Makeup Review: Chanel CC Cream

Though a hard-core fan of Chanel beauty products, this CC cream a real disappointment. The texture is way too thick for a CC cream, more like a foundation in fact. And with this, I'm definitely not referring to the sheer ones like NARS Sheer Glow Foundation, but the more traditional kind of liquid foundation. Ever since I've started using those feather-weight Korean BB creams, what I wear on my face is becoming sheerer and sheerer and I can no longer tolerate any detectable loads on my skin...My experience with Chanel CC cream is rather yucky - I'm sorry! I could feel the thick creamy layer on my face all day. Think partly because of the humidity here and partly because of the texture, my face felt like a disgusting sticky pad and the makeup started caking after two hours. Thank God the color didn't change...In fact, I've tried the BB creams by Lancome, Dior, Bobbi Brown and NARS, but none of them performed as well as those by Korean brands,  which are way cheaper! The European and US ones are either not sheer enough, not lasting, or both. Is there some sort of secret Korean recipes???   

That said, I'm so glad that I didn't purchase this CC cream in full size. After all, what matters when it comes to beauty products is not the brand, but how a product reacts on your skin.

Foundation Review: Giorgio Armani Designer Lift Smoothing Firming Foundation SPF20+++

Happy New Year!!! I know this greeting comes ridiculously late, but I have been struggling with several deadlines...Anyway, hope all our New Year's resolution(s) can be achieved this year!!! *cough*

To kickstart the new year, I tested out a firming foundation for the first time ever. I have never tried any firming foundation before and neither do I see any practical need to add one to my makeup kit...not yet, not yet...but I still did test out a sample sachet of Giorgio Armani Designer Lift Smoothing Firming Foundation in 04. How is it going to lift my face? Will it 'erase' my fine laugh lines? And the big question is, how different is it from the rest?

The fluid formula has a consistency that is slightly thicker than NARS Sheer Glow (see review HERE) and GA Lasting Silk UV, but definitely thinner than MAC Studio Fix Fluid (which I truly dislike despite its popularity). As a matter of fact, it doesn't play any magic, but it's still a pretty good foundation if you are not looking forward to a face lift. Like GA Lasting Silk UV, this one glided on effortlessly with a sheer natural finish and it survived (at least) 8 hours in wintry weather. It gave this blurring effect that 'smudge' your blemishes and fine lines without layering. The only thing is, I would expect the formula to be more moisturizing than it is since it targets mature skin. Even I have to layer moisturizer underneath. In this regard, I personally think Diorskin Forever (see review HERE) is a better option if you want a 'second-skin' foundation that is more skin-pampering.   

The Deserved Winner: Jemma Kidd Dewy Glow All Over Radiance Creme Review & Swatch

Being a big fan of NARS Illuminators, I couldn't understand why beauty insiders rave about the award-winning Jemma Kidd Dewy Glow All Over Radiance Creme in Rose Gold (BUY HERE) till I have used it myself. It's so multipurpose, foolproof and handy that I can't take my hands off it! I have been carrying it around wherever I go lately! The slim packaging, with the same slimness as my iPhone 4, can easily slip into my pretty stuffed makeup bag. The rather huge mirror which took up the entire interior of the lid allows me to bid farewell to the old days of squinting in cute little mirrors for mid-day retouches.

Dewy Glow All Over Radiance Creme is a light-diffusing cream that gives a subtle pearly radiance to your skin. The formula is impressively more sheer and lightweight (it's actually weightless!) than I would ever expect of a cream, which makes it foolproof and perfect for layering. You can easily apply it anywhere you want without making a mess because it's just so sheer, non-sticky and spreadable!!! You can use it to highlight your contours and decolletage, brighten your complexion, use it as a natural-looking eye shadow or layer it as a bronzer. Plus, the only tool you need is your finger tip! Best of all, it works great even on powdered face! So it can be used as a good pick-me-up at any time of the day. This Dewy Glow Creme is utterly user-friendly! Gone are the days when you accidentally popped a large glob of fluid or gel highlighter onto your face and ended up looking as if you'd put aluminium foil on your cheeks. Trust me, it's very difficult to go wrong for anybody, including amateurs. And that's why it's produced by Jemma Kidd Make Up School, isn't it?!

For those of you who have yellow skin undertone like me, this sheeny pearly rosy-champagne shade is very close to the natural complexion, but prettier! As the name suggests, the finish is dewy, but not too dewy. You know, some dewy finishes will make you look oily, but this one is just nice in every way. Well honestly, I think shade will actually look fabulous on all skin tones. The golden sheen is so smooth and gentle...not the catchy flashy type...Oh before I forget, the formula contains jojoba oil which truly nourishes your skin for a more natural glow. 

I adore it!!! 

Back to the Old-School Way: MAC Lightful Hydro-charged Moisturizer SPF 30++

Years ago when primer was not yet introduced to the beauty industry, the primer-equivalent item was moisturizer. If you think using a primer is a must for a flawless lasting look, the star makeup artist, Lisa Eldridge, tells you...you're wrong! A good moisturizer works just as well as a primer, given that you've found the one that gives you the finish you like. If you are like me who detest stickiness and don't really fancy a dewy finish, MAC Lightful Hydro-charged Moisturizer is for you.

It's one of those moisturizers that can moisturize your face well enough to let your foundation stay put all day long. I tried using it as a day cream when I first purchased it months ago, but it doesn't seem hydrating enough to go into my daily skincare routine. In the hope of not leaving it idle (as it has been for months!), I tried using it as a makeup primer underneath my NARS Sheer Glow or Giorgio Armani Lasting Silk Compact. It turns out to be an amazing discovery! 

Lightful Hydro-charged Moisturizer is very spreadable. Its lightweight texture easily seeps through my skin, leaving it soft, supple and matt enough for applying foundation over it. I also like the gentle soothing scent it carries. In terms of performance, it's in no way inferior to my MAC and NARS primers. I actually think it's formulated for makeup rather than skincare purpose. My makeup didn't move much after 6 hours, without any retouches. It's a brilliant 'makeup primer' for my troublesome combination skin.

Be a Summer Babe!: Stila Stunning in Sayulita Collectible Beach Palette No.1

The Stila Stunning in Sayulita Collectible Palette (buy HERE) is finally delivered to my doorstep today! I love it in every way!!! xx

Pro No. 1 - The packaging

It's super handy and compact. The palette consists of 4 eye shadows (Starfish - beige-rose, Getaway - purplish-rose, Sandbar - gentle brown, and Palm Trees - leafy green), a blush in Playa (coral), a bronzer in Banderas Bay (beige-bronze), a built-in mirror, and instructions for sculpting the stunning beach look. The size is just slightly larger than my iPhone 4 on the four sides, which makes it easy for me to pop it into my makeup bag. The bundle practically contains all I need on a happy summer day!

Pro No. 2 - The colors

I think it has included a very smart choice of color combination which, like I just said, is good for creating both a barely-there healthy look and an intense sun-kissed look. I particularly like the bronzer in Banderas Bay. It looks very subtle on my face and it only leaves some fine sheeny glitters at the first stroke of my brush. With 2 to 3 strokes, I think it gives a glowy natural flush that's honestly better than my beloved Chanel Joues Contraste in Pink Cloud (66) (HERE). Color-wise, it's close to NARS Deep Throat (HERE), but more beige and closer to natural skin tone. For a quick pick-me-up, I generously brush Banderas Bay to and fro my temple-cheekbone area and dab a bit of Playa with my ring finger on the apples for a more 3D contouring. The shimmers in Banderas Bay captures just the right amount of light to highlight my contours.

From left: NARS in Deep Throat, Stila in Banderas Bay, Playa, and Bourjois in Rose Coup de Foudre (16)

For my eyes, I personally prefer gentle shades like Starfish from my lid to crease and Getaway from lashline and crease. They blend beautifully and match so well with the cheek colors! I couldn't help but look in the mirror again and again, mesmerized by my new sun-kissed look...oh dear, am I becoming narcissistic?!

From left: Eye shadows in Starfish, Getaway, Palm Trees, and Sandbar

Pro No. 3 - The texture

As usual, the powder is very finely-milled and pigmented. My brush picked up an amazing lot of Playa when I tested it on the back of my hand. That's also why I eventually decided to just dab it with my finger. The silky texture glides on effortlessly. Bravo!    

Makeup Review: Bourjois Blush with Swatches

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Makeup Review: NARS Blush in New Order

New Order

Deep Throat

I wasn't really convinced by the loads of negative reviews on NARS latest blush in New Order until I finally tried it out at the counter the other day. It caught my attention when I was aimlessly flipping through this beauty magazine for a break. I thought the color is gorgeous and angelic even when I saw it at NARS counter. I thought this pretty lilac-colored blush with glitters looks practically like a purple version of Angelica (HERE). I was wrong! We all know that purple can moderate and brighten dull-looking skin, especially for Asian with yellow undertones. But this purplish blush simply disappeared on my cheeks, leaving nothing more than a bit of glitters. I shall say Angelica is like ten times more pigmented than New Order! Honestly, I don't think it did any degree of brightening or correction to my complexion...alright, the glitters perhaps...At the end of the trial session, I purchased a Deep Throat instead...=p

Makeup Must-Haves for Your Summer Haul!

We're into a season of beach and sunshine, of vibrance and radiance! Byebye to the meticulous, sophisticated look. We're back to nature!

Here's the checklist for your Summer Haul!!! 

1. Luminous Gold

NARS Illuminator in Super Orgasm

The gel formula makes it easier to spread, more natural-looking and more lasting than NARS Multiple. The golden shimmer contours while adding a healthy, sexy touch to your skin. 

Bobbi Brown Face Highlighter Pen in Bronze

The new summer launch is packaged in a twist-up pen, making it easy for you to pop it into your makeup bag or anywhere in your bag. What really makes it great for summer is its lightweight liquid formula that provides just the right amount of golden bronzy sheen to highlight your facial contours and decolletage. 

Tip: Remember to fade out all the edges by dabbing with your ring finger. Leaving sharp edges will make you look stiff and artificial, if not horrible...

2. Barely-there

Dr. Jart+ Water Fuse BB Cream (SPF 27)

As mentioned in an earlier review (HERE), it's a super lightweight and nourishing alternative to foundation. I actually prefer this to most tinted moisturizers. Although its more luxurious siblings from Dior, Lancome, and Biotherm are indeed tempting, the quality of this Korean branded BB Cream is well-assured considered where BB Cream was 'born' (Korea). Unless you're going for something as formal as the Royal Wedding where you may need a medium to full coverage, why bother to overload your skin with layers of makeup under the sweltering heat?

Tips: Remember it's a many-in-one formula, so you practically don't need any primer underneath. Your makeup will last longer with fewer layers piled on your skin. For blemished areas, just apply in thin layers as needed.

3. Nude Rouge

Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Boy

This hybrid of Chanel Aqualumiere effortlessly glides on to give your pouts a dewy and shiny, yet not too dewy and shine, finish. Coco Shine in Boy is a rosy beige shade that suits practically all lip undertones. It adds life to your dull, matt lips (alright, perhaps not yours, but mine) without breaking the subtlety of nude makeup. 

*Tips: Always prep your lips (say with Chanel Hydramax + Active Lip Care or Mac Prep + Prime Lip HERE) before wearing your rouge to plump your pouts, increase the lipstick's staying power, and prevent feathering. For even longer wear, you may lightly brush on a bit of powder between your lip treatment and lipstick.  

4. Balance

Mac Blot Powder

Although it's not a new product, it's a must-have all year round! Celebrity makeup artists Lisa Eldridge (HERE) and Christophe Danchaud (HERE) both recommend to powder and matify only the T-zone, leaving the natural shine glows from your cheeks and contour. I prefer using Mac Blot Powder to any other loose powder or compact for setting makeup (HERE and HERE). It works like a super blotting paper that not only controls oil, but hold your makeup without caking. It's also perfect for midday retouches!

Tip: It's best to do the first application with a powder brush (e.g. Mac 134 HERE) to evenly and not excessively powder your skin. 

Foundation Review: NARS Sheer Glow Foundation

As with almost all other NARS products, NARS Sheer Glow Foundation is of high quality. They're being very honest in naming this foundation as it's really one of the most sheer foundations I've ever used! The ultra lightweight oil-free formula makes it super duper spreadable and buildable. It melts into my skin like a serum, which I can hardly feel afterwards! It provides a light-to-medium coverage.

The word 'glow' is however a bit misleading as it doesn't make my face glow and the sales representative told me it isn't meant to! 'Glow' only refers to 'brighten'. It does brighten my skin tone with a very natural finish. And unlike what its name's prompted, it's actually quite matt and I can comfortably wear it without any setting powder in dry seasons...well, it's comfortable to wear all year round!

NARS claims that it will improve my skin texture with prolonged use. I haven't verified the statement though. But even if it doesn't, it's already good enough, or rather perfect if you're going for the barely-there kind of nude makeup!

Be a baby doll!

I used to be a big fan of Shu Uemura's blush, but Nars Angelika blush's become one of my recent favs. Although it's very intensely pigmented, it glides perfectly on your cheeks. It's super spreadable, and the silvery glitter in the blush luminizes your skin to give a healthy dolly rosiness. As Bobbi Brown said, pink looks nice on all skin tones. Angelika is not the bold, shocking kind of pink, but tender and sweet, like the natural blush of an innocent baby. I prefer using it after foundation/tinted moisturizer and before powder (I use Mac Blot Powder), which makes it more natural-looking without trading off the sweetness. The best news is, the color lasts for the entire day! It's absolutely a once-and-for-all blush!