Holy Grail Products

I am finally done marking, and just have some tasks here and there, so here's a post I've been meaning to do up since a long time ago! Here's a bunch of my favourites, all of which I swear by.

HAIRCARE

SHISEIDO TSUBAKI EXTRA MOIST SHAMPOO AND CONDITIONER

Ever since trying this in Hokkaido onsens, I've fallen deeply and madly in love with the way this haircare range smells and how effective it is. After just one use, I saw results in the form of softer and smoother hair. I used to be a ardent supporter of the Essentials airy and smooth shampoo range, but I have since pledged loyalty to Lord Tsubaki. You can have all my hair, oh Lord.

SKINFOOD ARGAN OIL SILK HAIR MASK PACK

This baby here provides a powerful dose of moisture every time I use it. I try not to over-nourish my hair, so I've just been using it twice a week. Love it! Smells amazing as well (as per usual Korean products).

SKINFOOD ARGAN OIL SILKY HAIR ESSENCE

I use three pumps of this hair oil every night, right out of the shower when my hair is still wet. Apparently, this practice is best for your hair because it helps to lock in moisture and protect your hair. Smells divine like the hair mask mentioned above.

BODY

RO'S ARGAN BODY CONDITIONER

It should be apparent by now that my obsession with argan oil is rather substantial. Here's another to add to the collection! Somehow I feel that products with argan oil have a very noticeable nourishing quality about them, and this body conditioner is no exception. After every shower (or whenever I feel diligent enough), I will spread small amounts all over my body while I am not completely dry yet. This helps to save product, and is the recommended application method anyway. A little sure goes a super long way!

SKINCARE

to be continued!

SKINFOOD LETTUCE CUCUMBER TONER
SKINFOOD BLACK POMEGRANATE LOTION
TRILOGY ROSEHIP OIL
NEXCARE PIMPLE STICKERS (THIN)


COSMETICS

I have two concealer favourites, because I use them in different areas and ways...

THE SAEM CONCEALER in 001

For normal school days, when I'm lazy to apply foundation all over my face, this is what I use on my T zone. Most of my redness and bumps are in the T zone, so I just need to give  the area a wash with this concealer. I first tried it in Korea and never looked back. I daresay it's even better than NARS radiant creamy concealer! Both are doe-foot applicator cream concealers, yet I achieve better results with the saem. It definitely covers the redness I experience, and is adequate for small bumps. 

CLE DE PEAU BEAUTE CONCEALER in Ivory

Ultra creamy yet the most natural looking. A sheer layer can provide full coverage over the ugliest of bumps. It's the one I reach for whenever an alien zit invades my facial terrain. Truly a lifesaver. 'Nuff said.

to be continued!

Updated Concealer Options

Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection 001: Cheap dupe for the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer. I would say it works just as well, and the difference between the two is negligible.

NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Chantilly: Great coverage. Despite its cream texture, sets on skin matte and dry, sometimes when my skin is really dehydrated, it shows up.

MAC Studio Finish Concealer NC20: ever-reliable, convenient and buildable for a thick enough coverage to bury zits and pimple scars in shame

ding ding ding! drumroll for my favourite (and most expensive)...

Clé de Peau Beauté Concealer: Creamiest but the most natural looking. A sheer layer can provide full coverage over the ugliest of bumps.

Winter Beauty Haul (Seoul + Shanghai DF)

I'll spam pictures first, reviews to come later! Much excites hehehehe language is failing me

Skincare Haul

Makeup Haul

My first foray into falsies!

tried both out already and the verdict: they work pretty damn well!

Old and new loves - the red Play 101 pencil doubles up as a really good and blendable blush!

My best discovery: Glossy Blaster Tints from Too Cool for School!

Hair oils to kickstart the rescue mission for my hair

SAMPLESSSSSSSSSS HAHAHHAA

less significant, but still free :P

Shanghai Pudong Airport Duty Free Loot - Dior is dirt cheap in Shanghai

Quick review of Inglot Freedom System 3-pan Palette

This post is so backdated, first drafted this... 2 months ago? Anyway, there you go! With closeup shots and a mini review!

Wahaha this is my only loot from JB! Went there mainly to eat seafood with my classmates so I didn't really get to shop to my heart's content :( We were only in the mall for 2 hours after our meal at a street restaurant?

From Left to Right: 463 DS, 117 R, 63 AMC

Got a 3-pan palette with mirror this time round, LOVE this set up so much for the convenience! This is my go-to palette now for a quick everyday look. I take the shimmering nude all over my lids (I love how glittery it is!), then go closer to the lash line with the browns and finish up with the black as a liner. The centre brown shade doubles up as my eyebrow colour, which makes this palette legit double-duty goodness. LURRRVE.

MAC Lipsticks! Swatches and Review

Got sucked into a dangerous addiction a few months ago. Started with 1 and now.... I have 4. They're 30 a pop, so it's quite an uh investment. lol. Especially since I'll be going to Korea soon, and have no legit reason to buy any makeup before I go crazy there. BUT WHATEVER OKAY. Here they are:

Swatch Set 1 (from Top to Bottom): Lickable, Fanfare, Chatterbox, Brave Red.

Swatch Set 2, from a slightly different angle

First of all, I am super tanned now after my diving trip (LOL okay in comparison to my previous skintone, not other people okay. I'm still the fairest wherever I go, somehow), with my arms disproportionately darker than my face haha I look like a mess. 

On to the lipsticks review! 

I swatched each lipstick twice; the one on top is with multiple swipes, and the one on the bottom is 1 swipe. In the order from top to bottom:

Lickable (cremesheen): my very first MAC lipstick. Out of the 4 shades I got, I like this one the most. I got a slight panic attack after I recalled that I have a Revlon Colourburst lipbalm stain that's REALLY similar in colour to this, but heh, after swatching them side by side, the difference was still big enough to justify this purchase, so all's well. It's so so perfect as a perk me up colour! Really creamy, yet stays for at least 4 hours I SWEAR, and fades to leave an even stain. This impressed me so much that I went on to get...

Fanfare (cremesheen): wanted this as a MLBB kinda thing, you know, on days that I just need to look alive and not look too made up. This is the colour I go to when I want to look as make up free as I can get away with. Was rather disappointed with the texture of this though, it's definitely the less creamy out of the 4 I've got, despite it being a cremesheen formula. Tbh, it highlights how dry my lips are! I definitely have to load up on lip balm before I feel it's safe to apply this.

Chatterbox (amplified): This is the one that made me swear to not get another lipstick until... after Korea at least! This is a rather barbie pink kinda shade, for days that I feel especially girly heh. I LOVE the formula, it's so freaking intensely pigmented and flattering on the lips to boot. 

Brave Red (cremesheen): Then a Sephora 30% off sale swung by, and I got enticed by this gorgeous red. My first ever red lipstick! It's not bright, attention-grabbing, but rather, a more...understated red? It leans pink. Think less hooker, and more sophisticated. Definitely wearable. The formula wore perfectly on my lips as well, no complaints here!

In order of preference, I think I would go with Lickable > Chatterbox > Brave Red > Fanfare. That said, I do like all of them!!!! My expensive babies!!!

L'oreal Colour Riche Extraordinaire

This is such an overdue post! I got these L'oreal Colour Riche Extraordinaire lipglosses in 4 colours when I was in Seattle.

I daresay, they are the most long-lasting lip colour I own, they fade evenly, and  paired with a good lip balm, they do not slip and do not dry my lips out nor accentuate my dry lips! They look really lush and glossy on the lips. I love how pigmented they are too!

From Top to Bottom: 303, 202, 201, 101

Rouge Allegro 303: a reddish-pink that looks quite bold. It matches quite well with simple eye makeup and light application of either coral/pink blush.

Coral Encore 202: a gorgeous coral shade that is very suitable as an everyday lip colour for school - I use this the most often, especially because it goes well with my NYX Cream Blush in Rose Petal!

Rose Symphony 201: a rose-pink that goes well with my Clinique Cheek Pop in Plum Pop. It's a sweet looking colour that's not too overwhelming.

Rose Melody 101: a really light baby-pink shade that is perfect for the nude-lip look when I emphasise my eye-makeup and want to tone down the rest of my face.

The glosses all contain micro-shimmer that's not chunky or too noticeable but instead, just helps create a nice glittery effect when viewed closed-up.

The applicator reminds me of those found with YSL Glossy Stains! Rectangular, and tapered at the tip.

I really enjoy using the applicator: it dispenses and spreads the lipgloss evenly, and is just the right size and shape to manipulate. The scent of the lipglosses bother me a little though. It's a rather faint floral(?) scent that definitely fades after a while, but still, something to note. With regards to the texture, it is definitely not as goopy as the Maybelline Colour Elixirs, but not as watery as the YSL Glossy Stains (review coming up in just a bit!). It feels slightly tacky for the first few minutes you have it on, but after that it's all good.

In comparison to my other favourite, the NYX Butter Glosses, the NYX ones are definitely more nourishing and moisturising. However, the stain that these L'oreal babies leave on my lips last waaaay longer than the NYX ones. The NYX Butter Glosses typically last 3 hours before I have to re-apply, while I can go 4-6 hours before having to re-apply the L'oreal Colour Extraordinare glosses.

It's such a pity that these aren't available in Singapore!!! I totally regret not buying more...but then again... hehehehe I have more than enough lip products already :P

Favourite Face Brushes

My loves:

Real Techniques Buffing Brush

The Real Techniques Buffing Brush is part of the Core Collection Set (which is a MUST-GET because every single brush in it is good, especially the lip/concealer brush). It's the perfect size, not too small and not too big, very dense as you can see from the picture which makes it absolutely great for mineral powder. I use it to buff in liquid foundation such as the Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Cream, or to apply my mineral foundation, the Tarte Airbrush Foundation. The brush helps to spread product evenly, and is rather gentle on my skin as I work it all over my face. Definitely THE foundation brush to buy!

Real Techniques Stippling Brush

The Real Techniques Stippling Brush is a more recent purchase (I bought the Core Collection Set last summer?). In this short time that I've had it, I've been using it almost every single day to apply my blush. It picks up cream blushes like the NYX offering so effortlessly, and can be used with the Clinique Cheek Pop blushes too even though that one's a powder. I haven't been tempted to try using it as a foundation brush yet, given how well my Real Techniques Buffing Brush's been performing. Maybe I'll give it a whirl for that purpose soon, just to test it out?

Real Techniques Setting Brush

THIS IS THE BOMBBBBB. The Real Techniques Setting Brush is an absolute gem in my brush collection. After I'm done with my foundation and concealer, I use this brush to gently tap on my setting powder, currently the Innisfree No Sebum Mineral Powder, on my T-zone and chin. Previously a subscriber to setting with a powder puff, I've become a total convert - the brush applies a light layer of powder without disturbing my makeup AT ALL. Amazing.

P.S: the brushes all look a lil' dirty heh, I know. Proves that I've been using them frequently!! They actually all have white tips. All three featured are synthetic by the way, as with all Real Techniques brushes.