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

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.

Empties 2012

Hello lovelies! Hope everyone had a good new year's celebration! Mine was nice and peaceful! I've been MIA for quite some time, but I'm here now! 

This is a post I want to do first because I've been accumulating all these things and I'm quick running out of space and I need to do a spring clean pretty soon. So here are my empties of 2012 or actually, since I decided that I wanted to do an empties post, so it's actually only a few months of 2012

First off, perfumes. I... have varied tastes in perfume. From L-R: Charme by La Perla, Chance by Chanel and Paris Hilton by Paris Hilton. Please don't judge me for using Paris Hilton.

Charme: This was love at first smell. I had to get it. Didn't help that it wasn't too expensive as well. Can't seem to find it anywhere now though! Will repurchase if I chance upon it again.

Chance: I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS. I've been hinting to everyone in my family to get it for me at the airport (this perfume was first passed to me by Mom) and everyone has been steadfastly ignoring me. Too pricey for me to afford at this moment in time T_T But I will definitely get it when I can finally afford it.

Paris Hilton: Was somewhere in the US of A in a perfume shop and asked if they had anything similar to DKNY apple. This was recommended and cheap to boot so I got it. Grew on me after a while and it's really quite fresh and not too sweet smelling (I'm no smell connoisseur). Not sure if I will repurchase. If the price is right I guess.

The trend here seems to be that I'm a cheapo....

 

Makeup items that I've finished. I find it extremely extremely hard to finish anything. So here's the item that I use the most, that is, eyeliners! I have also finished a Shu Uemura foundation but I happily threw that bottle away. That foundation holds the record for the first make up anything that I've finished. Anyway, L-R: H&M Liquid Eyeliner, L'oreal Super Liner, K-Palette Real Lasting Eyeliner 24hr and Rimmel Exaggerate Waterproof Eyeliner.

H&M Liquid Eyeliner: Decent liner for the price but there are better ones out there. I've also realised that the ink turns grey(?) when it's running out.

L'oreal Super Liner: This was a free gift with purchase. Pretty decent, does flake but minimally. I used this till the felt tip went soft and it felt icky to apply. I've recently purchased a similar product - L'oreal Superliner Black Laquer and the brush was soft so I'm not sure if the brush was supposed to be hard or soft in the first place :S

K-Palette: Read my rave review linked above. Tends to be hard to apply when the ink is running out though. Will repurchase but only after I've tried similar products.

Rimmel: This has been by go to pencil liner for quite a few years and I actually bought a backup. It was great all through the first pencil, very minimal smudging and transfer, I loved it. Now I'm on my 2nd pencil and it smudges everywhere so I really don't know what to think ): Will not repurchase anymore. 

Makeup removers L-R: Hada Labo Super Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Make-up Remover and Mandom Bright Up Cleansing Lotion. I have also finished the Bifesta Cleansing Express but lost the bottle. 

Hada Labo/Bifesta Cleansing Express: Water-based remover, though it was quite heavy, almost like an oil. Stung my eyes but removed make up well without drying out the skin. 

Bifesta Cleansing Lotion: I really do like this cleansing lotion range because I can remove my make up in my room. For the cleansers that require me to wash my face I tend to be lazy and remove my make up prior to showering. The only bad thing about this lotion is that I finish it so fast and I use up my cotton pads really fast too which I don't find sustainable. I will definitely keep a bottle of this concurrent with an oil/oil-feel-but-water-based type of cleanser for lazy days.

The only thing about these cleansers that annoy me is their price point. At nearly $15 or >$15 each, they are extremely expensive and more than twice the price of the Kracie one I'm trying out now. I do really like them though. Such a dilemma *twiddle thumbs*. 

Acne saving products from L-R: Mario Badescu Silver Powder, Benzac AC 10, Neutrogena Pore Refining Toner. Please don't judge me from the sad sad sad state of my products.

Mario Badescu Silver Powder: What I like about this powder is that it is entirely natural with only 3 ingredients so it doesn't irritate the face other than drying it out. It really does work wonders when used after a hot bath and before a pore pack (it really pulls all the shit to the surface of the face!). Used over time, my face did feel less clogged and smoother. The ONE big nuisance about this powder is that when it dries, it flies off my face and before I know it my entire table top/pjs is covered in fine white powder. Other than that, A+ for this product and I'm on my back up now. 

Benzac AC: This worked for me for quite a while, then my skin became quite sensitive so I only used it on huge pimples. It works best on large pimples and can get them flat overnight. I have switched to the 5% one now but my skin is still too sensitive so again, only large pimples but even then, my skin does get red in areas that I've applied it. The only exception to that is my forehead where I'm currently using it in a thin layer. Will not repurchase after I finish the tube.

Neutrogena Pore Refining Toner: Blogged about this before, it's ace. It refines pores, cleanses the face spotless, and even removes make up. I have repurchased this and will continue doing so.

Cute little tubs of skincare from L-R: Laneige Sleeping Pack, Hada Labo Moisturing Cream, My Beauty Diary Rose and White Peony Sleep Concentrate.

Laneige Sleeping Pack: I have 4 of these simply because they are sample packs and came in 4s to match the retail size. Bought from gmarket. I quite like these and my face feels nice and refreshed and plump when I use it. My face isn't too oily in the morning either. Does take a while to sink into the skin though. I also like it as a thin layer as morning moisturizer. I will repurchase this when I run out. 

Hado Labo Moisturizer: This product is quite blah. Though it is moisturizing, it's also sticky and I don't like that on my face. For people who don't mind night products that are sticky, it does work quite well, especially for a water based product, in keeping the face hydrated. I won't repurchase this because I really don't like sticky things that sit on my face.

My Beauty Diary: This product claims to deeply hydrate and brighten. I really really like the texture of this sleeping pack. It soaks into the skin so fast, no matter how thick a layer I put. My skin loved it. It also smells heavenly. For people who don't like fragrance, too bad! I did find that my skin did look brighter when I used this mask, but moisture-wise, this wasn't that great. It also can't be used in the morning under make-up because it flakes off/rolls off in tiny pieces. I found that this mask is great to rejuvenate the skin in the day, then wiped off with toner. I would repurchase it if it wasn't like $20... just because I go through it so fast. Buy it in Hong Kong (I assume) or Taiwan where it's really cheap, like under $10 cheap.

Miscellaneous skincare clockwise L-R: Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Cream, Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair, Aqualabel Brightening White EX, Hada Labo Retinol Essence

Estee Lauder Eye Cream: I love this, it is all I could ask for in an eye cream (apart from helping with dark circles mine can't be saved) I would buy it if I can afford it but I can only afford it during extreme sales. 'Nuff said. 

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair: I like the texture of this but could not really tell from such a small bottle. Very moisturizing so it was good for dry/oily combo skin like mine. It's something that I would buy when I'm tired of layering skincare and want to whittle my routine down to like, 2 or 3 products. Not yet though...not yet. 

Aqualable Brightening White EX: I finished 2 bottles of this. It's so refreshing on the face it's addictive. Need to use for an extended period of time before brightening results/fading of scars can be seen though. I've decided it's not effective enough to buy a 3rd bottle. 

Hada Labo Retinol Essence: Bought this because I feared wrinkles and I have an *ahem* matured face and was hoping to slow that down so I can look young for longer. I don't have wrinkles so I cannot tell whether this product worked -.- . Texture is nice but sticky. Will not repurchase... yet. I hope I don't get wrinkles for at least 3 decades more (cross fingers). 

So that rounds off the empties reviews I hope it helps some people in striking off some items in their WANT list and hopefully not add too many to that list. Feel free to ask me to elaborate as I've tried to keep each "review" short (though I tend to ramble, I know), or let me know what you think of the products too, maybe? 

Have a good start of year everybutty! <3