All posts tagged: beauty review

Clarins Body Fit Anti-Cellulite Contouring Expert, and SPF 20 Brightening Body Veil

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The first products that masseur Jacques Courtin-Clarins sold out of his salon in 1954, were body treatment oils. Almost six decades on, Clarins is still known for its body treatment products that promise to smoothen skin and reduce the appearance of cellulite. The new Body Fit Anti-Cellulite Contouring Expert is a lightweight gel moisturiser that leaves the skin with a velvety finish, and lightly perfumed (we are loving the refreshing floral scent). Think of it as invisible Spanx. After application, my skin immediately looked smoother, and feel just that tad firmer and tighter. Its star ingredient is a quince leaf extract that acts on the adipose fat cells to smoothen the dimpling on skin caused by cellulite. Eight plant extracts are also added to lift, and firm the skin. For sure, applying this gel alone will not give you a firmer and tighter cellulite-free silhouette. Use the Body Fit with regular exercise (be it circuit training at the gym or the #BBG at home), and a sensible diet (which includes the occasional burrata rucola pizza and …

Make Up For Ever UV Bright Cushion SPF35

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While Make Up For Ever’s colour cosmetics are excellent – rich pigments and long-lasting performance – its base makeup range is pretty good too. Generally, MUFE’s foundations are also long-wearing and evens out the complexion without a cakey-ness. Like every major beauty brand, MUFE now has its own cushion compact foundation, a South Korean invention. Soaked in liquid foundation, the cushion – which pretty much works like an ink pad – offers quick and easy coverage, as compared to a powder or cream compact. The UV Bright Cushion gives skin additional moisture, as well as a broad spectrum sun protection factor of 35 PA +++ (with titanium dioxide which is gentler on easily-irritated skin). It also instantly brightens the complexion with a soft glow and dewiness. Available in five shades, the cushion offers light to medium coverage. With just one pump of the cushion, the applicator picked up enough liquid foundation to cover my entire face. It is also long-lasting. One application in the morning lasted me the entire day in the office, and I …

Skin Inc Facial In A Flash Mask Series

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Keeping true to its customised, made-to-measure skincare formulas, Skin Inc has launched a multi-masking series it claims to be a world first. The concept is simple but clever: three kinds of hydrogel masks themed on precious metals are split into half. So you get to mix and match the upper and lower halves based on how your skin feels. Because maybe your eye and cheek areas need extra hydration, while the areas around your mouth and jawline need lifting. Some brands have already produced masks that are split in half for a better fit, but none offer different versions of the halves for a customised masking experience. Skin Inc offers its masks in Rose Gold, Platinum, Black Gold. Rose Gold: For anti-aging and lifting, with Vitamin A, rose extract, gold, centella asiatica, peony root extract. Platinum: For brightening, infused with Vitamin B3, platinum and floral extracts (matricaria, Japanese cherry flower, lotus, lily). Black Gold: To soothe and purify, containing Vitamin C, charcoal, gold, wild yam root, peony root, willow bark, matricaria flower extract, oregano, soybean …

Sulwhasoo 20th anniversary edition First Care Activating Serum EX and Mask

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When Sulwhasoo’s First Care Activating Serum was launched, it caused a stir because it was touted as a pre-serum, the very first step in the already elaborate multi-step Korean beauty routine (of essence, serum, emulsion, cream, suncare, primer, makeup). The slightly viscous gel-like serum is lightweight and easily absorbed by the skin, thus priming it for the subsequent skincare products that will be layered on top. The First Care Activating Serum EX, an improved version of the original concotion and a bestseller in the premium Sulwhasoo’s line-up, is formulated with traditional Korean medicinal herbs that promise to regenerate the skin. Made to hydrate and delay skin-ageing, the serum contains rehmannia, peony, solomon’s seal, lotus, and white lily.  To celebrate Sulwhasoo’s 20th anniversary, the serum now comes in a limited edition 120ml bottle. To complete the skin pampering, Sulwhasoo also launches its new First Care Activating sheet mask. The paper sheet mask is thin yet absorbent, and adheres relatively well to the skin. It is easy to use as it has a soft and thin mesh …

Flower by Kenzo Eau de Lumiere

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The red poppy has no scent, yet it is immortalised as an iconic sensual powdery and musky floral perfume launched in 2000: Flower by Kenzo. Over the years, Kenzo has created a series of various iterations of Flower, each one distinct yet familiar with the undertones of the original. This May, Kenzo launches a new version: Eau de Lumiere, inspired by another scent-less blank slate, a ray of light. Like rainbows, the morning sun, a shining prism. Eau de Lumiere is bright, fresh, soft, floral, angelic. Notes of this pink juice: Bulgarian rose, jasmine sambac, bergamot, white musk.

Estee Lauder Pure Color Love Lipsticks

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The new range of Pure Color Love lippies from Estee Lauder are clearly targeted at Millennials.  Available in 25 shades with four finishes: matte, creme, metallic chrome, and pearlescent shimmer. While most of the collection is made up of regular pretty pinks and reds, there are a couple of bold metallic shades – black (Moon Rock), deep burgundy (Nova Noir), and a dark plum (Pocket Venus).  The Beauty Gazette‘s picks from the collection:  Strapless, a creamy, sexy pink nude  Radial Chic, a soft coral pink with a creme texture Bar Red, a true matte red Pocket Venus, a fun metallic dark plum with shimmer Proven Innocent, soft pink with a matte texture Pigmented and opaque in two slicks, the texture is lightweight. The creme versions are relatively moisturising with a soft shine, while the mattes are super pigmented (full colour in one coat) and are not too drying on the lips either.  Layer the textures to give lips extra dimension and colour: like a creme or shimmer over matte, or shimmer on creme for extra …

Gucci Flora Gorgeous Gardenia

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Creative genius Alessandro Michele had a hand in this latest concoction from Gucci.  Like his fashion creations for the label, this juice is colourful, shiny, and poppy.  It still has the signature Gucci sexy muskiness, but lighter, brighter, fruitier, more sparkling, fresher.  Like a glass of rose at the hippest party in town. The notes: opens with fruity red berries, white floral gardenia at its heart; winds down with patchouli and brown sugar. Sillage is moderate, and relatively long-lasting. 

Lush Mother’s Day and solids collection

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With Lush, bath time is never a quickie affair. The brand is about the bath bombs that turn the tub into an essential oil-infused body soak; the colourful bubble bars that leave your skin covered in crazy colours like neon pink and orange while you scrub; and so on. Lush products come in unexpected textures: solid hair conditioners and shampoos, toothpaste, mouthwash; wobbly jelly soaps; powdery bath bombs that fizzle like a coke in the water. Some of the ingredients are also good enough to eat. And the scents always hit you like… So bath times becomes a true ritual, where you take time to unwind and take stock of the day. The latest collection is no less fun. The Beauty Gazette‘s picks: Pink Custard Shower Jelly – with lavender oil, tonka absolute, vanilla absolute, neroli oil, organic coconut oil, brown sugar (keep it in the freezer for a super cooling wash on hot days)  Drop of Hope Hand & Body Soap – So interesting. This bar is made from rapeseed oil, sourced from the Minamisoma …

Cle de Peau Beaute Spring/ Summer 2017

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The new Cle de Peau Beaute spring collection is a soft, elegant, and romantic palette. The colours are easy-to-wear, not too in-your-face bold, and flattering for fairer skin tones. See how pretty it looks on Amanda Seyfried, the brand’s stunning face. The Beauty Gazette’s picks from this Spring/ Summer collection: Eye Color Duo in 105 – the pretty pearlescent beige and a subtly metallic/shimmery blue – worn by the poster girl in the campaign Eye Color Duo 102 – a peachy-pink pair that livens up the face; made for everyday looks or to match with bold brows, and lips Enriched Lip Luminizer Lipstick in 238 (a soft and pretty peachy pink) and 239 (a brighter reddish pink). Super creamy and moisturising, softens lips too. Wear it slightly sheer in one coat, or bolder with two coats. The high-shine finish also plumps up the appearance of skin. Relatively long-lasting, stains lips 😍😘👍🏻 

Kiehl’s Calendula & Aloe Soothing Hydration Masque

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The first thing you’ll notice when applying this cool gel mask; it feels like you’re spreading a delicious citrusy marmalade on your face.  Blended with aloe vera and calendula petals, this rather viscous gel mask is formulated to cool and hydrate skin on hot days.  Apply a relatively thick layer on skin, leave on for five minutes. Then massage into skin before rinsing excess off. This quickie 5-min mask left my skin soft, smooth, and supple. It is the perfect complement to the bestselling Calendula Herbal-Extract Toner that is alcohol-free and soothing, as well as the Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash (a little bit goes a long way, gentle and does not strip skin of oils).