October 2013 Favourites

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Weekly Favourites #15

Hiya folks! How's the week been? TGIF eh? I actually woke up this morning thinking it was a thursday... and missed my classes because of that. Oops? On the bright side, it gave me time for this post. I haven't really been experimenting too much because my skin's been on the frizz. What I have found to be super duper useful is the Mizon Snail Repair Intensive Ampoule.

Yes, it sounds like terrible. I'm putting snail...bodily fluids on my face. Urks! But in all honesty, the Mizon Snail Repair Intensive Ampoule just feels like a normal serum despite being...80% snail secretion. That word really wants to make be gag. Anyway, I'm quite psyched about this new purchase because I've literally seen my scars really fade in the last 3 days of owning this product. I'm pretty sure this is physical improvement and not imagined because I've definitely been using less concealer. Also, my dehydrated forehead, something that nothing I used could alleviate, is showing signs of returning back to normal again. I cannot emphasize just how excited I am over the improvements in my skin! Thanks snails, I promise to try my best never to accidentally step on you again!

This week has been a pretty heavy week because of an important presentation I had on wedenesday. That means minimal sleep from last weekend till wednesday and my skin was showing signs of fatigue obviously. Not young anymore! Because of that I've been rather reliant on MeMeMe's Beat the Blues Highlighter in Sunbeam for a glowing complexion. The gold toned highlighter works wonders under foundation for the most subtle sheen on the skin. Fast and easy to use!

I also think I've finally hit the age where I appreciate my  mom's advice of not wearing eyeliner. Boy I am getting old... or maybe I've just hit the age where I feel that eyeliner just makes me look older. Whichever it is, This sample Clinique Eyeshadow Duo in Buttered Bronze has been getting quite some lovin' from me. I do rather like using the brown shade as a wash all over the lid and the white to highlight wherever. Or just the white as a wash to brighten my eyes. Versatile and simple, perfect for eyeshadow resisters like me.

Here are the eyeshadow and highlighter at work, what do you think? What are your favourites? I would love to know!

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.