lipsticks?

Their Meet Matt(E) Hughes liquid lipsticks are one of the first liquid lipsticks I've tried and loved. I tend to be very picky when it comes to choosing matte lipsticks as my lips are always chapped and dry. The formula of these is creamy, non-drying and comfortable to wear, they also have a fresh vanilla-minty scent. One thing to take note of is they are not 100% transfer proof and they dry down to more of a satin-matte finish. It's definitely one that you will need to touch up slightly after a meal, but overall it lasted well for 4-5 hours.

They have a beautiful selection of shades, full of nudes, pinks, reds and vampy shades. If you are interested, I would highly recommend picking up the Meet Matt(E) Hughes Mini Liquid Lipstick Collection to try out 6 of their top-selling shades.

Here are the swatches of Meet Matt(E) Hughes Mini Liquid Lipstick Collection:

**GIVEAWAY DETAILS**

For a chance to win my favourite Mary-Lou Manizer highlighter and a set of the Meet Matt(E) Hughes Mini Liquid Lipstick Collection, head over to my Instagram now - here! One lucky winner will be chosen.

Giveaway is ONLY open to people living in Australia. Entry closes on Sunday 23rd April 11:59pm AEST. Good luck everyone! xx

Have you tried theBalm Cosmetics before?

What is your favourite product from the brand?

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*Products were kindly provided for editorial purposes. All thoughts on everything shared on this blog are entirely my own and are my honest opinion.

07:00:00
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Korean Beauty Skincare Haul with ShopandBox (and GIVEAWAY!!)*

apieu

A while back, I was chatting with Rebecca - one of the founders of ShopandBox, about how intriguing the new Korean face masks are and we decided to work together on a beauty haul. When it comes to Korean beauty (a.k.a. K-beauty), I am a little noob. I've only used some sheet masks from the big skincare brands such as Innisfree and Etude House in the past and I am keen to explore a little more.

In case you have not heard about ShopandBox - it is a personal shopping service that I truly love and have used multiple times (you can see all my previous hauls on my Instagram). Whether it be cosmetics, electronics or clothing, ShopandBox makes shopping around the world possible and you can now purchase from over 28 countries using their service. I mainly use it to shop limited edition makeup and beauty products or brands and gift sets that are not available in Australia.

With the help of Rebecca and my boxer Jess, I was able to discover some interesting Korean skincare goodies. Let me show you the products I hauled!

First - FACE MASKS! Korean face masks are all the rage of late. They have all sorts of fun and innovative masks available on the market - bubble mask, rubber mask, foil mask and so on.

1 // Bonvivant Original Chrome Mask Peel Off Type (KRW ₩19200 ~ USD $16.69)

Peel off masks are oddly satisfying. This chrome mask from Bonvivant aims to reveal a brighter and clearer complexion. It contains pearl powder to gently exfoliate and diamond powder to boost elasticity and remove impurities. It also delivers antioxidants and vitamins to keep the skin soft, healthy and strong. All you need is 20 minutes - paint it on and peel it off once it's dried. I can't wait to slap on this shimmering metallic mask!

2 // COSRX Ultimate Moisturizing Honey Overnight Mask (KRW ₩13950 ~ USD $12.12)

I love a good overnight treatment! COSRX is a brand that provides natural solutions to acne prone and oily skin. Although my skin is on the drier side, acne has always been an issue for me and their popular Honey Overnight Mask really stood out to me. With a high content of 85% bee propolis and royal jelly, it is packed with antioxidants for healing skin and moisturising those dry and flakey patches. It also helps to gently cleanse away any dirt and bacteria and strengthen your skin while you sleep. It has a gel texture that can be quickly absorbed into the skin without leaving a greasy film.

3 // Bonvivant Silicon Pack Brush (KRW ₩4800 ~ USD $4.17)

I was recommended by my boxer to pick up this Bonvivant Silicon Brush to use with the chrome mask. It is designed like a little spatula to easily scoop out the product from the jar. The silicone brush head is great at evenly distributing any clay, jelly or liquid mask and making sure there's no wasting product. It is quite small and compact. Simply run it through lukewarm water, the silicone brush is much easier to clean compared to my traditional mask brushes.

4 // Blithe Blue Zone Marine Intensive Mask Abalone (KRW ₩9000 ~ USD $7.83)

The Abalone Sheet Mask from Blithe is advertised as an ultra-hydrating treatment that is safe for any sensitive skin - right up my alley. It is packed with marine extracts sourced from the water near the famous Jeju Island in Korea, containing marine collagen and abalone. It is a mask to help strengthen and protect your skin and to provide deep hydration for the driest skin. It also works to retain the moisture level in your skin and to prevent any water-loss. Simply leave the sheet mask on for 15-20 minutes and pat in any remaining essence for better absorption.

5 // A'PIEU Cocorico Silk Blanket Gold Mask (KRW ₩20000 ~ USD $17.39)

Not gonna lie, I was totally sucked into getting this sheet mask because of the gold sequins looking foil. With the main ingredients being egg yolk and honey, this mask provides anti wrinkle effect. What sets this mask apart from others is the three layer structure: 1. hologram foil (to retain skin moisture), 2. holes (to provide ventilation) and 3. skin gel (to increase skin absorptivity). I tried it on the first day I received it and my skin looks instantly brighter and moisturized. I will have to use it for a longer period of time to see its effects on skin firming and wrinkles.

6 // SU:M37 Miracle Rose Cleansing Stick (KRW ₩25000 ~ USD $21.72)

The cult favourite Cleansing Stick from SU:M37 is an exciting product to try. It is a twist up solid stick cleanser containing over 90% of natural ingredients. You can see bits and pieces of rose petals in the stick. This cleanser has received a lot of hype in the Asian beauty community for some good reasons. It is perfect for traveling and throwing into your gym bag. It's got a pH level between 5 and 6, which helps to prevent damage to the skin's moisture barrier. And it smells like roses! It is suppose to cleanse and hydrate your skin without leaving any residue behind. It also claims to be free from artificial colours, parabens, and synthetic preservatives.

7 // Espoir Eyeshadow (KRW ₩15000 ~ USD $13.04) and Beauty Blush (KRW ₩30000 ~ USD $26.07)

I've tried Espoir cosmetics before from my last trip to Korea and I remember I was highly impressed by their products. When I first laid my eyes on their new eyeshadows and blushes, I already knew I had to pick up a few. Can we talk about how stunning the embossing is?

Both the eyeshadows and blush are pigmented, soft to touch and easy to blend. I chose some peachy warm shadows in 6. Vanity Fair, 7. Chemistry and 10. Extreme Pose, and a blush in shade 1. Elusive. These swatches do not do it justice - the shadows look a lot more shimmery in person. Espoir definitely did not disappoint

8 // A'PIEU Water Light Tint (KRW ₩5500 ~ USD $4.78)

Lip tints or lip stains are also extremely popular in Korea. This time I've picked up two Water Light Tint from A'PIEU to try - in the shades PK01 and RD02. It is a semi opaque lip tint that gives a soft and dewy (almost jelly-like) finish when first applied. Once, it's completely dried and worn off, it leaves a smooth and long lasting tint to the lips. It is formulated to nourish the lips without feeling dry. So far, I'm loving both of them. They sit comfortably and feel very lightweight on my lips. Available in 8 juicy colours, I am looking into ordering another one in the shade RD03, which looks like the perfect nude!

The Korean beauty world has so so much to offer and they are constantly coming out with new, makeup trends, skincare products and technology.

**GIVEAWAY DETAILS**

To bring you a chance to try out some of the latest and coolest Korean makeup and skincare trends, I have teamed up with ShopandBox to host a giveaway on my Instagram:

One lucky winner will win the opportunity to shop from Korea with their very own Boxer using ShopandBox! The winner will score $30 USD shopping credit to buy anything they want as well as waived service fees and 1kg free express shipping from Korea.

Giveaway is ONLY open to people living in Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and the USA. Entry closes on 7th March 11:59pm AEST.

Make sure you go check it out and enter if you are interested - here! It is also the perfect time to try out the ShopandBox service if you haven't already. Good luck beauties! xx

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*Service was kindly provided for editorial purposes. All thoughts on everything shared on this blog are entirely my own and are my honest opinion.

20:00:00
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Too Faced Sweet Peach Collection*

blush

Happy New Year! :) Being the first post of 2017, I thought I would share with you an exciting collection that is finally releasing in Australia this week!

Are we ready for some peaches to drop?

The Too Faced Sweet Peach Collection will be launching exclusively at MECCA Maxima on 31st January (Tuesday) online and in-store.

Before I received the Sweet Peach as PR, I really didn't understand the hype. Let me just tell you now, you need to go in-store and see it, feel it and smell it for yourself. I'm serious - this whole collection smells ridiculously good.

The Sweet Peach Eye Shadow Collection is not new, but it sold out within minutes when it first launched at MECCA earlier in 2016 and many beauty junkies missed out on this palette.

This eyeshadow palette contains 18 stunning shades ranging from your peachy pinks and corals to your bronzes and sultry purples. Perfect for the Summer time! Whether it be a fresh clean look or a soft sexy smokey eye, this palette will have you covered.

My top 5 shades from the palette are definitely Luscious, Candied Peach, Bellini, Peach Pit and Summer Yum. Also, Peaches 'N Cream is perfect as a base colour and White Peach to highlight the brow bones.

Too Faced also decided to bring back the Papa Don't Peach blush in this collection. I can totally understand why. It is a very natural bronzey peach shade that adds some warmth to your cheeks and gives a soft luminous glow.

Great for everyday wear. If you are having a lazy day, you can totally skip your highlight and just rock it with this blush.

Now I know we are all very excited about the Sweet Peach Glow and we just can't get enough of highlights!

Can we just pause for a moment and look at how cute the peach embossings are?

I'm actually a little scared to dip my brush in the pans and ruin them.

This peach-infused highlighting palette is a little trio, which includes a highlight, a blush and a bronzer. It is such a cute compact to take for travelling. Too Faced claimed that you can use all three shades together and dust it all over for a soft glow or individually, like you usually would, to enhance your features.

Last but not least, we have the Sweet Peach Creamy Peach Oil Lip Gloss!

They not only smell like juicy peaches, they are also infused with peach oil, coconut oil and vitamin E to help moisturise and soften the lips. They are creamy and smooth to apply and they do not feel sticky at all like ordinary lip glosses.

The colour payoff is not super opaque, but they ain't sheer either. They are available in 8 different shades including your classic nudes, peachy pinks and bright corals. The shade I got is Peach-sicle and it gives a nice pop of colour.

Love me some peachy lips!