About Me

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California, United States
Hi! Thanks for visiting ^_^ My social media platforms: Instagram: meowmier Youtube: http://goo.gl/U5SnNM (formerly under the username francesvlogs but I don't have access to that anymore). I don't really do videos anymore simply because I think blog posts are more informative. Hope you enjoyed your time here! :)

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Bubbi Brushes Review


****1 year update! 11/6/2012****

Hello there =D

Now I've officially used the brushes for over a year now... I thought I'd come back with an update!

1. The buffer brush-- I got the most mileage out of this brush. Use it every day for contouring. Love it so much. Enough said =D

2. The powder brush-- Love to use it for loose powders and powder foundation. My go-to brush for powders =)

3. The retractable brush-- This and my eyeliner brush and brow brush were the only brushes I brought with me for my trip to South Korea. It lives up to its name-- definitely very versatile! Used it for powders, contour, blush and highlight. Definitely a must-have when I travel =) (And also almost used this brush exclusively while I was in Taiwan for its convenience). I don't really use it on daily basis cuz I stuff it in my on-the-go bag XD

4. The dual cover brush-- I use this brush exclusively for my SKIN79 BB cream. It works the best with my BB cream. I don't this brush for liquid foundations because it's too streaky. 

5. The kabuki brush-- gives really nice coverage for powder foundations. I use this and the powder brush interchangeably for my powder foundations.

6. The fluff brush-- good for highlighting or blending out eye shadows. But I have other brushes that I prefer over this =P

7.  The dual eye brush-- good brush but I don't wear eye shadows on a daily basis XD and when I do I mostly reach for my Sonia Kashuk one. 

8. The HD flawless brush-- Is basically collecting dust on my vanity ='( too much work to work with. I think it's because the hard bristles (not saying it's harsh to the touch, hard as in firm) sheer out my foundation too much, while being streaky at the same time. I just don't use it.... 

That's all! Hopefully this is somewhat helpful? Overall it's a good collection I'm pleased with my purchases, except for the HD flawless brush. 

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Update on Bubbi Brushes 10/5/2011 =)

Hello hello ^_^ So I said I'd come back and update about my thoughts about these brushes so here I am =D Just a very brief update since my opinions haven't changed much. But I have been using Bubbi brushes for a little bit over a month now??

- The Dual Cover foundation brush and Flawless HD brush-- My opinion hasn't changed much... although they do feel even softer after a while, especially the Flawless HD brush. They are thicker synthetic bristles so I guess they do take longer time to soften up? lol! However I still find both of them giving minimal streaking that requires a tiny bit work in blending.. The Flawless HD brush no longer feels "harsh" under my eyes; either it's because it's become softer or I'm used to it XD

- Still love love love the concealer brush from the Dual Cover brush ^_^

- I am loving the Multi Retractable brush and Buffer brush more day by day >_< I already loved them to begin with, but I'm loving them even more the more I use them! In fact, all my other powder brushes feel scratchy and poky on my face now =_= because the retractable brush is just sooo soft..... so I'm pretty much only using the retractable brush for powder now XD And the buffer brush is just so soft and easy to work with. LOVE.

- Still liking my dual eye brush ^_^ Although I haven't been using it much because I've been busy and lazy with eye shadows... LOL.


That's it ^_^ my opinions about Bubbi Brushes are pretty much finalized. Although I do want to stress that, while the Flawless HD brush and the foundation brush from the Dual Cover brush aren't my favorite, I am by NO means saying they are bad brushes. In fact, they are not bad brushes at all. They are pretty good brushes for what they are. I just prefer other types of foundation brush =P I just wanted to clear that up. Just because they are not my favorite, doesn't mean you won't like them! Please just keep in mind preference is really subjective ^_^  All in all I think if you want to try out Bubbi Brushes, you won't be disappointed.

That's all ^_^ I'm gonna go take a nap and studyyyyyyyyy. Hope I will wake up when my alarm goes off XD

<3 Frances
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Hey guys!

Here's my review for Bubbi Brushes ^_^ I have been using them for one solid week, and here are my thoughts so far! Please keep in mind that I've only used these brushes for one week. I don't normally review things so fast but I know there are some ppl eager for the review lol!

So first thing first these brushes do require a little breaking in... but 2 washes will do it =D After two washes they get super soft to work with.

Overview for these brushes:

1. Bristles are SUPER soft!
2. Well-structured and sturdy.
3. No bleeding
4. No shedding
5. Affordable =D
6. The printing on the brushes do come off as you use them... 

Overall... really good stuff for the price ^_^

To see the description and other detail of what the brushes are designed for, please refer to her website ^_^ ( if you want to make a purchase make sure you select the right currency because it's default at Euros!)

So I did make a video of my rambling about the brushes (haven't made videos in a VERY long time so I was back to stammering and being incoherent again XD) But for those who don't want to watch the videos, here are my summarized review for the brushes:

1. Dual Cover
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- I'm currently obsessed with using the concealer end!! So soft and blends so easily... love the concealer brush!!!

- I wouldn't say the foundation brush is completely non-streaky. It still gives streaks but it's pretty minimal. You have to use a very light hand to blend. I feel like this brush is only suitable for ppl who have good skin to begin with, or for those who are just looking for a light coverage, because this foundation brush gives very sheer to light coverage.

- I like how this brush is dual function but I have problem storing it lol. Usually I store my brushes with my styrofoam blocks, but since I can't stand this brush up, I'm letting it sit around on my table for now. Another thing is how do you travel with dual end brushes?!?!?? They wouldn't fit my my brush pouch O_O

- I noticed after a while there are 2 cracks on the handle O_O I don't know if this is something I need to worry about later on...#_#
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2. Multi-Retractable Brush
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- This brush is the softest powder brush in my possession =D absolutely love how soft it is! Feels so good when I swirl it on my face lol >_<

- I haven't used it to contour my nose cuz it's a bit wide for me, even after retracting it.

- This is a very versatile brush ^_^ I've used it to apply powder foundation, liquid foundation, loose powder, blush and bronzer. The only thing is if you want to use it to contour your face it takes more effort since the brush is smaller.

- The retracting function of this brush isn't that sturdy. I find the barrel slips backward when I try to buff my bronzer on; I have to hold the barrel with my fingers.

- My only "problem" with this brush is that I can't get the water out of the barrel when I wash it O_O hopefully it's not going to be an issue but I'm a little bit paranoid lol.

3. Buffer Brush
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- Bristles are super soft as well ^_^

- Very versatile as well-- I've used to to apply powder foundation, liquid foundation, blush and bronzer. Love it for bronzer ^_^

- At first I was worried if this brush would pick up too much product, but nope it picks up the perfect amount ^_^ So no need to be too careful when I load this brush.

4. Dual Eyes Brush
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- Really soft and great ^_^ Did not scratch my eyelid whatsoever.

- The fluffier end is great for packing colors (although if you really really want to pack on a ton of eye shadow, you should go for a even flatter brush). However it's not the best for blending. If you want something to blend then you want to go for something even fluffier.

- The rounder end is a little bit bigger than I expected; it's a bit bigger than standard pencil brush. But it's good for only applying color under your fold and contouring ^_^

- Again not sure how to store/ travel with this.

5. Flawless HD Brush
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- The bristles are soft, but too firm for my liking :( I found that when I use this brush to blend under my eyes it's a bit harsh

- Really small so takes longer time to apply foundation all over your face

- I thought this would be comparable to Sigma's flat top synthetic kabuki brush, but they are not at all similar. I like my Sigma brush a lot more and this Flawless HD brush is definitely not my go-to brush.

- You need to use a light hand with this brush as well or it will be a little streaky. Although it gives more coverage than the Dual Cover brush, the coverage is still on the light side. So for girls who are looking for coverage, I don't believe this is an ideal brush. Sigma's F80 brush definitely gives a lot more coverage, and you can really work your foundation into your skin with it. Plus F80 is bigger so it's a lot easier and quicker to work with.

In summary, I think her face brushes would be more ideal for girls who have good skin or just looking for light coverage, because her brushes do require blending, and therefore giving less coverage.

Video of me reviewing the brushes:

Sorry about the low energy... I would've sounded a lot more enthusiastic if I wasn't so tired. I think I'm getting sick as well :( and school has been kicking my butt so I haven't slept much. I'm constantly bombarded with exams. I feel like I'm always so tired now T_T Nonetheless I hope some of you found this helpful.

Video of how I use my Bubbi Brushes.

Please watch in HD! 

Bubbi is going to make a video on how to use her brushes. This video is just showing how I personally would use these brushes! ^_^ By the way I only realized that I forgot to include the clip where I used the dual eye shadow brush after I edited and everything so I was too lazy to go back and add it... O_O no biggie cuz I didn't do anything too creative with it lol!

And yeah I have a break out on my chin. It's not even a pimple, it's the kind of spot I get when I'm allergic to something O_O need yogurt before it gets worse!!! .... But I just remembered I ate the last of my yogurt today T_T... fml hahaha. And by the way I lost count of how many times I had to remove my foundation while making this video... lol... my spot was getting really irritated by the time I finished >_<

So anyway, this is the second time I have purchased from a Youtube guru, and I want to say my purchasing experience from Bubbi was a lot more satisfactory than the other (not trying to discredit the other but it's just how I feel... the other guru's products were mostly disappointing-- they were a lot pricier and some were horrible quality). Overall I'm happy with my purchase ^_^

That's all I have for you guys! I hope some of you found this helpful! Please bear in mind this is only week 1 using these brushes... I will come back and update if my opinions change. Also, preference is a very subjective thing, what I like/ don't like might not apply to you (:

Stay warm and stay well everybody ^_^

<3 Frances
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To see the second part of my Bubbi Brushes review (which are the rest of the brushes minus the Angled Liner brush, check here ^_^)

Friday, September 9, 2011

My Bubbi Brushes are HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wahh!!!!

So I just finished an exam and got home to find this package waiting for me =DDD (what an awesome way to start the weekend XD) I was like huh did I order anything lately? XD It was faster than I thought! Maybe it's just because I've been really occupied and haven't really been paying attention. Anyway I ordered my brushes on 8/29, so it took 2 weeks to get here =D (by the way I chose the cheapest shipping- small package with no tracking).

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I AM SO FREAKING EXCITED. I have the urge to just take off all my makeup now and use the brushes to apply them again XD Lol just a quick post to share with you guys cuz I'm too excited XD (I didn't order the complete set!)

Will let you guys know how they work =D Gonna wash them first before I use them ^_^


<3 Frances

Sunday, September 4, 2011

K-Palette Real Lasting Eyeliner Review and some other random stuff =D

Hey guys!

I'm back =D Well not really "back" back, but since it is labor day weekend so I thought I'd catch up with some blogging ^_~

So first I'm gonna review my K-Palette 1 day tattoo liquid eyeliner! I finally ran out of my Dolly Wink Liquid eyeliner, so I finally got to try this one out XD

Let me say, I was pretty excited to try this, although my expectations weren't too high. And sadly, this product completely fails my expectations.

I want to say that, everybody's eye shapes/lid types are different, and therefore wear eyeliners very differently. Some Asians are just blessed with eyelids/shapes that just wear eyeliners well without smudging. And I'm not one of them. Because the way I like to line my eyes and my eye shape, the outer corner of my eyes tend to smudge most. By the way I have normal lids, I do not have oily lids.

I apologize for the HORRIBLE lighting. I have three lamps in my room already and for some reason it's still dark in here =_=
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it says it's water-proof, sweat-proof and sebum-proof and super long-lasting.... well nope definitely not on me!

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The tip is super fine and very pointy, which I'm not really a fan of.

So this eyeliner did not work on me at all. It smudged on me within 2 hours. Other things I'd like to note:
- Did not sting my eyes (a lot of liquid eyeliner sting my eyes and make them water for some reason)
- I really don't like how fine the tip is. It's kind of ticklish lol. I think the Dolly Wink liquid eyeliner's fine tip is the perfect fineness. Personally I found K-Palette's tip way toooo fine and therefore just not as easy to control. And really, because of how thin it is, it actually takes me more time to line my eyes lol

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This is a picture of this eyeliner smudging on me, and it was after several touch-ups as well. You can see the eyeliner smudging on the outer corners. My eyes look weird cuz I was making a face at the camera XD

So that concludes my review on the eyeliner! By the way MAC's liquidlast eyeliner remains my favorite, MOST LONG LASTING eyeliner to this date. My holy grail =D

Now let's go onto some random stuff =P

Speaking of MAC liquidlast eyeliner.... I went to the mall a couple weeks ago to pick up another liquidlast eyeliner in coco bar cuz I was running low and was SHOCKED to find out that it is discontinued. For the first time in my life, I actually feel devastated because of discontinuation of a certain product. I never had a holy grail makeup item before cuz I switch things up a lot, so it is rare for me to feel so upset because of a beauty product lol.... I was so devastated that I actually contacted MAC's customer service to inquire for the product, and apparently they have this "Gone but not forgotten" program where they would sell the products that have been discontinued within the last six months. Luckily I was able to get hold of two of them, so they're on their way being shipped to me now... but seriously, I have no idea what I'm going to do after I run out of these as well T_T Seriously, after 4 years of wearing eyeliner and finally finding something that actually works for me... and now it's discontinued. WTF. Were you guys ever in this situation where your favorite/holy grail products get discontinued?

Moving on!
Did you guys try out this remedy?

Cuz I did =D And let me tell you guys it made my skin feel like baby's butt XD But I was a bit paranoid after using the mask cuz it left my skin feel like there's a layer of something on it (kind of like when you use olive oil on your face but not as greasy) so I was worried if I would break out from it. But I didn't ^_^ (although I did rinse my face several times XD) Good remedy you guys should try it out ^_^

And speaking of Bubbi, Bubbi finally launched her own brushes =D I'm so excited about them and very happy for her ^__^  Initially I was gonna purchase the complete set, but I really don't need brushes at all at the moment... I'm really just purchasing the brushes to support her (plus kind of curious too lol!) since I have benefited from her tutorials quite a lot ^_^

So here are the brushes that I purchased:
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I feel like this brush is gonna be like the Sigma flat top synthetic kabuki brush... But I still want to try it out anyway =P

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I decided I could use another eye shadow brush? Lol. However I'm not quite sure how the heck I'm going to store this brush cuz it's dual end!??!?!?!?!?!?? I guess I'll just let it sit around my desk lol.

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Initially this dual brush did not attract me at all, because I have tried foundation brushes with this shape/structure and they're always somewhat streaky, but Bubbi said this is one of her favorite so I decided to give this kind of foundation brush another chance =P

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I have wanted this buffer brush ever since I saw her use it =D

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I thought this retractable brush would be nice to have because it comes with a cap ^_^ I'm planning to stick this brush in my on-the-go bag ^_^ I don't usually touch up my makeup but sometimes shit happens you know? XD

***All Bubbi brushes image credit go to http://www.shopbubbi.com/***

The brushes I did not purchase are the powder brush (although I really want to, but I already have three brushes I can apply powder with >_<) the angled liner (I already know I don't enjoy wide eyeliner brush. Plus I don't need another brow brush lol) the fluff brush, and the kabuki brush.

So we'll see ^_^ Waiting for the brushes to be shipped to me =D Does any of you own any of her products? I thought her T shirts are cute, but I didn't buy any cuz I thought they're kind of expensive (I'm so glad she made her brushes affordable!) and they're a bit on the too cute side for me XD

So aside from all the beauty talk, here's a little update on my personal life. I'm two weeks into my pharmacy education lol and I'm still kind of settling in Maryland. I do miss Colorado. Baltimore city and Denver city are just SO different, and Baltimore can get really scary sometimes (all the stories I heard lol). And I'm freaking out a bit at the amount of school work and extracurricular activities (lol it's mandatory for us to join organizations and get involved XD) but I know I will be okay. Also trying to meet ppl and make friends (>_< I miss my friends...) but these are gonna be the last 4 years where I'm gonna still be a student and make friends, so I'm gonna try to socialize as much as I can =D although I'm taking it slow; I have to remind myself to do it at my own pace and not try to make a lot of friends in a hurry... some ppl seem to make so many friends like SUPER fast and it kind of intimidates me, but I'm just not one of them lol. And financial wise, since I'm in debt (and A LOT) for the first time in my life, I'm cutting down my expenses, especially on the makeup department (Bubbi brushes didn't count! Cuz I had planned on that for a very long time lol). Which is okay because I have tried sooo much that at the moment there really isn't anything I really really really want.

Although I still have things I still want to try :P

Not ever really crazy about Burberry (except for their trench coats! Which I obviously cannot afford XD) but I'm really curious about their cosmetics line :P
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Burberry Sheer Luminous Fluid Foundation
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Burberry Sheer Luminous Compact Foundation

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MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural-- I have wanted to try this for the longest time. But I still have my Lancome Blanc Miracle which I adore so I'm not gonna get to this until I run out :P

Okay I got sidetracked =_= but anyway! My point is, at least I will be really good and finishing up whatever I have :D I will still spend on skincare when needed, and makeup essentials (but probably not for a very long time). But I'm definitely not purchasing more Aveda :'( I did buy a lot more high end products last year because I was working and had income. But after finishing my current shampoo and stuff I'm going back to drug store to cut down expenses XD I guess I won't be spending on luxurious items for a length of time until I graduate, find a job, and pay off debt? LOL.

Okay this post is becoming too long, so I'm gonna stop here. The next post I have planned will be a blog sale, as well as a compare/contrast review on YSL Touche Eclat Radiant Touch and Lancome Teint Miracle Instant Retouch Pen. It's actually quite easy for me to decide which one I like more actually lol.

I hope everyone is staying well and happy ^_^ I'm off to work out for a bit and hopefully study? lol.

Before I go, I need to share this!

A friend showed me this, and I almost died of cuteness!!! LOL

<3 Frances