I realized that I forgot to include lippies in the last batch. My choice of lip colour is pretty much dictated by which bag I'm carrying. You'd think I'd remember that so-and-so lip stain is kept in such-and-such bag, but I never do, so it's sort of a grab bag situation when I dash-and-apply on the way out the door. But you're not so interested in the taupes and the peaches and the nudes that I carry around everywhere. Or rather I'm not interested in rummaging through all my bags and ruining my daily routine when I realize I've left all my lipstick on the window sill. So here's the more adventurous side of my makeup bag, mostly courtesy of PR gifts and random warehouse sales.


From left:

1. Okay, super sad story. Since taking this photo, I lost the Estee Lauder lip gloss, it has disappeared into God knows which bag.

2. Maybelline Water Shine 3D in Peachy Summer. A light and really juicy lippy with just a bare amount of colour. It doesn't look like you're wearing lipstick, more like you just ate a really moist and tasty grapefruit and haven't licked your lips.

3. MAC Mattene lipstick in Midnight Media. This is a scary matte black that will really show if you haven't been keeping up with your chapstick application. I use this at home to scare my dog into thinking my evil twin has arrived to take her to someplace doggies don't like. I haven't had the guts to take it out on the town yet, but maybe that's because I never go out. It's a hot goth look though.

4. Estee Lauder lipstick in Orchid Dream. Super-duper divine colour -- sort of follows the '80s acid theme but with a more mature and womanly touch. When I decide I want hot pink lips, this is what I pick up.

5. MAC Lustre in Naked to the Core. It's a nude lippie with a centre that's shimmery pink. I don't like anything shimmery on my lips. But this was in one of my bags and so it got used and my hot lips melted it so the shimmery part and the nude part are all mixed up and I like it a bit better now.



Wow, I just reread this and it's kind of boring. I apologize if you got this far.

Natural light is the greatest thing God ever did for bloggers. I was trying to be less wordy with my posts; no one has the time to read long blog entries. I sort of always knew that, but my natural inclination to blabber on endlessly usually takes over. Blogging is a selfish interest anyway. So this was meant to be "more pictures, less words"... but I failed.

We get a lot of our beauty products from PRs. I'm pretty much a makeup dork, so something like half of my makeup bag is gifted from PRs or family and friends. Actually, I stopped wearing makeup sometime after I started my new (now not-so-new) job. It's probably a sign of the slow, sure downhill stroll into not giving a crap. But after I was snapped in Ming Pao Daily with eye bags down to my knees, I think I need to start again. Let's see what's inside.



It's both sad and gross that I can't really wear mascara; my face is so oily that by the end of the day it's stuck all over my eyes. When I have the sense to powder up and prevent that, I use this Japanese one with a picture of an anime girl on it. You can get it at Sasa. It was introduced to me by this guy I met from the Hong Kong Economic Times who used to date a beauty editor who got the recommendation from the makeup artist that does Fiona Sit's face. We were on a cruise to Japan and he bought me two tubes. Random acts of kindness from almost-strangers is always nice. The Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick bronzer in Copper Diamond is a Christmas present from my mom. I never tan my face so it's useful to have.


Eyeliner is my best friend. Eyeliner is the best friend of every single-eyelid-ed gal who doesn't have Korean parents to buy her surgery. I've used the famous pencils -- MAC, Chanel -- and always end up looking like a fatigued panda, so now I just use $20 twisty eyeliner from Bonjour. The brand is Chameleon and it stays pretty put unless you rub your eyes a lot. Which I have a tendency to do. You can also see the Dior palette I travel with (four brownish eyeshadows, two lippies -- one glittery, one red); my cheapo Maybelline blush; and my Body Shop All In One Face Base 05 creamy cover-up that is the only thing I've found that doesn't really clog the pores too much.


This MAC Fascinating Ruby: 6 Smokey Eyes eyeshadow palette is awesome. It has everything you need for day or night. Most palettes usually contain one or two colours that are never ever touched, but this one doesn't.


Estee Lauder just sent a gangload of stuff to my office, including this eyeshadow. I can't wait till the next time I have an excuse to dress like a trashy hooker with a grunged out 5am eye. And I of course mean that in the best possible way.

Next week, we talk lippy.