Sponge & Dash

So here I bring you my latest base addiction. In between all the sun and storms we've been getting (all in the span of 24hrs), the humidity is just too damn high. A dewy base in high humidity is tough to maintain, and I try to steer clear of matte bases because I have a flat face, so here's the slap & dash routine that I've been favouring that falls somewhere in between. Oh yes, tool addiction - beautyblender (which I didn't photograph).

Both the Hada Labo BB Whitening Cream and the Topshop BB Cream offerings have spf and pretty darn good coverage that evens out most things. The Hada Labo BB Cream has a dewier finish, while the Topshop BB cream has more of a matte satin, but mixed together, the finish is both lightweight and incredibly skin-like as they offset each other in terms of finish. I find that the trick to getting the skin-like finish is to apply with fingers, quick and easy, no brushes involved. There's none of that sweaty looking dewiness, just a soft... if I might say... glow. 

Smear on some of the Tarte Maracuja Creaseless Concealer on your undereye darkness and press it in with the dry beauty blender and you'll find that it does indeed live up to its creaseless claims. Again, I find this concealer works best with the dry sponge because the sponge presses the concealer into the fine lines to create an even coating over any dark circles. Please, no wet sponges near this concealer because water is repelled from it and you'll just end up wiping off your base. Tried and tested. The shade I have is Light-medium which is a very good peachy shade, similar to the Bobbi Brown Corrector in Light Peach.

L-R: Canmake Glow Fleur Cheeks 04, Topshop BB Cream 3.0, Hada Labo BB Whitening Cream 02, Tarte Maracuja Creaseless Concealer Light-Medium

For some beauty and cuteness in your life (and as a welcome to spring in other parts of the world?), you need the Canmake Glow Fleur Cheeks. A brilliant palette that unlike most of the blush range of Canmake which are incredibly glittery has the softest sheen ever that brings the right amount of flush to the cheeks. I have the shade 04 which is a good balance of peach and pink that would suit most skin tones. The brush that comes with it isn't retarded and useless either. Bonus!

Top everything off with a little slice of heaven which is the Guerlain Meteorites to diffuse any shine and pores for simply perfect looking skin. For some reason though, the effect of the Guerlain Meteorites is hardly discernible to me, but when the SA in sephora tried it on me I was amazed. Any tips on how application?

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So there you have it, I can complete my face in just about 5 mins now and be out the door. Great for me because I'm always late. Just call me whirlwind val. 

Weekly Favourites #13

Hello friends! It's the weekend! -does a squiggly jiggle- You know those times when you think all is good and then WHAM! you walk into a glass door? Well, just when I thought my skin was being a darling and clearing up, it turned into a rebellious teenage ahlian (singaporean female gangster) and broke out in a major kind of way again. Such is life. I think it was telling me that I've strayed from my derm-prescribed routine just a teensy bit to far and to get my ass back there. So for fear of more retaliation, I've headed back to the derm's routine and my favourite product is the DRX Max-C. Yes, my derm is the very well advertised DRX clinic, and no, this is not an advertisement for them. I paid a bomb for my treatments. Back to Max-C, this vitamin C serum seems to calm my skin down, reduce the scarring and sinks in just about immediately and I use it religiously. I also find that this is the only product that my skin doesn't seem to have build up a slight resistance to. Heng ah (singaporean for phew).

The only addition to the regime is the Olay Regenerist Night Resurfacing Essence, which I have included in my September favourites. I only use this under my eyes because it really seems to be helping with the one single deep crease that I have under my eyes. Don't freak out at the 'resurfacing' name, or the thought of putting AHA's near the eye because this is a really gentle product.

Freaking out skin = coverage and breathability in my foundation. Mostly because I would hate to scar people by giving them the full blast of my scarred face. For that I've returned to a mix of the Topshop BB Cream and the MUFE HD Foundation which are a dream team. Great coverage with an extremely thin and lightweight layer and SPF. Could not ask for more.

My last weekly favourite has got to be the Osim Umist Baby Humidifier. The boy got me this for christmas last year. Question: which girl really wants a humidifier for christmas? But turns out he knew me better than I knew myself and Umist Baby (cutest name evaaaaaa~~~~) has been a constant companion (for the year) and a lifesaver for the past week. Having a humidifier in Singapore may sound like the stupidest idea ever, given that our humidity is somewhere in the 70-80% region but I do quite like (that's a lie, I Really like) to use the air-conditioning and that makes my environment really dry which in turn is really hostile to sensitive skin. The Umist Baby lasts for about 6 hours which is kinda short but good enough for me!

What are your weekly favourites? And would you like a humidifier?

Estee Lauder CyberWhite Brilliant Cells Extra Intensive BB Creme

The Estee Lauder CyberWhite Brilliant Cells Extra Intensive BB Creme is my very first American brand BB cream and was gifted to me by a friend, so I don't know how much it is though I don't doubt it's expensive. It's a BB cream that's been with me for about a year (?) now and it's high time it deserved a review. It's interesting to see that the Estee Lauder BB cream comes in a 50ml tube, much more than the usual 30ml of other BB creams. It's very sleek, almost clinical, with a metallic baby blue twist off cap. I have professed my love for squeezy tubes, and this is no different. The hole from where the product emerges is really small, much smaller than normal (about 2mm diameter?) so yay to no leakages! 

L-R: MAC Studio Fix NC30, Estee Lauder CyberWhite BB Cream

In addition, the product itself is rather thick so it won't just drip out of the tube. As you can see, the Estee Lauder BB cream is very, and I mean very, pale and pink toned. If you're not a fair skinned gal like me, don't fret! The product has next to no coverage and does blend out to almost nothing. Though I still would suggest using a skin toned powder on top of it. There's a slight sunscreen scent to the BB cream, but nothing too offensive. 

Here's evidence that it is too fair for me. I have used it in the centre of my face and up my cheeks as well as on my chin. The camera does not capture the yellow tone of my face anymore but instead captures the brightness of the BB cream. In real life, I don't find my face looking too pale but just slightly brighter and more lively. If you have dull complexion, this baby is calling for you! It has passed the boy test too - I wore it to work one day with just concealer and the boy said it matched my skin tone. Since the cream is quite thick, I do find it to even out the pores and disguise them. On days I wore this, the boy commented my skin looked really smooth. Could this BB cream really be the answer to my skin woes?

The only downer is that as the day wears on, the BB cream that once disguised the pores becomes pooled in the pores so you might wanna just touch up in the middle of the day!

When worn on its own, the Estee Lauder BB Cream feels nourishing on the skin and lightweight. I would not call it feeling like nothing on the skin - there's a feeling of something, but it's not heavy. It also works quite well as a priming base for powders and concealers and does not ball up, flake off or rub off. Foundation on top of the BB cream would definitely feel heavy. 

I've found this BB cream not really to have oil control, so blotting at lunch time is a must (I'm sure you do that anyway!). Since there isn't much coverage anyway, I honestly can't tell when it fades away, which I guess, is a good thing! 

If I had good skin, I would slap this BB cream off and go, but unfortunately I don't so the no coverage is definitely a downer for me. My favourite way of using this is in the centre of my face for brightening, especially when I'm feeling shitty about my dull skin. Then I work my way to a full coverage through concealing. 

Summary:

Pros:

• Brightens the skin
• Disguises pores
• Seems to adjust slightly to match skin tone
• Lightweight
• Can act as primer

Cons:

• Doesn't match my skin tone if I wear too much
• No oil control
• No coverage
• Pools in pores if worn for long and requires touching up

Conclusion: The BB cream gets a solid B from me. Works well for quick days with concealer for a presentable and bright face. Or if you've simply got great skin and want some sun protection. Also passed the boy test in my case because he would compliment me without fail every single time I used this BB cream. Try it for yourself!

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!

August 2013 Favourites

I can't believe it's already the end of August, it seems like it was just yesterday I took a year off from school. At any rate, TGIF people! Oh the good days. It was really hard to narrow down my August favourites because there was just so many things that I was using but wasn't absolutely loving. It's just one of those funks that I fall into... y'know, one of those I-have-nothing-to-wear-but-staring-at-wardrobe-full-of-clothes days. First world problems indeed.

What I have really been loving alongside with my clay masks are these Biore pore strips. I would use this everyday if I could. I love standing in front of my mirror and spending 5 mins just peeling the strip off ever so slowly and witnessing every single whitehead wiggle out of my nose. Just one of my disgusting obsessions. When I was younger, I would just peel the nose strip off so fast that all the plugs would just break off and remain in my nose and I would wonder why the strips didn't work. Slow and steady is the trick girls, slow and steady.

I also figured out the best combination for the Topshop BB cream in 3.0 which I mentioned here, and that is with the MUFE HD Foundation in 120. Together they give a high coverage, soft focused finish that feels like almost nothing on the skin. Also doesn't hurt that I have neither in the right shade (the SA matched the MUFE for me too...Sephora should really improve their lighting) so when mixed together it's a heavenly, creamy blend of the appropriate shade. The Topshop BB cream is slightly fragranced, almost like a grandma scent and the occasional whiff does have me wrinkling my nose. Still, price to pay for nicer looking skin.

My little sister purchased the Sleek Face Form in Light for me when she came back for the holidays and I finally realized the hype over Sleek's highlight/contour products. I'm not such a fan of the rose gold blush, since I already have similar colours and consider it a yesteryear colour, but the bronze shade really works in definition without being too orange on my nc30 skin. The highlighter really holds its own and I use it when I want a stronger highlight than the NYX mosaic highlighter. The kit is so nifty and versatile, i just wish it had a matte blush. Oh, I also used it on my other little sister who is darker than me, and the contour shade still worked! Like I said..nifty and versatile.

The Estee Lauder Double Wear ShadowCreme in Cafe Au Lait is something that I've recently opened after a good... half year? Patting myself on the back for patience. I had to open this to stop myself from purchasing the Maybelline Colour Tatto in Bad to the Bronze (addiction much?). This is a really nice bronze/taupe mixture with multicoloured micro glitter in it. It is not a dupe of Bad to the Bronze and comes off much lighter in colour. The glitter comes off more on the silver side, but for some reason, when on the lids it can look quite golden rather than bronze, especially when a darker brown is blended in. It's a nice subtle shade for all over the lid definition and catches light in all the right places. Best of all, no creasing or fading throughout the day.

Lastly, I've been wearing the Majolica Majorca Blush in OR211 quite a bit this month. In the pan it comes off a rather pale orange, but on the cheeks it transforms to a rather coral shade. The colour pay off is not super intense, which I like for daily wear. Also it's such a tiny cute pan I really can't resist it sometimes.

From L-R, MAC Studio Fix NC30, MUFE HD Foundation 120, Topshop BB Cream 3.0, Majolica Majorca Blush OR211, Sleek Face Form in Light bronzer and highligher shades, Estee Lauder Double Wear ShadowCreme 22 Cafe Au Lait

What are your August Favourites? Do recommend me some! Happy Friday everyone!

10 under 10

Good Monday girls! If you don't know, I'm now a student again and school has officially started. Not too sure if that's a good thing, but what I know for sure is that going from a sizeable pay cheque each month to an allowance again is not fun. I definitely had to cut back my spending, and that includes makeup too.

As fellow Singaporeans know, the price of makeup in Singapore is definitely not on the cheap side - a drugstore foundation like l'oreal or maybelline can easily set us back S$30 or more. I have compiled a list of products (that I've used and quite like/don't hate) which fall under the S$10 category which hopefully might help some people start out. All the products here can pretty much achieve a simple everyday makeup look.

Psst I did cheat - there're 11 products!

Elf Studio Line Powder Brush ($6, found at smoochiezz's warehouse/sales or at watson's tradeshows for slightly more expensive)
I use the this every single time I do my make up. It is the only item in my makeup collection I can truly refer to as a holy grail item and I have 3 of these brushes (1 I've thrown away). This brush can do everything! It buffs in liquid and creams like a dream, when stippled gives beautifully blended high coverage. Can be used with mineral foundations, even powder blushes and loose powder when used with a loose hand. If you could only buy one brush, buy this brush. My only complaint is that water tends to loosen the handle so be careful when washing.

Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector 10ml ($2, found at selected watsons)
Okay, I cheated again, this is a travel sized item. I suspect these were leftover stock from beauty boxes. Well, for $2, no harm trying. I don't love this nor hate this item, but it has SPF26 (better than nothing), and is a good yellow-tone for majority of the chinese in Singapore. Also does a decent job at evening out skin tone, though in my case it is just a tad too fair.

Essence Match 2 Cover Cream Concealer ($4.50, found at selected watsons)
I've raved about this insanely here. I don't think I need to rave more. If you're worried about undereye circles, use this and be happy.

NYX Concealer in a Jar ($7, smoochiezz's warehouse/sales or watsons's tradeshows for more expensive)
This concealer is supposed to be a dupe for MAC's Studio Fix Concealer. I don't think it's as high coverage, but I do like that it's has high enough coverage and enough tackiness to cover blemishes and not shift during the day. I used to use it quite a bit, if I wasn't the concealer whore I am I think I would still be using it today. If I'm not wrong the formula has been updated to be slightly creamier but I do have the updated formula in another colour and it works fine.

Elf HD Powder ($10, smoochiezz's warehouse/sales or watsons' tradeshows for more expensive)
I hope this doesn't constitute cheating because it is technically $10 if you know where to find it. Decent setting powder, really does seem to blur out imperfections and really mattifies the skin. Said to be a dupe for the MUFE HD Powder (which I don't have). Don't use it if indulging in flash photography though (google - silica powder flash photography). You have been warned.

Alobon Blush ($5-7, Mustafa)
I usually chicken out from buying facial products from places that sell makeup that's slightly dubious in origin and content, but I did fair amount of research and it seemed alright. I really like this blush, I do. It reminds me so much of the MAC MSFs and is just so pretty and marbled I would buy it just to look at it. And it's just so cheap. It is also incredibly pigmented, some are incredibly sparkly (can be avoided by using a stippling blush) and can double up as highlighter. It has also never broken me out.

Mizon Blooming Tint ($6, Venus at Clementi)
If you're not one to put dubious makeup on your face, then try this Mizon Blooming Tint. The concept is similar to Benefit's Benetint in that it can be used both on the cheeks and lips. I found this to be a thick liquidy texture that is not highly pigmented. For my skintone, it is barely visible on the cheeks, but for fairer people it will be a really nice natural flush of colour though it does take a while to build up. I like it more on the lips as the result is really a rosier, pinker version of my lip colour. It also fills up the fine lines and has a subtle glossiness. Very much love it for its subtlety.

L.A Girl Lipstick ($10, selected guardians)
Extremely pigmented and creamy lipstick in a very large array of colours. Packaging looks cheap, but all the lipsticks from the drugstore brands (aside from Essence) are at almost double the price or more. This works.

Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Liner ($8.75, found here)
I don't know if this can be found in Singapore yet, but regardless, it's cheaper online. I seem to have misplaced my black version, but this eyeliner is nicely pigmented, creamy and really does last a decent while. I picked a pencil liner over a liquid liner because they're just more versatile in the sense that I can use a pencil liner to tightline, do a cateye, or smudge it out for a smokey eye. Have your pick.

Silky Girl Big Eye Collagen Waterproof Mascara ($14.90, usually on sale at watsons/guardian)
Okay, I really am a big cheat, but this mascara is always on sale when I visit the drugstore. I think I got mine for $8. The only cheaper mascaras would be those in daiso (no way I'm letting a $2 product go near my eyes) and the Essence mascaras (the range is INSANE I don't dare to start testing). It may be astonishing, but this is the only mascara I have found that does not smudge on me. I have tried mascaras from l'oreal, maybelline, majolica majorca, estee lauder, dior, mac and they've all transferred to my under eye without fail. Lord knows why of all brands, Silky Girl would work out. Anyway, this is really quite good, slightly wet formula that coats lashes evenly without clumping. It lengthens the lashes considerable, and volumizes them strand by strand rather than as a clump. No thin spidery lashes for this mascara. I do quite love it.

Maybelline Eyebrow Pencil by Eyestudio ($6.90, selected watsons)
No face can do without brows, you need a brow pencil. This has one of the most neutral brown grays I've seen and would match black hair, brown hair, heck even blond if you like intense brows. Easy to use, doesn't go on too dark, I even use it to line my eyes sometimes. It does tug a little bit if I do my eyes, but it works for a lightly defined eye. Simple and good.

Hopefully that wasn't too long ore tedious a read. What are your top 10 under 10 - Singapore version? I would love to know!



Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated to any of the brands featured, nor were any of the products sponsored. All products featured were paid for by myself.

Weekly Favourites #4

Hallo everybutty! I've been a rather good girl when it comes to purchasing makeup and skincare because 1) I'm lonelygirl89@hotmail.com ie. haven't been heading out and wearing makeup and 2) I'm still on the doc's skincare regime. But I did crack the other day and purchase some make-up and I've been wearing them (when I can) since because they've been just SO GREAT. 

I've been lusting after the Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer and/or the Nars Tinted Moisturizer for a longlonglonglonglong time but due to cost issues I've been holding out (that means looking for better deals online haha). Then, one fine day when I was browsing Topshop makeup I saw the Topshop BB cream and I tried to google for a review on the spot - there were none T_T. So I swatched it and was like HMMMMM this actually feels rather luxurious and I was also looking for a darker foundation/BB cream because I realized many of mine were a tad bit too light. I succumbed and bought it in the darkest shade (3.0) because I thought it matched and came home to realize that it's rather too dark for my nc30 skin. It works extremely well when mixed in with my foundations and BB creams (MUFE HD, aqualabel foundation, hada labo BB cream, Estee Lauder BB cream - I use a 50/50 mix, sometimes 60 Topshop/40 other foundation mix) and leaves the most flawless finish on the face that I could not achieve with my foundations alone. It does not seem to compromise the coverage of the foundations too, so I believe that the coverage of this BB cream is really decent. One shade lighter did seem too light for me though, but it also seems to oxidize slightly so it might work. HIGHLY RECOMMEND.

I cracked at the Essence stand in Watsons the other day. I cannot help it, Essence is just too darn cheap. Even if it doesn't work it's like... oh that's just the price of a bag of chips. I can do without a bag of chips. I have the Essence 3-in-1 concealer and didn't really like that, but this Essence Match-2-Cover was so reminiscent of the Bobbi Brown concealers (THAT I WANT) so I caved. This is a tub...2 tubs of creamy concealer goodness. The formula is slightly dryer than the Bobbi Brown Corrector's, but has the same amount of slip and boy does it cover. For SGD$4.50 (vs the over $50 you pay for the BB concealer + not so useful powder), this is so worth it. For my nc30 skin, the shades in this compact are too light for blemishes. However on my undereyes, it does helluva good job in correcting and concealing the darkness. Again, people, this is only $4.50. Please run out and get it now.

The next Essence item I got suckered into was the Essence Liquid Ink Waterproof Eyeliner. It's really tiny, like 8cm tiny and the brush is stuck so tightly in the container that when I pulled it out with too much force, the liner splattered onto my lips and face ): That aside, I saw there was only ONE of this eyeliners left in the display. Obviously I had to get it since it was under SGD$4.00. I am as Singaporean as it gets. If there's only one left, it has to be good. I was right! This is black as ... squid ink. It is a very watery formula that is slightly tricky to work with, and goes on glossy but dries a deep matte black. You can see it in the photo above. The brush is not that fine, but I'm not really a fine eyeliner girl so it works for me. One weird thing about this eyeliner is that IT IS NOT WATERPROOF. Sucks right? So don't believe those claims. While it is not waterproof, it is definitely OILY EYELID PROOF. See the world's better again. I have problems getting this off even with my oil-based makeup remover. It comes off in flakes with the oil. So girls, just don't cry in public. Or just bring the tube out since it's so tiny. I love this even more than I love my K-palette eyeliner cos that's not as black as this.

Lastly, my companion for being lonelygirl89@hotmail.com. My first ever piece of "proper" jewelry from the boy, a present for our 3rd year and also just before he left for the US of A for 4 years of study (It's crazy, because we've already studied for 4 years). I love snowflakes - thumbs up for him!

Apologies for the long post for just 4 items, hope it was enjoyed! If anyone has the same favourites, or likes it after trying, let me know. Have a good, restful Sunday.

Weekly Favourites #3

Halo happy thursday! I apologize I missed last week's favourites because I had just seen the dermatologist and could not use any of my own products on my face. I'm seeing encouraging results (NO MORE COMEDONES or actually maybe like 5 left but it's something!~~~) and I will blog about it if I'm happy with the experience.

Since I was not allowed to use any of my own skincare products, and also I haven't been out of my house (and pjs) much, I was really cracking my head as to what to write about. What you shall see here are not just just weekly favourites, but products that I tend to swing back to every once in a while.

On a side note, how cute is this case! It's got whales and polka dots! I can't even bear to use it, so I leave it around looking pretty.

This Collection 2000 Concealer of mine has been thrown around so much that the brand has completely rubbed off. I have shade 3 which doesn't nearly have enough yellow tones for me to use, but I love to use it under my eyes and in lighter areas of my face. It conceals, conceals, and conceals! I use it on top of the Bobbi Brown Peach corrector and it doesn't crease and doesn't look cakey and is just so easy to use. Just dab dab dab and blend it with a powder brush. This concealer has my favourite consistency of all time - it's not too watery (like the MAC Pro Longwear) and doesn't dry up too fast (MUFE Full Cover I'm looking at cha'), it's just creamy and easy like that. I wish I had a perfect shade to use all over my face.

The second BB cream that I've found that matches a nc30-35 skintone would be the Hada Labo BB Whitening Cream with SPF32. For some reason, until today I've always assumed this had SPF50. Yikes. Anyway, the colour of this BB cream is great. It is definitely yellow toned, not beige or pink or grey. It is of a rather thin consistency, making it really easy to blend all over the face. It's coverage properties are not ace like the KATE BB Cream, more of a light to medium coverage. For a brand famed for moisture properties, this didn't cut it for me in that department, but works well in conjunction with a moisturizer. I always go back to this when I don't want to use foundation because this is extremely lightweight on the skin and fast to use, oilier skinned people can even skip moisturizer with this!

I have an extreme love-hate relationship with the Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer. I love it because it's so extremely pigmented, but I also hate it because the shade I have is only perfect for my forehead, but just a smidgen too dark for the rest of my face such that it makes me look muddy!!! However, that's also a good thing because wearing this all over the face does feel rather heavy, and I don't find it to ever totally set (gets into my laugh lines). I have an intense load of scars on my forehead from the comedones, and this concealer/pigment/whatever you call it, is so creamy and pigmented it covers the scars so nicely. It is my only concealer that can cover those scars and I love it for that. It does not look as great on dry skin as it does catch onto flakes, but it is definitely a moisturizing concealer. This is probably the most pigmented concealer on the market.

This last item is a new favourite. I got the Etude House Juicy Pop Tube at a sale near the MRT one day. I think it must've been all of 3bucks. I thought that with the price and the looks of the tube that this would be one of those 90% transparent kind of glosses. Boy I was SO wrong. This goes on with quite an oomph! It is barely sticky and really does have a nice shine that makes lips look fuller. Cheapo in me is like SCORREEEEE!

So there you have it, the products that I usually use on my outdoor face. Let me know if you like the products too!

Weekly Favourites #1

Hello hello my happies! It's a great day as it's the first week that I have after officially concluding my working life and restarting my life as a full time student. I technically should have more than enough time to do at least weekly updates so get ready to see more of me on this blog.

My new project is to do at least a weekly favourites, though honestly, don't expect them to vary too much as I'm not that fickle a person. But I'll definitely try to change my items up.

Moving on ->

/edit. I think this post is rather long, I will cut down the number of items in my future weeklies. /edit.

I found this vintage (I use this word very loosely) clutch during one of my site visits for my dissertation. Honestly, you can find the best deals in HDB estates *wink. To cut a long story short, I saw it when I started my site look-a-round, lusted after it for about 2 hours, and then bought it for myself as a reward after I completed my visit. What sweetened the deal was the discount the auntie gave me. Been carrying this around ever since even though clutches are a ton more irritating than a sling bag. Fits all my shit too! It can fit my bigass long wallet, my iphone, an umbrella/waterbottle....love it!

This Kate Moss Velvet Hour perfume is another all time favourite of mine. I got it after I finished my La Perla and Chanel Chance and Paris Hilton (sense my desperation for a new perfume?) and I got it because I like my signature scent to be...uncommon. Velvet Hour takes some getting used to, and I find it a rather complex scent (I hope, my nose is rather unsophisticated). It starts of rather peppery spicy but that smell wears off into a rather awesome floral musk. This is definitely gonna be a repurchase of mine. I find the scent matches the clutch too. Bonus!

California Baby Aloe Vera Cream was a desperate purchase of mine when my forehead broke out insanely in comedones (I swear it was ALL OVER I must've had more than 50 on my forehead) and was crazy dry and flaking at the same time. I was going so mad over it because I felt so helpless. My forehead has been loving this - one application and it stopped all the crazy flaking! I was sold! Though there has been some controversy over the brand reformulating its ingredients, the formula doesn't seem to irritate my skin. It kinda also has been working wonders on the lines under my eyes...This whipped cream is like a cool soft, waxy balm that applies matte on the face. It's leaves a little of a waxy/oily thin protective layer which does not interfere with make up.

My one and only Revlon lip butter when I succumbed to the craze is in Tutti Frutti . I'm not a big fan of lip products as I just don't want that much make up on my face. I already smother enough make up on my face for my complexion. Recently though, I've been rather loving the ombre lip look and have been using this to stain the insides of my lips. The colour is a gorgeous coral and is not too extreme. It's gone by the first meal but honestly I don't really care.

Natural Collection Blush in Pink Cloud has been my go to blush for about half a year now and I've hardly made a dent. It's just the sweetest, subtle-lest, matte pink blush to put on the apples of the cheeks. It's not a unique colour, I'm sure, but the formulation has just the right amount of pigment and is not powdery or chalky and it's pretty darn cheap too at 3 pounds (if I recall correctly). It's the perfect hint of flushed are you not wearing blush colour for me.

My mom really likes the Dior Diorshow Extase Mascara and gifted me a sample to stop me from wearing too much eyeliner. She really likes it. This really coats my lashes and makes them fuller and longer without making them look fake like most drugstore mascaras do on my thin chinese lashes. The only downside is that I don't think this is a waterproof formula, rather a smudgeproof formula. For my oily eyes, it does transfer to my lower eyes sometimes so I cannot wear it on my lower lashes.

Lastly and finally, I've had this Estee Lauder CyberWhite Brilliant Cells BB Cream for quite a while but only recently dug it out. This pinky toned BB cream has pretty much no coverage but does a brilliant job at perking up skin tone. This BB cream really makes me aspire for perfect skin so that I can wear it on its own ): I like to apply this on the center of my face just as a nice brightening base. Then I don't apply foundation on my T zone. Sounds weird I know, but it does the job.

Have a great week ahead and let me know your favourites! <3

Kate BB Gel Cream

Good weekend everybutty!

It's been 2 weeks of working for me and weekends are so precious now. Also, weekends are the only time that I can take photos because there's no other time I'm home when there's sunlight. Makes me wish I had times when summer days stretched till 10pm. Here we have summer heat, worse than summer humidity, and only limited summer sunlight. Bah. 

Anyway, now that I have to wear makeup for such long hours (8am when I start putting it on till at least 9pm when I get home, or longer if I have dinner with friends), I started to feel uncomfortable with using full coverage foundations, and so have been on the look out for something more lightweight with coverage. Yes it's never possible to satisfy a girl. The aim is to have nothing on the skin and still look absolutely perfect, but I'm not perfect. Bopian (no choice)....

So just the the other day, I managed to convince the boy to stand by the Cure station to play with the gel and rub dead skin off while I browsed Watsons, and got the Kate BB Gel Cream on sale. It was S$25.90 originally, but I got it at 30% off! Worth it! I haven't even used it a full week yet, but I was so excited from the moment I tried it I had to blog about this first. 

So this picture has my part of my muji make up storage system included in it. I just wanted to share it because this was a gift from the boy for my birthday 2 months ago. It means so much to me because most guys would not want to encourage anything to do with make up (in my case it was more of a GET ORGANIZED). It works like a dream and I have no desire to get it messy ever just cos it looks so good. So this picture is just to share and say THANK YOU!

So this is how the Kate BB Gel Cream is packaged. It's a matte black squeeze tube which is honestly, quite ugly. Especially with the BB gel cream printed so large. But being matte, it doesn't attract fingerprints which is a plus point. 

Looks deceivingly small, though larger than the Aqualabel foundation. It holds 30g of product, which is actually even more than what you get for a bottle of MAC foundation. Props for value for quantity!

I really love squeeze tubes because it's so much easier to control the quantity of product that comes out as compared to a pour bottle or even a pump. 

This BB Cream gel supposedly has "the function of a beauty serum, moisturizer, sunscreen, makeup base and sheer foundation. It contains "double effect mineral powder" to protect the skin and cover visible pores, while the blend of olive, jojoba and sweet oil oils moisturize the skin. It also has light-diffusing pigments that reflect away imperfections, even skin tone and add lustre to skin"

That's up to you to believe. I obviously don't, but I believe the part about sunscreen. This has spf30! I still put normal sunblock before this, but 30 is technically quite decent enough to skip that. On lazy days perhaps...

It also boasts being alcohol and fragrance free, which is a plus point for those with sensitive skin.

credits: http://karlasugar.net/2009/07/mac-studio-sculpt-foundation/

On to the BB gel itself. What I love the most about this BB gel is that IT HAS SHADES TO CHOOSE FROM. Most BB creams come in a disgusting ashy grey that is supposed to magically suit any skin tone. BULLSHIT for darker girls. At the display, I saw at least 4 different shades for this. There were 3 in the OC range, with OC-D being the darkest. It says 3 on my tube though, contrary to the stand where it said OC-D. There was also one from the beige range if I'm not wrong. 

OC-D as you can see, is almost almost an exact match for mac NC30. It is only a slight tinge lighter. It works for my face because unlike the studio fix, it is not orange on my face, and also sheers out more than the studio fix. 

The texture of this cream is more cream than liquid. If I had a blob of this on my hand and turned my hand over it would not slide. Despite it being so thick, it is easy enough to blend into the skin. It also covers up pores (true to its description hooray!), and doesn't crease into any fine lines on the face like my laugh lines. Unfortunately, it still gathers into my under eye wrinkle line (no idea what to call it) but there hasn't been a product that doesn't do that.

One thing that bugs me though is that I seem to have to use such a lot of product, probably double that I use of normal foundation. It seems to get absorbed into the skin or something like that. Though it doesn't feel like I have much on my face, which I guess is a good thing.

The finish of this BB Gel Cream is... matte. I don't fancy matte finishes too much, so I've been using it mixed with the Ginvera Green Tea BB cream for a little bit of a dewy look, or an illuminator. In the photos I've used it on its own, and I've decided it's really quite a nice matte finish. 

The coverage of this is probably the best of any BB cream I've used. People say that the skin79 one is awesome, THIS one is even better, plus with a colour choice! Only my serious blemishes could not be covered up with just this BB cream as you can see. It works well as a thin layer, also works well layered for more coverage, it's really really just awesome. (Btw, pardon the eyebags and center parted awkward hair, I'm still trying to settle into the working routine)

Lasting power is good. I've seen some reviews that say this lasts 5-6+ hours. Honestly, if you're not one to fuss over tiny imperfections peeking through at the end of the day, this will be good enough. It controls oil to the extent that I don't have to blot till around 5pm. Yet, despite its matte finish and oil control, it doesn't leave my face flaky nor feeling dry at the end of the day. In fact, I actually find my skin feeling very soft at work.

I'm going to be using this for a long long long time.


Summary:

Pros:

• value for money
• alcohol and fragrance free
• spf 30
• colour choices up to nc30-35
• fantastic coverage
• creamy and easy to blend
• covers up pores 
• doesn't settle into fine lines
• good oil control yet does not dry out face
• lasts pretty damn long

Cons:

• matte finish (but I guess there are quite alot of people who consider this a pro)
• seems to disappear on the skin, hence I have to use so much each time

Base Routine

FOTD? I was experimenting with a new way to achieve a lighter base routine but still achieve the maximum coverage. Today I stumbled upon this application which though quite time consuming, I like the way it looks and feels.

I will be posting up images from the web as I'm too lazy to take my own.

Prep:

Hada Labo Lotion

Works as a toner, also quite moisturizing and light. For me it's not moisturizing enough, that's why I top it off with another moisturizer.

Garnier Whiten & Even Moisturizing Cream spf 17/pa++

Gives an instant brightening effect, especially for paler girls. For me it makes my face quite white. However I think that this moisturizer does work quite well for scars and pigmentation, that's why I use it.

Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Mousse Water Base spf 50+/pa+++ (need so many + a not...)

Sunblock. My mom always told me to use sunblock. I never listened. Now I have pigmentation and am very sad. Love this sunblock. Absolutely love the texture. Super light!

Olivia by CCS eco Eye Cream with Organic Olive Oil (bought in Sweden)

Bought this in Sweden because I had no eye cream and I was developing wrinkles under my eyes. This was the cheapest at their drug store because they have 25% (yeah you read that right) tax on all skincare. Quite a light and nice eye cream, doesn't do much for the wrinkles but decent for day time use. Use a light eye cream and not a heavy one because eye creams are what causes your concealer to move and mascara/eyeliner to smudge.

Base:

Skin79 Super+ Beblesh Balm

1. Use Skin79 BB Cream as a base/primer. I use this to cover up my pores to give a smoother surface to work on. It also provides decent coverage for areas that are red.

Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer

2. This is a product that can be used as a foundation, however, I haven't had it long enough to find out how to work with it as it is AMAZINGLY pigmented. It is also slightly darker than my skin tone (matches my neck but my natural face is alot lighter than my neck so I cannot stand it being so dark), and since it's so pigmented it looks unnatural. In any case, this has no silicones or fillers so when on the skin it looks like skin. I use this to conceal any blemishes or pigmentation. If you do not own this, use a concealer that is slightly darker than your skin tone to conceal, then blend the edges out very well.

Kate Covering Concealer for Under Eyes

3. Use a peach concealer for under eye rings. Kate Covering Concealer is not bad, doesn't really crease for me. Squeeze some onto hand and slowly use a finger to dab it under the eyes. Work in thin layers so that it won't crease rather than putting on a lot at once and blending out. Can also be used to brighten up the area under eye/eyebags for a Kim Kardashian look.

Ginvera Green Tea Nude Cover BB Cream

4. Face should look slightly odd now, with patches of dark concealer and peach concealer. No fear, use Ginvera Green Tea BB Cream and dab over the dark spots, blending it into the rest of the face. Also put some on top of (if necessary) or around the peach areas and blend. 

Rest of face:

e.l.f All Over Colour Stick in Spotlight

I use this as a highlighter for my nose. Cream products generally work well with a cream base. Do not ever use this on powder base, will cause powder to ball up/shift.

NYX Rouge Cream Blush in Natural

Mentioned in review below.

L'oreal Super Liner 

Got this as a free gift and it works quite well. I use this to line my eyelid. Using another lighter pencil in black, lightly line the waterline. Not too intense. Then using an angled brush/flat brush, get a brown eyeshadow (or just use eyebrow pencil haha) to fill in the little corner space under the outer corner of the eye. This will really elongate the eye. Will do a proper tutorial soon.

Finish off with a lipbalm/lip colour if you like. I use the EOS lipbalm, very minty. I practically eat it. 

This base procedure does take quite long if you have many spots/scars like me because it's based on concealing mostly the spots and keeping the rest of the face relatively free of products. I really like it because I don't get the unnatural look that comes with using heavy coverage foundations. I also prefer this over powders because for some reason, I always picture powder particles army crawling their way into my big pores and refusing to get out. If you haven't already realized, the above routine is ALL cream/liquidy products. I hope this helps someone who needs as much coverage as I do and still wants to look normal, but if not, hope it helps anyway!

Oh, DO NOT take any pictures with this routine on. YOU WILL HAVE A WHITE FACE. There are 4 products in this routine that have spf. One of them being spf 50 with many + signs. Yes I am that paranoid. Okay no I'm not, it just so happens. 

If I am not clear enough, here are the tutorials that I have adapted my own routine from. I really like the 2nd girl!

Enjoy!