All posts filed under: Tried and tested

This Works In-transit Camera Close-up

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This award-winning product is favoured by people in-the-know and jetsetters. Like Victoria Beckham and celebrity make-up artists.  Here’s why.    Made to be a fuss-free do-it-all between travels (Shinkansen, A380, Greyhound etc), this is an all-in-one mask, moisturiser and make-up primer. It contains hyaluronic acid, argan oil, and caffeine to keep skin hydrated, nourished and perky.  The gel cream feels thick and enveloping when first applied on skin. But when I massaged it in, the cream was completely absorbed. Surprisingly, it left my skin completely matte with a velvety texture. Because my skin is hydrated, it was not oily for the rest of the day.  Think of this as a thick moisturiser that actually sinks into the skin; or a mask that you don’t have to wash off. Since it prepares the skin well, make-up applied on top stays on for longer. Another bestseller to look out for by This Works is the Sleep Plus Pillow Spray.    It has a heavenly lavender scent to help knock you out in unfamiliar hotel rooms, so you …

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Micro Cleansing Balm and Foam

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 Estee Lauder completes its Advanced Night Repair Serum range with two new non-stripping cleansers.  The Advanced Night Micro Cleansing Balm ($56) is made for dry skin and to remove make-up. Uncap the jar of balm and it gives off a calming lavendar and chamomile scent. A pre-bedtime luxury.  Apply the balm on dry skin with fingertips, and it turns into an oil when rubbed onto a warm face.  Add water and you get a thin, milky emulsion. Rinse. It left my skin soft and supple. But for extra cleansing – because I’m particular about keeping my combination skin clean after a long day with make-up on, like that – I follow up with the Advanced Night Micro Cleansing Foam ($52). This watery milky lotion – also scented with lavender – foams up thinly so skin is not stripped of oils while ot is being cleanses.  That is why it perfectly complements the balm as a two-step cleansing regime for those with combination skin, and wear makeup regularly 💋.    Launching at Estee Lauder counters in …

Estee Lauder Double Wear Cushion BB

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Now that cushion compacts – liquid foundation or BB cream soaked in a sponge for no-spill on-the-move applications – are a legit (and presumably profitable) category of cosmetics,  Estee Lauder has its own.     This version feels more like a foundation with full to medium coverage. It is rather pigmented and has a creamy texture, so a little bit is all you need for the entire face.  The Double Wear has a matte finish; great for those who dislike the greasy-dewiness on their skin. This formula also feels rather lightweight on the skin, and is long-lasting. Once you grasp the concept of a BB cushion because it is so convenient, you’re never going back to a cream or powder compact.  Most offer light to medium coverage, and can leave oily skin looking greasy. So if you are a conservative  – because you like your foundation matte with full coverage – Estee Lauder’s Double Wear Cushion is a good place to start. It has SPF 50/PA+++ for additional sun protection too   

Nars Spring 2016 collection picks

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There is something about all the best colour cosmetic shades. They don’t look like much in the pot or barrel. But the subtle colours offer just the right tint for a perfect make-up look.    I am in love with Nars’ new lipstick in Banned Red #9401.  It is an easy-to-wear milky red marsala-coloured lipstick that is incredibly flattering. If you want that je ne sais quois quality that French women seem to possess, this red lipstick is a good place to start. The colour is not too flashy, but it makes you look mysterious enough without coming across as being pretentious. This sophisticated shade is opaque in one slick, and has a soft shine to it. It is long-lasting and stains the lips as well. See what I mean. The Beauty Gazette’s other top pick from Nars’ spring collection: the new Blush Duo in Hot Sand/ Orgasm. I’ve never reached out for another pink/coral powder blush after I got my hands on the iconic Orgasm shade for the first time. The perfect peachy pink with subtle gold …

Allies of Skin: 24/7 Kit

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It’s been awhile since I’ve seen a new honest-to-goodness Singapore label. Allies of Skin was recently launched, and it will be hitting some of the hippest multi-label beauty stores in town and beyond. After roadtesting the made in the US-of-A products in its new 24/7 kit, I think the label has plenty of potential. The Molecular Saviour Toner Mist is made to tone and refine pores, balance, calm, soothe, moisturise, and protect. In my opinion, a good rose mist is indispensable. It can help with soothing eczema flare-ups and provide extra hydration without messing up your make-up, at mid-day. I always have one on my work desk. The Molecular Saviour Toner is not your regular rose mist. When I spritzed it on, I could feel that it has a thin viscosity, not just a plain wateriness like most others. It feels more like an essence and leaves my skin feeling supple. Perfect for prepping the skin for the application of heavier creams, for all-day moisturisation. And like all rose mists, the light floral scent is …

Dr.Jart Dermaclear Trans-foam Clay 

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Best masks I’ve tried in a while. These from Korean brand Dr.Jart are one-of-a-kind. The texture is a cross between a bubbling oxygen mask, clay mask, and a foamy cleanser. It looks like a regular clay mask when you squeeze it out of the tube. It starts to bubble and  form a thick, foamy shaving cream-like layer when applied on the skin. And when you rinse it off after the clay mask dries, it cleanses the skin like a foamy mask. After I used the mask, my skin was super tight, glowy and clean.  But like most clay masks, it left my skin dry. So be sure to use a hydrating mask or thick oil or cream to replenish the moisture afterwards.  There are three formulas: Calming White (cheek areas); Moisturizing Pink (cheek areas); and Refreshing Green (for the oily t-zone and chin). All are made with French clay that cleanses the skin deeply. Perfect for multi-masking ✌🏻️

Clarins White Plus Tri-intensive Brightening Serum

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I love the sun (relatively).  I like to laze by the pool (on some days, but always under a huge umbrella), run in the outdoors (when there are pumping tracks on Spotify), feel the sun’s heat on my skin (after an entire day in a freezing office). But I want to stay as fair and spotless as possible.  If you are a Beauty Gazette reader, you’ll know what I mean.  I don’t mind my arms and legs looking a little tanned, but I can’t let my face go one shade darker without feeling guilty.  Perhaps because I think the skin on my face is alot more sensitive to UV rays and more prone to wrinkles and spots. So I’m always slathering on copious amounts of sunscreen on it, as well as skin-brightening products.    Clarins’ new White Plus spin-off is a recent discovery. I am loving its lightweight texture and barely-there floral scent (which surprisingly, does not irritate my skin which is intolerant to scented skincare).  If you have youthful, supple skin, this formula which feels like …

Urban Decay x Gwen Stefani 

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I’ll say it here. Urban Decay’s Lipstick collab with Gwen Stefani is to die for.  The colours are so rich, creamy, so pigmented, so gorgeous. Best lippies from UD so far. They are long-lasting, stain the lips evenly, and are opaque in one slick. But because they are so pigmented, they tend to bleed a little. It isn’t a big issue. But if you are particular, you may want to layer a complementary lip liner underneath.  I really like Spiderweb (a bright blue-red), Rocksteady (a dark red), and Firebird (a hot orchid fuchsia).

Tom Ford Spring 2016 collection

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Tom Ford’s makeup collection always makes my heart beat faster.  Ford’s glamourous image and branding, the sleek packaging, the innovative formulas, and the intense colours all make up a winning formula. This latest spring collection is a hit with me, especially with the new Patent Finish Lip Color. A combination of an intense lip stain and gloss, the lightweight liquid lipstick is dispensed through a click-pen velvet-tipped applicator for precision. Despite the formula’s viscous consistency, it is comfortable on the lips with no sticky afterfeel. The liquid lipstick is also relatively long-lasting and stains the pout.     Available in eight shades of red and pink.  The Cream Eyeshadow is smooth and silky, and offers sheer, buildable coverage with a fine iridescent, metallic finish. Perfect as a powder shadow base for longer-lasting eye make-up, and for lining the eyes lightly.     Ford’s Eye Colour Quads are my all-time favourites. The pigmented colours and textures (matte, metallic, glittery, iridescent), all complement each other well for interesting and dimensional eye make-up.  Disco Dust, one of the latest palettes, …

BodyBlendz Coconut Delight

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Coffee body scrubs – the caffeine supposedly boosts circulation and temporarily smoothens skin – are all the rage now.  I’ve tried more than a few, and BodyBlendz is one of my faves. Blended with ground and roasted Arabica beans, extra virgin coconut oil, sweet almond oil, macadamia oil, jojoba oil, organic dessicated coconut shreds, and Himalayan pink salt; the scrub smells good enough to eat. The aroma of coffee and coconut filled the warm air in my bath; pretty much the perfect way for me to unwind after a sweaty circuit-training session. The coconut shred and granules of salt (that are not too coarse) gently exfoliates, while the oils soften the skin. All you need for a simple at-home spa session. BodyBlendz left my skin alot smoother. And I liked how the formula did not leave my skin feeling tight and dry like some body scrubs ✌🏻️