***Giveaway instructions at the end of the post***
Out of the many makeup events that I have attended, you could say THIS was the event that I travelled the most for.... at 400KM+ to be exact!
Don't get me wrong, I am based in Kuala Lumpur but because of a certain job training that I am attached with, I was posted in Penang for 2 weeks when this event took place. It was on my 10th day there that I took a plane down specially for this event.
You could say that I am indeed, a slave to beauty.
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But I wasn't the only one who was extreme enough to fly down all the way from Penang.
The guest of honour of the day, Pupa's International Makeup Artist Giorgio Forgani came all the way from Italy(!!!), so obviously he broke my record.
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He was here to actually educate and demonstrate Pupa's latest makeup line,
Velvet Garden.
THE STORY
The quintessentially feminine Velvet Garden collection is all about a brand new woman, more confident and self-aware.
In the background, an autumn garden, an explosion of flowers with warm nuances, in a Baroque atmosphere.
The rich, extremely sensorial formulas are reminiscent of the precious texture of velvet. The colors are intense and deep, a choice that comes from the desire to express the richness of this collection in all its glory.
The limited edition collection includes -
2 eyeshadow palettes
4 lipsticks
1 blusher
1 mascara
2 jumbo eye pencil
5 nail polishes
The colours are leaning primarily to purple and burgundy hues, with a hint of pink.
From Left:
212 Rose Lilium, 311 Red Peony, 312 Burgundy Poppy, 418 Fuschia Cyclamen
The 2 eyeshadow palettes:
010 Autumn Garden (top)
009 Rose Garden (bottom)
9 shades swatched on my arm (Autumn Garden) .....
..... while my fellow blogger friend Aida Sue swatched hers with Rose Garden.
The mascara comes in purple (404 Intense Violet), 3 nail polishes in bright colours (168 Rose Lilium, 169 Fuschia Cyclamen, 170 Red Peony) & 2 gothic eye pencils (001 Deep Black, 002 Intense Violet).
It was truly a private and exclusive affair, with only 5 bloggers being invited for this makeup event.
Later on, Mr Giorgio was kind to offer each of us a makeover using Velvet Garden collection. I must say that his techniques are unique! I requested a filler for my brows and since he is from Italy, he mentioned that he dislikes the "straight thick brows" look because it doesn't look very flattering on everyone. So he filled my brow with a slight arch, the Italian way.
As far as I know, Pupa makeup is available at Sasa retail outlets in Malaysia!
Here's some pics of the display I took at Mid Valley while I was there -
The Velvet Garden limited edition collection is available now until stocks last; so if you're curious, do drop by your nearest Sasa outlet soonest before it runs out!
Because... it's *Limited Edition* after all.
PRODUCT REVIEW
I brought home with me:
PUPART EYESHADOW PALETTE (010 Autumn Garden), RM 125
VAMP! SMOKY & KAJAL Eye pencil (001 Deep Black), RM 65
VAMP! SMOKY & KAJAL Eye pencil (002 Intense Violet), RM 65
VAMP! MASCARA (404 Intense Violet), RM 79
I'M Pure Color Lipstick Absolute Shine (212 Rose Lilium), RM 75
I'M Pure Color Lipstick Absolute Shine (311 Red Peony), RM 75
Velvet Garden Blush (001 Rose Peony), RM 99
Lasting Color Gel Glass Effect (418 Fuschia Cyclamen), RM 45
Lasting Color Gel Glass Effect (311 Red Peony), RM 45
PUPA VELVET GARDEN I’M PURE COLOUR LIPSTICK ABSOLUTE SHINE, RM75
According to Mr Giorgio, the star of this collection is THE LIPSTICK. To be honest, I'm not really big on purple but the packaging feels sturdy and is somewhat heavy. It has a metallic finish and the lipstick twists up easily with a Pupa logo engraved.
Initially, I reckoned that Red Peony would be more of a fiery red colour but it turns out as hot pink on me. I'd prefer it that way because I'm not really a fan of red lips myself (bf complains that certain reds remind him of clowns lol).
Rose Lilium glides onto my lips with a soft coral pastel shade, which is easy to match on lazy days. It compliments both neutral and bold looks, so it's definitely a winner in my books!
Texture wise, it blends effortlessly but darker shades may need the help of a lip liner to clean up around the edges. As for longevity, I'm VERY IMPRESSED! It stayed on comfortably the whole day with minimal fading (even after light snacks). It does transfer onto surfaces, but nothing like a touchup can't solve ✧٩(•́⌄•́๑)
PUPA VELVET GARDEN BLUSH, RM99
Can I share a confession?
Out of all the makeup in this collection, this is my ABSOLUTE FAVOURITE!
The gold exterior cover certainly exudes the luxe factor, with a beautiful flower imprinted on the blush. It comes with 3 colours, with 1 highlight satin shade on the bottom right.
On the forefront, it looks almost too beautiful to be used. But once applied on my cheeks, it glides on smoothly with a face brush, which automatically makes me want to use it more! Oh not forgetting about its scent....THE SCENT! It smells like a mix of soft florals which is subtle and inviting.
I really think this will be a staple in my makeup bag from now onwards!
PUPA VELVET GARDEN VAMP! INTENSE SMOKY MAXI EYE PENCIL, RM65
These 2 eye pencils are made for intense make-up results. It can be used as a eyeliner, or be smudged using the sponge (at the other end) into a smoky eyeshadow for a night look.
What I like about this eyeliner is that it adheres to the lids perfectly. But I wouldn't advise on using its built-in sponge to smudge because it can be quite stiff. Alternatively, use a blending eyeshadow brush to achieve a balanced smoky eye. This product has a smooth, ultra creamy and extremely blendable texture; thus you can create a rock chic look almost instantly on days when you're pressed for time!
PUPA VELVET GARDEN PUPART EYE MAKEUP PALETTE, RM125
A lover of eyeshadows myself, I had high hopes for this one but when I swatched them on my arm during the event, it didn't give great colour payoff. Intensity may be a setback, but good news is that they are buildable using brushes!
Each palette comes with 9 colours with 3 finish types: matt, satin and metallic. Just take note that the matte shade (in Autumn Garden, fourth from left) is the transition colour so be sure to use a blending brush to blend the edges well.
These will be great for those who prefer subtle eyeshadow colours because its colour intensity is light to medium. A tip to make the colours pop is that you could use a eyeshadow primer or simply use the darkest shade on the palette as a base. I personally prefer the Autumn Garden palette because the colour selection is more unique since it has rose golds and purple!
PUPA VELVET GARDEN VAMP! EXCEPTIONAL VOLUME MASCARA, RM79
Through this event, I learnt that Pupa owns the #1 Best Selling Mascara in Italy! Mr Giorgio revealed that he was the one that designed their best selling mascara (in black) and they specially came out with a limited edition one in purple for this collection.
Upon applying this mascara, the did volumize my lashes but I felt that the purple colour is not as visible as I had hoped. Also, I think it is a little challenging to maneuver the wand if you are using it for the first time as it is quite big. You will need to comb your lashes all the way from bottom to get that enviable curl. In my makeup application looks, I think I may have used it from middle to the top thus it looks heavy on my lashes.
PUPA VELVET GARDEN I’M PURE COLOUR LIPSTICK, RM75
Application was a breeze! The coat is really light, and the brush glides easily onto my nails. What's great about it is that ONE COAT is sufficient to get that pop of colour! Also, not to mention that it dries FAST!
The nail polish is great but starts chipping after the third day (but that's also because I didn't use any base or top coat). Longevity may be longer if you've done the extra necessary coats and how careful you are with your hands too.
MAKEUP APPLICATION
Look #1 - Sweet Pinks
Here I used the Autumn Garden eyeshadow palette, blusher, violet mascara and lipstick in Rose Lilium.
By the end of the day, my makeup is still intact!
Look #2 - Minimalist
Here I am using both eye pencils (violet inner eyes; black outer eyes), violet mascara, blusher (dusted very lightly) and lipstick in Red Peony.
By the end of the day, lips faded but eye colours stayed on!
Now that you have reached towards the end of this LOOOONG POST, it's time for some reward!
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GIVEAWAY
To reward you for reading until this far, I am teaming up with Pupa to giveaway ONE LUCKY READER a Pupa hamper worth RM600!!!
(If you calculate correctly, that's ALMOST EVERYTHING being featured here!!)
Comment on the ONE item you look forward to using the most, if you were to win the giveaway set and WHY. Also remember to leave a VALID EMAIL for contact purposes.
Giveaway ends in 14 days (20 Dec 2016, 11.59pm GMT +8).
Open to anyone with a shipping address in Malaysia.
Announcement of winner will be made on 25 Dec 2016 on this very same blogpost.
Note: This collection is limited edition and will not be restocked once sold out.
As always, you are most welcomed to follow me on Facebook (www.facebook.com/gracemyumyu) as well as Instagram/Snapchat @gracemyu for more updates and giveaways!
ALL THE BEST!
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