Mascara -Maybelline - Volum' Express The Colossal Waterproof
TheCherryTree 6/22/2011 11:47:00 AM
I bought this on a whim & ended up pretty disappointed. I've used a variety of mascaras - Bourjois, Estée Lauder, Skin Food, The Body Shop - & in every case, the results were similar: improved volume & pigmentation, good definition & curl hold, no clumping, flaking or smudging. Also, I'm not the type to expect unrealistic results with any mascara - I'm East Asian & my lashes are considerably long, so my priorities are always volume & definition. Of course, I also expect no flaking or smudging, so I stick to waterproof formulas at all times. This mascara (called The Magnum in Singapore, where I bought it) managed to hold my curl & make my lashes appear noticeably thicker & darker but tended to clump, even when I applied only one layer & used a brush to separate my lashes. They also made my lashes look a little too feathery for my liking. The funny thing is, though I always make sure never to pump the brush in and / or out of the tube, this mascara worked well at first but started drying out & clumping in couple of months. It was cheap (below SGD20), the packaging was cute & it came with a pencil case & an identical pen. Let's just say I still have the pen but I've tossed the mascara.
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Mascara -Rimmel - Volume Flash the MAX Waterproof
TheCherryTree 6/22/2011 11:35:00 AM
I see that the reviews so far - albeit just a few in total - aren't positive. I've had a vastly different experience with this product, though. I'd recently overhauled my makeup collection & thrown out my old mascara, so I needed a new one in time for a wedding I had to attend. Watsons was having a sale & I got this for SGD13.50 (the original price was still below SGD20). I wore it the next day - it held my curl well, made my lashes look thicker & darker, didn't clump &, despite the ridiculous humidity, never once flaked or smudged. And though I wear contacts & have somewhat sensitive eyes, they weren't irritated at all. My lashes also felt light, as if I wasn't wearing any mascara. The only issue I have with it is its strong, plastic-like smell &, to a lesser extent, the cheap-looking pink of the packaging. However, if you're on a budget & have long but sparse Asian lashes like mine, I'd recommend this.
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Eyeliner -MAC - Fluidline Eye-Liner Gel in Blitz and Glitz
TheCherryTree 6/22/2011 10:53:00 AM
This could very well be my Holy Grail eyeliner - I tried it for the first time on a horribly humid day, when I had to attend a wedding. I wore it for a good six hours & by the time I got home, was perspiring so much that I feared my eyes would be a Taylor Momsen-style mess. I looked in the mirror & lo & behold - the liner looked as fresh as it had when I first put it on. I also love its pitch black color, subtle shimmer, ease of use & staying power on my waterline. There is honestly NOTHING negative I can say about it. Also, a tip from the M.A.C. sales assistant who recommended this product to me, for anyone who wants her pot of gel liner to last as long as possible: when applying, simply turn the open pot over & place it directly on a flat surface when you're not dipping your brush in it. That way, you minimize air exposure & the product won't dry out before its shelf life is over. Plus, it could last you up to two years, as long as you keep it in a cool, dark & dry place & wash your brush regularly.
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Eyeliner -Maybelline - Eyestudio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner
TheCherryTree 6/22/2011 10:11:00 AM
There was a makeup fair at one of the malls near my home & I picked this baby up in Blackest Black for about SGD20, including a brush & bottle of eye & lip makeup remover, so I suppose it wouldn't be wrong to say it was a steal. :p Prior to getting this, I'd never used - or even heard of - gel eyeliner. But I wanted to try something new & I didn't regret it. For starters, the brush, despite being synthetic, doesn't feel rough at all, even on my sensitive skin. The liner goes on easily & smoothly, is easy to use (I never had any trouble, though I was a first-timer), is a lovely matte black, doesn't cause any discomfort & best of all, lasts the whole day without flaking or smudging, even on my oily skin & in humid weather. Very impressive for a drugstore eyeliner!
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Eyeliner -MAC - Penultimate Eye Liner - Rapidblack
TheCherryTree 6/21/2011 11:38:00 AM
I needed a good liquid liner & didn't know exactly which one would be the best for me, so I bought this on a whim. Thankfully, I didn't waste my money. It goes on easily, the felt tip offers good control, the pigmentation is nice & dark & I've never experienced flaking or smudging with this product, despite my oily skin (albeit always primed before I apply eye and / or lip makeup) & the unbearably humid weather in Singapore.
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Powder -Revlon - New Complexion 2-way Whitening Powder Foundation
TheCherryTree 6/21/2011 11:11:00 AM
My Body Shop compact foundation suffered a fall & multiple fractures, so I had to discard it & buy a new one altogether, since that product had been discontinued. This foundation is oil-free & non-comedogenic, has SPF 20 & promises whitening effects, the factors which made me buy it. The verdict? Not bad at all! In terms of whitening, I can't say I've seen any difference in my skin tone (though I'm fair in the first place, so any change might have been barely noticeable). But the product does a decent job of controlling oil - with primer & liquid concealer, I can enjoy about five to six oil-free hours, after which blotting my face doesn't produce much oil, anyway. Also, it's never broken my skin out &, though I've yet to see fairer skin, my face hasn't darkened, either. I got this in Buff 04 during the Great Singapore Sale for SGD29.90, which included the compact foundation, one refill & one spare sponge, so it was a pretty good deal. I'd recommend this to anyone who has sensitive & oily (but not VERY oily) skin & is looking for good coverage in a compact foundation.
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Primer/ Corrector -Sephora - Smoothing & Mattifying
TheCherryTree 6/19/2011 9:04:00 AM
I have oily & sensitive skin & was looking for a primer to keep my face oil-free for significantly longer than the usual three hours my pressed powder foundation & liquid concealer afford me (they're good products but one can never be too cautious with makeup, when it comes to oily skin). I'd heard a lot about Urban Decay's primers & went to Sephora to check them out but they were just too pricey for me, so the sales assistant recommended me Sephora's Smoothing & Mattifying primer at only SGD20, which, to me, is pretty cheap. Almost a year on, I don't regret my purchase at all - this product makes my face & makeup application unbelievably smooth, doesn't break my skin out & keeps my face (mostly) oil-free for a good five to six hours, at least. Even then, blotting my whole face yields only a small amount of oil. Also, a little goes a LONG way - I need only a lentil-sized amount to cover my entire face, eyelids included. As for the packaging - it's sturdy, hygienic & easy to use - full marks! I'm constantly on the lookout for the best products for my skin type & the humid climate I live in but I'd repurchase this in a heartbeat, should there be nothing else as good as or better than this once I'm done using it.
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