audrey fong fong

Even though I get a ton of new beauty products through Ipsy and going to the mall/Target, I hardly ever write reviews because I usually only end up trying two new products a month. Instead of opening up every new product, I prefer to use it up and then start a new one so it could be months before I use a new product. I'm trying to get better at testing out my products as soon as I get them so here are the latest I've tested out.

• Bliss - Jelly Glow Ball Radiance-Boosting Cleanser with Lychee: I honestly only bought this jelly glow ball from Target because it came in a lychee scent and I love anything lychee. To my surprise, this cleansing ball is awesome! It removes all my makeup and leaves my skin feeling clean and oil-free. Not to mention, it smells yummy and is super fun to use.
• Fresh - Eau de Parfum Spray (Sugar Lychee): This isn't a new purchase for me, but I wanted to include this for all other lychee fans. This perfume is amazing! It's sweet without being gross and smells just like lychee and nothing else. 
• Rodial - Glamolash Mascara XXL: Ipsy sent me this mascara and I'm not a big fan of it. The brush is pretty chubby so it's hard to do my tiny lashes without brushing my face too. Additionally, it smells like chemicals.
• Glossier - Balm Dotcom (Rose): I like how moisturizing this product is and it offers a soft pink shade to your lips. Only problem is I don't like rose scented items, but I would get this product in a different scent later.
• Aurora - 24H Lively Lip Stain (Soft Pink): This is one of the coolest products Ipsy has ever sent me! Lip products are my favorite and after trying liquid lipsticks, I thought I'd just stick with lipstick and lip crayons in the future. However, this lip stain is awesome in that it doesn't smudge and is super easy to apply. It's basically a felt tip marker for your lips. The only thing I wish is that the color I got was more red or berry.

• SIDMOOL - Real Moisture Mask: I couldn't find any English instructions for this face mask, so I left it on for 20 minutes and then rubbed the extra fluid into my skin. I liked how this mask wasn't heavily scented, but I have yet to see any change in my skin. To be fair, my skin is usually pretty smooth/healthy other than the occasional acne, so it could help someone whose skin isn't as hydrated.
• Holika Holika - Smooth Egg Peeling Gel (Gudetama Lazy & Easy Edition): Not gonna lie, I bought this product strictly for its Gudetama packaging. For the most part, I like this product. It peels away dead skin effectively, leaving your skin smoother. The only issue I have with this product is it's not easy to dispense. To dispense it, you squeeze the bottom half of the egg, which you have to squeeze hard. However, if you squeeze it hard, too much comes out, so a lot of product goes to waste.
• Holika Holika - Gudetama Jelly Dough Blushers:  Other than the super cute packaging, there's nothing special about this blush. However, I do like how bright pink it is and how it comes unscented. It's just I'm sure there are lots of other blushes that work just as well for cheaper.
• ENature - Birch Juice Hydro Sleeping Pack: Ipsy sent me this face mask in its September glam bag and Soko Glam claims that it'll leave your skin looking rejuvenated.  I was excited to try this product because keeping your skin moisturized is super important, especially during the colder months.  However, I haven't noticed any change to my skin after using this product for several weeks. If anything, I think my skin was more hydrated when I used Cetaphil every day.

Ipsy is a personalized monthly make-up delivery service started by makeup vlogger, Michelle Phan. Originally, I started just because my friend needed to rack up points for her account and if I signed up, she'd get them. I didn't know what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised at the array/quality of the items and all for $10. In the pack, there was: Urban Decay's Afterglow 8-Hour Powder (Sin), treStiQue Mini Matte Lip Crayon (Tuscan Wine), Luxie Dreamcatcher Precision Foundation Face Brush, Hey Honey Lip Balm in Besame Mucho, and Starlooks Artist Edition Eyeliner. The only product I wasn't totally nuts about was the highlighter from Urban Decay because I just didn't notice much of a difference when I put it on. The lip crayon and brush are phenomenal though.

Although released in February, I just bought my first Chanel lip crayon in Cassis. I've always been a fan of lip crayons because a) they're easier to apply and b) they typically are more moisturizing than other lip options. I was skeptical to think that any lip crayon could beat NARS or even Revlon - my previous two favorites - but this lip crayon is amazing. It's super moisturizing and lasted on me for about 5 hours before needing reapplication, even after eating. The color, Cassis, is gorgeous. It has a nice shine to it and the subtle shimmer to this berry shade makes it feel luxurious.

Finding lip colors that are flattering for Asian complexions can be hard when you live in the states. It's especially hard when all you want to do is find a red lip color so that you can feel like Keira Knightley or Gwen Stefani (I mean, who doesn't want that?). You could of course go to websites selling Asian beauty products like Takashima, but then you get stuck paying either shipping or the inflated prices that come with imported products.
Despite it being difficult to find lipsticks that go with my skin tone, lipsticks are still my favorite piece of makeup. I love the way it can change your whole look or make you look more dressed up/pulled together than you really are. It took a bit of trial and error, testing out beauty products at department stores, borrowing makeup from friends, and reading reviews online, but I have finally found 6 easy shades that have become my go-tos. The nice thing about all six of these colors is that they're available from easy-to-find American stores, so none of them should be hard to hunt down.

1. ChapStick Total Hyrdration 3 in Merlot Tinted Lip Balm - An easy, everyday color that gives your lip a subtle amount of color without any glitter, stickiness, etc. Nice and simple.
2. Revlon Colorburst Balm Stain, Honey – This color is perfect pink and looks natural enough you can wear it every day. Like all of the colors from this collection, it applies easily and moisturizes considerably more than the average lip color.
3. Chanel Envoutante – I’ve always been a fan of deep, berry colored lips and this color is fool proof. It applies pretty sheer to add a subtle amount of color, but builds up easily. I love the slight shimmer to this lipstick and have found this to be one of the moisturizing lipsticks I’ve ever tried.
4. Nars, Palais Royal – I’m a huge fan of lip crayons and this Nars one is great. Beautiful berry color, doesn’t smudge and is just a tad more subdued than Rock Steady. It’s a compromise between Rock Steady and Envoutante for those days you just can’t decide.
5. Gwen Stefani for Urban Decay, Rock Steady – This has become my favorite lipstick recently and I wear it all the time! This bright red packs a punch, but is much more wearable as a red lipstick due to its berry color. Highly recommend!
6. Chanel Gabriel – I spent years searching for the perfect fire engine red and tried everything from Revlon to Dior to Maybelline, etc. The biggest challenge for me was that most reds had orange undertones that washed out my skin. This is the most flattering bright red that I’ve found to date.