BLOG SALE

RULES:

- UK ONLY
- FIRST COME FIRST SERVE
- READ DESCRIPTION BEFORE PURCHASING
- PAYPAL ONLY
- PURCHASE THROUGH COMMENTS ON THIS POST ONLY, IF ITEM HAS BEEN CLAIMED THEN IT IS MOST LIKELY GONE.  ASK ITEM HAS BEEN CLAIMED, YOU MAY PUT DOWN YOUR NAME IN CASE THE ORIGINAL PURCHASE HAS BEEN VOIDED.
- DO NOT PURCHASE THROUGH MY EMAIL, COMMENTS ONLY
- MONEY MUST BE SENT VIA PAYPAL, ONCE CONFIRMED I WILL SEND PRODUCT THE FOLLOWING DAY.
- NO RETURNS, NO REFUNDS.
- PRODUCTS ARE LEFT FOR PURCHASER TO SANITIZE IN THEIR OWN WAY BUT ALL PRODUCTS ARE CLEAN AND TO EXCELLENT HYGIENE STANDARDS
- MORE QUESTIONS?  EMAIL ME AT: cherrychan108@googlemail.com

How to purchase: Leave a comment stating what products you would like.  Leave me your email address and if you are contacted then I will give you my paypal address.  Once the money has been confirmed I will send the product to you ASAP. 

BarryM Nail Paint ~ No. 284 ~ Used 1-2 times
Price: £2

Eyeko Chi Chi Polish ~ Swatched once
Price: £3

BarryM Nail Paint ~ Cobalt Blue ~ Used 1-2 times
Price: £2 

GOSH Velvet Touch Eyeliner ~ Black Ink ~ New
Price: £5

 

SATC Falsies ~ Samantha ~ NEW
Price: £5

  SATC Falsies ~ Miranda ~ NEW
Price: £5 SATC Falsies ~ Charlotte ~ NEW
Price: £5

 

The Body Shop's Carrot Moisture Cream ~ 50ml ~ NEW x2 (can be sold separately or together)
Price: £2.50 EACH

Ambre Solaire Gloss Bronzer - Original ~ Used once
Price: £3

 

L'Oreal Sublime Bronzer - Natural Tan - Used Once  
Price: £3

 

BarryM Nail Paint ~ Mint Green ~ Used once
Price: £2

Giving Back (Giveaway) - Maybelline Mono Eye shadow

 

Thank you for helping me reach to 376 followers; I hope it's been as amazing for you as it's been for me. 

I will be doing regular mini give aways from now on just to show my appreciation.  They will be small but they are free for you so go ahead and enter!

I'm giving away this NEW Maybelline Eyestudio Mono Eyeshadow in 'I love Lilac'.  It's going to be a beautiful for this summer and looks beautiful on everyone!  Who doesn't love lilac?

Rules:

1. You must be a follower - that's a given.
2. Post my blog link on another blog (or beauty website) and tell them about my give away.  Then in the comments below, link me back to that website.
3. If you are under 16 please have permission for me to send you this product as I will be needing your personal address.  If you are unsure, just ask your parents!
4. This giveaway ends  on Sunday.  Next give away is next Monday.

Next give away will be: GOSH VELVET TOUCH PRIMER

Good luck

Peace

Blog Tag!

Yep.  So I'm tagged by my bestie Vicky to answer eight of her questions and my job will then be to tag some of you lot!  Seeing as it's 4am and I'm not asleep, this seems suitably appropriate.

 

Rules:
People who are tagged must answer the 8 questions, make their own 8 questions and pass it to 8 Blogger buddies, to continue the cycle!

Vicky's questions are as follows:

1. Twitter or Facebook?  ~ Facebook hands down!

2. Tea, coffee or hot chocolate? ~ Oh my.  Tea.

3.iPhone or Blackberry? ~ I want to say iphone but I'm going to stay loyal to my BB crew!

4.Words or Pictures? ~ Can I say 'both'? :P.  Words.

5.Cinema or DVD? ~ DVD!

6.Still or Sparkling water? ~ Never sparkling!

7.Toy Story 2 or Toy Story 3? ~I haven't seen 3 yet so 2 it is although I hear good things about 3

8.Windows laptop or Apple Macbook? ~ Well Windows but I do want me a Macbook!

 

And that's it!   So I'm going to tag the following to answer the questions below:

Ling
Charming Vanity
Shirley
Erica
Lisa
Fei
Get Gawjus
Gemma

 

And my questions will be the following:

1: What's your earliest memory'?
2: What's the meaning to life?
3: What would you do if you found out that the sky was actually pink all this time?
4: Little Black Dress or Little White Dress?
5: Who's concert are you dying to go to next?
6: I'm a genie and I grant you a wish, what shall it be?
7: Cosmopolitan or Glamour Magazine?
8: What's your worst habit?

Peace,

Cherry x

Cherry is interviewed!

Thank you Oana for an amazing experience and opportunity!  It was strange to be interviewed for the first time but was wonderful to be asked such positive and stimulating questions! 

I thought some of you might enjoy a bit of 'light' reading so  here is a link to the interview and please subscribe to Oana's lovely blog!!!!

http://networkedblogs.com/5gZp5

Win prizes!

Enter Vicky's amazing 75 followers give-away! Hopefully you will win and love her blog as much as I love it too :)

A quick blog sale

Just selling some things not because I don't like them but I just have dupes.  Please read the description below them and read the terms and conditions!

Terms and Conditions:
~You must live in the UK - No international orders please...sorry!  Unless you're dying for it please email me!  But I have very little luck with sending things abroad so I wouldn't chance it LOL
~ You must have consent if you're under 16 please, I don't need angry parents on my case!
~ You must have a PAYPAL accounts
~ I will only send it once the money has been transferred
~ If you would like to snatch up one of the items or more, please email me.  It's on a first come, first serve basis.  Email me at Cherrychan108@googlemail.com. I shall update when the product has been sold.
In the Email you must state:

1. what it is you would like
2. your full name and valid address [your information will be deleted and cleared ASAP, no one will see or use your info!]
3. if I write back to you then you are successful in the transaction.  I will therefore send you my paypal email and you can then transfer the funds.
   ~ If I do not email you or get back to you, you have not been successful in the order.  Sorry!
   

If you have anymore questions please state in the comments below!

*SOLD* GOSH Smokey Eyes Palette ~ £5.00 ~ Brand new, Opened for picture purpose only

 

*SOLD* Lancome Color Fan ~ £5.00 ~ BNIB

 

*SOLD* Lancome Lip Fan ~ £5.00 ~ BNIB

 

*SOLD* Revlon Illuminance Creme Shadow {Wild Orchids} ~ £4.00 ~ Brand new

 

*SOLD* Sleek Original Palette ~ £4.00 ~ Brand New

*SOLD*  Maybelline Pure Mineral Foundation [Vanilla Rose] ~ £6.00 ~ Brand New

 

GOSH Velvet Touch Foundation Primer ~ £8.00 ~ Brand New

 

Maybelline Expert Wear Mono eyeshadow [I love Lilac] ~ £3.00 ~ Brand New

 

Revlon Nail Enamel [A Plum Attraction] ~ £5.00 ~ Brand New

Revlon Nail Enamel [Vixen] ~ £5.00 ~ Brand New

 

Revlon Fabulash Mascara [Blackest Black] ~ £5.50 ~ Brand New

 

*SOLD* Revlon Matte Lipstick [Va Va Violet] ~ £6.00 ~ Brand New

 

Don't forget, my email is:
cherrychan108@googlemail.com

You will contacted if successful. 

Thanks everyone in advance ^_^

Cherry x

The Mole Removal Story (+ LOTD)

Not that long ago I announced on my Youtube channel that I had ‘secretly’ gone off to do a spot of surgery; it was nothing ‘big’ so I had not announced it before it hand after all it was only a mole removal.  Or rather it was several mole removals. 

A lot of people have messaged me to ask about the surgery and for a number of reasons; some were out of curiosity and some were because they had done it or want to do it so needless to say there are many questions to be answered.  So if you have asked me a question I will try my best to answer them here in this blog entry. 

So if you’re wondering what moles I removed, they were the one of my nose and the ones by my eyes.  Actually many remain on my face but I got rid of the first three that annoyed me the first.  I especially disliked the one on my nose and so having thought about it since I was probably about 11 (the same time I started caring about my looks) I thought it was time to do it.  I had a good 10 years to think it over and every day I was sure I wanted it done.  So ten years later and I’ve done it.  Was it a good decision to make?  We will find out soon enough!

So I think before I go into the actual nitty gritty, I feel like it’s important to address the emotional elements of the why and how.  It’s probably considered one of the most important factors before going into any type of surgery because there is always the idea of regret or even trauma.  I know this is only a mole removal but it’s also the human face; these days, the face is what brings in the money. 

So my decisions for the mole removal was simply because I just had enough of it being there.  You can’t quite say that I was ashamed of having it or embarrassed, I just felt it got in the way whenever I took pictures or put on make up.  It seemed like it didn’t matter how great my foundation or skin looked that day, the mole seemed to represent to me a genuine flaw.  I mean I didn’t hate it so don’t get me wrong because I know it’s tiny.  I also know what you’re thinking; you’re wondering why such a small mole would bother me.  Since having it done people have said to me that they didn’t realise I had a mole on my nose and those who did thought it cute.  I’m not shocked to be honest because I’ve come to learn that what you may be very conscious about, no one else really notices or cares for that matter.  But I didn’t like it!  It was just a mole that seemed to come from no where (I Wasn’t born with this or had this as a young child!) and it seemed to get darker and more obvious.  I Just had quite enough of seeing that mole every time I took a picture. 

As for the other two on my face, I didn’t quite mind them at all but I took them away for different reasons.  Something that is hard to talk about because it’s a hard cultural boundary to cross is the topic of  Chinese facial readings.  It’s very hard to appreciate if you have no idea what it is and have never been close to this practice from a young age; there are countless Chinese people who are not familiar or accepting to this practice and so I wouldn’t expect anyone to really understand my understanding of it.  But basically in the art of Chinese face readings, it is said that moles on the nose are a bad sign of bad marriages and futures while moles around the eyes signify many tears and troubled times.  Actually in this practice moles on the face generally are not considered fortunate and while some mean more than others, it’s best not to have them.  If you want to know more about this art we can discuss this another time but it’s one of those subjects that I feel is wasted on those who are very closed minded.  If you want to know why I believe these things then it’s like asking why some people believe that there is God or why some believe in Karma…or maybe witchcraft.  It’s just one of those things and I was trying to explain this to a good friend today and he seemed apprehensive (or rather completely resistant) on the idea…and he is Chinese!  But my theory is that it’s good to believe in these things only because it doesn’t do you much harm.  I remember the saying is ‘better safe than sorry’?

So we’ve covered why I did it, when I decided to do it and the other reasons behind it.  Now I guess I Should talk about when I actually did it.  The procedure actually took place last Saturday which I believe was the 15th May 2010 and so it’s almost been a week since having it done.  I’m booked in to see the doctor a month later just to check up on things… I hope it’s heeled by then because while the ones by the eyes have done well in healing, the one on my nose is particularly having a hard time.  The procedure took approximately 45 minutes but really the actual removal is very quick.  The doctor removed all three moles are the same time so I left the surgery with plasters all over my face!

So what’s involved?  I’m not a doctor so it’s not going to be quite accurate in what I’m saying but I can tell you the basic steps.  My face was injected with a local anaesthetic and that kind of hurt.  You have many nerves on your face so it was very uncomfortable to say the least.  Then he beings removing the mole; now mole removals tend to be either ‘cut out’ therefore leading to stitches otherwise if they are small like mine then they are just ‘shaved’ off.  My mum had hers cut out because they were large and about the skin surface so she had stitches.  So after this he uses something (that I have forgotten the name of) and he will basically burn your skin to seal it off.  At this point you will smell burning flesh which made me feel quite sick but it didn’t last for the long.  The worst part of this is probably the fact that the local anaesthetic didn’t work too well on the mole on my right side of my face so I felt most of it…. I’m not usually a wimp but that really did not feel nice!

Overall the experience wasn’t too traumatising but I have to say I’m not rushing to go get more done any time soon.  I don’t want to scare you because it’s really not that bad! 

Now the question of cost popped up quite often.  Firstly I will have to say that I met this doctor when he removed my Mum’s mole and he was a doctor who she was referred to through her GP therefore it was on the NHS.  However when I asked him at the time if he would remove mine he said that as there were not a danger to me, it would be purely a cosmetics case and therefore will have to be done privately.  Therefore I did it at his private surgery which means it was done as private prices.  Now prices really do vary because there are some places that charge £200 per mole and some more and some less.  My doctor was charging £100 per mole and as with most places, the more you do the cheaper it becomes per mole therefore I paid £150 for three to be done which in effect is not too bad!  So it’s going to be different depending on where you are and who you go to. 

So if you want to get your moles removed there are firstly a couple of things you must consider.  The things I suggest you think about is how important it is to you that it is removed and what benefits it will give you when it is gone.  Then you must consider whether you feel its more a cosmetics surgery or whether you think its a danger to your health (i.e. possibilities of Cancer etc) and so if it is the latter, your best bet is to go to your GP (your local doctor) as if you are worried, they can and will do it for you for free!  I kid you not, this is a known fact and I know people who have done this.  If you state that you feel it is changing in shape, feel or colour and they agree it may be dangerous then they will remove it on the spot for you.  However if you find they do not agree, they may well refer you to someone (or themselves) who can do it for you privately.  The best thing to do is to make sure they have a good reputation and positive feedback from previous customers and don’t forget to shop around before committing yourself.  If you feel you can trust the doctor then go with it!

Now there is the topic of scarring to discuss.  According to my doctor, scarring only really occurs for those who have the larger moles and those who need stitches.  For minor moles like mine there will be very minimal scarring.  Now if there is it is quite normal and I’m actually expecting scars just because my skin seems to love to scarring.  If you’re wondering what I’m doing to prevent scarring is I’m keep the areas hydrated and I’m trying my best not to touch them too much.  It’s important not to keep them too covered up and allow it to breathe.  Once the ‘wound’ is a bit more stable I will keep applying Vitamin E oil (or gel) in order for the scar to fade and also use my usual Aloe Vera gel all over the face which I have found over the years has evened out my skin tone.  I am also taking extra vitamin C supplements as it boosts the development of collagen which I hope means quicker and neater healing!

So I think I have covered everything.  If there are any more questions you are very welcome to ask here, in my chat box, via email or even formspring.  All that is left is to show you how much i CAM WHORED* myself rocking my little plaster and new eye shadow.  I bought two baked eye shadows from The Body Shop which is in their Summer Trends collection and I picked up Jade and Copper.  They are great duos to use for quick looks and so I thought I would use Jade today.  Enjoy the pictures!

*If you’re wondering why I made a point of CAM WHORING is because someone decided to tell me I was a ‘cam whore’ and in response to that I would say that yes I am and I’m proud of it.  So eat that!

  

JADED AND COPPER

 

Peace,

Cherry x

Review: Origins Spot Remover

The Low Down

I remember my first spot like it was yesterday; it was a mixture of excitement and irrational morosity; I was so pleased to have stepped into the teenage years but at the same time I knew it was going to be a long battle of probably about ten years.  So, ten years have passed and I’m wrong – I’m still battling it.  Rather than hormones being the main culprit, I now find the triggers are stress, lack of sleep and awful eating habits.  I will find that in the summer I will have clear skin, usually radiant and bright because of a good intake in vitamin D, plenty of sleep, lots of happy days and relaxation.  However the moment it hits September my skin is absolutely awful especially during exam times and this actually applies around April or May because the immense stress from exams at this time is probably the worst.  That’s an understatement as to what’s happened to my skin this year; I broke out in a way I don’t think I’ve ever broken out.  I would probably go as far as saying I had serious acne problems and I’ve never claimed to have acne because I haven’t however this was something else I knew it wasn’t something that would leave quickly.  I struggled on with months and months of acne and up until recently I noticed it died down because coursework was over and I have had a good few days of rest.  However I noticed that the spots were still there but they were just not attacking me as ferociously.  I needed a decent spot treatment to clear the rest of the ones that just wouldn’t leave and that’s when I finally gave into buying the Origins Spot Remover.

I had heard of the recommendation from my cousin who is a loyal fan; the first thing I heard about it was it’s almost terrifying (OK, slightly scary, not terrifying) price tag and that it was an absolute miracle potion.  Now having tried a vast amount of drugstore spot treatments, I thought I tried it all.  However I decided to part away with £10 for this tiny bottle (as you can see, smaller than a contact lenses case) and really hoped for the best.

First think I must comment on is that the product is from one of my favourite brands, Origins.  This cosmetics (and now make up) brand does some truly wonderful products and definitely appeals to me; they boast a great line of naturally influenced soufflés and lotions and plenty of interesting elixirs and scrubs so next time you must check them out if you haven’t already.  If you’re in the UK you will find them in large department stores such as House of Fraser.  The product contains no more than 10ml which isn’t a lot but I can tell you it is sufficient.

The gel contains no harmful ingredients and you will find in it salicylic acid, oregano and clove bud.  This is particularly interesting use of ingredients but there is nothing better than natural ingredients that really do work.  This product also doesn’t dry out the skin as many other very strong spot treatments may do.  They suggest you use it once a day to begin with and then two-three times a day if needed. 

In terms of the consistency the gel feels very lightweight and it’s non sticky.  I almost doesn’t feel like a gel it’s more of just a clear liquid that isn’t too runny!  When you apply it using your fingers it seeps into the skin and disappears like water which is perfect; it leave no residue, stickiness or colour.  However one thing to be noted is that what it seems to do is form a protective layer on top of your spot so do not rub excessively or you will find small bits of the gel rubbing off of your skin!

 

And what do they claim?

You'll feel a mild tingle as blemish-busting Salicylic Acid invisibly zooms in on even the angriest blemishes to speed their banishment and reduce the look of redness, while nature's "spot-nots", Oregano and Clove Buds, help clear the look of things up. And if you've ever used a too-strong blemish treatment only to find your face flaking from forehead to chin, you'll love this speedy treatment. Unlike many blemish treatments that aggressively attack blemish with overly drying ingredients, Spot Remover® won't provoke tender skin or cause additional sensitivity.
HOW TO USE: Cover affected area with a thin layer. Begin with one application daily, increase to 2 to 3 times daily if needed. If dryness or peeling occurs, reduce frequency of application. Wear under makeup or alone. It's invisible!
Warning: For external use only. Keep out of eyes. Using other topical blemish medications with this product may result in increased dryness or skin irritation. If this occurs, discontinue use and consult your physician. Spot Remover® is ideal for all skin types.  - Origins.co.uk

 

How did it work for Cherry?

I am really impressed with this product and have become a total convert.  What I love most about this is that it doesn’t dry out my spot too harshly.  What I used to always hate about any treatment, let that be Clean & Clear, Neutrogena, regular toothpaste or aspirin, all of these would dry my spot out and inflame it.  So it would become sore and then it would dry and flake off therefore my make up application would be absolutely horrid. 

I also love that it works relatively quickly; something worth noting is that I’ve found that it does make a spot slightly harder first.  This I find great because it stops a spot feeling tender and vulnerable and after two to three days depending on the spot it will disappear without having thrown  a tantrum and totally ruining your face. 

How can you use this product?

I use this morning and night after I have cleansed my face; I usually apply this after my moisturiser and it is perfectly fine to dab on a tiny bit if you have make up on as it dries phenomenally quick. 

Cherry’s Final Verdict

So overall I am in love with it and I hope this stops having effect on my face; I would happily pay out £10 for a small bottle of something if it worked and this definitely does for me.  I would recommend it for those who are desperately looking for a spot treatment if others are not working for them, particularly for those who have dry skin like me. 

Finally I want to mention that if you are using and liking or have used and liked Lush’s Grease Lightning then you will love this.  It’s also a product which contains plenty of natural ingredients, it works better but feels very similar.  I was an advocate of Lush Grease Lightning but stopped using it because of A) the pump and B) my skin became a bit resilient and it stopped working as well in time.  This is the better alternative in my opinion so I urge you to try it! 

I will award this product a 5/5.  I would give it a 4/5 because the price tag is slightly high but at the same time it’s hardly £20 and considering it works and it’s kind to my skin, I feel it deserves the full five cherries!

 

Peace,

Cherry x

Just a hello…!

 

Just a hello and ask to wish me good luck with my assignments and presentations in the next two days!  I’m working hard so I’m sorry I haven’t updated in a while! 

But i leave you wish this picture of me wearing a new favourite foundation.  Can you guess what it is I’m wearing?  For more pictures go to my facebook page to check out!!!

Love you all very much!

Cherry x

Why the absence?

Hello everyone,

I apologise for the lack of blogging in the recent month.  Where can I begin?

Life has been so hectic; would you believe me if I told you I’m waking up a seven and coming home at ten in the evening?  Well believe you me, that’s life at the moment and I’m absolutely exhausted.  I’m not sure ‘exhausted’ does my situation much justice but I think it will do.  I crave and wish to blog and write more but unfortunately I barely have time to eat or sleep!  I can’t wait to come back because  while I have been away I have been thinking about a lot of products and trying to keep up with everyone’s posts.  so I want to give a quick update as to how things are going with me!

Skin:  dry, irritated, bad – stress never helps me out!

Diet:  No good, no time to think about diet.  Realised I’ve put on weight so trying to cut down on the carbs but finding it touch when I’m starving.  Why are sandwiches everywhere?!  And I wish salads were more practical to eat!

Recent buys: nothing much, the lack of money and time for shopping means I have nothing much new.

What I’m loving:  Body Shop’s Vitamin E toner, still loving TBS Carrot Creme, Botanics Face Soothing Cleanser, Elite Intensity Eyeliner, Revlon Double Twist Mascara, Make up forever HD Foundation

Hair situation: not good

Nails: worse

 

So overall, life is a bit of a shambles at the moment.  I’m in the midst of deciding things that will affect me for the rest of my life.  At the same time I’m coming out of a really turbulent relationship so it’s all a bit difficult.  So bear with me and hopefully once I get myself back on track with things we can keep this ball rolling.  In the mean time I hope you guys hang around and wish me the best of luck!  Fighting~!

Cherry x

Mattermorphic Me

Hey everyone,
I just wanted to make you aware of my new blog that I have started called Mattermorphic Me [Ma-ta-mor-fic-Me) and I hope you will all show some love and follow it if you're interested in it!  There is an "About Cherrychan" link on the right of the page to tell you what it's going to be about!  If you know anyone interested in those topics please forward it along! 

Thanks everyone :)

x

http://mattermorphicme.wordpress.com/

IMATS – A first time encounter

I know, i know.  IMATS was long ago and I am way behind and so yesterday; but I’m sure there’s still one or two people out there who will want to know just what I bought and how I experienced the occasion.  For those who do not know IMATS (the International Make-up Artist Tradeshow) is one of THE places to go to and be once a year, if you’re into anything cosmetic, make up or special effects related.  Like some sort of pilgrimage, women and men flock there (whether in London, Toronto, Los Angeles..) in order to get good bargains, see amazing art work being done and attend seminars of great make up artists.  This year was their 9th year and was my very first year of attending.  I wasn’t sure what to expect as I often heard of IMATS but did little research into as to what it was.  Next time round I shall be more prepared…

Held at the Alexandra Palace in Wood Green, London, it was a fairly large event yet a lot more low key than I had anticipated.  Furthermore I had imagined it to be filled with ‘fancy looking people’ doing ‘fancy funny things’ but actually a lot of us who went were in fact just human.  I imagined some sort of flamboyant affair that was similar to a circus but I felt like I was more in some sort of Star Trek Convention…

As you can see it wasn’t as big as I thought it would be.  It was large yes, but somehow I had expect more…  More stands I suppose and also probably fancy music and cinematic pictures and motion images everywhere.  I don't know why I imagined that because well, why WOULD they have that anyway?

There was plenty to see in terms of make up artist at work, showing off their skills and I was wowed by a lot of what was being produced; it was inspirational at the same time daunting at how far I have to work to get even close to that level of skill.

As you can see I went to my dear friends Ling (Moonbeamstarlight) and also Vicky (Vanity-Fashionista) and we had so much fun shopping together.  I also met Suzi (Style Suzi) but unfortunately I didn’t manage to take a picture with her!

I attended the key note talk with Bill Corso and was deeply impressed by his work and his character.  Again, inspired and also overwhelmed.  He is seriously, amazing.  We then went around and did lots of shopping and taking pictures.

Some of you may know I do have an irrational fear of clowns.  Why do I still want to be a make-up artist?  Probably it’s an unconscious want and need of conquering my fear…that' makes sense when it comes to me.  I mean, look, scary or WHAT?!

One of my high-lights of the day was meeting Koren from Enkore Make-up who I think is absolutely fabulous.  He has such a bright and beautiful personality and is truly amazing at what he does.  Honestly, I was star stuck.  I was even more star struck seeing him than when I met Natalya from Filthygorgeousmakeup and I was lost for words when I saw her.  He is just fabulous and that is a strong word to use!

 

I also attended his make-up seminar on using pigments sponsored by Naked Cosmetics.  He was very clear on his instructions and guidance and loved how he engaged with the audience.  His model was Gail from Oogle Make-up and she has such wonderful skin!  I really enjoyed watching him use these cosmetics especially as I picked up some myself!

I particularly loved seeing the Body art and special effects make-up.  Special effects is something I’m considering getting into eventually but I know I will want to do a lot of Body art as well as it takes all the challenges from the face right through to the whole of the human anatomy.  

I loved seeing the levels of complexity and intricacy; everyone had their own style and own forte.

Another great thing about going to IMATS and also being part of the beauty community on the internet is meeting the wonderful people you have 'previously met’ online!  Here I am with Eve (Moodeve) and Klaire (Klairedylysart). 

I was particularly excited to have met both Youtube Gurus because I absolutely adore them on screen and they were just as nice in person as they seemed.  It was very early on that Eve (her name is actually Claire, silly me) noticed me and ran up to me, tapped me on the shoulder and said “Cherry Chan!” and I was SO surprised and shocked that she even remembered my name!! I was so pleased, overwhelmed and touched.  I know, it’s so dramatic of me but I absolutely adore her and she has such a comforting presence.  I remember she was one of the first few people who welcomed me into Youtube and she did a response to my Chinese Tag videos.  I’ve always been seriously impressed at how good at Chinese is and secretly envious at how beautiful her eyes are…and I wish I was tall like her too! 

I met Klaire three quarters of the way through the day when I ended up at a small Youtube Guru/Bloggers meet up underneath a empty stall stand.  She turned around and I thought to myself “Oh My God it’s Klaire, my absolute idol, and she has no idea who I am and I want to say hi but I can’t and Oh my God what shall I do?!?!?!?!” and to my utter surprise she pointed at me and said “I don’t remember your name, but I know you!” and that was enough to send me flying with joy!  Who would have thought she would even know me!  She eventually regained her memory and now we' remain friends and in contact.  She is, by the way, such a lovely person and great to shop with! 

Here I’m standing with my other absolute idols, the Pixiwoo sisters, Nicola and Sam.  I watch their videos religiously and love what they both do.  They are hugely talented and have such warming personalities.  I’m so annoyed that I look so less cool than them in this photo but never mind.  Sorry Sam that your eyes are closed but I should have retaken it. 

Overall I had a fabulous time and it was a eye opening experience.  I am definitely going next year and will make sure by then I’m en-route to my make-up career. 
Having since gone to IMATS I want to remind myself of a few things so next time I am more prepared….

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  Bring hand wipes
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  Go both days and get there as early as possible
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  Wear something comfortable, forget cute skirts!
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  Bring tons of money, you know you’ll need it and best bring most of it in cash
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  Make sure make an itinerary
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  Bring lunch – it’s expensive there!
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  Tie hair up – you know why!
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  Bring hand sanitizer, again, you know why!
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  Don’t rush into buying things and this time, go it alone! (Not that I disliked or hated my company, I loved the company, I just am a beeline shopper and have a one track mind.  I shop like I intend to rule the world)

Haul
So lets go onto the hauling, I’m sure a lot of you will want to see what I bought.

I bought a palette to use for colour mixing and more creative work, I’m beginning to apply make-up onto other people and so this might come in handy as well as this 20 piece brush set.  This was originally £30 but by the time I got there it was the only display version so I got it cheaper for £25!  Shame that it’s a scary metallic blue but I still adore the brushes.  Both of these are from Royal Langnickel.

I bought a really awesome foundation palette to play with from Make Up International for, I think, £30 which I think is an absolute bargain. There are a ton of shades I can work with here and while I haven’t tried it out, it does look fairly promising.  I also picked up the Make Up For Ever HD Foundation because I’ve heard such amazing things about this product.  I’ve been using it ever since coming back from IMATS and I have to say it’s become and will be one of THE foundation of 2010 for me.  I love it!

  

I also stopped by Fero Beauty and got really nice cheap goods.  These faux lashes were abot £2.25 each (I know, bargain!) and I got two lip liners, both £1.08 each and I picked up their tube mascara for also a cheap price. I was relatively impressed by their product range and price.  I will definitely go back there again for supplies, especially the faux lashes.  I wish I could have bought more!

Also from Fero Beauty, this cheap £5 brush belt that will come in handy for my practising.  I will talk about those brushes in the belt in a second.  Next is the 24 hour miracle cream from Embryollise which is my ultimate favourite and I got it for £8.  This was a fabulous deal! 
The brushes below are all from Crown Brushes and it was like a pick-a-mix stall!   I picked up some brushes that I had seen similar ones before but were too expensive.


 

I bought a flat top buffing brush for loose powder and contouring.  Also a pencil brush for finer details.

 
I’ve been dying for a very large foundation brush so was pleased to find one; also picked a blunt, dense shading brush which I use for contouring the lips and nose. 


I picked up two blending brushes because I feel like I’m exhausting my MAC 217 and these were their smallest blending brushes which will be fabulous for my small eyes.  Also a Maxi Mop which I have no idea how to use but really wanted it!



I also got a mini fan brush after watching Koren apply mascara on Gail with one.  I thought this would be fun to experiment with!
Next I went to Illamasqua and they have an incredible 50% sale so I bought five things from there which amounted to £50!  I know that sounds a lot but £50 for Illamasqua couldn’t really get you more than two items, so I was so pleased!



I have been dying for these Liquid Metals for so, so long and I got both of these in Solstice and Enrapture and I still really want Phenomena. 


I got two blushers, one for high lighting and one for a big peachy apricot pop in the summer.  The contour colour on the left is called Steal and the one on the right is Excite.




Also picked up a lipstick from Illamasqua called Obey which is another peachy pink added to my collection.  This is very similar to 147 from BarryM and I’m hoping for better results as I’m not the biggest BarryM lip paint fan as they are quite drying.  This colour will look gorgeous in the summer paired up with the blusher above in Excite.

 

Last but not least, we made a trip to Naked Cosmetics that was featured in Koren’s seminar.  These are 100% oxidised mica pigments and are completely natural and 100% amazingly pigmented.  You can use these wet or dry and you can mix them. They have an amazing range of colours and so I picked two towers of natural/neutral shades and was given from free from Naked and so I picked a brighter set.  Thank You Naked Cosmetics!!  We also met the husband and wife owners of Naked Cosmetics and they are lovely people.  I will be wanting to buy more from them in the future.  If you ever do visit them and drop them a line, don’t forget to tell them you saw these here!! 

So you can see they come in these small and very secure jars.  Above is a Naked Primer which is very solid and easy to apply and above is the Sierra Nevada collection; full of earth neutral colours including a beautiful true black, a luminous vanilla colour and an absolutely amazing bronze colour. 

I wanted to show you swatches in both dry and wet.  You can see the top row is applied wet with primer underneath and the second row on the bottom is applied wet.  I love using them wet because I think the colour intensifies and then to blend out I blend out with the its original colour on powder form.  This is an amazing set of colours to use for anyone!

This is the Tropical Indulgence collection i was given free from Naked Cosmetics.  These colours are truly beautiful and will look wonderful in the summer.  I’m very attached to the second to last teal colour and think it’s such a gorgeous shade between green and blue.  I love it!


And this is the Urban Rustic collection I chose which again, I seriously adore because it’s not only a mixture of warm, earth tones but also very metallic and will look amazing when paired up with some cooler tones.  These are seriously vibrant and are my ‘thing’ for this season!

I think that’s all there is for IMATs, thank you for staying ‘till the very end and I hope you enjoyed this post.  Tell me what you think and what you thought about IMATS; do you want to go next time?  Klaire and I have roughly talked about a get together, what does everyone think?
Peace,
Cherry x