L'oreal Lucent Magique Light-Infusing Foundation

On days when I want to skip putting on sunscreen, I tend to use foundations with SPF as a replacement. It's a rather bad habit because it's actually easier to use sunscreen, then concealer rather then work with a foundation. However, I'm really not one to say no to extra coverage and my recent foundation of choice has been the L'oreal Lucent Magique Light-Infusing Foundation with SPF24. I bought this as a replacement for the L'oreal True Match (which I misplaced or gave away, can't for the life of me remember) and also because I read that it was water-based. There are so many shades to choose from as with the True Match range and the shade G4 matches my NC30 skin pretty well. 

The packaging is quite sophisticated, the foundation being housed in a glass bottle with rose gold accents and a pump. Not good for travelling but nice for looking pretty on the table. There's 30ml of product, and the pump! Oh the pump, it has a nice little dent that fits the finger ever so perfectly, and it's so easy to control the amount that comes out. The nozzle area is also flat so that when you wipe it off on your hand, all the product comes off and does not collect! This is the best pump design that I've come across yet. I apologize for the rave, I'm a design student at heart. 

L-R: MAC Studio Fix NC30, L'oreal Lucent Magique in G4

The product itself is quite thin and really blendable. The shades come in 3 groups - Golden, Neutral and Rose (I think) and the golden range has really strong yellow undertones which are slightly too strong for me. My colour match might actually lie within the neutral group. 

The coverage of the L'oreal Lucent Maqiue can be considered medium-full, however I find that the best way to use this foundation is to buff a thin layer all over the face just to even out the skin tone. Using it in a thin layer makes this foundation almost undetectable. If you have smooth skin, then the foundation layers well with no cakiness. If you have fine lines, then layering is a no no as this foundation does migrate into those lines (for me it's under eye crease and laugh lines) which is also why I strongly recommend a single thin layer. That being said, I find that this foundation doesn't feel like anything on the skin! Skin also still looks like skin with this on. That's mostly why I like it quite a bit.

The finish is very glowy as the name suggest - light infusing. Unlike it's True Match counterpart where I found (to my horror) GLITTER, this light-infusing foundation does not rely on glitter for the finish. Thank God. Powder with this foundation is a necessity, because boy does this foundation transfer like a mother-. This is not particularly long wearing, I'd give it around 5-6 hours without a primer, setting spray or powder. I have oily skin and I do like this, but oil control is zilch - hence the powder. Dry skin types will really like this foundation as it doesn't dry the skin out and doesn't cling to dry patches either.

 My favourite way of using this is to pop concealer on before buffing a very thin layer of this on and sealing that with powder and a setting spray for some serious glowy goodness!


Summary:

Pros:

• Medium - full coverage
• Extremely lightweight on the skin
• Dewy finish without glitter
• Can be layered without caking
• Does not dry skin out
• Brightens up the face
• Doesn't cling to dry patches

Cons:

• Transfers Transfers Transfers!
• Doesn't last very long
• Tends to gather in fine lines 
• Layering this foundation tends to exacerbate the above problems

Conclusion: This foundation has great coverage even when used in a very thin layer, which is the ideal way to use it. If you have oily skin and need a ton of coverage, then this is not the foundation for you! L'oreal Lucent Magique gets a B+ from me - only when used the way it should be used. 

Weekly Favourites #11

How's the weekend going for everyone? Mine is taking a chill pill right before stress sets in, yknow, like the calm before the storm. What I've been finding extremely calming to use is the Pond's Cold Cream Cleanser. This cream is really serious cleansing business, I like to put it on quite thick and massage it into the skin for about 5 minutes, then take it off. Though it does get on my nerves because it does not emulsify with water and leaves an oily film on my face (I deal with that by using an extra gentle cleanser), it really does miracles at getting rid of blackheads and sebum plugs. My nose, an incurable sea of sebum plugs that resurface the moment I get rid of them, is almost poreless after using this. My face feels incredibly bump free after cleansing with the cold cream. I also like to use that 5mins as sort of a mind-clearing 5mins when I just have the massage on my mind. Am I crazy?

The NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Custard is probably one of the harder to find concealers in Singapore, plus it was sold out for the longest time and I finally got my hands on it after being on the wait list. Yeah baby! This baby has a tacky consistency when applied but works beautifully with high coverage when stippled out and lasts and lasts. My face loves this and I'm down to a spot conceal and powder routine! My concealer and I are definitely in a serious relationship here.

The powder of choice to pull things together is the Palgantong Make-up Theatrical Powder in Original Beige. Now that my skin is properly hydrated, powder goes on just that bit nicer and the Theatrical powder is a extremely fine powder that subtly brightens up the face without making me a cake face (this just reminds me of Steve Aoki throwing cake into the audience during his F1 set haha).

Now, no look is ever complete without the right nail polish and fickle-minded me is always in a cyclical matte or glossy bind. Essie's Matte About You gives me a choice to have any matte colour I want and I can't ever see myself ever being without Seche Vite's Dry Fast Top Coat and have no idea how I ever lived without it before. A matte burgundy/oxblood nail is going to be my next polish pick.

Of course, to bring attention to your nails you gotta have arm candy and this right here, is the best DIY of the moment (though I may be a little slow with fashion trends). I actually made my bolt bracelet quite a long while ago (it only cost me $4 and I have leftover bolts to make something else) but have only been putting it on recently. This bracelet is serious street cred imo, and don't DIYs just make you so proud of your handiwork? The white cord tends to get grubby fast though, so I recommend a darker string.

Lastly... I cannot stop listening to The Fox, but this parody here makes me laugh just about everyday now.

Acne Scarring Helpers

When my face freaked out and left me with a disgusting amount of scarring 3 months ago, I hauled my ass to the derm and was prescribed maximum strength products, both topical and oral. My scars faded some and the acne cleared up on most of my face except for my forehead. I'm freaking 24 and i should not have acne! Damn you, hormones! The oral medication was obviously not working (and to rub salt in the wound, made me gain weight) so I sought out a more holistic cure in liver supplements. I chose liver supplements over more typical acne supplements because all the signs of my health as well as where the acne appeared pointed to my liver not functioning too well. I am happy to say that 2 weeks into those supplements, I can see my forehead acne receding!!! Now I can get to work proper on the scarring.

First things first, I believe strongly that skin needs to be healthy in order for it to heal. That means that dehydrated skin or dry skin heals much slower and my skin was definitely dehydrated due to the derm's products. Though I followed her instructions on using the blemish cream less often, I still had dehydrated skin and she would not give me more advice. So again, I had to take matters into my own hands and added these products into my skincare regime.

1. L'oreal Youth Code Pre-Essence
After cleansing and toning, this should be the first product to be applied. Read my review here. This was a repurchase - I really love the way this feels on the skin, and how quickly it absorbs. The pre-essence really does boost the effects of the products used after and I will use this for as long as my skin reacts well to this.

2. Hada Labo Arbutin Whitening Lotion
I then put on this lotion for added hydration. I'm a long time user of the Hada Labo lotions (whether normal or whitening) and when I cut it out of my routine to use the derm's products, my skin really missed it. I'm using the arbutin lotion now for a scar-fading and hydration boost.

3. Morningstar Minerals Derma Boost Rejuvenating Spray Mist
After the lotion, which contains hyaluronic acid that absorbs water, I like to spray anything that has water content on my face. I mean, that is the point of the lotion right? I like the Renew Rosehip Toner, but I've since finished that and using the Derma Boost. It's very refreshing and I'm hoping to see better skin using this product.

4. Kitoko Kalani Super Aqua Gel
You're probably getting very sick of all the hydrating products, but I promise you, all these are extremely light on the skin. The Aqua Gel melts into a water on the skin, some patting and all of the product is just absorbed straight into the skin and you should be looking at extremely plumped up skin right now. I consider this the 'primed' skin for absorption of all other 'aiding' products and this is where I start to apply the brightening products given to me by my derm.

5. Hiruscar Post Acne
I have run out of the products (from my derm) that specifically targets the scars. They were also getting rather expensive for me to repurchase (~$100 a month!!!) so... I'm rather glad to say that Hiruscar is working for me, albeit quite slowly. The great thing is that Hiruscar absorbs into the skin and leaves no residue, even under makeup. It's also quite moisturizing! With this, I see the scars slowly evening out - while I say slowly, I find that the difference is evident each morning. Or maybe my eyes are just trying to trick me into being happier.

6. Clinique Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief
To seal it all off, I finish with the Clinique Moisture Surge to seal all the products in. I usually only use this at night, and only on dehydrated areas which for me are my forehead and cheeks. This is extremely hydrating, but also has a rather silicony finish which I'm not that big a fan of. It works though, which is what matters! This step is really not necessary unless you have really dehydrated skin or sleep in an extremely dry room.

So there you have it! My insanely long routine to keep my skin hydrated and in turn help my scars fade faster. If you're like me and much prefer water-based products over oil-based products, then layering is really the way to go! You have my word that all these products will feel like practically nothing on your skin. The only thing your skin will feel is super refreshed!

Hada Labo BB Whitening Cream SPF32 PA+++

I'm not really a BB cream fanatic what with the very pink/grey and usually limited shade range that comes with BB creams. I also find it rather hard to believe the many claims that come with the BB creams, though that doesn't mean that I've never been suckered into the purchase (quite silly, really). I definitely prefer a foundation or even a concealer over a BB cream but my silly skin, being very sensitive really doesn't like basically anything on my face. Hada Labo is a brand that I really like in terms of skincare, so when I saw that they had came up with a BB cream, I had to have it!

I found my tube in Taiwan - I don't believe Singapore has brought in the BB cream yet. My tube is really beat up, having been used for 9 months and thrown into just about everywhere, so be distracted by the fancy schmancy I did to the picture! The bottle itself is a squeeze tube of 45g of product. I really do wonder why asian products tend to use weight as a measure as compared to western products which use volume. Hmm. 

Though I do like squeezy tubes because it's easy to control the amount of product that comes out, I'm definitely not a fan of how messy it gets. The part in the cover where the nozzle fits constantly gets coated in product and that in turn gets all over the nozzle. Also, this is just about the most clinical and ugly packaging I have ever seen! Fugly!

L-R: MAC Studio Fix NC30, Hada Labo BB Whitening Cream in Shade 02

The product within though, is really lovely. I believe there are 2 shades, and this is the darker of the 2. It's just dark enough for my NC30 skin. It's also yellow toned, but not as yellow toned as the MAC foundations which allows it to match a variety of skin tones. 

It's more liquid than creamy in consistency, though not so liquid that it runs when put on the hand. I like that I can get a nice finish with just my fingers, but I prefer to stipple it in with the ELF powder brush because I get more coverage. Also, stippling helps me avoid the problem of having the BB cream cling to dry patches which can happen when applied with hands. As you can see in the 1st picture of this post, this product is a medium-high medium coverage and evens out skin tone beautifully. I've only used the BB cream on the picture on the right. No concealer I promise! I only have to use very minimal concealer after this BB cream which is just awesome in my book. It also manages to somehow blur my pores but yknow, might not happen for everyone. 

It applies so lightweight to the skin it's almost like applying a moisturizer! The finish is not matte, but more of a very slightly dewy finish which is really nice! Because it's so light, it also doesn't collect in any fine lines. 

Finished face, with just a little concealer

Use this for 5 or 10min routine days because it has SPF32! Definitely able to skip the sunscreen step. Hada Labo being a brand famed for hydration, I would not say that this BB cream gives oil control as I usually have to blot after about 3-4 hours, but it can last a full work day without completely disappearing off my skin, even with my oily skin. Of course, don't get your expectations too high because flaws will definitely show through by the end of the work day. This probably looks good only for 6 hours - so please bust out your concealer after that! Dry skinned girls would really like this as it's definitely one of the more hydrating bases out there. Lastly, the whitening claims....MEH. This is definitely a base product, not skin care.


Summary:

Pros:

• Has high enough SPF to skip sunscreen
• Medium - high medium coverage
• Blurs out imperfections
• Hydrating and doesn't get stuck in fine lines
• Extremely lightweight on the skin
• Has shade dark enough for NC30 skin!
• Shade is yellow based, not pink or grey
• Has never broken me out

Cons:

• No oil control
• Clings to dry patches when applied with hands
• Not very long wearing

Conclusion: The Hada Labo BB Whitening Cream is ideal for rush days, such as a school day make up routine. At least that's what I use it mostly for since my school days don't last too long. I also used it frequently when I worked a proper work day (9-6) but that was because I did touch up with concealer before I headed home. This gets an A from me because it's fuss free, very high coverage (for a BB cream) and does not feel like makeup!

Shiseido Lip Amulet

Aren't these just the cutest lippies ever?! What makes them even cuter is that they are even smaller than my thumb! Thumbelipna... hur hur hur. 

If I'm not wrong these Shiseido Lip Amulets are only sold in Taiwan and Japan, but a quick google tells me they are available on ebay. I think I got these at around SGD$5-6 in Taiwan. Considering the insane prices ($4+ - $8) of normal ugly lip balms at the drugstore, these are really worth it. The colours they are available in are Pure Red, Wine Grape, Sugar Orange and Pearl Pink. They are all human figures except for Pearl Pink which is a dog - the entire set is like a happy family! 

The 2 colours in the picture are Pure Red (left) and Wine Grape (right) and they are very balmy and sheer in texture. I have/had the Pearl Pink (it's somewhere but I can't find it) which is equally balmy, but has slightly stronger pigmentation and a frosty sheen to it. 

What I really like about these bullets is that they're solid, really solid. They don't compress or bend like the leaning tower of Pisa and dirty the container when I apply them, instead they just kind of melt from the heat of my lips and coat my lips with a nice glossy layer. 

L-R: Pure Red, Wine Grape

As you can see, though they look super bright and rather neon in the bullet, the pigmentation is rather sheer and it did take me multiple swipes to even build to this pigmentation. Pure Red ends up rather coral, and Wine grape has a more raspberry tone to it. 

They are incredibly moisturizing and go on smoothly with a glossy finish. The downside to being so moisturizing is that I picked up a habit of smacking my lips together whenever I have this on and within half an hour it disappears. God the habits I have... The lip amulets have an extremely slight fragrance to it, but it is barely noticeable. I practically had to stick my nose in the bullet just to get a whiff of it. 

In the photograph above, I have Pure Red on the top lip and Wine Grape on the lower lip and honestly, there isn't that great a difference in terms of the colour when applied on the lips, which is rather disappointing but great if you only want to get one lip amulet! I find these really nice because it's quite the cheater lip balm in the sense that it tints lips just enough in a true my-lips-but-better way.

Though I thought the colour went on smoothly, in the photograph it became evident that the colour tends to cling to the dry parts of my lip. It's not obvious in person because of the glossy finish but upon looking at the picture it's really starting to bug me!

Overall, the lip amulets are good for ever day use but I would use it more like a lip balm and reapply whenever my lips get dry rather than to use it like a lip butter or lipstick. Whipping them out sure would be a good conversation starter too because who can resist such a cute lippie??! Definitely not me!

Weekly Favourites #10 Face

I am quite in love with the eyeshadow combi I mentioned in my weekly favourites, so I thought it deserved a post of its own!

L-R: MAC Eyeshadow Duo in Culturalized (Brule and Retrospeck), Layered Retrospeck over Permanent Taupe, Maybelline 24HR Colour Tattoo in Permanent Taupe, Marks and Spencer's Cheek and Lip Tint in Coral

The M&S Lip and Cheek Tint in Coral does go on quite a scary colour, but fret not it blends out incredibly well! Pardon the hair, I just got it cut yesterday and haven't quite figured out how to work with it - really wish I had fine, tame hair!

I had quite a bit of a problem trying to wear Permanent Taupe on its own - I think it was just a tinge too cool in colour for me. I did quite like Retrospeck in the MAC duo but it does lean quite brassy rather than gold. Layering the 2 colours really warms the taupe up and gives it great depth, even as a single shade all over the lid. Best of all, you could up the intensity of the gold on the center of the lid for even more dimension! Load up the mascara (or in my stingy eyelashes cases, falsies) and there you have it - smokey eye done!

What do you think? Is this colour something you would wear?

Weekly Favourites #10

I'm always on the look out for a good moisturizer, and was looking for a sample sized tub of the Origins Ginzeng Moisturizer, but by some chance of fate, ended up with both the Clinique Moisture Surge and this Kitoko Kalani Super Aqua Gel. This came highly recommended by the sales lady complete with a story of a holidaying Taiwanese family purchasing 2 tubes and returning to purchase 6 tubes. I was sold and now I'm in love. This comes out a gel and disappears into water droplets, leaving the face moisturized yet looking quite matte. It literally does not feel like anything on the skin once absorbed and leaves my skin moisturized. When I use it before bed, my skin is not a bit oily in the morning and that's how I know the moisture content in this gel is ace!

I've dug out the Marks & Spencer Lip and Cheek Tint in Coral from my stash and it's become quite a go to as a cream blush. I much prefer a pure cream formulation over a cream to powder as my skin texture isn't the best. Don't be fooled by the pigmentation in the pan - this goes on beautifully and blends into a subtle flush that catches the light due to the glossy formula. This is more raspberry than coral (as per its name) and I can see it working well with all skin tones. It has really been a saviour for stipple and run days.

 I've been reading so much online about the Clinique Chubby Sticks for eyes in Burnished Gold (see what I mean here) and have been lusting for such a colour. Not being prepared to fork out $$$, I decided to get creative with what I had. Layering Retrospeck (gold shade) in the Mac Eyeshadow Duo in Culturalized on top of the Maybelling 24HR Color Tattoo in Permanent Taupe does the trick. The result is what I can best describe as a dirty gold colour and it is (if I may say so myself) gorgeous! And it just lasts and lasts because that's just what the colour tattoos do! Great for nights out about and just in time for the weekend eh?

Do you like anything you see here? Let me know!

(Mostly) Budget Haul!

Just thought I should do a little haul post to keep track of my spending. I seem to have an awful habit of losing track where my $$$ goes. This haul is a knick-knack/beauty haul because there are some really good steals here and they need to be shared!!!

Lovisa is currently having a sale where they have racks upon racks of rings going at 3 for $12. I got myself.... 7 rings for that $12 by searching for the lovely rings that come in a set of 3. I originally thought that the ring that looks tarnished and oil stained was a set of 3 as well (that meant 10 rings for $12!!!) but they're connected by hinges. Aren't they just lovely? This is a score in my book!

The sparkly ring that is never in focus was a orgasm-in-a-ring buy from H&M at $6.50 and I've mentioned it before in my weekly favourites.

I also made a trip to Daiso just for kicks (post meal exercise actually) and got the notebook that all the rings are currently on. I cannot get over the print, it is too incredible. The inside of the notebook is lined, and has different coloured tabs for organisation. The Cath Kidson type print that is functioning as the base for all these photographs was also a Daiso buy. It's actually a plastic place-mat with frilled edges but I thought the print was not to be passed up. 

One can really find just about anything at Daiso, it is sheer heaven. At $2 a pop, it sure doesn't hurt the pocket! These iron on knee/elbow patches in a denim material got me squealing like a small kid and getting a few stares. I believe these are all you need to spruce up an out of style pullover or sweater! I wanted to get all the different colours (they had dark blue denim, black denim, and a grey colour if I'm not wrong) but I needed to have some self control.

My hotspots for beauty shopping are Watsons and Venus - simply because Watsons has constant sales and Venus undercuts Watsons on most items when Watsons is not having a sale. From Watsons, I picked up the Maybelline Pure Mineral Concealer, Revlon Lip Butter, Essence nail polish and Sukin Moisturize Restore Night Cream.

Essence's display in Watsons is a display I will always check out if I stumble upon it as they're few and rare. I love checking out their collection nail polishes, but this polish in 'the boy next door' is part of their permanent collection. I think their nail polishes retail around $2.90 - 3.90 and though not the most long-lasting, are good quality for the price. This colour is a really nice cobalt blue colour but has a pastel edge that I wish it didn't have. 

I could've gotten the Maybelline Pure Mineral Concealer on sale for something like $9... but I bought mine full priced at $15. It's a relatively good and versatile concealer and well worth $9. How stupid. Learn from my mistake and always, always wait for a Watson's sale. At the rate they come up, you probably don't have to wait long.

When the sale did roll around, I picked up the Revlon Lip Butter in Strawberry Shortcake. I really like the formulation of these lip butters, more so than the balm stains. This is probably the most perfect pink I have and I highly recommend the colour. 

Also on sale was the Sukin Moisture Restoring Night Cream. I believe it was around $25 on sale, not the cheapest but this is a HUGE jar. The cream is quite dense and rich and smells so heavenly. It's has a citrusy type scent mixed in. Unfortunately I'm trying to keep most oils away from my face, so I haven't really tried this out yet but the ingredient list (all natural no nasties!) really does look amazing and I can't wait to try it out. 

From Venus I purchased the Mizon Push Out Volcanic Gommage and Kracie Naive Natural Deep Cleaning Oil. Venus can be found at Clementi Central or People's Park Hawker Centre (2nd floor I think).

The Mizon Push Out Volcanic Gommage is a clay-based mask which works rather well in removing excess sebum without drying the face out too much. It would be a close 2nd to my HG Queen Helene's Mint Julep Mask if it did not smell and feel like wood putty. This retailed for $10 at Venus.

I keep the Kracie Naive Deep Cleansing Oil as part of my cleansing oil rotation as it is one of the cheapest I can find at $8-9 (depends on where you go). I much prefer the orange scented one to this olive one, but this olive cleansing oil was 50% off at the People's Park outlet - bringing the price down to $4.90. This works just as well as the cleansing oils from Hada Labo and Aqualabel in my opinion, but it does feel much thinner in consistency and the smell isn't much to my liking.

Lastly, when I placed an order for some supplements on iherb.com, I came across this Morningstar Minerals Derma Boos Rejuvenating Spring Mist. It's supposedly full of minerals, has fulvic acid in it etc. etc. I don't know the full details, but the reviews for more even toned and tightened skin, less achy muscles had me sold. I have not noticed visible improvement on the skin but I do like it as part of my routine for the extra hydration boost.

I hope this post has some bargains that appeal to the cheapo soul within you! Let me know if anyone enjoys reading bargain posts like this because the consumerist in me sure likes a good bargain!

Sweet Lips - NYC 16H Smoochproof Lip Stain & GOSH Long Lasting Lip Marker

These are the mainstay products I have for a daily makeup routine. Let me go through it step by step.

Face base: The Hada Labo BB Cream has rather decent coverage on its on and with SPF30 is great for a base that protects, hydrates and evens out skintone. Remember concealer face? I've managed to whittle it down to just the MAC Pro Longwear Concealer and I'm really excited about it because that means that my acne scarring is toning down! 

Cheeks: I did a really stupid thing the other night. I tried to epilate my face myself. (hides away in a dungeon of shame). Confession - I have a rather hairy face which I am not proud of but I haven't been to to get my face threaded for a rather long while. My hairs are not that visible but they bug me anyway ): Anyway, long story short, I am considerably less hairy but I managed to irritate the tops of my cheekbones and they've turned red, like a sunburn. Now I have to try to blend it in with my blush, that's why my blush seems so high. I used the Natural Collection Blush in Pink Cloud on the cheeks under my eyes to draw the blush down. I really like this blush as it's matte and the colour is so subtle it looks like natural skin.

Eyebrows: I stick to pencils when I'm rushing for time as it's just that much easier to control. This Maybelline Eyestudio Brow Pencil is the perfect grey-brown for soft brows. 

Eyes: Raved about the Essence Liquid Ink Eyeliner before here. It's such an intense black and works really well whether drawing a fine small line or an obvious cateye like I've done. The Diorshow Extase Mascara is my choice of mascara for really long, defined separated eyelashes that still look natural. Did I mention long? These make lashes so long.

Lips: Mentioned the NYC 16H Smoochproof Lip Stain and the GOSH Long Lasting Lip Marker in this week's favourites and thought I should showcase them. I used them in this look for a subtle ombre look and I quite like how they work together. 

Both are felt tip markers and leave a stain on the lips. The NYC is in Persistent Pink, looks really neon but comes out much more subtle on the lips. It probably would not show on more pigmented lips but on mine, it ups the pink factor of the lips. The GOSH stain I have is in Berry which is a berry red (excellent description eh!) that looks exactly like a cherry stain. 

NYC has a faint scent that smells like cherries and apples (and chemicals) mixed together and GOSH has a very strong cherry smell which I love. Both taste sweet on the lips which is so amazing! I know I should not be ingesting my chemical lip products but I cannot help it. Wearing these feels like I rubbed cherries on my lips and left the juice all over. Yummy!

Bigass picture of my crackly lips to show the ombre. I used the NYC Persistent Pink all over with GOSH's Berry in the centre. As you can see, Persistent Pink does not really show up on the browner edges of my top lip. Since I'm not a fan of lipsticks, my favourite part about the lip markers are that they don't change the natural texture/finish of the lips. Though they might be drying, I'd much rather top up with a balm than use a lipstick.

Obviously, these last a very short time on me because I lick my lips like crazy when I have this on (I might just have an addiction) but even so, I don't think the lasting power is that great. They could probably last you through a drink but not a full blown meal.



Summary:

Pros:

• Tastes like sugar heaven!
• Smells like fruit heaven!
• Doesn't change lip finish - only stains lips to a nicer colour
• Marker like and very easy to use

Cons:

• Ingesting the chemicals due to excessive lip-licking probably isn't too good
• Stain does not last too long
• Can be drying

These get an A from me as a lipstick noob. What do you guys think? Are stains the way to go or do you still prefer lipsticks? Have an awesome weekend lovelies! 

Weekly Favourites #9

Hello it's friday the 13th! It has been a crazy week for me, with my dissertation finally getting done (HOORAY) and one of my sisters flying off to London for her studies. I haven't really gotten much sunlight (I'm like a plant, I need a daily dose of sunlight to function), let alone slapping on any make up, but these have been life savers at perking up my deathly tired complexion this week.

The Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal in Nude has saved my poor eyes from looking like they've barely gotten any sleep. Not only does it make my eyes look more awake, it can actually double up as a dark eye ring concealer for me! I swear this stuff does not budge. It's got a slight sticky texture that I think really helps it stay glued to the waterline and undereyes. In fact, I have the swatch on my arm now and I've rubbed the swatches away vigourously.. and I do mean vigourously and the liner still has not budged. Ace product need more!

Lipstains have been my go to this week because they add colour to the lips (and face) without looking like I've actually put anything on. In my opinion, this is the ultimate product to use to con poor boys. They'll be looking at you and have absolutely no idea what you did to your lips because all that's different with your lips are their colour and absolutely nothing else! The NYC 16H Smoochproof Lip Stain in Persistent Pink(that's just the cutest name) and the GOSH Long Lasting Lip Marker in Berry leave the most gorgeous blushed lips - that's if lips could blush. It's like you've been eating cherries and stained your lips or been gnawing on your lips and they flooded with colour, just so perfect. The GOSH Lip Marker also has the most amazing cherry taste and scent. Your lips will be sweet with this on. I always take sneaky licks of my lips when I have it on. Ah-maze-zing. 

Is the Shiseido Lip Amulet in Pure Red just  the cutest lip product in existence or what? Each colour has a different person design. If I'm not wrong, this may be a limited edition (comes out every christmas or occasion or something but this was a december 2012 release) item but they're sold really cheaply at convenience stores in HK/Taiwan, just not Singapore ): The bullet within is a really bright red, but the formula is extremely sheer and more like a barely tinted lip balm. It is extremely hydrating and glossy and I tend to reach for this when my lips are dry from insufficient hydration through the night (I feel like the computer monitor sucks water away from me..strange I know). This is for glossy MLBB pouts.

My 2nd sister got me convinced to start on this moisturizer again. I've been having rather bad luck with moisturizers lately, and she told me that the Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion was a really good one because it absorbs so fast. My skin hasn't been faring too well with the late nights and intensive computer staring (like I said, I am convinced staring at the screen dehydrates me) and this moisturizer has been quite the lifesaver. It feels really odd upon application, almost oily in fact. But give it 10 seconds and it disappears. Don't know why I never gave it the 10 seconds it needed. The best part is that it works really well through the day, just don't overdose or you will have oily skin (tried and tested. got greedy).

L-R. NYC 16H Smooch Proof Lip Stain in Persistent Pink, GOSH Long Lasting Lip Marker in Berry, Shiseido Lip Amulet in Pure Red, Rimmel Scandaleyes Kohl Kajal in Nude

I'm so absolutely in love with all the products featured this week I'm typing at top speed! Do you guys own any of these products too? Let me know and have a great friday night! <3

Maybelline the Magnum Volum' Express Ultracomb Waterproof

Say hello to my current go-to mascara! It is the Maybelline the Magnum Volum' Express Ultracomb Waterproof Mascara. Boy that is a mouthful. There is a similar version of this, but not with the Ultracomb. Instead, that has a more 'normal' looking brush. I picked this up at Watsons on sale at about SGD$12 but I believe the normal retail price is just under SGD$20. 

I really like that the tube is this bright yellow, really helps with the ease of finding it in my stash! It tries to convince you it delivers volume (or in this case volum') by being a fat tube. The main reason I chose this was because the wand of this mascara is pretty reminiscent to the Majolica Majorca Lash King brush, and Majolica Majorca is a brand I definitely trust with mascaras. If only they weren't so hard to remove. Anyway, unlike the MM Lash King, this is a single sided wand, meaning application is only done with the spiky part of the wand. The other side is essentially useless. What a 1 dimensional wand, you might be thinking, but it's surprisingly good and works well to separate and coat lashes!

The only thing I do not like about the wand is that there are no bristles/spikes at the tip, making it quite hard to reach the outer lashes. It's not too bad for upper lashes, but getting the outer lower lashes is a real pain and not quite achievable with this wand. Going at the bottom lashes with a vertical wand is not possible either. 

Some background on my lashes - I'm quite lucky to have decently long lashes by asian standards, but I don't have very thick lashes. They are also quite gently curled naturally. Hence I normally go for volumising mascaras, though lengthening never hurts. I'm seldom fussed over whether the mascara holds curl. 

When I first used this mascara, I thought meh. It had quite a nice semi-wet consistency and gave me rather nice length and definition, but simisai (translation: what rubbish) volume!? I felt rather cheated, because the mascara is a VOLUM' mascara! So I added on a second layer as I would normally (ie. I let the first layer dry, then add a 2nd) and I was horrified because not only did it clump my lashes, it made them horrendously stick straight! 

I'm not one to give up on products. Lesson learnt - no layering on dry masacara. The picture on the left is with a single coat, the one on the right is with 3 wet coats. You be the judge. 

 From L-R, Curled lashes, no mascara; single coat; 3 coats of mascara.

The mascara is really versatile. You could probably get away with people thinking  you're not wearing mascara with a single coat of mascara, yet get an almost false lash effect with multiple coats. This mascara also really lives up to its waterproof formula, I could only get it off with an oil-based/bi-phase make-up remover. Gel removers and cleansing waters don't get the dirty deed done. That means, no smudging through the day! 

Certainly, the longevity of the mascara sounds good, but I would not recommend this for a full day of wear. This is because the formula is a rather heavy formula. I find that even with curled lashes, the mascara causes my curl to semi flatten out over the day.

Also, the length that is built tends to kind of droop after about the 5 hour mark and I'm not a fan of obvious fiber bits. The bright side is that these fibers don't flake off I guess? They kinda just like to hang. (heehee)

I also don't know if this happens to anyone else, but the blackness of the mascara disappears when it's been worn for too long! My lashes just look kinda dry and old.. it's really quite odd. Of course, these are really only visible if more than one layer is put on.


Summary:
Pros:

• Interesting wand that's easy to use and apply
• Versatile mascara: both natural and false lash looks can be achieved
• Good lengthening effects
• Decent volume can be achieved without clumping
• Waterproof formula that can be removed with oil-based/biphase remover
• No smudging
• No flaking

Cons:

• Can't really hold a curl
• Fiber tips tend to droop after a while
• Formula loses darkness after a while, lashes look old and dry
• Hard to reach outer lashes and bottom lashes with this wand

Conclusion: I would purchase this mascara for its natural look rather than its volumizing effects. This is also more a school day type mascara, not full working day. Most of the cons can be mitigated by wearing only a single coat, and since the natural look is one I favour, this mascara gets a B+ from me. 

Have you used this mascara before? What are your thoughts? Happy Monday everyone! I really enjoyed writing this review but now it's time for me to get back to the serious dissertation writing. Toodles!

L.A. Girl Creme Lipstick in True Love

Unlike most girls (I judge this from the blogs I read, my Mom and my sisters), I'm at the other end of the spectrum when it comes to lip products. I.e. I'm really uncomfortable with colour on my lips. I have a tendency to lick my lips quite a bit (must be hungry huh), and have a bad habit of running my finger over my lips, and a default position of elbow-on-table, chin-on-palm and fingers-playing-with-lips. Unhygienic, I know. This results in lipstick disappearing at flash speed or getting all over - rather undesirable. I do however, go through phases where i just want to have a lipstick. It is a terrible obsessive-compulsive thing. My practical brain opposes my frenzied brain, knowing that I seldom wear lip products and therefore refuses to let me purchase expensive lip products. That's how I came across the L.A. Girl Creme Lipstick. 

My frenzied brain obviously went for the most unpractical colour ever, something that I cannot ever see myself wearing on a daily basis - True Love. True Love is a rather gorgeous fuschia colour if I may say so myself. It goes on extremely pigmented (that swatch is a single swipe of lipstick) and very, very emollient on the lips. It feels great on dry lips and doesn't accentuate dryness. It has a slight glossy finish that I feel eliminates the need for an extra lip gloss, though a deep red gloss on top of it does look gorgeous. 

The downside of the extreme pigment is that this is sooooo crazy hard to apply. I recommend a lip brush instead of trying to apply it out of the tube. I had to use both a lipliner and concealer to get a good shape. When I used fingers to swipe off the lipstick that's gone off the lip, it caused a smear and (the horror!) a stain. Absolutely horrifying to fix! The odd part is that I find the lipstick to stain the skin but not so much on the lips. The lipstick fades evenly and quickly - about 2-3 hours and disappears completely if you have a meal. 

This lipstick also has a rather chemical smell, and a strong one at that. The practical brain ruled price over smell. At  SGD$10, it is quite hard to find similar pigmentation. (Commence moaning over why lipsticks are so overpriced in Singapore because I'm pretty sure this can be found at dollar store item in the US of A)

Practical brain also ruled over the horrendously cheap looking packaging. I cannot even bring myself to talk about how aesthetically unappealing the packaging is. On the bright side, it's still functional and seems hardy enough.  

A full face photo to show how True Love works with my nc30 skintone. Since I'm mostly a balm girl, I can't really decide if it looks good. What do you think?

Rest of face:

Foundation: The Balm Time Balm Foundation in Medium

Concealer: The Balm Time Balm Foundation in Medium

Undereye Concealer: Bobbi Brown Tinted Eye Brightener in Light to Medium Peach

Blush: Famous Shimmer Brick in Golden Rose

Eyes: Mac Paintpot in Nubile, Lakme Eye Colour Quartet in Desert Rose (pink shade), L'oreal Super Liner Black Lacquer, Majolica Majorca Lash King

Eyebrows: The Faceshop Faceit Designing Eyebrow Cake

Summary:

Pros: 

• Very Pigmented Indeed
• Goes on smoothly
• Does not accentuate dry lips nor dry lips out
• Wears off evenly

Cons:

• Messy and difficult to apply for non-pros
• Stains skin but does not seem to stain lips
• Not long wearing
• Ridiculously cheap looking packaging
• Horrible smell

Verdict:

This is not a lipstick that I would wear often (balm girl through and through) but would be good for occasions that do not require much eating. This gets a B- from me. 

Weekly Favourites #8

Hello lovelies! How's the week been treating you? I've had a rather breakthrough week with some of my products and I'm super excited to share with you how I use them.

I've had the Renew Rose Hip Oil for a rather long time. I've used it on and off, always put off by how my skin could not fully absorb the oil. I absolutely detested the oily film it left on my face no matter how long I left it on to sink in. However, I recently dug it up to give it another whirl. This time, on a rather sturdy cotton pad, I put quite a good bit of hyaluronic acid toner (I use the Naris Up Hyaluronic Skin Conditioner) and then 2 drops of rose hip oil, then swipe it all over my face. I find this method allows the mix to fully absorb into my skin and leaves it completely moisturized and plump. My skin seems to be healing more quickly too (might be a placebo effect) and I'm really loving it!

Ah Mac Pro Longwear Concealer... we have a serious love-hate relationship. I could never quite like the texture of the concealer and found it too watery and thin, affecting the coverage that it gave. However, since most of my scarring has gotten slightly lighter and I've gotten fairer, the coverage of this concealer is perfect. It works best with a flat powder brush or stippling brush, rather than fingers (that was my mistake) for higher coverage. It layers rather well, to a maxium of 2-3 layers before it starts to cake, enough to blur out the most obvious imperfections. Most days now I just use this concealer with powder and I've really got the 5 minute face routine down pat. -smug face-

Has anyone ever finished an entire tube of lip balm before it gets lost or purchasing a new one? I have to admit that I lose lipbalms like I shed hair (okay, that might be TMI). However, they more or less do turn up when I clear out my bags. The Maybelline Baby Lips in Smoothing Cherry turned up the other day. It's colourless and massively emollient. It might be odd but I adore the artificial cherry smell (don't judge me). I don't find the moisturizing effects last but the short term effect is just great. Doesn't help that the colour combination of the tube is so adorable.

A repeat favourite! I've been experimenting with the Maybelline Magnum Volum' Express Ultra Comb and testing it to its limits and so far I have not been disappointed. This works well in a single layer (or 2) for the nicest, barely accentuated lashes. I am a sucker for a natural looking lash. I also tried layering this mascara wet, and after 3 layers or so, I got the most incredible volume and length, almost like I was wearing false lashes. The only problem is that the extended portion of lashes tend to droop if I wear the mascara for too long, but since I seldom wear mascara for such extended periods, it's perfect!

A friend once told me, girls are attracted to all things sparkly (upon looking at a Swarovski crystal display case and oohing and aahing) and I could not agree more. I just had to share this H&M ring. It's a blue, green, purple, gold sparkly glittery orgasm in a ring. I am obsessed. At SGD$6.90, it's the perfect pick me up for the day (or week if you must).

Hava great friday night everyone! I'm going to be tucked away at home performing magic on my dissertation. Wish me luck! <3