Does Your Face Have Expensive Taste?

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

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

Products used!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Total Cost: SGD$221

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

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

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

Retrolicious Sticker Sheet Halloween Costume

Being ridiculously stressed out over school really pushes my creativity in other ways. After months of brainstorming with my girls over what to wear for halloween, nobody could really think of anything cool or fun, so we decided to abandon ship and have a dinner instead of party. Well, in our defense, we are kinda old. I was quite inspired watching videos on youtube, namely this video (sidetrack: I cannot help but think her boobs look incredible. I want boobs like that!) and decided to come up with my own ensemble. Since I'm not celebrating, I thought I'd just share it cos I really like the getup!

Anyway, remember these stickers? They were a great part of my childhood - for some reason I was given a huge box of stickers and these sheets of mixed neon coloured circles were in them and I stuck them everywhere. Fast forward 20 years of my life, these stickers were an integral part of my first year of education - we used them to stick underneath our rulers to minimize surface contact so our drawings would not smudge when we moved our rulers over the drawings. Of course, these stickers are way chic now, coming in colours such as silver and pastel colours. 

So here's my...photoshopped attempt at a sticker sheet costume complete with jelly everything! These would be ridiculously easy to make, just grab some adhesive neon sheets from Popular (bookstore) and cut them circles out. Even easier, get one of the circular postit pads that I'm pretty sure come in neon shades and use craft glue to glue them onto a white shirt/tank. Be sure to slide a cardboard inside the shirt if you're using craft glue! 

Pair with jelly wedges to be a more feminine sticker sheet or get some glitter jelly jujus for some retro lovin'! Pretty sure Rubi has something similar for cheap. I love me some silicon sling bags - the silicon is just heaven to touch! And of course, in ode to the spring coil straps (no idea what they were called but check them out here) we had as kids to clip our wallets to ourselves, some spring coil hair ties as accessories. 

For some over the top played-with-yo-momma's-makeup makeup look without breaking the bank, search your stash for anything remotely bright. This was quite tough for a neutral girl like me, so I ended up with mostly lipsticks to play with.

Eyes: I primed my eyes, then used NYX Matte Lipstick in Indie Flick to dab on and create a cat eye with the bright red colour. Slowly dab on to add to the intensity, powdering the eye with translucent powder in between layers. Try to go as bright as possible because this look is all about being bright. Then I used Essence Liquid Eyeliner Waterproof to draw on an obvious cat eye. If your lid space allows for it, the thicker, the more retro but be careful not to cover the red. Then line your lower waterline with a white eyeliner or nude eyeliner to make the eyes look larger.

Cheeks: I used the brightest pink shade in the Coastal Scents 10 Blush Palette. Build the neon pink shade up in a circle on your cheeks. I wasn't very precise so mine wasn't as circular as I wanted it, but a circle shaped blush ups the cute-sy factor.

Lips: I tried to find a matte neon orange for the lips, but Revlon Lip Butter in Tutti Frutti was the best I got. So I concealed my lips to lighten their natural colour and put Tutti Frutti on building the intensity up in the center of the lip. Try not to cover the entire lips for a rounder, cuter pout.

Here is my circular face complete with circular makeup. Hot mess indeed! This is rather over the top, even for me, but what better time to be over the top than Halloween? Yay or nay? Let me know!

Weekly Favourites #14

Hiya folks! Sorry I've been slightly MIA, I've been busy with school and my cousin's wedding. Stressful! It was a rather simple and sweet affair, maybe that's why I've been favouring the pinks and nudes this week.

I've been looking out for a simple primer that didn't break the bank, and had an incredibly hard time trying to decide between the matte or hydrating base for the Bourjois Happy Light Base Serum. I'm quite happy I chose the matte version as it's been keeping my skin. The oil control on this is not powerful but it's exactly what I need since my skin tends to get dehydrated so it lets through just enough oil.

With the primer, I've found that I need even less powder and I'm really liking the E.L.F stippling brush to apply powder. Any stippling brush should do the job, but elf's rendition is cheap and doesn't have too many bristles to pick up too much powder. This is the little bear's just right brush.

The Collection2000 Shimmershades in Blushalicious is so awesome I don't even know how I managed to tuck it away. Pretty sure anyone can find their perfect shade in this. I can go pink, or coral, or just highlight even with this nifty little quad. Staying power is pretty darn impressive too.

With late nights galore, I like to pop on MAC's paintpot in Nubile on the lids just to brighten the lids. I find that it makes all the difference in looking that bit more alert. That and a nude liner on the waterline works wonders!

To top everything off, the Etude House Lucidarling Fantastic Rouge Gloss in #6 has been working a treat for a MLBB gloss that hides dry lips for a fantastic pout! A long wearing formula that lasts through small snacks, it's one of the better glosses that I've tried.

What have been your favourites this week? Let me know! 

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!

(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

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

Weekly Favourites #5

This is the last weekend before school "officially" starts! I am absolutely unexcited. It's not really fun, being 24 and still in school when all my peers are working adults. I much prefer the working life. Not having to apply makeup everyday does have its perks though... here are my smallies but goodies for the week.

I have a chunky neck, not gonna lie. That makes it rather difficult for me to involve myself in the entire chunky statement necklace trend and I much rather prefer long necklaces. This Accessorize crystal bullet necklace has been making its way into all my outfits. I actually saw it at least 3 months back in shops, but hesitated buying it as it was $33 (If you follow me, you should be able to tell I like to buy things cheap). I liked it so much I even went on to make my own version which consisted of a swarovski ripoff crystal. Anyway, long story short, I snagged it at 50% off  recently (walked into the store by accident - score!!!). I really like it as it adds a certain attitude into plain outfits, and makes girly ensembles that much less girly. Similar ones can be found on etsy, which I am quite lusting after.

I've also switched out my Revlon Lip Butter in Tutti Frutti for the Revlon Lip butter in Sweet Tart. Pinks feel much more feminine than coral somehow. This is a shocking pink that goes on almost fuchsia if layered on the lips. I only like to dab this on in the centre of the lip for a subtle girly pink lip. Really does perk up the entire face!

The Essie Luxeffects in Shine of the Times has been making its way back to my nails after a rather long hiatus and I can't imagine why I abandoned it in favour of cremes. It is just the most gorgeous polish to layer on top of already duo-chrome colours, it just adds so much depth to the polish!!! It has large glitter flakes in it which refract yellow, blue, orange and green in quite a complex manner - the picture really does it no justice. I rather like wearing it on its own, on the tips of my nails so that my nails can just grow out. If you're into hashtags, then this deserves a #ican'teven in a great way. If there was one large glitter flakie polish to have in a collection - this would be it.

What do you like lately? I'm really liking lazy days. :D

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 #2

I should really set a specific day to get these posts out :S Nonetheless, here's some... mid-week entertainment?

I've been trying out a new oil-free skin-care routine recently to try and reduce the number of comedones I have on my forehead (seriously, I've gotten my cheeks in order but my forehead is a serious bitch). I haven't been very successful, but I did get my hands on this La Roche Posay Hydraphase Intense Serum. According to the SA (she sure was enthusiastic) this was sure to clear up dry skin overnight. I love (and that's quite an understatement) the texture of this serum. It's like a water but infinitely more hydrating and not at all sticky unlike say, the Hada Labo Lotion which takes a moment to sink into the skin. This works extremely well provided you don't use drying medications on the skin..

See my dingy ring in the centre? This is neither skincare/makeup but I thought I'll just give it some lovin'. I've been loving simpler rings lately but my fat fingers can't pull off above-knuckle rings so this was just perfect. Also, +10 points for boyfriend's approval when I bought this!

I cannot get my head around how amazing the Urban Decay Chill Makeup Setting Spray is. Granted, my only experience with setting sprays is the Elf one, which only seem to make my face wet. But this UD setting spray works brilliantly as a primer and setting spray and I will NEVER EVER go out without it now. This made my makeup last a 7am to 10pm day, throughout an extremely hot and humid photoshoot of a house where I had to move furniture around, and still look presentable enough for a dinner. Best of all, when I got home at 10pm, my blush (cheap blush that usually wears off middday) was still on my cheeks, no touchups mind you. How incredible is that!!! I'm also glad I got the Chill version because I still felt like my face was not hydrated enough.

I cannot admit to how long I've been lusting after this Mac Paintpot in Nubile and I finally got it at the Estee Lauder Sale. I don't know if it's only visible to me, but I really like how these brighten up the lid and undereye/inner corner of eye without being as obvious as a white shadow or highlight. Super duper subtle, and long lasting to boot. I've been loving using this on its own all round the eye.

Saved the cutest for last! If I was a lip product fiend, I would've bought the entire collection purely based on packaging. But I'm not. This Tony Moly Petite Bunny Gloss Bars are on par with the Revlon Lip Butters and wayyyyy cheaper. Like SGD7 cheap. I love the minty smell and feel and the colour payoff is pretty darn decent. Glossier than the lip butters too! The different colours have different bunny expressions too it's just too darn cute. I highly recommend!

Have a great rest of the week everyone! And let me know of your favourites or if we share any favourites!

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

H&M Lipbalm

I love Sweden. By that theory, I also love H&M. Well, not exactly, but I did shop almost exclusively at H&M and thrift stores in my time there. What can I say, I'm a cheapo, kinda. I brought over lip balm from Singapore, anticipating the cold and dry weather there, but of course, I have a serious memory problem and went on a little self excursion one day without my lipbalm - this self excursion being from Lund to Stockholm for a week. My lips were so sore they were literally crying for help, so I set out to look for the cheapest lip balm I could find. And what do you know, it was at H&M!

If I'm not wrong, it was 20SEK. That translates to about 4SGD. It has 17.6g of product in this beautiful metal tin. Just a quick comparison, a normal Nivea twist up balm has only 4.8g. That is nearly 4 times the amount of balm.

To be honest, I just picked it up because it smelt decent, was cheap, and looked cute and retro. I actually really do not like tin balms because imho, why dirty my fingers when applying balm? I don't even care that i'm dirtying the balm in the tin, it's really my fingers that are important.

Also, despite the tin being really cute, it is notoriously difficult to open. But the tin really is cute. A quick google search shows me many many more cute designs that are hard to resist.

This balm, when stored at room temperature (i.e. the 30 odd degrees that is Singapore's weather), melts into a really nice creamy waxy balm. It smells deliciously of mint, and is so thick that when applied to lips, actually can cover the lips up in an opaque white. Just be sure not to apply too much or it might end up sticky like a lip gloss.

I apply this before I start doing my makeup, and 15 mins later, my lips have absorbed the product (if lips can actually do that), and have less lines and looks smoother. If applied in the night before bed, it also stays on the entire night.

I didn't think that H&M could produce decent makeup products, but this lipbalm is what I find myself reaching for in the morning because it really is so moisturizing.


Summary:

Pros:

• Super moisturizing and plumps up lips almost instantly
• Has decent staying power
• Nice minty fragrance and no taste
• Really really cute tin!

Cons:

• Comes in a tin
• Tin is tough to open