Time for another cosplay related chapter I wish I could do many more of these, but I know not all my readers are that keens to be flooded with my various costumes. I have a couple of new ones in the works that I hope I can debut as a chapter for my Book of Fables soon! Very excited

Anyways on to Princess Mercury, my favourite senshi of them all from the series Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon:) She’s smart, she’s quiet, physically at the time we looked like (I used to sport short wavy hair with glasses), she loves computers and her colour is blue. Growing up as a teenager I was able to completely identify with her Hope you enjoy the look! Check out my cosplay gallery for more photographs of the actual costume (You’ll notice the wig is different, since at the time of shooting this chapter I couldn’t find my original wig! So I’m using Kozue‘s wig instead XD)

MAC Prep + Prime – Skin Base Visage
Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation – 51
MAC Studio Scuplt Concealer – NC15
Bourjois Pressed Powder – 01 Rose Clair
NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil – Milk
Coastal Scents 88 Ultra Shimmer Palette
Canmake Highlighter – 01
Rimmel Natural Bronzer – Sun Bronze
NARS Powder Blush – Orgasm
Prestige Eyeliner – White
Face of Australia Liquid Eyeliner – Black *
Maybelline Pulse Perfection Mascara – Blackest Black
Maybelline Define-a-Brow Gel
L’Oreal Lipstick – Shiny Grapefruit
Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil – Binge

Products marked with a * were sent for consideration

So this month’s empties is a bit of a mixed bag, not everything is actually empty, but I have good reasons for getting rid of them!

These little eye shadow pots are technically empty because I depotted them into a larger palette to save space I got them at a 2 for 1 deal at The Face Shop just before they closed for renovations and were trying to get rid of as much stock as possible The eye shadows themselves are quite lovely, I’ll be sure to do a big post about them soon enough. So this is kind of a “cheat” empties XD

These are the true empties:

Johnson’s Cleansing Wipe 3 in 1 Sensitive Skin
Currently one of my favourite cleansing wipes, I think I’ve gone through about 4-5 packs of these, I use it every time to clean up a Book of Fables because I find it to be the most efficient way to get rid of ALL my makeup (though I usually need to finish off with a toner if I’m not jumping straight into the shower after). Love these and I always buy them in bulk when they are on special.

Clinique’s Super Defense SPF 25 Moisturiser Sample
You guys know, I’ve been through countless tubs of this stuff now. In fact the last tub made my May Empties where I pretty much summed up my opinion of it. I’ve got one more tub to get through still completely sealed in my stash. I’m currently working my way through Cetaphil’s Facial Moisturiser with SPF 30, so when I finish that off (if I do, I’m not really liking it -_-;) then I might come back to this or try something new.

Clinqiue Super Rescue Antioxidant Night Moisturiser Sample
Another classic favourite of mine whose full sized version made its way into my July Empties, like the above day version, I also have another unopened tube of this in my stash. I’m currently trying to polish off the last of my Body Shop Vitamin E Night Cream, after which I might either opt to try something different to give my skin a bigger break from Clinique. As I said, there is nothing fundamentally wrong with these two products, I more want to see if there are any products out there that could do something new and amazing for my skin

Maybelline Lash Stiletto Ultimate Length Mascara
A lengthening mascara that performed pretty average for me. I didn’t end up using this a great deal, only because whilst it did lengthen my lashes, it didn’t do it by a whole lot. It’s a lovely mascara, but I wasn’t left feeling overly impressed by it.
Maybelline Pulse Perfection Mascara
Really loved this mascara, and I’m not sure why I never got around to reviewing this for you guys O_o I used it quite extensively for a solid 1-2 months till I honestly ran out, which is rare for me regarding any products (let alone makeup)! The formula is lovely, the “pulsing” feature is kind of pointless.

e.l.f Eyelid Primer
I was very tempted to cut this tube open to see how much primer was actually left as I’m sure there was at least a 1/3 of the tube stuck to the sides, but given I have a mountain of other primers to work my way through I decided to let it be and move on. Really loved this primer, and at $1US you really can’t go wrong!

If I wasn’t a beauty blogger with a backlog of products to g through I would definitely repurchase You can read my original review here.

Vaseline Intensive Care Dry Skin
Great all-purpose moisturiser I always make sure I at least have a small tube of this somewhere, it’s a real staple in my collection. I took this with me to China early last year during winter when my skin started peeling from the severe cold weather, and the only thing that managed to keep my skin smooth and “normal” was this moisturiser. It absorbs really fast, so I did find myself needing to reapply a few times a day. We’re talking about seriously cold “my bottle of water is now a block of ice” weather though. And this range is really affordable.

Clinique Super City Block SPF 40

I think I only managed to use about 1/3 of this before I just had to throw it out. The product was very greasy, felt heavy on the skin and gave off a strange chemical smell. I truly tried to make myself use it as best I could, since I couldn’t stand it on my face I tried my arms and legs for when I go out and I just couldn’t hack it. It made me feel very uncomfortable and generally greasy, so unfortunately have had to throw it out. Too bad, I really loved the fact it was SPF 40

As you know, whilst in Hong Kong….money was exchanged for goods…. repeatedly… I had only then read about the new Bobbi Brown Makkakesh Fall 2011 Collection online. So I was pleasantly surprised to find the same collection available in Hong Kong and knew I had to take home a few with me.

One of the items I purchased was the eye shadows, in total there are 8 shades, 4 which caught my eye. Today I’m going to be reviewing and featuring Sand Dune, Pink Silk, Rich Kashmir and Royale.

Basically Bobbi Brown claims that these shadows are intensely pigmented, creamy texture, easy to apply and long lasting.

I can’t honestly say it lasted for 12 hrs, I actually haven’t worn them for that long. I did make it to about the 6-7hr mark before washing it off and it hasn’t budged at all (keeping in mind I did use a primer).

The texture is very creamy, almost feels a bit like velvet when pressed against my fingers and applies smoothly to the eyes.

The only gripe I have with Bobbi Brown’s description is the pigmentation; these shadows in my experience are not at all “intensely pigmented”. To get the pigmentation you see on my swatches, it took about 2-3 swipes and you can see how light the application is on my eyes below.

Sand Dune

Pink Silk

Rich Kashmir

Royale

However to me personally this is not a bad thing. Bobbi Brown isn’t a brand I look too for strong pigmentation, to me they are fair more neutral, natural and everyday friendly. And I like the fact that these shadows are not too pigmented as it gives me more control to build the colour up. I never use heavily pigmented shades for work / everyday despite what my Book of Fables gives off, just because my makeup needs to be subtle and if the shadows are too pigmented, it’s very easy to over apply.

This is exactly why I have different makeup for different purposes. Bobbi Brown, Chanel, Dior etc are fantastic for my everyday “I’m in a rush can don’t have the mind / mental morning ability to apply this correctly” mornings for work. And then I turn to brands like MAC, Inglot, NYX, Coastal Scents etc for when I do have the time to concentrate on what I’m putting on my face or when I actually need extreme pigmentation for a particular makeup look aka Book of Fables.

_{Sand Dune all over the lid, Pink Silk above the crease and Royale in the crease}

I wouldn’t say these are the best products ever released by Bobbi Brown, but they relatively easy to work with for people new to makeup / those who lack confidence with their makeup skills and as always, anyone looking to do more subtle neutral looks. Bobbi Brown is certainly a known brand for neutrals and everyday makeup.

_{This little palette came free with my purchases}

These eye shadows are limited edition and I can’t seem to find them on the Australian Bobbi Brown website (so perhaps not available in Australia?). They are available on the American Bobbi Brown website for $24US each though.

Another nail polish post featuring OPI’s Texas Collection This isn’t the complete collection, I think I ended up getting about 6 out of 12 from the entire collection? Can’t really recall.

I’m going to be honest, I swatched these sooo long ago (and never remembered to jot down notes) that I can’t actually remember how good these were. All I can recall is feeling rather “meh” about the entire colour selection but pretty happy with the quality. So for today I’m just going to post the swatches for you guys to enjoy Sorry I couldn’t contribute more

Austin Tatious Turquoise

Big Hair Big Nails

We Have a Purple

I Vant to be Alone Star

San Tan Tonio

Suzi Loves Cowboys

Hope you enjoy the swatches

I think all bloggers and youtubers alike have experts in their fields they look up to. When it came to web design, it is Eric Jordan, music? Darude! For makeup, it was Klaire de Lys for me, an insanely creative and talented makeup artist / musician and all round creative soul whom I watched for months and months on Youtube with admiration.

I admire people from afar, I rarely ever reach out, I mean, why bother, they already have so many screaming fans there wasn’t much point. But then one day I tweeted her, and she actually responded! Instant shock, this never happens! She was kind enough to follow me in return and I won’t lie, it left me on a high that someone I admire so much cared about the dribble I tweet / post about

Then came a time when I hit a downfall online and needed advice. I felt isolate, and didn’t think anyone would be able to understand my issue. Except maybe Klaire, so I bit the bullet and emailed her. Knowing full well she wouldn’t respond.

But you know what? She did, and she gave me the most uplifting advice. And ever since then, Klaire has been a very positive influence on my blogging / youtubing online. She gives the most sincere and best advice, she supports me, she goes out of her way to help me everytime I’m in need. To most other youtubers, I’m just another fan. To Klaire, I was a person.

So now I’d like to do what I can to help her. Klaire is part of the Kings of the Web competition, where the 1st prize money is $5000US. Money Klaire will be using to pay off a 1/3 of her University fees. Everyone with HECS debt knows what this is like.

You can vote 10 times a day, unfortunately you do need to register to vote, but it’s a small price to pay. And honestly, for all the things Klaire has done for me, this is the least I can do for her. So if you can, please do vote! I’d love to see Klaire finish off her studies slightly less in debt

Good luck Klaire! <3

_{All images are copyrighted by Klaire De Lys, I do not own them}

Another week, another chapter I apologise if there seems to be any rushing in this tutorial below, I edited most of it late last night (how fitting with the theme of this chapter!) as I’m flying up to Sydney today in anticipation for good times at IMATS and ABBW. I hope to see you there if you are attending too and promise to take many a photo~

This week’s chapter is dedicated to those late nights, those all too familiar late nights we have spent working, crying, playing and partying. Lately I find myself staying well beyond midnight, my mind is restless and the desire to create is strong. And surprisingly I am not someone who enjoys sleeping in. I am usually up by the very latest 8am – 9am on a weekend (far earlier on weekdays obviously for work). So a late night just means less sleep for me.

The dark shadows are dedicated to the night sky, and the subtle hints of sparkle are the stars I hope you enjoy~

MAC Prep + Prime – Skin Base Visage
MAC Pro Longwear SPF 10 Foundation – NC15
MAC Studio Scuplt Concealer – NC15
Revlon PhotoReady Translucent Finisher – Translucent
NYX Powder Blush – Stoned
Giorgio Armani Sheer Blush – 3
e.l.f Eyelid Primer – Sheer
Coastal Scents Ultra Shimmer 88 Palette
MAC Fluidline – Blacktrack
Savvy by DB Luxury Liner – Shimmering Slate
Maybelline Pulse Perfection – Blackest Black
DUO Eyelash Glue
Milani Crystal Eyez – Lovely & Luminous
Coastal Scents Brow Tones
Maybelline Define-a-Brow Gel – Clear
NARS Lipstick – Promiscuous
NYX Mega Shine Lip Gloss – Frosted Beige

So believe it or not, I almost never ever get my nails professionally done. In fact, last weekend was my second try in my entire life, and that’s mostly thanks to my first experience which turned out to be pretty horrid. Hence my apprehension when the ladies at Miss Fox Melbourne invited me in to not only check out their awesome Zoya collection (Good news! Zoya IS sold in Melbourne!!) but to get a Shellac Manicure.

The entrance

Shellac Manicures are done with special CND polishes that need to be set for 2 minutes using mild UV light between each coat. The result? Polish that lasts 2 full weeks chip free. However the most attractive part for me is that the polish is completely dry the second you finish your manicure! As in, there is no “drying” period per say after the manicure, you can tap your nails as much as you like right after.

To test it, I tried to peel off part of the polish with my nails after I left the salon, and I just couldn’t X_x; In fact the dents I made to the polish for some reason smoothed out automatically after a few minutes O_o It’s Wolverine polish on your nails… too geeky?

The experience was a lot better than my previous salon visit, the cuticle removal was still rather brutal, but no cuts. And so when nail polish remover was applied to clean the nail I experienced no stinging. Big difference for me. And when you see the finished result below, you’ll see a massive difference, crazy improvement.

The only down side is that you do need to head back into the salon to have the polish removed as it requires 100% acetone. If you’re feeling lucky there is nothing stopping you from trying to remove it yourself, but if you’re unfamiliar with the process, best to leave it to the experts.

Overall, it was a pretty awesome experience. At $65AU per session, Shellacs are perfect for special occasions (like a certain ABBW & IMATS event yours truly will be attending this weekend) where the last thing you want to worry about is chipping your polish.

Or even people who loved well manicured nails without the hassle of chipping. A standard manicure for me will last if I’m lucky around 3 days chip-free. With these, I’m on to day 5 right now and they look as perfect as they did on Saturday. I’ll be sure to take a photo by the time I hit the 2 week mark to let you guys see how they have held up. But safe to say, I’m pretty delighted with the results.

Besides nails, Miss Fox Melbourne have an entire range of services with some very lovely staff. The salon is no doubt a luxurious experience, I recommend checking out their website and see what tickles your fancy

Introducing Lunasol, one of my new Asian brand obsessions thanks to two cheeky bloggers whom shall remain nameless (damn you peer pressure). Lunasol is a luxury Japanese brand under the larger Kanebo group. I was lucky enough to work close to a Lunasol counter when I was in Hong Kong so regular visits were essential!

I managed to pick up quite a few items from their latest Fall 2011 collection which I intend to slowly work my way through and review / swatch~

First up is one of their Three Dimensional Eye palettes called “Neutral Beige”, this is the first out of five that were made available and are limited edition. The general colour theme for this collection was Beige. And you’ll notice that all the palettes indicate this in their names (gotta love creative naming!), all very neutral wearable shades with slight focal colour variations.

Can we say yay for a neutral fiend like me? Yes because I honestly need a 5th brown taupey shimmery shadow, I’m very practical that way

Inside the box for these palettes were instructions on how to use the shades, of course all in Japanese.

The texture for these shadows were divine, very easy to work with and gives a lovely “sparkly” neutral pay off. That is a bit of a trend of Asian cosmetics I’ve noticed, lots and lots of shimmer!

No surprise that the pigmentation was far better in the darker shades than lighter. But what I really loved about this palette is the variation of finishes for the liner and highlighter shades. Ranging from ultra shimmer to almost matte! So you essentially have a lovely selection of various neutral eyes you can pull off with a single eye shadow palette.

Unfortunately these babies are not available in Australia, you will need to take your search into the interwebs to satisfy your craving for these.

I did my eye makeup following the instructions that were including.

I don’t what is it, but every now and then I get completely obsessed with a particular product and just want to be completely irrational and horde as much of it as possible.

Today’s victim of my gluttony are pressed pigments.

I first discovered them in Hong Kong, my first taste being Giorgio Armani’s Eyes to Kill range, one swipe and I’m in pigmented heaven!

It’s the perfect blend between a pressed eye shadow and loose pigment~ Soft, rich in colour, minus the mess. You can expect some fall out if you aren’t careful, but it should be fine especially if you apply with your fingers.

Since my discovery, I’ve gotten my hands on some from Chanel and L’Oreal, but admittedly Giorgio Armani’s are far superior in quality in my opinion. I highly recommend them to anyone looking for some luxurious highly pigmented shadows, they are divine!

Expect actual swatches / reviews in the future, but if you have any recommendations I’d love to hear it

So I don’t claim to be a fashionista by any means, but I know what I like and what I don’t like. And I like free clothes (and that’s what half the outfit was) ;D I’m going to gradually bring back my “outfit” posts, after all Fables started off as a fashion blog… you know… hence the word “Fashion” in the name…

Not including the photo with the jacket (which Violet kindly gifted me!) the real stunner is the t-shirt, which as I said before, was free with a magazine Terribly sheer so I’m wearing a singlet underneath. But otherwise, this outfit is extremely comfortable, easy to throw together and very cheap

I promise to try harder next time mum hehe

Jacket – Gifted by Violet
Tshirt – Free with fashion mag
Jeans – Gasp
Shoes – Target
Bracelet – Gifted by Violet
Watch – Burberry