HAUL x REVIEW | Inglot Cosmetics

We arrived in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, around sunset after a long day of driving and exploring, and decided to stretch our legs at Akropolis, a massive shopping centre right outside the city. I walked straight into Douglas, the European equivalent of Sephora, to look for new brands to try out, and that's when I spotted Inglot Cosmetics.

I recall hearing some chatter over Inglot's Freedom System palettes a few years back, where you could mix and match all your favourite makeup products - eyeshadow, blush, lipstick, concealer - into one sturdy, convenient palette, but the brand hasn't been on my radar since. As I've mentioned before, I'm usually not one to splurge on makeup that I haven't done my research on. But of course, my wifi decided to stop working on my phone, and my dad was impatiently sulking in the corner of the store, so I just settled on three products and quickly got outta there. I wanted to try these on as soon as possible, so I improvised and took these pictures on the window ledge of my hotel room the next morning before slapping everything on my face for a test run.

I picked up the Under Eye Concealer in shade 92 which looked like the closet match for me out of the four shades on display. It's a very lightweight, liquidy concealer that feels hydrating under the eyes and dries to a powdery finish. It blends out with ease but loses its coverage once smoothed out - sheer to light coverage at most, and doesn't cover my dark circles. This shade also oxidizes a smidge darker and turns a tiny bit grey, which is odd, and looks rather dull and not at all brightening for under the eyes. Looking back, the first shade in 91 would've been a much better option. It's a shame as I do enjoy the moisturising formula, but the coverage just isn't there and the shade isn't the best match. I'll still reach for this (cos I ain't about wasting money) but only for days when I'm lounging around the house.

Swatched | Blended out

The Freedom System Camouflage Concealers in 124 and 125 also caught my eye, especially with the cooler undertones that I thought would be ah-mazing for contouring. 124 is a warmer milk chocolate brown, whereas 125 is a very cool-toned greyish brown. The consistency of these are stiffer and takes a bit more work to blend out for that seamless finish, but they are hella pigmented and will not budge once set and stays on all day. I use 124 for a more natural contour, and 125 for the rarer occasion when I want to carve out my face and create angles and bone structure I don't even have. Slay, gurl. But do be reminded that 125 can look a tad unnatural if you go overboard - the grey undertones have the potential of looking slightly ashy and muddy - so less is definitely more.

124 | 125

Top 124 | Bottom 125

All three products are decently priced - the Under Eye Concealer retails for 11.50€ and the Freedom System Camouflage Concealers are 5€ each. I wouldn't recommend the Under Eye Concealer if you prefer full coverage, but it could be worth a try for drier skin types and natural makeup days. And if you're contour-obsessed like me, these Camouflage Concealers could be a great (and inexpensive) addition to your arsenal!

REVIEW | Céline Trio Bag

It's been exactly two months since my last post, and I know, it's completely unacceptable. Between taking time off from work, traveling and starting a new job, my life has been cray cray as of late, but I'm finally back on a routine and ready to roll!

I was chatting on here recently about my adventures in Finland, Sweden and Denmark back in June, and shared my mini haul from & Other Stories during my visit in Stockholm in my last post. Well, hold onto your hats, 'cos I'm about to unveil this gorgeous luxury purchase that I scooped up during my time in Copenhagen - say hej to my new Celine Trio Bag!

On the last day of our three day stay in the city, we went and walked along Stroget, one of Copenhagen's most famous spots (as well as one of Europe's longest pedestrian streets). I had two main objectives that day - the first was to visit the beautiful Tortus boutique and studio which has been on my wishlist for years, and the second was to drop by Illum, a Copenhagen-based luxury department store, to browse one of my favorite luxury brands. Just as I thought I would be leaving Céline empty handed, as they didn't have the exact Mini Belt Bag that I had in mind, I caught a glimpse of the massive pile of Celine Trio bags neatly stacked on top of a pristine glass table, and this particular Trio Bag in Smoke, a new colour for the upcoming Fall season, just called out to me. And now, here we are!

The Céline Trio comes in two sizes - large and small - but I found the difference in dimensions to be quite minuscule. For reference, the large is slightly roomier at 10" x 7" x 2" compared to the small at 9" x 6" x 2". I opted for the latter, just because it looked a bit daintier on my 5'5 frame. The leather strap is adjustable and has a 20" drop, and hits me perfectly at the hip when worn on the shoulder and a bit higher when worn cross body.

The leather feels very soft, smooth and high quality, and the gold hardware adds a touch of flare to complement the simplicity of the design. There are three zipped pouches that are attached together with snap buttons, with the strap permanently attached to the middle pouch. If you detach the front and back pouches and clip them together, it can be used as a clutch. I don't see myself doing this however, as it's quite difficult to snap the pouches on and off without feeling like I'm bending and ruining the leather. Plus, the Céline logo is only embossed on the front pouch, so there really is no point in using the pouches separately.

Despite its flat and inflexible appearance, the bag can surprisingly fit quite a lot - the soft leather allows for some give and the pouches expand to carry a lot more than it seems capable of. I personally choose not to do so because of fear of ruining or stretching the material, since anything that is pointy or more irregular in shape can poke out and distort the leather - which freaks me out. So far, I haven't gotten a single scratch or scrape on it, and I would very much like to keep it that way!

After two months of regular use, this bag has proven to be quite lovely for casual days out, and fits most of my essentials that I can then organise into different pouches. Not gonna lie, most of the time I forget where I put certain things, so I end up having to unzip all three pouches to find what I'm looking for. Now, I stick to putting my most important belongings in the middle pouch, makeup and gum in the front, and keys and random trinkets in the back.

The only gripe I have with this bag is that it doesn't fit my everyday Céline Large Flap Wallet - it takes me a few extra minutes to take out my must-haves (ID, credit card, cash, VIP and loyalty cards) and transfer them into a smaller wallet, and when I'm in a hurry and need to get out the door fast (which is always, 'cos I'm never on time), this becomes a slight hassle. But hey, I opted to get a bag this size, so I really don't have the right to complain.

While I certainly don't believe this is a must-have bag from the brand (unlike their cult classic aka the Céline Luggage Tote), I still think it's a great luxury buy with a lower, more affordable price point and equally amazing quality and workmanship. Currently, I'm rotating between the Trio and my two other newer bag additions, the Mansur Gavriel Mini Bucket Bag and the Manu Atelier Mini Pristine, and I couldn't be happier! Yahoo!

Stay tuned as I share my long overdue mini hauls from Inglot and NYX, as well as the rest of my adventures in the Baltic Sea!

REVIEW | Manu Atelier Mini Pristine

I'm coming up on my first work anniversary - seriously, how am I an adult now - and I decided months ago to save up some extra cash and get myself a present to commemorate the occasion. Just a job-well-done, you-survived gift, if you will. So without further ado, here's the big reveal - meet my new Manu Atelier Mini Pristine!

Manu Atelier Mini Pristine

Vegetable Tanned Leather in Reddish Brown

$4135HKD at Lane Crawford | $495USD at Shopbop, NET-A-PORTER

Manu Atelier is a relatively newer brand - it was co-founded by two sisters in Istanbul, Turkey in February 2014 - and their bags have been on my radar for quite some time now. I've been eyeing this gorgeous piece in particular for a few months, but had held off purchasing it since my boyfriend had gotten me the Mansur Gavriel Mini Bucket Bag for my birthday just last November, and I wanted to make sure that bag got some proper loving first. After stalking this baby online for the hundredth time, I decided to bite the bullet last week and strutted into Lane Crawford to finally bring this bag home with me.

Size |

The Pristine bags come in three sizes - Pristine, Mini and Micro - and I had a really difficult time choosing between the Pristine and the Mini. (The Micro bags, although super adorable, are way too small and all come with a chunky gold chain strap that just isn't my cup of tea.) After trying the two different sizes on in-store, I found that the Mini looked the best on my 5'5 frame, whereas the Pristine was just a fraction too big and boxy. The Mini can hold my Céline wallet, keys, and a small makeup pouch with ease, and my iPad mini is just able to fit snuggly inside. Obviously, the Pristine would be a better choice for a roomier fit, but I personally enjoy the Mini's compact size and overall aesthetic. The strap is adjustable and the bag hits me perfectly at the hip (just like the picture below), and can be adjusted longer or shorter depending if I wear it cross-body or just hanging on my shoulder.

Image from Lane Crawford

Color |

When I first laid eyes on this bag, I wanted it in the color black. What else, right? It took a lot of deliberation and self-reflection to finally convince myself that, no, I did not need another black bag. In fact, all the Manu Atelier bags come in such fun and beautiful color variations and combinations that I found it extremely challenging to narrow down my preferences. But I knew my best bet was to go for a neutral color that could complement any look or outfit. Lo and behold, Lane Crawford's website revealed that the only three color variations they had in stock for the Mini were Black, Reddish Brown, and Ice Beige, and one quick glance at Reddish Brown was all it took for me to know that it had to be mine - the color is to die for, and it truly looks amazingly stylish and effortless with anything I wear - obsessed!

Image from Lane Crawford

Leather |
Like all three of my Mansur Gavriel bags, this Mini Pristine also comes in vegetable tanned leather, but has a more refined and polished texture that makes me less anxious about wearing it out in public. Unlike my Mansur Gavriel Lady Bag, which I have to physically shield and protect from everyone and everything when I'm out and about, I can carry this bag around with confidence and not feel the need to baby it too much. Don't get me wrong, this can definitely still get scratched and marked up, but the leather has a smoother, lacquered finish to it that makes it seem much more durable and less delicate than my Mansur Gavriel bags. Only time will tell, but the leather seems to be of premium quality and gets a two thumbs up from me!

As for the other features of the bag, it comes with a sturdy magnetic closure, hand-stitched corner guards, as well as an interior zipped compartment and textured fabric lining. Manu Atelier's overall aesthetic is very much reminiscent of Mansur Gavriel - clean lines, elegant silhouettes and quality leather. It's no mystery as to why I was so drawn to the brand from the get-go.

A word of advice would be, if at all possible, to purchase this bag in person as opposed to online. Speaking from personal experience, I had to ask the sales associate at Lane Crawford for three different versions of the same bag before I found one that was, in my opinion, in pristine condition - meaning no small scratches or veining in the leather. Yes, I understand that this bag may very well get scuffed up in the near future, but I'd very much like to be the one doing the scuffing. Ya feel me?

A week in and I'm absolutely in love with every single aspect of this Manu Atelier Mini Pristine - I can't stop using it! Uh oh, seems like I have yet another new brand obsession...