There are some things in life I just can’t live without, and that’s a decent skincare arsenal. Here’s mine, stripped down to a bare minimum. These are all I need to keep my skin happy during a short getaway.

Bare in mind that this is just what I packed for a couple of days at the beach so I haven’t included a heavy duty cleanser as I’m not wearing much other than a concealer and brows. Somedays I do a little eye liner, but that’s about it.

To me a good skincare routine includes an effective cleanser. For now I’m relying on this one by Murad. I’ve repurchased this and it’s been my go to cleanser for the last 5 years or so. It’s their Soothing Gel Cleanser formulated for sensitive skin. The texture is very light weight and jelly like. It doesn’t foam much but cleans my face without stripping it of all moisture. Skin feels comfortable and bouncy. I use this morning and night.

If i’m wearing any eye makeup, I use the Clarins Instant Eye Makeup Remover to cleanse it off at the end of the day. I pack this smaller travel size bottle and it doesn’t take up too much space in my travel pouch. For speedy eye makeup removal (even waterproof mascara) without any sensitivity I highly recommend this one.

After cleansing, it’s moisturiser and sun screen. No matter how humid or sweaty the weather is, it’s a non negotiable step. Ideally with my extra oily t-zone, i’d happily go without moisturiser, but since it’s something I don’t compromise on, next best thing is my Hydraluron hydration serum. It gives my skin a burst of moisture and absorbs immediately leaving NO oily feeling.

I then follow with my daily sunscreen which is the Avène Day Protector UV EX SPF 30 PA ++++. I like that it’s formulated for sensitive skin and also absorbs well into the skin leaving it velvety and supple. Again, no oiliness. On the down side, I am convinced this blocks my pores. But until I find something as good as this, it’s a necessary evil i’m willing to put up with. Sigh.

For eyes I always, always use an eye cream. Even during the day, under makeup, I use one.

For travel I mainly pack these three. One serum and two eye creams.

For the ultimate line busting solution, my go to is the Zelens Triple Action Advanced eye cream. It’s a light gel texture and feels amazing on the eye area (for those of you who have very dry under eyes or love richer night creams, this one will feel rather under nourished as it absorbs completely).

Usually I apply this after I have prepped my under eye with the Lancôme Génifique Yeux. Which is a serum that absorbs immediately and leaves no greasy feel under the eyes. The reason I pair all my eye creams with the Génifique Yeux is that I notice it boosts the anti aging benefits of my eye creams and I love it.

For nights I prefer to alternate my Zelens eye cream with the Shiseido Bio-Performance Super Corrective eye cream. This is my holy grail hydrating/anti-aging eye cream. Although it’s not as effective on deep, stubborn wrinkles (compared to Zelens) I love it for how hydrating it is. It actually does an amazing job hydrating so I always repurchase this.

If you don’t have any major wrinkle issues and/or in the mid 20’s to early 30’s this is the one for you! It keeps eyes looking bright and youthful as well as controlling the appearance of any new fine lines.

The one thing I NEVER ever leave home without is my Lancôme Visionnaire Serum, reviewed here. It’s been my holy grail serum for the last three years or so.

If uneven, blemished skin with noticeable pores are your concern. This is what you need. It will make your skin look rested and glowing overnight. I have several of these at home, including this tiny version I use when I travel.

Lastly, I also pack two SOS treatment products where ever I go. One is the Avène Soothing serum. It’s what I rely on when my skin feels sensitized and red. If you suffer from sensitive skin, this product is gold. It instantly calms angry, red blotchy skin.

My second SOS product is the Dermalogica Overnight Clearing Gel. It’s god sent for banishing those pesky, holiday ruining breakouts. Apply this at the very first sign of a blemish and you could control the breakout as well as enable it to heal without leaving any discolouration or marks. Certainly a product worth investing in.

So there you have it. My skincare essentials for travel. They all fit into a relatively small pouch so by no means is it a burden carrying them around. And at the end of the day, my little bag of magic comes equipped with everything I would need for any holiday emergency!

So today MAC Viva Glam, Miley Cyrus goes on sale online.

Given that it’s one of THE most anticipated MAC lipstick launches of the new year. I figured i’d get a post up in time, with more pictures, less talk.

Here’s a look at this beautiful pink lipstick & gloss!

According to MAC, Viva Glam Miley Cyrus lipstick is described as a hot pink.  I’d say it’s a warm bright medium pink with a creamy sheen.

The colour payoff is very impressive and I feel that the formula is very moist and glides over the lips with ease. In my opinion the texture of this is better than the Rihanna Viva Glams I own.

The corresponding lip glass is a cooler medium pink with a very high micro glitter content which is multi coloured and sparkles in shades of pink, lilac and silver.  I like the shimmer content and it adds that extra wow factor to the lipstick. (I’ll add some lip swatches soon)

Below I’ve rounded up a few of MACs recent pinks for comparison purposes.

As you can see, Miley Cyrus is a healthy medium with a very bright tone.

In comparison, No Faux Pas (matte) is slightly cooler and has more magenta tones, and Good Kisser is warmer in comparison and has more red tones. Both are significantly deeper than VG Miley.

More lipstick line ups,

And one more,

And a complete swatch line up.

As you can see, none of them are exactly alike, and if you are a pink lover, I’d highly recommend you add Viva Glam Miley Cyrus to your stash. Especially the lipstick!

Each season I eagerly await Diors nail polish releases. The colours are always on trend and the formula just sublime. As always spring did not disappoint, with Dior releasing 4 new gorgeous colours ranging from an elegant mauve pink, a bright orchid pink to a nude girlie, confetti top coat! There was something for everyone.

I was sent two for review and picked up Majesty as it was too pretty to pass up. Here’s Majesty, Lady & Eclosion. So perfectly spring!

Majesty is a light warm peach in a cream finish. I like that it has a heavy white base that gives this colour a very fresh ‘sorbet’ look , something I don’t often see in Dior except during spring I believe, like last years baby blue, 204 Porcelaine.

The consistency of this was perfect. Not too runny or too thick and two coats delivers a nice even finish. Wear wise I couldn’t complain either, this nail swatch was taken three days after application and there’s zero tip wear! In fact i’m straining to find something that’s off with this polish but I really cant! It’s sublime.

On to Lady, a medium, muted mauve pink in a cream finish. I found this particular shade to have a slightly thicker consistency which resulted in visible ridges and unevenness once the second coat was applied. A top coat always masks this problem so I didn’t think of it as soo much of a deal breaker.

If you are looking for a slightly cooler toned nude for transitioning to spring. This is it.

Eclosion is a clear top coat containing ‘micro confetti’ in yellow, blue and white. Such a perfect, cheery polish for spring!

Personally I find these confetti type top coats very hard to apply, as it’s difficult to get a uniform distribution of particles. This was actually my second attempt applying the top coat and I feel I did a better job. There were less bubbles and a more pleasing distribution of confetti without being ott.

Here’re a few other similar polishes I rounded up for comparison. I hope you find them useful.

*All swatches seen above are with 3 coats for maximum opacity.

Overall thoughts

The newly reformulated (since summer 2014) Dior polishes have an exceptionally long wear time. They are very chip resistant and glossy even without a top coat, which I think is linked to their new gel technology. I also love, love, love the brush too, the new brush is more even and perfectly rounded at the edge that it allows a very neat application following the base of the nail closely, so you get a perfect oval. These are basically a nail polish lovers dream. Hence why I own so many.

Other Info

This collection of nail lacquers or ‘vernis‘ are part of Diors Limited Edition Spring release, which means they are only here till stocks last. So get them while you can.

*Already available at Dior counters, Dior Boutiques as well as Sephora. Each retailing at SGD 38.

Recently I had the privilege of previewing some of MAC’s upcoming collections and one of them was the Bao Bao Wan collection releasing in March. The warm metallic jewel toned eyeshadows and bright lipsticks instantly caught my attention! This collection was soooo me!

For those of you wondering who Bao Bao Wan is, she is a jewellery designer, socialite & muse from China. Her unique sense of style is fierce and unapologetic and is what this collection is all about.

So over the weekend I took the time to finally photograph my samples in their pristine state so I could start using these without further delay.

I then packed ‘my precious’ for a shoot that was to happen yesterday. However with uncooperative weather delaying all plans and with my curiosity to use these getting the better of me. I swatched! And the rest was history they say.

The products I have for review are 2 of the 4 lipsticks and the 2 powder products. I shall leave the lipsticks for another day and just focus on the Bao Bao Jewels Velux Pearlfusion eyeshadow palette  & the Summer Opal Beauty Powder today.

Here’s a closer look at the beautiful metallic eyeshadows ranging from pretty pearly pink to copper and blue grey.

All 5 shadows in this palette are of the Velux Pearlfusion finish. The high metallic sheen is consistent throughout and the best part was, the colour payoff is out of this world! Usually I find that most of the VP eyeshadows (In my collection) are more or less on the sheerer side, but these really blew my mind. Except for the very first pink shade, everything else performed exceptionally well.

Swatches don’t lie, and as you can see, these are FULL ON!

The palette contains one warm light pink, a warm yellow toned gold, a high shine copper, a deep khaki with grey brown undertones and lastly a blackened blue grey.

The best performers were the gold and copper shades. They were soft, ultra creamy to the touch and swatched on bare skin with maximum opacity.

The only thing I don’t love about this palette is the design, the slim strips really kill me when swatching and also when I use them. I always need to pick up a smaller brush to access the first and the last shades. Annoying.

Out of curiosity I did a quick test on my eyes too to get a feel of how they perform during application. Without any primer, I found that although the colour pay off was very good, there was noticeable fallout (which is quite common with Velux Pearlfusions). I can’t say how they perform with a primer, but I’d advise you to do your base makeup last so that the messy cleanup of fall out is avoided.

Next on to the Summer Opal Beauty powder. This is a satin muted pink powder with dull gold shimmers (refer first swatch). I found that the texture of this much more finer with noticeable gold sparkle. The shimmer isn’t ott, and sits very elegantly on the cheekbones reflecting light in the most flattering way.

Here’s a closer look at my highlighter brush ‘loaded’ with product, ready to go. (I haven’t used this as a face powder because the shimmer content is a tad too in your face to be applied globally, although it would work great on certain editorial, bronzed makeup looks!)

See those little gold flecks trapped between the brush hairs? Sooo heavenly!

This collection launches in March, so you have plenty of time to decide which products you want to pick up. I will also follow up with a look featuring these products as well as the lipstick review, stay tuned.

Happy Sunday everyone. Here’s the final installment of my TF Spring 2015 makeup posts.

After several weeks of ‘testing’ I’m finally ready to put down my thoughts on these new wet & dry eyeshadows. The timing is perfect too as I just saw all three of them listed on the Selfridges website!

P.S- For swatches of all three duos, head on to this post, where I had penned my first impressions. There’s also a post on the new limited edition nail lacquer Indigo Night over here.

Without delay, here’s what I have for review.

Starting with a little intro to these new Eye Colour Duos from the official press release,

Introducing three new Eye Colour Duos using a new formula that perfectly captures pigments and light on the eye with flawless sensorial application. The shades Ripe Plum, Raw Jade and Crushed Indigo are lifted directly from nature but are intensely infused with metallics to create an effect that is a perversion of nature. Contrasting light and dark shadow duos create instant dramatic tension. 

Each duo comes with one ‘opaline shade’ and a ‘deep metallic shade’. To me what really sets these duos apart from other wet & dry palettes are the rather unique opaline shades. Worn alone these are very feminine and sweet, but layered over the deeper shade is when they truly come alive, completely transforming the deeper metallic shade into a mesmerizing, hypnotic colour.

Over a couple of days I tried wearing these in several ways. Wet, dry, without primer and with. I feel the best is obviously over a primer, wet. However for the look I plan to share today I wore them dry over a new primer I happen to be testing. I like the result. The colour looks very exotic and yet day time appropriate.

Here’s a close up of the Raw Jade Duo.

As always, let’s start with packaging.

These eyeshadows are set in a case identical to the regular TF eye quads, only difference being they are smaller in size, obviously to accommodate just two. The outer packaging is a rich mahogany with gold accents where the Tom Ford Logo sitting pretty in the middle.

Inside you find one double ended applicator (the regular quads contain two) and a nice sized mirror with the Tom Ford logo engraved in.

Overall the quality is the same in comparison to the regular TF packaging.

Moving onto the product, the opaline shade in this is an iridescent white which transforms into a cool minty veil once applied, and the metallic shade is a gold shimmer infused khaki green.

When swatched the texture of these are similar to the usual eyeshadow formula, however with a wet application, you do get a far more intense swatch.

One thing that should be noted about these eyeshadows is that they go on very smooth, and are easily buildable even though they don’t feel creamy or highly pigmented when swatched. I noticed that even when used dry, you can really keep layering on the colour to build it up to an almost full coverage opaque look, which is something I like about these eyeshadows.

Let’s look at some swatches so you see how they perform wet and dry.

As you can see, there is a distinguishable difference between the dry and the wet swatch, although both are just as smooth and uniform.

Final thoughts

I find the NARS Dual Intensity eyeshadows (that are also a wet and dry formula) quite comparable to these. Interestingly the price is also somewhat similar.

Pigmentation wise (when considering a single swatch) I find that some of the NARS Dual Intensity singles (such as Subra and Dione) swatch smoother and almost creamy with better colour payoff when used dry. However, when used wet, both swatch at the same intensity.

Overall I believe Tom Ford really excels in longevity in it’s wear, it’s what sets them apart from other brands, including the NARS singles we spoke of. This particular duo wore well for almost 10 hours before I took it off. I experienced no creasing and no fading. I am guessing it would have beaten the 12 hour mark if I had let it stay on longer without cleansing it off.

Now onto an eye look I created with this duo! I decided to use the new Tom Ford Extreme mascara in Black Plum for added interest instead of plain black.

This mascara is a new colour for Spring. I really love how it volumises and gives lashes an effortless dramatic air. Only downside being that I find this makes them feel a little stiff!

For the lips I used Sultry, a new Lip Shine that’s set to release soon. I toned down the warmth of Sultry by pairing it with one of my ‘boys’ Peter which is a shimmery beige.

Sultry is a new favourite of mine and I have been wearing it loads these last couple of days as it goes well with my new golden tan!

I love how hydrating it feels on the lips and for a supposedly sheer coverage lip product these are pretty pigmented! Highly recommend checking them out when they release.

Here’s the final look. A somewhat spring appropriate, almost butterfly like eye look. I love how the opaline shade draws attention to the eyes.

Release dates & Pricing

Eye Colour Duos will be retailing at SGD85. Available from March 2015 at Tangs Orchard Tom Ford Counter.

International release dates-

Already available online at Selfridges.

Welcome to a long overdue post on my favourite lipstick release of 2014. The much awaited, over hyped and loved, Tom Ford Lips and Boys.

I already posted an initial swatch and first impressions post over here around the time it launched, and now a full review complete with lip swatches. I hope you find the additional information useful!

I have broken down this post in to two parts. The reds, and ‘the rest’. Personally my favourites from any lipstick release are the reds. So I tend to pick up a bulk of them. And as you may have guessed, I picked up all the lipsticks from the red category!

Here’re my darlings.. The REDS.

Left to right it’s – Alejandro. Luciano, Diego, Rafael and Adriano (True Coral)

Alejandro – A neutral medium deep red with a slight berry tone.  Alejandro is a satin finish and had very good pigmentation along the lines of the regular TF lipsticks. I found that with this particular shade I preferred to touch up the corners of my mouth with a lip brush to get that sharp clean edge.

Luciano – A medium true red with blue tones. Luciano is a satin finish but marginally so and was more like a luminous cream finish when applied. I also noticed there were random glitter particles in the bullet, which never EVER seemed apparent when worn. This lipstick had very good pigmentation and glides on smooth and is also very long wearing. One of my favourites texture wise.

Diego – A warm red orange. The texture of Diego was more creamy and less opaque than the others. It was actually similar to Jack (reviewed below) which was also a thinner formula. I liked that these two felt extra hydrating on the lip and also applies super smooth like butter. Somewhat reminiscent of the Tom Ford Sheers.

Rafael – A warm bright orange red in a cream finish. This one was perfection in terms of pigmentation, texture and colour. I love how smooth it applies and the colour just pops when worn. Although Diego and Rafael are almost identical when worn, there’s a hint of brightness in Rafael that makes this one extra special.

Adriano (True Coral) – Adriano is a neutral coral red with a hint of pink. I find that this applies almost opaque in a single swipe and slightly magnifies lip lines making the lips look a bit dry.

Here’re some swatches (please note that Alejandro and Luciano were rather difficult to capture true to colour and the lip swatches would give you a better indication of what they look like in real life)

Alejandro

Luciano

Rafael

Diego

Adriano

Next up, ‘the rest’.

As you can see I took the less predictable route and forced myself to try some colours that are out of my comfort zone.

Here’s the first batch, some peaches, pinks and purples.

Left to Right- Michael, Matthew, Patrick, Alexander, Jack

Michael – A warm, medium pink with slight coral tones in a satin finish. Michael applies smooth and even without any dragging achieving opaque coverage in two passes. Lovely as far as colour and texture goes.

Matthew – A warm, medium peachy coral shade in a satin finish. This was one of my very first picks of the three I was given as press samples. The colour goes on very smooth and offers a semi opaque pay off in a single swipe.

Patrick – A warm, light peachy coral pink in a cream finish. I like that it can be built up to a near opaque colour which is great for those with pigmented lips like myself. Although layering this made it prone to sliding around and application became less even due to it’s creamier than necessary texture.

Alexander – A cool, light bubblegum pink. Alexander is a satin finish and was one of the poorer formulas from this collection. The colour was harder to apply as it went on patchy. On the brighter side, it can be built up to a full coverage and somewhat masks the patchiness so it’s less visible. Personally i’d advise skipping this unless you are a sucker for a cool pink and can’t stay away!

Jack – A medium, muted purply pink in a cream finish. This glides on smooth and creamy, a real pleasure to wear. Although it was a shade I wouldn’t normally gravitate to, the lovely texture of this was a winner which made lip lines less visible and kept my lips hydrated and comfortable throughout wear. It’s a favourite!

Onto swatches.

Jack 

Michael

Matthew

Patrick

Alexander

Lastly, I picked up some frost finish lipstick (a first for me) and a single nude. Shocker!

Sebastian – A warm metallic copper with orange tones, which I found was the perfect shade to warm up Peter and achieve my ideal shimmering summer lipstick. The formula of Sebastian was beyond perfect. I love the way it glides on the lips delivering super coverage with no unevenness or streaks. It looked like liquid copper. If you fancy frost finishes, this is a must have.

Peter – A neutral, light champagne beige with subtle hints of pink. This applies very sheer and needs at least three passes to build up the coverage so you see the actual colour. I also noticed that while it’s course of wear, the shimmer tends to settle in the lip lines. I remedied this by smushing my lips together from time to time, to even it out.

Addison (Pink Dusk) – Part of the permanent collection and available in a regular size, Addison is a light neutral pink with a slight warm undertone. It’s a cream finish and formula wise a dream. It achieves full coverage in two passes, very creamy and applies without any unevenness. A must have shade for all Tom Ford lovers.

Addison

Peter

Sebastian

Lastly before I give you the bottom line, i’d like to leave you with a little info about the Tom Ford lipstick formula and why they are so desirable.

I put it down to the extremely light weight texture paired with excellent pigmentation. It’s a mix that’s hard to beat, as usually full coverage lipsticks can most certainly be ‘felt’ on the lips and you are very well aware that they are on!

I also I love that the Tom Ford lipsticks wear really well. They last hours and hours without fading or leaving that ugly white ring in the inner corners of the lips (something we are all too familiar with and loath). Expect these to wear for 3-4 hours or more. The darker shades go well into 5 hours on me and hardly ever need to be touched up.

The bottom line

So these tiny lipsticks can be quite expensive even thought they are much cheaper than their regular sized counterpart. That being said, there are plenty of new shades that make up this collection and most of all they are limited edition which means they won’t be around for long.

I’d recommend trying out Rafael, Luciano, Addison, Michael, Matthew and Jack as they are the best of the lot where formula is concerned.

Other info

The Lips and Boys are available online at Selfridges in the event you can’t find your preferred shades at the counters. This is where I purchased a majority of my lipsticks too.

Tom Ford Lips & Boys retail at £26 and come with 2g of product (The full size lipsticks contain 3g).

Lastly, thank you for stopping by, and wishing you a wonderful week ahead!

Michelle.

Tom Ford has released yet another highly collectable, limited edition cream eyeshadow this spring and with very little resistance (none actually) I rushed to get my hands on this. It was somewhat of an unexpected release as this was never presented at the initial Tom Ford spring preview I attended earlier this year; although I did see it being used backstage at the TF runway show in a Youtube video.

After several weeks of hoarding/admiring and finally testing, here are my thoughts on this gorgeous cream pot.

As always, starting with the packaging, the Tom Ford cream shadows come in a glass pot fitted with a plastic screw type cap with the TF logo in gold. The touch and feel of it is very luxurious and the farthest thing from flimsy, it’s got a nice weight to it. I also love that the cream inside is very well preserved by this packaging as even my older purchases are still in pristine condition and haven’t dried up even though I don’t reach for them often. Not the case with the Chanel cream shadows though, they always dry up inside!

TF Spring 2015 cream eyeshadow is a deep neutral pewter brown with ultra fine silver shimmer. Although in the pot, this looks more chocolatey with slight khaki tones, when swatched it’s true colour is more of a pewter grey toned brown with hints of khaki in certain lighting situations.

Overall the texture of the Tom Ford cream shadows are soft and almost moussey. They spread on the lids with no tugging and blend with virtually zero effort; which make them wearable on their own for a effortless smokey look. No eyeshadow required.

For an intense (true to pot) colour deposit, the cream needs to be gradually built up, as adding a tonne of product all at once only creates a gloopy mess and would immediately transfer and crease on your lids as it’s so emollient. Gradual layering gives it more dry time between layers and creates a more uniform look.

Personally I like to concentrate the colour more towards the lash line and blend out the edges using just my fingers. It’s the best method of application as I find using a brush required more patience, blending out the brush lines! Also worthy of noting, the texture of this allows more play time, so you don’t need to rush to blend it out before it sets!

Once applied, the colour looks more glossy on the lids and very dimensional. A very forgiving look as the lids never look parched or tight and texture on the lids (if you have any) will not be emphasized. TF cream colours truly are the best for those with dryer eye lids or mature lids that are textured, although even those with oilier lids (myself included) can wear these without the fear of creasing or smudging.

The wear time of these are exceptional. Mine lasted all day from 9 a.m to 8 p.m with no creasing or fading and I wore this straight on my lids WITHOUT primer and NO powder eyeshadow on top. Incredible.

Here’re some comparison swatches of previous TF cream shadow releases. Sadly, both limited edition.

Left to right : 05 Pink Haze, 01 Platinum, Spring 2015

Now onto a look I created with this product. A very wearable one which I think anyone could pull off.

Here’s how I created it.

I started with layering the cream shadow directly on to my lid, (no primer) and used my most efficient brush, fingers, to blend!

Since I wanted a cleaner look, I then took the eyeshadow Primal from the Urban Decay Basics 2 palette just around the edges to smoke out and diffuse. A completely unnecessary step, but I did it anyway. Note, I didn’t layer it on the lid though.

I also lined the eyes and smudged it lightly then completed the look with two nice coatings of mascara. I used Urban Decay Perversion here. Been totally loving this one lately and I think I may need to repurchase!

Viola! Done!

And a full frontal!

The final verdict

If your budget permits, I believe this is a very good cream shadow to have. Personally I keep forgetting to use my cream shadows as I am more of a powder shadow kinda gal, but I really do love these for special occasions when I do have extra time to get ready and could truly appreciate playing with such luxurious products.

The colours of these TF cream shadows are usually hard to dupe and have a glossy and luminous quality that sets them apart from the other similar products and I feel that’s what you are paying so much for.

Overall I am happy with my purchase and have zero complaints. And all the compliments from my friends are a bonus, it’s reassurance that it’s money well spent :-)

Product details

Net wt- 6g retailing at £ 29

Mine was purchased online from Selfridges.

More helpful links!

Check out Sabrinas post here, for more comparison swatches and a fab review! xx

I’m back with a supplementary post to my initial Bao Bao Wan first impressions write up, and looks like I am finally ready to give you the low down on the best buys and detailed reviews on each item.

Here’s what I have in store for you today.

Usually the first thing to catch my eye in ANY collection are the lip products. So let’s begin with the gorgeous Bao Bao Wan lipsticks, Burmese Kiss & Forbidden Sunrise.

Forbidden Sunrise described as a creamy orange, is a medium neutral toned orange in a matte finish. The colour applies pretty opaque in one swipe. I noticed that this wears best with minimum product on the lip as over applying can result in the colour looking uneven. So I wore this sheered out for a Korean inspired lip, concentrating the colour to the innermost potion of the lips.

Overall the wear wasn’t the most comfortable as matte lipsticks tends to dry out my lips and emphasize each and every lip line I had! However, I still love the colour and happy to own it as it’s my favourite between the two and more unique.

Burmese Kiss is described as a Coral toned pink which is pretty accurate. This too was a neutral leaning slightly warm with a matte finish. Also again, not the most forgiving formula but for those of you who enjoy matte finishes this would be an ideal shade for spring or summer.

Here’re some quick swatches I took a few days ago.  Please note I prepped lips with a balm so they go on smoother.

Also some comparison swatches,

As you can see, I couldn’t find anything quite as orange as Forbidden Sunrise, although Burmese Kiss did have a rather closer match. Toxic Tale (part of the Red Red Red collection that launched early this year) is a slightly deeper, warmer coral with more orange tones in comparison to Burmese Kiss which was more pink than coral. They also differ in finish, as Toxic Tale is a creamier Satin. Between the two I liked Toxic tale more. It glides on with ease, doesn’t emphasize lip lines and highly pigmented. If you shy away from mattes, this one’s a good substitute!

Next up, the powder products.

There were two released and I have them both. Let’s start with the Summer Opal Beauty Powder. A stunning beige/nude powder with a hint of pink and gold sparkle.

When swatched, I found this beauty powder to be a bit too sparkly to be used all over the face. Instead, it does make a beautiful highlight, so I reviewed it as one.

This powder is rather tightly packed which works great for keeping wastage to a minimum allowing the brush to pick up just enough product for a subtle highlight, if you are looking for a highly pigmented product, this won’t cut it. But i’m happy to report the colour is buildable. So you can keep layering on for desired intensity.

Once applied, the pink tones of the product become more apparent with a bit of the gold shimmer shining through. The final look was a luminous and glowy highlight.

Here’re some swatches,

I swatched Summer Opal against some popular highlighters. And as you can see it’s very well suited for fairer skintones even though it’s not quite as light as the KA or Hourglass.

Overall it’s a lovely product to have, one of my favourites from the collection.

Now onto the star of the show, Bao Bao’s Jewels. A palette filled with glistening jewel toned eyeshadows that can be worn wet & dry.

The Bao Bao’s Jewels palette contains 5 Veluxe Pealfusion shadows.

Top to bottom,

Shade 1- A light shimmering baby pink with loads of sparkle. This applied smooth although slightly dry. I recommend patting this on carefully as the formula is on the drier side and has difficulty adhering to the lid.

Shade 2- A warm yellow gold in a high shimmer finish. This applied just as intense wet or dry, and wet application definitely brought out a smoother metallic finish.

Shade 3- A warm coppery bronze with intense pigmentation. This too performed great wet or dry and application was silky and glides on beautifully without any patchiness.

Shade 4- A warm taupe brown with yellow undertones. There was a massive difference in intensity when swatched wet where this transformed from sheer brown to a beautiful molten metallic number. I also noticed that the wet application brought out a deeper, and almost khaki tone while with dry application, this looks a warm mid brown with a slight red undertone.

Shade 5- Lastly a gunmetal grey with blue tones. This applied quite poor dry although wet application instantly picked up the game to an intense shimmering steel. Also worth noting, this performs very differently when swatched with fingers against a brush. I felt that the brush didn’t seem to pick up quite as much product and the final swatches were worlds apart when compared.

Round up 

Overall the wet application delivered the best colour payoff (as expected) and looked beautiful and vibrant on the lids. Applied dry, it was a more faded version of what the colour could have been.

I noticed regardless of the use of primer, there was considerable fall out. More than i’d normally be comfortable with and applying your base makeup last was the only way to go. Luckily though, I didn’t notice much fall out during wear.

*I feel the major deciding factor for any interested beauty addicts would be the overall tone of the palette. It’s VERY warm. Some of you with pink and cool complexions will most certainly find this product clashing with your skintone. Given the amazing colour payoff and interesting shades, this would be a very nice addition to aspiring MUA’s as a palette is most certainly value for money.

Overall thoughts on the collection.

From what i’ve experienced, the powder products were the best buys. They performed well and were quite unique.

The lipsticks were judged mostly on finish rather than colour, as at the end of the day they do have to feel comfortable enough to wear. And even though I had scrubbed and primed my lips before application, these still emphasized texture. Of course if you don’t have lips ‘drier than the desert’ (like I do), maybe these would work well for you! Cos the colours certainly are pretty.

My pic of the lot would be Forbidden Sunrise. Bet you won’t find anything close to a dupe in your stash ;-).

Pricing and launch info

Lipsticks will be retailing at SGD 33

Summer Opal at SGD 46

Bao Bao’s Jewels at SGD 75

Nail Polish SGD 25

Collection launches at Robinsons and Ngee Ann City today (6th March)

Tangs will carry the collection on the 12th. (In case you miss anything you can always wait for it to release there ;-))

Hello! Thought i’d start off with a little skincare chat early in the month since lately it’s all been makeup, makeup and MORE makeup. I figured i’d make this a monthly practice so you know what’s been used behind the scenes when i’m too busy posting about makeup.

So this month has finally been a more ‘settled’ month for me. I’ve been taking a lot of trips to the beach though, so some of the items here are pretty much SOS treatments my skin needs when I get back. I also wanted to talk about some things i’ve hauled from my last London trip and share my thoughts on those products too.

Here’s todays mix.

Let’s start with some new favourites from Ettusais.

Ettusais is a brand that’s mostly popular amongst the younger girls who are just starting out with a daily skincare routine (we are talking age 20-30). It’s mainly due to the fact that it’s a more affordable and budget friendly brand which is accessible to pretty much everyone.

These two products I tried have been really nice, so I had to share with you. First up, the new 50+ UV Block Spray that was sent to me just in time for all my sunny holidays. I have already reached the last few pumps of this so I didn’t waste any time repurchasing. It’s that good.

I find this product is superior to other spray type sunscreens as it doesn’t leave your skin feeling grossly oily. It also has a very nice fragrance and nothing like other similar sunscreens i’ve tried. Trust me, they don’t usually smell this good.

The reason I like spray on sunblock is that they are so easy to apply. No need to get your hands dirty. One quick spray, and you are done! It’s also great if you want to do a quick spritz on your feet as well, so your toes are well protected. I basically use this on my entire body, face, arms, feet.

It’s one of those products that you use and wonder, ‘where have you been all my life’?!!!

The next Ettusais product that’s been making an appearance in my skincare routine is the new Amino Caviar cream from the Ettusias Premium skincare line which targets those who are experiencing the very first signs of aging (ages 20-30).

The name comes from the little caviar like beads you find in the cream. The texture is sooo intriguing!

When applied, these beads break down and absorb immediately to the skin. Hydrating the skin well.

The light texture feels very refreshing and there’s no oilyness . Skin feels a bit tacky, but not uncomfortably tacky. It’s just the feeling of well hydrated skin.

I find this cream great for the mornings, as it keeps skin bouncy and supple and well prepped for makeup. But for those who have oily or normal skin, this would be perfect for morning and nightly use as well.

If you are just starting out using anti-ageing skincare, I highly recommend trying this out. It retails at a very attractive price, S$48!

Bioderma

This product needs no introduction really, it’s basically every makeup artists backstage staple. Excellent for instantly taking off makeup without the use of water.

To me this is the first step of my daily night time skincare routine, breaking down the first layer of makeup before I follow up with an oil or balm cleanser. I also love this for when I am doing swatch posts for the blog to clean my arms of any makeup between swatches.

The reason I thought i’d feature this is…. now they sell the pump version in Singapore! Makes it so much more easier to use! I got mine from Changi Airport. It was just around 40 bucks for this extra large size which will actually last me a good while!

Next batch is a couple of things I got myself in London.

I know Dermalogica is widely available in SG, but at Selfridges they had a counter where the entire range is available. After my skin consultation I was given a generous sample of the Daily Microfoliant, something i’ve been wanting to try for a long long time.

It’s a rice based exfoliant which is very gentle and suitable for daily use as the name suggests. Although I would use it a less frequently.

The product itself is like powdered rice, and very fine, and is meant to be ‘activated’ when in contact with water and releases Rice Enzymes and Salicylic acid to gently buff away dead cells. I simply dispense some into wet hands and create a paste which I then use to exfoliate. Simple, speedy and effective.

Next up, the Gentle Cream Exfoliant, which is actually one of the more potent chemical exfoliators I own. This is meant to go on like a mask and then washed off after the stipulated time. One thing I learnt when using this product is, to follow the instructions religiously. DO NOT leave it on longer than the suggested time, it WILL over exfoliate.

I bring out when my skin is feeling dull and congested. It immediately takes off any build up and leaves you with brighter, smoother skin. I would recommend this treatment every 4 days for oily skin types and around once a week for dry skin.

Lastly, Hydraluron. Something of a cult favourite when it comes to hydration. It’s active ingredient is Hyaluronic acid which is known to help skin attract and hold moisture, essential for maintaining supple, healthy skin.

This gel like serum absorbs instantly & completely, giving skin a burst of moisture. I then follow it up with a light hydrating lotion to lock in moisture levels or any treatment serum that I would be using on the day. The product pairs well with any other skincare that you are currently using so it doesn’t disrupt the benefits of those.

Lastly, my go to hydrating mask. The Omorovicza Gold Hydralifting mask.

This I use as a followup to any exfoliating or purifying treatments that I do, so that any moisture loss can be restored. The soft rose scent is calming when applied, which adds to the whole experience of ‘pampering’ oneself.

Luxurious from the packaging to the product. It’s something I truly feel is a treat and this never fails to get my skin feeling plump and hydrated.

So there you have it, some products i’ve been loving lately. I hope you found it an informative read.

Thank you for stopping by!

Hello all! How’s your day been so far? I hope the end of Sunday hasn’t got you down. To lighten the mood, i’m here to share some NARS backstage pics with little flashes of new products that are set to come out in fall. Sounds good right?

Here’re some shows that NARS created looks for this season.

Starting with 3.1 Phillip Lim

The look was all about ‘Natural Radiant skin mixed with a punk inspired ox-blood red shade for the lips for a bold statement’.

To me, this is the ideal evening makeup look. Deep red lips with clean skin. Just perfection.

The lipstick seen here is VIP red. New for Fall 2015.

Next up, backstage Alexander Wang, where the inspiration is heavy metal rock.

I felt this look was more edgy, and avant garde. Very NARS!

I’m totally loving the freshly washed, wet hair look; and the smudgy grey eyes are just the perfect pairing!

The eye paint being used here is Transvaal. It’s not a new release, but seeing it in action really makes me want to pick this up!

Here’s a close up of the final look.

And here’s the makeup selected to create this look

The products seen here are, Transvaal eye paint, Bellissima duo eyeshadow, Vientiane matte multiple, Aigle Noir Velvet shadow stick (already launched in Singapore this spring, releasing in Fall in the US).

Next up, one of my favourite looks NARS created this season. It’s for Rachel Comey.

The makeup is very dewy, almost wet looking. ‘A fresh and effortless girl, yet still sexy’

The blush seen here is a new product for Fall 2015, Tribulation. I am excited!!! Can’t get over the beige-golden sheen. Although it looks more like a highlighter, the final look of dewy skin with this as a blush is just perfect.

Here’s one more look at the beautiful models. And the glow on their cheekbones!!! Ahhh!

Incase you were wondering, the lip gloss seen here is a new product as well. It’s Chelsea Girls, new for Fall 2015. A close match to this would be Chihuahua, an existing NARS gloss.

Another stunning, natural makeup look that caught my eye was at the Rodarte show, inspired by the idea of ‘delicate, refined beauty’.

When reading through beauty reports, what I found intriguing was that the new NARS Dual Intensity blushes were used on the eyes. The right side of the Craving blush to be precise.

And for the cheeks another Dual Intensity blush. This time it’s the left side of Fervor paired with the new Tribulation blush.

Other new products used at this show was the Audacious Mascara coming out this Fall.

Next up, Thakoon! another soft natural look that I’m loving!

‘Inspired by the northern lights, Thakoon wanted the girls to look beautiful, keeping the ideal of lights and reflection’.

Seen here again, Tribulation blush, and VIP Red lipstick worn as a stain.

I love how a single product can be used in multiple ways and look so completely different!

According to the show report, other products used for this look is, Craving Dual Intensity blush used both on the eyes and cheeks. (Left side on the cheeks and the right side on the eyes) Another good example of products being used in ways other than intended :-)

And that concludes the NARS backstage show report.

Which new products caught your eye? For me it was the Tribulation blush and also the Dual Intensity blushes that are yet to release in Singapore.  So much to look forward to! :-)

All information provided by NARS. (A/W backstage beauty report)

Hellooooo! I’m back with another collection review and this time it’s Julia Petit for MAC. I won’t go into much detail about Julia Petit as i’m sure you’d have googled that already! :-)

So i’m here to talk about what I received as press samples from this collection and how they performed.

This collection consisted of,

Three lipsticks- Acai, Petite Red, Boca (All LE)

A Lipglass- Purpurine (LE)

A blush – Linda (LE)

Three eye shadow duos – Moving sand, Morganite, Sagu (All LE)

Liquidlast eyeliner – Wet Road (LE)

Lustre Drops – Pink Rebel (LE)

From this collection I received the duo Moving Sand, the Linda blush, lipsticks Acai and Petite red as well as the gloss Purpurine for review.

From the entire collection, my favourite was the blush Linda, which has been my go-to these last few weeks. So let’s begin todays review with that!

Linda is a medium, muted peachy pink bronze, with fine golden shimmer. It’s very well pigmented and finely milled and the texture is soft and blendable lending itself to achieving a seamless diffused wash of colour on the cheeks.

On my complexion (which is extremely olive) this pulls quite warm and can look borderline brassy, so I try to wear very little of it at a time. I believe this should work well even on fairer complexions if used with a very light hand, where you could minimize the possibility of it looking too orange. Here’re some comparison swatches.

Next up, the lipsticks. Acai and Petite Red.

Acai (matte) is a deep brightened berry shade with purple tones. I found the texture of this slightly dry and dragging a tad during application. The colour itself is very well pigmented and goes on pretty much opaque in just a single swipe.

During wear the lipstick felt drying on the lips, although it lasted well for hours and hours.

Here’re some comparison swatches for Acai.

As you can see, I don’t own anything quite as purple as Acai, but if you are looking for a very close dupe, the MAC press kit suggests Rebel (from the holiday collection, Heirloom Mix) as a substitute.

Next up, Petite Red.

Petite Red (satin) is a warm medium reddened pink.

The lipstick glides on smoothly and is semi opaque in one swipe. It’s super comfortable on the lips and wears well without drying them out.

Petite Red leaves a very noticeable stain on the lips and wears off evenly, so you don’t need to keep touching up all the time.

Between the two lipsticks I received, this was the best as far as texture and comfort go and the luminous sheen of the satin finish doesn’t emphasise lip lines as much as Acai.

Here’re some comparison swatches.

As seen above, Petite red has a nice balance of red and pink, something of a mix between Viva Glam Rihanna and Good Kisser. Again, a named substitute according to MAC for Petite Red is Relentlessly Red in case you were curious.

One last lip product, Purpurine.

Purpurine is a pinky beige with pink and silver shimmer. As always, the base colour did not make much of an impact on the lip and can be layered over pretty much any lipstick for a glittery festive look.

Also worth noting, the shimmer in these weren’t too fine and looked somewhat chunkier compared to those of the higher end lip glosses. Lastly a collection of glosses I put together for comparison.

Left to right, Dior Tiara, Dior Minaudere, Julia Petit Purpurine, Mac Cinderella Glass Slipper, Mac Viva Glam Rihanna 2

And here’re swatches.

Next up, the eyeshadow duo, Moving Sand.

This comprises of one matte medium yellow toned brown, which instantly reminded me of Max Mara’s signature camel coats; and a black with silver sparkle (Lustre finish), think new years eve smokey, sparkly eyes.

The brown was very finely milled and silky when swatched. I wouldn’t say it’s buttery smooth but it did feel very soft and blendable. On the eyes it performed really well, no fallout and diffuses easily with a blending brush.

The black shade on the other hand felt quite dry when swatched and I had a hard time trying to get the sparkle to stay on. They somehow don’t adhere to the lids and the overall look was so muted and patchy. It was such a disappointing shade.

Anyways, you can see how it performed in the look I created today. A picture is worth a thousand words they say! >.<

Here it looks almost like a grey eyeshadow. Sigh.

So on to the final look I created.

Btw, I used a mix of Acai and Petite Red on the lips to create a deeper berry red shade. It goes better with this smokey defined eye look, don’t you think?

Thoughts on this collection and recommendations.

I felt the real stars were the Petite Red lipstick and the blush Linda. Absolutely lovely as far as quality is concerned. If you want to pick up something from this collection, those were my favourites!

Collection launch dates.

Releasing in the US in select MAC stores on March 19th.

Releasing in Singapore 20th March at Tangs, Takashimaya & Ion Sephora Mac counters.

Hi there! Here with another review of something i’ve been loving lately. And that’s the Dior Cheek & Lip Glow from their spring release.

I find this product has earned it’s place in my weekend makeup and vacation makeup routines. It’s fuss free and lasts all day if done right.

Since this is Dior’s very first cheek and lip ‘blush’ i’ll start with packaging.

The Cheek & Lip Glow comes in a bottle similar to nailpolish. It’s glass and the silver top comes off to reveal the applicator. Unscrewing the bottle cap we find a spongy round applicator which feels super soft and plush. Very user friendly and also leak proof in case you want to take this along in your makeup bag.

The liquid is a thickish gel consistency and smells minty.

Application is pretty straightforward, just go directly onto the lips with the ball applicator and let it dry.

You’d notice it leaves a slight tingling sensation as it dries, similar to lip plumping glosses. Those of you with very sensitive lips might want to pass on this one.

For the cheeks the method suggested by Dior is to lightly wipe the ball applicator on the edge of the bottle to obtain just the right amount of product and apply on the cheeks with circular motion and quickly blend with fingertips.

I on the other hand, like to pick up product with my fingers and lightly tap and blend on the cheeks. I do this mostly to make sure my foundation is not disturbed during application. But I find my method does take a bit of extra work layering on the product.

As you can see, the product looks very bright once appied, but the stained swatch is much less intimidating!

Of course you can always reapply a few times to build up intensity! Specially if you are looking for a much brighter lip colour :-). It’s a very versatile product in that sense.

Longevity & Wear

I find this product wears really well, almost all day. However since this is something that doesn’t offer any hydration (it’s solely for staining), it’s good practice to layer over with either a clear gloss or a balm. Reapplying the balm would keep your lips hydrated and looking fresh all day.

I also love that this leaves such a beautiful rosy tint that almost looks just like your lips, but prettier. And since it doesn’t wear off, you can fool anyone into thinking this is your own lip colour!

Overall this is a great product to have on hand when you are too busy for touchups and deal with fading etc. Great for off days running errands IMO and I also love this for the beach as well. Non fussy colour that your hair doesn’t stick to!

Here’s a look at how this shows up on the lips. I’ve worn it on the cheeks too, but it’s so faint in the photo (I always ‘under do’ blush!) you could totally miss it. In real life it leaves a very nice slight rosy tint, minus the powderiness you get with other blushes.

Final thoughts

This is by far the best tint lip and cheek product i’ve tried to date. No need to rush to blend it out like the Benetints by Benefit. You most certainly have more ‘play time’ while application before this starts to set and stain since it’s a gel formula and not a liquid, it takes a while to evaporate I guess.

I find the colour too is universal, and I totally get why they came out with just one shade. It’s also perfect for mimicking the rosy cheeks you get coming out of winter yet sweet and girlie for spring.

The only downside I could think of was that it was a product that gives you no hydration.

Product information

10ml product per bottle, retailing at SGD 60 (and USD 37 for those of you in the States)

Currently available at all Dior counters.

*This was a sample sent for review. If you are wondering if I would go out and purchase this, yes I would :-) I really like it!

Inspired by ethereal beauty comes a perfectly spring appropriate collection, La Beauté Enchanteresse by Clé de Peau Beauté.

This collection is made up of two eyeshadow palettes and three lipsticks.

Of the two palettes released, I received Moon Beam (310) and two of the three lipsticks. Cherish 211 (Silk finish) and De La Maitre de L’ecole 112 in the Satin finish which I am excited to share my thoughts on.

First of all, making a pale blue toned palette wearable on a solid medium skin tone as mine wasn’t a walk in the park. Simply cos I always wear neutrals and colours like this aren’t my go-to. But, i’m happy that I’ve found a look that works well with even darker skin tones and even better, an elegant eye look that can be worn also to work which i’ll share with you later.

So without further delay, here’s Moon Beam 310

The palette comes with a bright sky blue, a medium muted beige brown, a neutral deep purple and a pinkish oyster colour with golden shimmer.

Overall the palette is neutral making it wearable across many skin tones.

The texture of these were very fine and soft to the touch. They swatch silky and blend with zero effort keeping to the new eyeshadow formula (to read more, you can drop by this post).

None of the shadows felt dry, although the purple shade (the only one which was in a satin finish among others that were shimmery) did swatch with difficulty and was the drier one in comparison to the others. Fortunately this performs better on the lids and works really well over a primer which gave this a good base to hold on to.

Something I find unique about the Clé de Peau eyeshadows is that the shimmer finishes are very fine and are wearable even in daytime looks as they are refined and never vulgar. It’s the kind of finish I always look for when it comes to eye makeup.

Overall I like how all of them perform although, it did take quite a bit of packing on to get the required intensity of the blue so it would show up on my NC 35 skin. During this process I noticed quite a bit of fall out. I recommend putting on your base after the eye makeup to avoid cleaning up all the shimmer that falls out.

Moving onto the lipsticks,

De La Maitre de L’ecole 112 – Is a warm medium magenta.

Between the two lipsticks this had better pigmentation and was semi opaque in 2 passes. The lipstick kept the lips hydrated and supple throughout wear and lasted around 3 hours before I saw signs of fading. It’s one of the most comfortable lipsticks that I own and a pleasure to wear given that my lips are prone to drying out.

Cherish 211 – Is a muted peachy nude with a neutral tone.

The formula was very similar to 112, although more so on the sheerer side. On my pigmented lips it took a bit of work to make this show up and I had to start with lining my lips and lightly filling them to nude them out, but this should work very well and look amazing on those with paler lips.

Here’re some swatches taken with 3-4 passes.

Now onto the look I created with the eye palette which I paired with 211 Cherish.

This product would work effortlessly on fair complexions, but here’s how to make this work on medium skin.

I’d recommend always using a primer before application to make the colours show up more vivid. Initially I attempted using this wet, which resulted in the eyeshadow going on very patchy and impossible to blend out then on. I’d strictly recommend packing it on bit by bit, working it well into the lid. There.will.be.fallout. So take necessary steps to ensure your makeup has less cleanup work.

Tight lining will help make the eyes stand out more and bring definition to the look you create. And a well smudged khol liner  topped with the purple shadow is the finishing touch with a good dose of mascara.

The bottom line

Overall I am a huge fan of the CDP eyeshadows. They are so easy to work with and are some of the most beautiful colour combinations around. I am surprised at how much I really like this blue combination on myself even though it’s not something i’d normally think of picking up!

The lipsticks are also excellent as far as formulation goes. Beautiful colours paired with silky smooth application and the glossy youthful finish is perfect to complete any spring makeup look. My personal favourite between the two was Cherish. You know me, i’m a sucker for peachy nudes!

Pricing & product info

The eyeshadow palettes are sold as refills and casing separate. The refills retail at SGD 80 and the case at SGD 30.

Lipsticks retail at SGD 105. (again sold as holder and bullet seperate though I can’t recall the breakdown of these individually)

Currently available at all CDP counters in Singapore (Tangs and Takashimaya)

Lastly thank you for reading and happy Easter to you all! :-)

xx

Along with the spring 2015 makeup release, Shiseido also introduced a new concealer stick. The Perfecting Stick concealer.

Being an ardent fan of the Clé de Peau concealer stick, I was curious to see how this performed against it. Specially since the Shiseido retails at a very competitive price!

So let’s get right to it!

Packaging

Given they both come under the Shiseido brand, packaging is very similar, except for the iconic navy blue tipped cap. The Shiseido instead has the logo up top, still maintaining a very luxe finish.

Overall both look sleek and compact and ideal for keeping in your makeup bag.

Also no worries of leaks or spillage, the cap secures with a firm click.

Formula & Coverage

According to Shiseidos press release, the concealer contains a special ‘Bind & Fit Wax’ which allows a high coverage while also delivering an easily blendable smooth formula that helps you achieve a finish that looks skin like and never unnatural or cakey.

From my experience I found the concealer to be smooth and creamy, a little more emollient than the Clé de Peau. Therefore making it perfect consistency for concealing blemishes and spots too. I mostly use this to cover dark circles though and it does a pretty good job of it. It looks less dry on the under eye when compared to the CDP, something a lot of users complain about.

The coverage of this is on the higher side of medium. Almost opaque when blended in. In comparison to CDP, it’s slightly under. For those with regular under eye darkness this should be a good fit.

Finish

The concealer melds well with the skins surface and gives a very natural finish. Never looks patchy or parched.

Longevity & Wear

I noticed it creases. But then so does the Clé de Peau. I have come to peace with the fact that no concealer on earth would be crease free on me as my ‘fine lines’ are pretty deep! I remedy this by wearing as little eye cream as possible (sometimes I skip it altogether) which reduces the chance of ‘slipping’. And of course powder, powder, POWDER!

Here’s what a mix of 22 and 33 looks applied on my under eye. (Left with concealer and right eye is without)

It makes my eyes look less tired and the red undertone in the inner corner is now concealed. I also applied it on the inner corner of my cheeks around the nose to conceal any pigmentation and redness. It’s virtually undetectable.

Shade Range

This concealer comes in 6 shades.

11 Light

22 Natural light – Neutral beige toned

33 Natural – Yellow toned

44 Medium – Peachy Beige toned

55 Medium Deep

66 Deep

I ended up buying an additional two apart from the 22 Natural Light I was sent for review. So I basically ended up with half of the collection released!

These suit, Light Medium to Medium complexions.

I found the Shiseido colours were slightly brighter in comparison to the Clé de Peau. And there are no shades that are exact matches to the CDP.

And some swatches,

I currently use CDP Almond for my under eyes. And the match from Shiseido is a mix of 22 with 44 or 33.

22 on it’s own is far too light and looks ghostly on me, a typical ‘reverse panda’ eye.. If you are a NC 35 you could choose between 33 or 44 which would suit a medium, difference being the undertone. 33 is more yellow toned while 44 is a neutral peachy beige tone.

A good match for NC 25-30 would be 22 Natural light.

For those of you around an NC 15, 11 Light is the shade to go for.

For NC40 and above, 55 and 66 should suit well. I can’t recall undertones of these though. Sorry!

Overall thoughts

I feel this is a close match to the CDP. If price is a concern, you could try this and achieve a similar outcome. Although I won’t be ditching my CDP concealer in a hurry! I still enjoy the thicker and heavier coverage.

If your under eye circles aren’t too severe or if you find your CDP concealer too drying for the under eye, try this!

Note – For those of you with deeper fine lines with oilier skin, this would most likely crease on you. So be sure to test this out at a counter before you purchase.

Product info 

The Perfecting Stick Concealer comes with 5g of product and retails at SGD 46. Available at all Shiseido counters.

Hi There! Hello from sunny Seychelles. Since I do enjoy blogging on holiday, here’s a quick post on todays essentials. A trio of amazing products for shimmering limbs, glowy complexion and lusciously glossy, healthy lips.

(L-R)  Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Or shimmering dry oil, Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Opal (5g mini size) and the Clarins Instant Light Lip Comfort Oil in the shade 02 Raspberry.

Let’s start with my favourite of the three, the Becca SSP.

The Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector has been one of my go to products for complexion illumination for ages, and when I saw they released a mini trio set containing the Gold, Pearl and Opal, I knew I had to get that too. I figured the tiny purse friendly size would be quite handy.

The Shimmering Skin Perfector is Beccas star product. It’s what Becca is known for. If you ever were curious how models in bikini cover shoots always sport such amazing healthy, glowy skin, this was most likely the product used; it’s a makeup artists favourite.

Although the regular size comes in a pump bottle, this mini one actually comes with a wand. I still prefer pump bottles for hygiene reasons, but this version is great for someone who wants to sample the product without having to drop a load of cash one go.

The Becca SSP is the perfect consistency for mixing, and not too runny that it alters the texture of your foundation. Just one pump (around the size of a grain of rice) mixed in with your foundation is all you need create a beautiful natural, glowy finish and perfect for combining with my matte foundations to counteract the overly flat, matte look.

You could also use this under your foundation as a primer on just the areas you want added glow, as well as over your foundation, patted lightly on the bridge of your nose and tops of cheekbones for a beautiful glossy highlight (which you’d see in my FOTD photo at the end of the post). The highly pigmented, creamy formula ensures you don’t mess up the layer of foundation beneath.

Opal as you can see is a golden beige product and works great for any skintone.

Personally I prefer Pearl. The translucent white shade, which adds extra ‘highlight’ in a subtle manner. You won’t look ghostly I promise. (For reference, i’m an NC 35)

Next up, Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse. A multi purpose dry oil for face, body and hair. I have this in a tiny travel size with just 10ml which came as part of a Nuxe gift set.

It’s said to contain 6 plant oils for nourishing skincare benefits. Unfortunately since the packaging is in french, i’ve no clue what they are! But, let me give you the low down on what it does.

Huile Prodigieuse Or, the shimmery version of their regular dry oil has a  pleasing fragrance and is infused with golden shimmer. The consistency is quite thin, it applies without any streaks resulting in a uniform veil of shimmer.

I use this on my legs and arms for a warmed up shimmery glow. A beautiful St. Tropez, illuminated look.

As the name suggests the finish is dry. You won’t feel oily and sticky after this absorbs in (use on damp skin, straight off the shower so it sinks in easily) ; and unlike creams, it won’t melt and make your limbs feel gross once you step outside, making it the perfect moisturiser for your next trip to the tropics or the beach.

Lastly my latest find. The elusive Clarins Instant Light – Lip Comfort Oil in the shade 02 Raspberry which seems to be sold out almost everywhere.

As of late nourishing lip oils and lip glosses are the hottest beauty trend, with each brand introducing their own version to stay competitive. I’ve sampled a few and have been loving the Dior Rouge Brilliant glosses lately and this is yet another to add to my HG ‘lip treat’ list.

The Clarins Lip Comfort Oil is a thick syrupy-oil consistency and has a mild tint to it. What initially caught my attention though was that it smells soo darn good! It’s fragrance of red berries is so addictive, making me want to keep reapplying throughout the day! 

As you’d expect, this does feel slightly tacky, although nothing like your typical sticky lip glosses. I found it wasn’t catching onto hair all day, although I did wear it loose on the beach. So that’s a plus!

This oil instantly make the lips look glossy and plump and in the mean time works on hydrating and nourishing it (with plant oils such as Jojoba, Raspberry seed and Hazel), softening flakes and smoothing them out making it easy to exfoliate the dry bits without causing any injury to your delicate lips. A wonderful product that combines skincare with makeup!

Lastly, here’s my MOTD, a beach friendly look I wore for poolside lounging.

I’m wearing Opal mixed in with my Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer + CDP Radiant Fluid Foundation combo which gives the skin that glowy sunkissed finish. Brows are done with the Suqqu brow pen for a natural and water/sweat/humidity proof result and lips nourished with the Clarins Lip Comfort Oil.

Sounds like a lot of makeup right? but all applied in very thin layers for a natural look ;-)

Hi there! Welcome to the first installment of the Dior Summer reviews i’ve lined up for this week.

As always, with every Dior collection released, my most anticipated product is almost always the nail polish. This season, my greedy little eye was set on the gorgeous pastel buttercup yellow polish Sunwashed, one of the three polishes released (the others were Sunkissed,a salmon toned nude and Sundown, a bright raspberry red).

Personally I love it when high end makeup brands release fun colours such as this and I was all over it the second I saw it at the counter!

Say hello to Sunwashed!

If you are new to Dior polishes, all you need to know is that they are the best polishes the luxury market offers. Much more long lasting than the Chanel (those are so prone to chipping, they should really consider reformulating their polishes and save us the misery!), glossier and come with a perfectly shaped applicator to fit your nail bed for neat application. Basically it’s every nail polish addicts dream polish.

Application & wear

I discovered this was one of the easier pastel polishes to apply. The consistency was perfect to achieve an even first coat and the second coat corrected any minor streaking that would have occurred when applying the first.

The formula also dried pretty fast between coats and didn’t drag when the next layer went on.

As always I sealed it with my Guerlain Le Top Coat Gel for a glossier finish and prolong wear. I usually get around a good 5 days with just minor tip wear with Dior polishes. It’s always low maintenance.

Here’s a swatch of how this looks applied, two coats and a top coat.

Bottom line

From a collectors point of view, this is something i’d consider a must have, as it’s unique. Of course if it’s unlikely you’d get sufficient use off a pastel yellow and stick mostly to nudes, pinks and reds, by all means give this a pass, at the end of the day what’s the point of shelling out 20+ dollars for something that would just collect dust right?

Other info

Limited edition, which means once it’s sold out, it’s gone for good.

Comes with 10 ml of product and retails at USD 27 in the U.S & SGD 39 in Singapore.

Available at all Dior counters and is part of the Dior Tie Dye summer 2015 collection.

Last year Estée Lauder launched their Pure Colour Envy lipsticks garnering much excitement within the beauty community. It’s been a while since they revamped their lipsticks and it was big news. Needless to say, I was VERY interested.

Sadly these highly pigmented full coverage lipsticks never made it to the Asian market, leaving all fellow beauty addicts desperate and reaching out to their allies in the west to send some over! Luckily I managed to pick up my very first one, Insatiable Ivory on one of my trips to London and have been eagerly awaiting their launch in Asia.

At long last, here’re the glorious, Pure Colour Envy Sculpting Lipsticks.

I was sent three of these beauties for review, left to right (Impulsive, Potent, Defiant Coral)

Impulsive – A neutral, light muted pink.

Potent – A neutral, peachy pink.

Defiant Coral – A bright coral with very heavy pink tones. (For those who prefer Corals with less orange tones, this is bound to please)

As always, firstly, let’s take a look at the packaging.

These lipsticks come housed in a glossy navy blue holder with accents of classic gold. They feel quite weighty when held, similar to luxury lipsticks. The overall look & feel of these is definitely more modern and sleek compared to the older Estée Lauder lipsticks.

The closure is magnetic and clicks shut. So no worries about these opening up all by themselves, therefore I really enjoy lipsticks with this special feature. Our handbags are safe from ‘Lipstick Graffiti’.

Formula & Texture.

These lipsticks achieve maximum opacity with 2 strokes, covering the lips evenly, leaving it glossy and full. What I like most about these though is that they are very comfortable when worn. They contain a ‘Time Release Encapsulated Moisture Complex’ with Hyaluronic Acid which keeps lips hydrated and supple throughout wear.

When compared, these feel much more creamier than the MAC satin finish lipsticks and are more along the lines of Tom Ford. I found them suspiciously similar to Tom Ford actually, in terms of pigmentation and texture. Little surprise though given that they are both under the same Estée Lauder holding company!

Longevity & Wear.

These lipsticks can last from 4-6 hours depending on the shade you pick, with the darker ones lasting easily towards 6 hours with a bit wearing off just around the center of the lips leaving a mild stain.

I also noticed that these lipsticks don’t leave that horrifying white rim whilst wear. So you won’t have to keep checking your lipstick regularly to fix this problem.

Basically when I wear these, I just get on with my day and forget about them. No reapplying.

On to swatches,

Moving on, here’re some comparison swatches I put together. I hope you find them useful.

Bottom Line

These lipsticks are serious business. From pigmentation to wear, I had nothing to complain about. They offer vivid colour that lasts and lasts and have been my go-to this whole month. I highly recommend these and if you are on the lookout for long wearing lipsticks for office, they are something you need to check out.

*P.S- before I forget, these new EL lipsticks have a very faint vanilla fragrance. No longer the heavy fig scent in case you wondered!

Pricing and Shade Range

These retail at SGD 45 each and are currently available at all Estée Lauder counters.

Singapore carries 16 of the 20 shades released and come in 4 different colour families.

Nudes to Browns – Insatiable Ivory, Exciting, Impulsive, Potent

Pinks to Berries – Eccentric, Ambitious Pink, Defiant Coral, Infamous

Corals to Reds – Complex, Daring, Impassioned, Envious

Mauve to Plums – Powerful, Rebellious Rose, Dominant, Irresistible

The Diorskin Nude Air Serum Foundation is the latest of the high tech bases that seem to be hitting the counters these days. They promise great coverage with unbelievably light finishes and the Diorskin Nude Air in my opinion is at the top of it’s game. Formulated with ‘oils’ that evaporate instantly, leaving behind a fine layer of concentrated pigments, it makes for one interesting product!

Packaging 

As with all things Dior, the packaging is ultra luxe and just beautiful.

The product is housed in a matte glass bottle and comes with a dispenser that is a very stylish silver dropper.

Formula & Coverage

According to Dior,

“The Diorskin Nude Air is an ultra fluid serum foundation, as weightless and beneficial as a breath of fresh air, for an enhanced complexion with a sheer finish. Like after a day in the great outdoors, the face gains a natural healthy glow.”

As described, the texture of this is very lightweight and runny, making this oil based fluid feel a lot like a serum. Almost liquid silk as you swirl a drop on the back of your hand, it feels like skincare to the touch.

Before dispensing, instructions recommend shaking the bottle well. This helps mix the pigment particles into the solution evenly. Proceeding you can start with just a few drops and build on from there. I found that one drop for either cheek, one for the forehead and one for the chin works well. If you need slightly higher coverage you can always add more, although in my experience the coverage isn’t that buildable.

For application I just use my fingers.

When it comes to thin solutions such as this, sponges absorb too much product and with this foundation using a brush made it difficult to assess how much product was going on (as it’s so light!) therefore fingers were the ideal choice. You can sweep and pat till the finish looks almost airbrushed. Plus this is the quickest route to take on rushed days!

When applied, the Diorskin Nude Air goes on smooth without catching onto or emphasizing any dry patches or exaggerating pores, leaving you with a soft velvety finish as it sets. A layer of this would easily give you medium coverage.

The real selling point though is that it looks just like skin. One of the most skin like foundations I have ever encountered. This has a healthy balance between matte and dewy, and the overall look is soft and airbrushed once it sets.

Here’s a before and after, i’ve just prepped with a light moisturiser and skipped a primer so you get an idea how it looks applied directly onto the skin.

As you can see it corrects redness well and lightly conceals blemishes. Pores are also smoothed out for the most part and skin looks like a better version of itself.

Longevity & Wear.

Those with normal to dry skin may not have to set it with a powder. To me this is a non negotiable step, so I did set it with my Gucci pressed powder as I find a regular loose powder isn’t enough to keep this in place throughout the day.

During wear, I noticed the first signs of dewiness appear around 2 -3 hours of wear (since I do live near the equator and am blessed with 90+ temperature and 70% humidity everyday). Most dewiness was concentrated around the t-zone while the cheeks still looked fresh and non greasy.

As the day continued, the finish got dewier, and blotting was an absolute necessity. Although I am glad that I never noticed any transferring and the foundation mostly did stay in place except around my nose where it seemed to slide off. It lasted well into 8 hours on me after it started to look a bit worn.

In conclusion, I feel this foundation would be ideal for those with normal to drier skin and those of you like me, blessed (NOT) with combination skin having to prep with a mattifying primer before application. If you live in hot, humid countries + have oily skin, it might be a bit high maintenance (unless you spend most of your day in an air conditioned cubicle), having to blot regularly and touch up around tea time.

But of course if you live in colder weather, I believe this could even work well on combination skin.

Shade Range

The shade range is quite limited. When I checked this out, I saw just shades 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60. But then again I was at the Dior Duty Free counter in Dubai. Online I found that there were in between shades similar to Dior Star (21, 23 and 33). But for those of you around an NC 35, you’d still be between 30-40 where there is a massive jump. As 33 is a more peachy undertone than yellow and 40 is a very deep medium with a yellow tone.

Either way my exact match ended up just past 30 which meant I needed to mix in a tiny bit of 40. But once my tan fades, i’m guessing i’ll be back at 30!

Here’re swatches of 30 and 40. There really should have been at least two more shades between >.< Seriously.

A comparison with Dior Star

So for those of you who already have Dior Star and debating getting this, they are nothing alike. Dior Star is more of a full coverage foundation which is also more matte. Something you’d reach for when you need to look flawless without that caked up mask of a regular full coverage foundation.

Diorskin Nude Air on the other hand is more of a sheer to medium coverage skin like foundation. It’s the ideal, your skin but better finish achieved with a weightless formula. A great foundation for day to day use.

*Between the two, Dior Star was the more longer lasting.

A comparison with NARS All Day Luminous Weightless foundation

The NARS ADLWF is somewhat comparable. It’s a similar consistency, with a slightly more buildable coverage and the same idea as far as technology goes. The main difference I see between the two is that the NARS does apply with difficulty over dry areas though I find this a foundation that suits oilier skin types better as it’s longer lasting. The finish is more ‘wet’ in comparison to Diorskin Nude Air mainly since the Dior sets to a velvet finish. However, between the two, even with my oilier disposition, I can truly appreciate the luminosity and overall finer texture of the Dior. It truly feels sublime.

Bottom line, If you like a dewy finishes  and don’t mind slightly less coverage, Dior is the way to go.

Overall Thoughts

It truly is a perfect ‘nude’ skin like finish. Undetectable (i’m not talking macro lens point of view!), perfecting and glowy. If there was anything to complain about, it would have to be the shade range. Those with warmer olive skin tones might find it harder to get a match. In general I find Dior shades to suit the rosy and neutral undertones best, so if you fall into that category you are in luck!

Anyways all cards on the table, this is my favourite foundation for now, and wish they come up with a longer wearing version suited for oilier skin.

Product Details

The Diorskin Nude Air comes with an SPF 25-PA++ (no flash back) and is a talc-free formula.

Retails at 88SGD (30ml)

Ingredients List

Yup! There’s Dimethicone in there. Explains that silicony feel!

Other information

*When shade matching, keep in mind this has a tendency to oxidize, always try out a sample before you buy!

Lastly thank you for reading, and I hope this review was useful.

Wishing you a great week!

Michelle. xx

If there was one product that i’d continuously repurchase it would have to be the Clé de Peau Beauté primer, Sheer Fluid Veil. It’s my go-to as far as base primers go and ever since this came into my possession, it’s been an endless love affair.

I’ve had several requests over the last few months for a detailed review comparing this with the Correcting Cream Veil and to be honest, caught up between all the seasonal releases I found it hard to get my post in. So today, before I continue with my Dior Summer reviews that are still in the pipeline I wanted to make an effort to talk about these two. As they really do deserve a post all to themselves!

The Sheer Fluid Veil and the Correcting Cream Veil both come packaged in Clé de Peaus signature midnight blue paired with gold accents.

The dispenser is a nozzle. Ideal as it’s hygienic and leak proof (as the screw on cap shuts firmly and never ever runs the risk of sliding off), making it travel friendly. Thus far i’ve have never had any problems packing either of these whenever I’m off on a holiday.

The plastic packaging is also a plus as you can always carry it along in your makeup bag without adding unnecessary weight to your existing ‘load’.

Formula & Texture

The Sheer Fluid Veil is my go-to everyday primer. It’s a lightweight, transparent primer that absorbs instantly when smoothed in, leaving skin hydrated and prepped for foundation. There is no oily feel, so I’d recommend this for anyone and everyone from normal to combination to oily skin.

It’s a great primer that works under any foundation.

The Correcting Cream Veil is a thicker, nourishing consistency and is light pink in colour. As the name suggests this has more of a correcting function that uplifts the complexion correcting any sallowness or dullness. Skin is left hydrated with a radiant rosy glow.

This would be ideal for those with slightly drier or mature skin types, as well as anyone who is looking for a more radiant and brighter makeup finish. However, if you are any darker than an NC35, the rosy tint of this would look more like a white cast. Therefore it’s important to control the amount of product you use. With this primer, you only need a teeny tiny bit.

Here’re a look at the consistency. On the left we have the Correcting Cream Veil, and the Sheer Fluid Veil on the right.

Clearly the drop of the Correcting Cream Veil I used is too much to blend out well.

Other info

Both of these have added SPF. The Sheer Fluid Veil possesses an SPF 24. PA++ while the Correcting Cream Veil has an SPF 20. PA++.

I am particularly impressed by how light the Sheer Fluid Veil feels when applied on and the extra SPF is good enough for a regular day if you don’t spend extended hours outdoors. You can actually skip your sunscreen, shortening the prep process.

Also worth noting these primers do have a light floral scent. It’s a very subtle one and nothing unbearable and most importantly does not linger. If you are familiar with Clé de Peau bases, it’s that exact scent.

Bottom line

Both primers prep the skin for foundation really well. I notice that my foundation goes on smoother and evenly and also did look fresh for much longer than it would have if I had skipped a primer.

When tested side by side, I didn’t see any difference in dewiness. As in mid day, the portion of my face which had the Correcting Cream Veil wasn’t any more oilier than the portion with the Sheer Fluid Veil. Clearly the richer texture of the Correcting Cream Veil does not cause any oiliness.

Both of these keep the skin looking fresh for longer and has mild oil control benefits. If you are looking for a mattifying effect, these definitely aren’t for you.

But for those who are on the lookout for a radiant glowy finish, these are definitely worth looking at and come highly recommended by me!

Product info

Correcting Cream Veil

36ml 1.4oz – SGD 100

Sheer Fluid Veil

30ml 1 oz – SGD 100

Available at all Clé de Peau Beauté counters (Tangs Orchard and Takashimaya)

Here to review the last of my haul of the Tie Dye collection, the blush harmony 002 Coral Sunset & the special edition, Tie Dye Dior Addict lipsticks.

Starting off with Coral Sunset.

Possibly the most beautiful of the Tie Dye releases, this one’s quite the heart breaker yes?

Packaging

The Dior Coral Sunset blush comes packaged in a weighty silver casing embellished with the signature Dior Cannage cross hatch. The closure is a magnetized one adding to it’s sleek elegant appeal.

Inside there’s also a good sized mirror, big enough for on the go blush touch ups.

Along with the blush comes a small but decent sized Kabuki brush with white bristles; and to my surprise, for once this is actually quite a useable one. In general I never attempt using any of the tiny brushes that come with powder products as they are always so scratchy and horrible on the cheeks, but this was quite the opposite. It’s soft and the bristles are packed just enough to make a wonderful tool for brush application.

I could even use this for powder foundation or bronzer if the need ever arose. Thank you Dior!

Coral Sunset is essentially a mix of muted mauvey pink, vibrant orange, a sunny yellow and a white shimmer band that runs right through the middle.

The overall finish of this is satin with some very fine silver shimmer. I find the formula finely milled, soft to the touch and a tiny bit on the powdery side. This more noticeable when swatched and doesn’t look powdery once applied on the cheeks.

To be quite honest, both blushes didn’t swatch well at all! They looked powdery and took forever to build up noticeable colour when swatched at the counter. Luckily on the cheeks they perform infinitely better! On my NC 35 medium skin tone, this shows up quite well and the colour can be built up from a light peach to a more vibrant coral orange.

This blush wore well for over 6-7 hours on me.  However if you work long days you might have to touch up toward the end of the day for extending it’s wear.

Onto some swatches. I swatched the pink and the orange individually, and one swatch of them swirled together.

Personally I find it hard to just pick the shades from each band for single colour applications as they aren’t too wide. However I did notice you can always concentrate the colour more towards pink or orange depending on your preference that day. I always go for a more orange toned flush though as the pink is a bit too muted a colour for my complexion!

Overall thoughts

This is by no means a must have and I’m pretty sure you’d be able to find a close dupe for this colour with many other cheaper brands. But of course for those who are after the next luxury indulgence, this would be hard to pass up as it’s so pretty. Luckily though performance wise i’m very happy. It looks nice applied and gives a subtle glow to the cheeks and sets off a tan really well! So it’s not just the visual appeal and you’d most certainly get good use out of this specially during the warmer months.

*For those of you any darker than an NC 35, it’s gonna be tough trying to get this to show up on your skin and the pink version Pink Sunrise even more lighter and i’d say that’s more for NC25 and below! Both blushes are clearly aimed at fair to fair-medium complexions. Now onto the lipsticks that came out with this collection. The Dior Addict Tie Dye lipsticks. I picked up two, Fuchsia Utopia and Red Bliss

Packaging

The lipsticks look exactly like the Dior Addict Perfume packaging, just a mini version. A mirrored transparent acrylic forms the cap which you have the Dior logo embossed and the bullet is held inside a silver barrel fitted with a little rounded knob (which is for pulling the bullet out).

The most interesting part though is the logo embellished lipstick. Which is not JUST embellishment. It’s a contrasting colour that runs throughout the centre of the lipstick. All 6 shades that were released have this contrasting colour meant to create an ombre lip look which in this case is marketed as a ‘tie dye’ look.

Fuchsia Utopia

A medium fuchsia pink with a light pink CD logo, applies smooth and balmy with sheer buildable colour. As you can see the inner portion of the swatch is noticeably lighter and brighter, this is due to the contrasting colour of the CD logo in the middle which tones down the intensity of the fuchsia.

Red Bliss

A reddened coral with a light pink centre. This too a sheer coverage lipstick.

Longevity and Wear

These Dior Addict lipsticks are very comfortable on the lips. They hydrate and keep lips from drying out. The sheerer colour payoff was surprisingly long lasting (well into 3 hrs) and I noticed I liked how Fuchsia Utopia looked after around 2 hours of wear better than when it was freshly applied. It ‘sinks in’ and gives the lips a nice pouty effect, just blushing with colour. These are easy maintenance and can be applied in a flash, no mirror needed. Lovely lipsticks.

Overall Thoughts

I’d call these low maintenance lipstick options for everyday use with the added luxe factor. I reach for them when I’m indecisive on which lipstick to wear (very often) or if i’m in a rush I just grab one and go.

However I feel the real draw though is the limited edition CD logo embellishment on the bullet, which is actually functional and not purely decoration. The best part being this runs all the way through the bullet and is not going to wear out with just a few uses.

Only thing to keep in mind when purchase is that the colour variants are very subtle when worn specially if you have very pigmented lips. Therefore picking up 4-5 shades of this collection is not a necessity! After all they are quite the splurge. In any case I believe they make a nice addition to your lipstick wardrobe specially for summer and worth picking up, if only just one.

Lastly here’s a look I created yesterday using the Coral Sunset on the cheeks and Fuchsia Utopia on the lips. A very easy, wearable everyday look.

Product details 

These lipsticks retail at SGD 48 for 3.5 g of product (Mine was purchased in Dubai DF for 137 AED/ 49 SGD)

The Blush Coral Sunset retails at $95 each for 10g of product (227 AED which comes to around 81 SGD)

This limited edition collection is currently available at all Dior counters.

I hope you found this review useful even though it took a while to get my reviews out! Which were your picks from this collection? Are you planning on getting any? I personally think the nail polish Sunwashed (reviewed here) and the blush to be the best buys.