October Favourites '14

Hello lovelies! I'm back with a new list of (very late) October favourites. I'm sorry :x

I've had some of these for a while now and being a very lazy person, I rarely apply foundation/concealer/bronzer. I'm thankful that my skin has always been fairly decent, in that I don't have to splurge on foundation as much as I would like to (phew!) Although it is hard for a girl to resist from time to time, no?

So here we go, a list of all my favourite things (in October)!

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer - Oil Free Broad Spectrum SPF 20 Sunscreen 

in Nude

USD43 from Sephora

I barely ever use foundation because #1 I'm too lazy to remove it at the end of the day and #2 it's too tedious to apply the foundation flawlessly. I've heard many rave reviews about LM's tinted moisturizer and I bought a tube after 2 years of contemplating. It gives a 'no makeup' look which I adore and sits on your skin without making it oily or needing to reapply. It lasted for close to 10 hours for me and I'd probably repurchase this again if I ever need a new bottle.

Tarte Amazonian clay waterproof 12-hour concealer

in light

USD 22 from Sephora

In all honesty, I've never owned a concealer. I could never really make out how to use the product on my face. I did try my mom's one once a few years back but I thought it looked uneven (I don't think I blended it out properly) and I felt like it didn't make much of a different at all. But when I was lurking around Sephora in SG the other week I picked this up in the hopes that if I needn't foundation, I'd use this.

And does it work like a charm! I applied it to an angry pimple sprouting on my nose and it looked like I had it photoshopped off! I was pretty amazed with the coverage (because I've heard from people that stick concealers are harder to use than liquid ones). The coverage lasts for about 4-6 hours, depending on how often you touch the area (I rub my nose a lot so it did wear off after while). There are definitely cheaper alternatives than Tarte, so I'd recommend doing a little research before purchasing a concealer.

Yves Saint Laurent Touche Éclat Radiant Touch

in #2 luminous ivory
USD 41 from Sephora

I've used this for the past 3 years and I've since repurchased a second (yes, second) one. I haven't found a highlighter that complements my skin as well as the YSL touche eclat radiant touch. It leaves an unimaginable glow on your face, especially the cheek bones and along your brow bone. It almost sort of chisels your face for a more defined look.

Chanel Le Bluch Créme De Chanel

Cream Blush in 65 Affinité

USD 38 from Chanel

I looooove cream blushes. I've adored them since I purchased my first one from Topshop. I was browsing through Chanel's counter (because there was a 20 percent off + tax refund here in UK when my family visited) and jumped at the chance of trying the cream blushes from Chanel.

I'm absolutely in love with this shade + the consistency of the blush. It stays on forever, it leaves your cheeks looking like you've been pinching them for hours on end to achieve the most natural looking flushed cheeks, ever. Need I say more ladies, really?

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That's all I have for this post, and I hope you guys enjoyed my two cents worth on these products. I'm sorry if these are a tad expensive, but I purchased majority of the items at a discount! Do let me know how you guys feel about the products mentioned and if there are dupes, please feel free to leave a comment :)

Stay beautiful, x.

I was not paid nor sponsored for this product review. The review was written entirely in my opinion.

How to Cope: Life of a Uni Student

I've lived overseas for about a year now and I think many of you out there are about to/have embarked on this same journey. Over the past year, I've learnt a lot of things that I could have never imagine dealing with back when I was living with my Mom. You settle practically everything on your own. Your laundry, cooking, utilities... It gets lonely sometimes. And it gets hard.

So I'd like to give all you freshies out there some advice. I wasn't given much when I arrived but with the help of a few friendly faces, I've made it this far (and hopefully all the way till I'm done)

#1. You'll get frustrated when nothing goes your way

It's fine when you're trying to purchase your books in line with your group of friends, or lining up for a subway sandwich and laughing at what happened in class earlier on. But when you're new to a city and you've just settled in, little things will become big things. The books you needed for school are out of stock, you need to choose another sandwich cosy the meatballs have been sold out, and your grocery bag tears cos it's too heavy. We all have gone through something as shitty as this, but just take a small breather and laugh it off. At least there's something to tell your friends to make conversation.

#2. You will have to be responsible for just about... Everything

Bills, buying a clothing rack, lugging the clothing rack back, buying a printer, lugging the printer back, ensuring you don't spend a quarter of your monthly allowance on that one gorgeous coat from Zara, and even stinging on where you can find the cheapest groceries. In a nutshell - it does suck. But on the other hand, you learn to be more spendthrift and careful with where you spend your money. You count every penny and you learn to be more financially aware. This is something that I've learnt from my time here and I'm by no means a complete angel but I do take note on my spending every day. And I'm glad that I do now.

#3. You can't seem to understand anything that's going on in lectures

Just like how we find a doctor's handwriting illegible, we get lost in lectures. Hey, it happens. It helps to read up before the lecture itself so that if you have any questions, you're able to ask the lecturer immediately after the lecture or during a break. It sometimes gets a little crazy when you have so much reading to do, but always remember that consistent studying is better than panicking and cramming everything within 3 weeks.

#3 Sometimes, it gets lonely :(

I always tell people that I like being alone. But that doesn't mean I like being lonely. There's a huge difference. I live alone in my apartment and while it's great for when I study or just wanna chill in my animal PJ's, it gets kind of depressing when the music on your itunes stops playing and all you hear are the leaves rustling or your washing machine going. Sometimes you'll cry, sometimes you'll try to occupy yourself with 123456 episodes of the good wife. It's normal, we all face this.

#4 But you'll get by with a lil help from your friends

Friends are the backbone to our body. 

#5 Food might just be your next best friend

How can one resist food? It's easy to cook a bowl of instant noodles (should I even say cook?) but spice things up a lil. Go grab some herbs, some protein and some good carbs and whip up something you'd be proud of instagramming. If you're finding for a way to kill time, this is the perfect antidote. Treat yourself to some homebaked cookies, or just spend time messing up in the kitchen with friends over and laughing over it at dinner outside:)

#6 So will the library

The library. The library here is open 24/7, every single day except Christmas. During finals, practically every living soul sees no daylight (fluorescent light more like) except to and from the library, redbull becomes your best friend and you feed your brain with so much information that's all you think about. But it's a good idea to get a headstart and keep track of what you're studying. Don't study blindly, study smart.

#7 Eventually, things always get better

And of course, things will get better. When finals are over and you can do almost NOTHING all day, it gets even better when you plan for your travels/go home. Whether it is a roadtrip with your friends or a flight back home to your loved ones, there's always something to do and look forward to. There's no benefit in cooping yourself up at home and binge watching The Big Bang Theory, go out and enjoy your freedom!

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That's all the advice I've to give you guys, and I hope it helped some of you. Have a great semester ahead and drop a comment if you'd like to share how you cope being a uni student.

xx

Thehungryunicorn

August '14 Favourites

I've been so busy eating my way through Singapore that I've abandoned this platform of mine.

So to compensate, I'm here to let you in on some amazing things I've found (and used to its death) in August!

#1. L'oreal Hydra Fresh Supreme Emulsion

Before leaving for Singapore, my face was in its worst condition. My cheeks and sides of my lips were as dry as the desert, causing patches of my skin to become red and flaky. I was searching for a miracle and was recommended the L'oreal Emulsion. I couldn't find this back in UK so I purchased this in Singapore. I love how moisturizing this is without over-hydrating my face. There's a faint scent that dissipates after a while and while it does not absorb fairly well on the skin, does help with dry skin. I would suggest putting this on only at night. Other than that, I would repurchase this again.

#2. Biore Cleansing Oil-in-Cotton Wipes

Since I'm only back for the summer holidays, I was on the hunt for a good cleansing wipe that would last temporarily, instead of purchasing a full sized bottle of makeup remover. I used to use these last year but forgot about them till I came back. They are easy, fast, and rids of all makeup in about a minute. It even removes my mascara (with careful wiping of course) and leaves my face fresh and definitely not oily/sticky. My go-to this month for daily use!

#3. La Roche-Posay Ultra-light Sunscreen with SPF 50+

I have always had the habit of applying sunscreen, even during winter. Having finished my Shisedo sunscreen, I was looking around in Boots when I saw that La Roche-Posay was on sale. I grabbed a bottle not expecting much but WOW does this sunscreen work magic! It leaves a glowy finish on your face, and on top of that absorbs into the skin within 10 seconds. There's not much of a sunscreen smell and I've been using this everyday since I purchased it.

#4. 3 Concept Eyes Face Glow in #MONACO

I've been a loyal fan of YSL's touche eclat. But recently I've shifted my preference of makeup products to Asian brands. One of the things I got from my 3CE haul was the Face Glow (Brightener) in Monaco. I'm absolutely in love with how this product brightens my face. It does an even better job than the YSL, although this does include a slight bit of shimmer (which never hurt anyone).

#5. Bourjois Volume Glamour Ultra Care Mascara

I never really see the point in purchasing over-priced mascara (unless they are serums to lengthen your lashes). I chanced upon this and gave it a whirl. I love how these never clump my lashes and do elongate and define them. For something under 10 pounds, I really cannot complain.

#6. Lush A Breath of Fresh Air Toner Water

My 13 hour flight from London found me sleepless, bored and dehydrated. In search of a spritz bottle, I was in Lush and found this. I'm not too sure whether it's God given, but I really adore this product. It's settles on the face well, and leaves it smooth and clean. I also love how I can spray the product on my face, much like a face mist. 

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So there you have it, my favourites this August! Feel free to leave a comment on what you have found and love.

Stay beautiful, x.

I was not paid nor sponsored for this product review. The review was written entirely in my opinion.

Food Review: Tamper Coffee at Seller's Wheel

Hi guys!

I know I'm meant to be posting more reviews on food, but I haven't had the chance to try any new places out around my area. However I finally tried a new (not so new) cafe in Sheffield, UK, called Tamper Coffee. If any of you live in Sheffield, you'll love this quaint little cafe.

Tamper Coffee has 2 locations - One at Westfield Terrace and another bigger outlet at Arundel Street. The Arundel Street outlet serves a wider variety of food, offering brunch and lunch menus. 

The interior is almost industrial-like, red brick walls surround the area with wooden tables and chairs. It gives off a really chill vibe, with people sipping a cuppa and typing away furiously on their laptops.

They even have an outdoor area! It was too sunny so we decided to hide in the comfort of shade (aka inside)

Brunch is served from 8am - 12pm (Isn't brunch suppose to be from 11-2ish?) on weekdays. Anywho, the menu is relatively small, which I normally prefer as it helps me decide 10x faster than usual. I opted for the usual eggs benny with a side of chorizo. Mr Handsome was feeling exceptionally sweet-toothed and got the french toast.

Vanilla Milkshake - Left (3.50)

Iced Latte with Almond Milk - Right (2.80)

I'm a sucker for anything old school/vintage. I loved the jars they served the drinks in, and would you look at at that candy cane of a straw? It wasn't the most practical (it was made of paper), but I love the innovation. Props for that.

French Toast (6.50)

Egg dipped brioche, caramelised banana and coffee infused maple syrup with crispy bacon

Wasn't out of this world great, but I love how the bacon complements the dish. It was sweet yet crispy, and I'm not usually a fan of bacon. The brioche was fresh and is always a great bread to use for french toast! However, the bananas lacked sweetness and it lacked a certain 'awesome-ness' to it.

Eggs Benedict (7)

2 poached eggs, herbed potato hash brown, toasted muffin, buttered spinach and fresh hollandaise

with added chorizo (+1.50)

Okay, I expected nothing from the usual eggs benny. Of course one would expect the ever so famous runny egg, beautifully done hollandaise sauce, and a toasted muffin. But I really liked this version Tamper did by adding a herbed potato hash brown into the mix! The hollandaise sauce was pretty damn well done, and the egg was, tick, perfectly poached. Thumbs up:)

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Overall, I love the vibe over at Tamper Coffee. It's chill, the servers are friendly and the place is brimming with locals (always ideal). If you ever pop by Sheffield, give this a try.

Tamper Coffee Seller's Wheel

149 Arundel Street

Mon-Fri 8.00 am – 5pm

Sat 9am – 6pm

Sunday 10am – 5pm

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Stay beautiful, x. 

A Guide to Paris

Hello world!

I just came back from a 5 day trip to Paris and I absolutely loved it. Apart from the crappy weather which kept fluctuating from sun to rain (mostly rain), the sights and food made up for it. 

Today, I would like to share a few things I learnt in Paris with you guys if you ever get to visit this gorgeous city.

Although the most common airport is Charles de Gaulle (CDG), Ryanair only flies to Paris Beauvais Tille Airport. The bus into the city costs 17 euros / head and takes about 1h 15 mins, stopping at Porte Maillot. That wasn't a problem at all as I needed all the sleep I could get. The bus ride was comfy and safe too.

We found a nice quaint place right smack in the middle of the city with the nearest metro station, Châtelet, being 3 mins away. We found the place through airbnb and paid about £81/night excl. service fee (always annoying). But the place was extremely central, with pubs and shops located right below our house (including an AWESOME crepe place). The place was a storey house, with the bed being on the upper floor. It was small but it sufficed.

I do advise people booking through airbnb to liaise with your host on several occasions. E.g. where to meet and get the keys, directions to the place. I've encountered an incident where my host never got back to me on when/where I could collect my keys 2 weeks before my arrival. Thankfully, I was able to have a full refund. 

Metro signs are located with an 'M' or the world 'Metropolitan' which are easy to find and are almost everywhere.

These are metro stubs that can be bought in booklets of 10 for 13.70 euros. Technically speaking, you can buy the reduced fare (under 10 years old) for a slightly cheaper price without anyone noticing as nobody really patrols the metro to check your stubs. As we walked a lot and were quite central, we only bought the booklets twice.

Now, the most important part - The metro itself. This was taken around 10am so there wasn't much of a crowd, but it gets extremely packed during peak hours (around 4-6pm). I have heard stories of people being pickpocketed in such places but thankfully, I never encountered that myself. I did however see two gypsies (they are normally dressed in flowly clothes with a head dresses and come in pairs of 2 or more) entering the metro and sticking really close to both my boyfriend and I, even when there was space around us. 

Me, being extra kiasu, padlocked my bag so that noone could open it without my knowing. It definitely worked, and although it might have been a bit tedious, it paid off. And luckily, they got off 2 stops after (I think they realised we weren't their ideal targets :p)

The metro itself will also have maps indicating where which stations are. I took the RER once (however I don't know if you can use the same ticket, it did work for mine) but mostly used the metro. 

Several attractions like the Effiel Tower, Arc de Triomphe and Montmarte are key areas for pickpockets and gypsies to try to rip you of your money/steal. There were several times I encountered perusian women coming up to us with a petition board and asking us to sign a petition. They would walk towards you asking if you speak English and usually leave if you say no. They travel in groups too.

There was one incident below the Montmarte where there were a bunch of dark skinned men blocking both exits of the main entrance up/down and would stop you, saying they want to put a 'bracelet' around your hand and repeatedly mentioning they aren't bad people. Even when my boyfriend said no, he grabbed his shoulder forcing him to stop. My boyfriend got so pissed he shoved him away. I'm not saying all men like these are bad, but if your gut tells you something is wrong, there probably is.

My friend experienced one of them putting it on her wrist (especially if you're a girl) and cornered her, forcing her to pay an exorbitant amount before they left her alone. 

My one advice to girls who wish to travel alone - Have a guy along with you. Paris isn't the best place to travel alone.

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We have all heard that the French are snobbish people who turn their noses up when they see you don't speak their language. While not all are like that, it is mostly true.

It's important to know basic French. I made an extra effort to learn how to speak the basics. I used this app called Duolingo which teaches you the abc's of French. Trust me when I say this app helped me A LOT. Although I did use other resources, if you keep up with this app you're sure to learn French within 2 weeks. You get to match the words to the French words, speak French to see if you're fluent and learn through pictures! Best of all? It's FREEEEEEEEEEEE.

I noticed if you start off with a simple 'Bonjour', many become much friendlier to you. If you can't speak in complete sentences like I, ask a simple 'parlez-vous anglais?' and most would say yes and help you out with a friendlier tone. I believe France is one of the countries where if you're willing to learn, they're willing to help.

So this is all I have to offer you guys! My foodie post during my time in Paris will be up within the week (obviously we need food yes?) so keep a lookout for that:)

Stay beautiful, x. 

Review: Catastrophe Cosmetic Fresh Face Mask by Lush

Catastrophe Cosmetic Fresh Face Mask, 75g - £6.25 

A calming and moisturising fresh face mask packed with blueberries, calamine and chamomile, rose, and almond oils to soothe and soften the skin. We use wholesome blueberries as they are rich in vitamins and minerals, including the antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E that help to protect the skin from damage. Smoothe a generous layer of this mask onto clean skin and leave for 10 to 15 minutes.

I've always loved the after effects of a lush face mask. It leaves your face moisturized, bouncy and as smooth as a baby's butt! I'll definitely be trying out more of their face masks when the need arises.

I was not paid nor sponsored for this product review. The review was written entirely in my opinion.

Review: Regen 2 Step Synergy Effect Mask - Pore Care

Hello beautifuls!

I thought I'd share my two cents worth on how I found the Regen: 2 Step Synergy Effect Mask that quite a number of people have found to be effective.

As much as I love how elegant a V-shaped face is, I never really bothered to search for masks that produce such a result. When a friend of mine recommended I try this out, I contemplated between the 'pore care' or 'moisturizing' mask but ended up purchasing 'pore care'.

Regen 2 Step Synergy Effect Mask (5 in a pack) - USD26.70 from Honestskin

The instructions are all in Korean (and for people like me who only understand half of korean dramas) I had to google the instructions. That wasn't a problem as you can easily find them online!

The mask comes in 2 stages:

1st Step - Apply the mask to the top of your forehead, ending above your lips. It is said to contain calendula flower extract which controls excess sebum production, shrinking pores to deliver tighter, more refined skin. The mineral rich alpine water also maintains the moisture in the skin!

2nd Step - Apply the mask across your face from ear to ear whilst using the side 'loops' to hook across your ears. There are extracts called halophyte, which help in reducing bloating and water retention. The pressure apparently lifts out excess water that bulks your face, resulting in a more defined V-shape.

Exhibit A. I have no idea how this picture became much more blurrier but I assure you no photoshop effects were used! (My boyfriend commented saying I could pull off as someone who had just undergone surgery -_-)

So you leave it on for 20 mins and once done, remove and massage the remaining contents into your skin.

This bare face was taken the next day (excuse the morning i-need-more-sleep face). My skin definitely feels much smoother and more evenly moisturized. My pores feel tighter but not to the point where my skin is dry. How much more can I praise this product? It delivers, it even leaves the skin feeling rejuvenated and bouncy!

However I didn't notice my chin becoming way more 'defined' or V-shaped. And even if it did, the result isn't life-changing, but negligible. It's not a big deal to me though. Perhaps with constant use, it would leave better results.

Would I repurchase this? Yes. I'm keen on trying out the different types of masks and will do so once I'm done with these! :) The price might be a tad steep but I believe taking care of your skin is extremely important, especially for women in their 20's.

Stay beautiful, x. 

I was not paid nor sponsored for this product review. The review was written entirely in my opinion.