A Malaysian Affair

Awhile back I tested some mmu a friend sent me from a new company and I just found out that the owner (Franchesca) has temporarily opened her store for purchase. The website is only a testing one in order to try out the market before she opens her actual store. Unfortunately she's not accepting international orders at this time :( But she will, once her real store, Adorned With Grace is open. Right now she's selling her products at cost just to get feedback. So if you live in the US or know someone who does who can help you get samples, head on down to: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/testing123mmu/

Just join and be sure to check out the photo gallery - lots of stuff there! :) I especially love the way she presents her swatches. Lots of FOTDs and EOTDs too.

For me I couldn't get a foundation match in the samples my friend sent me. They were mostly too dark and peachy tan for me. My closest match was in Golden Honey but that too was slightly too dark although the undertones were good. I'm sure there are lighter samples, I just haven't got my hands on them yet! The foundation is medium to full coverage but doesn't feel or look heavy. In fact I wore it very comfortably for one whole day. The blushes I've tried are quite pigmented and her eyeshadows are very pretty and natural-looking. I especially love her greens and neutrals.

Her baggie samples are going really cheap! $0.30 each for 1/8tsp. If you would like to email Franchesca directly you can do so at: adorned_with_grace@yahoo.com

So happy testing, ladies :)

Has any one of you ladies successfully lined your waterline with minerals and got it to stay on the whole day? I tried doing that this afternoon with Fyrinnae pigment and Gelle Drops but it smudged. From a distance my waterline still looks nice and black but when you get up close it looks patchy and pretty bad. And I was even in an air-conditioned environment for most of the 5+ hours I wore it, not out in the sweltering sun.

What should I do to make sure my line stays intact the next time?
Help, anyone?

I'm almost at the end of my sample of Lumiere's Light Medium Golden in Luminesse formula. This shade is definitely a very good match for me which isn't too surprising since the Luminesse formula is supposed to be darker than the same shade in Flawless or Veena. For the most part, Luminesse doesn't make me itch or break out but I don't think it can withstand our humid Malaysian weather. If I'm in an air-conditioned environment the whole day, like the office then it feels quite comfortable. But over the weekend I wore it from morning till evening, and spent the late afternoon browsing an open-air Indian bazaar. By sundown I just wanted to go home and wash my face because it was starting to have that sticky/heavy feeling! I also found that by the end of the day, Lt Med Golden darkens slightly. It's still a good match but it just gets a bit darker and closely resembles Med Golden in Veena Velvet.

It's too bad I don't live in a cooler climate or I would be tempted to order a fullsize of this. But for now I think I'll give it a miss and just continue to use up the sample I have.

UPDATED: Nov 11
I used up the last of this foundation sample today. I wore it to church in the morning and then to the mall to pick up some groceries. While idling in one of the drugstores I couldn't resist checking out the foundation match in one of their makeup counter mirrors. I was amazed to see the face-to-neck match was perfect! And it wasn't just that mirror/lighting, I multi-checked in the washroom and in various other shops with wall mirrors. Of course I had to pretend that I was trying on sunglasses and stuff instead of appearing to be a total narcissist *ahem*

Light Medium Golden Luminesse seems to be one of the best matches I've ever had and it does look good on me - not much oily appearance, doesn't overemphasize my pores etc. I do still think it feels a little heavy but am I willing to put up with that in favour of having such a good match? It's just as well I don't have any spare cash on me and probably won't have much for the next couple months, so I don't have to agonize over whether I should get a fullsize of this. 

Finally after a long, long while I'm actually able to write something mmu-related. I'm really amazed that people still add me to their neighbourhood although my Vox blog has been stagnant for so long. I do look forward to getting to know each one of you :)

And now to the updates...

Way back in August I was an extra in a commercial that involved a whole day outdoors in the blazing sun, doing take after take. Thanks to that experience I ended up with a fever that lasted several days (maybe heatstroke?) but worse - my face and neck ended up being a shade or more darker! What saved me was the LaurEss Original Creamy Yellow foundation I bought from Lili which just about matched me. I wore that exclusively for weeks. I still lamented the loss of my original skintone. I mean, I was never fair to begin with but I didn't want to be any more tan than I already am. That's just me.

If that didn't make things worse, I had ordered a whole bunch of mmu samples from various websites and when I received them I found that most of them were too pale for me - in particular all five samples I got from LureBeauty! Ugh! :( Disappointment!

But then... our dear Lisa came to the rescue! After a bazillion emails back and forth on glycolic acid, she sent me a small sample of DermaDoctor 20% Glycolic Cleanser. After using it for a week, this stuff had the effect of subtly lightening/brightening my skin! The difference was so subtle I didn't even notice it until one day I discovered that the foundation samples that were too pale on me now started to look like a match! Oh it was a happy, happy day! Just yesterday I dug out my stack of Lure samples and Y9 which previously was still too light, is now quite a perfect match. I'm thrilled because I really like the smooth and light texture of Lure foundations. I tried Y8 somewhat hopefully, but that shade is still a bit too light for me. I found I can also wear Meow Frisky-Manx in the Pampered and Purrfect formula! My only problem is now I don't know what to do with my slightly darker foundations that used to be a match. I think I will just hang on to them for those times when I get too much sun again.

Anyway, due to financial constraints I'm trying not to sample anymore at least until 2008 rolls around. I also counted all my samples and found I have maybe 20-30 of them that are still full but which didn't match me. I wonder if anyone here would be interested in buying them?

What to say about MMBB Peachy Beige? It works, it doesn't, it works, it doesn't. LOL. I washed my face as usual today, used tea tree oil followed by GoW Cucumber HA Serum. The serum has a very delicate cucumber scent, very refreshing, non-sticky and makes a good base for MMU because it's slightly mattifying. It's clear with a thick consistency but it absorbs right away. I then used Meow Undereye Concealor in Naughty-Angora on my blemishes and it did a great job of concealing with the yellow toning down the redness but not being totally obvious that I had something on. Very nice and a good shade match. I followed it with Peachy Beige, a tester sample I got from Lisa. My first impression was that this is a wearable colour for me but it did look a little peachy compared to my more yellow-toned neck. The depth however, seemed just about right. After an hour I could still see a slight difference between face and neck. But after wearing it for most of the afternoon, it seems to match me a whole lot better. Only thing is it did darken like maybe half a shade which although is still fine, isn't really the look I'm going for. It does make me look very healthy and bronzed (in a good way), like I just got back from a beach holiday. And although I'm sure the formula is the same as the other MMBB foundations I've tried, this one felt good on my face today. And maybe it's a combination of the HA Serum, concealor and foundation but under certain types of lighting my face actually looks rather flawless.

I finally broke away from using MMBB True and tried Ruby Sparkle instead on cheeks and lips. Ruby Sparkle is a very pretty shade all around. On cheeks it gives a very subtle whisper of sparkle which is only really noticable when you get up close. Otherwise it makes a nice blush-red and has good staying power. On lips it goes a medium-reddish pink, giving a bit of colour without being too in-your-face.

Tan, Yellow Beige and Peachy Beige seem like great summer foundation shades for Asian women or women with yellow-undertones. It's funny but after testing all these MMBB foundation shades I keep thinking "I think Lili would like this."  

Due to lack of internet access and all, it's been awhile since I've really had time to update so this entry will be quite a long one!

Veena Velvet: I've been wearing Lumiere VV foundation for over a week and I don't think it is making my skin worse. I am getting a bit of acne right now but I don't think it's due to the VV. Also after wearing it for long periods of time (think half the day) I didn't experience any tiny pustules popping out which is usually a sign that the makeup is irritating my skin. Anyway, this is great because I do like the texture of VV very much!

MMBB: Lisa from MMBB was sweet enough to send me test samples of two new foundations she hopes to carry in future: Yellow Beige and Peachy Beige. Thank you, Lisa! Side-by-side in the baggies they both look very similar and are close or identical in depth to MMBB Tan foundation. Peachy Beige does look slightly more peachy compared to Yellow Beige. So far I've only worn YB and I found it to be a great match for me! Upon application the shade really looks perfect. However I think it does darken a smidgen after I've worn it a few hours so I'm curious to see if Lisa may eventually make a slightly lighter version. Otherwise, I may try to lighten it with a bit of Bright Eyed. I honestly don't think the darkening is obvious to anyone but myself, knowing how I scrutinize my foundation. I probably look like I got a little bit of sun but in no way does it look unnatural. YB will probably be the answer to Asian girls with medium to tan skin and yellow undertones looking to find a match with MMBB :) Formula/Texture-wise the jury is still out for me... MMBB doesn't make me itch, breakout or make my face feel tight but I'm not sure if it sits well with my rather oily skin despite the presence of kaolin in the formula. Sometimes I think it's just the weather though. Heat and humidity just tends to make me feel uncomfy no matter what. I will probably save this as a night time foundation or if I know I'm going to be in an air-conditioned environment for most of the day.

Meow: My Meow order finally arrived! I ordered samples of Manx in Frisky and Naughty and a sample of Abyssinian in Frisky as well as a couple feliners and their Intense Medium bronzer. Frisky-Abyssinian totally shocked me when I first saw it. It looks positively white with an uber-pale yellow tinge! I have no idea how I'm going to wear it and I haven't tried it yet. Really if their Frisky-Ab looks this pale I can't imagine what their Sleek and Inquisitive shades must look like. Frisky-Manx in Purrfect and Pampered looked pale too but not as white as Abys. Today curiosity got the better of me and I pulled out both Frisky-Manx samples, picked the one that seemed slightly darker (Pampered) and applied it over my freshly cleansed face. In the baggie, the foundation looked much paler than the other brands I normally wear but surprisingly it didn't look at all pale on my face. It might have been a tad light when I put it on but after wearing it awhile I checked my face and it had settled down into quite a good match! I only wore it for an hour so I can't really judge the feel of it, but the one gripe I've always had about the Pampered formula is that it doesn't really cover any of my imperfections or even blur the edges. I actually find that Purrfect is slightly better in this respect. Anyway, I haven't really tested Manx properly so maybe it's too early to tell. I sure do agree with everyone that Manx is yellow! I find it so strange that Frisky-Manx looks much paler than Naughty-Angora yet when I wear it, Manx matches and looks yellow-toned while Angora tends to be a bit pale and not quite yellow enough. Oh well, I have always found it hard to understand how Meow works!

Garden of Wisdom: My GoW order arrived at my friend in CA a few days after Markey sent it out. He flew to Malaysia on Saturday and I met him on Sunday for tea and to collect the goodies. After he left for his next appointment, I sat in my car and eagerly ripped into the box! I'm a very patient person in real life (honest!) but not when it comes to opening online purchases! And what a beautiful sight were the contents of the box! Adorable bottles and jars in various sizes, all very good quality materials, perfectly packaged and neatly labeled. Yes, it was instant love! My favourites are the Mandelic Acid 10% (5ml) which came in the cutest pump vial and the HA Serum which although is quite viscous, just sinks in instantly the moment I smooth it over my skin! I've never tried anything that absorbs as fast as this so I'm absolutely thrilled. I love how the serum seems to be mattifying, perfect for wearing under MMU. The famous Lemongrass Cleanser is also quite delightful. I'm not sure if its exfoliating properties are a little too much for me and I don't think I can use this everyday. But after emulsifying it with a little water, cleansing my face with it and rinsing, my skin did feel incredibly soft and smooth. Plus the lemongrass scent is so refreshing! The only blot on this otherwise perfect order was that a bottle of camelia oil was accidentally left out! However, Markey being the angel that she is, responded to my email right away and sent a replacement out the very next day. Gotta love customer service like that. I'm already dreaming up a second GoW order. So many other products I just want to try! I've only just started using my products so it's hard to say if any effect is taking place yet. My Mom was also very curious about all the bottles and spray mists and I think I may just convert her to natural products sometime in the future ;)

Lumiere: And finally, what bonafide MMU-addict can resist a good sale? I totally caved the moment I heard about Lumiere's 33% off birthday sale and ordered a whole bunch of things including a travel size VV Med Warm, more samples and a 9-pc brush set. Now if you'll excuse me, I think I hear my bank account screaming now.

• MMBB Soft Glee - Very pretty! Peachier with a bit of pink but works very nicely with my skintone. Had to use slightly more than usual to get the colour to show on my cheeks. Also makes a delightful medium peach-rose lip colour, very natural and healthy-looking.
• Meow samples have arrived! I still need to pick them up but I'm just relieved they got here.
• Garden of Wisdom order has arrived at my friend's place and he'll fly into Malaysia tomorrow, so I'll get them soon!
• Veena Velvet - still no breakouts!
• I wish I could get online a little more but internet is still kinda limited. Gosh, I miss you all!

Been back in my parent's house the past few days and unable to get online. There was a power failure and then our phone line went down so I can't use the dialup internet. Anyway, I'm still wearing Lumiere VV everytime I need some makeup on which is about once a day. I try to wear the same foundation for long periods too, up till night time. I figured out the right ratio of Med Beige to Med Golden is a 60/40 ratio of Beige/Golden. This matches me to a tee and is really excellent. I haven't worn Med Warm yet because I'm sort of rationing it! If I don't use primer or finishing powder my face does get a little oily after a few hours, but if I use at least a primer or an f/p (currently MMBB Photogenic Veil) then my face barely gets oily at all. I also don't seem to be breaking out from VV which I'm really happy about. I just hope it's not a delayed effect and my skin goes haywire a week from now! Otherwise I just love the texture of this foundation. I also haven't really tested any of my other MMBB blush samples yet simply because I'm still enamoured with MMBB True! I love it as a lippy. It gives me that whole my-lips-but-better effect. Anyway, I think this is all the updates I have and I'll continue with the Veena Velvet experiment. I'm sort of curious to try Med Neutral now after seeing it on geminisc but then again I got such a good match with Med Warm that I wonder if trying Neutral is even necessary.

It's pouring with rain here right now and I don't think I can get to my car without getting soaked, so while waiting for it to let up I figured I'd compose my entry for the day. Today I primed with MMBB Photogenic Veil, used Bright Eyed on undereye and mixed a little with Bisque Concealor to cover blemishes. Then I used a 50/50 mix of Lumiere Medium Beige and Medium Golden in VV but I'm not sure if this ratio is right because the colour still looks a bit off. Or maybe I just haven't given it enough time to warm up yet.

On cheeks I used MMBB True blush which looks like a light-medium toned dusky pink with a slight sheen. It gave my cheeks a very natural glow with a bit of understated yet noticable colour. Very similar to Lumiere Wild Rose except I used less product with MMBB to achieve the same result. I was wondering what to use on my lips and then I decided to see if True would work on lips as well if I used it with lip balm. The effect when mixed with my soft lip balm was incredible because True just transforms to this medium-toned pink shade that is so gorgeous! I am absolutely in love with this cheek and lip combo now! Paired together, True is like the little sister of Fyrinnae Kabuki. While Kabuki is more gothic-lolita sexy, True gives off a very romantic vibe while still managing to look fresh and girlish. I absolutely love True and I think I must have more of this! I can't rave about this colour enough. I didn't use much on my cheeks but I think if I layered a bit more, it would give a more dramatic look that would be ideal for nighttime.

Oh well, I'm starving now and it's still raining. I guess I'll just brave the rain in an effort to find something to eat!

[Updated]: I've been wearing the same makeup for the past 11 hours and I have to say that it held up extremely well. I only had to blot once today but otherwise no major oilies. I guess this could be due to a) the Photogenic Veil, b) the oat extract in the foundation, c) the fact that I didn't do anything streneous today, I think I barely broke a sweat, d) the fact that it rained all day so the weather was much cooler than usual or e) all or a combination of the above. I only added a dusting of face powder in the evening to touch up before I went out again. Also I'm delighted to report that I experienced no new zits today and a zit that was emerging a couple days ago even subsided without coming to a head. So far VV looks quite promising although I wonder if using Photogenic Veil to prime acted like a buffer between my skin and the foundation. Shade-wise the foundation is still a bit off though so I guess I'll have to tweak the ratios a bit more. 

In an effort to determine whether Lumiere Veena Velvet foundation is likely to give me zits, I've decided to wear my VV foundation samples everyday until they run out. I figure right now is a pretty good time because most of the zits I have are healing and should be gone in a couple days. So if I get a crop of new ones I'll know to suspect something.

This evening I wore VV Medium Beige with Lumiere Wild Rose blush on cheeks and Lumiere Burnt Sienna blush on lips with lip balm. Medium Beige definitely looks off when I first apply it. My face looked rather pale and a bit ashy but it did start to resemble my skintone more after I'd worn it awhile. Still, it's not a good enough match for me to consider purchasing a fullsize. Wild Rose is an ok blush for me. I think I'd like it more if it were slightly more pigmented. I shook out 2-3 times what I normally use for strongly pigmented blushes but I still got only the faintest hint of colour on my cheeks. It was ok though, because the zits on my cheek are still healing and I don't really want to draw too much attention to them. Wild Rose would probably look awesome on fair to light skinned girls but on medium skin like mine I definitely need blush with a little more oomph. I finished off the look with a light dusting of Revlon Skinlights Natural Light which looks super shimmer-sparkly in the jar but went on surprisingly sheer, enough to give a hint of glow. I swept it over cheekbones first with my EDM baby buki and then lightly ran the brush over my forehead, bridge of nose and chin.

So I guess we'll see if my skin likes VV or hates it. I'm really hoping it's the former. Also in other news, Fyrinnae will be having another sale soon on their liquid eyeliners and silken eyeshadow base just in case anyone is interested :)