Singapore beauty haul 2015 part 2: The luxury edition

This haul post is hopelessly late as I took these pictures weeks ago!

  I've been busy as usual, but "better late than never" I figure so here are the products I bought at the more spendy end of the Singaporean beauty market - mostly from Sephora.  Yes, Sephora is finally coming to Melbourne very soon but I'm not planning to visit until the hysteria settles so it will probably be next year before I walk through those doors.  Until then I'm well and truly satiated by this beauty loot...

Sephora

• Urban Decay Ten 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil Set - I've long been a fan of Urban Decay's 24/7 liners thanks to my husband gifting me a set a few years ago.  The only thing that stops me from buying more of these is the price of the individual pencils so another set was the answer. The full sized ultra-black Perversion is the only repeat for me (mine dried up and died a little while ago so this is the backup!) and the other colours are all new additions to my little collection.  Standout shades influencing my decision were Voodoo because it's purple (my favourite coloured liner shade!) and the variously taupey and brown shades like Faint and Mugshot. I don't wear these on the waterline so they perform more than well enough on my upper or lower lash lines for a bit of definition.

• Urban Decay Matte Revolution Lipstick (Temper) - The matte revolution lippies were a brand spanking new release in Sephora so I was keen to try at least one.  I always love a good matte lip and Temper is the kind of bright matte shade I like to wear best.

• Tarte Energy Noir Palette - I'm drawn to eye and cheek palettes, I didn't own anything from Tarte prior to this trip and the colours are neutrals, plums and smokeys which were all speaking to me...need I justify this purchase more? Oh, okay the eye shadows swatched smoothly too! The dusty blush shade looks somewhat similar to Exposed (see below) but this particular shade is Unearthed.

• Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush (Exposed) - I went to two Sephora stores to find this blush so this purchase was a case of mission accomplished! Yes...I know I'm the last person on the planet - or so it feels - to own this particularly well known blush.  It makes a nice change from the usual peaches or corals I gravitate to anyway.

• Too Faced Love Palette - So I tossed up between this and the Semi-Sweet palette and in the end I was convinced this was a better buy and a change from my typical choices.  There's definitely a bit of colour and shimmer in there but it's still wearable enough for me to get away with during the daylight hours.  I also liked the 'three palettes in one' layout for some initial inspiration, and I basically overlooked the inclusion of the waterproof eyeliner! Do I like the heart design? Not really but I can forgive that for the contents.

• Laneige BB Cushion SPF50+ PA+++ (#13 True Beige) - My wonderful friends Sophia and Mabel introduced me to this product as they are both fans. During our joint shopping/dinner evening we were discussing the pros and cons of certain base products and this was the number one recommendation to try.  The girls also helped choose the perfect shade for me too and now I've been officially introduced to the wonders of the BB cushion!  I wouldn't have believed it but now that I've tried it I can say this stuff does feel comfortably cooling on the skin and it's so easy to apply with the enclosed puff sponge. 

• The Original Beautyblender -  There's not much more to say than I finally caved and threw one of these into my shopping basket on the way to the cashier.

• Sephora Lip Liner To Go (08 Classic Pink) - Another Mabel and Sophia recommendation! The ladies told me - and the swatches proved - these lip liners are creamy enough to wear on their own.

VDL

I did have another mineral shadow duo from the VDL boutique that unfortunately got smashed just before I took this picture *sob*.  I'm still hoping to salvage it with some rubbing alcohol...

• Festival Shadow (202 Cork) - I really just wanted to sample some of the eye shadows from this Korean brand so I went with a safe everyday shade that won't get forgotten in the back of the drawer.  As a matter of fact I'm going to be wearing it tomorrow!

• Tint Bar Triple Shot (502 Triple Burgundy) - The gradient or ombre lipstick or balm was a new discovery to me when I arrived in Singapore so I was really intrigued and had to have one! The burgundy layer might look awfully scary in the tube but it looks really soft on the lips and the fade out creates the optical illusion of fuller lips. After wearing this for the first time I'm ever so slightly regretting not buying more.

• Expert Color Lip Cube (502 Rosewood) - Another case of me just wanting to sample from a brand I can't get my hands on at home.  These lipsticks are apparently very long wearing so I have to find out for myself.

Laneige

I bought these Laneige products from the Tangs department store in Vivocity...

• Water Sleeping Mask - I'm talking about this first but this was the afterthought and the result of the SA doing a good job on the upsell! I've never used an overnight mask before and the stuff felt soooo good rubbed into the back of my hand.  Whatever.  I like a good pamper so I don't regret it!

• Two Tone Lip Bar (No. 3 Pink Salmon and No. 5 Daring Darling) - So...like I said earlier I was intrigued by the ombre lip trend and these orange-pink and red-pink combinations looked absolutely wild! So wild that I've not worn them yet but I plan to get playing soon!

Duty free part 1

Leaving Australia...

• Jurlique Purely Age-Defying Skin Care Program - Kits are always the best way to sample a new or different skin care range so I decided to pamper myself with this - still prohibitively expensive - anti-aging range.

• Prada Candy Trio - The only way to get a discount on Prada is DF so that, and my ongoing love affair with Prada fragrances, explains that purchase. 

Duty free part 2

Leaving Singapore...

• Cle De Peau Luminizing Face Enhancer (14 Delicate Pink) - Yes, even buying this DF in Changi Airport was an extravagance but I've wanted this for such a long time and it's just FREAKING GORGEOUS!!! Buyer's remorse? Not this time!

So there you have part 2! Part 3 will be devoted to one brand that I got quite carried away with, so stay tuned...it will happen I promise...

Until next time!

February's farewelled products (2013 edition)

It's a little late coming but these are the products I said goodbye to last month. Without further ado...

Skin care

8) Olay Regenerist Thermal Skin Polisher (125ml) - Once I realized this wasn't a daily cleanser (I suffered from a sensitive skin episode from OVER exfoliating!) and used it a few times a week I found this was really effective in smoothing my skin.  The polish feels warm on the skin once it's activated with water and the micro-crystal granules do the physical exfoliation.  Good stuff - as long as you don't use it every day!

9) Natio Lift Skin Firming Serum (50ml/1.6 fl.oz) - I generally love Natio's products so I'm a little sad that I was underwhelmed by this serum.  It was a rather watery formula which would literally run off my skin if I wasn't quick enough to rub it in.  I can't say I noticed it did anything magical for my skin either other than add a little extra moisture.  I'm glad I picked this up at last year's warehouse sale and didn't pay full price.

10) Natio Facial Cleansing Gel (100g/3.52oz) - OK, I didn't love the serum but I did love this gentle cleanser.  It's a very refreshing green tea and cucumber gel that smelt fresh, gently cleansed the skin and rinsed off in an instant.  This was a lovely alternative to my preferred foaming cleansers and as it's pH neutral it can be used morning, noon and night - not literally of course! Well, morning and night anyway.

11) Missha The Style Lip & Eye Makeup Remover (100ml approx.) - I bought this a few months ago when I last stepped into a Missha store.  It's the same gentle, non stinging, dual-phase remover that I'm devoted to (shake it up, soak a cotton pad and gently wipe off waterproof eye makeup or long lasting lip makeup) and it was in a nifty spill-proof bottle.  I would certainly use this again.

12) Swisspers Naturals Aloe Skin Perfecting Facial Cleansing Wipes (25 wipes) - As far as wipes go these ticked all the boxes:  not too small, softly textured cloths with just enough product to cleanse thoroughly, and they were enriched with aloe vera so my skin felt comfortably clean afterward with no need to add any moisturizer.  And yes the packaging has that fantastic snap fastening opening to keep the wipes from drying out! 

 Hand and body care

13) Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Eventone Age Spot Hand Cream (60g) - I loved this rich hand cream and would definitely repurchase for its added SPF protection and skin brightening properties (see my original review here).

14) OPI Original Polish Remover (120ml - 4 fl.oz) - the only usual suspect this month. I average a bottle of this remover a month.

15) Avon Foot Works Cracked Heel Relief Cream (100g) - This humble but wonderful cream prevents my heels from becoming ashy or cracking.  I use it religiously every day during the warmer months and it keeps my heels looking soft and youthful with its concoction of ingredients including glycerin, canola oil(!), lactic acid and stearic acid.  A tube seems to last an eternity too so it's a great value product - although I do tend to snap these up whenever Avon does a 2 for 1 deal!

16) Crabtree & Evelyn Pomegranate, Argan & Grapeseed Deep Cleansing Hand Wash (250ml/8.5fl.oz) - I bought this for the most frivolous reason:  the satiny, ruby red hand wash looked so pretty and I just wanted to display it on my bathroom vanity! Pretty, yes, but also pretty harsh on my skin unfortunately and I found the exfoliating seedy granules a little too deep cleaning for my sensitive skin. I also had a beef with the pump packaging because I couldn't get the last dregs out of the bottle without watering it down. Not a repurchase for me.

Fragrance

17) Prada L'Eau Ambree EDP (80ml/2.7fl.oz) - This smoked glass bottle contained one my favourite scents and I'm sure I'll buy it again as it has such a classic air about it - I keep opening the cap to smell the fragrance as I write this.  The top notes are Cedrat Lemon, Mandarin and Neroli;  middle notes are Benzoin, May Rose and Gardenia; base notes are Amber blended with Patchouli, Vanilla and Opoponax.

 That's it for this month!

 

REVIEW: Products farewelled in April

April was a big month for beauty product consumption.  I've emptied eight products this month so my yearly product tally is now at 23 empties. Four months into this year, I'm starting to see some trends:

Lets start with the repeat empties, and there were three of those this month:

16) OPI Polish Remover

 (non-oily, moisturizing formula)

Yes, this is my third bottle for the year.  I really wish I could get my hands on larger bottles of this stuff than the standard 120ml/4 fl.oz. I can see myself finishing a lot more bottles this year now that I'm changing my nail polish more frequently.  For my previous review click here.

17) Loreal Gentle Make-up Remover
 for Eyes & Lips

My second bottle for the year.  I'm still happy with this product and consider it good value for money so yes, I'm into my third bottle.  Click here for my full review.

18) YSL Touche Eclat

I've just finished my second tube for the year, which is a little worrying.  At $55AUD per tube this is a bit of a luxury for me.  But the thing that concerns me most is the texture of this product seems to have changed of late.  I don't know whether I've scored a bad batch of product but the formula has certainly become thinner and not as creamy as I've come to expect, to the point of dripping off the end of the brush after dispensing it.  I know in my original review here I wrote that this is my desert island product and a good concealer/highlighter is a must have, but I have a feeling that after many years it may be time to move on from this one...

19) OPI Drip Dry drops

This is the alternative to using a nail polish drying spray.  60 seconds after applying top coat I apply 1 to 2 drops of drip dry to speed up the dry time of my nail polish.  According to OPI nail polish is, "...dry to the touch in 60 seconds; thoroughly dry in 5 minutes or less".  I find it works consistently when used over OPI products and generally when used over other brands of nail polish.

Pros:

• Easy to use
• Dropper is supplied for accurate application
• Moisturises cuticles as you drip it on
• Works consistently with OPI nail polish
• No unpleasant smell

Cons:

• Does not always work over other nail polish.  Some polishes just will not dry no matter what!
• Price - this retails at approx $24AUD per 9ml bottle

Would I buy this again?
Yes.

20) Shiseido White Lucent

Brightening Balancing Softener

This balancing softener is the second step of my cleansing routine as I'm currently using Shiseido's White Lucent range in an effort to brighten my middle-aged skin and prevent pigmentation.  It's applied much like the toner step in my skin care routine, as this product is wiped over with cotton pads to brighten and hydrate the skin.  To be honest, as I'm on a budget this was a sample sized bottle as part of a gift with purchase.  I originally purchased the full range but have found it a bit expensive to justify spending large dollars so I skipped this step for a while.  Now that I've finished this bottle I'm skipping it again.

Pros:

• Ingredients in this softener (m-Tranexamic Acid) help to brighten skin and promote even complexion
• Hydrates and soothes the skin prior to applying moisturiser
• Pleasant fragrance
• Gorgeous packaging

Cons:

• Price - the entire range costs a few hundred dollars

Would I buy this again?
No. I'm now looking for a more budget-friendly alternative.

21) MAC Lustreglass

(Little Vi)

For a swatch please click here.  This shimmery violet lipgloss was one of my favourites over the summer. Unfortunately it was a limited edition!  My review will apply to MAC lustreglass generally:

Pros:

• Multidimensional colours
• Look great on their own or layered
• Great range of colours
• Pleasant vanilla fragrance
• High shine
• Doesn't feel tacky on the lips

Cons:

• Medium wear in terms of longevity
• Price - Retails at $35AUD

Would I buy this again?
Yes, as the range of colours is extensive and my empty containers qualify for the "Back 2 MAC" program.

22) Prada Infusion D'Iris

I bought this as part of a travel size set from a duty-free store last year.  I love Prada fragrances generally and this was no exception for me.  It's a gorgeously sophisticated yet soft scent so it's appropriate for any occasion.  The notes in this fragrance include mandarin, orange blossom, galbanum, iris, incense, benzoin, cedar, lentisc and vetiver.

Would I buy this again?

Yes. 

23) MAC Select Sheer pressed powder

(NC20)

This powder is another of my tried and true products.  I used to buy my pressed powder from Clinique years ago then switched to this as I preferred the sheerer finish and finer texture.  I use this lightly over my face in the morning along with concealer to subtly even my skin tone and reduce shine and also to set my lipstick.

Pros:

• Light texture, because it's sheer it doesn't give me a 'powdered' look
• Great range of colours to match my skin tone perfectly
• Doesn't cake

Cons:

• Does need to be reapplied mid-way through the day to reduce shine on my nose

Would I buy this again?

Yes.  It's easy to find the perfect match for my skin and the empties go towards "Back 2 MAC".

Whew, I think I've said enough!

Until next time.

Vita :)