Happy Monday!

Here to share a quick swatch post of the newly released Tom Ford Summer collection with my first impressions as well as recommendations. As always i’ll be following this up with individual reviews but for now I hope my initial impressions prove useful to narrow down the best buys.

As you can see, this years summer release was a fairly big one with 15 products in total.

Cream & Powder Eye Colour – 4 shades (Naked Bronze, Black Oyster, Golden Peach, Midnight Sea)

Eye & Cheek Compact – Pink Glow

Cream Cheek Colour – Pink Sand

Lip Colour Sheer – 4 shades (Skinnydip, Rose Soleil, Sweetspot, Paradiso)

Bronzing Powder (large & mini) – 2 shades (Terra, Gold Dust)

Shimmering Body Oil

Cream & Powder Eye Colour

These are never before seen, brand new products where each duo contains a cream eyeshadow and a sparkly powder eyeshadow.

As you probably already know the TF cream colour singles are a popular limited edition release, and 3 of the 4 cream colours in these duos are in fact repromotes from previous collections. The only exception being Black Oyster.

The sparkling powder eyeshadows that come in these duos are the same formula as the ones in their eye colour quads and are perfect for layering on top of the cream shadow to create a ultra shimmering statement eye look.

If you already own the Pink Haze and Spice cream eyeshadow singles then my recommendations to you would be the blue and grey combo Midnight Sea and the black and gun metal combo Black Oyster as they are something new and interesting.

Here are swatches of Black Oyster and Golden Peach

1st Swatch – Cream shadow layered with the powder

2nd Swatch – Powder shadow

3rd Swatch – Cream shadow

Cream Cheek Colour – Pink Sand 

This is a beautiful medium pink cream blush infused with a fine golden shimmer. When swatched I found the consistency quite balmy and thin and once blended in, the colour sheers out a fair bit leaving just a hint of a golden rosy glow.

Overall I feel this to be more of a rose tinged cream highlighter adding just a light flush of colour and not your usual cream blush that would give you a full on blushing cheek.

Eye & Cheek Compact – Pink Glow

Similar to last years Summer palette Unabashed, this eye and cheek palette comes with three eyeshadows and two cheek colours (one a highlighter).

Here’re swatches (top to bottom we have the two cheek colours followed by the three eyeshadows)

As you would imagine, this was my favourite from the entire collection. The colour payoff and formula was identical to the regular Tom Ford quads and of exceptional quality.

If you were to pick up only one item from this collection, make it this!

Lip Colour Sheers

As the name suggests these are sheerer versions of the regular Tom Ford lipsticks. Two of the colours are repromotes of last years Spring release. The new shades being Skinny Dip and Rose Soleil (both in shimmer finish). I find these two to be the actual sheer lipsticks where as Sweet Spot and Paradiso (cream finish) somewhat in the middle between the regular TF lipsticks and these two sheer ones and definitely had better colour payoff.

Here’re swatches of three of the lipsticks.

If I were to pick favourites it’d be Sweetspot & Paradiso, beautiful creamy, smooth lipsticks that are great for everyday use.

Bronzers, Terra & Gold Dust

The Tom Ford bronzers are a permanent feature in the U.S and Europe product line up. However it’s the very first time they are making an appearance in Singapore.

To make things even more exciting, they now come in a compact mini version which is a nice size for carrying around for touch ups.

Here are swatches, both layered quite heavily so you see them well on my currently very tanned arm.

Gold Dust as you can see is a shimmer infused more yellow toned shade while Terra a matte with a cooler undertone.

Between the two, I found that Terra is ideal for those who want to go for a more sculptured bronzed look and Gold Dust for those who prefer a shimmering golden bronze.

Both a quite sheer but buildable and very skin like when applied. No powderiness whatsoever. Highly recommend you check them out as they are even prettier in the sleek white packaging.

Lastly, here’s the price list relevant to Singpore.

Cream Powder Duos – SGD85

Eye and Cheek Palette – SGD146

Cream Cheek Colour – SGD87

Lipstick – SGD72

Bronzing powder – SGD160 (Large) SGD 102 (Mini)

Shimmering Body Oil – SGD160

Collection is currently on sale (released on the 8th May/last Friday) at the Tom Ford Beauty flagship counter at Tangs Orchard. Happy shopping! :)

*P.S- Stocks of the Eye & Cheek Palette are yet to arrive. Although you can get on the wait list so you don’t miss out! 

Hi and happy Saturday! Here to discuss a few products i’ve been testing out from the Courrèges collection.

As you may know, the Courrèges collection was released a while back in the U.S and pretty much sold out instantly. For those of you in Singapore though, now is your chance to finally get your hands on this wildly successful launch, it just released here.

Today i’ll be sharing my thoughts on the Illuminations Face Powder, Eye Amplifiers Black Silver and Aqua Silver & the Rosy Future Super Gloss.

The Courrèges collection comes in a very futuristic style packaging. Unlike anything i’ve seen from Estée Lauder before. As you can see, the eyeshadows & highlighters are packaged in white pots with domed screw top lids with a similar globular style running through out the collection.

So far i’ve found this packaging quite nice and of good quality. The domed design does take up an odd amount of space in ones makeup storage but at least it’s something sturdy and not a flimsy, gimmicky design.

Anyways aren’t we all tired of seeing the same uninspired, run of the mill type makeup packaging? I think yes.

Moving onto reviews…

The most sort after item from this collection has to be the Illuminations Face Powder. Not to be confused with ‘beauty powders’ (that MAC releases) which can be used all over the face, this is in fact a powder highlighter.

Illuminations is a shimmering champagne beige with a hint of peach.

For those with warm complexions this would translate to more of a silvery beige, with the cooler complexions drawing out more of the rosy warm golden tones.

As evident from swatches, the pay off is very impressive, leaving a highly reflective shimmer bomb that blends out to an angelic glow!

I felt even the lightest touch would pick up more product than needed. My advice would be dusting off the excess on the back of your hand before going anywhere near the face so you don’t over do the highlight.

The formula is very finely milled and blends easily, and the shimmer disperses evenly without any patchiness so it never looks ott or vulgar.

Overall I really do love the formula of this even though it slightly exaggerated the pores.

Here’re some comparison swatches I put together for you.

I chose some champagne & rose toned products so you see how Illuminations looks alongside. (Please note, over here Illuminations photographed more silver than it’s actual light rosy beige tone. The other swatches are quite true to colour)

From this line up, the Chanel has the most ‘chunky’ shimmer with everything else swatching much finer. The MAC Summer Opal is the most rose toned out of the lot and quite finely milled. I find the Laura Mercier Spellbound to be the most reflective with a high shine and the EL Illuminations highlight the second most reflective. Both of these have very fine shimmer so they do blend out well and look rather nice worn. The Hourglass in comparison is the most subtle from the lot and can be worn as a beauty powder and not just a strict highlight. 

Next up, Eye Amplifiers.

Starting with Black Silver.

Black Silver is as the name suggests, is a soft black with fine silver shimmer.

According to the press release, these Eye Amplifiers can be used wet or dry (which I realised a little too late, after I had taken the swatch pics for the post! sigh) where the dry application gives a wash of shimmery colour and the wet application providing a more dense, high intensity colour pay off.

The dry application of this left me slightly underwhelmed as my initial swatches looked more pigmented and I was expecting this to translate to the eyes. Unfortunately on the eyes it looked more of a soft gunmetal, dull black.

The overall formula of this was quite nice. It blends easily and I didn’t notice much fallout during application which was great as it did take quite a bit of layering to achieve desired intensity.

Wear wise I got a solid 8 hours without any creasing or fading with very slight fallout during the day.

Now on to, Aqua Silver.

Aqua Silver is a neutral minty green with fine silver shimmer.

The quality and formula of this was similar to Black Silver, with the dry application being quite sheer. Wet application delivered a less shimmery, more opaque result. I have to say I preferred the wet application better as the overly sparkly finish of the dry application did look somewhat dated and slightly dull on the eyes.

The idea of an intense, minty green used as a liner under the eyes does inspire me to wear this a lot more somehow.

Here are swatches of both shadows applied dry.

Now onto the lips! Here I have the aptly named Super Gloss in Rosy Future.

Packaging is sleek with a rather unique dispenser that allows just a drop of product per pump. The silver tipped applicator is a lovely hygienic option to other standard doe foot applicators as the product never gets contaminated by a used wand. This design is ideal for keeping the product fresh for longer and extend it’s shelf life.

Here’s a closer look at the pumping mechanism. Just click once to dispense.

So Rosy Future is a medium, bright fuchsia with heavy magenta tones. The consistency of this is quite thick and highly pigmented for a gloss. The formula is slightly tacky when worn but seems to adhere well to the lips and prolong wear (3-4 hrs in this case) while keeping lips moist and hydrated. I like that it lasted even after a meal without looking terribly worn off with still enough colour I could get away without having to reapply.

Overall it’s a gorgeous gorgeous pink that’s youthful and perfect for a bright summery lip. I HIGHLY recommend you check this out.

*On a side note i’d like to mention that getting used to application with this tip is quite tricky. And I had to cheat a bit with a lip brush to get a nice even finish just for the photos. 

Lastly, here’s a look I created using all the products discussed today. I went for a glam, day time look.

Overall thoughts and recommendations

I’d direct you to the highlighter and the lip gloss as the best buys.

I feel the highlighter especially is great value for money and is a worthy investment if you don’t already own a ‘nice’ champagne highlighter. Most high-end highlighters are priced well over the SGD60 mark and this is such a steal at just SGD42!

The lip gloss on the other hand is the funkiest thing ever and I am super impressed by the packaging as well as the quality of the product. It’s a winner!

Product Details

Illuminations Face powder comes with 7g of product and retails at SGD 42

Eye Amplifier Eyeshadows each come with 4g of product, retailing at SGD 42

Super Gloss comes with 6ml of product, retailing at SGD 36

All products currently available at the Tangs Orchard Estée Lauder Counter.

*Products seen here are press samples sent for review.

If I had to pick a favourite from the Tom Ford Summer Soleil collection it’d have to be Pink Glow. Besides the fact that it has all my favourite colours in there, I also love that it’s a perfectly curated mix that’s very versatile and can be worn daily.

The palette comes with 3 eyeshadows and 2 blushes (no brushes are included here so you’ll have to use your own).

Left (eyeshadow), top to bottom,

A soft shimmery pink – well pigmented, finely milled eyeshadow that blends easily. On my medium complexion this looks more of a white with barely a hint of pink. Although I suspect even on much fairer complexions this wouldn’t really show up as an outright pink and more of a pearl white.

A sparkling dull gold – it’s the exact formula and quality of the regular glitter shadows (known as celestial powders) in Tom Ford palettes. I cross checked it with several of my other palettes and it performs the same. If you don’t already own a TF palette and are new to it’s glitter formula, the best way to apply these are patted on top of your eyelids with your fingers. This helps the glitter adhere to the lids better and minimise fallout. Overall the quality of these celestial powders are unmatched and are a wearable sophisticated glitter rather than a loud obnoxious one. They also wear well throughout the day with barely any fallout which is a mighty feat for a glitter!

A warm reddened plum with pink shimmer – this was the one shade I believe didn’t quite match the regular TF eyeshadow formula. When swatched it applied with slightly less intensity. I did attempt to deepen the look of it by layering, but it doesn’t necessarily build well either. I suggest using a cream shadow or a kohl pencil in a deep brown or burgundy to make this pop a bit more.

Right (blushes), top to bottom,

A dull rose gold – which was a complex mix of gold shimmer with a pink toned base (gold or pink heavy depending on the angle and different lighting). I really love this as a transition shade for the eyes. Mostly so as I find the light pink eyeshadow to be much too cool and light for my tanned complexion. This on the other hand really helps achieve a well blended, warmer look on the eyes which is far more summery! I’d also recommend this as a highlighter worn on top of the cheekbones for a more sculptured golden glow rather than wearing this alone as a blush.

A bright medium plum with pink micro shimmer – which was extremely pigmented and silky to the touch. The colour reminded me of Ravish, just brighter and more pink toned.

Here’re the swatches. Top to bottom we have the two blushes followed with the eyeshadows.

Application tips

I find that using the entire palette one go gives you too much of a tonal look. Personally if I were to wear a plummy eyeshadow, I wouldn’t pick a plum blush to go with it. I’d much rather go with something more golden beige which won’t be competing with my eyes. And on the flip side, I’d wear the plum blush as a statement look complementing warm shimmery golden eyes created with this rose gold blush and the celestial eyeshadow.

Now onto some comparisons!

I pulled out my Tom Ford Burnished Amber palette which has a similar look. The colours in this are warmer while Pink Glow is certainly cooler in comparison. When swatched side by side I find the formula of the Burnished Amber palette to be much more pigmented in comparison to this.

Bottom line

The palette in itself judged by colour mix may not be the most unique. We see quite a number of similar palettes done these days with that combo. However to me what sets Tom Ford apart from everything else is quality. These eyeshadows are always long lasting even without a primer. I even wore it with one eye primed and one without to find that they wear was exactly the same. I saw no creasing and it lasted the entire day.

The blushes are equally lovely. They are very soft and finely milled and most of all long lasting!

Tone wise this palette isn’t overly warm and can be worn by fair, tan or deep complexions. I see it working well during summer as a go-to everyday sort of compact. Just add bronzer :-)

If the price isn’t a deciding factor, i’d recommend you pick one up. It’s a gorgeous, versatile product to own.

Lastly here’s an eye look I created with this palette. I used the rose gold blush at the crease, the plum shade on the lid with a little inner eye highlight using the light pink shade at the tear duct. I skipped eyeliner as I wanted to leave it looking fresh and summery and not too made up.

Here’s the completed face, I used the plum blush on the cheeks, finishing off the look with TF Rose Soleil lipstick.

Product info

Pink Glow comes with 13.5g of product retailing at SGD146.

*Mine was a press sample sent for review.

A Tom Ford seasonal release will never be complete without their most popular item, the lipsticks. And this time it’s pristine white packaging as last spring!!

The Soleil summer collection, comes with 4 lipsticks. Two new colours, Skinny Dip and Rose Soleil, and also two repromoted shades, Sweet Spot & Paradiso (both which i’ve had in my stash already).

*Seen here are Rose Soleil and Sweet Spot, two new lipsticks sent by TF for review.

The packaging is as always of supreme quality. The white doesn’t attract fingerprints or discolour easy (I have carried them around in my makeup bag many a time without it getting dirty or gunky) and is sturdy and well made. I also like that these lipsticks have a nice weight to them, suggestive of it’s luxury price point.

Rose Soleil is a warm, bronze toned rose with very fine golden shimmer. When swatched this had sheer payoff and high sheen, like a gloss in lipstick form. On the lips it looks less sheer and leaves a better deposit of colour, however never quite meeting the medium coverage mark.

I found the shimmer in this quite flattering and as someone who strictly prefer matte and cream finishes, that’s saying a lot. The wear of this is better than most sheer lipsticks and lasted well into 2 to 3 hours while wearing off evenly. Overall I feel it’s quite a unique colour and was my favourite of the lipsticks released.

Sweet Spot is a light peach with a high sheen finish. I love how this melts into the lips instantly adding warmth to the complexion. Coverage was medium, and had noticeably more pay off than Rose Soleil. Again wear was around 3- 3.5 hours, all the while keeping lips subtly hydrated.

Paradiso is a warm, bright, medium coral with heavy pink tones. Between the three this was the most buildable with coverage a solid medium. This too wore well with very good staying power. I got a 3 – 3.5 hours without it looking too faded.

Here’s what they look like worn.

Application tips

I like to wear these lipsticks sheer as they were intended, without building up the colour too much. Since this is a very emollient formula, it tends to gather around the inner rim of the lips if there’s excess product sitting around.

Overall thoughts

I find these perfect for day to day wear as the high sheen make them look more youthful in comparison to a full-on opaque lipstick, and is a good option for summer lips where you don’t have to keep touching up regularly as they fade evenly.

The hydrating formula of these are very comforting to lips that are parched by the roaring summer sun and protects them from drying out. A perfect mix to see you through this season.

Other links

You can check out Sabrinas review on these, here. She has very helpful comparison swatches and a review of Skinny Dip as well! 

For swatches and first impressions on the Tom Ford summer collection, you can check out my earlier post, here.

Also drop by for a full review of the Pink Glow Eye & Cheek Compact, here.

Product info 

These lipsticks come with 3g or product and retail at SGD 72

Currently available at the Tom Ford Beauty counter at Tangs Orchard.

As much as I love makeup, I am just as obsessive with skincare. And as someone who is now 30+, eye care is on the top of my list. Over the years I have discovered that an eye cream alone doesn’t cut it, so I turned to serums to get the job done. Serums in general are more potent in comparison to creams as they are formulated to carry a concentrated dose of active ingredients. Which is why you’d notice faster results in comparison to merely using a cream.

When I was sent this new serum by La Prairie, I knew I had to get it right into my skincare routine ASAP! And I am glad I did.

I put this product to the test for several months now and I am finally comfortable and familiar with the product to talk about it. So I hope you find this review useful.

Packaging

The Cellular Eye Essence Platinum Rare comes in very fancy packaging. It’s a transparent acrylic bottle with a silver (‘platinum’) core, fitted with a unique dropper dispenser system. The dropper works by clicking the ‘button’ on the top of the cap and releases the serum. The amount dispensed can be controlled (depending on how much you press) so you don’t waste any product.

The product is a silky, iridescent liquid with fine shimmer. It’s not overly runny so you won’t have to worry about this migrating into your eye.

Here’s what it looks like.

Application that’s recommended is taking a drop into your palm and smoothing it over the contours of your eye using your fingers (also extending to the frown lines between your brows if needed). Being the rebel I am, I place the required amount right on my under eye (it takes a bit of practice getting the amount right while doing this) and smooth it in with my fingers. If it pleases you, you could also use the cooling metal tip of the dropper to massage the product onto the under eye for a draining effect which helps with getting rid of any puffiness too. I prefer to stick to fingers though, as it gives me more control.

The product absorbs fast and no residue is left lying on the skin. If you have difficulty getting it to absorb, you probably used too much. Just reduce the dosage next time.

Results!

With a weeks use (once a day at night), you start to notice the brightening effect and skin around the eye starting to feel firmer. Into a few weeks more I noticed one little fine line that was just emerging under my eye had now slowed down.

After several months of continuous use, the eye area is much firmer, lifted and looks more youthful. Wrinkles, which were my primary concern has been tackled (that annoying fine line now barely visible and the deeper ones too looking less scary!) and with continuous use i’m hoping to see an even more smoothed out eye area!

Bottom Line

Would I repurchase this when I run out? Of course! It’s the one thing that has given me such good results, so i’m willing to dish out the big bucks on this.

To help ease the pain (of your weeping wallet) I’m happy to note, i’ve had a good 5 months use off this and there’s still more left. And if you plan on using this morning and night it might last you around 4 months or so.

Other info

I use this strictly at night as it doesn’t do very well under makeup. My concealer starts pilling if I apply over this. Therefore in the mornings I use my eye cream alone (another La Prairie gem I plan to write about soon!) and save the hardcore, potent stuff for the nighttime.

The scent of this is a light floral which is barely even noticeable, but if you are sensitive to things like that, better take a whiff and see for yourself.

Also worth noting, the packaging has been pretty travel friendly and is quite hardy withstanding ‘trauma’ by baggage handlers. Which is great as I don’t like to alter my nighttime routine even while on holiday.

Product info

This comes with 15 ml or product and is priced at SGD560.

La Prairie counters are located at Tangs Orchard and Takashimaya.

Bronzers are quite a tricky thing to work with. Either you have the correct shade, or you don’t. There’s no middle ground. And as someone who’s already pretty ‘coloured’, I somehow don’t feel the need for a bronzer as a complexion enhancer, but more of a shader. I use this method instead of contouring just to add definition to the face. Either way, so many things to consider, colour, shimmer content (if any) and texture!

I feel that cream bronzers would give you the most realistic bronzed, skin like sun-kissed effect. Or is it? Well the Tom Ford bronzers are really something else. I am glad they are now in my life, rocking my world.

As seen above, for summer Tom Ford has repackaged their bronzer in the luxurious white and gold packaging. In addition to that they also launched a mini version of each bronzer too, perfect for taking along with you on all those exotic summer holidays you are planning.

The white packaging is a glossy lacquered finish, it doesn’t attract fingerprints and is perfectly accented with a gold trim. Overall the feel of this very luxurious with a touch of retro glamour. I quite like this white packaging a bit more than the original mahogany in this case. What are your thoughts? Isn’t it deliciously summery?

The Tom Ford bronzers come in two shades. Gold Dust & Terra.

The main difference between the two is the finish. Gold dust is a shimmer infused bronzer while Terra being completely matte. Apart from that, there’s also the variance in shade. The more yellow toned one is clearly Gold Dust with Terra being an almost neutral bronze.

After repeated use I have come to appreciate how weightless these bronzers are. They are nearly impossible to over do. You can be as heavy handed as you like and the result will never look powdery or over bronzed and fake. They look incredibly skin like.

So far i’ve been finding hard to pick favourites, even though the more sensible option is to be drawn to Gold Dust with my very yellow toned skin.

Testing out Terra, I have come to appreciate how it gives an almost sun burnt look to the skin (in the best possible way, slightly rosy looking), like you came home from a day at the beach. It’s a brown with hints of redness, without the yellow tone. The actual colour of a tan!

For best results, just apply where the sun would hit the face, the forehead, tops of cheekbones and nose.

Here’re swatches of the two.

As I mentioned Gold Dust is the richer, more exotic colour. I see this looking amazing on Arabic skin tones, the very rich and golden ones. And also for Asian skin tones with yellow undertones.

If you are already tanned (regardless of skin colour) Gold Dust would be the perfect enhancer. The shimmer works great with sun-kissed skin and looks particularly lovely dusted on the décolletage. I have been enjoying it quite a bit.

For those on the look out for a day time, less conspicuous bronzer, Terra would be it. For a matte, the texture of this is sublime and I don’t think i’ve ever swatched a matte product that applied so beautifully. It’s veil thin.

This in my opinion would suit almost all skin tones. It’s quite a fool proof colour. I would specially recommend this to even the fairest of complexions with rosy undertones. It’s a very universal shade.

The Bottom Line

These aren’t cheap products. And yes it’s an investment! However, considering the amount of product one pan carries, you won’t feel so bad about parting with your hard earned cash.

As far as quality goes, these are a dream. It’s so weightless and light, never powdery on the skin. They blend in easily and just melds with it. I can’t find a single thing to complain about!

Since this summer the bronzers were released in a smaller size, I feel now is the time to give these a go. The mini version isn’t quite as value for money as the regular size, but is a good starting point if you are unsure about making a commitment.

Also can I tempt you with the packaging? I’m a little brainwashed by the white n gold mix, aren’t you? They sure do look so summery and nice!

Some Link Love

You can check out this review by my friend Dr. Ebru. I always find her reviews reliable and helpful.

Product Info

The Large bronzer comes with 0.7 oz/ 19.8g of product and retails at SGD160, and the smaller one comes with 0.3 oz/ 8.5g of product, retailing at SGD102.

Available now for a limited time at the Tangs Orchard Tom Ford Counter.

Mine were samples sent for review by Tom Ford Beauty. Thank you Adeline!

Happy Sunday! Welcome to a preview of one of MAC’s upcoming summer collections, Le Disko.

This new collection consists of,

12  eyeshadows in a glittery, Dazzleshadow formula.

She Sparkles – Light grey with pink & silver sparkles

Last Dance – Peach beige with pink sparkles

Let’s Roll – Red bronze with sparkles

Try Me On – Deep blue green with sparkles

Say It Isn’t So – Dark grey with pink sparkles

Can’t Stop, Don’t Stop – Deep plum purple with sparkles

Let’s Boogie – Black with silver sparkles

Boom Boom Room – Light burgundy with emerald sparkles

I Like 2 Watch – Mid tone brown with gold sparkles

Slow/Fast/Slow – Bronze with red sparkles

Get Physical – Purple with light blue sparkles

Feel The Fever – Deep blue purple with pink sparkles

5  Dazzleglass lip glosses.

Roller Girl – Nude with pink pearl

Sugarrimmed – Pale white beige

Phiff! – Sheer neutral beige with orange undertone

Cherry Popping – Fuchsia with purple pearl

Boys Go Crazy – Dark purple with blue undertone

2  gold and silver Superslick liquid eyeliner

Nocturnal – Bright silver pearl

Pure Show – Bright yellow-gold pearl

Here I have 8 of the eyeshadows.

Most of the colours are multi dimensional with some duo chrome shades and are truly quite dazzling, specially so under artificial lighting.

The Dazzleshadows are a very loosely packed formula and flakey to the touch. The colour payoff comparable to the Bao Bao Jewels Limited Edition palette, except not as creamy. The glitter in these are a very fine and and more of a shimmer. Definitely easier to work with than those shadows with chunky glitter which get all over the place!

When blended they sheer out a fair bit and seem to have difficulty adhering to the skin and I do believe this formula would benefit greatly paired with a primer.

Here’s a closer look at the selection I received! (Click images for an even better view!)

Row 1 (Left to Right) – Boom Boom Room, Say It Isn’t So, Try Me On, She Sparkles. 

Row 2 – I Like 2 Watch, Let’s Boogie, Can’t Stop Don’t Stop, Last Dance.

Here’re some swatches,

My personal favourites from this collection are Boom Boom Room, Say It Isn’t So & I Like 2 Watch. All so wonderfully complex!

Other Info

This collection will be launching in Singapore on the 3rd July at all MAC counters.

Dazzleshadow suggested retail price SGD 39

Dazzleglosses suggested retail price SGD 36

Superslick liquid eyeliner suggested retail price SGD 35

Recently I had the privilege of previewing Urban Decays Summer collection, and as expected it was a colourful affair. This time around we have quite a hefty release. 32 products in total!

Collection consists of,

9 new Afterglow 8-hour powder blush.

14 Revolution high-colour lip glosses

8 single Eyeshadows

Ultimate ozone multipurpose primer pencil

My favourites as always are the eyeshadows. They are an UD speciality!

The 8 new colours released will be joining the permanent line. Good news for those who hate running to the nearest Sephora the second a limited edition collection releases!

Clockwise we have,

Backfire – a burgundy with a purple shift (it’s what i’m wearing in todays eye look)

Tonic – lilac with blue shift

Dive Bar – a royal blue with pink-purple shift

Fireball – a peach with pink shift

Lounge – a brick red with green shift

Sideline – gold with green shift

Riff – brown nude matte with micro sparkle

Beware – warm matte brown

All the shadows swatch beautifully and are well pigmented. I particularly liked the new matte shades, Beware and Riff. I believe this is the first time UD has released a solid matte, as they always seem to release shimmer colours. It was interesting to note that the matte shadows performed equally well when swatched.

As part of my press kit I received Backfire & Sideline and I found these to be of exceptional quality when put to use. They blend seamlessly and can be sheered out for a whisper of colour or packed on for an intense look.

Normally i’d experience some fallout with UD eyeshadows, but with both of these (which were a glitter free formula) I noticed none at all. Of course as always I used it over an UD primer potion to make sure they adhere well to the lids but that’s a standard practice whenever I apply my eyeshadow. It definitely helps keeping it on all day.

From the colours released i’d recommend the two matte shades, as well as Fireball and Lounge. They were lovely!

The Revolution high-colour lipgloss are a new formulation. They promise to be ‘high coverage’ and ‘ultra pigmented’, giving you the ‘colour you crave in one stroke’. There are 14 shades in total and come in two finishes, cream and sparkle.

My favourites were the nudes as always and also some of the brighter pinks. They are quite fun and flirty!

Left to Right we have,

Brickhouse – dark brick red

69 – bright red

Punch Drunk – bright orange

Scandal – bright pink

Savage – electric pink

Bittersweet – bright purple

Quiver – medium rose-pink

Failbait – light neutral pink

Liar – medium pink-nude

Big Bang – bright pink with glitter

Vice – dark purple with glitter

Assassin – candy apple red with glitter

Apocalypse – deep purple wine

*Missing here is Kinky, another nude.

On to some swatches (Click image for a closer view)

I found these to be quite good coverage. They aren’t opaque, but just under. If I had to compare, i’d say these are pretty close to the Hourglass lip glosses in coverage, with a slightly tacky formula.

Initially I tested out Scandal and Failbait. In comparison I noticed that the darker colours tend to bleed a bit. I suppose the lighter shades do too, just not as noticeable. With these I believe a lip liner is a must. But as far as wear is concerned, these do stick around for hours!

Now onto the most exciting part! The Afterglow blushes!

These are new to Urban Decays portfolio. And they came out with 9 shades!

Top row, left to right-

Crush – bright medium pink

Obsessed – a light candy pink

Score – medium peachy pink with shimmer

Fetish – medium pink nude with reddened undertones

Bottom row, left to right –

Bittersweet – bright purple

Quickie – bright blue based pink

Bang – bright red orange

Indecent – light peachy nude

Rapture – deep mauve with a hint of shimmer

Some (wonky) swatches,

*again my apologies for the blurry swatch pic, I was loosing light and also had to take these with my left hand after the glosses stained my whole left arm proving useless for any swatches to come. lol

So the formula of these are slightly onto the drier spectrum of things. They aren’t DRY per say, but almost! Hence why the swatches look a bit powdery. I wasn’t sure how much I was gonna like these blushes after my initial swatchfest, however once I tried them out on, I noticed the powderiness doesn’t translate to the cheeks! I would even go as far as saying that these looked like skin and never ‘visible’.

The colour payoff of these were intense and quite a lot of product gets picked up as it’s a fine, loose formula. However the blush applies quite sheer and the colour intensity was very easy to control.

So far my favourite has been Fetish and find it a great day to day blush for medium complexions. I also would recommend checking out Bittersweet! The first purple blush I have seen in real life! It’s quite unique and interesting, something you probably don’t have in your stash.

Overall thoughts

To me the best buys were the blushes, since they are something new from Urban Decay and are of very nice quality. I thought they were named appropriately too as the cheeks seemed to glow from within when applied. Like you are truly blushing.

The packaging is also very attractive with the signature Urban Decay grunge style and is sleek with it’s magnetic closure. As far as plastic goes, this one looked luxe. Only downside, it attracts fingerprints like nobody’s business!

The eyeshadows aren’t something new, although some of the colours released did look lovely with their duochrome finish. I can never have enough of these and they definitely make a nice addition to ones makeup arsenal.

The glosses though were slightly too sticky for my liking but it’s all up to personal preference, you might actually not find them as much a deal breaker as I do.

Finally, onto a look I created with some of the new products seen here. I used Backfire eyeshadow with a dab of Sideline (just in the middle of the lid for some extra dimention), the Fetish blush and paired it with Failbait for the lips.

Other Info

Afterglow blush comes with 6.8g of product, retailing at SGD39

Revolution lip gloss comes with 5.1ml of product, retailing at SGD33

Single eyeshadows come with 1.5g of product, retailing at SGD30

*All products will be available for purchase starting today at Sephora Singapore.

Lastly thank you for stopping by, and I wish you a wonderful day! xx

It’s been a while since I talked about new skincare so it’s time to squeeze in a post in the middle of the makeup summer releases!

Today it’s all about the Shu Uemura Cleansing oil, Blanc:chroma.

This was launched somewhere in the beginning of this year and I was happy to receive yet another, as cleansing oils are an integral part of my nightly skincare routine.

Unfortunately, the Shu cleansing oils have been a bit of a hit or miss for me. And as much as I love how efficiently they remove makeup, some of the formulas sting my sensitive eyes. If you are someone who suffers from this problem you’ll know how off-putting it is and products can quickly loose their appeal. Luckily, this one doesn’t seem to contain that particular irritant and have been my go-to cleanser for the last few months.

Packaging

Shu Uemura cleansing oils come in plastic pump bottles which I find is the best way to package products like these. A few quick pumps and you are good to go.

Design wise they are very pretty and come in colourful bottles, appealing to everyone. Overall minimalistic and functional.

As with all Shu Uemura cleansing oils, Blanc:chroma too was created to address a specific need, which is brightening & polishing.

The clay extracts in the formula purify and lighten you complexion by polishing away Melano Stains (dead skin cells that lay on the top of your skin causing dullness) giving you a more radiant, flawless complexion with continuous use.

Technique

For a cleansing oil to work, they should be applied on dry skin so it comes into direct contact with the makeup you plan to remove.

I usually start with 2-3 pumps and massage this onto the face.

If you notice your waterproof mascara still budge proof, use one more pump and keep massaging (2 mins should do).

Next we take a little bit of water and emulsify the oil. At this point, everything turns milky and no longer an oil.

We then proceed to washing everything off.

You’ll notice, all makeup has been effectively removed and skin feels very comfortable and lightly hydrated. Now you are ready to pile on your precious skincare!

Here’s a pictorial demo I did on the back of my hand. Easy Peasy right?

Bottom Line

Given that the most important step of your skincare routine is proper makeup removal, I find this product an essential in my skincare stash. And as a cleansing oil freak, I can assure you it’s one of the best ones out there.

*Also worth a mention, this new cleansing oil has a lovely fresh smell. I’ve tried many before and this one has to be the most pleasing scent i’ve come across. The notes that caught my attention were Lily Jasmine and Grapefruit. My go-to as far as perfumes go!

Product Details

Shu Uemura cleansing oils come in two sizes.

150ml for 55 SGD & 450ml for 125 SGD. *seen here is the smaller size.

These bottles last a good 2-3 months for me as I have a very small face, lol! If I were to guess, this should last around 2 months in general.

Hi there!

Here to share my thoughts on the Tom Ford Cream & Powder Eye Colour duos.

These combine two of Tom Fords most coveted formulas, the divine celestial powder eyeshadows (the TF glitters) & cream shadow to create a new hybrid product.

Some of you may already know, the cream shadows in 3 of the 4 duos are repromotes from earlier releases. So if you missed out, don’t let them slip away again! here’s the break down.

Golden Peach – Pink Haze cream shadow

Naked Bronze – Spice cream shadow

Midnight sea – Spring 2015

I received 2 for review, which i’ll be discussing in depth today.

Packaging

These duos come with a double decker design. On top we have the celestial shadow and on the bottom, the cream. The cream is secured with the screw on lid (which actually houses the celestial shadow) and there’s also teeny mirror up top in the event you feel like using this on the go to refresh your makeup or take your simple day time look up a notch and head out for dinner.

If you are familiar with the TF cream shadows, you’ll probably miss the luxury of a glass pot. However I feel this acrylic, plastic type packaging works out quite well for this product, making it more travel friendly and great for packing on your summer trips.

Formula, texture and application

The TF cream colours are highly pigmented cream eyeshadows with a soft moussey texture. They dry slowly and don’t quite set as typical cream shadows do, which means you never need to rush to blend them out. This quality also makes them great as bases for your eye makeup and are very easy to work with. (you can refer this post for more information on how to use these shadows)

The overall finish once applied is a slightly wet look with glistening shimmers. They are my summer makeup essentials!

TF cream shadows are easily my favourites among other brands I have used. They are foolproof when it comes to application and are great for rushed days as you only need literally 2 mins to get the colour on. I use my fingers to apply and blend them and i’ve found this to be the best method to get a smooth result without any visible brush strokes.

As far as longevity goes, these never crease on me unless I spend my entire day out in the hot sun. Under normal conditions you can expect these to wear a good 12 hours or more (no primer needed).

I highly recommend the TF cream shadows for even mature eye lids as they never emphasise lines and texture like other cream shadows do.

The Celestial shadows are also a Tom Ford speciality and by far the most elegant glitters I have ever come across. They never look vulgar or childish and add a sexy, sophisticated touch to whichever eye look you create. It’s an integral part of a signature TF look.

Previously these celestial shadows were only sold as part of the TF eyeshadow quads, and never available for individual sale. Making this new product all the more appealing to those of you who are curious to try this unique formula.

Worn over powder eyeshadows or creams, they adhere well onto the lids and I never see any fallout throughout wear. I apply them with my fingers and encourage a press and place technique to make them adhere well.

Onto some swatches of Black Oyster and Golden Peach.

Black Oyster is my favourite.

The subtle grey smokiness it creates once layered, is unbeatable.

Either way, if you missed out on Pink Haze before, then by all means you NEED Golden Peach (after all, Pink Haze is only my FAVOURITE cream shadow of all time and i’d never hesitate to recommend it!), however Black Oyster in my eyes is a must if you are picking up any of these duos.

To make things more informative, I also put together a few comparison swatches for you with some of my existing cream shadows and Celestials. I hope they are useful!

Here’s a look at the peachy tones (can never have too many!),

Between these I find the Tom Ford and the Shiseido ones to be the easiest to work with. They are great for day time wear, not overly sparkly and very understated. I also love how they feel when applied as well, weightless!

The Chanel Laurier Rose is one of the newly released Stylo Eyeshadows from summer. The pigmentation of this is incredible and superbly opaque! On the downside, I find it sets even before I’ve had time to blend it out.

Now onto some Celestial swatches. I have Silvered Topaz, Golden Mink and Titanium Smoke for comparisons.

See how Golden Peach is a very close match to shade 2 from the Golden Mink quad!

Now onto an eye look I created with Black Oyster. Super sexy and the perfect smokey look for a special night.

Recreating this is quite easy. Just start with a suitable transition shade (a matte taupe or grey should do) and apply it onto the crease with a blending brush, creating the ‘smoke’ for this look. Then we pat the cream shadow all over the lid using fingers and build up the intensity. Lastly take another clean blending brush to soften the edges of the cream shadow and blend lightly, you can pick up more of your transition shade to make blending easier if you like.

For the final touch, place the celestial shadow just in the middle of the lid, for extra pop! Done!

To complete this look I added some falsies for drama. Of course if you are blessed with amazing lashes you could just skip this step!

Bottom Line

If I hadn’t already convinced you to buy at least one, then I must say you haven’t caught onto how much I love them. I would categorise these as a splurge worth the investment. And to be honest, if I had to pick one eyeshadow to last me all summer, day in day out, it would be one of these. It’ll take your makeup from day to night without breaking a sweat. Promise :-)

Product information

These duos retail at SGD85 and are currently available at the Tangs Tom Ford Beauty counter. There’s still stocks available for the Midnight Sea and Black Oyster combo. Both which I highly recommend. Snap them up while you can!

Todays post is dedicated to one of my favourite addictions. Nude liners.

Over the years testing various brands, i’ve managed to find a few keepers and they are my everyday staples.

Here’re my top favourites, my babies <3

Kevyn Aucoin – Medium

MAC – Whirl

No.7 – Nude

NYX – Nude

Bite – Cashew

Some swatches to get started.

No.7 Nude – Is a medium nude with the perfect mix of pink & peach. The undertone leans slightly warm making it easy to pair with most medium nude lipsticks.

Kevyn Aucoin Medium – As the name suggests is a mid tone brown nude. This too is a neutral shade. Pairs well with your typical 90’s style lip.

MAC Whirl – An oldie but goodie! This is a dusty mauve rose with a neutral undertone. A good nude shade for slightly deeper skin tones.

NYX Nude – A nude for fairer skin with more pink tones.

Bite Cashew – Is a very light, almost beige nude with a tinge of yellow. The undertone is warm and pairs well with most light nude lipsticks such as MAC Honey Love.

Formula & Texture

When it comes to lip liners, I prefer them to be weightless, just defining the lips and evening out any discolouration without feeling heavy. For this, the best suited are the pencil types that need sharpening. They aren’t overly creamy and don’t deposit too much product.

The Kevyn Aucoin pencil is the perfect example. And as far as formula goes, this is what i’d consider the gold standard in lip pencils. This pencil has the right density. smooth enough so it glides on without any discomfort and stays put all day preventing lipsticks from migrating. Personally I just wish they had more shades. But I guess this one in itself is quite universal as far as nude liners go.

The No.7 Nude is a holy grail find for me. After being declared by pro makeup artist Lisa Eldridge as her favourite liner (a colour she designed herself), I had to get one too. Without a doubt, this is probably my most used. It goes with anything and everything and the peach tones in this make for a very flattering nude base (nothing like the Walking Dead, corpse lip we see occasionally). If you are fair to medium in colour. I highly recommend you try this!

For days when I crave a more defined or contrasting lip liner, I choose MAC Whirl. It’s deep enough to carve out the lip and redraw the shape to give the illusion of lips fuller. Using a slightly darker lip liner also adds dimension to the lips making them look pouty! Hence why the Kardashian that shan’t be named finds this an essential ;-) On the downside I find some MAC lip pencils a bit dry and a little uncomfortable to use once sharpened. They aren’t as soft as the Kevyn Aucoin lip liners, but come in a myriad of colours and it wont be hard picking one to suit your needs!

NYX Nude is a great find. It may not be my favourite formula (slightly on the drier, thicker side), but it does have it’s days. This pairs well with my pink toned matte nudes and to be honest, it’s a good pencil for the price. I like that these are a twist up formula, no sharpening and very easy to use. And again, THE PRICE!

Whenever I go for light nude lips, I choose Cashew by Bite. It’s for days when I brave a deep smokey eye and want the lips to look lighter than my own. I pair it with either Tom Ford Sable Smoke (for which this is a perfect match) or Laura Mercier Coy. The formula of these are as lovely as KA. What makes them special though is that it’s made with 99% natural, food grade ingredients. Good enough to eat!

For comparison purposes I picked out 10 nudes lipsticks from my collection. These are pretty much my most used. (Click image for a closer view)

On a completely different note, In case you were wondering, Lipstick Queen You Kid, Laura Mercier Coy and Rouge Bunny Rouge Prey of Lust are my most used. They’re all a very hydrating formula and extra comfortable for day to day use.

The final verdict

If you are looking for great lip liners to add to your stash, the Kevyn Aucoin and No.7 ones are lovely. No.7 being the more cheaper option, although my first choice as far as the perfect nude goes.

NYX is a great brand to try if you are on a budget. The pencils are creamy with very good pay off. The only reason I don’t luuurve them is because they feel slightly heavier and cakey on the lips. Other than that, they are awesome for the price and come in a bunch of different shades to suit all skin tones!

For those of you who like overdrawing the lips, either Whirl or Spice would be my recommendation. Spice is a warmer, more brown toned liner in comparison to Whirl and goes beautifully with richer brown shades such as MAC Mocha. Perfect for women of colour.

Hello hello! It feels like i’m on a roll these days, continuously blogging! Therefore while i’m in the mood to blog, I thought i’d do a post on my mascara collection along with mini reviews which I hope you find useful!

Currently I have 6 mascaras in rotation, cos a girl can’t just have one right?

As we begin todays mascara smackdown, a quick note that I’ll be following a sequence, where I will start with the brush design and then move onto formula etc.

First up,

Dior IT-Lash 

The IT-Lash comes with a spiked elastomer (plastic) brush. It’s a reasonably slim, slightly longish style. Personally I hate big brushes as they are harder to apply with so this one’s just perfect.

The formula of this is on the thinner side and is great for those of you who have trouble with your mascara weighing down your lashes. This holds a curl well and keep lashes beautifully lengthened and separated without clumps. Sadly I don’t see much of the volumising action that it claims to have, but I really like this one for everyday use.

As far as removal is concerned, it’s pretty easy to get off. Just warm water does the trick. On occasion I also use Bioderma for removal as well.

Tom Ford Extreme Mascara

The sexiest packaging in my opinion. And incidentally the old school bristle brush does a good job making the lashes look sexy too.

The formula of this is denser and coats the lashes well for a thicker, lash look. Building up the volume is easy as this doesn’t set too quick and you have ample play time to keep adding more, more and MORE. I also love that this doesn’t clump and holds the curl pretty well to stay looking wide awake!

To remove, you can simply use an eye makeup remover. This one isn’t waterproof.

Le Volume De Chanel 

The very first volumising mascara I truly fell in love with. I have been repurchasing it over and over and I believe i’m on my 6th now.

The brush of this is a plastic one with shorter bristles meant to create an eye opening effect. (Sadly I never see any such results as the weight of this mascara droops down any curl I had to begin with) The shape of the brush also seems to give trouble separating the lashes and they always cling together.

If you have naturally curly lashes this would work great for you. It volumises and adds drama for a very glamorous look.

Le Volume de Chanel isn’t waterproof and removes easily with warm water similar to the Dior.

Clé de Peau Perfect Lash Mascara

Features a curved wand with natural bristles. It’s designed to comb the lash from root to tip and create a nice separated and defined lash.

If smudging is a problem for you, this is your guy! The waterproof formula keeps lashes looking fresh throughout the day without any flaking or smudging. It’s even rub proof!

As far as volume goes this one isn’t really mind blowing, and it doesn’t build well either as it sets pretty fast. I also notice if I attempt a second coat, the lashes start sticking together and look spiky. It’s strictly a one (quick) coat mascara.

Looking at the positives, the real claim to fame is the longevity of it’s wear and that it works great with shorter, stubby lashes that are prone to smudging.

For removal I always use Clarins Express Eye Makeup Remover which works well with waterproof formulas and never irritates my eyes.

Helena Rubinstein, Lash Queen Feline Black

If it’s mascara, then Helena does them best! She has such an extensive range of mascaras, it truly is overwhelming and difficult to pick one! I ended up with this leopard print ‘feline’ version which is great for volume and lengthening.

The brush is chubby and torpedo shaped which works well to separate and build up volume.

The best thing about this mascara is the formula is near perfect. You get plenty of time to build it up as it sets quite slow and the longer bristles keep the lashes from sticking together and comb as you go for good separation.

Volume, length and long wearing. It’s all there.

*This mascara comes in a waterproof version as well, and is my HG for packing on beach vacations. THE BEST!

Urban Decay Perversion Mascara (seen here is a mini size)

Comes with a shorter more chubbier wand in comparison to the Helena Rubinstein. This one though has a slightly fatter middle creating a more rounded, bushier brush.

An unexpected find which came in the form of a press sample. I really love how this volumises. Another one of those buildable formulas that you can layer and layer. You get fuller, thicker, lengthened lashes for a ‘bigger, blacker, badder lash’.

I believe i’ll repurchase this in a full size, quite loving it’s smooth, creamy texture and the colour intensity.

Lastly, this too isn’t a waterproof formula and comes off easily with a eye makeup remover.

Now a look at these worn on my poker straight lashes! Unfortunately you won’t be seeing much of a difference unless you click on the image for a closeup and look at the base of the lashes to see the more volumising ones :-)

I promise the differences between them are far more visible in person. I blame my poor selfie skills!

Bottom Line

For volumising and lengthening, the best would be Helena Rubinstein and Urban Decay. I like how buildable they are and never look clumpy. The TF is also a good option, though lacks that wow factor you’d expect for the price.

For waterproof mascara, the CDP hands down. I never have to worry about it flaking or smudging. If you don’t mind a natural lash look, this one’s great for everyday use. For other cheaper waterproof options you can also check out Helena Rubinstein.

For lift and curl i’d recommend the Dior IT-Lash. This is great for those of you with already thick lashes but just want them defined and lengthened. It’s my favourite for day to day use and have just repurchased!

My sporadic blogging habits are to blame for this belated post. But since i’ve had so many requests for reviews on this, I obliged, and today is finally the day. Luckily it’s still available for those of you who haven’t got your hands on one yet, so I don’t feel too bad blogging about it so late! lol

But in any case, if you have already purchased this, well read this post anyways. I have some tips to help you get the most out of this palette. And hopefully you’ll find them useful!

The NARS Dual-Intensities are wet & dry shadows. A flexible formula which allows for dry application for day to day, and used wet for occasions when a mere smokey eye just don’t cut it.

Starting with packaging, the most noticeable change is that this palette sports a new hard plastic as opposed to the signature rubbery NARS cases making it infinitely easier to keep clean! You also no longer have to worry about the packaging getting sticky either.

Taking a peek inside we have a jumbo sized mirror, totally handy if you plan on travelling with this and also a very good quality, Wet Dry eyeshadow brush. I feel the synthetic bristles work nicely for wet application, and since I don’t own many of those, this was a welcome addition.

The 8 Dual-Intensities included here are as follows,

L-R Row 1

Europa – A shell pink with pink opaline shimmer (A duo chrome shade).

Himalia – A shimmering topaz

Ursa Major – A neutral toned chocolate. Great for crease work and also smoking the bottom lash line. 

Subra – A sparkly burgundy with a dark base.

Row 2

Andromeda – A neutral Alabaster with a pink duo chrome effect, which unfortunately didn’t capture well in the swatches.

Lysithea – A neutral silvery grey. 

Giove – Shimmering Navy which transforms into a metallic deep blue when used wet. 

Sycorax – A soft satin black 

*All except Ursa Major are existing permanent shades.

Overall the formula of these are pretty much consistent with the full size counterpart.

The shadows are very finely milled and exquisitely pigmented. Applied dry they blend easily resulting in a seamless flow of shimmery colour and wet application basically taking this already great formula to new levels of awesomeness. Intense, bold, metallic colour with plenty of possibilities.

Speaking more on formula, I noticed some fallout. Lucky though it was all during application and none during wear. As a precaution I just finish up my eyes first before moving onto the base.

Longevity wasn’t a problem either and this particular look I photographed stayed put from 11 a.m till well past midnight with no creasing or fading. I did apply everything over a primer but not many eyeshadows can really last this long in warm sweaty weather. Count me impressed!

Application and blending tips.

I find that the best way to use these are to lay your transition shades and blending with dry application before attempting to use these wet. The wet application is harder to blend, so saving this step for last is best. Once the wet shadows are placed (I like to use a medium sized flat eyeshadow brush and pat it on) I do a rough blend to soften any edges and it’s quite speedy since a majority of the blending has already been done using dry application.

Another tip to make good use of this palette is to layer colours. It makes your eye makeup look more interesting and dimensional, specially if you layer lighter shades over dark. And as with any makeup, having fun and experimenting is key and none better than a NARS palette to do so!

On to a look I created with this palette. I used all NARS shadows here. (NARS Dual-Intensity palette and the older Narsissist palette for some neutral transition shades; I believe I used Lhasa and Madrague).

For the lips I used a pink jumbo pencil by Sisley and layered it with a NARS gloss (Tasmania) for a juicy effect. I wanted to keep this look fresh and day time appropriate, even though it’s a smokey eye.

To create the smokey lower lash line I first layered Ursa Major before I went over that with Giove. Helps with blending and also makes the look more dimensional.

The transition of Giove to Subra creates a beautiful purple at the crease.

Bottom Line

The most important observation is that the palette is insane value for money, considering a single usually retails at SGD45 (or somewhere around that).

I also love that It’s very versatile with lighter colour options such as Andromeda & Europa for day time use and also includes a generous selection of smokey shades to pair with for evening looks.

The only negative I found was that it didn’t have a brow highlighter/ base shadow shade like most palettes do. Not the end of the world considering that many of you probably have multiples of those stashed away, but it never hurts to include a light neutral in the event you want to travel with just one palette.

Product Info

The palette comes with 8 x 1g shadows. The Dual-Intensity singles come with 1.5g. So you basically get 2/3 the product in this palette per shadow.

If you do the math, this palette is well worth the price tag.

Currently available at the Tangs Nars counter retailing at SGD 110.

This post is specially for those of you with problem skin, to me that’s basically all skin that isn’t well behaved. This includes acne prone skin as well as sensitive and any other type other than normal, healthy skin.

Heal Gel essentially is a cure all sort of product that’s formulated to address any/all of the above problems. It’s for soothing, repairing and renewing skin so that your skin returns to a healthy state, fast.

Before we head onto the review i’d like to leave you with a bit of back ground information on this wonderful product.

Heal Gel was created by a team of plastic surgeons in collaboration with an award winning dermatological biochemist to address the need for an effective skincare range to help target everyday skin problems. Initially developed to help the healing process of post surgery, this is a wonderful potion to keep at home for ‘first aid’. Heal Gel contains natural ingredients such as Arnica, which helps with bruising and swelling, collagen boosting hexapeptides for renewing skin and also organic Silicone which acts as a protective barrier and also protects from scaring. 

Starting off the review with packaging.

Heal Gel comes in a plastic pump bottle in a hygienic and easy to use design which keeps the product fresh and contamination free. The pump is protected by a transparent cap (which I have conveniently forgotten to photograph) that secures the pump from unwelcome leakage by any accidental pressing.

Flipping the bottle over there’s a clear strip where you can see just how much product is left (mine is halfway through). A simple handy feature which I personally love as you always know when to replenish your supply!

The dispenser is a very small one which enables you to access the smallest amount per application without any wastage.

Texture

Heal Gel as the name suggests is a slightly thick water based gel.

I usually apply a generous layer over whichever problem areas I have and this dries down to a slightly rubbery film very similar to the texture of peel off masks.

The gel has a refreshing, herby smell and delivers a soothing, slightly cooling effect when applied. This helps with calming down any irritation your skin might be experiencing.

Uses

I use this for tackling a host of skin ailments from pimple scars to irritation & redness. Specially been loving this the last month as i’ve had a nasty, stubborn blemish that just didn’t seem to heal. Daily application at night helped repair the skin faster while minimising scarring.

Another wonderful use for this product is to calming down any inflammation either due to a spell of acne or allergy. I apply it liberally over the entire region where I have any tingling, redness any other irritation such as inflamed follicles/bumps and it calms everything down over night.

If you have persistent irritations from facial hair removal, again Heal Gel Intensive to the rescue. I use this on my entire brow area after plucking and also my upper lip when I pluck off any stray hairs (yes, the secrets out, cringe).

In summery, you can use this as you would a first aid treatment such as a bad reaction to a facial, this is your saviour. You could also use this on minor cuts as well and it will heal them faster without bruising.

Bottom Line

This is a product that works regardless of skin type for quick & effective results, and I believe everyone should keep one at home for little emergencies where your skin needs a fast fix. It’s a product that works.

For more good reads on this product you can check out these links.

My favourite source is Caroline Hirons and Ruth from A Model Recommends. In fact it was this video that convinced me to purchase this last year! You can also check out this video while you are at it, with more information on Heal Gel Intensive as well as other goodies you might want to invest in.

Other recent blog posts I found on this was by my favourite skincare blogger friend, Here. As always, her posts are reliable and informative.

Product Information

Ingredient list for those of you who are interested.

Aqua(Water), Dimethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane, Polysilicone-11, Glycerin, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/vp copolymer, Penoxethanol, Butylene glycol, saccharomyces lysate extract, madecassoside, olea europea(olive oil) Fruit oil, methylsilanol, hydroxyproline aspartate, arnica, montana flower extract, laminaria digitata extract phospholipids, alcohol, simmondsia chinensis(jojoba)oil, glutamylamidoethyl indole, oryza sativa extract, hexapeptide-9, hexapeptide-3, parfum(Fragrance), Linalool, limonene, steareth-20, N-Hydroxysuccinimide, chrysin, palmitoyl oligopeptide, palmitoyl tetrapeptide, disodium edta, ethylhxylglycerin, chlorhexidine digluconate, salicylic acid, sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate.

I purchased mine from Space.NK when I was in London.  I believe Net-A-Porter carries this now as well.

Retail price is GBP 37.50 for a 30ml bottle.

Also worth noting, this has an expiry date of 6 months from start of use. I have been sneakily using mine for close to 8 and it still works. But I plan on binning this soon and ordering a new one. Slight wastage of product as I have half left, but it’s something I don’t mind repurchasing.

Despite the backlog of new MAC goodies to blog about, I had to squeeze in this post about an older release that I have been LOVING lately. I figured i’d let you in on this little gem before it’s too late.

So todays post is basically about the perfect highlighter/beauty powder for pale complexions. Dior Starlight.

Starlight is a pink tinged ivory highlighter. It may not look like much in the pan but trust me when I say, I am blown away by how this seriously elevates my makeup.

Packaging

This comes is a traditional Dior blush packaging in signature midnight blue. It doesn’t attract fingerprints and is pretty easy to keep clean.

Overall the compact feels luxurious yet lightweight making it great for carrying along in a makeup bag and comes with a mirror and good quality useable brush for use on the go.

Texture and Formulation 

The powder is extremely finely milled and has a gorgeous, elegant shimmer. Just the right amount of sparkle for day to day wear.

What I loved the most though is that it’s not pigmented to the point where you apply and wonder if god could spot your highlight from heaven. Something ideal for those of you who are naturally heavy handed as it’s impossible to over apply.

Once applied, this delivers an angelic sheeny glow that’s absolutely dreamy.

If I had to compare this to another product, I feel it’s along the lines of Burberry Nude Radiance No.01. It has that similar satin finish and colour payoff that highlights the contours of your face without looking overly shimmery

On to some comparison swatches,

As you can see, Starlight is clearly more pink toned next to the Kevyn Aucoin Candlelight and can also be used as you would a MAC beauty powder for an all over brightening effect. (If you are all about that Korean glow!)

Bottom Line

If you have a pale complexion and are constantly on the lookout for a highlighter that isn’t too yellow toned, this is your ideal choice. I like it mostly because the radiance is very subtle and great for daily use. It’s a nice highlight that won’t be competing with the other products I wear.

Product information

Starlight comes in a standard Dior blush packaging. 7g 0.24 oz retailing at SGD 70.

Apparently Dior Backstage at Ion has around 12 pieces left. Just call Jessica on 86167799 to reserve one. She was kind enough to check if they still had stocks and always gives me the best service!

Hi there! Here to talk about a series of MAC releases this weekend, starting with these gorgeous Patentpolish lip pencils.

Somehow it seems MAC can never bore us with their lip products. Even though they release so many new collections each year, they still surprise us (surprisingly) with new and exciting formulas and trendy colours.

The Patentpolish pencils are exactly that winning formula, gorgeous summer colours with a fabulously glossy texture. Before we proceed any further, I’ll just say it now, I’m in love. These pencils are ideal for no fuss makeup during summer, be it lounging by the beach or just wearing one for everyday errands etc. For summer nights, you can choose a brighter shade and wow with glossy, sexy lips. They adapt to every occasion quite easily.

Packaging

These lip pencils come in standard jumbo lip pencil style packaging in soft matte black sprinkled with silver specks.

I appreciate that they don’t require any sharpening and just twists up for more product. No wastage and zero maintenance. Best of all, the fuss free packaging lends itself to stuffing several in your makeup bag for a spontaneous colour change mid day!

Formula & Texture

The Patentpolish lip pencils are a sheer formula. Swiped once, they impart just a whisper of colour and with more passes can easily be built up to a solid semi opaque. Building up isn’t a problem with this product as it’s a very thin formula and doesn’t feel heavy on the lips.

The texture of these are quite emollient and waxy and hug the lips providing surprisingly long wear similar to a standard lipstick. I usually get close to 3 hours wear time with these and didn’t need any touching up. It’s basically the best of both worlds, glossy colour with longevity and pigmented colour of a lipstick.

On to swatches of the Patentpolish pencils I received. As you can see these are ultra glossy and are pretty pigmented for a gloss pencil.

Kittenish is a medium mauvey pink with semi opaque colour payoff. It glides over the lips like silk depositing the colour evenly. It’s my favourite from the bunch and is a perfect pink for day to day use for adding just enough colour for an effortless barely made up look.

Pleasant is a bright strawberry red with a rich payoff. I found this one to feel even glossier than the rest. A very youthful and fun way to wear a red lip that’s easy to maintain.

Teen Dream is a medium coral orange. Colour payoff was quite nice and a beautiful colour for summer. It’s one of my favourites along with Kittenish.

Hopelessly Devoted is a bright medium watermelon pink. It even looks like juicy watermelon once worn! I found this to be extra glossier than the rest and delivered an amazing patent shine.

Innocent is a milky ivory beige. It looks strange on my pigmented, rosy lips. I feel this would work on less pigmented pale lips for a milky nude look.

Some lip swatches.

P.S- I believe Kittenish & Teen Dream was captured better in the lip swatches in comparison to those I took on my arm.

Overall thoughts

These are low maintenance lip products to consider for summer time. I love the shine and gloss they bring to the lips without the stickiness of a traditional lip gloss. They are long wearing which is ideal, and keep lips subtly hydrated throughout wear. Prefect for teens to working mommies with busy, long days.

I noticed that these tend to migrate slightly (more noticeable in the darker shades), however since the colour is more on the glossier sheerer side it looked like the lips were plumper, almost a slightly overdrawn lip.

Product info

Patenpolish lip pencils come in 14 shades and are currently available at all MAC counters.

So finally the MAC The Matte Lip Collection has reached Singapore! And it feels like it took forever!

If you aren’t already in the know, some of the colours released are repromotes of existing shades and some from previously limited edition collections. Of course there’s a nice selection of brand new exciting colours as well, so if you’ve already got a stash of MAC mattes going, you still won’t be disappointed.

From the newly launched shades I was most excited for Whirl. I already owned the lip pencil so I ‘needed’ the matching lipstick too.I mean, if there’s a lipstick to match my liner, why not have it right??? Makes perfect sense!

Senseless ramble aside let’s get down to reviewing these babies.

Seen above are all NEW shades that are added to the permanent line.  (Top row, L-R: Steady Going, Runway Hit, Dangerous. Bottom row, L-R: Whirl, Stone, Naturally Transformed, Instigator.)

I don’t have all the shades to review (22 in total) but I do have these and a couple of the older ones which i’ll be swatching separately.

The Matte Lip Collection contains two popular lipstick finishes, the Matte and the Retro Matte. If you’ve owned the iconic Ruby Woo, you’ll know all about the Retro Mattes.. They are THE most matte lipsticks you’ll ever find. And fittingly, drier than the desert! Steady Going and Runway Hit are both Retro Mattes. Gorgeous but needs a little prep before applying.

The others are just Mattes (thankfully) and didn’t leave my lips dying for lip balm. In fact I feel they are a little less drying than MAC Mattes used to be. Hmm..

Onto some colour descriptions and observations

Steady Going (Retro Matte) – A light-medium cool toned pink with medium colour payoff in a single swipe. The drier formula tends to tug on the lips on application and felt continuously drier as the day passed. Wear wise these wore forever! Although after 2-3 hours they did look a little beat and reapplication is a must just to rehydrate lips and keep the colour looking fresh.

Runway Hit (Retro Matte) – A neutral toned peach with a heavy white base. I found this to have noticeably less pigmentation in comparison to the rest and needed a bit of layering to get opaque cover. The formula was pretty similar to Steady Going and did end up looking drier and drier as the day progressed. On the plus side I wore this an entire day with no touchups and it didn’t look too bad. Even after meals I only saw slight wear in the centre of the lips and that was about it. Pretty hardcore!

Dangerous (Retro Matte) – A orangey red. The colour went on with difficulty due to it’s dry nature. Although the final result was a velvety plush red lip once layered over a lip balm. I adore this for the colour, but as i’ve said before the formula isn’t my favourite. Also noticed that this felt quite heavy on the lips.

Whirl (Matte) – A rosey brown. This applied creamy and smooth and the finish was surprisingly comfortable for a matte! Pigmentation was good and full coverage in about 2 passes and didn’t feel drying during wear. Absolutely love this one <3.

Stone (Matte) – A neutral brown with heavy grey tones/ taupe. The formula and texture of this was identical to Whirl. Love how it feels on the lips when worn and is pretty interesting as far as colours go. Since grey toned lipsticks are all the rage atm, i’m sure there will be plenty of takers for this. Definitely a statement colour if you are feeling bold enough to sport this.

Naturally Transformed (Matte) – A medium beige with heavy yellow undertones. This too was creamy and applied very smoothly.

Instigator (Matte) – A warm deep purple. This applied smooth and creamy with no tugging, but emphasise flakey patches. Unfortunately the colour also seemed to settle within the lip lines which became even more noticeable as it wore off.

Velvet Teddy (Matte) – A mid tone warm nude. Applies evenly and smooth without catching onto lip texture or emphasising it. A wonderful nude that would suit most complexions except maybe the deeper tones (NC45 and up).

One more set of swatches with the new + repromoted shades

Bottom Line

The best thing about the MAC mattes is that they are super intense and so long wearing (a good 4 hours while still looking fresh all throughout). You really don’t have to be on the look out, lipstick in hand, waiting to touch up every five seconds. They are quite lovely in that sense.

I highly suggest you try Whirl, Velvet Teddy and Dangerous. All so beautifully intense and flattering on the lips. Certainly must haves for any lipstick junkie!

Product Info

All lipsticks are part of the new permanent Matte Lipstick collection and currently available at all MAC counters.

Mine were samples sent for review* (except for Velvet Teddy & Kinda Sexy which I already had in my possession)

Todays post is all about brushes! My Top 10.

They are a well edited bunch of eye and face brushes that I REALLY enjoy and use practically every day. Therefore I’m certain you’d end up loving them too!

So before we get to todays post, confession time. There aren’t 10 brushes here.

As I started out picking my favourites, I could only manage gathering nine! It wouldn’t have been fair to speak about 9 favourites and add one extra ‘ok’ brush just to make it a post about ten. So I figured I’ll keep it real and share a post about my top 9 brushes instead!

First up, here’s a look at the poor souls to be judged based on looks, size and performance.

Left to Right we have,

Hakuhodo J4006, Hakuhodo J5523, Hakuhodo J125, Tom Ford Eyeliner & Definer Brush 15, Wayne Goss 05, Hakuhodo J004G, Kevyn Aucoin Concealer Brush, Tom Ford 05 Bronzer Brush, Wayne Goss 02.

Tom Ford Bronzer Brush 05

Is a plush, goat hair brush. One of the oldest brushes in my current collection (4yrs or so).

The bristles are soft and densely packed enabling it to hold it’s shape well and allow maximum control.

The handle is a chubby wooden lacquered one to match the voluminous brush head and gives it good balance. The overall quality of this brush is exceptional. The gold lettering hasn’t rubbed off, the handle has never chipped (even after dropping it many a time) and the golden ferrule has never lost it’s shine. I’m happy that it lasted so well over time and is money well spent.

Performance

This brush applies bronzer twice as fast as any other brush I’ve tried. Mostly due to it’s size as it covers a large area one go. It also picks up just the right amount of product and applies it seamlessly without any harsh lines or patchiness so I don’t have to spend time blending.

My method of application is holding it close to the furrule and buff in circular motions to achieve a perfect finish every time.

General Maintenance

I try to wash my brushes at least every two weeks. And so far I’ve never experienced any shedding from the Tom fords. They also never stain and after every wash look as good as new!

Additional info – The bristles of most of the TF brushes are Goat Hair and are a natural off white, which means the goat hair has never been dyed. Usually I notice brushes with dyed hair smell strange when being washed (my Hakuhodo powder brush being the perfect example) and also has a slight colour bleed.

Tom Ford brushes are made in Japan and are available at Tom Ford Beauty counters, which is where I purchased mine. (Now available at the Tangs Tom Ford Counter retailing at SGD190)

Wayne Goss 02

Is a small tapered face brush.

It’s described as a natural bristled brush (with uncut hairs for maximum softness).

The bristles are indeed soft and I believe the size and shape of this brush makes it quite versatile. The moderately packed bristles enable just the right amount of give for applying powder products with ease.

In comparison to the Tom Ford brushes, the handle of this is much much lighter. But overall I believe it suits the brush well and is perfectly balanced and comfortable to hold.

Performance

According to online description, it’s a brush which can be used for bronzing, blusher or highlighter. Personally I feel the shape is too tapered for blush or bronzer. But ideal for placing a perfectly diffused highlight or powdering areas that are harder to reach with a regular brush, such as the inner corner of the eyes, under eyes as well as the sides of the nose.

I mainly use it as a powder brush for setting concealer as it fits the undereye area perfectly.

P.S – It’s also a nice size and shape for softening your contour and blending. So if you do contour your face everyday, you’ll enjoy this multi purpose brush very much.

General Maintenance

As with all my other brushes I wash this every two weeks or so since I use it everyday. I never noticed any colour bleeding but have experienced slight shedding every once in a while.

Additional Info – If you’ve owned a tapered brush before you’ll know that it can ‘fluff up’ after the first wash. They don’t look as sleek as when it arrived. The best way to retain the shape is to put them in a brush guard to train the bristles to stay in their initial form. I obviously don’t do this and have no problems with my brush looking puffy. It doesn’t really affect it’s performance in this case. But I do shape the bristles into a point before I lay them down to dry.

Made in Japan. Retailing at $35 at Beautylish (Ships to most countries)

Kevyn Aucoin concealer brush

This is a densely packed, stubby brush with a small pointed tip. Perfect for pin point concealing. I came to know about this brush through a Lisa Eldridge video and have found it rather lovely.

The dense bristles allow great control and lets you conceal tiny acne spots or discolouration easily.

The brush handle of the KA is a hard acrylic and very durable. Almost feels like holding a pen.

Performance

I use this with a cream concealer. Just dab it right onto the blemish and soften the edges by tapping it with my finger.

As far as spot concealing goes, this brush is ideal. It doesn’t have much give and remains firm, so the application is very precise.

Currently on sale at BeautyBay for $24.60

Hakuhodo J004G

Is a round, medium sized flat eyeshadow brush made of goat hair.

The bristles of this is perfectly shaped to follow the contours of the lid to apply eyeshadow effortlessly and precisely.

What’s special about this basic flat eyeshadow brush is the size. I found it difficult to zero in on a nice medium sized brush as everything I had in my stash were slightly too big with much longer bristles. However this one is perfect for steady application as the larger brushes are too clumsy for precision jobs. I also noticed this particular flat brush retained it’s shape well without the bristles getting unruly or fluffing up after a wash.

I use this mostly with wet eyeshadows (such as the NARS Dual Intensities) to create an intense lid. Just load the brush with eyeshadow and pat to pack on the colour. I find the size is just right and should be perfect for those with hooded eyes or smaller eye lids.

Additional Info – Hakuhodo brushes from the J series are all made of natural bristles that are not dyed. So they always maintain their original colour, be it white or brown without any colour bleeding. It’s why I always purchase brushes from this particular range.

Made in Japan. Retailing at $20 on Hakuhodo US. (Ships worldwide)

Wayne Goss 05

Is a small, tapered crease brush with a rounded tip. The bristles are natural hair and very soft. They are also uncut which means they won’t feel scratchy when used on the lid.

I personally love the smaller size of this, and the density and length of the bristles allow just the right amount control while remaining flexible. Perfect for blending out harsh edges.

You can even use this to do a very defined crease as this brush gets right into the socket. It also excels in blending out small areas such as diffusing out the edges of a cut crease or smoking out liner keeping close to the lash line.

The Goss 5 is a unique brush and overall I am extremely happy with it. So far it has never shed and always retains it’s shape after each wash. I think I need another one in my life. One of the best eye brushes I have ever come across.

Made in Japan. Retailing at $25 on Beautylish. (Ships to most countires)

Tom Ford 15 Eyeliner & Definer brush

Is a rounded, dense liner brush with a very fine tip. As far as eyeliner brushes go, I find this to be unique. The well packed, short bristles allows maximum control and a stiff edge for smudging out liner easily.

The thin edge also allows to smudge very close to the lash line (upper and lower, both) and define the eyes well. It’s one of the most frequently used brushes in my stash.

I plan on purchasing another since I use it so much.

Made in Japan. Retailing at $52.

Hakuhodo J125

Is a round brush with an angled tip. It looks like someone made a brush and chopped off the upper half at an angle.

This brush is very densely packed and has little flexibility. Regardless of the sharp flat edge the brush feels very soft on the lid and never scratchy.

I use this mostly to blend out any stubborn hard lines of a smokey shadow look. Just place the angled edge of the brush along the eye contour and swipe back and forth in a windshield wiper motion. It’s that easy.

Made in Japan. Retailing at $27 at Hakuhodo US

Hakuhodo J5523 (a softer, better quality substitute for a MAC 217)

Is a medium sized crease brush.

I find the bristles of this much softer than the TF Blending Brush which is downright scratchy in comparison (and why I didn’t include that brush in my top 9).

The brush allows for good flexibility while maintaining just enough resistance to blend eyeshadows in the crease.

The rounded fluffy brush tip allows for general colour placement and blending both. Making it a versatile brush for daily use. I already have three and also purchased several as gifts for friends.

If you are just starting out on your brush collection, this is an excellent brush to invest in. The quality is top notch (as all the brushes I’ve included here) and will last you very long if looked after. Plus, it’s very budget friendly.

Made in Japan. Retailing at $19 at Hakuhodo US

Hakuhodo J4006

Is a tiny duo fiber fan brush.

It’s the only brush I’ve included which has synthetic bristles.

The brushes main purpose is to separate and define your lashes while removing any unwelcome clumps of mascara with ease giving lashes a natural fluttery finish.

How do you use this brush?

Simple, you just place the brush at the base of your lashes and wiggle and comb out.

Additional Info & Maintenance

The synthetic bristles allows the brush to retain it’s firm fan shape while also extending it’s durability as most mascaras tend to be waterproof and are difficult to cleanse off. This brush cleans easily though with a regular brush soap and dries fast.

Made in Japan. Retailing at $20 at Hakuhodo US

That concludes my post on the Top 9! However I’d like to leave you with some additional info on brushes, questions some of you have asked me on Instagram. I hope you find this useful as well.

The most frequently asked question is what my favourite brush brand is.

It’s Hakuhodo. I love that the quality is great. The brushes are long lasting and are priced very competitively. I feel that artists in particular who are looking to expand their brush collection would benefit a lot as the selection of brushes Hakuhodo carries is just mind-boggling and they have a brush for virtually EVERY need imaginable.

Another FAQ is what I use to clean my brushes.

It’s mostly soap.

There are special soaps meant specifically for brush cleaning. Some brush companies carry their own soaps but also artistry brands such as Make Up Store make a great one as well. So far, I’ve tried the Hakuhodo soap and the Make Up Store one. Both equally good.

For those of you with no access to purchase a brush soap, just use a baby shampoo and luke warm water. It works well. Occasionally I use my facial cleanser (a gel one) too as it’s  very mild and doesn’t dry out or damage the bristles. Of course that’s an expensive option. But I don’t mind, as I only need a teeny tiny bit to wash my brushes. And to be honest my brush collection consists of mostly high end natural fibre brushes which require very gentle cleansing!

So there you have it, lengthy ramble about brushes. If there is any additional information you’d find helpful, please feel free ask me in a comment, I’ll answer them asap.

I’m also planning on doing a post on a brush starter kit for those of you new to makeup brushes, so if you are keen on something like that, let me know!

Anyways, Thank you for reading and I hope you have a great week ahead  :-)

xx, Michelle.

Hi there! And welcome to a NARS post!

If you’re a Narsissist like me and a friendly stalker on IG, YU’d  you’d already know what today’s post is all about. It’s dedicated to one of my favourite NARS products of all time, the jumbo lip pencils.

For summer, NARS has yet again cleverly packaged a trio each of these lovely lip pencils with gifting in mind (yay!). Personally it’s almost unacceptable picking one up purely for gifting without getting an extra for oneself, but if you are considering a purchase, hopefully my review would come handy!

The two gifting sets up for discussion today are the Ultimate NARS (left) & the True NARS (right) Lip Pencil kits. Each set containing two Satin Lip Pencils and one Velvet Matte Lip Pencil.

The lip pencil sets come in a very sturdy, hard plastic box with three individual slots to hold a pencil each. The novelty cover adorned with painterly graphics also comes fitted with a functional large mirror inside. In addition to all that prettiness, you also receive a handy NARS sharpener (jumbo pencil size) so you won’t need to bother yourself buying your own if you don’t already have one.

Overall the packaging doesn’t feel too bulky but probably not something you’d want to pop into your handbag for day to day use. I’d say it’s more of a collectible case to store your lipsticks on your vanity rather. However they make a lovely to addition to your holiday beach bag if you want to show off a stylish lip kit.

Swatches!

Ultimate NARS Lip Pencil Kit

*Stourhead (cream finish) – Is a soft cotton candy pink with a hint of lavender. More of a lilac on the lips, it’s pale colour is more suited for the fairest of complexions. Stourhead applies sheerer (than regular Satin Lip Pencils) and achieves a semi opaque coverage at best. The formula was consistent with the usual Satin Lip Pencil standard and was very comfortable and hydrating during wear.

Biscayne Park (cream finish) – Is a warm nude with pink tones, one of the more popular shades of the NARS Lip Pencils. The colour payoff of this was impressive while delivering full opacity in two passes with a high gloss finish. The extra creamy formula keeps lips feeling supple during wear, never drying. Of course this meant less wear time, so expect to see these last for 3- 3.5 hours max.

Sex Machine (satin finish) – A medium mauvey rosy pink. The formula didn’t feel drying even though it was a matte finish. But I did notice my lip lines were emphasised very slightly. Sex Machine makes for a gorgeous everyday pink perfect for work and is a colour that would suit most medium and light complexions.

True NARS Lip Pencil Kit

*Provocative Red – A medium, muted red with brown tones in a Velvet Matte Finish. This particular shade is a box exclusive and isn’t part of the permanent line up. Provocative Red is velvety when worn (as the name suggests), lightweight and comfortable. A gorgeous shade for evenings and dinners.

Luxembourg – Is a bright strawberry red and my favourite Satin Lip Pencil of all time. This applies beautifully without any tugging and opaque in two passes. It’s a gorgeous colour for summer especially and a must have in my opinion.

Yu – A bright fuchsia. This too an ultra smooth and creamy formula to achieve a juicy summer pout.

Bottom line

The NARS Satin Lip Pencils are one of my favourite lipsticks of all time. They have great payoff and are never drying on the lips. The wear time is a little under in comparison to other lipsticks I own (usually 3-3.5 hrs), but the convenient packaging and the beautiful colour choices make these pencils a favourite.

The Velvet Matte formula is just as lovely and isn’t your typical matte lipstick. It goes on pretty smooth ending with more of a semi matte finish. One of the most lightweight, comfortable matte lip products that I own!

Overall the set itself is great value for money and particularly attractive as they both contain one LE colour each (Stourhead & Provocative Red) in addition to the highly collectible box. If I were to pick, I’d go for the True NARS set, I feel all three shades were wearable across most skin tones unlike the other set which seemed to suit fairer complexions better.

Other Info

Both sets are currently available at the Tangs NARS counter and retails at SGD 85 each.

Usual retail price per pencil is SGD 37.

It seems the weekend is finally here, which means, new post! Last weeks post unfortunately got cancelled since I was on holiday, but my tan has finally brought an opportunity to review this new MAC foundation.

Todays discussion is about the MAC Pro Longwear Nourishing Waterproof foundation which released 2-3 months back. Even though i’ve had this for over 3 months (as I received a sample for review), i’ve been reluctant to post a review due to the fact my regular shade NC 35 oxidised on me quite a bit, and basically was too shy to post blog photos of myself looking like a Cheeto. Now that i’m a lot darker, this matches great! Hence todays review!

Anyways diving right in, this foundation comes in a squeezy plastic tube packaging with a screw on cap. This type is hygienic and travel friendly provided the cap closes securely, and it does. I also like that there are no messy wands, droppers and pumps to work with and controlling the flow of product easy.

On a side note, highly appreciate that this doesn’t require you to buy the pump dispenser separately like some other MAC foundations (so yay!).

As seen above, the matte black packaging also features a transparent band where you can easily monitor just how much product’s left as you near the end. A welcome, useful design element!

Moving onto formula, this has an almost whipped silky, creamy texture. Quite smoothing and nourishing as the name suggests. It feels lightweight when applied, though you do feel the foundation slightly tacky to the touch & definitely needs to be set with a powder. It’s what makes it long wearing though, as it hugs the skin. Basically going no where once applied.

Application

Most days I prep my skin with a primer. It gives any foundation a smoother surface to work on and extends wear. However I did notice this foundation doesn’t pair well with mattifying primers such as the new MUFE one. It gave the foundation an awful, patchy finish and emphasised flakey areas and texture. I’d suggest a regular smoothing primer or a good old moisturiser (10 mins prior to application so the skin surface isn’t too moist) for best results.

For application you can go for a brush or a sponge. I on the other hand like to use fingers and work section by section. It gives the best finish in my experience. No streaks and very even. 

Here’s a before and after, I’ve only primed my face with my regular moisturiser, nothing else.

As you can see, coverage is medium with a satin finish and doesn’t look flat at all.

Observations

This foundation does not settle into fine lines. I specially noticed that it sits great on the sides of the nose and also stays crease free on the smile lines, the trickiest areas of my face. The smaller pores are also less noticeable and skintone is evened out well concealing the redness on my cheeks and around the nose.

I also like that the foundation is quite nourishing and does not emphasise any dry patches or flakiness. Should work fine on drier skin types and oily combination alike.

Overall this has a second skin finish, you don’t really notice the foundation at all. Something I love about the Pro Longwear Nourishing Waterproof Foundation.

Longevity and Wear

The foundation definitely lasts all day. I only noticed slight dewiness (around the 4 hr mark) but no migration or separation at all. I am especially pleased that it hadn’t broken down around the sides of the nose and was still pretty much in tact after 8 hours or so.

Overall I find this to be one of those rare foundations that performs well in extreme, hot humid conditions. As for the waterproof claims, it’s said to ‘repel’ water and withstand rain or tears and to the best of my knowledge, this is true. I do believe it’s quite water ‘resistant’ and probably withstand a little bit of water in the event you do come into contact with some. Though I don’t think it would last a swim or a shower! and I doubt it was ever intended to.

Shade Selection

You need to try samples. I can’t stress that enough.

However based on my experience with this particular foundation, i’d advise you to go a shade lighter as this had a tendency to oxidise. But of course, on some of you it probably wouldn’t, so like I said, get a sample first.

Here’re a few swatches of the current foundations i’ve been using. (Please note the NARS one is way too yellow on me, and my perfect match as always is a mix of Chanel PL 30 and 40)

As you can see, the MAC is the darkest (this is after it oxidised) but it works fine right now as my arms are way tanner than my face. It also gives a nice bronzed look which probably wouldn’t look so forgiving if I hadn’t been tanning so much.

The Bottom Line

It’s my favourite foundation formula right now. It perfects the face without looking like I have any foundation at all and that’s what I always aim for!

Pro Longwear NWF is lightweight, glowy and yet long wearing, quite unusual for dewy finish foundations. If you live in the tropics and been having difficulty picking a foundation that stays put all day. I’d highly recommend this. I’d also recommend this for mature skin as well as it has a very smoothing quality and doesn’t make fine lines look worse, which can be a problem with some foundations.

Product Info

MAC Pro Longwear Nourishing Waterproof Foundation comes with 25ml .84 fl oz (slightly under your regular foundation size which is 30ml)

Retails price – SGD 62

Shade range for Singapore (according to press release) – NC 15, NC 20, NC 25, NC 30, NC 42, NC 45, NC 50

Lastly here’s the ingredient list (click for a closer view), you’ll notice the generous amounts of Silicon. It’s what gives this a smoothing silky feel :-)

Another thing I noticed was that the Pro Longwear NWF is marketed as SPF free, although it does contains Titanium Dioxide right at the end of the list…. Huh…??  I’m guessing it’s probably a negligible amount, but does give a very slight flash back.

That concludes my review!  However, if I’ve missed anything, feel free to ask me in the comments, i’ll get back to you as soon as I can :-)

Kisses, Michelle.