Laneige Pore Control BB Cushion Review

Laneige came out with a new and improved BB Cushion, and I am in love with it. I'm using shade #21

Let's jump into the review first before I blog about the other stuff of this new cushion I'm loving.

The good:

• It does cover my pore pretty well
• It has matifying properties. Which is good in sunny Singapore and for those with oily skin
• This has a light scent (the old one doesn't), and it's kind of nice
• It's light-weight; you hardly feel that you have anything on
• It is water resistant
• It comes in warm and cool tones, and a huge variety of colours
• It comes with a refill! 
• SPF50++!

The bad:

• I just wished that it was more longer lasting

Side note: It does say it is moisturizing, however I use a additional moisturizer with it so I can't tell...

Overall rating: 9.5/10

For SGD$59, you get a casing with the product already, and an additional refill.

So anyway, I bought both an old version which I found and the new one, and I tried the new one first.

Photo: On left, the new one, and on the right, the old version

I kind of like the new packing, it looks better than the old one.

I picked up a brochure from the Laneige counter on this new BB Cushion, and there is a page on what is new:

Photo: One of the pages in the brochure of the new Laneige BB Cushion

 There is also one page on the properties of this new Laneige Pore Control BB Cushion

Photo: Page from the brochure about the new Pore Control BB Cushion

 Each box comes with a refill pack.I think its kind of useful because one cushion is kind of small, and it runs out faster than a normal BB cream tube.

Photo: What is in the box

Photo: The actual cushion

When opening the first casing, there is a sticker on top of the cushion to protect it. After peeling it away, I was amazed at the sponge inside. Maybe because my first cushion (the L'oeral Paris Cushion) had a sponge that was quite flimsy. I would say the quality of the sponge is quite good.



Fr the next time... I managed to get a Hera UV Mist Cushion and will be trying that to compare with the Laneige one. Some reviews say Hera is better while others prefer Laneige. Maybe it depends on the country and weather, but nevertheless I will try it and see how. :) Till next time.

L'oreal Paris Lucent Magique BB Cushion Review

So I got into this trend a bit late. I finally got my first BB Cushion after watching the clicknetwork show where Shu An and Qiu Qiu unboxed their gifts from L'oreal Paris (link here). So my first BB Cushion was of course from L'oreal Paris.

I got it for $32 at Watsons, and it was only 14g. It had a refill pack but the casing didn't contain the product, so I am guessing $32 is for one set. The funny thing is that they dun sell the refill.

I got mine in N2 Ivory Miracle. There was only to shades available, N2 and N3 which is a darker shade.

So let's jump into it:

Photo: The info written at the back

Photo: What the cushion looks like. Pardon the dirtied sponge; used it for 2 months on and off before taking this photo

Photo: Pretty casing, and it's so shiny it's like a mirror

After trying it for 2 months (here and there), here is what I feel

The good:

• Pretty rose-gold casing
• It's buildable
• The sponge is anti-bacterial  

The bad:

• SPF29++ only. Most of those bb/cc cushions reviews I see of the other brands are SPF50++.
• Non-water proof. It actually comes off very easily with water. I wore this to my granddad's funeral where I cried, and when I wiped my face with tissue, it came off, leaving streaks on my face...
• The sponge is kind of flimsy. Like those you can buy off the shops and make your own BB cushion
• This point might be just for me, but it's kind of sticky as a top layer. I only put a moisturizer then this BB cushion
• It made my face look oily after one day out with this product (no touch ups)
• It has very little product. I use it on average of 2-3 times a week, but it seems like it's running out already

Verdict: 4/10

Up next:

I just purchased Laneige's BB Cushion (Pore Control) and am excited to try it out. The reviews online are great and it took me a month before I finally got my hands onto one. Sephora Singapore's online shop was sold out, and it was also sold out in NEX's Sephora store and the Laneige counter at Isetan NEX. I finally managed to purchase the new improved one at the Isetan Laneige counter at NEX, and after which I found the old one at JEM's Sephora store, so I purchased that too. Will be reviewing this in the next blog post. :)

Hits and Misses - Nov/Dec 2013

I decided to do my reviews in a Hits and Misses post. All the items here are from my two previous Sephora Hauls (post here and here).

HITS

1. Priming with the Stars Kit by Benefit Cosmetics

The products that Benefit chose to put in the kit is just so nice! The latch on my foundation broke though (after my sis dropped it) and it's now being held closed by a rubber band. My reviews:

1. Stay Don't Stray in light/medium - primer for concealers and eyeshadows

Good as a highlighter as well since the colour is a bit lighter than my skin tone. Works very well!

2. Porefessional - PRO balm to minimize the appearance of pores

My sis love this too! It really does minimize the appearance of pores, and I know see why so many youtube beauty gurus are raving over this.

3. Some Kind-a Gorgeous in medium - foundation (creamy)

It's more suited to be used as a concealer I feel, but as long as you don't over apply it's not very cakey.

4. bene-tint - rose-tinted lip and cheek stain

I LOVE this item. The colour is so so so so so very nice. :) And easy to use!

5. Girl Meets Pearl - Liquid pearl for face

I don't really use this item, but it highlights your cheekbones and makes your appear prettier (if you know how to apply it correctly!

6. They're Real - Mascara

This mascara is really lasting! It lasts the whole day (like 12 plus hours) and doesn't come off until you wipe it off with a makeup remover.

2. Burt's Bees Lip Balm - Ultra Conditioning (with Kokum Butter)

This is really hydrating! I brought it and use it in South Australia, and it prevented my lips from drying out or cracking. Even my dad asked me for it.


3. FABPORE by Soap&Glory

It removes makeup really well! But I have yet to seen how it minimizes pores.


4. Free sample - bareMinerals Matte SPF15 Foundation

Good coverage, and lasts for a long time. I am however not sure if I would buy the full size one since I ordered a liquid foundation from Benefit that has yet to arrive. Plus point for me, it has SPF.


Undecided

1. Sephora Retractable Foundation Brush

I didn't really like the fact that the retractable part can't stay halfway down, but otherwise it works fine. Since it is for liquid foundation I used it use the Urban Decay Naked Skin Beauty Balm, but since then it hasn't dried i.e. the brush looks always wet. Maybe I should try cleaning it and using it again.


2.Urban Decay Naked Skin Beauty Balm (travel size) 

The coverage on this was really bad, and I didn't expect it from Urban Decay. Even my sister complained about the coverage. But I like the smell of it, and the feeling of it on my face (it's like you dun feel it there but you know there's something on your face). Very tempted to buy this again, but unsure if I would or try out other products first. I will definitely not buy the full size one though, since this tube alone is taking me more than 3 weeks to go through, and I'm in the stage where I want to try other products at the same time.


Misses

1. Super Skinny Eye Marker by NYX

I... dislike this. After a while the tip size is ok, but the whole tip is still very very very stiff. Like a graphite pencil. Haven't been using it since the second use.


Alright that's all for now. :)

Travel Makeup Bag

I'm back from South Australia!

So the stuff in my travel makeup bag that I brought and used:

Top, from left: Burt's Bees Lip Balm, EA Aqua Source (Moisturizing Face Cream), bareMinerals Foundation (that came as a sample), the brush that came with the bareMinerals Foundation
Bottom, from left: Toner (deported, from Simple), Moisturizing Hand Cream (deported from Soap & Glory Hand Food), Crabtree and Evelyn Hand Cream in Rose, Urban Decay Beauty Balm, Benetint, 2 SPF from SpectraBAN in spf30 and spf60 respectively, Sephora Foundation Brush

Will post the reviews later on. But one quick tip for ppl going to Australia, it doesn't hurt to bring more moisturizer. In fact I emptied my EA Aqua Source (that I brought there almost full) and emptied both my hand creams, and I still have dry skin with cracks appearing. Bring SPF and apply them too. I have a tan on my right arm that doesn't appear on my left arm. haha.

It's 3am now, and I just got back. Shall update about the trip later today or sometime this week when I have more time. Any questions or for more tips please do leave a comment or email me. :)

Sephora Haul - Nov 2013 (2) - 20% off all purchases for members from 28 Nov 2013 to 30 Nov 2013

So basically although I'm in the middle of exams, I couldn't resist the 20% off for Sephora White Card members discount from 28 Nov till 30 Nov, so I went down to Spehora to grab some items. I initially wanted to get only two items, and I ended up getting four (while waiting for my friend to appear). And am tempted to blog about it so I shall before I go back to study. The emailer:

My second Sephora Haul in a month. That's bad.

Anyway,

1. Burt's Bees Lip Balm - Ultra Conditioning (with Kokum Butter) (SGD$8 after discount SGD$6.40)

So since it's the Christmas season, they had a cute packaging:

So here's the product itself:

It's a clear lip balm, and I bought it for my own use mainly when I go on my South Australia trip. I'm wearing it now, and it seems a bit heavy. Maybe I got excited and applied too much, but will review this again when I come back from South Australia (which probably would be around end December). But at $8.00, this would make a great gift. They had other "properties" and "flavors" too, with different packaging, all equally cute.

2. Sephora Retractable Foundation Brush (SGD$27 after discount SGD$21.60)

Both my sister and I wanted a foundation brush, so I decided to invest is a good quality one. This is my first splurge on a brush. Hope it turns out good!

3. Benefit's How to Look the Best at Everything kit in Medium (SGD$50, after discount SGD$40)

I bought this because my sister wanted a concealer, and she wanted a Kate brand one (which Sephora doesn't have). But since Sephora has concealers and it was on 20%, I decided to go crazy and bought her a kit. It opens up similar to the Priming with the Stars kit I got the other time at Sephora (previous post here), but it contains different items:

So it contains:
1. Porefessional
2. Hello Flawless Brightening Makeup with SPF 25 PA++ in Honey
3. boi-ing (concealer in two shades)
4. Hello Flawless Powder

4.Urban Decay Naked Skin Beauty Balm (travel size) (SGD$22 after discount SGD$17.60)

Didn't initially wanted to get this, but since it was travel size with SPF 20 and it listed a few properties, I decided I should get it. And I think it's a new product, or so its website says.

So the box says:
- Hydrates instantly and over time
- Primes for beautiful makeup that lasts
- Protect with SPF20 and contains Pehpa(R)-Protect to help inhibit DNA damage
- Perfects to instantly even out skin tone and minimize pores, line, wrinkles and redness
- Treats with Vitasource(TM) and dGlyage(R) to firm skin, improve elasticity and provide measurable anti-aging benefits.

This is a splurge for me, since I would never spend so much money on makeup knowing that I seldom doll up. Intending to bring this on my South Australia trip. Will do a blog post hopefully before my trip on which beauty items I will be bringing along with me. Excited to try this out!

FREE SAMPLE: Hello Flawless Products by Benefit

Was a bit disappointed that this was the sample since I already got a benefit kit with one of the product inside... But nevertheless, it's a free sample!!!

Ok, that's all folks. Back to studying!

[Edited, because I didn't want to create another post:]

Decided to post a picture of my nails because one of the picture shows my thumb with a stud. So, here is my current nails (for studying):

In case you are interested, I got them done for SGD$47 (gelish) at For Your Nails Only, my favorite nail saloon thus far. Though now I actually seldom do my nails since I got my own gelish equipment. But once in a while, well... :)

Sephora Haul - Nov 2013

I decided to spend a bit more on my makeup (and also cause I needed stuff urgently), and so I visited Sephora, the JEM outlet and bagged three items. And I had a sample free. I went there yesterday and barely used them, so here are my preliminary reviews on them:

1. Priming with the Stars Kit by Benefit Cosmetics (SGD$50)

How the packaging looks like:

 What the kit contains:

This kit apparently contains their best-sellers (or so I heard). I think this kit is a very convenient kit and good for starters. It has the basic items in there. So the items are (by the number as in the picture above):

1. Stay Don't Stray in light/medium - primer for concealers and eyeshadows
2. Porefessional - PRO balm to minimize the appearance of pores
3. Some Kind-a Gorgeous in medium - foundation (creamy)
4. bene-tint - rose-tinted lip and cheek stain
5. Girl Meets Pearl - Liquid pearl for face
6. They're Real - Mascara

I have used the items once today (I bought them yesterday). I would say I am in love with them instantly. At first I thought the foundation in medium would be too dark for me, but it turns out that it matches my skin tone! The Mascara in particular is really long lasting. :) However they are a bit pricey. Would be using it for my presentation tml, and after that for another presentation in the next week, and intending to bring it for my South Australia trip.

I hope to get more of Benefit's items (especially kits). Am thinking of trying their brow zings but I didn't get it yesterday because it's creamy...

 2. Super Skinny Eye Marker by NYX (SGD$18)

NYX has always been my go to brand (besides Maybelline). However, for this product in particular I wished that it had a softer tip. I still prefer the K-Palette one day eye tattoo eyeliner (read about it here). I have not finished the K-Palette one, but because I needed it quite urgently and didn't have the time to take it from home I bought another one. I was hoping I don't regret buying this but right now, I'm undecided if it suits me...

3. FABPORE by Soap&Glory (SGD$15)

This was something that the sales-person recommended me when I asked for a makeup remover. However after trying it (twice) today, I conclude that it does not effectively remove makeup (my mascara was still there) but it does remove spray paint from my skin. Don't really like the smell too, but I would use it for a while more to see if it does really minimize pores as it says on the package.

(Update 16 Nov 2013: I realise that I probably didn't hold it long enough to wipe my mascara away, but now it's all good, and I like this product (except the smell still).)

Free sample - bareMinerals Matte SPF15 Foundation

This was a sample that was given by Sephora. It comes with a brush. I have not used it yet, but intending to bring this to South Australia to be used too. :)



Yay to my haul from Sephora. Hopefully I get a giftcard or something so I can purchase more stuff.

Makeup - Tips for makeup brushes (Bristle Types, Storage, Cleaning)

For my blog post on the different types of makeup brushes, click here. :)



BRISTLE TYPES

In general, there are different bristles for brushes. So, which one is the best to get?

Synthetic
Ideal for use with cream makeup.
It's cheap and hence affordable to replace.

Goat hair
Picks up powder easily and glides on easily too.
Goat's hair are the coarsest type of hair that is very common in makeup brushes.
Ideal for buffing and blending.

Pony hair
Ideal for use where dense colour is needed.
Ideal for use in blusher, contour and powder brushes.

Sable hair
Most durable type of brush.
Ideal for use in eyeshadow brushes as the bristles are resilient and doesn't loose the shape when you come to the corners.

So depending on which function you want your brush to have, you can choose the different type of bristles for the function. :)



STORAGE

1. Keep out of direct sunlight
Bristles wear down when exposed to direct sunlight overtime. To make sure you brushes last longer, avoid storing them in a place with direct sunlight. Also, sunlight can cause leftover products on your brushes to 'cake'.

2. Store extra (clean) brushes in a (clean) zip lock bag
You won't want germs to accumulate on brushes that you never/rarely use and when you finally decide to use them, spread the germs all over your face. Storing them in a clean, air tight zip lock bag keeps germs and bacteria away from your brushes.

3. Clean your brushes regularly before storing
It's alright to reuse brushes, but do not reuse them for too long a period before cleaning. As a general rule, I would recommend cleaning your brushes once per week.



CLEANING

If you aren't the type who wants to spend more money on a professional cleanser, all you need is a gentle soap, or baby shampoo.

Step 1: Dip the brush head into lukewarm water in a container or a cup
Step 2: Squeeze a small amount of cleanser or baby shampoo onto your palm (about a pea size) and work it into the brush
Step 3: Massage the bristles so that the soap will get through
Step 4: Rinse the brush tip in clean water, gently squeeze the brush head to remove the excess soap
Step 5: Pat the bristles dry with a clean towel and leave it over a table to dry. You may want to use a hair dryer for them to dry quicker. Do note that however do not on the heat too high as it might damage the bristles.

Makeup - Brushes 101

Here's a blog post dedicated to brushes.

I know quite a lot of girls out there use a few brushes for makeup, but many do not know which brushes is the 'correct' for certain applications. For a start, we shall look at a very general guide:

Concealer Brush
As the name suggest, it is used to apply concealer to cover up imperfections. Some people dubbed it as being more precise than the fingers.

Brush in photo: Bobbi Brown Concealer Brush from Sephora


Foundation Brush
This brush is normally used for a more precise way of blending to create a polished looked and full coverage. The flat, tapered brush head facilitates smoothing and blending over cheeks and forehead as well as smaller awkward facial zones such as eye sockets, inner corners of the eyes and the nose bridge.

Brush in photo: Bobbi Brown Foundation Brush from Sephora

Powder Brush

Can be used on both loose and pressed powders. It is used to give light but even coverage over the face and  it helps to set your foundation.

Brush in photo: COVER FX Powder Brush from Sephora

Eye Shadow Brush

As the name suggest, it is used to apply colour on the eyelids. It is also use to shade creases, highlight brow bone or line the edges. There are quite a few variations to this brush, and some have even dual sides

Brushes in photo: From left to right: 1) Hourglass Crease Brush from Sephora; 2)Sephora Classic Large Synthetic Eyeshadow Brush #25; 3)Classic All Over Shadow Brush - Small #22 

Smudge Brush
Used to blend out shadow and pencil lines and to soften hard lines. Often use to create a smoky eye effect.

Brush in photo: Sephora Classic Smudge Brush #14

Angled Eyeliner Brush

Mostly used to create the cat-eye effect with the eyeliner. Also used apply colour to the waterline.

Brush in photo: Sephora Classic Angled Liner/Eyeliner Brush #15


Eyebrow Brush (Angled)
Used to fill in the brows. It places filler pigment in the brow area, blends into brows and softens pencil line in the brow area, setting and shaping. The angled head gives more precision. Sometimes, the angled eyeliner brush doubles up for this purpose.

Brush in photo: Bobbi Brown Eye Brow Brush from Sephora


Lash Comb and Brow Brush
Used for shaping the brows, separating the lashes and removing mascara debris or clumps.

Brush in photo: Sephora Pro Brow Comb #21

Kabuki Brush
This brush gives a greater and quicker coverage than a regular powder brush because it is able to pick up and distribute large amount of pigments. It also comes as a retractable brush. Best used with mineral makeup powders.

Brushes in photo: Left - bareMinerals Fill Coverage Kabuki Brush from Sephora; Right - Too Faced Retractable Kabuki Brush from Sephora

Blush Brush
There are two different kind of blush brush. The first one is dome head and the other is a slanted angle brush. The dome head creates more even placement while a slant head places more pigment along the curves of the cheekbone, usually for a more dramatic sculpting effect.

Brushes in photo: Left - Illamasqua Blush Brush 1 from Sephora (dome head); Right - Illamasqua Blush Brush 2 from Sephora (slant head)

Fan Brush aka Highlight Brush
This brush has may purposes. You can use this brush to:
- dust away stray eye makeup that has fallen on cheeks
- redistribute loose powder on face
- dust light, shimmery powder over the apple of the cheeks and middle of forehead for highlighting purposes.
- applying powder to set makeup for longer wear

Brush in photo: Laura Mercier Fan Powder Brush from Sephora


Contour Brush
Used for sculpting cheekbones and shading jaws to create extra dimension. Some brushes are angled, and can be used for applying bronzer.

Brushes in photo: Left - Sephora Pro Contour Brush #74; Right - Sephora Pro Angled Contour Brush #75


Lip Brush
To provide greater accuracy and more even coverage while applying lipstick. Can be used to apply lipstick or lip gloss.

Brush in photo: Sephora Retractable Lip Brush #60


That's about it for now. I will post tips on which brushes to get, how to use your brushes and more on how to clean your brushes in a later blog post. :) [Edit: The blog post is up, click here to view it]

Eye Makeup 101

Here's some tips on applying eye makeup that I just found. May be useful for girls if you are trying to impress someone or if you are dressing up for a date. How you apply eye shadow depends very much on your eye shape.

image credit: http://thedrugstoreprincess.blogspot.sg

I also found that you need different brushes if you want to apply eye liner of a different 'effect':

image credit: http://www.beautylish.com

Do experiment out the different styles and see which suits you best. There are lots of youtube videos out there that teaches you how to correctly apply makeup, and how to 'style' for different occasions. For starters, I have Asian Eyes that are at the same time a hidden double eye lid (meaning it's a single eyelid with lots of excess hidden somewhere and hence thick coats of eyeliner have to be applied whenever I need to apply it). I do subscribe to http://www.youtube.com/user/frmheadtotoe. Jen (the youtuber of frmheadtotoe) is a American Korean who has monolids too. Otherwise, another one which I subscribe to is Bubz (http://www.youtube.com/user/bubzbeauty).

Hope you gals have fun with makeup. :)

Makeup - Hits

It's back to makeup! I put really light makeup sometimes when I go to work, though most of the time is only basic UV protection/sunscreen, and so here are some of my favorites from the past (Academic) Year:

1) Maybelline Hyper Sharp Liner

photo credits: http://www.indianvanitycase.com/

Unique Feature: ~0.05mm thin tip

This is ideal for drawing really sharp and define lines, and great for beginners in my opinion, because your line would not end up everywhere. It's liquid based and is waterproof, thus does not come off easily even after a long, hot day. The only thing I wish it were? Cheaper. But really, it's still worth the price.

I have tried pencil liners but they don't last and smudges very easily. The pencil one I have is from NYX, though I can't remember which one of NYX's many liners it was. I don't really like gel liners, and I like liquid the best. I have tried one liquid liner before that didn't really last, and so compared to it, this is amazing!



2) odbo The Sunblock Pact

Photo credit: http://xspreence.blogspot.sg/

Feature: SPF 50 coverage

This is a korean skin care brand, and I got this when my mum decided to bring me to korea before university started in 2010, meaning I had it for a while. I bought 2, used one right away and loved it, and hence couldn't bear to use the other one. That is until my sis told me I would waste it. So I decided to take it out and use. And I still love it. I detest any liquid sunblock/sunscreen because application is not as easy.

I have tried another sunblock pact from Lioele and I hated it. Not sure if it was because I bought some very very old stock or it was an imitation (it was 2 for $9.90 clearance sale) and BOTH the pact broke after I used it a few times and became very powdery, with the powder spilling all over my 'makeup' box.

So until I find another better one, this is my fav, and I'm wondering where in Singapore I can buy this. Or if there is a similar one.



Past favourites

I haven't found a foundation that I liked, although I do like one BB cream that isn't sold in Singapore and I emptied the tube a while ago. I haven't found a substitute for it yet though. Leave a comment if you have a better BB cream in mind.

The Face Shop Marine Stem Cell BB Cream

Photo credit: http://www.chapterq.com

I have been to The Face Shop in Singapore and they told me only the Korean stores carry this. They recommended me another alternative which I didn't really like, although that probably would be the second best for now:

The Face Shop Quick & Clean Oil-Free Blemish Balm

Photo credit: http://www.chiarashine.com/

However what I don't like about this is the heavy feeling when you apply it at first. You kinda get use to it over the day, but it still is heavy.



I don't wear eyeshadows and lipstick/lipgloss or use eyebrow pencil regularly to tell you my favourites. Though so, I have one lip stain that I am absolutely in love with and use it everytime I need some colour on my lips:

NYX Tinted Lip Spa in Juicy

It's a nice bright red, and I usually layer it with NYX Black Label Lipstick in Silver Stone to tone down the red a bit.

If you are wondering, I get my NYX makeup from http://www.cherryculture.com/.



For now, that is about it. If you are wondering why I didn't mention brushes, I rarely use brushes, I prefer sponges.



I have blemishes on my face that my mum says is acne. I have been trying unsuccessfully to get rid of it. If you know a great product for me to use, do let me know in the comments.



Hopefully I'll take my sister's advice to apply more makeup.