Haul: Lucy Minerals (1st full sizes), Korres Wild Rose Mineral

As you may have already read, I am crazy about Lucy Minerals right now. Yes, right now. I'm not committing to a lifetime love because I am so random and easily get bored with a product.

Here is my first full size haul of Lucy Minerals.

Bought these off when Lucy was having a BOGO promotion. So, these two only cost $13.50!
The foundation is custom blend, so it has my name at the bottom. It's a blend 2:1 ratio of Golden Medium and Caramel, in Light formula. The finishing powder is in OCS formula.

The next one is Korres Wild Rose Mineral Foundation.

The review is quite good, so I bought it in a whim one day on eBay. Color is Warm Medium Tan. Costs $12.50, with free shipping worldwide. What a steal! Oh, it looks pinker IRL.

REVIEW: MINERAL HYGIENICS, MEOW COSMETICS, JOPPA MINERALS, LUCY MINERALS (FOUNDATION ONLY)

Wow, this is a post that has been long overdue. I actually had written some reviews a year ago, but never posted them. So now I have to update the contents again. Fiuh! 

I actually had found my holy grail mineral foundation about two years ago, Adorned with Grace. It has perfomed as the best mineral foundation for me. The coverage is medium and buildable, really covers my discolorations, and the oil control is superb. It's by far better than Everyday Minerals (matte formula), Lumiere's veena velvet, Lucy Minerals' OCS, and even Meow Cosmetics' Pampered Puss in terms of controlling oil.

Unfortunately, AwG's webstore had been closed since Sept 2011 due to moving to another state or something, and they are still closed until today. I doubt they will ever come back again. I've been on a search for a replacement ever since, especially because my AwG Hope 4.2 foundation is now running low. :-(

Here are some of the brands I've tried in search for a new holy grail mineral foundation:

MINERAL HYGIENICS
Have you ever heard this brand before? The name popped when I read some reviews of another brand on Makeupalley. The reviewer said that this mineral foundation has THE BEST oil control compared to many other brand she tried already. I instantly googled it!
Mineral hygienics claims to have the longest wear, water and sweat-resistant and only uses 4 ingredients in their foundation. Yeap, only four! Titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, iron oxides and may contain mica.

Left: Medium Tan, Right: Dark Golden Tan

Product Claim:
Longest lasting. Better coverage. Fewer ingredients.

Shade:
Based on the color description, I decided to choose Medium Tan-Warm Golden Undertones and Dark Gold Tan-Warm Brown Golden Undertones. Both seemed to be the yellowest for tan and warm (I think this means medium tan) skintone category.

Texture:
It's not as finely-milled as Adorned with Grace, Lumiere, Lucy or Meow. Looks a little grainy and when I swatched it onto the back of my hand it didn't blend easily. It's also rather hard to pick up using a kabuki brush. At first, I thought it was their kabuki brush that couldn't perform well, but my Everyday Minerals' Long Handled Kabuki Brush couldn't completely pick up the powder either.

Coverage:
Once applied, the foundation gives smooth and matte result. Coverage is medium, and it's buildable to full coverage. But, do be careful because you could end up looking really masky with this. I would stick to one layer to avoid the possibility.

Staying Power:
With a primer, it does last quite long, perhaps even longer than Adorned with Grace on my face. But I must say, I don't love the way it feels on my face after 4 hours. It feels sticky, though doesn't look cakey. I feel like I need to blot more often, even though I don't always get that much oil on the blotting paper. Every time I look in the mirror, it actually looks fine. I guess I just need to restrain myself from touching my face!

My Note:
They don't offer samples like other brands do, instead they offer mini starter kit, which includes 2 mini foundations and a full coverage kabuki brush, for $29.99. I personally think the price is rather expensive.

One more drawback from this foundation is, I find it hard to custom blend. Medium tan is too light for me and Dark Gold Tan is too dark. So, I thought I'd just mix the two colors and voila, should be perfect. Right? I mean, that's the idea of every mineral makeup, isn't it? Well, not with this. When I mix the two shades and buff them on my face, I can see redness from the darker color and the ashiness from the lighter one. My face become blotchy with some parts looking reddish and some other parts looking too white. It's just so strange.

MEOW COSMETICS
I have been using Meow's Foundation for over 3 years now, but never reviewed it. I have the Pampered Puss (pampuss) and Flawless Feline (FF) formulas, I never tried the Purrrfect Puss one.

Left to right: Flawless Feline Fierce Manx, Pampered Puss Slinky Manx, Blush samples Infatuation & Puss N Blush

Top: Pampuss Slinky Manx, Bottom: FF Fierce Manx

 Product Claim:
Totally non-comedogenic
Won't clog pores
86 shades w/coordinating concealers!
Long wearing & comfortable
Layerable coverage without shine

Shade:
I match with 2 shades in Meow (pampuss), Slinky Manx and Slinky Abyssinian.
Looking at the broad shade offerings at Meow can be too confusing. Moreover with the names for each skin tone and depth. It took me several attempts before finding the right match. Also, if you were gonna buy the FF formula, I strongly suggest to try the sample first, even if you already try the same shade in another formula. Since it has full coverage, I find the shades aren't too forgiving. If you wear the wrong shade, it would be quite noticable.

Texture:
Meow's pampuss formula has the driest feel upon touching. Which is nice, especially for people with oily skin like me. Some other brands feel kind of creamy or sticky to the touch, making them sometimes rather hard to blend and can look cakey. The FF formula only feels a tad thicker to the touch, but still drier than other brands. Both are finely-milled.

Coverage:
Pampuss gives you sheer to medium coverage with a bit of glow, whereas FF gives full coverage with matte finish. The dryness of the powder does not give powdery look once applied, fortunately. The original formula, purrrfect puss, supposedly give sheer to medium coverage with youthful dewy appearance.

Staying Power:
If you have oily skin, I would suggest using primer beforehand. Pampuss lasts for 4-5 hours on me, and then I'll need a touch-up. The FF lasts a bit longer, up to 6 hours. I do need to blot every 2 hours or so with both formulas, but I consider it pretty normal in the hot humid tropical country of mine.

Using a mix between Pampuss and FF, I get medium-full coverage, which lasts around 5 hours before touch-ups.

My Note:
Among all the mineral foundation brands I've used before, Meow has the most user-friendly packaging. Even the munchkin (mini) size has wide lid, so easy to swirl using any full size kabuki brush.

What I like most about Meow Cosmetics Foundation is first of all the texture. It blends sooo easily and gives such a smooth coverage without cakey-ness. Next is the oil control. Though it does not last all day on me, but it lasts longer than most of other mineral makeups I've tried.

JOPPA MINERALS
Joppa Minerals gets pretty good reviews on Makeupalley, so I thought I'd give it a try. I didn't try the full coverage formula because I worry it would be too cakey for my oily skin. I ordered samples of the soft coverage formula and simple radiance.

Top: Soft Coverage Medium 2.5, Bottom: Medium Tan 1, Simple Radiance Khaki

Product Claim:
Soft Coverage: For Normal-Acne Prone or Oily skin types. Medium - Light Coverage that is very adjustable, depending on the amount used. A super light weight formula, great for any skin type. This formula includes Kaolin Clay which draws out impurities in the skin, absorbs oil and dries up acne and other skin irritations.

Simple Radiance: For Normal - Dry or Aging Skin. Simple Radiance is our Silica Free formula (some may be sensitive to silica). This foundation formula has a creamier texture than out other foundations, making it very suitable for aging skin. A semi-matte formula that offers medium-full coverage.

Shade:
I was lucky to find the perfect match on my first sample order. Medium 2.5 in soft coverage formula and khaki in simple radiance. The two look quite different in the jar, bust they both match my skin tone perfectly. So I'd say the shades are very forgiving.

Texture:
The texture of both formulas are finely-milled, with simple radiance feeling a bit silkier upon touching. They also blend really nicely during application.

Coverage:
Both give smooth sheer to medium coverage for me, even though Joppa claims the simple radiance to be medium-full.

Staying Power:
I wouldn't know. Please read along to know why.

My Note:
I was so happy to find a perfect match on my first attempt, but it took me months after the samples arrive to finally try them. Why? Because the samples smell funny. I can't describe it, but the smell is not pleasant and annoying to me. The smell did disappear a few seconds after application.

Now here's the real deal-breaker. I don't know what's wrong, but right about one minute after application, my cheeks would start to turn into orangey-red blotches. At first, I thought my brush was dirty and leftover from another mineral foundation gave me this uneven orangey-red blotches. So I cleaned the brush and gave it another shot. The same thing happened again. It seems that one/some of the ingredients disagree with my skin. I wouldn't say I'm allergic to it, because it didn't feel itchy at all. So, a big bye-bye to Joppa for me. I never use these foundations long enough to see the staying power on me.

LUCY MINERALS
I posted my sample haul on Lucy last year. Back then, I didn't like it. I finally decided to give it another try and now I'm in love!

Top: Golden Medium, Olive Tan, Bottom: Medium Caramel, Caramel

Product Claim:
Our foundation has a very creamy consistency. It is water-resistant and holds up well in humidity. It is free of waxes, harmful chemicals, preservatives, fragrance, and talc. Lucy Minerals Foundation is different than most other mineral foundations. It is very concentrated. Lucy has four foundation formulas: original, oil control with calcium carbonate (OCC), oil control with silica (OCS), and light formula (without additives, also good for those who are extremely allergy-prone and can't tolerate topical Vitamin C or Allantoin).

Shade:
One of the things that got me hooked to Lucy is how forgiving the shades are. I can wear a few different shades and still look good. For my NC40-42 skin, I match into Tan Olive and a mix of Golden Medium with Caramel (2:1).

Texture:
Annie, the owner, claims that her foundation has very creamy consistency. This was the reason why I didn't like it in the first place. It felt sticky and cakey, and it melted on my oily skin just before mid-day. Turns out I just need to let my moisturizer sink into my skin really well before using my primer and start buffing with the foundation.

Coverage:
I never tried the original, but the other three formulas have medium coverage. The foundation looks very natural, no matter how much I put on. But with just one layer, it covers my imperfections pretty well. I don't look completely flawless, because I have sun spots on my left cheek which are hard to cover.

Staying Power:
All three formulas last more than 5 hours on me, with the OCS lasting the longest. The foundation creates dewy finish after 1-2 hours and my skin would look really healthy. I'll need to touch up during mid-day by dabbing Ben Nye loose powder around my nose only.

My Note:
Out of all four brands, Lucy is my top candidate to replace AwG as holy grail mineral foundation. What I love most about Lucy foundation is how forgiving the shades are. Blendability is also amazing, and once you do it right (letting the moisturizer sink completely) it will never look cakey. I also noticed that I cannot use my Everyday Minerals long-handled kabuki to apply Lucy because somehow it made my pores look huge. I find using a denser buffer brush such as Sigma F82 works much better.

So, have I found a new holy grail mineral foundation? I can't say just yet. I am still waiting for samples from Signature Minerals, Buff'd and Lauress and we'll find out. :)

Edit:
I just read on Lucy's web that starting March 2013, they won't be shipping internationally anymore. Bummer! -___-
I panicked and ordered two more full sizes for back up.

(Cont) Feb 2012 Haul: Urban Decay Naked Palette 2, Makeup Show Brushes, Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation

Here's another February haul...

A little less than a month ago, I asked an MUA member from US to do a CP for me. We've swapped an item before and she was incredibly nice! I originally wanted to CP Dermablend Cover Creme but ended up buying this:
Urban Decay Naked Palette 2

I have been drooling over UD Naked (1 and 2) for a long time, and since I didn't have neutral or brown eye shadow in my stash, except for MAC Sketch (if you consider this either brown or neutral) and UD Smog in their Ammo palette, this is really an exciting haul for me. 

Next to buying UD Naked 2, I figured that I need some new eye brushes. I use MAC #217 for nearly everything on my eyes, and though many people rave it, I don't really like it. So, I bought some Makeup Show eye brushes from Makeup Tools Shop. They are much cheaper than MAC but perform really really well! 

Makeup Show (MUS) Medium Angled Eye Brush 8S 02 (top) and MUS Eye Brush 8E 07 (bottom)

Next is... another foundation! LOL! 

I can't seem to get enough. I get tired waiting for my Dermablend (Golden Beige and Caramel Beige) which I pre-ordered from a local seller, I decided to buy this: 

Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay in Place Makeup Foundation

 I can't believe I overlooked this foundation! I've read the reviews on how good this foundation in controlling oil and staying put on the skin for over 12 hours, yet I never ever tried it on the counter. 

I was aiming for 4W1 (Shell Beige) which is the warm tone, but turns out they don't carry it here in Jakarta. The closest one they have is 4N1 (Wheat) which falls to neutral tone. I have strong yellow tone, but I think this could work on me, too. Let's hope so. 

That's it! 

I'll be back to post my reviews on these products soon and hopefully haul the Dermablend Cover Cremes! :)

MakeupMania Haul: Ben Nye Neutral Set Face Powder, Ben Nye Banana Luxury Powder, Graftobian HD Glamour Creme Foundation

I'm so excited this February, because I know I'll be getting lots of babies this month! I couldn't wait to post my February Haul and decided to just make partial posts instead. :)  

I have been steering off of mainstream products lately and go underground to find some rather unpronounced jewels. My first haul this February is from www.makeupmania.com. Ben Nye Banana Luxury Powder! This is actually my second order from MakeupMania, but somehow made it to my doorstep first.

The product comes in a shaker bottle, which I know a lot of people are complaining about. Because I think it can get pretty messy when you open it, and the lid is too small for you to swirl using any brush.

I can't believe this powder only costs $10, for 85grams (3oz) weight of product!
It's more than 2 times of what you get from NARS with barely 1/3 of the price. Wow!

The next day, comes another order from MakeupMania! I'm sooo super excited with this order because it contains Graftobian HD Glamour Creme Foundations! Yep, I bought 2 shades that fall into their warm category: Caramel and Winter Wheat. Other than these two, I also bought Ben Nye Neutral Set Colorless Face Powder. I've read such good reviews on this powder and the Banana Luxury Powder and just couldn't resist from proving them myself.

 Ben Nye Neutral Set Face Powder (left),
Graftobian Caramael (top right), Graftobian Winter Wheat (bottom right)

The Colorless powder costs... OMG, I just realized MakeupMania sent me twice of the product I ordered! I originally ordered the 42grams (1.75oz) shaker bottle, but it came in an 85grams (3oz). What should I do? Hahahaha... This is really a nice surprise! Anyway, the 1.75oz powder costs $5, and each of the Graftobian Foundation costs $12. Shipping cost is the same, $9.99. 

This is my first shopping experience at MakeupMania and I must say I LOVE them! They ship your orders really fast and they notify you every time the order status is updated, along with USPS Confirmation Number once they are shipped. Shipping cost is quite reasonable, too. $9.99 for the first pound to Indonesia and package arrived in less than 3 weeks! To make the wonderful experience more complete, I was very surprised when the package arrived in a box, padded with lots of bubble wraps and the loose powder is packed separately in a sealed plastic bag. I was so impatient in opening the package I forgot to take pictures on how good they wrap it. :p

One thing I can say, this will not be my last order from MakeupMania. I'm really looking forward to try on Graftobian HD Glamour Creme Foundation, and I'm planning to buy Ben Nye Matte Cream Foundation after this. :)

Have any of you tried Graftobian or Ben Nye's products? What do you think of them?

Jan 2012 Haul: Mineral Hygienics, Lucy Minerals, Meow Cosmetics, Dermablend Cover Creme, Naturactor Cream Foundation

Hello, blog! Long time no see. :)

This is officially my first post on this new blog address. I have been sooo lazy to post anything, though there's actually a lot I wanna share here.

So, my 2012 resolution is NOT to buy any lipstick. For a whole year! This does sound impossible, really. But, I have been buying so many lipsticks the past few months, some of which I will be reviewing in my next post, I need to stop buying and just finish what I have now. I currently own more than 50 lipsticks in my stash, so I should be able to survive without a new one for a year. Right?

Turning my head away from lipsticks, I am now back to being a foundation addict. Same old, same old. :p
I have yet been able to find a holy grail foundation, and I honestly doubt I'll ever will! The problem is, I keep on wishing to look flawless without looking too made-up, dewy without being oily, whereas my skin has lots of discolorations and oily. But, knowing this fact doesn't stop my hunt for the perfect foundation! Stubborn junkie, I know.

Well now, I started the year with some mineral foundations haul. The first one to arrive was Mineral Hygienics. Have you heard this brand before? From one of the reviews I read, it is said to have The Best oil control among mineral foundations. So, I just need to proof it!
The package came very quick, only 2 weeks from ordering! Great start.

Based on the color description, I chose Medium Tan and Dark Gold Tan foundations. Both are yellow toned. I think I will need to mix these two shades to fit my NC40-42ish skin. Oh, there's really no info on the product's weight/volume, but I think it's around 3-4 grams each.

Medium Tan (left), Dark Golden Tan (right) 

Second mineral foundation haul is samples of Lucy Minerals' Light formula. I tried both of the oil control formulas and didn't like them that much. Out of the blue, I ordered these samples. Don't ask me why, because I seriously can't remember!

Lucy Minerals: Caramel (tops), Golden Medium (bottom)

Next mineral foundation I received was... Meow! This time, I ordered munchkin sizes of Fierce Manx in Flawless Feline which is full coverage, and Slinky Manx in Pampered Puss formula. I am planning to mix these two to achieve medium-full coverage. Let's see how they work!

FF Fierce Manx (left), PP Slinky Manx (right), extra blush samples (bottom)

Not only minerals, I also purchased one liquid foundie and a few cream ones.

The liquid foundation I bought was Make Up For Ever Face and Body, in #34. MUFE FnB was actually my very first department store brand foundation, but I didn't like it then. I was a makeup virgin, so the term makeup primer was an alien to me. Thus, the foundation melted and the color oxidized on me. I initially bought the wrong shade, too. Doh!
An MUA friend recently recommend this foundation because it is water-based therefor suitable for oily skin. Voila, I decided to give it another shot.

Makeup For Ever Face and Body #34

Now on to the cream foundations! I have very little experience with cream foundations. The only one I have is Kanebo Lunasol Water Cream Foundation, which I LOVE! After reading tons of reviews and had very "inspiring" chats with my MUA friend, Helen, I am now on the hunt for a cream foundation with good coverage and decent oil control.

Here's what I got:
Dermablend Cover Creme in Cafe Brown. Bought this on eBay for a bargain, $15.99.

I soon realized that Cafe Brown would be too dark for me, so I pre-ordered 2 of Dermablend's lighter shades. Since the pre-order can take over a month to arrive, I decided to buy Naturactor Cream Foundation to mix with Cafe Brown. The shade I bought was 151, which is the darkest one. Since Naturactor is a Japanese brand, even the darkest shade is still much too light for me!

I forgot to take the pics of Dermablend and Naturactor when they first arrived, so pardon me for this.

Naturactor (left), Dermablend Cafe Brown (right)

Other than foundations, I also add another NARS blush to my collection. I got this from a "swap" at Makeupalley. Actually, I bought this at a bargain price from a MUA member. :D

 NARS Amour

Well? I'm very happy with almost all of my new babies. It's really a great way to start the year, by trying out new products and puting high hopes they will suit you. :)
See you in February!

Recent Haul: Etude House Dr. Oil Solution BB Lotion, Kanebo Lunasol Water Cream Foundation, MUFE HD Foundation, Hada Labo BB Cream

Originally posted on Sept 13, 2011

Well, I haven't been doing a lot of makeup shopping lately... *Doh! So not true!* I was just too lazy to post them all here.

Here's some of my new babies, recently purchased from local department stores and eBay. From left to right:

1. Etude House Dr. Oil Solution BB Lotion SPF 20/PA++
Somehow, I am always attracted to Korean makeup/skincare brands, especially Etude House and Skinfood. Even more than the Japanese ones. Or, perhaps my drooling years over Japanese brands have passed. I guess.
Etude House products have never completely failed me. Though some of them don't live up to my high expectations, they still perform quite okay. So, I decided to buy this primer a few weeks ago when I was browsing for a new primer. Monistat just feels a bit too silicone-y for me lately.

(pictures will be posted tomorrow)
This product has pink-greyish color, which I thought would be a total disaster on me. But no, topped with foundation, the color of this product is perfectly concealed. Thank God! The texture is similar to most bb creams, easy to blend, but turns matte pretty quickly. Oil control is also good. My nose needs a little touch up after 10AM, which is okay for me. Additional SPF 20 is not so bad either, though I'd still apply another sunblock prior to this.

2. Kanebo Lunasol Water Cream Foundation in YO03
I posted my review on this foundation a few months back. I begged my friend, Amalia, to give hers to me because she said it was too light for her (OC03), and fell in love with this thing. It was actually too light for me as well, but I just loved it so much! I finally bought my own jar, in YO03, because I thought this would be a better match for my yellow skin tone. Turns out this is also too light for me, like the OC03. Better in tone, but still too light. I had to mix it with my NARS Sheer Glow Foundation in Tahoe to make this shade works better. Anyway, I don't regret buying this. Love, love! :)
(pictures will be posted tomorrow)

3. Make Up For Ever HD Foundation in #153
Hmm... As much as I don't regret buying the Lunasol one, I still craved for a new foundation which matched perfectly to my skin tone. *Excuses, excuses... :p*
So, after lemming and reading more reviews, I went to buy this. I have been considering to buy this foundation since last year, so I am happy to finally did it! The shade is P-E-R-F-E-C-T for my NC40-42-ish skin. Blends verrry easily on top of Etude House Dr. Oil Solution primer, creating a smooth satin finish.

(pictures will be posted tomorrow)
I have read reviews saying this foundation screams "makeup" on them, whereas the brand claims this product gives the most natural look, even in a flashed photography. I think those people just chose the wrong shades. Because if you are lucky to find the perfect match, this is invisible. I'd say this gives me the "my skin but better" effect. I had to look closely to a mirror to check whether this foundation is still on, or has gone completely. Well, it's still on! I did touch up after 1PM with my Silky Girl Pure Fresh Oil-Control Pressed Powder, but I can still see the foundation on me.
I use my skunk brush to apply this and it gives me sheer result. I will try using another brush (blending brush or flat top) next time! I think I'm gonna wear this pretty often to the office. :)

4. Hada Labo BB Cream SPF 32/PA+++ in Natural Ochre
If you read my first post on this blog, you'll know how much I love this brand! So when I read good reviews on the bb cream, I just had to buy it! Some ladies in femaledaily forum have been raving this bb cream, especially the one in Natural Ochre shade. As most of you out there probably know, bb creams tend to have light and pinkish color. So, us, medium to dark Asian girls, have a hard time finding a bb cream that won't make us look like wearing a mask. Though every bb cream out there promises the color will blend and gradually adapt to our skin tone, most of them don't.
I haven't tried this on my face but I think the color IS a bit darker and yellowish than the bb creams I previously owned. Will post pictures of the product tomorrow!

My Current Makeup Routine

Originally posted on May 19, 2011

I change my makeup routine depending on my mood and skin condition.
This is what I wear on my face these days:

1. Biore UV Perfect Face Milk, SPF 50+ PA+++
High sun protection with matte result. I love the oil control from this product and it has very little white cast, almost none, which keeps my foundation true to color.

2. Monistat Chaffing Relief Gel-Powder
This is currently my favorite primer! I have Kanebo Media makeup base (with SPF 27) but compared to Monistat, Kanebo looses big time in controlling oil. But it does even out my skin tone nicely. So, in hot humid days, I prefer to use Monistat while my Kanebo Media works for cooler days or evening, when I dare to expect my makeup to last for 2-4 hours only.

3. Kanebo Lunasol Water Cream Foundation in OC 03
I have always loooved Kanebo makeup products! I think it's my favorite Japanese makeup brand. I don't actually own this foundation, I only swap my foundation temporarily with a friend. This shade is a tad too light for me, but still blends nicely on my skin. My tone suits better with YO, but I think YO 03 would be a tad too light as well.
I must say I SUPER LOVE this product! With combination of Biore UV Perfect Face Milk and Monistat, this foundation lasts all day. Whereas with Kanebo Media base, my makeup --this foundation-- only lasts 2 hours! This foundation blends like a dream, provides medium coverage, enough to cover imperfections on my face. The result is glowy, healthy and fresh. I blot once a day, with much less oil shows up on the blot paper. I intend to buy my own jar soon!

4. Everyday Minerals Flat Top Brush
This is my own personal heavenly brush for applying liquid/cream foundation! This brush does not shed at all, really easy to handle and gives perfectly even application and flawless result. Well, doesn't mean flawless skin tone though, as my skin is far from flawless. And even though this has flat top, this brush can still provide sheer to medium coverage, depending on the type of the foundation used. So, don't worry that you'll look like wearing a mask with this.

5. Kanebo Kate Stick Concealer in NB
Another Kanebo product, haha! Thanks to my friend, Amalia, who informed me about this concealer. This is a great product! I use this to cover my dark circles and flecks. It gives medium coverage, completely invisible after blending, not cakey whatsoever. Thank God the NB shade matches my skin tone quite nicely, since there's only 2 shades, and NB is the darkest one.

6. Silky Girl Oil-Control Pressed Powder
Ah! My current favorite! Could be my HG pressed powder. If you read my review on Revlon PhotoReady Pressed Powder, Silky Girl beats Revlon big time! Color match is way better, and oil control is also much more superior than PhotoReady.
I couldn't believe it cost only S$8.90! I really hope this powder will be available in Jakarta soon, following the loose powder which I know is already available in the market here.
Silky Girl also have BB pressed powder. I swatched it on my hand when I was in Singapore, but I thought I'd test the oil-control powder first before buying another Silky Girl product. Well, I can tell you that I'll probably buy this next time I have the chance!

7. Majolica Majorca My Lashes Extend Elegantly Mascara
I don't know about other people, but I prefer a mascara that gives longer lash effect rather than thicker lash effect. My eye area is already pretty dark because of my thick eyebrows, so having thicker lash effect would add darkness to my eye area which will not look good. Majolica has superior waterproof effect, which is great for me. Unlike Kiss Me Heroine Mascara, which also has superior waterproof effect, Majolica does not shed my lashes!

8. NYX Lipliner Pencil
I am so very happy to have found this lipliner pencil! It is cheap, easy to find (I buy from eBay) and good quality. I have several colors now: Natural, Peekaboo Natural (my favorite!), Soft Brown, Nude Pink, and one more which I forgot the color.
I have never tried the high-end lip liners, because I don't want to spend too much for such a small product. Among the middle to cheap lip liners I've tried, Bourjois, Revlon, Oriflame, this is the best! Covers my natural lip color (which is dark) and makes my lipstick looks perfect. I can wear light-colored lipsticks, even nude ones, thanks to this. Easy to sharpen, the wooden pencil is soft enough for a regular sharpener to handle, and does not break easily! I don't think I'll ever need to buy another brand as this is perfection for me already.

Singapore Haul: My Beauty Diary, Majolica Majorca, Hada Labo, Shiseido Blue Label, Silky Girl, Kanebo Kate Mineral Foundation, Biore UV

Originally posted on May 14, 2011

I had a chance to go to Singapore last weekend. I was so excited because it means Watsons' tour for me! Yep, since I had to go without my family, I thought I might as well spend my money (not too much, though) in Watsons than going to tourism places alone.
After writing, editing, re-writing again my wishlist, here's what I ended up buying:

From left to right:
1. My Beauty Diary Bird's Nest Mask (S$14.50)
I have been reading great reviews on this mask. The bird's nest is supposed to whiten your skin, but I can't really tell for sure as the package is written in Chinese. But I do see the kanji of "white" on it. So I guess I'm on the right track. There are 10 sheets in the box (threw away the box to save space in my luggage), and I gave two to my sis-in-law.

2. Majolica Majorca Lash Expander Frame Plus (S$25.90)
I have been using Majolica mascara for several months now and I must say it is one of the best. What I love about Majolica's mascara is the super waterproof formula! This is the newest formula for lengthening the eyelashes, with 2 kinds of brush on the end. One is coil type and the other is comb. Dunno the effect yet as I have not opened this up. I still use my old mascara, which I think might last for another 2-3 months.

3. Hada Labo Super Hyaluronic Acid Face Wash (S$12.90)
Got this a little cheaper, S$23.00 for 2 tubes, and shared the other tube to my dear friend, Arie. If you hadn't, please do read my previous post about Hada Labo. This is my favorite face wash ever! My all time favorite face wash in the world. Seriously!

4. Hada Labo AHA/BHA Face Wash (S$12.90)
This is my second favorite face wash after the SHA one. Ran out of it, so I'm really happy to get this.

5. Shiseido Aqualabel Deep Clear Oil Cleansing (S$18.50)
I was so excited to try the brand. Bought the Clay Face Foam Wash and the Lotion S before, only to find out they don't suit me. But I'm still curious to try the cleansing oil, as some of my friends say it's good.
Well, tried this. Like it. Not loving it. Why? The consistency is light, almost like water, which I like. Kind of similar to my favorite cleansing oil, UNT Huile Demaquillante. But... it is strongly fragranced! Which I hate. As for the cleaning part, it seems to be quite clean, but still doesn't beat UNT's.

6. Kanebo Kate Mineral Powder Foundation Refill (S$25.50)
I bought the refill in shade OC-D and put it in my Kanebo Fair Crea case. It has SPF in it but I forgot how much. And to lazy to google it now, haha! I was planning to pair this with my Kanebo Kate Lasting Liquid Foundation which was too dark for me (OC-G), but have never got to try them together yet.

7. Silky Girl Oil Control Pressed Powder (S$8.90)
The star of the haul! I read the review on Kimoko's blog and decided to try it in Natural shade. This is a great steal! Very cheap but performs unexpectedly. Keeps my face matte all day long and does not oxidize. And the color, though looks pretty light in the pan but suits my skin perfectly. Love!

8. Mentholatum Sunplay Water Kids Sunblock Lotion SPF 30 PA++ (S$12.90)
Bought this for my boy, for swimming and playground time. Not opened yet, so I dunno the consistency etc.

9. Biore UV Perfect Face Milk SPF 50+ PA+++ (S$15.50)
This is another star of the whole purchase. I bought my first bottle a year ago in Singapore, but only tried it once. I found the consistency to be thicker than the blue bottle (Biore UV Perfect Milk SPF 50+ PA+++) so I figured the result would be more oily. But, boy was I wrong! This one creates nice and matte canvas for makeup, with very very little white cast and helps my makeup last long hours!
I ended up selling the one I just bought here to a friend who needs a sunblock, since I still got my last bottle almost full anyway. And I still have three other sunblocks (Aqualabel, Nivea Japan and Neutrogena) in my drawer. :) But, I will surely buy this again. And again!

There you go! Not too much, right?
Anything here inspire you for your next haul? :D