Loose Powders -E.L.F. - Studio High Definition Powder
serenechew 1/19/2013 9:52:00 AM
Close to a HG powder for me. I have the LaMer loose powder and this one works better for me. The LaMer powder makes me oily in 2 hours but I can get 4 hours with ELF. That's great. The LM powder is beige but this ELF is white. Both are supposed to be translucent but ELF has a slight lightening effect. LM has a slight shimmer too but not ELF. ELF makes you look matte and/or dry which may look unnatural for some skin types, so do take note of that.
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Blush -NARS - Dolce Vita
serenechew 9/14/2012 3:15:00 PM
This is my favorite blush for night as I want one which would show up in candlelight without much effort. Do not misunderstand, I apply with a very light touch. It is effortless with a good blush brush. Just one or two light dabs will do. On NC25, it is a very attractive reddish rose colour. I recommend if you are NC25 or darker.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -NARS - Luster
serenechew 9/14/2012 3:02:00 PM
As an asian with nc25 skin, Luster works great on me. It is peachy with some sheen to it. I normally use it for day time as the bronzy tone looks sporty. It's like the sun hits me at the right place. I would switch to another blush like Dolce Vita or Orgasm for night. I highly recommend Luster and I would buy it over and over. As expected of Nars blushes, the quality is good and it is long lasting. With just these 3 blushes, (although I have almost all of Nars' blushes), I am all set.
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Blush -NARS - Orgasm Blush
serenechew 9/9/2012 6:12:00 AM
It's a great colour and suits a NC25. It's good for a Day to Night look. I use this as a default blush when I don't want to think about my mu and in a hurry. If I'm just out for daytime, I'll go for Luster. If for night, I'll go for Dolce Vita. Orgasm is a good all rounder. There are many dupes around now, so if you are budget conscious, do check those out. Milani's Luminous is not an exact dupe but quite close. Would buy again.
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Lip Liners -NYX - Slim Lip Pencil - Natural 810
serenechew 4/28/2012 12:10:00 PM
A very simple, good quality lip liner. This goes pinky nude on me. Will be checking out other shades too. There's no reason to buy luxury brands lipliner when there's such a good quality one right here, for this price.
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Lip Liners -NYX - Slim Lip Pencil
serenechew 4/18/2012 1:46:00 PM
I would only buy this lip liner from now on. It works beautifully and is cheap enough to buy a lot. The texture is just great and is very pigmented. There's also a large selection of colours to choose from. I'm glad I discovered this before spending a lot on other luxury brands. It does what it's supposed to without any fuss. Holy grail.
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Shampoo -Paul Mitchell - Cleanse- Tea Tree Special Shampoo
serenechew 4/5/2012 5:27:00 AM
I bought the 300ml bottle and loved it so much that I went to buy the professional size of 1000ml next. The large size comes with a pump and is much cheaper. Unlike other cheap shampoos that have "mint", this one gives my head a tingly feel consistently. For the cheaper brands, my skin must have become desensitized to them very fast. The smell is able to relieve some minor headaches. This product is able to clean my scalp very thoroughly of any flakes. My straight hair will still be manageable without the use of a conditioner but is still recommended not to skip a conditioner. Not drying thou. Seems to strip off my hair dye extra quick. A very powerful cleaning agent. Hair will be extra shiny for a day.
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Makeup Brushes -Sigma - F84 Angled Top Synthetic Kabuki
serenechew 4/4/2012 2:46:00 PM
I switched from the flat top brush in the same series F80 to this. Both the quality are great. I find that I like this better. The angled shape can reach the sides of my nose while the flat top has difficulty reaching such corners. As per the F80, it is able to evenly apply my liquid foundation flawlessly. This series is very high quality. I bought the pack of 3 before the new pointy one came out. I use less LF with this brush than MAC 187. Half a pump of Lancome Teint Miracle vs one whole pump. For washing, you do need to take extra effort to wash as the bristles are very densely packed. But that's how it performs its magic.
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Scrubs -The Body Shop - Cocoa Butter Body Scrub
serenechew 4/3/2012 5:35:00 AM
The best body scrub ever. I have dryish skin which will get a little oily. This scrub leaves my skin feeling smooth, clean, soft, and keeps the oilies away. Don't wait to try it! The scrub is a little rough but it is not scratchy. It rinses well and does not leave your skin oily or slick despite what the product name may convey, hope people don't get the impression that they are slathering butter over their body. The product seems very little quantity for a body scrub so I do have to spread it around quite carefully as I don't want to waste it. Try to leave the scrub on for a little while more so that the cocoa butter has time to sink into your skin. It is a little expensive, but for the great results, I do not mind the price. Also, try to buy during sales, TBS do give good sales, especially during end March/April period when there is the Earth Day period. Don't like the packaging much, will prefer a squeeze tube. Using a container is very fiddley and water may get in especially for a bath product. Will definitely buy again - Holy grail.
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Makeup Brushes -Sigma - F80 Flat Top Synthetic Kabuki (was SS197)
serenechew 3/28/2011 6:05:00 AM
Count me in as a fan. I would not be using my MAC 187 anymore for liquid foundation. I find I need less product to apply my foundation using this brush, the end result is smoother. The brush, like many had said, is so soft and dense. Highly recommended. Edit: I have switched to F84, it's the same thing, just another shape. It gets into the corners of my face and nose better than the flat top F80.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Palettes -Sleek - Original
serenechew 3/23/2011 2:33:00 PM
This is a great e/s palette. The quality of the eyeshadows are astounding. What can I say that the other reviews haven't? Highly pigmented, easy to blend. Great with UDPP, there's no fading after 7 hours of wear. These are a great alternative to the better brands e/s. The quality is not like a drugstore brand, these are comparable to Urban Decay and MAC. Highly recommended.
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Lip Treatments -Smith's Rosebud Salve - Smith's Rosebud Salve
serenechew 3/4/2011 6:02:00 PM
For the product itself, it works ok in keeping my lips moisturised. I hate the smell thou, and find the packaging unsanitary. I would not be buying again as there are other lip treatments out there that I can live with. I just can't like this one because of the smell.
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Lotions/ Creams -Kiehls - Superbly Restorative Argan Dry Oil
serenechew 11/19/2010 8:32:00 AM
I have permed and coloured hair. I bought this as it had the words Argan oil, written in huge fonts, on the package, without checking. Urgh, Argan isn't the main ingredient. I use it nevertheless, it is fast absorbing on skin, and calms down the frizzes on my hair immediately. It is non-oily and quite light. The smell is quite strong, in that after I use this, the fragrance on my hair from my shampoo is gone. It is quite a pity as I love my shampoo's fragrance. I smell like I have just gone to the spa. It makes me a little sleepy, so I suppose it has a calming effect. I have since bought Josie Maran's organic argan oil 100%. The texture is a little heavier than the Kiehl's one but less fragrance. I have noticed not much difference in the way they work. I would not buy this again and go for the 100% argan products instead.
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Makeup Brushes -MAC - #219 Pencil Brush
serenechew 11/15/2010 3:26:00 PM
This is a really surprising brush! It looks so small that I thought, what can it possibly do? Lots, actually. I use it mainly for highlighting but it can competently achieve many types of usage, with ease. The price is expensive but it is value for money in how it makes doing makeup easier and more polished. Definitely recommend you to get this after you get your eyeshadow and eyeliner brush. Its usage is not easily duplicated by those two brushes, thus you don't need to worry about wasting money on something extra that you don't really need. A definite rebuy although I hope mine can last for years!
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Shampoo -Burt's Bees - Very Volumizing Pomegranate & Soy Shampoo
serenechew 11/14/2010 6:55:00 PM
I really like this product but it's a bit irritating for my scalp. I have to stick to Phyto, I think. This smells great and I like that it's mostly natural. 97.2%... wow, so precise, lol, the makers must be really proud of that. For the hair itself, it does leave the hair feeling clean with a slight volumising effect that is not oily or weighted down. I have permed and coloured hair. I do not feel that this shampoo is drying for me. Packaging wise, I'll prefer a pump bottle but at least this is in a clear bottle and I can see how much product is left.
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