REVIEW | Urban Decay Naked Flushed

I am a chronic over-packer and I just can't help it. Packing for a short weekend trip means that I feel the need to stuff my travel makeup bag to the absolute brim with dozens of different face products, 'cos you just never know, right? So needless to say, any sort of multi-purpose beauty product that do more than just one thing are my best bet. I got the Urban Decay Naked Flushed for my birthday a few months ago, and this seemed like the perfect three-in-one product for traveling - a bronzer, highlighter and blush all packed into one. Let's see if I'll be substituting all my face products with this one palette for my next vacation!

Urban Decay Naked Flushed

$34USD at Urban Decay, Sephora

6 shades (USA) | 3 shades (Hong Kong)

The packaging is right up my street - simple, sleek and sturdy, plus it comes with a huge mirror, which makes it perfect for travel and mid-day touch-ups. The bronzer, highlighter and blush are all full-sized, and Urban Decay claims that the formula has a "luxe, featherlight texture that feels amazing on your skin and provides a flawless finish", as well as light-diffusing particles to help enhance and perfect a fresh, glowy look. This is evident when you look closely in the pan, as you can definitely see subtle, reflective micro-shimmers in all three shades. I have the palette in the shade Naked, which is catered for medium skin tones.

Bronzer | "medium bronze satin"

This warm-toned bronzer is the least powdery formula of the three, and its stiffer consistency makes it harder to finger swatch but easy to pick up product with a brush. It has a satin-matte finish with tiny, micro shimmers that looks very natural on the skin. The warmer tone makes it perfect for adding some tan-like color to the face, but not for any intense contouring or sculpting. Out of all the bronzers I own, this is the most similar to Nars Laguna in both shade and finish, with Laguna being a bit more cool-toned, and therefore more versatile for bronzing up the face as well as contouring.

Highlighter | "soft pink champagne shimmer"
This frosty pink highlighter is a bit powdery, but very pretty when swatched and applied to the face and buildable in intensity. However, the shade is a bit too deep for me - I'm still suffering from pasty winter skin - and if applied too heavily, it shows up as a pigmented, pink stripe on the tops of my cheeks. Instead, this actually works fabulously on the apples of my cheeks as a subtle, glowy blush. Since this palette is catered to medium skin tones, this highlighter would work beautifully when I have a bit more color.

Blush | "dusty rose with hint of shimmer"
This is the most powdery and pigmented of the three shades, so I have to be very careful or risk looking like a clown - I barely dip my brush in and tap off all the excess before applying. The pigmentation is definitely there, but it's just too bright of a shade for my taste - I'm more of a nude, Tarte Exposed blush kinda gal. But if you are into bright rosy blushes, this actually performs very well.

Although the formula of these shades aren't as buttery as I hoped for, I was pleasantly surprised with how well they performed. However, the colors just aren't my favorite, and despite the convenience of this compact, I don't see myself reaching for this over any of my other bronzers, highlighters or blushes, so I definitely won't be bringing this on my next vacation. Overpacking for the win!

But for those of you who like fuss-free, multi-purpose products, especially for mornings when you're in a rush and want to look put together in a pinch, this definitely deserves a gander the next time you pass by an Urban Decay counter. And for those of you who like the concept of this palette, make sure to look into the other available shades that may be better suited for your skin tone. I may revisit this palette in the summer months when I have more of a tan, but for now, this is sadly a miss for me.

SAMPLE SUNDAY | Peter Thomas Roth CC Cream SPF 30 Complexion Corrector x Origins Mega-Mushroom Skin Relief Soothing Treatment Lotion

Peter Thomas Roth CC Cream SPF 30 Complexion Corrector |
After my first (failed) attempt with Clinique's CC cream, featured in my first Sample Sunday, I was convinced CC creams wouldn't be for me. But this sample from Peter Thomas Roth caught my interest - it claims to be everything in one - sunscreen, complexion corrector, moisturizer, tint as well as anti-aging treatment. The formulation contains camu camu berry, which is an Amazonian superfruit that provides 30 times more vitamin C than an orange, which "evens out the skintone and supports natural collagen, creating the appearance of firmer, brighter, younger-looking skin over time". The sample included three shades - Light To Medium, Medium To Tan, and Deep - and just like the Clinique CC cream, the consistency is much thicker than most foundations, and I personally found it a tad too stiff to blend out nicely. Although it provides good, medium coverage, it felt heavy on the face and emphasized texture and flaws on my face I didn't even know I had! And perhaps the worst part is that the shades oxidized like crazy! Within minutes of applying the lightest shade to my face, it turned orange and two shades darker - I looked like a freakin' oompa loompa. So I'm going to keep this short and sweet - this made me look, straight up, like a hot, orange mess, so no thank you! I guess I was right - CC creams just aren't for me!

Origins Mega-Mushroom Skin Relief Soothing Treatment Lotion |
The Origins Super Spot Remover has been my long-time beauty essential for treating pesky blemishes, but I haven't ventured too far out in terms of Origins' other skincare products and ranges. I received this sample as a birthday perk last year, and I was instantly intrigued by the main ingredient - mushrooms! I love eating them, but slathering them on my face was certainly a weird notion. I wrongly assumed this lotion would have a gel-cream consistency ('cos, lotion) and spilled the toner-like liquid all over my couch and floor, and Riley had an absolute field day sniffing and lapping it up. I'm not the biggest fan of the scent - fresh, earthy mushrooms with an herbal note - but it dissipates soon after going on the face, and I was pleasantly surprised at the cooling sensation upon application and how soothed and refreshed my skin felt almost instantly. It's very lightweight and absorbed quickly, leaving my skin slightly tacky to the touch. I tried this out at night, and the very next morning my cheeks, which occasionally can get red and slightly flushed, had zero redness. It also didn't break me out, which is always a relief. Although I thoroughly enjoyed this sample (and recommend anyone with sensitive, easily irritable skin to give it a try), I just can't say that I have a place for this in my normal skincare routine, since my skin isn't overly sensitive, so I'll have to take a pass.

REVIEW | Chanel Rouge Coco Ultra Hydrating Lip Color x Rouge Coco Stylo Complete Care Lipshine

Even though I don't like wearing lipstick on a daily basis, I still catch myself at times staring at the two Chanel lippies in my collection in adoration - the Rouge Coco Ultra Hydrating Lip Color and Rouge Coco Stylo Complete Care Lipshine. Just holding a Chanel lipstick in my hand makes me feel a hundred times classier, and I just want to apply them on my lips all the time!

Chanel Rouge Coco Ultra Hydrating Lip Color

$37USD at Chanel, Nordstrom

0.12 oz | 33 shades

Chanel Rouge Coco Stylo Complete Care Lipshine

$37USD at Chanel, Nordstrom

0.07 oz | 9 shades

440 Arthur | 212 Recit

Chanel Rouge Coco Ultra Hydrating Lip Color in 440 Arthur |
This is a limited edition, mini-sized lipstick that I received after attending the Chanel pop-up event last year, and it's in the shade 440 Arthur, a medium red-orange shade with a luminous finish. (Fun fact - this is the exact color that Keira Knightley wore in the Rouge Coco ads, but unlike me, she looks effortlessly chic and put together.) It has great pigment and a smooth, buttery consistency that felt very comfortable on the lips. It pulls more coral than red on my pale skin, which I don't think is the most flattering, but I think this pop of color would look beautiful with a tan. Currently, I wear this shade lightly stained on the lips - a perfect popsicle-stained pout - and it manages to subtly brighten my face and complexion. The luminosity and shine disappears after about an hour - this stuff does transfer - but the color stays put for about four hours, even after eating.

Chanel Rouge Coco Stylo Complete Care Lipshine in 212 Recit |
My sister picked this out for my birthday, and for someone who isn't all that into makeup, I think she made a brilliant choice with this gorgeous berry shade. These lipshines claim to have "the intensity of a lipstick, the shine of a lipgloss and the comfort of a lip balm" with a hydrating formula that includes apple seed extract, jojoba oil and coconut oil. It's in a twist-up style (but beware - you can't twist back down so don't be too ambitious!) and this color in 212 Recit is a beautiful berry plum shade with a pearlescent finish, and has teeny tiny gold flecks of shimmer in the tube that (thankfully) doesn't translate on the lips. It is considerably more lustrous and glossy - like a lipgloss - than the lip color in Arthur, but not as opaque upon first swipe. It's buildable from a light mauvey berry shade to a deep plum color. This truly felt comfortable and hydrating like a lip balm, with a very emollient and buttery formula. I also enjoy wearing this lightly dabbed on for an everyday look, as opposed to smeared on at full opacity. This has around the same lasting power - around four hours - but the glossy effect stays put for almost as long. Just like Arthur, Recit does transfer as well, but when it wears off, it leaves behind a beautiful mauve, MLBB stain.

440 Arthur | 212 Recit

So far, I'm impressed with the performance of these two Chanel lip products (but perhaps not as much by the price), so holler in the comments if you have any favorites or holy grails from the brand, as I'd love to check them out in the future!

WEEKEND EDITION | What's In My Bag x Mansur Gavriel Mini Bucket Bag

What better way to do my first ever What's In My Bag post than to feature my Mansur Gavriel Mini Bucket Bag that I got for my birthday last November. I still can't get over that gorgeous brandy color! The contents of my bag aren't all that interesting, but admit it - everyone's a teensy bit nosy, including myself! So here's my invitation for you guys to snoop around and check out what I've been carrying around with me on the weekends!

My Céline Large Flap Multifunction Wallet in Black/Yellow has been by my side for almost three years now, and I'm still loving everything about it - the leather, the functionality, the minimalistic black exterior with the pop of neon yellow on the interior. Céline is definitely one of my luxury faves! I can never leave the house without my Ipad Mini 'cos I have too many games on there that I can't possibly leave unattended (anyone else obsessed with SimCity BuildIt?). I always have a tin of Wrigley's Eclipse Sugarfree Lychee Flavored Mints for minty, fresh breath and a small water bottle 'cos hydration is important, folks! In terms of makeup and beauty essentials, I try my very best to pack light on the weekends and fit everything I need inside this Fresh Beauty Cloth Pouch.

The best lip balm ever, hands down, is the Mentholatum Deep Moist Menthol Lip Balm - I've used this stuff since high school, and my repurchases have probably now gone into the hundreds. The Winky Lux Flower Balm is a new favorite, as it's not only pretty on the lips but also beautiful to look at, and I also bring along a tiny Chanetecaille Mini Brilliant Gloss in Charm just for good measure. I got this dainty Hand Mirror whilst on a trip to Taiwan - it even comes with its own pouch - and I always feel uber fancy every time I use it. As a contact lens wearer, these Rohto C3 Cool Contact Lens Eye Drops are an absolute life-saver when my eyes are feeling dry or itchy, not to mention I'm slightly addicted to the ice-cold, cooling sensation. I always bring a tiny perfume with me at all times, and the Jo Malone Blackberry & Bay Cologne is a current favorite - the scent is a lovely mix of fruity and woody notes. I'm a bit of a germaphobe and this Aesop Resurrection Rinse-Free Hand Wash helps clean my hands without drying them out, and has the same delightfully soothing aroma of their Resurrection Hand Balm. Last but not least, as an oily-skinned gal, Clean & Clear's Oil Control Film is a must-have for keeping my oils at bay and my face presentable.

This is everything fit snugly inside my bag, and as you can see, there's still plenty of room to fit my iPhone 6 Plus, keys, a portable phone battery charger if needed, and of course, snacks!

I am in a serious, committed relationship with my new Mansur Gavriel Mini Bucket Bag, and this Brandy/Raw combination was a brilliant choice - trust me, the color is even more glorious in person. I adore all three of my Mansur Gavriel bags - including my Bucket Bag in Black/Ballerina and Lady Bag in Cammello/Antico - but this one is currently my go-to weekend bag of choice over those roomier options. It's lightweight, easy to carry, fits all my essentials and is in the most fitting spring shade. The perfect weekend bag, if you ask me!