Day Out - Loon Fung Chinese Superstore

About every 2-3 months, Hubs and I make a pilgrimage to Loon Fung Chinese Superstore. They have not only Chinese food, but foods from all over Asia. They have four locations around London - Alperton (West London), Tottenham (North London), Chinatown (Central London), and Silvertown (East London). We go to the Alperton branch because it's an easy drive from our house. Loon Fung is very popular with Chinese restaurant owners, as they sell industrial sizes of everything. We go there to buy our 5-10 kg. bags of rice, above. Hubs favourite is Thai Jasmine Rice, as well as Basmati.

 Besides rice, we picked up snacks and basic provisions: Beef flavoured tofu snacks, Mango Sugar with Chilli, and Sanchang Gochujang, Korean Hot Pepper paste, which is used in Hot Pot.

 Of course, you can't have a hot pot without tofu puffs - if you need the 50 kg. size for your restaurant, they sell those too!

 Hubs has become really fond of Japanese snacks these days - he got some Spicy Japanese noodle snacks for the plane next week. I got some vegetarian Tom Yum paste, as I'm allergic to shrimp. We also got some Lemon Sauce, made in China (Sorry, Amoy).

 More spicy Clover Chips for Hubs - this time in Chilli and Cheese flavour. For me, Tamarind with Sugar - I'm addicted to Tamarind sweets!

Loon Fung of course has an excellent selection of fresh produce - we got some excellent coriander, green onions and clementines.

 OK, I admit that I do make Westernized Chinese food for some family members, hence the Sweet and Sour sauce (the kind you get in restaurants). For Hubs and I, there's the king size bottle of sweet chilli sauce.

 More snacks - Mango and Tamarind sweets! People are really lucky in the Philippines!

 I got some Fry's Turkish Delight for a friend's husband in Japan - can't get these there!

I bought a wardrobe of phone covers for my Galaxy S2 - 10 for £5.00 at Amazon! I must check out the Hello Kitty covers when I'm in Japan.

Last but not least, we had someone in to paint and hang wallpaper in 3 rooms - this is the finished result in Hub's office. The carpet is a similar colour, as are the Roman blinds.

Hope you enjoyed the mini-tour today!

FOTD - Makeup Forever Rouge Artist Intense Lipstick 38, Armani Face Fabric Second Skin Nude Makeup SPF12 No. 2 and Chanel Illusion D'Ombre 83 Illusoire

 Today's look uses yet another bright pink lipstick - Makeup Forever Rouge Artist Intense Lipstick 38, a blogger gift from Sheila of Maddy Loves. I'm also wearing Armani Face Fabric Second Skin Nude Makeup SPF12 No. 2 and Chanel Illusion D'Ombre 83 Illusoire.

 I love the sheer, moisturizing texture of the Armani Face Fabric Second Skin Nude Makeup SPF12 No.2 - it goes on so smoothly, without settling into pores or fine lines. My only regret is that there is such a large shade jump between No. 2 and No. 3 - No. 2 suits NC20-25 and No. 3 is best for NC 35-40! Hence, I can only wear No.3 when I'm very tan, like after a month in Muscat.

I concealed with Kiko Milano Soft Focus Concealer No.1 and set my makeup with Inglot Pressed Powder 41 just in the t-zone.

 No blush today, since I'm flushed after my hot shower - I'm just wearing Bobbi Brown Illuminating Bronzer in 5 Bali Brown, which does have a bit of shimmer in it. This is my other favourite bronzer, in addition to NARS Laguna. When I'm tan I like to wear Guerlain Terracotta bronzers - I keep those in Muscat.

I applied the Chanel  Illusion D'Ombre 83 Illusoire with a synthetic Bobbi Brown cream shadow brush, then highlighted with Kiko Milano Eye Shadow 128, a glittery cream, using a NARS Yachiyo brush. I lined my eyes with Bobbi Brown Creamy Eye Pencil in Jet, and finished with two coats of Estee Lauder Double Wear Zero-Smudge Volume+Lift Mascara in 01 Black. I filled in my brows with Blink Eyebrow Pencil in Indian Chocolate. I like this because it's wax-based, not too dense, and does a good job of grooming as well as defining your brows.

The Makeup Forever Rouge Artist Intense Lipstick 38 gives you a wallop of pink and is quite long lasting. It looks good on lighter complexions, but I think it would look flourescent on tan skin! It's a great colour to brighten your dull winter skin.

Hope you liked today's look and thanks for reading!

FOTD - Tom Ford Illuminating Highlight Pen 04 Liquid Bronze, Illamasqua Cream Eye Shadow in Peak and Tom Ford Translucent Finishing Powder 02 Ivory Fawn

I am so happy that the sun briefly came out so that I could take some photos in the afternoon light! Today's look is a neutral one with a pop of pink, using  Tom Ford Illuminating Highlight Pen 04 Liquid Bronze, Illamasqua Cream Eye Shadow in Peak and Tom Ford Translucent Finishing Powder 02 Ivory Fawn.

I've had the  Tom Ford Illuminating Highlight Pen 04 Liquid Bronze since December - I bought it at the Manchester Selfridges counter. The Illamasqua Cream Eye Shadow in Peak was a blogger gift from Yinnie and the Tom Ford Translucent Finishing Powder 02 Ivory Fawn was a Selfridges on-line buy. I've had the Stormy Pink lipstick for a while - it was a Harrods purchase.

 My skin is craving sheer, moisturizing foundations this winter - here, I'm wearing Edward Bess Sheer Satin Cream Compact Foundation in 03 Nude. This is so natural looking, even in sunlight. I concealed with NARS stick concealer in Custard, and applied the Tom Ford Translucent Finishing Powder in 02 Ivory Fawn with a bid Clinique powder Brush. This pressed powder has got to be the best one I've ever used! It is so finely milled and refuses to highlight fine lines and pores! Tom Ford Translucent Finishing Powder is now up the with Suqqu Nuancing Loose Powder in Natural - the Tom Ford can go in my bag, because it's a compact.

 On my eyes, I used Illamasqua Cream Eye Shadow in Peak (a sort of muddy taupe colour) as an all over base, then applied Sephora Prisma Chrome Eye Shadow in Bronze Brilliance No. 15 to shade and contour. I set both eye shadows with a touch of the Tom Ford Translucent Finishing Powder - again, the powder is so sheer that you can use it around your eye area without caking. I lined my eyes with Estee Lauder Pure Color Intense Kajal Eyeliner in 02 Blackened Cocoa and applied two coats of L'Oreal Voluminous False Lashes Waterproof Mascara 290.

 I blushed my cheeks with a pop of pink: NARS Blush in Angelika. I highlighted my cheeks with the  Tom Ford Illuminating Highlight Pen 04 Liquid Bronze, which is actually quite sheer and subtle. Instead of using liner on my lower lashes, I applied a line line of the Highlight Pen. This brightens your eyes in a discreet way and doesn't accentuate fine lines and shadows.

I finished the look with Burberry Lip Mist Lipstick in 08 Stormy Pink - bright and glossy.

Hope you liked today's look and thanks for your support!

FOTD - Ellis Faas Milky Eyes E209, Ellis Faas Blush S304, NARS Larger Than Life Long-Wear Eyeliner Rue Saint-Honore and Estee Lauder Double Wear Zero Smudge Volume+Lift Mascara

 Today's FOTD combines cool and warm colours, using Ellis Faas Milky Eyes E209, Ellis Faas Blush S304 , NARS Larger Than Life Long-Wear Eyeliner Rue Saint-Honore and Estee Lauder Double Wear Zero Smudge Volume+Lift Mascara.

 I primed with Missha BB Boom and smoothed on Estee Lauder DayWear BB Cream SPF35 in 01 Light. I love this BB cream - it's got a slight yellow tone, is very moisturizing, and has an excellent SPF. It also doesn't settle into pores and fine lines. I concealed with Kiko Milano Soft Focus Concealer 01 and set my base makeup with Suqqu Nuancing Loose Powder in Natural.

 I applied Ellis Faas Milky Eyes E209, a pale yellow beige, as an all-over base, and shaded and contoured my lid and crease with Inglot Pearl Eye Shadow 420, a cool violet colour. I lined my eyes with  NARS Larger Than Life Long-Wear Eyeliner Rue Saint-Honore, a deep, royal blue colour. I finished with two coats of a new mascara, Estee Lauder Double Wear Zero Smudge Volume+Lift Mascara in 01 Black - it curls, lengthens, volumizes, and doesn't budge. It's much gentler on your lashes than a waterproof formula, and it's a great choice unless you're actually going for a swim. I filled in my brows with Blink Eyebrow Pencil in Indian Chocolate.

To add warmth, I applied NARS Laguna Bronzer. I blushed my cheeks with Ellis Faas Blush S304, a deep cranberry shade. You only need the very tiniest bit of this blush - it is amazingly concentrated. If you are NC40+, you will adore this blush. Paler folks will need to be very careful in order to avoid clown cheeks.

I'm wearing Ellis Faas L306 Glazed Lips, a pretty coral shade. I know this is a warm shade that contrasts with the cooler shades I'm wearing, but I think it works well against my warm skin tone.

Hope you liked today's look and thank you for reading!

FOTD - Kiko Milano Soft Touch Blush 104, Armani Eyes to Kill Excess Mascara No. 1 and Estee Lauder Pure Color Intense Kajal Eyeliner 05 Blackened Olive

 Today's FOTD is an eclectic blend of bronze, green, plum, and neutral shades using Kiko Milano Soft Touch Blush 104, Armani Eyes to Kill Excess Mascara No. 1 and Estee Lauder Pure Color Intense Kajal Eyeliner 05 Blackened Olive. I got the Armani mascara from British Airways on-board Duty Free, at 20% off the London price.

 It's been 3 weeks since I've been back from Hawaii, and I've faded quite a bit - I'm now wearing Armani Luminous Silk Foundation No. 5. On holiday, I was wearing Armani Designer Lift Foundation No. 6, two shades darker. I concealed with Maybelline FitMe Concealer No. 20 Sand, and applied a bit of Suqqu Nuancing Loose Powder in Natural to my t-zone. My skin is so dry now that I'm going to skip powder altogether for a couple of months! This is even though I primed with Clinique Pore Refining Solutions Instant Perfector in Invisible Bright and Estee Lauder Idealist Cooling Eye Illuminator in Light-Medium.

 On my eyes, I'm wearing the Bronze, Brown, Forest Green and pale Blue shades from the RMK Ingenious Natural Eyes N 05 Palette. I applied the bronze to the lid, the brown at the outer corners of my eyes, the forest green to contour my crease, and the pale blue to highlight. In keeping with the green theme, I lined my eyes with Estee Lauder  Pure Color Intense Kajal Eyeliner 05 Blackened Olive. I absolutely love these pencil liners - they have deep, intense colours, yet are very creamy and stay put all day without migrating or fading.

 I'm also quite happy with the Armani Eyes to Kill Excess mascara. I was a bit underwhelmed by the regular Eyes to Kill Mascara, which caused my lashes to droop. This formula, however, adds length, volume, and curls your lashes. I couldn't ask for more - and you don't need to use a lot of product, either. A winner.

I blushed my cheeks with the plummy Kiko Milano Soft Touch Blush 104 - which has a LOT of colour payoff. In fact, I applied extra powder over the top to damp down the colour a bit. This formulation would be problematic for pale complexions, but if you are NC35 plus, this is a great blush for you.

I finished my look with Burberry Lip Mist No. 202 Copper, a soft Nude colour.

Hope you liked today's look and thank you for reading!

Day Out - Pub Lunch in Henley-on-Thames

On Sunday, Hubs and I drove up to Henley-on-Thames, home of the famous Henley Regatta. Being winter, the boats were tucked up in their sheds, and the river front was very quiet except for swans and the occasional scull.

It was sunny but a bit chilly, and we took a walk around town. This is the Red Lion Hotel, on the river front.

 Henley has many lovely medieval buildings. Even the ones with Georgian fronts are actually much older, half-timbered buildings.

 Henley's church. The building is rendered with flint nodules, which is very characteristic of our area.

We had lunch at an old pub across the street from the Red Lion, and enjoyed a nice lunch next to a warm fire. Henley is full of old pubs with lots of character.

We took a stroll along the Thames before lunch, enjoying the quiet of winter.

Hope you enjoyed the mini-tour of Henley!

FOTD - Edward Bess Sheer Satin Cream Compact Foundation 03 Nude, Edward Bess Ultra Slick Lipstick 15 Demi Buff and Kiko Milano Soft Focus Concealer 01

Today's FOTD uses an ultra-natural foundation and concealer: Edward Bess Sheer Satin Cream Compact Foundation 03 Nude and Kiko Milano Soft Focus Concealer 01. These products honestly make you look like you're wearing no makeup - you can click and enlarge any of the pictures for a detailed close-up.

I primed with Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Mousse Base SPF 50+ PA+++ and applied the Edward Bess Sheer Satin Cream Compact Foundation 03 Nude with the sponge included with the compact. This foundation doesn't provide a lot of coverage (you will need concealer), but gives you a dewy, luminous natural finish. I concealed with Kiko Milano Soft Focus Concealer 01, which comes in a pen just like YSL Touche Eclat. However, it's not shimmery like Touche Eclat and works as a very natural looking concealer. I set my makeup with RMK Pressed Powder N 002.

I kept my eye makeup neutral and natural looking - I'm wearing Benefit Bunny Hop Creaseless Cream Shadow as an all over base, and accented and contoured with NARS Mykonos Cream Shadow. I used a tiny bit of powder to set the shadow. I lined my eyes with YSL Eyeliner Effet Faux Cils in 3 Noir Bronze. I finished with two coats of L'Oreal Lash Architect 3D Waterproof.

I blushed and highlighted my cheeks with Suqqu Face Color Palette EX-01, after applying some NARS Laguna Bronzer to warm up my complexion.

I'm wearing the sheer, creamy Edward Bess Ultra Slick Lipstick in 15 Demi Buff, a pinky neutral.

Hubs and I went to Henley on Thames (yes, home of the famous Regatta) for lunch at a riverside pub. We sat next to a roaring fire and enjoyed some pub grub. Cold as it was, there were rowers on the river - they train all year round!

Thanks for reading and hope you liked today's look!