IPSY ❄️ DECEMBER 2017 ❄️

IPSY GLAM BAG

DECEMBER 2017

Ipsy’s December bag is definitely giving me some Frozen vibes. Anyone else looked at the glam bag and immediately thought of Elsa and how frosty the silver glitter looks like?? Anyways there are 5 products in the glam bag, so lets chill out and review em.

1.Ofra cosmetics Long Lasting Liquid Lips in shade Ipsy unzipped.

I’ve always wanted to try Ofra’s matte lipstick but found the pricing to be too steep, I’m unwilling to shell out sgd$30 for a lipstick unless its kvd’s or if it’s due to a big brand name(sometimes!!). So getting this in the bag definitely makes my day, Unzipped is a medium rosy pink shade. (slightly darker bandung colour.) 

As usual, it is a liquid to matte lipstick with a doe foot applicator, applies to the lips like liquid and then dries down to a matte transfer proof lippy. The formula of this also feels pretty much the same as another liquid lipstick it is not tacky after applying and its transfer proof after dry time. (Swatch below)

2.Pixi by Petra Mesmerising mineral duo in Orchid Ornament.

Did the ornament in the name gave it away that its Dec already? This duo shadow has a Mineral formula reflects light away from imperfections. The shades are also all gemstone inspired. The Rose pink has a shimmer finish, soft and easy to blend shade. The Plum is a bit less shimmery and has like a satin finish. Minimal fall out when swatched. There is also quite alot of product in this Duo palette due to the shape of the shadow pressed in. 

3.Chella eyebrow defining gel (clear). 

This gel is clear and abit hard to see, when i applied it over my filled in brows it was rather hard to see the effect, and the brush of the gel was abit more on the stiff side hence it did a good job at separating the brow hairs but not at making it thicker. It did however seal in the brow powder and made it last longer. 

4.Smashbox gel liner in black.

Its a jet black pencil liner and also waterproof waterproof, it did not budge when i attempted to wipe it down and rub it in with water. Which means it will also not easily smudge if drawn on the waterline. 

Swatch pics: 

5.Purlisse sheet masks (2 pcs).

I love getting masks! So getting two in this month bag feels like a treat. There’s the Coconut + Rice nourishing sheet mask that is moisturising and soothing, and the Green tea + Ginger rejuvenating sheet mask that moisturises and detoxify. 

The sheet masks have medium thickness and fit of the mask is just so-so, the eye and mouth slits are abit small for my face. I waited 20minutes to remove the mask and the after effect left my face feeling highly moisturised and cool to the touch, i tapped the excess into my face and air dried the remaining essence and there’s no residue left behind. 

Despite getting another pencil liner, i find the smashbox one different, waterproof and really smudge resistant which is better than any pencil liners I’ve tried. Am also loving the other products received, the matte lipstick, the masks are something i know i would use. December’s bag is by far the best I’ve received in a while! (Maybe because there’s no hair products inside too.)

ALLURE 🍊JANUARY 2018 🍊

ALLURE BEAUTY BOX

JANUARY 2018

January’s box is filled with 5 different products with some skincare, makeup and hair samples. In this month’s box, two of the items I received were different than the one i was informed of by email that ill be receiving. There was a little disclaimer in the booklet under the products it was replaced with.  Moving on then. 

1.C.E.O Rapid Flash Brightening Serum.

A serum filled with vitamin C and smells exactly like fresh oranges, meant to increase brightness, radiance & luminosity, this serum also helps even out skin tone and uneven texture and reduces the appearance of pores. The serum is opaque white and looks like a cream but has a lighter texture. I usually apply during the night and let it absorb overnight. It makes my skin feel fresh the next morning knowing that I’ve absorbed some good ol vitamin C into my skin.

2.Noxidoxi Pollution Blocker Face Mist.

This is one of the items that was replaced due to the stocks issue, i was supposed to receive this product instead - This works In transit camera close up. (Mask/moisturizer&Primer all in one). But instead i got a face mist with anti pollution and detox properties that helps hydrates and protects the face. Good for days when i have break outs and need a clean sterilised face. The mist has a clean antiseptic smell to it which doesn’t bother me much so its fine. 

Altho I’m a bit bummed that i didn’t get what was advertised, at least the product that Allure swapped it with is unique on its own and is something different to try. 

3.Makeup For Ever Artist liquid matte lips in 105 Rosewood.

105 is a dusty mauve rose shade that pulls slightly grey on my lips. But its a shade that suits the current rose trend. This has the liquid to matte formula, dries down to a dry matte with no tacky or sticky pull on the lips. Is very long lasting until you eat something oily at least. This is also my first try at MUFE’s liquid lips.

4.Pop beauty Kajal pen in Inky purple.

Although this is a pencil liner, it’s in an inky deep purple shade that would look fun on a basic eye look giving it a pop of colour. The other end of the pencil has a little bud which I’ve seen before on the Tarte cat liner if I’m not mistaken. I wasn’t entirely sure what this is for and thought it was for smudging the liner out if we’re going for a smokey eye look, on another try it appears to act like an eraser and it rubs off the line I’ve drawn on the swatch. (P.s this was another oos item replacement, supposed to be Rodial smokey eye pen in brown.)

5.One by Frederic Fekkai.

Another hair product that I’m giving away to my younger sisters who do dance performances and such, I’m pretty sure this would come in handy when they’re doing their stage hair and makeup. It is a texturising spray that instantly starts working to create effortless fullness and volume without dulling hair. 

And that is the 5 in this month’s box. I think the Makeup for ever lipstick is the best take away for me on this box. Where else the rest did not get me excited upon receiving. 

FACETORY 🤖 DECEMBER 2017 🤖 FOUR EVER FRESH KIT

FACETORY 

DECEMBER 2017

FOUR EVER FRESH KIT

December’s pack was actually lost in my receiving mail box and i had to get it shipped together with my february things. So this is a super late post. I didnt even realised it was missing until i was checking my archives for each month. Better late than never right?! Here’s the 4 masks as usual:

1. Strawberry Milk Bomb Mask G9skin.

Unlike many other masks, this one really does smell like strawberry milk. I am one of the few who absolutely cannot stand the taste of milk and its especially bad when its goat milk due to the strong scent. 

So on applying the mask, it is soaked thoroughly and there is also excess essence left. Its also super soft and opaque white, very easy to manipulate on the face contours and non stiff. The scent is still there with the mask on so i was holding my breath most of the 20minutes i wore it. After removal, the essence left on the face absorbs easily into the skin with just a slight tacky feel. In the morning, there was no greasy feel on my face. Overall makes my skin feel softer and despite the milk smell, the mask is good. 

2. Pore control mask pack Mikoleaders.

I was having a bad face day and my jawline, nose area and forehead was getting itchy red dots around them, so i thought maybe my pores needed some tlc. This pore control mask has a soft sheet but i find the mask shape to be abit small. The eye area was super slim and so was the mouth area, it was abit small for me and the sides of my lips was already covered by the mask. But the mask was drenched in essence and my face was well hydrated by it. There was a slight sticky texture after removal and i tried my best to pat down whatever i could to get my skin to absorb the excess. The next morning i do feel like my face was abit more oily than usual and i think the essence probably made my pores generate more oil hence causing the grease feel.

3. The face shop Aloe face mask.

The face shop is one of the korean brands that I’m pretty sure most people are familiar with. This is from their Real Nature series, the Aloe mask. Aloe extract is known for their calming & soothing properties which helps with redness and itch. 

The mask is thin and fully drenched in the serum, sizing is perfect for my face contours and very easily manipulated to fit my face shape. Plus point! It doesn’t drop or slide off my face at all when im doing my chores. After removal it has a slight greasy feel but i let it absorb by itself and its gone after drying. I would be interested to tru the mask again in the other ingredients.

4. Baroness Pomegranate mask sheet. 

This mask has a thicker sheet and there was not much excess serum in the packet left once i remove the mask from the sachet. Due to the thicker texture, the mask doesn’t sit seamlessly on my face contours and there are still a few wrinkle patches that can’t be straightened out. (I look like the ghost riders on teen wolf) There is a fruity pomegranate scent on the serum and it feels cooling throughout wear time. This pomegranate mask claims to be moisturizing for the skin. After removal, the serum absorbs pretty quickly into the skin and leaves no sticky or greasiness behind but skin feels cool to the touch. 

ALLURE 🌹OCTOBER 2017 🌹

ALLURE

OCTOBER 2017

There are supposedly 6 items in October’s box, I missed out an item in the pic which is the Kat Von D Saint perfume. There are a few things that i know I won’t be able to use which is the 2 hair products. I really do hope i cease getting hair products which i can never use. 

1.Korres Wild rose Advanced brightening sleeping facial.

As described by the web ; A brightening night cream infused with wild rose oil that evens out skin tone, repairs fine lines, moisturizes, heals, and softens skin. Obviously, this smells strongly of rose, so if you’re not a fan please steer clear. I am not sensitive however even the scent gets to me sometimes. I do like creams that promises magic overnight, however i do not see much of a difference the next day.

2.Eau Thermale Avene A-Oxitive Antioxidant Protection.

This fast absorbing serum is awesome! This works super well before makeup application and before moisturiser. It absorbs into the skin without any stickiness or grease and refreshes the skin from inside. I would definitely repurchase this again and incorporate into my usual skincare routine.

3.Style Pureology Hydrate Air Dry Cream.

Description from the web ; this leave-in cream and lightweight styler for dry hair from Pureology shortens drying time and controls frizz. This product would be great for you if you have dry hair, it certainly would be something I’d appreciate to have when it comes to taming frizz in my hair. The product is also 100% vegan.

4.Beauty for real I-line 24-7 eyeliner in Whisky.

For once I appreciate receiving an eyeliner that is in a different colour other than black! Whisky is a deep chocolate brown with hints of gold shimmer that is absolutely gorgeous to replace black liner (if you’re afraid to venture into bolder colours). Looks nice on the top and also lower lashline. Formula glides smoothly, not stiff and doesn’t drag.

5.Pantene Foam conditioner.

This comes in a protective waterproof bag to prevent the product from accidental spilling. I’m not quite a fan of Pantene products since years ago but I would still be willing to try new products released. I will probably try this on my toddler and see how it works for her always clumpy curly hair. 

6.Kat Von D saint eau de parfum.

This mini size bottle lasts me for quite a long while eventho i use it everyday to work. 

Top notes:Jasmine and Tiaré flower.

Middle notes:Mandarin, caramel, and sparkling Mirabelle plum.

Base notes:Vanilla, sandalwood, and creamy musk. 

I’ve not tried ‘sinner’ yet to compare to ‘saint’, but at the moment this is my go to perfume and once i run out, it will most likely be the one im going back to. Plus i love KVD!!

Well this month’s box was a bit of a dud for me with only the Avene product and the KVD perfume giving me life, the Whisky eyeliner gave me some hope. But i really didn’t like receiving 2 hair products in a box. I much rather take only 1 hair product or have the option to choose. 

SEPHORA PLAY BOX 🥂DECEMBER 2017 🥂

SEPHORA PLAY BOX 

DECEMBER 2017

December’s box is straight up giving off the glamorous great gatsby vibes with the gold and bold text with geometric frames. All 6 products inside are also as glamorous as the play bag.

1.Smashbox Eyeshadow duo from the Golden hour cover shot eye palette.

The full palette has 8 pans of eyeshadows, on hand we have 2 of the shades in the duo palette. ‘Turned on’ is described as a peachy pink with golden shimmers, smooth & blendable but there are some fall outs from the pan. ‘Psyched’ is a copper brown that would work well blended on the outer v or the crease. This would be my first try with smashbox’s eyeshadow and im glad to have receive this. 

2.Laura Mercier Eye basics primer in Wheat.

This is a base eyelid primer for prepping the eyeshadows with. Comes in an array of colours, most attention grabbing one is the light blue. Honestly the shade wheat is a tad bit dark for my skin as seen on the swatch, I believe either cotton or linen would’ve still been workable. But the formula does dry quick as i was blending in on the arm swatch it was already quite tack and trying to spread it was abit draggy. Coverage is medium-full. 

3.Anastasia Beverly Hills lip gloss in Vintage.

Vintage is a dusty mauve pink that surprisingly pulls off quite nicely against my skin. Ive been liking the nude rose trend lately, lip glosses is also a new thing for me as I’m much more used to Matte lipsticks. This abh gloss has a moisturising effect too as my lips were super dry and after applying the gloss it helped to moisturise the cracks and smooth over the lips.

4.Drybar 3-in-1 Triple sec.

Smells like coconut, vanilla and amber, this spray creates instant volume and texture. This is another popular product like the living proof one however i am giving it away because i am unable to use it and test out how good is it.

5.Peter Thomas Roth 24K gold pure luxury lift&firm prism cream.

I was a bit confused if this is a moisturiser or a firming and lifting cream or is it a highlighter. According to the web description, it is a targeted highlighting cream for the face and body. The cream itself is a champagne gold shimmery concoction, very easy to spread out on the skin too and non drying. 

6.Tom Ford Black Orchid eau de parfum.

I dont really like the scent of this perfume as it smells really strong and almost like a guy’s perfume. The top notes are french jasmine, black truffle, ylang-ylang, black currant and effervescent citrus. Combined with base notes of dark chocolate, vanilla, amber, balsam. 

This glamorous bag suits December for an end to the year. At least it doesn’t have a christmassy theme 😅 

ALLURE ☄️ DECEMBER 2017 ☄️

ALLURE 

DECEMBER 2017

If you do not know who Jaclyn Hill is, you must be new to the YouTube beauty gurus community. If you do know who she is, you might be one of the few viewers who are just not a fan of hers and have ever watched the cringey kim kardashian makeover where JH basically talked over the whole video. Either way i think its pretty clear that I’m not really a fan of JH oops! 

1. Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlighter in Champagne Pop.

You should also know that Becca and JH has a highlighter collection collaboration and this is the created best selling highlight. (There is also a controversy about this-google if you wanna know) Champagne pop is actually quite a nice highlight shade,  truly a champagne gold that suits most skintone nicely.

2. Morphe Pro M433 Firm Blending Fluff Brush.

JH is also quite known for being endorsed by Morphe (like MannyMua) they have affiliate links and codes for brushes if you purchase thru them they will get a small percentage of sales. Hence, not a surprise that Morphe is here. All that aside, this is a rather good brush BUT vegans take note, its goat hair, not synthetica. Brush came packed in a sealed ziplocked baggie which is hygienic! 

3. Hourglass veil mineral primer.

Even the deluxe size looks sleek with the frosted glass packaging! This hourglass primer has a different applicator compared to other primers ive seen. Most primers come attached with a pump, but this has a flat double sided bristle-less spplicator which acts like a lil spatula to scoop the product out. 

Texture of the primer is creamy and looks like a moisturizer instead, but when applied on the face i find that its quite soft and easily melts into the skin. The primer does not feel sillicone-ish which is good cause sillicon primers break my skin out sometimes. 

4.Philosophy Purity 3-in-1 Cleanser.

Another repeat item, previously got one from Sephora play box. I do not quite like the cleanser as it has some herbal scent and i find it does an okay-ish job of cleansing the face. There are still  some makeup residues left behind if i do not remove beforehand with oil based remover. I still have left overs from the sample bottle. 

5.Oribe matte waves texture lotion.

The idea of a quick way to make waves for the hair is great. However another hair product that I unfortunately cant use.

6.Diorshow mascara.

This was reformulated with an added ingredient to make the product more buildable coat after coat. The brush is super large in comparison as its an XXL brush. The deluxe size also has a new cap that locks air hence keeping it tight so the formula doesn’t dry out fast.

Overall despite it being a Jaclyn Hill’s fav things box, i do like some items like the Becca highlighter, Hourglass veil primer, and also the Diorshow mascara. 

SEPHORA PLAY BOX 💁🏻‍♀️ OCTOBER 2017 💁🏾‍♀️

SEPHORA

PLAY BOX

OCTOBER 2017

October’s box is full of minis to try on, there is a total of 6 sample products. Loving the brands that they send out this month, especially for things like foundations and primers when they usually cost quite alot for a full size because its important to know if the product suits our skin first. 

1. Tarte Rainforest Of The Sea Marine Boosting Mist.

The Marine boosting mist can be used before makeup and also after to set. This has a citrus lemon scent which is quite refreshing. However i do not like the spray nozzle it came in, because the pressure was too quick and harsh that it works well to spread the mist before makeup but to spray after makeup application it will leave harsh big droplets of water on top of the makeup. Im not entirely sure if the bigger bottle is the same or is it just the travel size bottle. I also use this to spray on brushes to foil with.

2. Urban Decay Optical Illusion Complexion Primer.

The primer has a pink tinge but spreads evenly then melts and disappears into the skin. It has a sillicone ish texture but so far has been nice to my skin and does not break my skin out as compared to smashbox’s primers. It is also not greasy and leaves skin smooth in preparation for makeup application.

3. Dr Brandt Poredermabrasion Pore Perfecting Scrub.

I received the same product in full size from Boxycharm October box hence will be giving away this smaller trial size. But just to refresh again, i love Dr Brandt scrubs, the exfoliating granules helps remove dirt and whiteheads away. It is pretty similar in texture to the Microdermabrasion Age Defying Exfoliator. I would recommend this to someone looking for a scrub that wont peel your entire face off and leave it dry.

4.Makeup Forever Ultra HD skin booster.

This skin booster is meant to boost the hydration level in your skin and can be mixed with moisturizer and foundations for an added boost of hydration. Or like myself i usually wear it alone as a skincare routine with or without makeup on. So far it feels like a normal serum with good moisturizing effect. But maybe next time i will try to incorporate it together with my foundation to see how the hydration boosts works together.

5.Makeup Forever Ultra HD Foundation.(Y245)

I should maybe try the boost above with this particular foundation since they are from the same brand and also range. Surprisingly, Sephora got it right with my shade and Y245 was like the perfect match to my face. I dont know how they do it because im pretty sure anyone with the beauty profile of light-medium skin will get the same shade. But overall, after my MAC studio fix fluid, i really love this foundation as it blends well in and doesnt break me out most importantly. I will think of picking this up once my MAC Finishes.

6.Tory Burch Bel Azur Eau De Parfum.

Here is the brand’s description: “A burst of bergamot rejuvenates, neroli and peony and earthy vetiver with creamy cedarwood warms the skin.” I recognise a few of the notes but all together it creates a really nice scent and its also not overpowering. 

Altho Sephora isn’t following the other boxes with the Halloween theme this October, this might be the best box I’ve received so far. All the 6 samples received are products that I’m happy to try. The foundation and primer would be my favourite products and I’m considering purchasing the full size.