Friday 29 March 2013

L'Oreal Universal Glow Beautifier - Glow or Blow?

You may recall my previous review of the L'Oreal Universal Lip Glow and how I liked it. So when I came across the Universal Glow Beautifier, on sale again at the Paris Duty Free, I bought it even though there wasn't a tester available.

Here's a look at the product:

Bottom right picture: Product is blended in to the right
The back of the box info says:

'Discover the 1st Universal Glow Beautifier by Studio Secrets Professional. With a sheer coverage and a natural effect, the Universal Glow Beautifier blends with your skin to sophistically enhance your natural skin tone. Your complexion is immediately luminous with a healthy glow, tinted with apricot accents to flatter all the skin tones.

Thanks to its texture enriched in Vitamin C and B5 derivatives, the Universal Glow Beautifier reveals a radiant complexion. Skin is perfectly hydrated and looks supple and bouncy.

Make-up Artist tip: apply your Universal Glow Beautifier alone for a healthy and natural glow effect or under your foundation to enhance its radiance.'

Sounds good right? I will attest that the texture of the product is indeed very smooth, easily blended and quite light. But aside from that?

Left side is clean, no product. Right side with L'Oreal Universal Glow Beautifier blended.
I am sorry but I don't see any differenceee~~~ No promised glow nor radiance =( And as the box info said, 'sheer coverage'....well, it's wayyyy sheer. Dark eye rings and blemishes remain completely unconcealed. (=_=) The hydration provided is slight, my usual moisturiser does better.

In a nutshell, the L'Oreal Universal Glow Foundation:
  • gives extremely sheer (bordering on non-existant) coverage
  • very light hydration properties
  • no noticeable change in my medium fair skin tone's radiance or luminance
  • gave no enhancing properties to my makeup
  • skin is slightly smoother after application so this might be alright as a smoothening makeup base
I was hoping to get a really good light, sort of a tinted moisturiser in this product but.....guess not. =\ Next!

Monday 25 March 2013

EyeRock in da house~~

Popped by the Watsons in Ion over the weekend to check out the new nail and eye embellishment range! Looks so cool!

 
Watsons doesn't carry the full range but it's still quite fun to look through ^_^ I like the lace eye tattoo (they're basically transfers)~ But unfortunately I have neither the occasion nor the guts to use it~ >__< Look at those nails! Especially the black one! *hearts*

Check out the rest of the range of nail, eye, lips and skin embellishments on NailRock!
You can also purchase a few other designs from the range on Zalora Singapore~

Friday 22 March 2013

Classic Beauty Sins - Are you guilty?

This, like my previous post on product expiration dates, is one of those topics that need to be refreshed every now and then so that we don't forget~


My biggest beauty sin is.....forgetting to wash my sponges and brushes! T___T I know I know~~ Bad! Big no-no!! It seems like such a small, easy thing to do, keeping your makeup applicators clean so you don't further pollute your skin.. But it's one of those things that always slips my mind.... Theoretically, I should be washing them about once a week but I usually end up using the sponge/brush for almost a month before I remember to wash them! ~~~~( >_<)
  • Sleeping with your makeup on
 
This is the BIGGEST classic beauty no-no of them all. Common sense will tell you why. The night time is when your skin has it's Me Time, regenerating tissue, repairing itself from the daytime damage so it needs to be nice, clean and unclogged so it can do its thing~ Thankfully, many brands have now introduced one-stop makeup remover+cleansers like micellar cleansing water from Bioderma and Nuxe. Now there's little excuse to crash with your makeup on~

  • Popping your zits
Another classic! Everybody knows this one. It's easier to not pop your zits than to not touch your face. I find myself often touching my face when I have a zit, just to check if it's still there! >_< Shan't go into detail about this since it's common sense that popping a zit traumatises your skin and leaves an open pore that can accumulate dirt and grime and potentially leave a scar.

  • Washing your face with hot water

Some routines advocate cleansing your face with hot water, citing reasons like increased circulation as one of the pros. But by using hot water, you risk breaking the fragile capillaries on your face, especially those around the delicate eye area! So stick to tepid or, if you prefer, lukewarm water~

  • Always sleeping on the same side of your face

Sleeping on the same side of your face doesn't seem to be something you can control but if doing so could result in permanent fine lines, wouldn't you try to be more conscientious about it? Skin being squished against the pillow over and over can cause wrinkles so try layering a bean-shaped or neck pillow over your usual pillow so that only the edges of your face are resting on the pillow~

  • Washing your face before your hair

You might have heard that certain shampoos and conditioners can aggravate the skin near the hairline and cause zits but did you know that the sequence matters too? Especially if you have sensitive skin, shampoo and conditioning should always come before washing your face. This is because hair treatments are usually loaded with oils, which can clog and aggravate the pores situated along the hairline and lead to breakouts. So always make sure to cleanse your face of any shampoo/hair mask residue after washing your hair~

  • Overdosing on the moisturiser
 
Ok ok I know it isn't exactly a photo of moisturiser, but it's cute right? =P

The thing with moisturisers is, too much of a good thing can be bad. Excess product won't be absorbed deep enough into the skin's cellular tissue and can end up clogging the pores instead because the skin can't breathe. This can result in breakouts and the formation of milia! So don't be tempted to overdose. Instead, pick a good moisturiser and just use a 10 to 20 cent sized amt each time!

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All images from Microsoft Office

Most of the beauty no-nos are classics, I haven't seen any 'new-age' no-nos as yet. Have you? What's your biggest beauty sin?

Monday 18 March 2013

Majorly Romantic - Majoromantica M Mystic Garden Perfume

*mumbles to self* Is this my first fragrance post? *checks* yes this is my first fragrance post.

So. =D I haven't bought fragrances for a long time because I have too many bottles of Victoria's Secret body mists to finish up before I can justify getting perfume but Majolica Majorca's packaging is always a little hard to ignore in the drugstores... Japanese are quite big on smelling nice and I've bought my share of beautiful smelling hair perfumes. So I swiped the tester on just for fun and went happily on my way. Sniffing and sniffing as I went along....I decided it was a very pretty Japanese-y sort of scent lol...so I went back for a closer look.

Which of course resulted in a purchase. And what a mouthful it is~ Majolica Majorca's Majoromantica M Mystic Garden scent:

S$25.90 at Watsons
This scent is part of the Majolica Majorca's Spring collection (Chapter 36 Secret Blink) just released in end Feb 2013. I like Majolica's packaging but their products seldom catch my eye. The only other Majolica product I own is the Blood On lip and cheek rouge, which I do use regularly.

But back to the fragrance. Packaged in a slim glass bottle is 20ml of concentrated scent. The rounded wand applicator holds the liquid well on the way out so it doesn't drip all over the place. I like that the scent has multiple notes and ends on a musky tone. The initial floral fragrance isn't too overpowering and 'matures' quite nicely with my body chemistry. Product amount is also easily adjustable since it's not a pump or spritz bottle.


Sadly, the fragrance doesn't last forever and ever. But the bottle is slim and hardy enough to carry around and easy for low profile touch ups since you're not spritzing away. Just whip out the wand and swipe your wrists and neck~ It makes a nice hair fragrance too! I also realise that the product will finish quite fast, having gone through about 1/4 of the bottle in just a week so I just got a 2nd bottle. I guess I'm quite trigger happy with it >_<

So in short, Majoromantica M Mystic Garden fragrance:
  • is very affordable (plus watsons always has sales; I got both bottles at 20% off)
  • comes in a cute convenient glass bottle + applicator (I imagine this glass bottle can be recycled to hold essential oils in the future~)
  • multi-note scent is sweet and fruity without being overpowering and ends on a nice musky note; youthful but in a grownup sort of way ^_^
  • fragrance doesn't stay very long but the packaging is designed for touchups on the go so no big deal
  • by my estimate, the bottle will last about a month of regular usage
This is my first fragrance from a cosmetic brand...and it's not bad, cheap too. I think I'll keep a lookout for any future fragrance Majolica releases in future~

Have you ever used a fragrance from a cosmetic brand? How was it?

Friday 15 March 2013

Bonjour Paris~

I recently had a short time in Paris and was kicking myself for not having brought a camera =_= I was only able to take photos with my camera (on instagram -cottonballcrusader- if you'd noticed~) But luckily, I had the opportunity to stop by again, with my camera in tow this time! However, being easily distracted and terrified of being pickpocketed (I had a bad experience once), I only have sporadic shots here and there as well as 3689 shots of the Eiffel Tower =P

I've never thought of myself as being an Europe buff, I love travelling in Asia and com'on I loveee Japan~ but Paris is truly a beautiful country and I am so so lucky to be able to visit without too much fuss~

On the way!


Tiny meal on board, tortellini with chicken and some greens (already eaten by the time I decided to take a shot lol)

At some point, frost started collecting on the window!
Pretty!
I took the RER train into Paris this time, for some reason I like how the platform looks....especially empty like this:
 
 
Arriving in town, we were pleasantly surprised to find that the apartment we'd rented was right beside the Metro station and just a walk around the block from the Eiffel Tower!! Oh my God! Super convenient!
 
En route to Eiffel~
 
Eiffel soon looms into view!
 
The weather this time was....a tad gloomy. And wet >_<
 
More after the cut!

Monday 11 March 2013

Booty Perk with Pop Pilates~

Trying to lose weight is a constant battle for me T_T because I loveeeee my foodddd~~~ Of course it doesn't help that I'm very Asian and love my rice to death. And the worst part, I'm also pro-potatochip~~~~(  T____T) omg lime and black pepper chips and spicy buffalo wing chips.....*has a homer simpson moment*..... But let's not go there.

Anyway, I wish I had the confidence or less self-consciousness to go to the gym and bounce around but sadly, that is not the case. Instead, I have to work out at home or somewhere secluded until I've trimmed down a little before I can exercise in 'public'. Pathetic? Yes quite, but true story.

One of the best home workouts was from Cassey, a pilates instructor I found on youtube. She's uber perky and talks endlessly throughout the workout so you can be distracted from the screaming of your thighs and glutes! Even though her videos are mostly in the region of 13 minutes, I find you can get quite a good workout if you piece together 2 or 3 of her videos. And trust me, you'll sweat buckets. I did some of these routines in air-conditioned comfort and still sweated heaps~ Here's a couple of my favourites!


There was a time, just a few years ago actually, when I was religiously exercising almost everyday (best shape of my life) but my husband is one of those people who are eternally slim without lifting a finger and dating him kinda threw me off my rhythm and I slowly settled back into being a couchpotato. I was super fit then and I'm totally a lazybum now. Ngaahhhh~~~ *slaps self*



Now that the distraction of Chinese New Year is completely gone (a.k.a all the goodies have been eaten), hopefully I can get into the routine again! I hope hope hope!!! At least twice a week to start with would be nice!

If you're looking to tone up abit for summer, I hope these videos will be useful~ I'm SO gonna try! Ganbarimasu!!!

Edward Bess Giveaway Results!

The Edward Bess All Over Seduction Giveaway results!
 
And the random name picker has chosen~~~~
 
Kaori Lizaso!
 
Congratulations Kaori~ Please send me your mailing address via email (rhi.xiao@gmail.com) or facebook pm and your prize will be sent to you soon!
 
Thanks for participating everyone! ^_^
 

Friday 8 March 2013

The Invisible Lipstick - L'Oreal Universal Lip Glow

I chanced upon the L'Oreal Studio Secrets Professional Universal Lip Glow at the Paris Airport Duty Free. On 40% sale, it was only 6 euros (approx S$10)! Last one on the display, it was too cheap to pass up~ Released in 2011, this is far from a new product but I've never noticed it before... >_< ..was it ever released in Singapore? I think in 2011 I wasn't so much into oodles and oodles of makeup =P

 
Adaptable Colour L'Oréal Paris' first lipstick that adapts uniquely to the heat and moisture of your lips to form a bespoke, individual colour. The result: a tailor-made shade of pink with a subtle finish.
- L'Oreal Paris

And then I saw it at the arrival hall duty free in Singapore Changi Airport, a 3-pack for S$43~ With my discount it comes up to about S$10 each =| I like it but 3 at one go?

Fun transparent pink! Looks like candy~
Enriched with pomegranate extract, emollient oil and polymers, this non-wax balm is lightweight and goes on transparent, only reacting with the heat and moisture of your lips to slide into a natural shade of pink~ I'd bought something similar before, it was some Korean brand lipgloss but I didn't like it because it was gloppy and felt sticky the whole time I had it on. Bleagh.

This balm however, is super lightweight and does keep the lips moisturised nicely. Check out the colour with just 1 layer:


1 layer gives you the appearance of bitten lips =) Depending on the state of my lips, I notice it varies, sometimes giving a slightly deeper pink shade. So it's anyone's guess what shade you'll end up with, but it's likely you'll like it if you're a fan of rosy pinkish shades~

You can also get a richer shade by layering the product~ Like so:

Pls ignore the slightly swollen eye T_T I had an argument with my contact lens.
I love the subtle gloss factor here. It looks glossy but feels balmy! And the colours I've been getting are very natural, pretty too!

The staying power is.....decent. The colour stays on me for a few hours, through a meal and drinks. I feel I have to touchup after a meal though, because I want to retain that glossy look. But because you don't have to pay too much attention to applying since it's exactly like a regular lipbalm, touching up on the go is a breeze.

In summary, the L'Oreal Universal Lip Glow:
  • is an affordable, easy to use balm stain (check out duty free and online stores for offers!)
  • a variety of rosy/pink shades are possible, you have to try to know for sure though
  • is a lightweight balm stain with a lovely glossy finish
  • decent staying power for the colour, the glossy/balmy finish won't last through a meal though
  • touchups are easy due to the sturdy, waxy texture, just slap on like a regular lipbalm!
  • straight up a nice-to-have product =)
Since this isn't a new product, you might have already seen this. But if this is the first you've heard of it, keep a lookout ok? It's real nice!

Have a rosy weekend everyone!! ^__^

Monday 4 March 2013

Mascara Mondays - Gafixx Matsuge Gatchly Slim Silhouette!

It was some months ago when I bought this Gafixx Matsuge Gatchly Skinny Silhouette mascara during a BHG sale and because I have too many mascaras already open, it had to wait until now to make an appearance >_<;;

S$25.90 at BHG (also available at Sasa I believe)
 A peek at the back of the box info:
Fake eyelash effect? Really?
I was drawn to the promise of false eyelash effect and I love those mascaras that can be removed with just warm water~ =) But when I opened it, I was a little ummm...put off (for lack of a better word) by the straight wand, as I'm used to thin curved wands, and the slightly thick appearance of the liquid...


But the straight wand was easier to wield than expected! *sigh* That shows that one should step outside the comfort zone every now and then or you might miss out on a gem!

Check out the results:


Top to Bottom: Eye lined and lashes curled -- 2 coats of Gafixx Matsuge Gatchly; curled

Yes I know....my 'before' picture looks like I have almost no lashes >_<;; But I think the results were really nice! I think Gafixx makes my lashes even longer than my previous favourite (Browlash EX Volume Lash Fiber)! The Enamel Black colour of the mascara also makes the lashes stand out more. I think the main difference (aside from length) is the thickness of my lashes after application. Gafixx, having a thicker formula, makes the lash bulkier and thus more obvious. So if you prefer a more natural, 'lighter' look, Browlash is better~

You might have noticed that the mascara promises ultra-light weightless hollow fibers that maintain their curl all day. I had the mascara on for about 10 hours, both indoors and out with no touchups, no curling, pushing with my fingers, nothing. (Plus a tearing up at the movies..) To give myself a surprise I didn't check the mirror for the entire time I was out, yep not even in the washroom. DEDICATION!!! =P Anyway, this is the result at the end of the day:


Still curled!

^__^ yay~ It held up very well and I'm duly impressed~ Previous mascaras I had that gave the thicker lash effect had a tendency to get weighed down at some point of the day and I'd have to give them fresh coats or curlings but with Gafixx, I think I can rest assured for the day out!

In short, Gafixx Matsuge Gatchly Skinny Silhouette mascara:
  • priced like most Japanese drugstore mascaras a.k.a affordable
  • sold in a dept store and dedicated makeup store i.e good chance of sales~
  • not really false eyelash-looking, but gives an extremely marked improvement even to fine sparse lower lashes like mine, so thumbs up!
  • as promised, maintains its curl for a good 12 hours (I believe it can last all day if left on~)
  • the straight narrow wand takes a little getting used for lower lash application but is otherwise not an issue
  • the slightly thick formula means you might get a tiny clumping problem but nothing a lash comb can't solve =)
  • comes off nice & easy with warm water
Would I buy this again? There's a good chance I will because of the awesome curl retention and considerable lash improvement~

Have you found any good false eyelash effect mascaras? =D

Friday 1 March 2013

The Perfect Palette from Sleek Makeup Blush by 3!

Sleek Makeup, with the opening of Carmine Avenue at Scape on top of the extended range available on Luxola, is slowly making its presence known on our little island, and I hope it's being welcomed with open arms 'cos I like what I see so far!

Recently got round to purchasing Blush by 3 from Luxola and.....instant love! Available in 5 palettes, with red, orange and plum variations in the mix. I bought Lace:

Sleek Makeup Blush by 3 - Lace / S$20 from Luxola.com


Fully pigmented! Matte and shimmer!
As you can see, the shades are really quite bright and pigmented. I was quite apprehensive at first because they looked really bright!