The Makeup Box

Random things I’m loving: Beauty and Makeup, plus a random pair of shoes

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No, I’m not turning into a fashion blogger. I don’t have the energy, the lifestyle or the inclination to focus on fashion as well as beauty right now. Plus, I work in an office right now, so I usually spend on low-key quality rather than fashion anyway.

I just threw in that pair of black jewel-encrusted shoes by Pazzion because I love them. Even if I need to wear a pair of classy stiletto pumps, it doesn’t mean they can’t be real jazzy up close!

Some other things I’m loving:

1. Fragrance

• Lolita Lempicka Eau de Parfum - This has been around for quite a long time and it took me about 7 years to finally “get it” since I didn’t like the licorice and the cherry-syrup note initially. It grew on it over the years, and while I don’t wear it often now, I still really enjoy sniffing it in small dozes.
• Pink Sugar Sensual - My go-to perfume when I don’t know what to wear. It’s a juicy-sweet orange and brown sugar scent that’s gotten me tons of compliments from both sexes.

2. Brow/Lash Products

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Simple Color-Contrast (feat. Catrice Cosmetics Cucuba Collection eye products)

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One more European brand I’m enjoying exploring! Catrice is a well-known German brand with tons of affordable, fashion-forward colors. This season, the Cucuba collection features delicious rich browns, warm  coppery-bronzes, interspersed with tropical mints, yellows and corals.

Here are 3 of my absolute favorite items from the collection and descriptions so you can look for similar products if you can’t get Catrice:

• Havana Drum pigment - a rich metallic bronze that goes copper on the skin
• Take It Mint pigment - a shiny mint green shimmer
• Take It Mint Liquid liner - pearly mint green liquid liner

I picked these colors because of the sharp contrast between them. You can substitute the copper and mint with any other color you want, but to get the same effect, just make sure they are not too close to one another. (E.g. try gold and lavender, green and pink, blue and bronze, etc.)

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My Paperself Lash Collection (Tips for Care and Wear)

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I have 4 pairs of Paperself lashes in my collection, 1 of which I bought at retail price from Sephora (in Singapore) and 3 of which I bought from a discount beauty store quite recently.

1. Small Deer&Butterfly (above)
2. Peonies
3. Lace Garden
4. Birds

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[Closed] 400,000 Follower Makeup Giveaway! (4 Sets of Prizes - Open Internationally as usual)

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When the hubby was away in Tokyo for a business trip, I got him to trawl through Japanese drugstores and bring me back some yummy beauty goodies so I could do a 400,000 follower giveaway.

I know these products aren’t always easy to get hold of in many countries, and the price isn’t cheap when you factor in shipping. (One Humming Book palette is SGD25.90 or 1,500JPY from the MJ site before adding shipping fees) so here’s a chance to get hold of some of these for free!

Read on for instructions!

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A: Majolica Majorca Little Humming Book 1

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B: Majolica Majorca Little Humming Book II (2)

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Next are the new Canmake Stay-on Balm Rouges. They’re kinda like Revlon Balmstains except they have UV filters to protect the lips. (And as with most Japanese drugstore products, the packaging is darling…)

C: Canmake Stay-on Balm Rouge in 02 (Sheer Peach), 03 (Sheer Red)

D: Canmake Stay-on Balm Rouge in 01 (Sheer Pink), 04 (Sheer Nude)

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INSTRUCTIONS

Whether you are on Blogger, on Instagram, on Pinterest, on Tumblr or on Facebook, (if you are on none of these, submit your entry link via DISQUS at the bottom of this page):

1. Take a picture of yourself in your favorite makeup look (don’t worry if you aren’t “pro” or anything like that; best effort will do)!
2. Hashtag #makeupbox400k
3. List the 4 sets in order of preference (e.g. B, D, A, C) or say “no preference” if you don’t mind either way!
4. Share your picture post with me before [UPDATED] 18 May 2013

Facebook: Share on fb.com/makeupbox.sg,

Instagram: @makeup_box and hashtag #makeupbox400k (otherwise I can’t be sure your image is for this contest!)

Tumblr: hashtag #makeupbox400k (click to view others’ submission!)

Pinterest and other platforms (link your post in Disqus below)

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Things to Note:

• I will pick a 1st-place to 4th-place winner based on personality, artistry, and/or humor. You don’t need a super-complicated makeup look to win this. It just needs to catch my attention! If theft or usage of someone else’s image is discovered, your entry will be disquaified.
• I appreciate effort. Wherever possible try to do a new post (even if the picture was taken awhile ago), rather than going back to an old post and adding a hash-tag. Come on people, that’s too little effort!
• The 1st place winner will receive the most-preferred item of her/his choice, and this means if both the 1st and 2nd place winners picked item C as their top choice, the champ will get it, and the runner-up will get her 2nd choice item. If y’all happen to pick different items as first-choice, then good for you!
• You CAN submit multiple entries but only one one prize will be given per winner.
• I will message winners to inform and obtain shipping addresses, so if you are using Disqus, make sure you are contactable. (You need to sign in with a valid email address when posting or I can’t reach you.) Failure to respond within 3 days (21 May) means forfeiture of the prize, and I will pick another winner to send it to!