2016 Beauty Favourites | Part 1: Make-Up

Hey everyone! Super sorry (again) for the MIA. I've been travelling a lot, had a lot of errands to run for over a week and Chinese New Year just came by, and oh, Happy Chinese New Year/Lunar New Year to all my Chinese readers!

Anyway, I've finally squeezed in some time to blog about my 2016 Beauty Favourites. Let's start with makeup.

Makeup

1. Etude House Face Blur SPF 33PA++ // Primer

This is a really top-notch primer that smoothens the skin, moisturises the skin, gives a smooth application for makeup, gives a bit of a sheen and glow to the skin and also, make the makeup lasts a long time for at least 10 hours. It comes with a pump which is a plus, and also is affordable and has an added SPF to protect the skin from the sun.

2. Too Faced Born This Way Foundation // Foundation

This foundation is one of the most popular high-end foundations on 2015 and it is raved by many beauty gurus. It has high and amazing coverage, very easy to blend and has a natural finish. It's also very long-lasting. It comes with a pump, which is another plus. It's not very drying but it does move around a little.

3. L'Oreal Infallible Pro-Matte 24HR Foundation // Foundation

This foundation is really out of this world, for me. I actually like this better than the Too Faced Born This Way Foundation (but I still love it nonetheless). It has high and amazing coverage, very easy to blend and spread around the face, very creamy and has a natural finish. It definitely lasts much longer than the Too Faced Foundation and the best part is, it doesn't crease as much and doesn't move around the face. It's not too drying or blotchy.

4. Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles Treatment Concealer // Concealer

One of the best concealers I've ever used. It's really creamy so it's moisturising for the under-eyes, it covers the dark circles very well (because this concealer in shade Fair has a peach to salmon undertone), it blends like heaven and lasts a really good amount of time, which is impressive considering that this is very affordable.

5. The Face Shop Liquid Veil Concealer // Concealer

This concealer is excellent. It's super creamy and so easy to blend. It also comes with a doe-foot applicator, which is my favourite type of concealer. It has a good amount of coverage that covers pimples, blemishes, under-eyes and pimple scars quite well. It's also very affordable but unfortunately, it only comes in three shades.

6. Jeffree Star Skin Frost Highlighter in King Tut // Highlighter

Absolutely love this highlighter. It's such a beautiful gold highlighter that has amazing pigmentation, super easy to blend and it's huge. I personally thing I will never hit pan on this because it's almost as big as my face. This highlighter can literally blind anyone once they lay their eyes on you. It also lasts a really long time.

7. Too Faced Chocolate Bar Eyeshadow Collection // Eyeshadow Palette

One of my favourite eyeshadow palettes of all time. I've never seen a YouTuber hate or disliked this product, because it's just that good. The colours are so gorgeous and pigmented, so easy to blend, has a variety of beautiful colours that can go from neutral to bright to night-out looks. The best part is, it is made from 100% cocoa powder and smells like chocolate.

8. BH Cosmetics Shaaanxo 18 Eyeshadow + Lipstick Palette // Eyeshadow and Lipstick Palette

I personally love the eyeshadows more than the lipsticks. I'm sure you all would probably know (or not) that I love me some liquid lipsticks and not so much on the creamier lipsticks. The eyeshadows are so excellent. They are so creamy, smooth, pigmented and absolutely stunning, it's crazy how I bought this palette for only $15 ($10USD). The pans are really big compared to many other eyeshadows in palettes, they're just so easy to blend and long-lasting. The lipsticks however were not as great as the eyeshadows, but it works well too. It's quite pigmented, creamy, moisturising, but you'll need a lip brush to apply the lipsticks.

9. Holika Holika Jewel Light Waterproof Pencil Liner in #16 Black Plum // Eyeliner

I absolutely love the colour of this pencil liner. It's a matte purple plum shade which is so gorgeous and stunning on the waterline or the eyelid. It glides on smoothly, super pigmented, very affordable and very waterproof. I've done a waterproof on these baby and it's very waterproof, it really doesn't smudge off that easily. 

10. Etude House Play 101 Pencil in #38 // Eyeliner

This is also a really excellent eyeliner pencil. It's way more smoother compared to the Holika Holika Jewel-Light Waterproof Pencil Liner and glides on easily. It is also a retractable pencil so you don't really have to sharpen the edges or the tip of the eyeliner (it also comes with a mini and portable sharpener which is located at the back of the pencil). It's also a very pretty colour and comes with so many different shades you can never imagine (okay, maybe you can but... you know what I mean :D).

11. L'Oreal Waterproof Voluminous Carbon Black Mascara // Mascara

Amazing. It's one of the best mascaras I've ever tried in my life. It lengthens, curls and volumises (but it's also natural-looking). Not only that, it doesn't smudge, or clump and the best part of it, it's waterproof. Unfortunately, despite it's crazy amount of pros, it's pretty difficult to remove the mascara as it's super waterproof.

12. Jeffree Star Velour Liquid Lipstick in Celebrity Skin // Liquid Lipstick

Be prepared for many lipsticks being featured in this blogpost because... well, I bought over 10 lipsticks and been gifted about 5. Anyway, this lipstick is amazing. So amazing. The colour is a very pretty dark nude to brown shade. It doesn't have a yellow or pink undertone or anything, which I like. I just love a dark nude. Formula-wise, very impressed. It's very consistent, creamy, not drying or flaky and doesn't suck the life out of my lips. It's velvet-y and soft. The shape of the doe-foot applicator makes it easier to apply and fills in quickly because the doe-foot applicator is bigger than other doe-foot applicators from other liquid lipsticks from other brands. Best part about this is that even if you eat oily and greasy foods, the lipstick still stays on.

13. Kylie Cosmetics Lip Kit in Candy K and Exposed

2016 was the year for Kylie Jenner as some lip kits were sold out every few minutes once they were released on the website. I have to be honest, this lip liner and liquid lipstick were really good. Candy K is a really pretty dusty mauve-y neutral pink while Exposed is a nude-orange, perfect for everyday-wear. The formula isn't the best, but they're decent. Smooth, creamy, pigmented and not too drying. I like the lip liner more than the liquid lipstick because it's not as drying. They're also very long-lasting and don't transfer. The lip liner is super pigmented and smooth and it glides on so nicely around the lips. The liquid lipstick is alright, but a little bit drying and might turn cracky, but it's not too bad. The colours are really pretty and gorgeous, and that's why I love this lipstick.

14. ColourPop Ultra Satin Lips in Calypso, November and Screenshot

2016 was definitely the year for ColourPop as well and their ultra satins are bomb. They're so pigmented, creamy, smooth and easy to apply. They were not matte, but they dry a little bit of a matte, but they still have that little sheen on the lips. They're not drying at all (unlike their ultra mattes). Calypso is a beautiful mid-tone terracotta pink. November is a gorgeous warm peachy coral pink. Screenshot is a stunning deepened peach. The colours are extremely gorgeous and ColourPop has a wide range of different colours with different tones in many different finishes like mattes, satins, metallics and glosses.

15. ColourPop Matte X Lippie in Cami and Chateau

The formula for the matte x lippies are absolutely amazing. They're smooth, soft, pigmented, glides on easily and definitely not drying at all. I know I describe all my lipsticks like that, but trust me when I say this, they're so hard not to pass. They're lightweight, doesn't transfer, easily removed by makeup removers and lasts for quite a while. It does fade off if you eat oily and greasy foods. It's so affordable and it's in a crayon form. Cami is a mauve-y neutral pink while Chateau is a deep blackened red wine colour.

16. 3 Concept Eyes Dangerous Matte Lip Color in #808 Spotted

I never realised how amazing this formula is. It's creamy, velvety, smooth and pigmented. It really stays on for the whole day and doesn't transfer at all. It's in this gorgeous blue-toned red which really makes my teeth look whiter and brighter instantly whenever I flash a smile.

17. 13rushes Flat Top Foundation Brush, Jumbo Shader Brush, Tapered Concealer Brush and Oval Brush

13rushes is a Singaporean brand that provides high quality brushes. Their bristles and hairs are so soft and smooth, it's really satisfying when you play around with it. They all dry really quickly. The flat top foundation brush is soft yet firm and blends so well. It doesn't leave streaky lines and has a beautiful and natural finish. The jumbo shader brush is perfect for blending eyeshadows altogether and great for contouring the nose. It's soft and fluffy, but picks up product very well. The tapered concealer brush is perfect for blending concealer under the eyes and on pimple spots, scars, blemishes and marks. It's soft and firm, and blends beautifully, without leaving streaky lines. The tapered powder brush is mainly used as a highlighting brush, for me. It's soft and fluffy, and picks up products very well and blends beautifully.

[REVIEW] CURE Natural Aqua Gel

Hi there. It's been 7 days! Technically a week since I posted my last blog post.

I got this product a few days ago from Singapore.

This is a really famous and popular product in Japan (since it's made from Japan). It's actually the No. 1 Bestselling Exfoliant in Japan. It is a facial exfoliant that removes dead skin cells and other dirty cells in your face. According to the bottle, it says it's 'Made of 90% water'. Has no fragrance, no colouring and no preservatives. The product also says it's natural as well.

This was recommended by Melodee Morita, a Japanese host who lives in the US and has one of the most beautiful skin I have ever seen. In her evening skin care routine video on YouTube, she mentioned this product in her video.

The instructions and ingredients are written in English, and also in Japanese. Thank goodness it's written in English or I'll just be googling on how to use this product correctly.

• Review:

I used this product once and oh my goodness my face has never felt cleaner and brighter in my entire 15 years of living (lol). It really does remove the dead skin cells when I massage my face for at least 2 minutes. The white patches were literally visible, no joke, I thought it won't work but actually it did. My face got a lot whiter as well.

The texture is very gel-like. I like the texture coz it's soft and smooth. It makes it easier to massage onto your face compared to Skin Food Black Sugar Mask Wash Off exfoliant. It does not have a smell at all, but it does have a slight hint of that water-smell (can you actually smell water?). 

I also like the bottle. It's light and portable as well. It has a pump which makes life easier and that it's long-lasting. It's really thin and tall, so it does not take up a lot of space in my toilet (haha).

• What does it do to your face/skin?

As I said, it helps to exfoliate your skin and removes ALL of the dead skin cells and other dirty cells that are accumulating your face. It also makes your face cleaner and healthier. Brighter and whiter as well.  

• How to apply it onto your face/skin?

Just pump 3-5 pumps of the product and apply it all over your face. Massage it for a few minutes until white patches start to form on your face. Massage it for a few while and then rinse your face with lukewarm water.

• Where can you purchase this product?

-Watsons, SASA, any Asian online beauty/cosmetic store.

• How much was it?

-Now there are pros and cons about this product. It's not exactly the most affordable product out there, and I struggled for 2 months if I want to purchase this product or not. It's $49.

Overall Comment:

It's a really good product. It really does remove the dead skin cells and makes your face feel cleaner and healthier, Besides the price, it's a really good product because it's natural and contains 90% of water, so it's definitely harmless. There are definitely better exfoliants out in the market, but this product is a good start if you want to remove your dead skin cells quickly.

Rating: 5/5

[REVIEW] Skin Food Black Sugar Mask Wash Off

Hi guys. I am back with another blog post on another review for Skin Food.

If you didn't know, Skin Food Black Sugar Mask Wash Off is actually an exfoliator or an exfoliant for the face. Not only that, this specific product is one of the top Korean exfoliants in stores right now. According to Michelle Phan, she had mentioned this product in her blog as the 'Korean Beauty: 8 Must-Try Products'. Michelle Phan isn't one that simply recommends products at any time, she only recommends products that actually works and is very effective.

I decided to purchase this (because I don't have an exfoliant and this was one of many few options I thought of).

Entering the store, there were 3 different types of mask-wash-off facial exfoliants: Rice Mask Wash Off and Strawberry Sugar Mask Wash Off and the one that I purchased, Black Sugar Mask Wash Off. Obviously, being quite picky, I chose the most recommended product out of the three and also, the most expensive one.

The packaging definitely looked smaller than I expected. Even though it was 100g, it felt smaller than that.

The packaging is quite okay. Opens easily, closes easily. Has a very fascinating tube-like shape. I don't really know how to describe the shape of the bottle but it's a bit strange, but in a good way.

I expected the packaging to be written in full Korean, but thank goodness, they translated the ingredients and instructions on how to use the product in English. What surprised me the most was that on the cover, it said: "Contains many nutritive ingredients such as fresh plants, fruits, etc. to keep our skin healthy". Michelle Phan stated that it also contains vitamins, glycolic acid and nourishing minerals. That made me want to purchase this product even more because obviously, Michelle Phan can't lie about it.

• Review:

Let's just say that the texture of the mask is a little bit harder than I thought it would turn out to be. It was like scooping dry mud onto my fingers. Anyway, besides the texture, I definitely think that the sugar mask somehow did leave my skin feeling a lot softer and bouncier. I don't quite notice that my dead skin cells coming off (obviously because I can't see them), but I think after 10 minutes, rinsing it with water, the dead skin cells may have come off from the skin. As this is an exfoliant, I believe that this will remove dead skin cells because the saleslady in Skin Food said so, as well. The feeling on the skin is kinda funny too. I don't know how to describe but it's definitely not bad. 

• What does it do to your face/skin?

Exfoliate your skin. Remove dead skin cells. Promotes good and glowing skin. It also contains fresh, natural, organic and good ingredients that can improve our skin.

• How to apply it onto your face/skin?

Scoop a generous amount (just 1 finger full of the product) and rinse it with water. Don't apply the product directly onto your face without rinsing with water because it may cause irritation onto your face (it's a little too harsh or dry to your skin so please remember to add water or maybe toner as well). Apply the product onto your face, spread it all over your face and massage your face for 2 minutes. Leave it there for 10-15 minutes without touching your face and rinse it off with lukewarm water.

• Where can you purchase this product?

-Skin Food (any store, basically). You can also purchase this product from G-Market and KoreaDepart.

• How much was it?

-$22.00BND.

Overall Comment:

I am quite happy that this product did work for me (somehow). I see a little bit of improvements on my skin (not that huge of an improvement). It made my skin feel cleaner as well. Knowing the fact that dead skin cells are being removed from my skin feels great and relieving. I don't have to worry about sudden pimple break-outs or high-pigmentations. I'm also happy with the price. It was not as expensive as I thought. It's very affordable as well. A good quality product that actually works and is affordable? This product is the one for you.

Rating: 4.5/5