foundation matching woes

Hello! I know I haven't been updating at all for the longest time - I must apologise. I'm in the midst of my thesis year in architecture school and it really isn't the easiest of years. I know people who are much more free doing their masters/thesis but unfortunately, I'm just not one of them. I also tend to get stressed out (and hence get anxious or panic) really easily and I did not want to spread my ability to commit thin.

That being said, I have not stopped this (to put it mildly) makeup love (addiction shhhh) of mine. I have been continuing the quest of looking for the greatest products known to all mankind! I kid. I have been on the hunt for a new foundation recently and this is where my rant comes in.

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A brief introduction on my skin tone - I am Chinese. I however have the type of skin tone that would pass off more as a South East Asian person, rather than that of a South Asia person. More Thai, Malay than Korean or Japanese. So yes, to clarify things, I am darker than the average Chinese person (in Singapore) but not as dark as the average SEA person. See my problem in finding shades?

So finally, after my many years of finding foundations, I have come to realize that I tend to get foundations that are too light for my face. And just when I was thinking I was getting the hang of finding the proper darker foundation shades for me - WHAM. THE STUBBORN SALES ASSISTANT STRIKES. I blame my trusting nature.


The Stubborn Sales Assistant, hereupon to be known as the SSA, is the bane of my life. For some funny reason or other, they take one look at me and classify me as Chinese. Therefore, my skin colour should fall within the fair and light range, the darkest being somewhere around nc 25.

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Experience #1: Shu Uemura. I was looking to buy the old Shu Uemura Illuminating Moisture foundation I had, but it was discontinued and replaced by the new Lightbulb foundation. She matched me to 764 - medium light beige. A quick google shows me that pretty much 90% of the Singaporean bloggers had been matched to this shade - all of them fair chinese. On the face, it was clearly dissimilar to my skin so I insisted on a darker shade the 754 medium beige which I had initially chosen for myself. Perfect match. I was secretly congratulating myself until she told me that 764 was a better shade and mostly Malay customers got the shade that I had chosen. Say What?! That is not only stereotypical but potentially racist! Regardless, I got myself the 754 but it turned out I didn't really like the foundation due to it's massive transferring nature.


Experience #2: Sephora. Looking for a foundation with more of a matte finish, I settled on the Tarte Amazonian Clay Foundation. I was swatching the shades at the counter, trying to decide between Light Medium Honey and Medium Sand. Cue approach the SSA for help, cue being stereotyped and recommended the lighter shade. At least this time it wasn't too bad as I trapped her with the choice of only 2 shades. Not that she bothered to recommend more. Back in normal lighting of my home, I realise that it's just slightly too light on my forehead, but consoled myself that the darker shade would've been too dark.


Experience #3: Sephora. Got it into my silly head I wanted a mineral powder foundation which got me looking at bareminerals. Had to squat down rather undignifiedly to swatch the foundations as they were set very low, and was looking at the medium shades and golden shades but the golden shades were rather too yellow when swatched. Being rather baffled by the shades that look dark as a powder but swatched very light, I asked the SSA for help. Here, I gave the SSA free reign.

Woe is me, she tried on a foundation that looked pink based and chirpily said, this suits you and brightens your face! I requested to try on a yellow based foundation, the difference wasn't drastic, and the colour was still too light. I requested again for a darker foundation. She dithered, then said, I don't think the dark one would suit you as it will be too yellow. I did not insist, but I did ask her to try the foundations on as a heavier coverage rather than the light dusting she did, all the time making comments about the foundation being too light. She assured me time and again that the foundation would oxidize despite me telling her I have never in my life had problems with oxidation. Not even with my oily skin - my skin oil is special and doesn't cause oxidation. Since she was so assured, I took her word for it and bought the neutral foundation in the colour she recommended - fairly light.

Get this, I get home, checked the description of the foundation on the bareminerals website.
Fairly light: For porcelain to light skin with neutral undertones. Just in what universe am I with my nc30-35 skin porcelain or even light in complexion? That has to be a fairy princess world! The sad part is that I tried the foundation on for a normal day and found that it didn't even oxidize on me and now I can't return it because it has been used ):

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So ladies, this is my $75 +$60 + $49 lesson to be able to tell you that YOU know best your foundation shade and your skin type. To not be too trusting (especially with the dodgy Sephora lighting) of the SSAs and to most importantly, always INSIST on trying the shade you think is best despite what the SSA says. They seem to have been trained to stereotype based on race, as well as seeing acne on skin as a sign of oily skin, so to the best of your ability, do not let them fit you into their stereotype.

Thus ends my wall(s) of text and my rant, will be back with good stuff AS A GRADUATE! :D

Does Your Face Have Expensive Taste?

Halo good sunday everyone! Buying makeup is slightly addictive isn't it? Until you check your bank balance at the end of the month and realize you're dead broke. I've seen the 'how much does your face cost' tag going around, and decided to find out how much my 'face' actually costs. I'm rather apprehensive because the items I like tend to veer to the more expensive range! Damn you face, why do you need so many products!

This is my everyday look, actually it's slightly more than what I wear to school but if I were to head to work or have a presentation this is what I would wear. There's no budget here for a more extravagant evening look!

Products used!

Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer (SGD$62) to cover dark acne marks, can also double up as a tinted moisturizer when mixed in with moisturizer though I tend not to like doing that.

Bobbi Brown Corrector in Light Peach (SGD$43) for my tedious dark circles.

NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer (SGD$42) to add coverage for my tedious dark circles and for blemishes on brighter areas of my face. Also used to brighten up my cheeks and nose.

Everyday Minerals Concealer in Pearl Pick Me Up (~SGD$16) as a highlighting powder for under my eyes and cheeks. Seems to have been discontinued, but this seems like the replacement.

Collection2000 ShimmerShades in Blushalicious (~SGD$8) as... blush.

MAC Paintpot in Nubile (SGD$10) to brighten up my lids and undereyes. I pretty much slap it on all round my eyes. SGD$10 because I got it in a sale! If not... I probably would use something else or not use anything at all. I'm cheap like that.

Jealousness Waterproof Eyeliner (SGD$15) most days to line the ends of my eyes, interchangeable with mascara or liquid liner. I'm not particular with what type of eyeliner I use as long as it stays on. Imma pro with all! I kid. Also, when I line my eyes, I'm too lazy to use mascara because it can't be seen anyway.

The Faceshop Faceit Designing Cake Eyebrow (SGD$12) is the only powder I've ever used for my brows and is not running out any time soon. Though with bangs, I feel like I can get away without doing them.

Revlon Lip Butter (SGD13) is a brilliant formula and I heart-eyes it. The usual price is SGD$15.90 which is a rip off and the drugstores have 20% or more sales pretty much all the time so only get it on sale.

Total Cost: SGD$221

Well, that's cheaper than I thought my face would be. Granted, I did not include a foundation, or setting powder, or setting spray (cheating) which would make the total cost nearer $300. If my $300 worth of make up lasted a year, each face would cost me $0.85! I could get a damn good kopi (coffee) from my uni's canteen for that price. Really makes you think doesn't it?

I think that what's more important though is whether my 85c face looks like it's worth 85c (haha, it better look worth more than that!). How much does your face cost and does it have expensive taste? Let me know!

P.S. All links provided in this post are for your clicking convenience only. I am not linked or affiliated to any of the stores.

October 2013 Favourites

Hello! It's November!!! I really can't believe how fast time is passing now. It seems just a moment ago I was lamenting the start of my final school year and now the end is actually in sight! Anyway, I'm here for a very parred down October 2013 favourites because I've been extremely nit picky about what has been going on my skin this month. Also, no thanks to my skin being uber sensitive this month, it pretty much reacted to everything that was going on it, even products that it previously did not react to. Sucks to be me! 

Well, let's start with my current obsession with small bags. I currently have 26 small bags dumped into my cart on an online shopping website. That's how obsessed I've been for the past month (or more hehe). I wandered into Topshop the other day, and found this little Topshop Box Chain Suede Bag on sale for half off! Navy blue + rose gold... No way I was giving it up. The crossbody strap is currently too long for me so anyone with ideas on how to shorten it please lemme know! Unfortunately, the not-so-little obsession has not been curbed...

Skincare wise, the star product of the month has to be the Mizon Snail Repair Intensive Ampoule. It heals new scars at a phenomenal rate, and provides just enough moisture for my dehydrated yet sensitive skin. I would put this on 5 times a day if I could!

L-R: Majolica Majorca Blush in OR211, Silkygirl Eyeshadow Duo in Mocha Latte, Everyday Minerals Concealer in Pearl Pick me Up, 3CE Full Cover Concealer in 02

I've been watching one too many korean youtube make up videos, which is probably why I'm favouring dewy skin and orange cheeks. The korean dewy skin look is just rather too dewy for my liking, so I make do with the Majolica Majorca Blush in OR211 which is a matte orange blush that isn't too pigmented, and the Everyday Minerals Concealer in Pearl Pick Me Up as a highlighter. Pearl Pick Me Up really isn't a concealer, rather it's a pearly pink powder that works beautifully to brighten up any dull areas of the face and I find using it on the cheeks, nose and inner eye works wonders.

For the eyes, I've been favouring the Silkygirl Duo Eyeshadow in Mocha Latte for its neutral colours. The pinky colour is an almost dupe for Mac's Naked Lunch, and the brown colour can be used to smoke things out for a more intense look. The pigmentation is really good considering that Silkygirl is one of the cheapest lines in the drugstore. 

Undereye concealer can be a pain to find sometimes, with most concealers being too drying for the undereye area. The 3CE Full Cover Concealer in 02 isn't the highest coverage concealer out there, but is very moist (for lack of a better word) for the undereye area and though it doesn't cover everything, it does brighten. It is the most comfortable undereye concealer I've ever used. Used in conjunction with a corrector, the finished look is somewhat glowy and nice. Mine is a sample, but if I had a chance to purchase the full size I would. 

So there are my very few favourites of a month - not a very good month for me in terms of skincare and makeup finds. What are your favourites?