YSL Beauté for the Malaysian Beauties - The Low Down & The After Party

(L to R : YSL lipstick code Card, YSL slow-motion video booth)

Hi everyone! Welcome BACK to SleepingWithMakeup. First of all, thank you so much for dropping by, I really appreciate the support and all the positive vibes on my blog. And secondly, I am finally coming out of my hiatus and what better way to do that than to start with some YSL Beauté goodness?! Last Friday, on the 28th of April, Yves Saint Laurent threw a massive party which is an international event from the YSL Beauty Club. It is pretty much like a world tour kind of thing as they've had one in Korea, Russia, London, Paris etc. etc. So it was Malaysia's turn last weekend!

The party kicked off at Bukit Bintang City Centre - the place looks gorgeous. We even got our own UBER from YSL which I find very helpful - but if you know KL, you'd know KL on Fridays is just horrendous in traffic so I've decided to take a train instead! 

We got to play around with loaaaads of YSL makeup and each of the guests were given a YSL lipstick to be engraved at the event. Good news is - the same engraving service will be available at their new YSL flagship boutique that will be opened in Pavilion Kuala Lumpur. I didn't get mine engraved that night just to give myself an excuse to come visit the store :P The one I've received was the Rouge Volupté Shine Oil-in-Stick in the shade 12 Corail Dolman (more on these soon).

        

(L to R : trying on YSL Touche Eclat Cushion and Rouge Volupte Shine lipsticks, YSL Vinyl Lipsticks, some of YSL's makeup brushes (super soft!), and a mess of makeup play

The party was a celebratory of the launching of YSL hence there were a lot of mingling, music and macaroons! I did do a whole YSL makeover which was amazing and I think I'm most excited for the lipsticks and their bronzers. No more going over at tiny duty free stands for YSL, as the new flagship will be the largest YSL Beauté flagship in the world!

So, here's some of my own personal list to look out for on the 3rd of May -


Les Sahariennes Bronzer, $55 - A silky balm-to-powder bronzer in a semi-matte formula (contains shimmer, but very micro-fine). I've been dying to try this out as I am a bit blush/bronzer obsessed and the shade 3, and 5 absolutely looks gorgeous. You can have a look of the different shades here 

Touché Eclat Blur Primer, $52 - Reminds me a little bit of the Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer, (even price-wise, but I daresay Hourglass is pricier). It claims to give the skin a smoother and glower appearance - as I am a bit on the drier side so this seems like the more hydrating option compared to the Hourglass primer.

Baby Doll Kiss and Blush, $40 - I saw this on Huda Beauty's channel where she was using the shade 10 Nude Insolent if I'm correct. And it looks so niceeeee against her skintone. I've swatched the same shade at the event and formula-wise it is much more hydrating matte lipstick due to its mousse-like texture. Definitely a staple for an on-the-go makeup bag. More shades here

Volume Effet Faux Cils (Original), $32 - Years back, a 14-year-old me gotten a set of YSL Baby Doll perfumes and their Volume Effet Faux Cils Baby Doll mascara, and I was in love. The mascara was pitch black and coated my lashes perfectly without being clumpy. It's almost mandatory for me to try out the elder sister of the Baby Doll mascara, the Volume Effet Faux Cils - of which I'm pretty sure will wow the 24-year-old me :P

Touché Eclat Face Highlighter Pen, $42 - When I first used this in my yesteryears, I've treated it as a concealer - which was a no-no. This product works as a highlighter, without the overly- shimmer finish we get from most highlighters nowadays. I use to wear the shade 1.5 Radiant Silk and 2 Luminous Ivory but the YSL pro makeup artist chose the shade 3 Light Peach on me and it looks so, so good. So I have to recheck my shade soon before purchasing it, but, this is just a YSL classic and a must-have. Side note, this was formulated by Terry de Gunzburg which is one of my favourite makeup brand so - yeah - try it out!

    

    
(L to R : All glammed up with @bella.52 , the YSL Vinyl DJ set with REAL lipsticks as the console,
Ending the party with @minaros3 , some of YSL guests - Daeng Syahadat, Wendy Mei and Jason)

All in all, a hearty welcome to YSL from the Malaysian beauty community! You will be stunned by how amazing the community is here. Anyway, share your thoughts and excitement with me! We need a little bit of catching up to do :) 

Thank you for hanging out! x Farah A.

Top 10 Must-Haves : sleepingwithmakeup x illiyaridzuan

Hi everyone, today's post is going to be a collaboration with fellow makeup/beauty curator, @illiyaridzuan who is my go-to gal for when I want to read about a different branch of makeup, because I think she reaches out for brands and products that I don't normally go for and it is so interesting to read what she likes and what's out there. So. Having said that, I've decided to approach her to write about our Top 10 Must-Haves so all of you can get a lot of perspectives and variety of products since our taste and approach are very different from one another. So, make sure you check out her Instagram account, @illiyaridzuan where she will be talking about her favourites! Let's get started!

1. Peter Thomas Roth Gentle Foaming Cleanser



Game-changer!! This is what I'm calling it now. If you're an architecture student, or doing medicine - or anything that involves late-nights and long hours, you need this. It instantly cleanses away the grime that is on my face after a long day at the studio, and leaves my skin feeling fresh and squeaky clean. The best part is, this cleanser is sulfate-free, fragrance-free, alcohol-free and soap-free which is suitable and gentle enough for my dry, sensitive skin. It combats any dirt from clogging up my pores and cleans away build-up which causes acne/break-outs. I really like how it makes my skin looks substantially brighter and just really clean, overall. I have repurchased this time and time again and it is the best cleanser for my skin. If you want an extensive review, I will link the post below. Love this.

2. iS Clinical Active Serum



This is my break-out solution. I use this every single day on areas that I am already breaking out or on areas where I can see spots tryna show! This serum helps in softening and smoothing out skin, reduces fine lines, and diminishing pores and hyper pigmentation. It is essentially a chemical exfoliant, and I'd use this twice a day on spots. Usually, I am an ingredient snob but for this serum, I am willing to overlook the slight problem in this product's ingredient deck (it has alcohol in it). Hence I only apply this on problematic areas, and not using it for the whole face (as recommended). This serum works so well on my skin and fight my breakouts like no other and I pack this with me everywhere if I am travelling. This is one of my essentials for a smooth, even skin and it lasts forever since I use less than a drop for spot-treating my skin.

3. REN Evercalm Global Protection Day Cream

If you have sensitive skin like mine, you must've experienced stinging on the skin when using a harsh moisturiser or anything that contains fragrance. I had such bad luck with finding the right moisturiser that won't agitate the redness in my skin and with ingredients that is gentle enough in a cream. The REN Evercalm Global Protection Day Cream is such a great moisturiser for delicate skin and since it works as an anti-aging cream as well, it definitely does the trick in hydrating my poor, parched dry skin! I really love how clean the ingredient deck is in this moisturiser - REN Skincare is well-known for the best blends of high-grade formulas and ingredients. I love that this formula soothes and calms my skin - this is definitely a must-have for me. 

4. RMK Eyelash Curler 

I cannot go anywhere without at least curling my lashes. The RMK eyelash curler is like Shu Uemura's cooler sister. It has just enough crimp without making my lashes look too dolly-eyed, you know what I mean? So, that makes my daily looks have that underdressed, understated edge to it. The grip is also moderate - not too strong, and not too soft so my lashes don't feel like they're about to fall off whenever I curl them! I really like this RMK eyelash curler for daily use however I do save the Shu Uemura's for special days.

5. Burberry Light Glow Natural Blush in Earthy Blush No.07 

In the mornings, I do get extra extra puffy and swollen in the face (especially around the eyes) and I just look super bloated so this is where Earthy No.07 comes in. The muted taupe, borderline peachy blush just gives a beautiful hint of definition wherever I need it. I use this as a contour/blush, as a transition shade, I also dust this all over my temples and forehead. Basically everywhere. The brush is not crappy either. It's in my purse for when I feel washed out and I just need a boost of colour to perk up my face. Honestly I didn't know I would like Earthy No.07 as much as I do, but I am an avid fan of neutral understated looks so Earthy No.07 has everything I need in a beautiful  compact. Earthy No.07 is the Hermione Granger of makeup - it does everything, and it does more! 

6. Chanel Natural Finish Loose Powder in 20 Clair - Translucent 1

I don't know what's in this that makes the skin look so unbelievably good. My routine isn't complete without a pat of Chanel Loose Powder on my under eye, the nose and the forehead. It has a little somethin' somethin' as it has the slightest bit of coverage (teensy weensy bit tho), just enough to smooth out any uneven skintones on my skin. You know that velvety Chanel skin that you see in their ad? That's exactly what it looks like on my skin. It's not a totally flat matte powder which gives a dulled down appearance, but it just gives the smoothest texture where I need it - especially on the centre of my face which is most texturised (unfortunately). The powder is naturally very finely milled and I use this for baking the under eyes as well. I always find it funny to use the term "baking" because I can't bake for shit in the kitchen hahahahaha. Jeffree Star (whom I adore) applies this with a damp beauty blender, and I think I'll try his way soon enough cause his skin gives me life. Usually I would buff it into the skin or use a velour puff by Laura Mercier.

7. SUQQU Eyebrow Liner Pen in 01 Moss Green 

I feel bad for including this in my list but oh. my. god!! I have always opted for pencils to fill in my brows and follow up with a brow gel, and in my yesteryears I actually used powder to fill in my brows. And the thing about pencils and powders is that, you can see the pencil, and you can see the powder. Just like if you use a powder blush, it'll look far more obvious in comparison to a liquid or cream blush. So. This SUQQU brow pen has an oh-so fine tip brush to disperse the product - which is almost like a watercolour ink. 01 Moss Green is a beautiful shade of dark, ashy grey that looks so freaking natural on my brows. I can't wait to do a full-on review with photos (and possible dupes!!) on the effect that this brow pen gives. It is absolutely unbelievable, just makes my brows look like it has so much density and lots and lots of hair without looking fake and blocky. And I actually fell asleep with my makeup on, and my brows were still intact. Amazeballs. 

8. Kiehl's Ultra Light Daily UV Defense 

You all know what the weather is like in KL right now hahahah. It's super scorching hot! The thing about my usual sunscreens is that it's too thick, even when I do careful thin layers, the texture of sunscreens is just too off. Although heavier creams does help in soothing my easily agitated skin, a lightweight sunblock like this Kiehl's Sunscreen is perfect for those heated afternoons. Because it's ultra lightweight, I know it won't just melt off right away and last for quite a while before I need to reapply. And I do appreciate the size of the bottle as well so I can lug it around with me and reapply whenever I need to. I like that this sunblock have a pleasant scent to it (though it is fragrance-free) and I use this on my nephews and nieces as well because it is not harsh on the skin. It's impossible not to include a sunscreen in my list because I have been harping my friends to get on the sunscreen bandwagon everytime we are walking to lunch. Hahahahahaha sorry guys. I just care about you all.

9. MAC Lip Pencil in Boldly Bare 

If you've read my previous posts, you must know that I'm loyal to my By Terry Perfect Nude Lip Definer. But this is the more reasonable, just as good, go-to lip liner in my collection. MAC Boldly Bare. This lip pencil has a beautiful brightening nude colour whereas the By Terry liner has a tinge of brown and beige. Boldly Bare is a pretty baby pink and counteracts my pigmented lips to perfection. I love to over line my lips with this colour for a fuller look and I get a lot of compliments whenever I use this colour! The texture is a little bit drying in comparison to the By Terry but nothing a lip balm can't fix. Again these two lip liners has been repurchased time and time again because they are both perfection but I will say that Boldly Bare has the upper hand to be on this list because it is simply so damn good. 

10. Diorskin Star Concealer in 02 - Medium 

We have reached the end of the list and we all know that bases are a definite must-have for every girl who loves makeup. Be it primer, foundations, powders or concealer I think bases is what makes any makeup look more perfected. For me, I don't need foundation, I don't need a primer but I need this concealer. Diorskin Star Concealer has made it into my favourites list and now it has upgraded into an essential. This concealer has exceeded expectations in every single way in terms of coverage, texture and blendibility. Make up artist, Morag, has also confessed that this concealer is the perfect quick fix, go-to concealer. It is so simple to use, and just the essence of a Dior makeup - high-quality, beautiful and ultimately a girl's best friend. I use this to cover up any dark spots and brighten up the complexion and this concealer just works wonders. 

And that is it for my current must-haves! I hope you guys had fun snooping into my top shelf and do let me know what are your can't-live-withouts. I always enjoy reading your comments and starting a conversation on my posts. Be sure to read Illiya's must-haves on her Instagram, @illiyaridzuan - and have a happy weekend! Thank you for hanging out! 

Farah x 

Going Bare : sleepingwithmakeup x FATIMAHEARTS

Hi everybody, welcome back to my blog! Today is a very exciting day because it is my first blog collaboration and it is with no other than the wonderful fellow Malaysian blogger, FATIMAHEARTS. I am sure all of you are familiar with Fatimah who has been in the blogging scene or so long - she is definitely the OGs Of the beauty scene in Malaysia. If you aren't, head over to her blog and get to know her on FATIMAHEARTS and follow her Instagram account @fatimahearts which I can scroll endlessly when I crave for makeup talks! We actually found each other off Instagram, immediately bonded over the love of makeup and she approached me for a collab! As you can from the title, we will be doing our own looks on the nude makeup trend, so do check her blog out. 

So, what is nude makeup? For me, creating a nude look is customised to our own colouring and undertones. I have my own preference in tones and a certain style on how I do my nude makeup from learning the tones in my medium-fair skin, and what colours work with my hazel eyes. The key to a successful nude, natural makeup is to enhance and emphasise the best features and bring out the colouring of your own face. So without further ado, I will share with you a step by step routine on how I do my everyday nude makeup look. 

Prep

Since I won't be using a bright lip or do a heavy smokey eye, my skin would be the centre of attention hence, skin prep is key. My favourite way to start is by first cleansing my skin with a gentle cleanser, I use Peter Thomas Roth's cleanser (on my second bottle now, it is amazing) then, I follow up with REN Skincare's Flash Rinse 1 Minute Facial (reviewed here) to brighten up the complexion and giving the skin a nice smooth base. After that, I use the iS Clinical Active Serum on any blemishes and massage that in, and I moisturise my skin with REN's Evercalm Global Protection Day Cream which tones down redness + finish with a hydrating sunblock. It's important to lock down a good skincare regime if you want to improve the texture of your skin. Also, make sure your lips are always prepped too. I use Eucerin's Lip Aktiv to keep it hydrated! 

Base 

For base makeup, I dot the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Pearl on any areas that are looking dull/sallow, usually on the inner corners of the eyes and under-eye area and then used my Diorskin Star Concealer in 02 to conceal/highlight underneath the eyes, and leave it to set for  a minute or 2 before blending it out with a damp buffing brush (spritz it with Caudalie's Beauty Elixir, but any other mists would do). I use RMK's Super Basic Concealer in Shade 2 for covering blemishes as it is a waxier concealer which gives fuller coverage, and for this I use a tiny detailer brush to spot-treat any areas. Then I bake my concealer with Chanel's Natural Finish Loose Powder to give the skin a really smooth, even finish. I skip foundation altogether because 1. I don't use foundation in my regular daily routine 2. I feel that letting your own skin show through adds a modern touch to any makeup look. But if you must have a little bit of coverage, try using a foundation with a light texture, like Glossier's Skin Tint (I have a 20% off code! It's here) or mixing in your usual foundation with your moisturiser.

Cheek 

I went crazy on the cheek products since I like to play up my cheekbones (but what cheekbones? hahaha). My nude makeup is more of a bronze-y, sculpted look so I go all out when it comes to the cheeks. First off, I start by defining the cheekbones by taking The Balm's Bahama Mama bronzer which is too grey to be a bronzer, so I re-purposed it as a contour colour, and I apply this with a NARS Ita Brush which is excellent to carve out cheekbones because of how the brush is shaped. I also contour my forehead because why not hahahaha. I then warm up my face with Catrice's Sun Glow Matt Bronzer in 020 Deep Bronze and I mix in the blush from my Inglot palette (blush #28) and Burberry's Earthy No.07 and apply it higher up from where I contoured - the mixture of these two blushes just gives a really lovely mesh of tonal colours against my skin tone. 

Eyes

Because my skin tone is medium-fair, nude colours for me would be taupes, oranges, and greys. So I took the Catrice bronzer and Earthy No.07 mixed together and used it as a crease colour for a natural definition. I then line my upper lash line with Chanel's Rouge Noir, a plummy brown liner which really brings out the hazel tones in my eyes. To add definition, I deepened up the outer corners of the eyes with the taupe shade from my Inglot palette and place an orange shadow to lighten up the centre of the lids. I lined my lower lash line with a white Make Up For Ever Aqua liner blended with a Seventeen Cosmetics blue liner to create a subtle grey but again, you can simply use a gray shadow to get the same effect, I personally used the blue as its undertones bring out hazel/brown eyes. For the brows, I pencilled it in with my Burberry Effortless Eyebrow Definer in Sepia No.02 and set it with the Catrice Eyebrow Filler brow gel, just giving it a little bit of life. Of course, an eye look is never completed without curling the lashes and putting on some mascara, and I used my trusty Chanel Inimitable to give some volume and definition to the lashes. I love mixing in warm and cool-toned colours as the contrast of the bronze warmth on the upper lid and neutral greys on the lower lash just makes the eyes pop, and it looks so interesting. Of course, this look is an all-matte look to keep it nude and not overly done. 

Lips

I only have By Terry's Perfect Nude lip liner and M.A.C's Yash on the lips as it is my go-to combo of the moment. I just love the two colours together and again, adds more warmth to my otherwise dull/sallow face. I love using lip liner as a base for my lipsticks and the By Terry's Perfect Nude is my go-to colour, I think this is my second or third pencil. I stumbled across a video recently of Lisa Eldridge using this liner and she mentioned that it is discontinued (say it ain't so!!) but point is she said Make Up For Ever's lip liner in 2C is a perfect, cheaper alternative. I noticed that I suit warmer nudes rather than mauves because my lips are so pigmented (almost grey on the edges) and it needs the warm yellow undertones of the lip colour to combat any grey-ness. So, when you are trying to look for a lip colour, try to look for something that would suit your natural lip colour, too. 

Hairstyle #1 : Messy Dutch Braids 

Hairstyle #2 : Faux Bob, tucked into jacket

And this is the finished look! A sculpted, bronzey nude makeup with taupey grey-toned accent on the eyes. I usually wear this makeup on the daily, and switch up the lower lash colours frequently. Sometimes I do a pink berry, a turquoise, browns, greens - whatever that tickles my fancy. A nude makeup look doesn't have to consist of just using "nude" tones or shying away from colours and sculpting/bronzing your face. When done right, colours and accents can actually emphasise your own features and brighten up the face while still maintaining a minimalist, nude aesthetic. I love to focus on the skin and change up my hair when I'm rocking a nude face. Hairstyle #1 comes in really handy when it's super hot and I want my hair out of my face, and hairstyle #2 is my go-to look for a rainy day so that my hair doesn't frizz up. Thank you Fatimah for the this and I had so much fun drafting this out! Do check out FATIMAHEARTS' take on the nude makeup trend over on her blog, theleakycauldron-fatma.blogspot.my. I hope you guys learnt a thing or two from our routines and share with me what your go-to tricks are and which features do you like to emphasise when you do your makeup! Thank you for hanging out! 

FARAH x 

Full Product List -

Base

Peter Thomas Roth Gentle Foaming Cleanser

REN Skincare 1 Minute Facial Flash Radiance (swatches and review here)

iS Clinical Active Serum 

REN Skincare Evercalm Global Protection Day Cream

Eucerin Lip Aktiv 

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Pearl (swatches and review here)

Diorskin Star Concealer in 02

RMK Super Basic Concealer in 02

Chanel Natural Finish Loose Powder in 20 Clair 

Cheek

The Balm's Bahama Mama Bronzing Poudre 

Catrice Sun Glow Matt Bronzer in 020 Deep Bronze  (swatches and review here)

Burberry Light Glow Natural Blush in Earthy Blush No.07  (swatches and review here)

Inglot Freedom System Blush #28 (swatches and review here)

Eyes

Inglot Freedom System Eyeshadow M #342 #312 (swatches and review here)

Make Up For Ever Crayon Kohl in 2K

Seventeen Crayon Kohl in F127

Chanel Inimitable Mascara in Noir 

Burberry Effortless Eyebrow Definer in Sepia No.02  (swatches and review here)

Catrice Eyebrow Filler in Brown (swatches and review here)

Lips 

By Terry Perfect Lip Liner in 1 Perfect Nude (swatches and review here)

M.A.C. Matte Lipstick in Yash (swatches and review here)