Dolly Wink No. 2 Sweet Girly + No. 6 Baby Cute

Hey guys!~ ^^

I've always been a huge fan of Tsubasa (She's so gorgeous~ X3), and I've recently started collecting stuff from Dolly Wink! So far I have the eyeliner (haven't tried yet) plus 4 boxes of falsies from the original series~ ^^
I really love Tsubasa's makeup, because it's not super super dramatic like a lot of other gyarus, but still very pretty and dolly~
I'll also start collecting Candy Doll products when my current heap of makeup starts to run out/expire~ :D

No. 2 Sweet Girly was the first pair of Dolly Wink eyelashes I bought, and No. 6 Baby Cute was the first pair of bottom lashes I bought. It wasn't until almost a month later that I realized they are supposed to be worn together~ (Skills!) ^^

Now, on with the review!~

No. 2 Sweet Girly

Packaging: 10/10
The packaging is super pretty of course! It's easy to open (I cannot stand packaging that is really strongly sealed and takes forever to open >_<), and has a nice little box inside the main box that's easy to carry around in my bag.

Design: 9/10
I absolutely love the design, it's very flattering and as natural looking as lashes this dramatic can possibly look~ XD
The thick part near the middle emphasizes the middle of the eye and makes it look wider which I really love.
They're perfect for me since I love wearing quite heavy makeup when I go out, but should probably be saved for special occasions if you prefer to wear mostly light makeup.

The only (tiny) problem was that these lashes need to be curled before or after you put them on, or else they tend to look quite droopy (unless you like that look?), I had to curl mine before and after applying them for them to curl up significantly~

Also the band is really loooooong because I have small eyes! Even though I wear my lashes with at least a few millimeters extra to extend the eye, it was still a little bit too long. It would be the perfect length for people with big eyes though!

Comfort: 9/10
The band is flexible and easy to apply into the shape that you want, although they are quite long, they are not too heavy, although they do start to feel a bit heavy after wearing them for 12+ hours, but that is to be expected~ XD

Price: 7/10
I've looked around in almost every asian makeup store in the city over here, and the cheapest price that I found was $21.95 AUD, which is quite expensive, considering I've bought boxes of 10 lashes for less than $20, however, the price in Japan/China is a fairly reasonable $13-15 AUD. Also, the quality/design of these are far more flattering than most eyelashes from Australian brands that I've tried that cost around $10 a pair, so can't really complain~ ^^

It also comes with a little tube of eyelash glue, the glue works well, and there is quite a generous amount.

Reusable? 9/10
Yes! I used my first pair of No. 2 at least 6-8 times (My memory sucks) before it started to lose it's shape and glue started to get everywhere, and I wasn't particularly careful with it either, so the quality is definitely good! Considering I paid $11 for each pair and used it about 7 times, that's less the 2 dollars per use.

Overall: 9/10
I love these and am definitely stocking up at least a box or two next time I go to Japan! ^^

No. 6 Baby Cute

Packaging: 10/10

Same as No. 2, the packaging is gorgeous! This shade of pink is so pretty~ :3

Design: 9/10
I was a little bit iffy about the design when I first saw it in the box, but they looked amazing on Tsubasa (doesn't everything?) and I had a bit of extra money, so I thought why not? Each of the little sections are separate which I didn't realize until I tried them up, and then were quite hard to apply.

HOWEVER, they looked awesome! ... Or at least I think that they do?
I used a bit of light eyeliner/eyeshadow as a guideline for where to stick them, and used tweezers to apply them, and it actually didn't nearly look as strange as I had expected, although it did take quite a few minutes to get them all on. The separate chunks also mean that you don't need to worry about bending the bands into shape, which is something that is a huge relief to me, since the bands of bottom lashes usually hate me. XD

Comfort: 10/10
These are super comfortable since they don't have a whole band, and I could barely feel them at all. The only problem with this is that I'm constantly paranoid and checking if they're still stuck on ^^;

Price: 7/10
Again, the same as before, a bit on the expensive side over here, but well worth it! ^^ 

Reusable? 8/10
I've used the first pair 3 times already and they're still fine to reuse. The only problem (and this might just be me) is that since you need tweezers to apply them, I sometimes squeeze a bit too hard and ruin the shape of the lashes >_<

Overall: 9/10
They're my new favourite bottom lashes, but they're definitely not for people who think that spending more than 30 minutes on makeup is too long~ XD


Here's a few photos of what they look like on me~ ^^
(Might add a few more after this weekend~)

No. 2 + No.6

No. 2 + No. 6

The top ones tend to droop after wearing them for a few hours~ >_<

Top 10 Essential Makeup/Skincare Products~

Hey guys!~

Recently, a few of my friends from school have just started learning about the basics of makeup, so I got the idea to write about what I would consider to be the 10 most important makeup and skincare products, that I would recommend for everyone to have~ ^^

(Disclaimer: I am no expert on makeup, but I've been experimenting with makeup quite a lot for about 4 years now, so this is advice from what I've learnt so far!~ ^^)

1. Moisturizer

A good moisturizer that suits your skin type is really important! Especially if you have dry, flaky skin, a suitable moisturizer is absolutely essential, and even if you have oily skin, it's still good to use a light moisturizer. If you have combination skin like I do, try using two separate moisturizers: a richer one on the drier parts of your skin, and a lighter one on the more oily parts, it really does make a difference!

Baviphat Peach All-in-one Waterfull Cream

2. Brushes

They're not exactly makeup products, but having a small range of brushes makes a huge difference when applying even very basic makeup, I learned this the hard way! You don't need a huge amount of very expensive professional brushes, especially to begin with, just a small kit of about 5 or so brushes will do: One large foundation/blush brush, at least two eyeshadow brushes of different sizes, one sponge tip brush, and one pointed or angled eyeliner brush

I would recommend buying brushes in a set rather than separately, as a set is usually better value (One brush of decent quality usually costs upwards of $5AUD, whereas a pretty good set of 5+ brushes can cost as little as $10-20), and gives you a good assortment of brushes.

Remember to keep your brushes clean!

Cerro Queen Brush Set + 2 random brushes~ XD

3. Concealer

It's quite safe to say that everyone gets blemishes occasionally, some people more than others, and concealer is the best way to cover them up. Although small spots can be covered up with foundation, darker blemishes and under eye shadows often cannot be, no matter how much you apply. However, they can be fixed with just a small amount of concealer~

When buying concealer, always go for a shade lighter than your skin tone for maximum effectiveness.

NYX Concealer in a Jar

4. Foundation

A good foundation (or BB cream) is absolutely indispensable! A bit of coverage can be the difference between dull, slightly unevenly toned skin, and bright, smooth looking skin! Finding the right shade of foundation isn't difficult, as long as you put in a bit of effort. Make sure to always try a foundation before buying it, and be sure that it is what you are looking for. Since foundation is used on a large area of your face, don't skimp and buy a cheap brand, if there is one type of makeup that is worth paying a bit of extra money for, it's foundation!

Etude House Precious Mineral BB Cream, Skin79 Super+ Beblesh Balm, NYX Twin Cake

5. Makeup Primer

Primer is applied before makeup, smoothing out the skin to make a good base, and helps your makeup last longer without smudging. The two main types of primer are foundation primer which is applied all over your face before foundation, and eye primer, which is applied on your eyelid before eye makeup.

I personally do not use foundation primer (because I'm lazy), but eye primer is something I have used quite obsessively since I discovered it! I have noticed that my eyeshadow colours look much more vibrant and holds better when I use a primer, and my eyeliner does not smudge off like it used to.

 La Splash Eyeshadow Base/Sealer

6. Eyeliner

A basic black or brown eyeliner is very easy to find, and even one of decent quality shouldn't cost a fortune. There are 3 main types of eyeliner: Pencil liner, liquid liner, and gel liner.

Pencil liner is great to begin with, it smudges out quite easily for a softer look, and is usually easier to remove, and harder to mess up with.

Liquid liner can come in a little container with a brush, or as a brush pen. I find pen liquid liners to be the most convenient and easy to use, and is great if you want darker, sharper lines. I usually carry around a pen liquid liner when I go out, since it's great for quick makeup touchups.

Gel liner is similar to liquid liner, it generally comes in a little container, sometimes with a brush (However, I'd recommend buying your own brush, a small angled brush is best). I find that gel liner tends to last longer, so I actually prefer to use gel liner over liquid liner when I cosplay or wear heavy makeup.

 Rimmel Exaggerate Liquid Liner, MAC Smolder Eye Kohl, Heavy Rotation Gel Liner, Super Skinny Eye Marker

7. Eyeshadow

A small palette of eyeshadows in colours that are flattering to your features may not seem like much, but it can really help brighten up your eyes. For a natural look, you want to stick to beiges and browns, mostly just to create a bit more depth, but I personally love experimenting with lots of different colours and combinations of eyeshadows to create new looks.

My recommendation would be to buy an assortment of inexpensive eyeshadows to try out in order to find your best colours, before investing more money into good quality ones. Remember, your favourite colours aren't always the ones that look best! (Another thing I learned the hard way...)

Eyeshadows can also be used to fill in and define your eyebrows, giving you a nicer, tidier look overall. (I don't really like eyebrow pencils, they are a bit too harsh looking for my tastes~)

 88 Colour Eyeshadow Palette, L.A. Girl Mega Pearl Eyeshadows, Maybelline Eye Studio Palette

8. Mascara

Although I have a small obsession with wearing false eyelashes, a good quality mascara is still something I consider really important to have.

Mascara is something that is worth paying a proper amount for, cheap mascaras just don't cut it, especially if you have short eyelashes. I find that curling your eyelashes and applying mascara really opens up the eyes. Layering different mascaras is great if you have short eyelashes, using a lengthening mascara under a thickening one can really give your eyelashes (and your overall look) a huge boost!

For school, I'm usually too lazy to put on much makeup at all, but I almost always curl and mascara my eyelashes. I only use waterproof mascara because it holds curl better, the other ones weigh my eyelashes down~

Maybelline Lash Stiletto

9. Makeup Remover

As great as makeup is, it is obviously not good for your skin if it is left on for a long time, so a good makeup remover is almost just as important as good makeup. Acne/pimples/blemishes can be easily caused by not removing your makeup properly, and can be just as easily prevented. Make sure to get a good makeup remover that works for your skin type, especially is you have sensitive skin like me. I find that many makeup removers irritate my skin, so do be careful when you buy one!

 Jurlique Cleansing Lotion, La Prairie Cleansing Water

10. Facial Cleanser/Scrub

Cleansing and exfoliating is quite basic skincare. It removes impurities, as well as dead skin cells, giving you nicer, smoother skin. There are so many types of cleaners and scrubs to choose from(Blackhead removing, oil control, brightening etc.), so it's probably best to choose a few, and switch between products regularly for a wider range of benefits, and so that your skin does not get immune to it.

When it comes to scrubs, be careful when choosing one if you have sensitive skin. Very coarse scrubs can irritate your skin, and cause more harm than good. Try to find a product with less and smaller grains in it~

Nivea Visage Gentle Exfoliating Scrub, Baviphat Mango Steam Scrub, Neutrogena Rapid Clear

Other Highly Recommended Products:

• A good lip gloss/lipstick/lip stain 

• A white/pale/glitter eyeliner to brighten up the eyes

• Good quality false eyelashes and glue (Smaller pairs can look quite natural, not too obviously fake~)

And that's it! I know it might sound like a lot to have, but trust me, it really isn't~ XD
Over the years, without even trying to, I've built up quite a large collection of makeup, much more than what I have suggested here! ^^;
It's not much compared to those (lucky) people with entire suitcases full of makeup, but it's quite a bit for a teenager with strict and disapproving asian parents~ XD

And another thing: Even if you don't finish using a makeup product, don't just keep it for ages! If you use very old makeup, it can irritate your skin and eyes! >_<

As a very rough guide, never keep liquid/cream products (Liquid eyeliner, mascara, liquid/cream foundation etc.) for longer than a year, and dry products (Power eyeshadows, powder foundation etc.) should be replaced at very least once every two years. Note that these are the absolute maximum time limits, most people would tell you to replace these products much more often!

I hope that you guys will find this guide somewhat useful!~ ^^

~アキ

P.S. Please leave a vote on my polls so I know what I should post next!~ ^^

False Eyelash Tutorial~

Hi everyone! ^^

A friend of mine asked me for a tutorial on how to put on false eyelashes, so here is it! Just a quick tutorial with mostly pretty basic stuff, along with a few tips that I find useful, so hopefully this will be helpful to some people! :D

Things You Need

Fake Eyelashes (Duh XD)

Eyelash Glue (Must be of decent quality!!! More about this later)

Tweezers (Optional)

Any other makeup you want to wear~

Before putting on the eyelashes, I would recommend applying all the other makeup you’re planning to wear. Make sure to curl your eyelashes and put mascara on them (especially if your eyelashes are not black), so that they blend in with the false ones!

When it comes to eyelash glue, never use the ones that come with the eyelashes, unless they are of very good quality, which many are not. Make sure to buy some proper eyelash glue. Glue that is of bad quality will not stick properly, and even if it does, it will not last for very long and become very annoying, it’s worth buying a proper one!

You don't even need to buy an expensive one, the ones that I have used in the past have all been around $5 and they work very well! ^^

Apply an even line of the glue along the base of the eyelash. Make sure to cover the base well, without applying too much, or it will take too long to dry.

One of the most common mistakes people seem to make when putting on fake eyelashes is not waiting for the glue to dry a bit before try to stick them on. After applying the glue, blow on the glue and wait until it is half transparent (About 10-20 seconds) before trying to put them on! If you do not wait for the glue to dry, it is much less sticky and does not stick as well.

When you the glue is half dried, use either your fingers or tweezers (I don’t use them, but I know that some people like to) to position the eyelash along the curve of your eye, and stick it down, making sure to keep some pressure on it until it is completely glued on and does not move. I prefer to stick my eyelashes about 0.5cm away from the inner corner of my eye as that is more comfortable~

Top layer done!

If you want to apply more layers , make sure to stick them right above the first layer so that it doesn’t end up looking weird~

The next part is regarding bottom eyelashes~

If you choose to wear them, the method is almost the same as applying top eyelashes.

First, apply the glue as evenly as possible, waiting about 20 seconds for the glue to become more sticky before sticking them on. Bottom eyelashes tend to be harder to fit onto your eye so make sure that they are positioned correctly before sticking them on!

If you wearing wearing eyeliner on the bottom lid which does not follow your natural lashline very closely, stick the eyelashes closer to the eyeliner’s edge, as this will make the shape of the eyeliner seem more convincing~

And you’re done!

I hope that this will help a few people~ :3

(A big thank you to http://hiddendelights.deviantart.com/ for helping me take photos~ XD)
If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment here, or at http://bbchibi.deviantart.com/ ^^

~アキ