❤ The Makeup Piggy ❤

Circle Lens Review - EOS Diamond (G-218) Grey

2012-01-21T11:18:00.001-05:00

Long time no blog! Blame my lazy ass and the new semester :p Anyway here is a review of EOS Diamond (G-218) Grey, sponsored by MukuCHU. It's from a series of lenses with gemstone-inspired patterns.

The color on the Diamond Grey is relatively subtle, but I feel that it makes the lens more crystal-like. The pattern is very unique without being scary as well.

Natural Light

Indoor light

Flash

These lenses are 14.5mm in diameter, so their enlarging effect is very obvious. I like how the "halo" gives the lenses depth too.

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

The Diamond series reminds me of GEO Xtra Lotus, which has a similar "radiating triangles" pattern to it. I do prefer the Diamond as they seem to make my eyes sparkle.

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

Compared to another pair of dark grey lens I own, EOS V-202 Grey, the Diamond is more interesting to look at, and slightly more enlarging.

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

Here are all the lenses worn in this review. Clockwise from the top: Diamond Grey right side up, Xtra Lotus Grey, Diamond Grey upside down, V-202 Grey.

FINAL VERDICT:
Design: 9/10 - Very interesting design, and the subtle color really works with it.
Enlargement: 9/10 - Pretty enlarging even without a dark outer ring.
Comfort: 9/10 - No significant discomfort so far.
TOTAL: 9/10 - You know what this series of lenses would be good for? A cosplay of Oscar Wilde's The Happy Prince!

Thank you MukuCHU for the lenses!

Circle lens review - EOS J-101 Violet

2011-12-25T11:44:00.002-05:00

Hey everyone, sorry for the unannounced hiatus the past couple of weeks, end-of-semester rush is horrible. Today I am reviewing the EOS J-101 violet circle lenses, sponsored by MukuChu. This is a single-color lens with design similar to the old Adult series.

The J-101 have good color intensity but not so bright that you look possessed. The clear part in the middle is large so you won't get a halo around your vision.

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

These lenses are not significantly enlarging and there is no dark outer ring, so they look more like "normal" colored lenses.

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

Compared to the Barbie Big Size Violet lenses, the J-101 are not as eye-catching and intense.

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

I also compared the J-101 with the Fynale Y17 Blue which are a blue-violet color. The Fynale gives me a halo around my vision due to the small hole in the middle, but the J-101 does not.

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

Here are the lenses worn in this review. Clockwise from top: J-101 violet right side up, Big Size Violet, J-101 violet upside down, Y17 Blue.

FINAL VERDICT:
Design: 6/10 - To be honest I find them very uninspiring
Enlargement: 5/10 - Just a wee bit
Comfort: 10/10 - Surprisingly comfortable
TOTAL: 7/10 - Not one of my favourites, but if you are looking for a single-color lens, these are pretty nice.

Thank you MukuChu for the lenses!

FOTD - Two recent clubbing looks

2011-12-06T22:16:00.001-05:00

Just wanna share two looks that I wore to clubbing recently :)

A purple look with precise eyeliner and arched brows. The purple shadow is NYX's Morocco.

Bad bathroom lighting is bad, but this is a heavy smoky looks with black, gunmetal and silver eyeshadow. I was wearing fake bangs so I drew on Vulcan brows. :P

Creative Makeup Tutorial - 1920's inspired violet look

2011-11-24T17:47:00.001-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I am here to show you a new look I did today. It is inspired by the roaring 20's, with a bit of harlequin thrown in. This is my first time experiencing with pseudo-20's hair, so I will post a tutorial when I get it to look better.

A closeup of the eyes before I begin. The lenses are Puffy 3-tone Brown.

After putting on foundation, I put on a thick layer of powder below my eyes to catch any fallen eyeshadow.

I then applied lavender-grey eyeshadow along the bridge of my nose between my eyes for shading.

A shimmery violet eyeshadow is applied all over my eyelids all the way up to the brows, blending into the grey.

I then added dark violet eyeshadow along the lower lashline and over the upper lid.

Black eyeshadow is applied along the outer half of the upper lashline and a bit in the outer corners of the eyes.

I then heavily lined my eyes (as well as the lower waterline) with black pencil eyeliner for a smoky look.

I cut up a pair of false lashes into individual spikes and applied them along my lower lashline for a dramatic spiky look.

Highly arched eyebrows are drawn on above my natural eyebrows (which I should have covered at the beginning of the tutorial =____=), and a bit of glitter is applied between individual spikes of the false lashes for highlight.

Pink blush is applied to the apples of my cheek, and a black heart is drawn on my right cheekbone with a bit of glitter for added sparkle. A layer of mascara is also applied to my upper lashes.

Finally, I outlined a beestung-shaped lip over my natural lips (covered with foundation), and filled it in with violet-pink lipstick.

Here's a closeup of the eyes and the heart.

For the fingerwave-like hair, I sectioned the front of my hair from temple to temple off from the rest of my head, then curled them with a small-barreled iron. I then combed out the curls and fixed them to my head with loads of bobby pins.

I think with more practice, this will definitely look more natural. :p

The rest of my hair is loosely rolled into a bun and tucked under at the nape of my neck, and is secured with a claw clip.

Just two more camwhore pics:

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial, and have an awesome Thanksgiving weekend. :)

Circle lens review - EOS Love-U Brown

2011-11-19T13:54:00.001-05:00

This is my review of EOS Love-U Brown, sponsored by MukuChu. This is a pair of natural-looking lenses that surprised me quite a bit, and I think they will be great for everyday wear.

The Love-U Brown are a mid-tone brown lens with lighter brown highlights in the middle. The highlights are not visible when the lenses are off the eyes, so when I first got the lenses I thought they are single-colored and kinds of boring. However, once I try them on, I immediately notice the highlights and how they make my eyes more interesting.

Natural light (next to window)

Indoor light

Flash

The Love-U are 14.0mm so they are low in enlarging power, which make them good "casual" lens to wear without makeup.

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

The Love-U have a similar design to EOS Max Gold Black, but are smaller in diameter and lighter in color. The Max Gold Black look kind of "dead fish"-like in comparison.

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

I also compared the Love-U to my current favorite natural lenses, Neo Dali Extra Brown. The Extra are a bit bigger in diameter but they are both lovely.

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

Here are all the lenses I wore for the review. Clockwise from the top: Love-U Brown right side up, Max Gold Black, Love-U Brown upside down, Extra Brown.

FINAL VERDICT:
Design: 9/10 - Highlights my eyes very well
Enlargement: 7/10 - Minimal enlargement
Comfort: 9/10 - No significant discomfort, and the small size of the lenses also helps
TOTAL: 8/10 - A surprisingly nice pair of natural lenses

Thank you MukuChu for the lenses!

Circle Lens Review - Fynale Y17 Blue

2011-11-15T01:56:00.001-05:00

Today I am review the Fynale Y17 Blue circle lenses, sponsored by Apple of Your Eyes. These are one of the most striking, uniquely designed lenses I have tried so far, and I really like them!

The Fynale Y17 are highly-pigmented lenses that has 4 colors printed on the lenses. Each color in the series is beautiful, but the blue lense especially caught my eyes. They are a blend of sky blue, hazel and purple surrounded by a thin black ring, and look stunning in all lights.

Natural light (next to window)

Indoor light

Flash

Being 14.0mm in diameter, these lenses are not very enlarging. The iris hole in the middle is also a bit small and my vision becomes a bit blurry under low light.

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

I also compared the Y17 with two pairs of strong-colored lenses I have. The first pair is Neo Cosmos Glamour Blue. They are both very opaque and bright in color, but the Y17 are more violet while the Glamour are more sky blue.

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

The next pair is Barbie Big Size Violet, which are much more enlarging than the Y17 but with darker color.

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

Here are all the lenses in this review. Clockwise from the top: Y17 right side up, Glamour Blue, Y17 upside down, Big Size violet. See how intricate and beautiful the Y17's design is?

FINAL VERDICT:
Design: 10/10 - They are simply stunning, like works of art
Enlargement: 7/10 - I think they don't really enlarge much
Comfort: 8/10 - A bit thick, and the iris hole is small
TOTAL: 8.5/10 - Lovely dramatic lenses, I just wish they are a bit more enlarging.

Thank you Apple of Your Eyes for the lenses!

Halloween costume #2 for 2011 - Japanese red-crowned crane

2011-11-02T14:55:00.002-04:00

Here's a short post to show you my other Halloween costume this year: a Japanese red-crowned crane! I made the costume completely from scratch, which took me about 3 weeks' evenings. Each of the feathers are individually sewn from fabric and reinforced with craft foam!

Here is the makeup I wore with the costume:

Halloween makeup tutorial - Succubus/demon/devil cut-crease look

2011-10-30T16:14:00.002-04:00

As mentioned in my last post, here is a tutorial on my succubus/demon/devil makeup for Halloween 2011. From start to finish the whole look took almost 2 hours, but I will just focus on the eye makeup here.

I start by using Post-it notes to mask off clean lines on the outer edges of my eyelids. For a more detailed explanation on how to use this method, please refer to my Celestial Sparkle makeup tutorial. :)

I put red eyeshadow "wings" along the socket edge of my eyes and blend it up and out.

Then I used a flat brush to trace fake creases below the red . I also joined the winged outer edge of the fake crease to my eye's outer corners.

I cleaned up the area below the black with a Q-tip, , then applied bright silver eyeshadow to the inner half of my eyelids, blending with dark silver in the outer half. The Post-it notes are removed, and I cleaned the edges with a Q-tip for definition.

I then lined my eyes first with black pencil eyeliner, winging the outer corners up. I also lined the edges created with the Post-it notes with white eyeliner pencil.

Black gel liner was traced over the pencil liner, and thinner details in the inner eye corners are added. I also added white eyeliner right in the inner corners of my eyes, as well as red and silver eyeshadow below the lower lashline. Silver eyeshadow is applied to my browbones above the red for highlight.

Heavily arched black eyebrows are added slightly higher than my normal eyebrows. I also added silver glitter to the white line on the outer edges as well as in the inner corners of my eyes. They don't photograph that well though.

Finally, I put on a pair of false lashes that is longer at the outer corners on my upper lashline, and a pair of lower false lashes along my lower lashline. A fake beauty mark is added with pencil eyeliner as a finishing touch.

Here s the finished look. My lips are outlined and filled halfway in with black, then covered with red opaque lipgloss. Fake Bettie Page bangs were created using a cut-open hair donut pinned to my hairline, and the rest of my hair is curled.

Here is a full-length shot of my costume. I made the horns and tail!

Quick post - Succubus demon makeup V2.0 for Halloween

2011-10-29T11:28:00.002-04:00

Happy Halloween weekend everyone! Just wanna post this pic of the makeup for my succubus demon costume last night. I took a few progress pic along the way, and I will make a brief tutorial later!

A brief guide to wigs, part 2 - Putting on a wig

2011-10-24T11:37:00.002-04:00

This week I will show you how to put on a wig properly if you have relatively long hair. With this method, you should be able to dance and jump around without your wig falling out, and look pretty natural unless someone poke your head. :)

The gorgeous cyan wig used in this tutorial is provided by KKCenterHK, by the way.

I have very long hair going all the way down to my wrist. That's not a typo, in fact I can actually sit on the ends of my hair!

For people that don't usually wear wigs, this is what they usually do to prepare for wigs: make a bun at the back of their head, and then put the wig over it.

However, this presents a few problems: Firstly, little wisps of hair tend to escape the bun when you put it on, and will show along the hairline of the wig. Secondly, if you have remotely long hair, the wig probably won't fit over the bun properly.

And lastly, the most important point IMO, is that you will look like you have a weird growth at the back of your head. :P

When I prepare my hair for wigs, here are the tools I use: Two hair elastics, bobby pins (the ones that has the two "legs" together), hair pins (The U-shaped ones), and a wig cap (An old pair of panty hose will do too). I also use combs and hairspray, of course.

I start out by combing out my hair thoroughly, which will help with later steps.

I then separate my hair down the back into two sides.

The two sides are put into tight French braids and the ends secured with hair elastics. This video will show you how to do French braids.

As you can see, even with the tight braiding, my hair is still very long.

The next steps are to pin the two braids to my head. I first take one of the braids, flip it up and cross it over to the other side of my head, then bring it around and make a "swirl" with the braid, pinning it down tightly along the way.

I then take the other braid, flip it and cross it to the opposite side again, and pin it along the outside of the big "swirl" that the first braid made. This way, the braids are as tight against my head as possible.

If your hair is not as long as mine, you can just flip them up and pin them down without doing the swirl. After securing the braids, I tame any flyaway hairs along my hairline with hairspray.

I then stretch out the wigcap a bit for a more comfortable fit, and put it on.

The wigcap will mess up your hair a bit, so it is important that you shove everything back underneath the cap, then pull on the top a bit so the elastic sits just below your hairline.

I then used hairpins along the elastic to fix the wig cap to my head. I use three on each side: One above my temples, one at my ear and one at the nape.

The wigcap really help flatten down my hair even more, and prevent the braids from getting unpinned.

This is the time that I usually put on my makeup, as all my hair is out of the way. After that, I comb out and/or style the wig a bit before putting it on.

I bend forward and flip the wig upside down before pulling it over my head, stretching the elastics so it fits over all the braids at the back.

I make sure that the wig covers all my hair, especially along the nape and the front hair line.

I then secure the wig by pinning it to the wig cap and hair underneath using lots of hairpins. I usually do four around my face, two at the nape of my neck, and a couple around the crown.

This is how I use the hairpins:
1. Face the pin perpendicular to the direction that it should secure the wig. If you want to stop the wig slipping back, face the pin to the side of your head, for example.
2. Stick it in horizontally about half-way
3. Turn it 90 degrees so it twists a bit of the wig in its prongs, and is pointing at the direction that the wig might slip.
4. Push in the pin all the way.

After all the pins are in place, I comb out the wig again to get rid of tangles and hide the pins better.

And that's it! My wig is secure on my head, and I am ready to head out.

Here's how the back looks. The wig is asymmetrical so the right side is a bit longer.

No weird bump at the back for me! :D

I hope you enjoyed my wig-wearing tutorial, and thank you again KKCenterHK for the wig!

A brief guide to wigs, part 1 - Fiber types

2011-10-11T13:39:00.003-04:00

Halloween is just around the corner, and I am sure a lot of you guys are planning your costumes already :) I figure that now is a good time to talk about something that I love as much as makeup: WIGS!

I am obsessed with wigs, and I own over 20 of them (not counting those that I threw away over the years!). There are different types of fibers that make up the "hairs" of the wigs, and I will talk about three of the big varieties today.

The first type, which tend to pop up a lot around this time of the year, is your party-store variety nylon-like fibers. For folks that don't normally wear costumes, this is what comes to mind when they think of wigs: Shiny, coarse and fake-looking. Obviously I don't own many of this variety, as I really hate how they look, but I did get this fun punk wig for $1 that I plan to style extensively for a joke costume.

Sunlight

Indoors

Flash

As you can see in the above photos, party-store wigs look quite tragic in most lighting, and not like real hair at all. :\

The second type of fiber, which can be easily found in most wig stores and online, is Japanese Kanekalon. They are a lot less shiny and much softer than the party-store wig fiber, and looks quite good in most light. They also come in every color under the rainbow, and can be easily dyed using oil-based dyes like Sharpie markers.

This gorgeous cyan wig is provided by KKCenterHK, by the way.

Sunlight

Indoors

Flash

Kanekalon wigs are comparable to real hair in most light, but the fiber is not heat-resistant, and cannot be styled with hair irons and similar tools (the fiber will shrivel up and become kinky under heat).

The final type of fiber I am showing you today is Futura. It is a heat-resistant fiber that looks and feels like real hair, but they usually only come in natural hair colors. Similarly heat-resistant wigs in crazy colors can be found on eBay, but they don't have a specific name for the fiber.

Sunlight

Indoors

Flash

Futura wigs are sold in beauty supply stores and online, with plenty of everyday styles available.

Here are all three wigs side by side:

Sunlight

Indoor

Flash

Next time I will show you how to properly prepare your own hair for wearing wigs. I have long hair that goes all the way to my butt, and I can wear wigs with no problem, it just takes a bit of time and effort!

Circle Lens Review - GEO Mimi Café Macchiato Brown

2011-10-05T14:33:00.000-04:00

After 2 weeks of unplanned hiatus (busy weekends :p), I am back to review another pair of circle lenses: GEO Mimi Café Macchiato Brown. These are part of the new series from GEO inspired by cafe drinks. They all have very unique designs, and are also very enlarging.

Macchiato Brown has a vortex-like pattern with multiple shades of brown, to imitate the drink that the design is based on. They look really cool up close, while being quite a good match for my natural eye color.

Natural light (next to window)

Indoor light

Flash

These lenses are listed as 15.0mm, so they are really enlarging. I think makeup is definitely needed for wearing these lenses. :D

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

The GEO Hurricane series have a similar swirly design, so here are some comparison photos. The Macchiato Brown have a more obvious swirl to them when compared to the Hurricane Brown, and they are also bigger in diameter.

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

Here are some comparison with the popular GEO Princess Mimi Brown lenses. They seem to be the same size, but the Mimi Browns have a black outer ring while the Macchiato Brown has a dark brown outer ring.

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

Here are all the lenses worn in this review. Clockwise from the top: Macchiato Brown right side up (showing off the really cool design), Hurricane Brown, Macchiato Brown upside down, Mimi Brown.

FINAL VERDICT:
Design: 10/10 - One of the most interesting designs I have seen so far
Enlargement: 10/10 - Huge! :D
Comfort: 10/10 - They are surprising thin, and very comfortable.
TOTAL: 10/10 - Very nice lenses, but definitely need to be paired with makeup.

Circle Lens Review - Neo Cosmos Dali Extra II Violet

2011-09-18T14:37:00.003-04:00

Today I am reviewing Dali Extra II violet circle lenses by Neo Cosmos. This is the second generation of the popular Dali Extra series (of which I own two colors), with a slight change in design.

The Dali Extra II has a black solid outer ring, with black squiggles pointing inwards, surrounding a pixelated colored part. The color is noticeable but not too bright, and blends with my real eye color quite well.

Natural light (next to window)

Indoor light

Flash

The lens bottle noted that the lenses are 14.2mm in size, but I think their enlargement effect is closer to 14.5mm.

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

I prefer my colored circle lenses to be stronger in color, so I compared the Extra II to my Barbie Big Size Circle Violet, which are very bright in color. Their sizes are comparable but the Extra II are darker.

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

Next I compared the Extra II to their first-generation counterpart in grey, and the biggest difference is the outer ring color: the first-generation lenses have a dark brown outer ring, and looks more natural on Asian eyes which tends to be dark brown as well.

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

Here are all the lenses worn in this review. Clockwise from the top: Extra II violet right side up, Barbie Big Size Circle violet, Extra II violet upside down, Extra grey.

FINAL VERDICT:
Design: 8/10 - To be honest I prefer the old design, the dark brown outer ring is more unique and natural.
Enlargement: 9/10 - Enlargement is noticeable.
Comfort: 9/10 - Neo lenses are often quite thin and comfortable.
TOTAL: 8.5/10 - They are pretty nice lenses even though the color is not as bright as I like.

Circle Lens Review - GEO Xtra Lotus Grey

2011-09-11T14:09:00.002-04:00

This is my review of GEO Xtra Lotus Grey, one of the new Flower series from the company, sponsored by ShoppingHolics. These are also one of the biggest pair of lenses I own!

The Lotus Series has a cool pattern inspired by the flower, with petals of different dot density radiating out from the middle. The design gives a gem-like shattered effect to your eyes. The color is not overly intense, but quite noticeable due to the pattern of the lens.

Natural light (next to window)

Indoor light

Flash

The Xtra lens series are 15.0mm in size, the biggest I have tried so far. As you can see in the pics below, they are indeed huge. :)

Natural Light

Indoor light

Flash

I compared the Lotus Grey with my EOS V-202 Grey, and the Lotus Greys are much brighter in color and bigger in size.

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

I also compared them to the biggest lenses I own, GEO X-CK105. The size is comparable, but the Lotus Grey are a lot more interesting.

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

Here are all the lenses featured in this review. Clockwise from the top: Lotus Grey right side up, V-202 Grey, Lotus Grey upside down, X-CK105.

FINAL VERDICT:
Design: 9/10 - The flower-inspired design is cool, and the different color dot density detail gives the lenses character.
Enlargement: 10/10 - HUGE, but since they are not one solid color they are not creepy-looking.
Comfort: 9/10 - I only wore them for about 15 minutes but they feel fine despite being so big.
TOTAL: 9/10 - Very nice lenses with unique design. :)

Thank you ShoppingHolics for the sponsorship!

Six Demeter Fragrances Review

2011-09-08T20:18:00.001-04:00

I just got three new Demeter fragrances in the mail today, so I figure I should do a short review of them along with the other three I already have. For those who haven't heard of the brand, they produce single-note fragrances of a wide range of things, from popular notes like Jasmine and Lavender, to the more niche scents like Tomato and Grass, and even outrageous stuff like Thunderstorm and Paint. Most of these tend to not be long-lasting, but they are really fun to wear by themselves or layered.

Anyway, here are my thoughts on the six that I have:

- Honey: Dear god this one smelled funky on me. I have been looking for a cheaper replacement for my limited-edition MAC Afrianimal honey-note perfume, but this one smelled like sweet melting plastic on me. o_O

- Gingerale: This one is a top-30 seller on the website, and I can totally see why. It smells like a fresh bottle of gingerale, complete with the fizzy carbon dioxide smell. Very fun and great for summer.

- Incense: An amber-heavy scent that doesn't exactly smell like incense. Not bad-smelling, just kind of bland and not really smoky enough for my taste.

- Patchouli: Exactly what it says on the tube. I compared it to a sample of essential oil and they smell the same, except maybe this spray is a bit more "airy".

- Holy Smoke: Now THIS is what I think of when I imagine an incense note perfume. It has a good smoky smell, with a bit of medicinal note that I quite like. It seems to last the longest on me too.

- Holy Water: A very light watery floral, a bit of jasmine and lily I think. According to my mom it smells very sophisticated-woman-ish.

The spray bottles above are Demeter's purse-spray size (0.5oz), the fragrances also come in 1oz and 4oz sizes, as well as bath and lotion products for the more popular scents. I think they are a really fun way to make your own signature scents, and some of the weirder scents might surprise you!

Circle Lens Review - Puffy 3-tone Brown

2011-09-06T15:41:00.003-04:00

This is my review of Puffy 3-tone brown, sponsored by Apple of Your Eyes. These lenses are very unique and exotic, and I love them to bits and will definitely get the other colors!

The lenses are printed in a pattern that mimics real irises, and consists of three colors: Dark brown thin outer ring, main olive-brown ring, and an inner auburn ring. They look a bit green in some light, and kind of reminds me of the eyes of some animals like lemurs and lizards.

Natural light (next to window)

Indoor light

Flash

These lenses definitely enlarges well, but since there is no harsh black outer ring, they are not very in-your-face.

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

I have two pairs of lenses that have similar exotic design with different inner-ring color, so I figure they would be pretty good comparison with the Puffy Browns. First up are my Geo Princess Mimi/Bambi Browns, which has a dark spiky outer black ring compared to the Puffy Browns. They are also clearly red-brown, while the Puffy are more olive.

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

The EOS Misty Greens are a bit smaller than the Puffy Brown, but they also have that vaguely lizardlike design.

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

Here are all the lenses featured in this review. Clockwise from the top: Puffy Browns right side up, Princess Mimi Brown, Puffy Brown upside down, Misty Green.

FINAL VERDICT:
Design: 10/10 - They are so unique and cool looking!
Enlargement: 9/10 - Clearly enlarging but not creepy-doll large :p
Comfort: 8/10 - I feel that they are a bit thick as I clean them, but they feel OK on my eyes.
TOTAL: 9/10 - I liked these lenses when I first saw them in ads, and in person they are even lovelier!

Thank you Apple Of Your Eyes for the sponsorship!

Clip-on bangs review (sponsored by KKCenterHK.com)

2011-08-28T12:54:00.004-04:00

Ever want to have a change of hairstyle but too afraid to go under the scissors? Have bangs, but getting tired of maintaining them? Check out this cool accessory from KKCenterHK.com - clip-on on bangs!

Clip-on bangs is a partial wig that you attach to your own hair using clips. There are plenty of styles out there, but the ones I picked is a simple thick one-length piece that reaches below my eyebrows. Here is the piece on a wighead:

And lying flat on the floor. You can see in the second photo the clip that is used to attach the bangs to your head.

Here is my normal hair. I have butt-length hair with no bangs.

Here I am wearing the bangs. It attaches in seconds, and you just need to style it a bit after you clip it on.

Here is how the top looks like. It can look a bit unnatural, but a cute headband or scarf will solve that problem.

Another way to wear the piece is with your hair up. Here is me without the bangs:

And wearing the bangs:

The bangs are really useful for changing your hairstyle quickly, and the hair is quite natural-looking. KKCenter.com offers plenty of colors to match your hair color, or you can choose a contrasting color for a daring look!

Of course, like any wigs, you can style and cut it as you please. After taking the above photos, I trimmed mine much shorter to get Betty Page bangs. :)

Thank you KKCenterHK.com for the sponsor!

Makeup Tutorial Video - Celestial Sparkle (+makeup trick!)

2011-08-21T22:52:00.007-04:00

Here is my newest makeup tutorial video, on a look I call "Celestial Sparkle". As some of you might have guessed, this look is inspired by two characters from the super-popular cartoon series, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. Don't let the name fool you, this is a show for everyone, not just for little girls; if you still haven't seen it, you should check it out!

Two other inspiration of this look is 80's fashion and makeup, and the fact that I want to show you guys a trick I came up with. I used this trick when I went clubbing back in March (pictures of the look are in this post), and in the video I will show you step-by-step what this simple trick is!

The circle lenses I wore for this look is Candy Coke Pink, and the lower lashes are provided by KKCenterHK.com.

Here is the video:

A straight-on shot of my face:

Another close-up of the eye makeup:

A few more camwhore pics. I really love white wigs, in fact I might get a new one to replace this one as it is getting hard to comb out.

A final pic of how this makeup looks with my natural hair:

I hope you enjoy this tutorial, and Bronies 4 Life! :D

Circle Lens Review - Neo Dali Extra Brown

2011-08-19T21:04:00.009-04:00

This is my review of Neo Dali Extra Brown, a pair of natural dark brown lenses from one of my favorite lens company. I am in love with the subtle pattern that nicely blends with my real eye color, and they have become my go-to lenses for everyday wear.

When you look at the lenses from a distance, they look plain brown; it is not until you get up close that you can see a light gradient towards the middle.

Natural light (next to window)

Indoor light

Flash

The Dali Extra provide very decent enlargement while still looking natural. I think that lenses like these shouldn't have diameters larger than 14.5mm, so that they can be worn daily.

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

I have Dali Extra lenses in grey as well, and I absolutely love them to pieces as they are very unique-looking but not weird. Here are some comparison pics of the two colors.

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

I also compared the Dali Extra Brown with the natural lenses I have on hand. The Hypersize Platinum Brown are darker in color when compared to the Dali Extra Browns, but their sizes are basically the same.

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

When compared to EOS Max Pure Brown, the Dali Extra brown are slightly smaller but the color is warmer. I think the edges of the Dali Extra are a bit softer too.

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

Here are all the lenses worn in this review. Top row: Dali Extra Grey, Platinum Brown, Max Pure Brown; bottom row: Dali Extra Brown right side up, Dali Extra Brown upside down.
FINAL VERDICT:
Design: 10/10 - Very natural and delicate design!
Enlargement: 8/10 - Not so huge that you can't wear them without makeup
Comfort: 9/10 - Neo lenses are always comfy for me
TOTAL: 9/10 - I love these lenses almost as much as I love their grey counterpart :)

Circle Lens Review - Candy Coke Pink

2011-08-14T12:07:00.003-04:00

This is my review of Candy Coke Pink, sponsored by AppleOfYourEyes. These are two-colored lenses with a very cool pattern, and the color is very strong as well. :)

The Coke series' design consists of a thick black outer ring, and a swirly star-vortex colored inner ring. It is quite a unique pattern, but some might be freaked out by how it looks on the eyes.

Natural light (next to window)

Indoor light

Flash

Enlargement-wise, the strong outer ring gives great definition and your eyes will definitely look bigger with these lenses.

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

Next, I will compare them with two pairs of pink lenses I have. First up is the Dueba Big DM23 pink, which are featured in my second Gyaru makeup tutorial:

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

The Coke Pink are of a much stronger color than the DM23, but they have a similar thick black ring design. The size is also comparable as well.

Next is Vassen Super Glamour Pink, which are the "pink-est" lenses I have. The Coke Pink has a smaller pink inner circle of color, but it gives better definition to the eyes.

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

Here are all the lenses featured in the review. Clockwise from the top: Coke Pink right side up, Big DM23 Pink, Coke Pink upside down, Super Glamour Pink.

FINAL VERDICT:
Design: 9/10 - Very cool design, mesmerizing when worn!
Enlargement: 8/10 - Strong outer ring gives great definition
Comfort: 8/10 - No discomfort so far, thickness is not obvious as well
TOTAL: 8/10 - As I said before, the design of these lenses might be a bit freaky, but I am all for unique lenses! :)

Thank you AppleOfYouEyes for the lenses!

Mini review - Sephora by OPI Blasted nail color in Blasted Black

2011-08-13T11:55:00.004-04:00

I have wanted to get my hands on cracking nail polish for the longest time, after seeing them on my students and in magazines. I finally got my hands on a black one from Sephora by OPI, called Blasted Black. I really like how it looks, but applying it is quite an adventure!

This is how the bottle looks:
The instruction on the tag said to apply a thin coat after your bottom coats of colors (the one you want to show through the cracks) has completely dried. I had no idea how thin it needs to be, so I worked backwards from my pinky so the biggest nail looks best.

So this is what happened:

- Pinky: I have no idea what I am doing, so I slopped one thick coat on after another. There was no cracking at all!

- Ring finger: I did one slightly thick coat, so I get one crack down the middle.

- Middle finger: Getting better now, but it just looks like the polish went on streaky.

- Index finger: Finally, success!

The opening pic is of my thumb, which looks the best and really shows off what the polish's effect is. It is great fun watching the cracks appear as the polish dry. At $9 a bottle, I think the polish is a wee bit expensive, but I am sure I will wear it quite a lot!

Mini review: Hard Candy Visibly Wet lip pencil

2011-08-06T19:46:00.005-04:00

I bought this Hard Candy Visibly Wet lip pencil on a whim today because of the color (a nice deep fuchsia) and I am pleasantly surprised! Hard Candy is a cosmetic brand sold in Wal-Mart, with a Rock Chick aesthetic. This lip pencil is about $6, and the color I got is Jezebel.

I expected to be kind of glossy and translucent, but in fact it is ridiculously pigmented, and I only had to go over my lips once to get such an intense color. There is also a slight metallic sheen, which looked awesome in sunlight. I might go back to get the other colors later!

As a bonus, here is one photos from the shoots I did at Otakon (photographer is my friend Adam). Being in the sun with full makeup and covered in glitter was not that fun. =__=

Cosplay Makeup post - Kuo from Infamous 2

2011-07-31T16:05:00.007-04:00

I was at Otakon, a large Anime convention in Baltimore, this past weekend, and I cosplayed Kuo from Infamous 2. I picked the costume cus it is makeup-oriented and the actual clothes can be bought and modified easily. I had a couple of mini-photoshoots at the con itself, but the weather was too damn hot for people in costumes to enjoy themselves :p Anyway here is one preview pic of the makeup before I melted in the sun. Those lovely contacts are bought from YouKnowIt.com, and most of the eyeshadow is from the Coastal Scents 88 color palette.

Circle Lens Review - Barbie Big Size Circle Violet

2011-07-24T15:12:00.006-04:00

This is my review of Barbie Big Size Circle Violet, Sponsored by PinkyParadise. These are the larger version of one of my favorite pair of lenses, G&G Bt02 Violet, and I am so glad that I can get these new ones as my BT02 has expired a while ago. :)

The Big Size Circle (BSC) lenses have a black outer ring with black spikes pointing into the pupil through the colored part of the lenses, giving it a natural look instead of a solid patch of color. The violet color is quite bright too.

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

The BSC are 14.5mm so they are quite enlarging. The strong black outer ring makes your eyes really stand out too.

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

As I mentioned above, the BSC are a larger version of G&G Bt02. Here they are side by side for comparison. I kept the Bt02 so I can compare them with the BSC, I don't wear them anymore and threw them away after this review. DO NOT WEAR EXPIRED LENSES!

The Bt02 are more intense in color, but the design is almost the same. The BSC are good replacements for the Bt02, with a bigger diameter too.

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

Here are some comparison with Pop.C Dark Blue, which has a even thicker outer black ring and smaller color area.

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

Here are all the lenses featured in this review. Clockwise from the top: BSC Violet right side up, Pop.C Dark Blue, BSC Violet upside down, BT-2 Violet.

FINAL VERDICT:
Design: 9/10 - The same lovely design as the Bt02, I just wish they were just as bright.
Enlargement: 9/10 - 14.5mm is a pretty enlarging size.
Comfort: 8/10 - They feel a bit thick, but no discomfort
TOTAL: 8.5/10 - Having these lenses makes me so happy, as I really loved my Bt02 and these are very good replacements. :)

By the way, PinkyParadise has kindly provided a gift code for you guys. When you purchase lenses from them, use the code makeup-piggy and you will get a free cute animal lens case plus a mystery gift. The more lenses you buy, the more gifts you get! :)

Thank you PinkyParadise for the lenses!

My Bellatrix Lestrange cosplay makeup for HP7.2!

2011-07-17T17:24:00.005-04:00

Hey everyone! Have you seen the newest (and last :( ) Harry Potter movie yet? I went with my friends in Boston on Opening Night, in Bellatrix cosplay no less! Unfortunately I forgot my camera, so for now I only have a phone photo post-movie. I apologize for the awful photo, I will put up more when my friend with the camera upload her pics! (And yes, that's a pic of Moaning Myrtle on the shower stall of my friend's bathroom XD)
Helena Bonham Carter didn't wear much makeup in the movie for the role of Bellatrix, but I figure I should go for a "Evil Queen that hasn't been sleeping well" look. Lots of browns and greys went into shading my eye socket and create fake "panda eyes" for this look. I wore a pair of natural-yet-thick false lashes, kept the eyebrows light and smudged on dark purple lipstick (though on retrospect maybe dark red would look better). I cornrowed my hair in six section early in the day, and undid the braids and teased the everliving hell out of it after I did the makeup. Quite a lot of people recognized me at the theatre, as I was wearing something witchy to go with the makeup and hair, and I have the bird head pendant, and the movie was excellent as well. If you haven't seen it, you definitely should!

I'M BACK!!! + Circle Lens Review - Neo Cosmos 3-Tone/Glamour Grey

2011-07-11T01:58:00.010-04:00

After a 2-month-long hiatus, I am glad to announce that Makeup Piggy is back! :D I am finally done with my qualifying exam, and will resume posting reviews and tutorial for you guys. Also of note is that I now have 700+ followers, even though I have been missing for so long. To all the new followers, welcome! And to everyone that has been following me, thank you very much; you are what keeps me motivated in posting in Makeup Piggy. Anyway, let's start with some long-overdue reviews!

This is Neo Cosmos 3-Tone/Glamour Grey, sponsored by Shoppingholics. I cannot tell you how ridiculously in love I am with these lenses! They are just so perfect, and exactly what I am looking for in a natural-yet-striking design for colored lenses.

The Glamour Grey looks wonderful in all lighting, and covers my eyes' original colors really well. The delicately printed design, with the jagged outer ring and light brown inner ring, makes the lenses look very natural. Such a natural look in mass-produced colored contacts is rare, usually you have to look for custom-painted lenses which costs at least a hundred dollars.

Natural Light (Next to window)

Indoor light

Flash

The enlargement is minimal for the Glamor series, but I actually feel that if the lenses enlarge too much it would ruin the realistic effect.

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

Here are the Glamor Greys compared to another of my favourite grey lenses, Neo Dali Extra Grey. The colors of the Glamor Greys are much stronger, but Extra Grey gives better enlargement. Neo Vision have excellent designs in their lenses! :)

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

Some of you might have noted that the Glamor Greys look a bit blue. Here are the lenses compared with the actually blue variety from the same series (which I reviewed here). The blue lenses are darker and brighter blue when you put them next to the grey.

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

Here are all the lenses used in this review. Clockwise from the top: Glamour Grey right side up, Glamour blue, Glamour Grey upside down, Dali Extra Grey.
FINAL VERDICT -
Design: 10/10 - Pure love <3
Enlargement: 7/10 - As I said before, there is minimum enlargement for these lenses
Comfort: 10/10 - No discomfort at all, but the lenses are a bit thin and require careful handling.

OVERALL: 10/10 - This time's overall score is not an average, but my general impression of the lenses instead. I just love love love these lenses, and I will definitely buy another pair when these expire!

Thank you Shoppingholics for the lenses!

Short semi-hiatus

2011-05-09T02:26:00.002-04:00

Hey guys, just dropping by so that you don't think I am dead. My PhD qualifying exam is coming up in about 1.5 months, so I will be putting more effort into that than writing in this blog. Posts will be even more sporadic than before, and you might not hear from me for 2 or more weeks at a row. I will make sure to post something awesome when I come back!

Circle Lens Review - EOS Xtravaganza (G-210) Violet

2011-04-24T15:35:00.004-04:00

Here is my review for EOS Xtravaganza (G-210) Violet circle lenses, sponsored by MukuChu. These lenses have a much wider "hole" in the middle than most other lenses on the market, so the color part is smaller. Nevertheless, the design is very eye-catching and the color is quite bright.

Natural Light

Indoor light

Flash

Enlargement-wise, these are 14.5mm lenses so it is quite noticeable. The dark outer ring helps define your eyes as well.

Natural Light

Indoor light

Flash

Here are the Xtravaganzas compared to my EOS V-202 grey, a series with narrow color parts. The Xtravaganzas are a little bit larger, and the color is definitely brighter.

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

I also compared them to my favourite violet lenses, G&G Bt02. They look a bit dark compared to the G&G lenses, but they are larger.

Natural Light

Indoor Light

Flash

Here are all the lenses I used in this review. Clockwise from the top: Xtravaganza Violet upside down, BT02 Violet, Xtravaganza Violet right side up, V-202 Grey.

FINAL VERDICT:
Design: 9/10 - I like the design, I just wish the color part is wider.
Enlargement: 8/10 - Pretty noticeable
Comfort: 7/10 - Slightly thick, but not too uncomfortable
TOTAL: 8/10 - I think this series is pretty unique in terms of design, and they are pretty noticeable as well.

Thank you Mukuchu for the lenses!

Video Tutorial - Porcelain Doll Costume Makeup

2011-04-16T03:42:00.003-04:00

As promised a few weeks ago, here is the video tutorial for the Porcelain Doll look I posted. Hope you guys like it. :)

Two more photos to make this post less empty:

Circle Lens Review - GEO Princess Mimi (AKA Tsubasa Bambie Series) Chocolate Brown + Discount code!

2011-04-02T00:29:00.005-04:00

Here is my review for the highly-anticipated GEO Princess Mimi circle lenses in Chocolate Brown, sponsored by CandyLens. These have the same design as the Angel Color Bambie Series, designed by the popular Gyaru model Tsubasa Masuwaka. I must say that these lenses have quite an interesting design, and I am sure the design will be even more obvious in light-colored versions.

The lenses have a dark outer ring with spikes going into the middle, a speckled main color, and a golden brown inner ring around the pupil. They look very "transparent" when worn, giving depth to your eyes. They also remind me of Blythe eyes. :)

Natural light (next to window)

Indoor light

Flash

On the bottle, the lenses were labeled as 15.0mm in size. I must say they are quite large indeed!

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

The lenses are more of a reddish-brown than the normal "brown" most circle lenses have. For example, when compared to my Barbie King Size Brown, they look quite red. The sizes of the two lenses are comparable, but the Mimi seems to be a wee bit bigger.

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

I compared the Mimis with the biggest colored lenses I have on hand, GEO Super Nudy Brown. I think the Super Nudy are still bigger, but the pattern of the Nudy is less interesting than the Mimis.

Natural Light

Indoor light

Flash

Here are all the lenses worn in this review. Clockwise from the top: Mimi Brown right side up, King Size Brown, Mimi Brown upside down, Super Nudy brown.

FINAL VERDICT:
Design: 9/10 - I think they look very unique and doll-like
Enlargement: 10/10 - LARGE. Might look unnatural without makeup.
Comfort: 8/10 - Not much discomfort from the 10-ish minutes I wore them for the review.
TOTAL: 9/10 - Very cute lenses, but definitely not for everyday wear! :)

CandyLens has generously offered you guys with a 5% discount coupon code: makeuppiggy. Just use it during checkout! :)

Thank you CandyLens for the lenses!

Makeup demo video preview - Porcelain Doll

2011-04-01T01:10:00.002-04:00

Sorry for missing another post last weekend, I have midterms and presentations to prepare for :\ Anyway, the above photo is from a failed makeup tutorial that I filmed a while ago. I didn't realize a big mistake I made on the makeup until I started editing the footage; I might still put an edited video up on Youtube, but I probably won't be having the instructions on each step as I usually do. Stay tuned. :)

FOTD - Lightning bolt-inspired eye makeup

2011-03-21T00:29:00.003-04:00

Hi guys, sorry for the lack of tutorials lately. I actually recorded a video on Thursday but I didn't realize a mistake I made until when I start editing the video, so the whole thing was scrapped. :(

Anyway, here is a look I wore when I went to a fetish night at a gay club (taken post-clubbing at 3am). I didn't even know that my horn hair matched the theme, "Angels and Demons", before I got to the club! The eye makeup was inspired by lightning bolts ala Bowie. Anyone want a mini-tut of this look?

Closeups of the eyes (circle lenses are Neo Cosmos Glamor Gray):

Front view (the lips have faded a lot, but they are supposed to be red in the middle fading to black at the edges):

Circle Lens Review - GEO 3-Tone / Tri Color Green (CM-903)

2011-03-12T23:17:00.006-05:00

Here is my review of Geo 3-Tone / Tri Color Green circle lenses, sponsored by Shoppingholics. I have meant to try this series of lenses for a while, as they are quite frequently seen on models in Taiwanese makeup magazines. I think the design is just as pretty in person as in the mags!

The 3-Tone are "natural" lenses, with a delicate design and minimal enlargement. They have a grey outer ring, green main color ring and a golden-brown inner ring, to give a design that looks more realistic. Just a note, I think I wore the lens backwards on my right eye (your left), so they look a bit mismatched.

Natural light (next to window)

Indoor light

Flash

Since the lenses are designed to look natural, there is minimal enlargement.

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

I compared the 3-tone to the similarly-patterned EOS Misty Green, as they both have a dark outer ring and golden-brown inner ring. Obviously the 3-tones are much more "real" looking, but the Misty have better enlargement and definition with the darker and thicker outer ring.

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

I also compared to another "natural" color lens I have, Neo Cosmos Glamor Blue. The Glamor are much brighter, but they both look quite "real" compared to other colored circle lenses.

Natural Light

Indoor Light

Flash

Here are all the lenses used in this review. Clockwise from the top: 3-tone green upside down, Misty green, 3-tone green right side up, Glamor blue.
FINAL VERDICT:
Design: 9/10 - Love the design mimicking real iris of green eyes.
Enlargement: 6/10 - I don't think there is much enlargement, as these are 14.2mm lenses I think.
Comfort: 8/10 - I can wear them inside out without discomfort, which is interesting.
TOTAL: 8/10 - Great lenses for people who want natural colored lenses, no wonder they are popular. :)

Thank you Shoppingholics for the lenses!

Makeup Palette Review - Love Alpha Summer gadually compact (sponsored by KKcenterHK)

2011-03-12T22:37:00.005-05:00

Here is my review of Love Alpha Summer Gradually Compact eyeshadow and blush palette. KKcenterHK has generously sponsored me with this colorful palette, and I had a lot of fun playing with it.

This palette is made up of two layers: The top layer contains 8 shimmery/metallic eyeshadow in various colors, and the bottom later slides out to reveal two blushes, a sponge-tip applicator and a small brush.
Here are the applicators close-up. The brush was a bit too small to be useful, but the sponge-tip applicator is of great quality.
Here is all the shadows and blushes swatched on my inner arm. I swatched the left blush on the left, the eyeshadows in the same order as the palette in the middle, and the right blush on the right. I then tested each of the eyeshadows and the blush on my eyelids and cheeks. All photos below are taken with natural light next to a window, and I am wearing Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion as base on my eyelids.

All the eyeshadows have good pigmentation and the blush is decently pigmented as well. The eyeshadow colors are quite versatile and can be used for daytime and nighttime looks. Overall I give this palette 8.5/10 as the quality is good and the packaging is interesting.

Thank you KKcenterHK for the sponsorship!

Circle Lens Review - Neo Cosmos 4-tone (Queen) Honey

2011-02-27T15:38:00.007-05:00

Here is my review for Neo Cosmos 4-Tone (Queen) Honey circle lenses, sponsored by KoreaBigEyes. Holy crap do I love the color of these lenses, they are so natural yet so unique!

I am a big fan of the 3-Tone (Glamor) lenses from the same company (I wrote my first review on them) so when I learned that there is a 4-Tone version, I really wanted to try them out. One of the new colors in the 4-Tone version is Honey, a light golden-brown, which looked very interesting; and from the pics, you can see how awesome they look on my eyes!

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

Even with the flash, you can tell how well the lenses blend with my natural eye color. The lenses are more translucent in color than the 3-Tones, but it really works with the very natural blending of the four colors on the lenses. It is kind of hard to tell on Honey, but there is the black outer ring, two different tones for the main color, and a brown inner ring around the iris.

Being 14.2mm lenses, the 4-tone do not give much enlargement, but since they are meant to look natural, that is perfectly fine with me.

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

Here are the 4-tones compared to my Vassen Super Glamor Pink. The Glamor Pinks are much more opaque than the 4-tones, and the outer ring is a bit thicker, but the pattern is similar.

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

Compared to my other yellow-brown lenses, Dollyeye Brown, the color is obviously a lot less vibrant (cus Dollyeyes are basically opaque "costume" lenses :p), but the effect is much more natural.

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

Here are all the lenses used in this review. Clockwise from the top: 4-tone Honey right side up, Super Glamor Pink, 4-tone Honey upside down, Dollyeye brown. You can see the color of the Honey a bit better here. :)
FINAL VERDICT:
Design: 10/10 - One of the most natural designs for lenses out there IMO
Enlargement: 7/10 - Just a wee bit, but that's what keeps it looking natural
Comfort: 9/10 - Neo lenses are pretty good comfort-wise
TOTAL: 8.5/10 - Much love for these lenses, Would look great with reddish hair I think. :D

Thank you KoreaBigEyes for the lenses!

Circle Lens Review - EOS G-301 Misty Green (sponsored by iLoveCircleLenses.com)

2011-02-27T15:28:00.005-05:00

Here is my review for EOS G-301 (aka Misty) green, sponsored by iLoveCircleLenses.com. I chose these lenses because I want a pair that look vaguely lizard-like, and that's what I got! :)

The Misty series are tri-color lenses with a black outer ring with spikes pointing inwards, a semi-transparent color part and an inner yellow-gold ring around the iris. I think the green shows off how exotic these lenses are out of all the colors available, not to mention that the color is gorgeous.

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

The color is a wee bit darker than I expected, but then I don't want to freak people out too much when I wear them. :)

Enlargement-wise, these are 14.5mm lenses and they are quite noticeable.

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

When compared to my Dueba Dreamy.i green lenses, you can see that the color on the Misty is definitely darker and a bit translucent. The size is more or less comparable, but the pattern on the Misty is more interesting (the inner yellow ring gives it the extra "pop").

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

My iFairy Ruby Red lenses share a similar pattern to the Misty, but they are even bigger. I believe the Ruby are 14.8mm, and are definitely too big to look remotely natural. :p

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

Here are all the lenses featured in this review. Clockwise from the top: Misty green right side up, Dreamy.i green, Misty green upside down, and Ruby red.
FINAL VERDICT:
Design: 9.5/10 - Very exotic design, could be a wee bit brighter though
Enlargement: 9/10 - The dark outer ring helps with enlargement
Comfort: 9/10 - Same comfort level as my other EOS lenses
TOTAL: 9/10 - Cool lizard lenses, would look awesome with strong makeup!

By the way, ILoveCircleLenses.com is having a promotion: When you purchase over $50 worth of lenses (about two pairs), you will get a pair of criss-cross Korean false lashes!

Thank you ILoveCircleLenses.com for the lenses!

Makeup for my Katsucon cosplay

2011-02-21T01:43:00.003-05:00

I was at Katsucon (an anime convention in Washington DC) all weekend, so I don't have a proper post for you guys. Have a photo of the makeup for my cosplay of Antimony Carver from Gunnerkrigg Court instead. :D

Circle Lens Review - EOS G-208 "Dolly Wink" Brown (sponsored by ILoveCircleLenses.com)

2011-02-05T12:21:00.006-05:00

This is my review for EOS G-208 aka Dolly Wink Brown circle lenses, sponsored by ILoveCircleLenses.com. These are the lenses worn by the Gyaru model Tsubasa Masuwaka for promotional pics for her Dolly Wink lashes, hence the "nickname" for the lenses.

Before I begin, I want to point out that I have received lenses from two different batches, so they are a bit mismatched. This point will not affect how I review the lenses though, but it is something you might also encounter.

The Dolly Wink Brown have a very simple design, similar to the Beaucon Jewel: A thick black outer ring with a fading ring of color within. It gives good definition to your eyes and the color blends in nicely with your own eye color.

Natural Light (Next to window)

Indoor light

Flash

Since the black ring is very prominent, the lenses give good enlargement effect to your eyes. Some might find them a bit disturbing looking though! :p

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

Here are a few comparison pics with other popular lenses I own. First up are the GEO Honey Wing/Olive Browns, which has a similar thick-outer-ring design. The Honey Wing are a bit more natural looking but seems smaller. They are a warmer brown color too.

Natural Light

Indoor Light

Flash

Another lens with a very strong outer ring are the Barbie King Size Browns. The design of the King Size are more intricate, but the brown tone is similar to the Dolly Winks.

Natural Light

Indoor Light

Flash

Here are all the lenses featured in this review. Clockwise from the top: Dolly Wink right side up, King Size, Dolly Wink upside down, Honey Wing. Even when not worn, you can see that the two lenses are a bit mismatched.

FINAL VERDICT:
Design: 8/10 - A very simple yet effective design, which might give someone a "fish-eyes" feel.
Enlargement: 9/10 - Noticeable enlargement, nicely defines your eyes.
Comfort: 8/10 - Slightly thicker than my other lenses.
TOTAL: 8.5/10 - I like these lenses quite well, it's too bad they look so mismatched...

ILoveCircleLenses.com is also having a promotion: When you purchase over $50 worth of lenses (about two pairs), you will get a pair of criss-cross Korean false lashes!

Thank you ILoveCircleLenses.com for the lenses!

Elegant Evening Look with Japanese Eyeshadow Palette

2011-01-29T17:29:00.012-05:00

This week I am using the Integrate palette from my last post again for a evening look, to show you the versatility of it. This look is for occasion when you want to look a bit grown-up, but not "clubby". :) I have marked the color I used below:
I am wearing mineral foundation and GEO Hurricane Brown circle lenses for this tutorial.
I first start by applying the dark shade (A) to the outer half of my eyelids, extending the shape slightly up for a winged effect.
I then applied the medium shade (B) to the inner half of my eyelid, blending it with the dark shade.
Using a dense brush, I applied the dark shade (A) heavily along my upper lashline and also to the outer half of my lower lashline.
I then heavily lined my upper lashline with a dark brown eyeliner pencil, and smudge it well for a smoky effect.
Using black gel eyeliner, I lined my upper lashline, making the line slightly thicker toward the outer half of my eyes. I also winged it out very slightly at the outer corner.
I added the light shade (C) to the inner half of my lower lashline to open up my eyes.
For a bit of sparkle, I dabbed the glitter cream (D) onto the inner 2/3 of my eyelid. It doesn't show up well in the photos though. :\
I filled in my brows with dark brown powder, giving them nice pointed ends to look more sophisticated. :)
After curling my lashes, I applied two coats of mascara.
For extra drama, a pair of feathery false lashes that are longer at the outer ends were applied.
Finally, I contoured and re-powdered my face, and added nude-pink lipstick and lipgloss.
And there you have it! I figure this blog need more looks that are wearable, so I made two neutral looks in a row. I hope you love them! :)

Japanese-style Natural Makeup Tutorial + False Lashes Review (Sponsored by KKCenterHK.com)

2011-01-23T17:51:00.014-05:00

I recent acquired an Integrate Rainbow Grade Eyes eyeshadow palette during my visit in Hong Kong, and also received a set of false eyelashes from KKCenterHK, so I decided to combine the two products into a Japanese-style natural makeup look. This is the makeup I wear (without the false lashes) when I go for interviews or formal non-evening events. I hope you like this tut!

This is the eyeshadow palette I used. Integrate is a mid-range Japanese brand, famous for their eye products. The palette is available in 9 varieties, ranging from browns and greys to bright pinks and greens. The color I got is BR606. When I first saw this palette, I just know I have to get one. The design is so pretty! :D

The palette consists of a creamy base color (A), a middle shade (B), a dark/liner shade (C), a highlight shade (D) and a glittery shade (the white color, which I did not use in the tutorial).

Anyway, let's get started! Here is the "before" shot, where I am only wearing mineral foundation. Since this is a natural look, I am not wearing circle lenses.
I first applied the creamy base color (A) to my whole eyelid all the way up to the brows to even out my eyelids.
I then put the middle shade (b) all over my eyelid, careful to blend the edges for softness.
Next I applied the dark shade (C) thickly along my lashline, up to my crease. If you don't have a crease, make this dark shade about 1/2 of the width of your eyes when your eyes are open. As you can see, Japanese eyeshadow are very soft and usually have a soft sheen, so the look will not be too intense for everyday wear.
I then line my eyes with a dark brown eyeliner pencil along my upper lashline, being careful not to extend the line outside of my natural eye too much, as the look is meant to be natural.
I went over the eyeliner with the dark shade (C) using a spongetip applicator to soften the line a bit.
My lashes are curled and two coats of mascara is applied.
I filled in my eyebrows with dark brown powder, and also highlighted my lower lashline with the highlight shade (D). It doesn't really show up in the pics though...
Finally, I put on the false lashes (skip them if you prefer a more natural look), and applied nude lipgloss to my lips. I don't wear blush usually, but you can add that if you like. :)
Here is another angle of the finished look. You don't always need circle lenses to have big bright eyes! :D
Below is a detailed review video of the false lashes I wore for this look. You can buy them here.

Thank you KKCenterHK.com for the lashes!

Circle Lens Review - Japan Barbie Eye Princess Lace Pink

2011-01-15T10:36:00.008-05:00

Here is my review for Japan Barbie Eye Princess Lace Pink circle lenses, sponsored by Shoppingholics.com. These are the most comfortable circle lenses I have ever worn, it is too bad I don't really like the design.

The lenses came in a special plastic-figure case, with the bottles hiding within the figure. It is very cute, and I would love to get all three styles of the figures.

As for the actual lenses, they are the thinnest, most water-y lenses I have ever worn. I can't feel them at all when I wear them! The design is based on lace, and is very intricate and beautiful. I, however, find them a bit too unnatural, but I am sure there are fans of this designs out there!

The color is also more of a violet-purple than pink, and is quite dark because the black lace pattern takes up so much of the lenses.

Natural light (next to window)

Indoor light

Flash

As the lenses are so dark, the enlargement effect is quite obvious. I think these are around 14.6mm.

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

Here are some comparison pics with my other pink lenses to show how not-pink these are, just in case you want to get these lenses. First are the Dueba Big DM23 Pink. They are very subtle in their pink-ness, but you can still see how much more pink they are compared to the Princess Lace Pink.

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

Next are the VERY pink Vassen Super Glamour Pink. They both have the not-smooth outer edges, but the color in the Glamours are much stronger.

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

Here are all the lenses featured in the review. Clockwise from the top: Princess Lace right side up, Glamour, Princess Lace upside down, Big DM23. See how intricate the design of the Princess Lace is?
FINAL VERDICT:
Design: 7/10 - The design is very unique, but the color is "wrong" and I personally don't really like how dark and unnatural the design is.
Enlargement: 9/10 - Very noticeable enlargement
Comfort: 10/10 - Most comfy lenses ever, they were so thin!
TOTAL: 8.5/10 - These are very cool lenses, but not for me. :p

Thank you Shoppingholics.com for the lenses!

Semi-off-topic post: Check out my painting!

2011-01-06T11:32:00.007-05:00

This is an acrylic painting I did on New Year's Day at an Art Jam event with my friends. I consider this pig painting to be semi-related to this blog cus it's called "Makeup Piggy", and makeup and painting are both art to me. Isn't it cute? :D

To make this post more related to makeup, have a very dark photo of me eating ice-cream after the Art Jam. I was wearing a rock chick-inspired look, with silver and gunmetal eyeshadow, natural false lashes, brow powder and blood red lipstick. (both photos credited to my friend Gloria)

Oh and THANK YOU FOR 550+ FOLLOWERS!

Video Tutorial - "Black Swan" Movie Poster Makeup Re-creation

2010-12-20T02:03:00.003-05:00

This is my attempt at recreating the makeup look on Natalie Portman on the poster for the movie "Black Swan". The poster was captivating, and the movie was awesome as well. If you have a chance you should go see it!

Here is the finished look:
A couple of eyes closeup:

And of course more camwhoring. I am not really used to this whole elegant thing. :p

FOTD - Department X'mas party

2010-12-12T00:45:00.002-05:00

Tonight was my department's x'mas party, I wore a simple neutral eye with false lashes and blood red lips (Revlon "Blackberry"), paired with wavy hair, a black dress, red tank top and lace tights with heels. Nothing fancy but I was one of the more dressed-up people at the party already. Grad students are lazy. :p

Circle Lens Review - Vassen Super Glamour Pink (V2-16-PK) sponsored by KoreaBigEyes

2010-12-04T15:50:00.007-05:00

Here is my review for Vassen Super Glamour Pink, sponsored by KoreaBigEyes. I am so happy to finally have a pair of circle lens that are actually, noticeably pink, and in such a nice design as well! :)
The Super Glamour Pinks are two-color lenses with a "dashed" outer black ring surrounding the actual colored part. The color is quite strong and shows up well on my dark brown eyes.

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

As you can see, they are a strong, slightly violet-toned pink, which is very nice indeed. :)

Enlargement-wise, they are 14.5mm and does enlarge visibly.

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

The design of the Super Glamour Pink are very similar to my favorite "bright yet natural color" lenses, the Neo Cosmos Glamour Blue. Here are the two lenses side-by-side for comparison. The Super Glamour is slightly bigger but lacks the golden-brown inner ring of color that the Cosmos Glamour has.

Natural Light

Indoor Light

Flash

Here are comparisons with my other pair of pink lenses, Dueba Big DM23 Pink. The DM23 has darker outer ring, so the color is not as obvious as the Super Glamour.

Natural Light

Indoor Light

Flash

Here are all the lenses featured in this. Clockwise from the top: Super Glamour Pink right side up, Big D

FINAL VERDICT:
Design: 9/10 - Nice bright color but not freaky-looking even though they are pink
Enlargement: 9/10 - Noticeable enlargement, but the soft outer ring prevents alien-eye look
Comfort: 9/10 - No discomfort at all
TOTAL: 9/10 - Very cute lenses, lovely pink color!

Thank you KoreaBigEyes for the lenses!

500 Follower Giveaway RESULT!

2010-11-29T10:02:00.004-05:00

Thank you for the 10 readers that commented on my last entry! I used Random.org for the drawing, and the winner is....

Comment #3, MeiBelle! Congratulations!! :D

Please comment below and give me your address, I won't publish it don't worry :)

500 Followers Celebration GIVEAWAY!

2010-11-25T17:07:00.003-05:00

To celebrate that Makeup Piggy finally has 500+ followers (THANK YOU EVERYONE!), I am hosting my first ever Lucky Draw Giveaway! The above pair of false lashes, the same style as the ones worn in my Japanese Gyaru Makeup Tutorial Ver 2.0, will be given to one lucky follower. Here is what you need to do:

- Make sure you are a follower of my blog (I will check!) and live within the continental US (sorry international readers...)
- Comment in this entry BEFORE 11/28 telling me about your favorite/HG makeup item
- Check back next week to see who's the randomly selected winner!

Good luck everyone :)

Circle Lens Review - GEO Hurricane Hazel HC-106 (sponsored by eye love sushi)

2010-11-21T16:54:00.006-05:00

This is my review for GEO Hurricane Hazel (HC-106), sponsored by eye love sushi. I already own these lenses in Brown (reviewed here), but Anna from eye love sushi offered these lenses for me to review, so here it is! :)

I only got these lenses in plano, so I probably won't wear them for going out. The color blends really nice with my own eye color, but give it a subtle pattern.

Natural Light

Indoor light

Flash

As I said above, the color of these hazel lenses blend really well with my own eye color. For those who like natural looking lenses, these are for you. :)

Enlargement wise, these are decent without being bug-eyed.

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

Here are some comparison pics with the Hurricane Browns I have. I am a fan of stronger colored lenses, so I have to say I prefer the Browns more (the amber color is really sweet). However, it is easier to see the "hurricane" swirly pattern in the Hazels even though they are darker.

Natural Light

Indoor light

Flash

Here is another comparison with Honey Wing Brown, a favorite among natural lens fans. I think the Wings look a bit smaller than the Hurricane Hazels.

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

Here are all the lenses featured in this review. Clockwise from top: Hurricane Hazel upside down, Hurricane Brown, Hurricane Hazel right side up, Honey Wing (All from GEO).

FINAL VERDICT:
Design: 8/10 - Awesome design, but color is a bit dark for my taste.
Enlargement: 9/10 - Decent enlargement.
Comfort: 9/10 - Feels fine for the 10 minutes I wore them for this review
TOTAL: 8.5/10 - I still love my Hurricane Browns more, but these are quite nice :)

Thank You eye love sushi for the lenses!

Halloween-ish FOTD

2010-10-31T23:22:00.003-04:00

I was at the Stewart/Colbert rally in DC on 10/30 dressed as a vampire loli :3 No one know what the heck I was, as expected, even though I have fangs. I wish I had taken better pics of my makeup though...

Video Demonstration - Female-to-male (Drag King) Makeup

2010-10-28T09:38:00.003-04:00

Guess who the bishounen in this photo is? Haha, it's in fact me, Makeup Piggy! In my newest video, just in time for Halloween, I have demonstrated how to do drag king (female-to-make crossdressing) makeup. I deliberately did not use the typical "draw on a fake beard" approach (which, to be honest, look weird on most girls and doesn't work with anime characters). Instead, I focused on extensive shading to turn a relatively feminine facial structure more masculine. Unfortunately the video is kind of crap, and you can not see me do my lips at all, so I will definitely re-do it in the future.

Two more pics for your viewing pleasure:

Thank you for 2000+ Youtube subscribers!

Circle Lens Review - GEO Hurricane Brown (HC-104)

2010-10-19T23:57:00.009-04:00

Here is my review for the Geo Hurricane Brown circle lens. I think these are one of the most lovely lenses I have ever worn, the pattern is AMAZING. :D

I originally ordered these lenses in hazel, but changed my mind and asked the seller to send me brown instead. I still have not seen any reviews of the hazels, but I am glad I chose brown instead because the color is awesome.

Natural Light (next to window)

Direct Sunlight

Indoor Light

Flash

As you can tell from the pictures, the lenses have a very natural starburst of color with a slightly darker outer ring. The pattern is not harsh at all, and the color brings amazing warmth to my eyes. The reason these are called "hurricane" is because there is a subtle swirly pattern on them, but you can't really see it when worn. Look at the pic at the end of the review for the lenses in their case, and you will see the swirly pattern.

Enlargement-wise, they are middle of the road. No scary uber-large doll eyes here. :)

Natural light

Indoor light

Flash

I think the Hurricane Browns have overtaken the EOS Max Pure Brown as my favourite "Warm Brown Eyes" lenses :) Here are some comparison pics, and you can see the color of the Max Pure are grayer, but they are larger in size than the Hurricane.

Natural Light

Indoor Light

Flash

Here is another comparison with the uber-huge GEO Super Nudy Brown. The pattern on the Hurricane is so much more natural compared to the Nudy.

Natural Light

Indoor light

Flash

Here are all the lenses worn in this review. Clockwise from the top: Hurricane Brown upside down, Max Pure Brown, Hurricane Brown right side up, Super Nudy Brown. The swirly pattern is clearly seen here. :)

FINAL VERDICT:
Design: 10/10 - Tons of love for the design :D
Enlargement: 9/10 - Decent enlargement, close to 14.5mm I think.
Comfort: 9/10 - Feels fine for the 10 minutes I wore them for this review
TOTAL: 9.5/10 - I might get these in other colors as well, I hope they will have pink!

My look for NYCC 2010

2010-10-10T10:15:00.002-04:00

I went to New York Comic Con on Saturday wearing this look. It's been a while since I wear full makeup out, and I am pretty proud of it. :)

Short list of products:
- Revlon Colorstay foundation
- Chacott loose powder
- NYX eyeshadow (black, gunmetal and silver) and glitter eyeliner (silver)
- No-brand white eyeliner
- Maybelline gel eyeliner in black
- MAC lipstick in "Violetta"

Here is a closeup of the eyes. The contacts are Neo Dali Extra Grey.

❤ The Makeup Piggy ❤

Circle Lens Review - EOS Diamond (G-218) Grey

Circle lens review - EOS J-101 Violet

FOTD - Two recent clubbing looks

Creative Makeup Tutorial - 1920's inspired violet look

Circle lens review - EOS Love-U Brown

Circle Lens Review - Fynale Y17 Blue

Halloween costume #2 for 2011 - Japanese red-crowned crane

Halloween makeup tutorial - Succubus/demon/devil cut-crease look

Quick post - Succubus demon makeup V2.0 for Halloween

A brief guide to wigs, part 2 - Putting on a wig

A brief guide to wigs, part 1 - Fiber types

Circle Lens Review - GEO Mimi Café Macchiato Brown

Circle Lens Review - Neo Cosmos Dali Extra II Violet

Circle Lens Review - GEO Xtra Lotus Grey

Six Demeter Fragrances Review

Circle Lens Review - Puffy 3-tone Brown

Clip-on bangs review (sponsored by KKCenterHK.com)

Makeup Tutorial Video - Celestial Sparkle (+makeup trick!)

Circle Lens Review - Neo Dali Extra Brown

Circle Lens Review - Candy Coke Pink

Mini review - Sephora by OPI Blasted nail color in Blasted Black

Mini review: Hard Candy Visibly Wet lip pencil

Cosplay Makeup post - Kuo from Infamous 2

Circle Lens Review - Barbie Big Size Circle Violet

My Bellatrix Lestrange cosplay makeup for HP7.2!

I'M BACK!!! + Circle Lens Review - Neo Cosmos 3-Tone/Glamour Grey

Short semi-hiatus

Circle Lens Review - EOS Xtravaganza (G-210) Violet

Video Tutorial - Porcelain Doll Costume Makeup

Circle Lens Review - GEO Princess Mimi (AKA Tsubasa Bambie Series) Chocolate Brown + Discount code!

Makeup demo video preview - Porcelain Doll

FOTD - Lightning bolt-inspired eye makeup

Circle Lens Review - GEO 3-Tone / Tri Color Green (CM-903)

Makeup Palette Review - Love Alpha Summer gadually compact (sponsored by KKcenterHK)

Sponsored Product Review - BeautyMaker Aqua Eye Undereye Concealer in #1

Circle Lens Review - Neo Cosmos 4-tone (Queen) Honey

Circle Lens Review - EOS G-301 Misty Green (sponsored by iLoveCircleLenses.com)

Makeup for my Katsucon cosplay

Sponsored Product Review - Incoco Dry Nail Applique

Circle Lens Review - EOS G-208 "Dolly Wink" Brown (sponsored by ILoveCircleLenses.com)

Elegant Evening Look with Japanese Eyeshadow Palette

Japanese-style Natural Makeup Tutorial + False Lashes Review (Sponsored by KKCenterHK.com)

Circle Lens Review - Japan Barbie Eye Princess Lace Pink

Semi-off-topic post: Check out my painting!

Video Tutorial - "Black Swan" Movie Poster Makeup Re-creation

FOTD - Department X'mas party

Circle Lens Review - Vassen Super Glamour Pink (V2-16-PK) sponsored by KoreaBigEyes

500 Follower Giveaway RESULT!

500 Followers Celebration GIVEAWAY!

Circle Lens Review - GEO Hurricane Hazel HC-106 (sponsored by eye love sushi)

Halloween-ish FOTD

Video Demonstration - Female-to-male (Drag King) Makeup

Circle Lens Review - GEO Hurricane Brown (HC-104)

My look for NYCC 2010