9 posts tagged “mmbb”

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!

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. 

My breakout seems to be quickly subsiding - finally! I think it was mostly hormonal PMS zits and now that 'that time of the month' has arrived, they are all healing and going away. I used mostly all MMBB makeup today except for foundation. I used my sample of Mineral Essence L3 that I have had for awhile and am trying to finish because some of the ingredients are botanical and thus I don't think its shelf-life is as long as purely mineral cosmetics. I really do like Mineral Essence foundation but I doubt I will ever purchase from them because their prices are a bit steep. I sandwiched the foundation between layers of MMBB Photogenic Veil and this time I must have done something right because I didn't notice as much oilies as before even after a few hours of wear. I also used Bisque Concealor on my spots and Bright Eyed on my undereye area. I think previously I was using too much Bright Eyed. Today I tried using less and lightly patting it on with my brush and it looked much better, didn't cake up and didn't look too pale but still did a good job of covering my dark shadows. I really like this stuff! I did go over it with a light dusting of foundation just to blend the edges and even out the colour a bit more.

Since my breakouts didn't look too bad after foundation and concealor, I thought I'd ease back into cheek colour with something more nude and less rosy. I picked out Sunglow which I think is supposed to be a bronzer (is that right, Lisa?). At least it looks like a bronzer to me, but I think it could maybe double as a medium-dark tan shade of foundation. I cautiously applied it lightly on the apples of my cheeks and contoured up to my temples. The colour payoff wasn't very apparent so I added a bit more and it gave me a healthy glow, very subtle but still pretty. I still wonder if I goofed and this is supposed to be foundation..lol. I also decided to use eyeliner today so I chose Frappucino which looked a darkish brown in the baggie. However when I foiled it, it turned a very appealing shade of medium brown with a copper sheen. A bit reminiscent of Fyrinnae Sake & Sashimi, but with a lighter tone and more copper highlight. Frappucino complements dark brown eyes beautifully and I think if used as a lid colour it would totally make my eyes pop. I haven't tried applying it dry but if it goes on darker when dry then I bet it would make a good accent colour to give eyes some smokey depth.

I really do wish I had a camera so I could actually show you all what I can only describe in words. The good news is that I'll have more access to a camera by the end of the month (a DSLR no less!). The bad news is that I don't know how much internet/computer access I'll have by then. Oh the irony.

Today I tried the last of the MMBB foundations I have: Medium/Dark Beige. I primed with Lumiere Sand Silk and used it as finishing powder too. I think my oilies were not so bad today but nose and cheeks still got kinda shiny without any blotting. Med/Dk Beige is not too bad a match, better than Med/Dk Olive Beige but not as good as Tan. When I first put it on it didn't seem to match at all. I couldn't quite put my finger on what was lacking. Some yellow perhaps. But after several hours the colour seemed to change and it looked better. I could probably get away with this if I wanted to but I'm always on the elusive quest for the perfect shade. I also think it's a little bit too dark but it just makes me look like I've been getting some sun, nothing unnatural.

I also took Lisa's advice and used Bright Eyed as an undereye concealor. I don't have eyebags but I do have some dark shadows just below the inner corner of my eyes. I think Bright Eyed did a very good job concealing them. The only problem I had is that it is a bit too light for my skintone so I had to go over it with a layer of foundation to make it blend in. I have to work on my application technique a bit more because closeup I could see the powders go a bit cakey. But from a slight distance my eye area really did look more refreshed! I practically never use undereye concealors so maybe this is something I should experiment with in future. Or maybe I should just try sleeping earlier...

I also used Blushing Mauve on both cheeks and lips. Like most of the other blushes so far, this is a really pretty colour and I think is more suited for a casual look. It doesn't seem as highly pigmented as the other blushes, good for those au naturel days. It somewhat reminds me of Lumiere Wild Rose blush. The only reason why I wouldn't reorder this is because I have blushes that are similar to it but otherwise it's a great light-medium pink shade that definitely flatters Asian tones :)

I also mixed up some Meow Spring Mix today and will give it a try tomorrow. My Meow order still seems to be nowhere in sight and I'm kind of despairing that it will ever get here by July 4th =/ I honestly hope that it hasn't been lost! The first order I placed with them arrived within 10 days so I expected my second order to be here by now. 

I wore MMBB Tan foundation today over a dusting of their Photogenic Veil which according to Lisa, is the translucent version of Petal Veil. I really do think Tan is my shade. In fact I think the only thing that could make it better in terms of shade is if it were a smidge lighter in depth. Slightly lighter foundations seem to make my face look brighter but it's hard to get the nuance right because too light just makes it look like a mask.

Unfortunately despite using the veil, my face still looked oily after a couple hours out in the hot midday sun. I don't know why this is because both the foundation and the veil contain kaolin =/ It really does give almost the same effect as EDM. Or maybe I just have weird hyper-oily skin, oily enough to fry an egg. The weather here does not help at all. I'll probably just save this foundation for night time use.

I also tried Fushia Fusion again on lips and cheeks. I don't think this colour is for me. It doesn't seem to go well with my skintone and is a bit too light for my lips. I can see it looking good on someone fairer than me, like pinkpixie. Oh well, it's ok. I still have plenty more samples to go through. And if I ever get done trying them all I think I'm going to order a 5-pc 5g set from Lisa. At only $23 it's a pretty good deal and I can pick and choose more of my favourites :)

In other news, I need an Ikea storage box and a tackle box like Sue's! I actually walked through Ikea last week but I must've missed it. Oh well, just one more thing I need to pick up when I'm down in KL again ;) I especially like the idea of the tackle box having removable compartments, because then it should be able to fit in brushes too. Right Sue, right??

One thing I may have forgotten to mention in my MMBB entry yesterday, is that the colour payoff for the blushes (and I presume eyeshadows though I haven't tried those yet) is excellent. I have been using very little each time, a few grains actually and this is enough for both my cheeks to look flushed. Excellent value! I also want to take back what I said about the foundation samples, they are more generous than I thought for the price you pay. And that goes for the mineral veil too. I expected to get maybe 3-4 applications out of each but now I think I may get more than 5 for the foundations and even more for the veil.

Blush-of-the-day was Fuschia Fusion, a medium pink colour that looks scarily bright in the baggie but goes on very natural. I haven't decided if I really like this one or not. To be sure it is a beautiful colour but I'm not sure if it works that well for me. It could be because the foundation I wore today wasn't a match and maybe that threw things off. I tried out Bright Eyed which is really the MMBB Yellow Colour Adjuster/Undereye Concealor. Kind of a 3-in-1 thing. Bright Eyed was too light for me and sort of reminded me of Meow FF N-Angora which has a similar yellow intensity but was also too light. I also think I may have used too much because it looked a bit cakey soon after I put it on. Or maybe it just doesn't go well with the skincare sample I'm using. On lips I wore Rouge Shimmer, which turned out to be another very pretty nude red like lips stained lightly with raspberry juice.

Later in the day I washed off the makeup and decided to do half faces of Walnut Beige and Tan foundation. When I first saw them in the baggies I thought, no way I can wear this. They both looked so different from the foundations I know I can wear. They both actually look almost identical to the colours I used to highlight their names above! Walnut Beige is like a medium nut brown and Tan looked like a medium-dark peachy orange. Despite first impressions, they both looked very natural when worn. WB is a bit too dark for me though, it makes my face look somewhat dull. I think it would be a good shade for women of ethnic Indonesian or Filipino descent. Tan on the other hand, looked like a good match! I was a bit worried I would look neon orange, lol but it actually seemed to suit me very well. I'll probably wear a full face of this tomorrow to try it out properly.

I am still waiting on my Meow samples I ordered that shipped on the 20th. I really hope they get here by Monday! The last time it took 10 days to ship. I want to see if Manx works for me or if I should just go and order a munchkin of Purrfect N-Angora. I really do like it alot and like Lili, love the fact that it's layerable without feeling heavy. 

I also witnessed a road accident this evening! I was waiting at the traffic lights when I heard this sharp screeching sound. I looked in my wing mirror just in time to see a motorbike hit the side of a sedan car about two cars away from me! I literally saw the guy on the bike bounce off the car and I think his crash helmet flew off because he wasn't wearing one when he landed on the road. In my rearview mirror I saw him move and begin to sit up immediately so I don't think he was that badly injured. Several other motorists went to help so I didn't stick around. It was freaky though! I think the car driver was in the wrong because it looked like he made a sharp right turn and the motorbike ended right in his path. Gosh! It's times like these when I'm reminded that life is so fragile.

I've taken a long hiatus from posting and reviewing MMU, or at least a week+ feels long in blogging time. My My Minerals Bath & Body order arrived slightly over a week after I got shipping confirmation which I think makes it the fastest delivery time of all the MMU companies I've sampled! I ordered three sets of 20 random samples so imagine I have 60 colours to go through! Fun! :D I have mostly been reaching into the big plastic baggie and picking out colours like a raffle every time I get ready to go out. Lisa sent me quite a spread and everything looks deliciously good. I especially like her greens, golds, neutrals and reds. She was such a darling to include an Itty Bitty Kabuki as well as samples of Moroccan red clay with my order (yes Sue, you'll get some clay for masks too). I have to say that for the price of $0.20-$0.25 per sample, they are very generous. The foundations have enough product for a handful of applications which is fine but the blushes and eye colours, well there is enough in there for many tries since you don't need to use a lot. Adding inexpensive First Class International shipping, MMBB's prices can't be beat!

I've only tried three of the colours so far and one of the foundations. The colours were Rum Raisin (A red raisin colour with metallic sheen), Rouge Shimmer and Warmth (A beautiful blush/bronzer that gives a perfect sun glow) and I used them all as blushes with the exception of Rum Raisin which I've also used as lip colour as per Lisa's recommendation. I have to say I love them all! Rum Raisin gives my cheeks a beautiful pop of colour and makes an excellent nude red lippie. Rouge Shimmer is a more sophisticated red with a slight shimmer finish. It's perfect for nights out and the shimmer is an effect I think MAC Mineralized Skin Finishes would give. It highlights cheekbones nicely without looking over the top. When I picked out Warmth I thought it would be too pale for me because it looked rather light and peachy in the baggie. I only used very little but a few minutes after application I looked in the mirror and was delighted to see a subtle sunkissed flush on my cheeks! Warmth gives me such a healthy glow and is actually a peachy-looking shade that I would love to wear. Lisa also says this can double as a foundation but it would be too dark and peachy for me to use for that purpose.

Today I decided I should try the foundations so I wore Medium/Dark Olive Beige. Sadly this was not a match for me. The depth seemed ok although perhaps it could have been a smidge lighter. But it went on pinkish and didn't have enough of the yellow that I need. The foundation seemed to form little granules but these quickly turned to fine powder when I swirled my Lumiere baby kabuki in them. The foundation overall reminds me of EDM. My face got rather oily after a few hours but I didn't experience any itchiness or tightness. I quite like the formula, I just need to find a better shade.

I have to say that the best part about MMBB is Lisa herself :) She is one of the nicest ladies I've ever met online and of all the women who make it their business to sell makeup, Lisa is the only one who has become a friend. I really enjoy batting emails back and forth with her and her sweet personality, encouragement and advice are such a blessing. Needless to say, her customer service is stellar. Overall I have no complaints about MMBB and would highly recommend it for affordable, quality makeup and an excellent shopping experience!