Top 5 Concealers + 1 dud

L-R: Benefit Fake Up in Medium, MUFE Full Cover Concealer in 7, NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Custard, MAC ProLongwear in NC30, Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in Medium (I think), Tarte Maracuja Creaseless Concealer in Light-Medium

Hello! I have made an impromptu trip to Bangkok, so the next few posts will be scheduled posts! Since I'm someone who has plenty to conceal, and with that, plenty of concealer, I thought a round up was in order. I apologize in advance for the majority of them being high end concealers, but I do find that with concealers you get what you pay for. So since coverage is one of my top concerns, the drugstore does not really cater to that - hence the high end concealers. I might be slightly biased towards liquid type concealers due to overall ease of use and blendability.

Best All-rounder - Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer (SGD$42)
The Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer is a concealer I tend to keep for special occasions, or for adding coverage on top of already done makeup before heading out the door. This has a thicker creamy and slightly sticky consistency. It provides instant photoshopping to any dark marks on the face, even if applied on after powder, which is probably one of the highest praises I can give. Also does not disappear on an oily face (unless of course you're one that touches your face).

Best for spots/dark marks - MUFE Full Cover Concealer (SGD$52)
What can I say, the MUFE Full Cover Concealer is high coverage indeed. It's all there in the name! The consistency of this concealer is definitely on the thick, creamy side and it goes on darker than it looks on the tube. Be warned, this sets to a budge-proof finish very quickly so quick blending will be your friend. I'm pretty certain that this is water-resistant, or if not, sweat resistant.

Best for large areas - MAC ProLongwear Concealer (SGD$30)
There were points in time I was literally using the MAC ProLongwear Concealer as foundation. The texture of this is very liquidy and thin, yet it still has extremely high coverage and blends well into the skin. 2 layers gives full coverage. I think the thin texture of the concealer has something to do with this concealer looking very natural (for such a high coverage product) on the skin. I've read some reviews that the MAC Prolongwear Concealer was extremely drying on the undereye area, but I've had no such problems myself.

Best for undereye - Tarte Maracuja Creaseless Concealer (SGD$39)
The Tarte Maracuja Creaseless Conconcealer is the concealer that not only has high pigmentation to colour correct my dark circles (of course, please choose the correct undertone), but also is a concealer that creases very very minimally. It's texture is really very much a sticky cream and it doesn't completely set so it has a sheeny reflective finish. I find that this texture helps it to adhere very well to the uneven surface and into the fine lines on the undereye area so that it doesn't crease or migrate, and keep the area well hydrated.

Best drugstore - Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer
The Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer is amongst the cheapest drugstore concealers I've tried and yet boasts the highest coverage of all the drugstore concealers. It actually reminds me of the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in texture, however the coverage is definitely not as good. It also doesn't layer great - probably 2 layers max before it starts to look cakey. However, for the price paid, it definitely is the best.

Big Fat Dud - Benefit Fake Up
I dislike Benefit Fake Up so much I saw it as my duty to put it into this post so that you are warned. The concept itself is great, a twist up balm type concealer with a pigment centre core to give hydration and coverage at the same time. I really wanted to like this as the attraction of the ease of use was really great. The finish of Benefit Fake up is the same as the Tarte Maracuja Creaseless Concealer in that it never ever sets and has that reflective sheen, which ultimately makes it a mess. Application is a mess because the 2 parts (balm and pigment) never quite mix together evenly. Then because it doesn't set, it migrates in seconds. I've tried to use this on dark spots, undereyes, pretty much every part of the face, and each time it just seems to pool in areas of the face. The hydration part will work you think, but a big fat nope. The balm/oils in this product just sat as a disgusting layer of oiliness on my face. How about pigmentation you ask? Actually quite decent, but it migrates away from your spot anyway, so I would say - final answer, zero. Please don't waste your money on this product.

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Hope everyone's having a good weekend! And if you have any good concealer recommendations for me, I'm all ears!

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.

Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer

Hello everybutty! How was your weekend? I always have a late night on Sunday because of the work due on monday (my abysmal time management) , and this is my solution for a sleepless night. This also comes in handy when I'm in an uber rushed panic because I rushed my work till the last minute possible. The Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer is a godsend. It's not the easiest to get your hands on in Singapore (in the shade Custard at least there's a wait list) and it's also not the cheapest concealer at SGD$42, but I'm telling you, you want this. 

The super chic but fingerprint attracting casing is simple enough with a doe foot applicator and twists close to lock in place without misalignment. That is my favourite part. I absolutely cannot stand it when the container does not align - I would rather have it less air tight than aligned if possible (square bottled nail polishes are one of the culprits). Not a lot of product is drawn out each time which is great if you don't have many blemishes. If you're like me and like to conceal your entire face at one go, then you're outta luck. 

L-R: MAC Studio Fix NC30, Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer in Custard

The Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer in Custard is a yellow based concealer and even though I'm an NC25-30 and it seems much paler, it matches my skin tone very well. The consistency of the concealer is surprisingly thicker than I expected, thicker than most liquid concealers. It's quite creamy (hence the name?) and really adheres to the skin. Because it adheres so well to the skin, it doesn't shift even without a setting powder. 

My dark eye circles are so bad most times I have to wear a corrector but with the Nars concealer I'm able to get away without the corrector. The pigmentation is quite intense, even when blended out which is what I always look for in a concealer. Though it isn't what I would call full coverage, it seems to blur out the imperfections and brighten darkness which just makes everything look better.

It doesn't cling to dry patches nor sinks into fine lines - it just doesn't accentuate any imperfections. This is the only concealer that I am able to wear on my undereyes and on my blemishes without any problems. It is an all rounder indeed. Consider me extremely impressed. I have found that the best way to apply this concealer is with a finger or to blend out with a blush brush. It's interesting because most concealers get rubbed away when blended with a finger but this does not. The blush brush (soft brush) also works better than a stippling brush or flat top powder brush for some reason.

Wear time is something I haven't tested fully, but I would say it'll last a good 7 hours. I don't set it with powder, but when set with Urban Decay's setting sprays this looks perfect on me for 10 hours and up. Are you having a hallelujah moment yet? I had the first time I used this concealer.

That feel the first time.

I am so blown away by the Nars concealer that I prefer to perfect my entire face with just this concealer alone. Mind you, that is no easy feat since I have a serious case of acne scarring. It is quite heart wrending considering the price of the concealer and me having to use it rather liberally but the end result is entirely worth it. This is definitely one hype to believe and buy into.


Summary:

Pros:

• Superb pigmentation
• Creamy and non drying
• Does not sink into fine lines or accentuate dry patches
• Blurs imperfections and brightens darkness
• Does not shift / does not need to be set with powder
• Lasts all day
• Works both on undereye and on blemishes - all rounder
• Doesn't break me out

Cons:

• Expensive

Conclusion: This is my holy grail concealer. Confirm + chop + double confirm. A+++ with furry stickers (furry stickers were cooler than gold star stickers in my time, damn I'm old). This is a brilliant concealer that will solve all your problems. 

September 2013 Favourites

Gosh, the months of this year are really flying away! It's so hard to believe it's October already, seemed like just yesterday it was July and we were so proud of ourselves for planning in advance for Halloween! It's really been a busy month, and I've seen myself using these products religiously!

Skincare wise, my skin has been absolutely loving the Queen Helene's Mint Julep Masque. I haven't had that oily skin for quite a while now, but this mask has not dried my skin out one bit. I love the refreshing feeling of slapping this mask on, and it really does the job in clearing out the excess sebum and gunk from the skin. My skin feels so soft when I wash this off too. In terms of performance over monetary value, this is definitely holy grail material.

I've also been mentioning the Kitoko Kalani  Super Aqua Gel to no end this month, so it's no surprise it's ended up in my monthly favourites. If you haven't read my past posts, this gel comes out a.. gel (wow big surprise) but upon spreading out on the skin, it turns into water droplets which are then absorbed by the skin. It's super moisturizing despite feeling like water (not even a serum!) and dries down to a nice matte finish. Skin is also smooth after because it does have a tiny amount of silicon in it (not obvious to feel though) and I find that it does calm skin down. I also like to use it on itchy areas of my body.

When I purchased the Kitoko Kalani Gel, the SA also recommended the Tsaio Herb Too Double Scrub Cleanser. I'm not the kind to stick religiously to any single cleanser because I haven't found the one yet, but I might've just found it in this cleanser. The scent is heavenly. It's probably just perfume, but I'm so addicted to the smell I actually look forward to using my cleanser day and night and after taking off my makeup. I've never smelt any other scent like this so I can't pinpoint what it smells like, but it's clean and herby and slightly citrusy. This cleanser is creamy with little pink spheres in it that gently scrub the skin. It's definitely a very gentle scrub and suitable for use everyday. After massaging it into the skin, upon adding more water, this cleanser foams up into micro-bubbles and washes off to leave the skin feeling ever so soft, yet not squeaky nor dry and taut. I can also vouch for its cleansing ability because my industrial strength toner doesn't remove any remnants after using this cleanser.

The Olay Regenerist Night Resurfacing Essence is something I don't use nightly as the name suggest, but I like to smother my face in this once in a while as a mask. It's not very strong, but I do find skin to feel substantially smoother and look brighter after washing it off.

My last skincare item is not really skincare, but it's this rather unique Chrisyl hairband that can be found only in Takashimaya. It's by no means cheap at SGD$10, but it's just about the most comfortable and secure hairband that I've ever used. When I use this hair band on my bangs, my bangs get a curl that is usually only achievable with tongs or blow drying with a round brush! Super useful for a lazy person like me. The Boy also liked this so much that he purchased one for himself because the teeth of the hairband leave a really nice effect on the hair when worn.

L-R: MAC Wonder-Woman Mineralize Skinfinish in Golden Lariat, MAC Sheen Supreme Lipstick in Tea Ceremony, NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Custard, K-Palette 24Hr Real Lasting Eyeliner in Black

Make up wise, my routine has been simplifying itself as I just don't feel like too much makeup is appropriate for a school look. The NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Custard hasn't been with me for a whole month, but it's definitely sticking around. I've been using this in place of any base and it's the best all rounder concealer I've had. It's got high coverage, is not too dry for the undereyes (MUFE Full Cover I'm looking at cha') yet not too hydrating to slip off blemishes. Major heart eyes for this concealer.

I used to think that the MAC Wonder-Woman Mineralize Skinfinish broke me out, but I recently pulled it out of hiding to give it another shot and my skin has not reacted. I think it's because I've gotten slightly fairer that this trio is working so well with my skin. I've been wearing the bronzer mixed with the blush on my cheeks everyday and absolutely loving how it's working with my skin tone now! I also use the highlighter and blush as an eyeshadow when I feel like getting a little more dressy.

Another surprise for me was that I'd been reaching for the MAC Sheen Supreme lipstick in Tea Ceremony as an everyday lipstick. This lipstick is a pinky brown colour and actually almost exactly the same colour as my lips. In fact, it has a little more brown in it than my lips. It doesn't sound great but it photographs quite a peachy brown and just pulls off any look with a bit more polish without being over the top. The vanilla scent of the MAC lipsticks is also irresistible!

I'm definitely an eyeliner girl, and I've ditched eyeliner in favour of mascaras but ever since getting my fringe cut, I've felt like my eyes needed more definition. I had thought that the K-Palette 24Hr Real Lasting Eyeliner I had was running out of ink, but after not using it for a month the ink seems to have come back in full force! This is the easiest eyeliner to work with, having a flexible brush tip. It's also very long lasting and my 2 sisters and I all can profess our love for this eyeliner. To complement the eyeliner with natural lashes, I've been opting for Majolica Majorca Lash King. My formula has dried since I first had it, but it's less clumpy than ever and adds so much length to my lashes that I cannot resist using it. No smudging or flaking and super long lashes, I couldn't ask for anything more!

So there's my lengthy monthly round up - what are your monthly favourites? I'm looking for a chemical exfoliant other than the Paula's Choice ones, any recommendations?

Weekly Favourites #11

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

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

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

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

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

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