Liquid -Shu Uemura - Face Architect Smoothing Fluid Foundation
erika21 10/4/2011 3:45:00 AM
I love this foundation. I've finished 2 bottles of this and I'm currently 1/2 way through my 3rd bottle. I'm using 754, and it matches my skin tone. It does not leave me looking ashy or grey (the result when I used mineral powder foundation). I like the natural look that this liquid foundation gives when applied with bobbi brown foundation brush. It is not thick and yet covers my pores well. This foundation can also be layered without making your makeup look thick and mask-like. On days when I require more coverage on certain areas with uneven skin tone, I use the nobara stick foundation as a concealer on those areas. Lastly, I set my makeup with Shu Uemura's loose matt powder in 7 YR Medium Light. And I'm all set. My face looks flawless until some time around mid day, where I get oily on the forehead, nose and chin. After blotting my face, I touch up my face with some loose powder (Colourless) and I'm good to go for lunch. My conclusion: This is a great foundation for someone who prefers a natural look (light but can achieve medium coverage when layered). It does not clog pores or cause breakouts. I also like that it contains deepsea water which can act as a humectant to moisturise skin. This foundation however is not resistant to water and oil. So, a compact powder will be handy for quick touch ups.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Concealers -Smashbox - High Definition Concealer
erika21 10/4/2011 2:59:00 AM
I bought this concealer at Sephora. I don't use this on my eye circles. I use the Estee Lauder's brush on illuminator for that. This concealer was very watery when I first squeezed it out of the tube. After a few more squeezes, I found that it has a semi liquid-creamy consistency. Anyway, I tried using this on a pimple that came out the other day. It was only a small red pimple but this concealer could not do a good job at concealing it. I used only a tiny amount and tapped it on the pimple to help conceal the redness. I then used the mac concealer brush (# 195) to further blend it. It looked alright at first and I simply set my face with some loose powder. Awhile later however, I found that the redness of my pimple could be seen. Worse, I found that the concealer kind of caked and settled around the pimple rather than on top of it. And mine was only a tiny pimple. Don't bother using this as a concealer if you have major acne issues. So, this concealer cannot conceal pimples. How about normal redness then? I squeezed out a little of the concealer on my fingers and tapped rather then blended it on the small areas that requried it. Again, it looked alright at first but the coverage quickly faded away. It faded too fast to make it possible that it could have faded because of my combi skin that can be a little oily on the forehead and nose by mid day. My verdict: This concealer is sorely disappointing for a product that claims to give high-definition coverage. Whatever decent coverage that it initially provides quickly disappears. I also find that despite it not being of an emollient creamy version of concealer, it has the tendency to cake when applied on pimples. Please try this concealer on for at least a couple of hours before you decide to purchase it. Otherwise, it could very well end up being an absolute waste of money.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -Bobbi Brown - Powder Blush - Peony
erika21 10/3/2011 5:34:00 AM
This blush applies very smoothly and just 2 light swipes across each cheek with bobbi brown's blush brush instantly makes me look more refreshed and lively. I don't find this blush expensive as that small square pan will last a pretty long time. I've had it for around 6 months and I've yet to hit the bottom of the pan even with nearly every day use. I tend to choose this over my shu uemura blush, and the latter has been sadly neglected. The colour that I chose for the shu uemura's blush was a tad too pale for my liking. I bought it when I was in the mood for a more "natural" look. Now, I want a more pink, girly look. So, I sometimes use the shu uemura as an illuminator on my upper cheek bones after applying bobbi brown blush in peony. This blush is decently long lasting and can last me throughout the day at work (8 hours), although it tends to fade a little by the end of the day. I'm planning to buy bobbi brown's blush in pale pink next. I'm not going to wait for this peony blush to finish as it'll take a super long time.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Christian Dior - DiorShow Maximizer Lash Plumping Serum
erika21 10/3/2011 5:10:00 AM
This is a fantastic primer to be applied before the mascara. Just a light coat will make my lashes look even longer and thicker than before. I don't mind it being white and not transparent in colour as the white can't be seen once I go over it with my mascara. Less is more with the lash plumping serum and you must be careful not to apply too much as it can cause your clashes to clump together. Now that I've seen the differences that this products makes to my lashes, I'm never going without it again. It's expensive @SGD 46, but I will certainly repurchase.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Unlisted Brand - manuka honey
erika21 9/14/2011 11:08:00 PM
I've heard about the anti-bacterial and healing properties of manuka honey for quite a while. But it was only after a TV programme that showed the production / benefits of manuka honey, that I decided to buy it. The shop I went to had a wide range of manuka honey and the UMF level was not the only differentiating factor. There was active honey with the value but not UMF (e.g. Manuka honey active 16+). Apparently, this means that it is not certified by the UMF organisation but it claims to have the equivalent anti-bacterial property with that of manuka honey labeled as UMF 16+. Hence, it is slightly cheaper. I suppose the suppliers of such honey are smaller honey bees farms in New Zealand that do not want to spend additional money on its certification. Personally however, I would rather get something that is certified. At least it has been audited by the non-biased and objective organisation. There is also raw active, premium active and premium raw active. I decided to get the raw active as the SA recommended it since it is unfiltered and more of the goodness is retained in the honey. I did not get the premium raw active. It is a grade better than the raw active but it has a grainy texture that not many people may like if they intend to take the honey by itself. I bought the raw honey UMF16+ as well as the UMF24+. I take the honey orally (2 teaspoons a day) and use it topically as well. I use the honey as a facial mask nearly every night. I take 1/2 a teaspoon of honey, massage it into my face and leave it on for about an hour before washing it off. I then continue with my usual skincare regime. After the first use, I noticed that my skin tone appeared a little more even and looked more radiant. After continuous usage of about 2 weeks, there is more improvement in terms of skin tone. My pores are smaller and I have less white and blackheads on my nose. Recently, an incident totally convinced me of the healing/anti-inflammatory properties of the manuka honey. I tried the stupid Love More Mask (it is one of the top selling masks in Taiwan) and had some kind of an allergic reaction. I must have been scratching at my face while sleeping without knowing it. Because when I woke up the next day, I noticed that my face was very red and felt very raw/sore at the slightest touch. I also noted that there were some very small "pimples" (with pus) randomly dispersed on my cheek areas. Actually I'm not sure it's pimples because it is entirely flat and is not painful at all, just itchy. Anyway, I had to go to work that day and had to look decent. So I applied the Shu Uemura Underbase Mousse in BB beige (limited edition) to help lighten the redness. I also applied a light dusting of loose powder with a powder puff. I did not dare go through my usual makeup regime and apply any foundation or concealer because I was afraid of irritating my already irritated skin any further. When I got home that day, i applied a thick layer of manuka honey on my face, more for the parts with the funny pimple like things and left it on for around 2 hours. When I washed it off, my skin was more calm, less red and some of the "pimples" disappeared. I did the super thick honey mask treatment for 3 days straight and there has been a huge improvement. The redness is nearly all gone and my injured parts from scratching dried up and has nearly finished peeling off. I'm going to continue with the honey treatment but will apply less since I no longer need so much. Besides, manuka honey is expensive in S'pore. The ones I bought cost $78 for 500g (UMF 16+) and $148 (UMF 24+). I have only used the UMF 16+ and will use the UMF 24+ once I have finished using the UMF 16+. My conclusion: If you are not allergic to manuka honey (do a patch test if you are trying it for the first time), manuka honey is great as a basic facial mask for hydration/tightening of pores; to calm and heal irritated and inflammed skin as well as a good pimple treatment.
6 out of 7 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Loose Powders -Shu Uemura - Face Powder Sheer
erika21 9/9/2011 5:11:00 AM
I have the loose powder in 7YR MEDIUM LIGHT (Matt) and I love it. I normally use it to set my liquid foundation, but this powder offers decent coverage even without a foundation underneath. I find that it covers my pores and helps blur minor imperfections.This powder does nothing in terms of oil control, but I did not expect it to. I still have to blot my T-zone 2X - once before lunch and once after work. I also carry a small container of the loose powder so that I can touch up when necessary - usually once a day. I find that troublesome, so I'm actually on a look out for a good compact powder that I can use for touch ups.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -Shu Uemura - Powder brush 18R
erika21 9/9/2011 4:49:00 AM
When I am done applying liquid foundation on my face, I set it with some loose powder with a powder puff. I use this brush to dust any excess loose powder off my face. The SA also told me that this brush will allow your powder to have a more natural finish. I love this brush as it is really soft. I use Shu Uemura's brush cleaner to clean it every week and it feels even softer after each wash. I've had this brush for close to 2 years and it has shed very little hair so far. In fact, it looks almost brand new. For the first few washes with the brush cleaner, the red dye seems to come off a little, but that doesn't bother me too much. Shu Uemura brushes are expensive. This brush is clearly not an exception but I feel that its wonderfully soft bristles make it worth it. I do not scrimp on makeup applicators as I firmly believe that the "applicators are just as important as the makeup itself". If it sounds familiar, it's because it is quoted by Bobbi Brown herself. I do not mind paying a higher price for high quality brushes. Further, good quality brushes can last a long time if well taken care of (that is until you decide that you want to have a new brush ). To be completely practical, for those of you who are on a budget, this is a luxury product that is not an absolute must if you are just using it to "dust off loose powder and get a more natural finish". If you are using it to directly apply loose/compact powder to get a very natural look, this would be a great product. If you prefer better coverage, a kabuki brush would work better as its bristles are more densely packed, thereby allowing it to offer better coverage with a very even application.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Fancl - Mild Cleansing Oil
erika21 9/7/2011 10:34:00 PM
I have been using Fancl's mild cleansing oil ever since I first discovered it in a magazine 5 years ago. It thoroughly removes all makeup - including water resistant mascara, without leaving your skin feeling as though it's stripped off all form of moisture. It also does not leave any layer of oil film. My skin feels smooth after the wash. I take my time to massage the oil into my skin. After which, I splash some water on my face (since the oil turns into somewhat of a milk cleanser upon contact with water) and massage it a little more. After washing off everything, I follow with my facial cleanser from Apicare. Even after the double cleansing, my skin does not feel tight or dry. However, it can be rather stinging if this product gets into your eyes by accident, so 1 lippie off for that. Do close your eyes if you are using the oil on the eye area to remove mascara / eye shadow, etc. I have read that mineral oil can wreck havoc on the skin, especially for people with acne-prone skin. Mineral oil is a very common product in cosmetic products, especially makeup e.g. foundation. However, as long as it is removed thoroughly, it is unlikely to clog pores which can result in breakouts. But why would I want to wash my face with something that can clog my pores? As such, I love the fact that Fancl products does not contain any mineral oil. This is why I refuse to use Shu Uemura's oil cleanser even with all the raving about how wonderful it is. I would not want to take the risk.
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No