The Dark Queen

A ballad of dark queen echoes through night,

As he flees the curse of the gods, the Pharoah's wrath.

-- Nightwish "Sahara"

     I have a love-hate relationship with Zoeva eyeshadows, I think. I adore their always gorgeous packaging and often innovative colour selections, but their eyeshadow per se just don't work well on me. I had trouble blending them when I had Cocoa Blend, and now I'm facing the same problem with Opulence. Don't get me wrong, the colours are beautiful and pigmented in Opulence and I've seen great looks done using this palette, but for some reason, as it was with Cocoa Blend, these colours just show up much darker and murkier on my eyelids.  Also, there're only two matte shades in this palette, I get that with the theme "Opulence" they meant to get as many jewel tones and shimmery golds and coppers as possible in there, but still, if you're looking for a travel palette with which you can complete an eye look, this may not be it.

    我覺得我對Zoeva的眼影盤真是又愛又恨。一方面很愛他們每次都超美的包裝以及經常玩出新意的配色，但是他們家的眼影本身對我來說並不好用（T__T）  之前入手了可可盤我覺得比Tarte難暈染的多，現在Opulence這盤也有一樣的問題。顏色確實又美又顯色，而且網路上也看到過不少用這盤畫出的超美眼妝。但我就是用的不順手，而且跟可可盤一樣，這盤的眼影上在我的眼皮比在手臂上深，而且容易髒。另外，這盤只有兩個霧面色（大紅色 "Get Your Glory" 跟深棕色 "Golden Years"），我知道因為主題是"Opulence"（奢靡的意思）所以想要把各種珠光金銅色跟寶石色系都加進去，但是這樣一來也要用這盤畫出完整眼妝就變得不太方便。

    I'm sorry for the less-than-satisfactory arm swatch but this was taken when I haven't figured out how to take a clearer swatch photo using a self-timer and with the camera positioned above instead of sideways. And unfortunately, the top leftmost pale gold shade "High Chair" totally blended in with my skintone and wouldn't show up in photos LOL. Anyway, you can see a clearer swatch photo on my Instagram (@bonjourjasmineblog) and there's also a video from which you can better perceive the finish of the eyeshadows. 

    抱歉手臂試色非常不理想，因為拍這張的時候我還沒想出要怎麼擺放單眼才能以俯瞰的角度自拍出試色照片 ^^"  而且上排最左的淺米金色 "High Chair" 竟然完全跟我的膚色融合了，根本看不出來 XDD   不過為了補救我有在IG上（帳號 bonjourjasmineblog）放了比較清楚的試色照跟影片，應該可以比較看得出眼影的質地跟妝感啦 : D

    Today's look was inspired by the dark floral packaging as well as the lavish jewel tones in the palette. As the matte shades in this palette are rather limited, I used Tarte's rusty orange brown "Dogman" on the crease. Then I layered on A on the outer 1/3 of the eye and blend with Dogman. Next, I used Catrice Liquid Camouflage Concealer on the inner 2/3 of the upper lid and patted on B (the concealer was necessary because that blue turned murky too easily otherwise). As for the lower lid, I lined the outer 1/3 of the lower lid with A and then blended out. I used C as the highlight colour on the inner corner and the "silkworm" part of the eye. Add in a winged liner and mascara and the look is done. Preferably false lashes would suit the overall Dark Queen vibe more but I was worried they might obscure the colours when I opened my eyes, so I went with mascara only in the end ; )  

    今天的黑暗皇后妝其實以這個眼影盤為靈感，包裝即黑暗又奢華，配色也是珠光寶氣。因為這盤霧面色太少，所以我用了Tarte的橘棕色 "Dogman" 打在雙眼皮摺的地方。接著用A疊在眼尾1/3並且與外圍的Dogman暈染均勻。之後我用了Catrice的Liquid Camouflage遮瑕膏點在上眼皮前2/3的範圍，再疊上B（必須要用遮瑕膏因為這色真的容易髒）。下眼皮部分用A化在下眼線外1/3處並且暈開，臥蠶的部分跟眼頭用C打亮。之後加上粗眼線跟睫毛膏就完成了（其實用假睫毛更好，但是因為我雙眼皮窄加上沒有把顏色暈很高，怕假睫毛加上去睜眼時顏色都看不出來了，所以只用了睫毛膏 ^^"）

    I know I look bitchy, please don't hate me for it LOL  I uploaded a video of this look on my Instagram Story the other day, and a lot of people guessed I was duping a look from Game of Thrones. No, I wasn't trying to reenact anyone, I just need an excuse to throw all those ostentatious accessories onto myself  : P 

    看起來一副奸樣請不要打我 XDDD  那天放了這個妝的影片在IG動態時好多人猜我在仿 Game of Thrones裡的妝。其實並沒有要演什麼，我...只是想找個機會把一堆華麗飾品往身上掛而已啊哈哈哈哈 ^^"

Bises! ♥♥

Mood for Retro

Wait, I hear another song, Insomnia About the days I wasn't tired, And doing that fun, retro look. -- Silverchair "Insomnia"

    Well, I think I owe BECCA an apology. Some time ago I wrote a post about the limited edition Apres Ski Face Glow Palette, and after swatching the colours on my arm I decided (rather rashly) that probably only the ice blue highlighter Icicle in the top row and the berry blush Winter Berry would suit fair skin. Both Rose Quartz (top leftmost) and Opal (bottom center) were a tad dark to be used as highlighter for me, and the bottom leftmost Blushed Copper, a shimmery bronze chockful of glitter bits, was so pigmented and dark-ish I could not imagine it working as a blush (I had a swatch video on my Instagram previously, you can revisit to see how glittery it is LOL). Anyway, I was mistaken. The other day right before cleansing I thought I would play with this palette a bit more, and swiped that copper blush right on the cheeks ~~oh my, that's a terracotta blush right there, and a lovely one at that! The glitter bits which I was worried about were almost imperceptible except at a very close distance, and they gave the blush a soft sheen. Layer on with Rose Quartz on the cheekbones and you get a sophisticated earth-toned glow. I used Bronzed Bondi (bottom rightmost) and Opal on my eyes to complete the look, and the outcome was a rather retro look that somehow reminded me of the visual ads a few seasons back with 3ce's Mood Recipe campaign. 

    嗚嗚嗚我要跟BECCA道歉啦～～！前陣子介紹了這盤BECCA的限量打亮盤Apres Ski Face Glow Palette，那時手部試色後覺得這裡面大概只有上排中間的銀白色打亮跟右邊的腮紅適合白肌使用。因為上排最左的打亮Rose Quartz跟下排中間的Opal作為打亮對我來說都有點深，然後下排左邊的Blushed Copper古銅色腮紅刷起來很深很顯色而且亮片很多，怎麼想都覺得無法當腮紅（IG之前有放手臂試色影片，可以回去看看那個亮片的量 XDDD）。但是對不起我錯了 ^^"   某一天卸妝前想說拿這盤來玩玩，就拿古銅色腮紅往臉上一刷～～媽啊原來就是土色腮紅啊怎麼那麼好看（自己說）？？！！原本很在意的亮片刷開後其實遠看就看不出了，近看會看出些微亮片，但也因為有亮片會有淡淡的光澤感，這時候再在顴骨處疊上玫瑰金打亮色Rose Quartz就非常搭。後來再用下排最右的修容Bronzed Bondi跟Opal完成眼妝，整個妝感尤其腮紅莫名有種復古感，讓我想到之前很喜歡的3ce Mood Recipe視覺海報的氛圍   : D

What I used for the look :

A :  Opal -- a pale gold highlighter
B :  Bronzed Bondi -- a warm contour shade with specks of glitter, but applies to a matte finish
C :  Blushed Copper -- looks super glittery when swatched, but when blended out it's a luminous terracotta blush with a soft sheen.
D :  Rose Quartz -- a rose gold highlighter with a pale pink hue


這次用的這幾色：

A：Opal 淺金色打亮
B：Bronzed Bondi 肉眼看帶零星的亮片顆粒，但擦起來偏霧面妝感
C：Blushed Copper 試色看起來超閃的古銅色，但是刷開來是帶淡淡光澤的土色腮紅
D：Rose Quartz 帶淡粉色的玫瑰金打亮

    For the eyes, as this is ultimately a face palette, it lacks some basic eyeshadow shades such as a matte base colour, so I used a pale beige from another Tarte eyeshadow palette as the base. Then I applied A on the inner 2/3 of the eyelids and added B on the outer 1/3. After blending out the edges, I layered on a little bit of D for some extra sheen, I also used D for the lower lids. Throw in mascara and a classic winged liner et voila! The eye look is complete, very simple, non?

    眼妝部分，因為這盤畢竟是修容盤，少了打底的霧面淺色眼影，所以我有另用Tarte眼影盤的淺米色先打底。之後用A打在眼皮前2/3，再用B疊在眼尾1/3並暈開。暈染後在眼皮中間疊一點D增加光澤，下眼影部分也是用D打在臥蠶處。最後畫上粗眼線跟睫毛膏，眼妝就完成了，就這麼簡單 XDD

    For the face, it's even easier. Simply sweep C over the cheeks, patiently blending the colours out so that it doesn't look too garish or harsh. Layer on D on the cheekbones with an angled blush brush for a subtle highlight. 

    腮紅部分更簡單啦。將C上在如圖中的臉頰範圍，因為很顯色所以一開始少量疊加上去才不會下手過重導致看起來太突兀。之後用斜角刷將D打在顴骨上就完成了。

    These photos were taken near golden hour, hence the slightly warm tone which incidentally fits the vintage theme, I think ; )  By the way I've put on a vintage-patterned dress and brown-hued nail polishes for that additional retro vibe.

    因為是接近黃金時刻拍的照片，光線偏暖拍出來的色調意外的滿有復古的氛圍（自己覺得啦  : P  另外為凸顯復古風還特地搭了淘寶的復古印花洋裝跟土色指彩 XD 

Bises! ♥♥

The Sweetheart Tree

Big blossoms of white will burst into sight,

And your love will be true.

-- Johnny Mathis "The Sweetheart Tree"

NOTES

    Lately the weather has been rather lovely here, albeit occasional bouts of afternoon downpour. On this recent Sunday, I took out my new rattan weaved bag into the garden for a simple little photoshoot alone. If you have been following fashion through Instagram you might have seen such a bag on the shoulders of many a fashionista blogger. I guess I can be counted a brainwashed victim of its ubiquitous presence on social media, but truth be told this bag is also something that's very much my aesthetic. It's the right size, the right colour, versatile and affordable. For the sake of my long forgotten romantic obsession, I've donned a peach pink floral maxi, and on this morning despite the sun forcing me into the shades for fear of overexposure (and because I could hardly open my eyes anywhere else), with my little bag in tow and the sun seeping through the summer foliage I felt carefree and blessed, brainwashed or not  ; )   

    最近這裡的天氣好好，只是偶爾下午會下個雷陣雨。前不久的一個周日，看著陽光好我就帶了腳架跟新入手的藤編圓包到院子裡簡單拍個穿搭。如果你有在Instagram上追蹤時尚趨勢，十有八九你曾在時尚部落客身上看過這款包的蹤影。我也是被這包的無所不在給漸漸洗腦而入手了 XDD  不過說真的，這包還是滿對我味的，無論是大小顏色還是實用性，價格也便宜。這次穿搭我想著好久沒有偏浪漫風穿搭的外拍了，於是搭了這件蜜桃粉色的印花長洋。雖然後來太陽大到我不得不一直躲在樹蔭底下拍（不只是怕過曝，而是樹蔭外我大概全程無法睜開眼睛 囧），但拎著夏天的小包在庭院裡晃，陽光疏疏落落的穿過枝葉繁茂，還是有種歲月靜好的喜悅。

Bag :  Instagram seller afika.my

Shoes :  Bata

Necklace :  Cor-date

Earrings :  via Taobao

Bises! ♥♥