Drugstore Haul - Lots of Essence Again!

It has been some time since I made a haul post. This one comes as a surprise to myself because I just had to venture into Watsons at Ngee Ann City, when I was bored, and then I saw all those new Essence stuff.

Now, you probably know that Essence is really affordable... ... so I couldn't help it.

This is my loot!

All of these, plus two sets of Dehumidifier (not in picture) cost me $110.

If you are on a budget, please be careful. The Essence products are very affordable COMPARED to other makeup brands, but if you buy a lot of each type of product, it will definitely add up quickly, and burst a hundred bucks. You may want to have a calculator in hand, and add up the cost as you go long and pick up items.

I am only going to show all the Essence items here, because I have a post coming up, on that Elite Models Eye Palette you see above.

Let's just say, I like my powders to have imprints on them. When it's a limited edition item tied up with a childhood favourite fairytale, the item will sell.

(Not sure if children still read Wizard of Oz fairytale these days, but in my time, it was one of those really amazing, impossible, unbelievable stories. It was definitely the Harry Potter of my childhood. And I especially like the part about Dorothy Toto tapping her beautiful red shoes on the ground, the part about her meeting the straw man and iron man, how the house blew away, and how Dorothy conquered the evil.)

Tadaa! Here's the Wizard of Oz Highlighter.

01 The Great and Powderful Highlighter Powder Compact.

The name is cute - 01 The Great and Powderful. LOL.

I bought this because I do not have an Essence highlighter, and I want to test if Essence highlighters work.

01 The Great and Powderful Highlighter Powder Compact ingredients list.

Now, don't ask me why I bought this. If you are familiar with my first Essence Haul, you may remember the Essence Fix & Matt Translucent Loose Powder. It is very similar. For a moment, I actually forgot that I own that already, so I got this - Essence All About Matt! Fixing Compact Powder.

All About Matt! Fixing Compact Powder.

Honestly, I do believe they are one and the same thing (don't quote me). Just that this one has been pressed into a compact. And hell yeah, this compact is pretty because of the transparent sides, and completely visible case.

All About Matt! Fixing Compact Powder ingredients list.

Two beautiful Essence Oz The Great And Powerful Eyeshadows!

Oz The Great and Powerful Eyeshadows.

There are actually three in-store, but I skipped the white one because it looked too cool. When I wear cool white/silver eyeshadows, I look like some frosted person who stepped out of an iceberg.

01 Goodness and 03 Generosity.

More eyeshadows. These are the new 3D ones. I just had to pick them up because they remind me  of M.A.C Extra Dimension due to the imprints.

There are more than these, but I figured I would pick those that I wear to test quality first before I buy more. There is a turquoise one, and a pink one too.

02 Irresistible Purr-ple, 04 Irresistible Caramel Cream, and 07 Irresistible Smokey Eye.

On first swatch in-store, these are definitely not as good as M.A.C Extra Dimension. But at some $5, I don't expect them to be.

Close up of the label on the back.

Another Oz item. This is the Essence Oz The Great And Powerful Cream Blush.

haha, like the name - 01 Beware the Wicked Witch!

I badly want to try this because I have not seen Essence come out with a cream blush before. Their powder blushes are wonderful for the price, and their Souffle mousse type blushes are amazing too.

Eye pencils, also from the Oz collection. Their eye pencils (and lip pencils too) are of very good quality, so I had to pick this up.

These Multi-Action mascaras are new on the Singapore shelf. I have seen Brigette and Cornelia rave about the Multi Action range of mascara on Youtube, I think they did the purple one, so I had to pick these up. If you do a search for Essence, you will see many others raving and raving about the Multi-action range, and also some of the other Essence mascaras, myself included (post here).

These mascaras are only $5.90, or $4.90, depending. I don't know how Essence decides the price of each, but they have at least 10 different types of mascaras, all very brightly packaged, and all not more than $6.

I like the Multi-Action range because the brush head works with my hands. They just seem to grab my lashes really well, better than many high-end brands. They are so worth the money. My old Multi-Action False Lashes mascara is drying out after more than one year, so I thought these two will make good replacement.

This is also something new - Essence All-in-one BB Cream. I tested it in-store, and decided my colour is 02 Medium. I checked the ingredients list, and find that it looks suitable for me, so I bought.

This is about $6 too. The price is shockingly good. If this works, I am saying bye-bye to my $32 Dr. Jart.

And that's it. That's my haul. Hope you've enjoyed it.

If there is anything you want me to test quickly, do comment to let me know. I will be very happy to start using any one of them. =D

Have you tried any Essence products yet? What do you like or dislike about it?

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NP Set Lip Gloss in Acapulco Pink - My Best Kept Secret and Sad News

This is what I have been reaching for in the last two years - something really small, and can be quite insignificant, considering the fact that it came to me free (when I bought the Australian Women's Weekly magazine), it is the NP Set Lip Gloss in Acapulco Pink!

Unfortunately, I have kept this secret for so long that this product is simply not in production anymore. The feeling is just weird. 

*silence*

But I am still going to go ahead and talk about it, because I really love it, and I want to buy it again. Now I really do regret not stocking up on it back then. It is the first time that I am feeling the heartbreak when something gets discontinued.

NP Set Lip Gloss in Acapulco Pink

NP Set Lip Gloss in Acapulco Pink.

Available: Not available anymore, but I suspect this has become the NP Set Lip Stain and Plumper, that costs AUD 22 on the website. Or maybe, the current lip glosses are in the same formula as this?

Volume: 10 ml.

Star Properties: Lip plumping look. With Vitamin E.

What's on the back of the tube.

Packaging

I love it. It looks so clean and simple. And I like the fact that it comes in a tube, with a hard dispenser tip, and not a brush. I just find that it is easier to use when it comes in this format.

The dispenser opening is just the right size too.

Product Look and Feel

It is the nondescript clear gloss with a slightest, slightest pink tinge.

It slides along very well, and is totally not oily or sticky. A little goes a long way. About half a rice grain (Thai white) size can fill both my upper and lower lips.

And the best thing about it is that it truly makes my lips pop!

Swatch On The Lips

This is my lips with a matte lipstick.

And this is what I get after putting on the NP Set Lip Gloss.

It's reflective enough for me to almost see my camera reflected in it!

Until now, I have not come across another clear gloss that is this popping and plumping. I don't feel the plumping sting from this, but somehow, it makes my lips look extra plump without half trying.

Price

I think the price is kind of steep for a clear gloss though. Guess it is true that makeup in Australia is just, expensive.

In all, I wish NP Set would make this again.

It's a 5/5!

I want to repurchase (because mine is starting to smell a little weird after two years).

PS: I guess one of the reasons I am putting this post out even though the product doesn't exists anymore, is because I am secretly hoping that someone out there would read it. And if this someone is in Australia, can get NP Set or already own a number of NP Set products, I hope this someone can get back to me, and tell me that the current lip glosses and lip plumper is the same as the old one (in this post), so that I can somehow try to purchase it online.

I don't know. It's just really sad when a favourite product of yours gets discontinued.

Have you ever had this feeling before? What is that product that you wish can be reproduced?

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Quick Reply to Comment on UD Naked Foundation

This is a reply to a comment from a reader, Victoria, that goes,

Hi Jyoan. Thank you for your very detailed review. I have been mulling whether to get this foundation or the tinted moituriser or liquid foundation from Laura Mercier. I am NC 42 and I think 7.0 was my best match. Was just wondering about two things: 1. Sephora just provided you the sample when you asked them for it? I am not sure if the Malaysian Sephora would actually do this but it would be great if they do since I only tested the colour on part of my face. 2. Your statement "Point to note: You want to make sure that your setting powder is a HD one too, otherwise you will waste the HD effect of the UD Naked foundation" Do you think that this is really necessary? I mean I have asked another blogger about this and she told me it is alright to use any loose powder with this foundation. I think she used Guerlain Meteorites with this foundation. Thanks in advance :-) Victoria on Urban Decay Naked Skin Liquid Foundation in 4.0 - Good for the heat in Singapore!

I am replying here because while I can read the comment in my blogger dashboard, I can't see the reply box on my blog page itself, so I can't reply there.

Also, I think these are good questions, so it's worth a post.

1. Yes, Sephora Ion Orchard readily gave me the sample.

However, I am not sure if they still have such pre-packed samples. I got right after it launched. I think even if someone goes to the Singapore branch now, they may not hand out these samples, simply because there is no stock.

What you can do is to buy your own mini container, and bring it to the store. Sephora is quite a free-will concept type of store, so you could take the bottles and pump some out into your container on your own. For courtesy purpose, you can ask the sales assistant for permission, or ask them to help you. If the container is small enough, I don't think they will reject.

A little really goes a long way, so you don't need much.

Personally, I do have a tiny bottle of hand sanitizer with me all the time. So I use the sanitizer to clean the opening of those dirty foundation bottles before I squeeze.

About the Laura Mercier... ... haha, I know I have promised to review that as well, but I haven't. If you are not in a big hurry, I could put that on my to-test priority list, and quickly review.

2. I guess what you use to set foundation really depends on your preference.

Personally, the Guerlain Meteorites are at best an all-over pick-me-up type of glow-lighter on my face. It is not even a highlighter. I don't use Meteorites on my cheekbones, or my nose bridge, or cupid's bow, etc, because I find that it does nothing for me in terms of sculpting. For highlighting, I use a proper highlighter, like Lorac Spotlit or theBalm Mary-Loumanizer. I love my Guerlain, but I really only use it right at the end of everything, all over my face. 

Guerlain Meteorites definitely does not set BB cream or foundations for me. I have tried using the meteorites alone as setting powder, and it simply did not work on my face, even though I have dry skin. Perhaps, it is the heat and humidity in Singapore. Nowadays, I feel like I am melting as long as there is no air-con. Sweat just drips down my forehead even in the shade of my house.

About other powders, I can try whatever I have, for you. So far, I know that the SkinFood Orange Sun BB Compact Powder does not work. It is good as a midday mattifier, for touch-up, but no good at all for initial setting.

I think if you do buy the UD Naked, you could always stick to your current loose setting powder, and observe the outcome. If yours work, then congratulations! No need to waste money on another product. =) For my face, the MUFE HD works very well, so I just keep using it, with no intention to change.

That's all for now. I hope it helps.

Cheers,

Jyoan

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Tom Ford Lip Colour in 09 True Coral - Is TF really worth the hype?

This is a love-hate relationship.

As promised half a year ago (old post here), when Tom Ford first set foot in Singapore, I am (finally) reviewing one of the Tom Ford products that I bought.

Tom Ford Lip Colour in 09 True Coral

Tom Ford Lipstick - The Bullet.

Available: Tom Ford sole counter at Tangs Orchard. IIRC, this bullet crosses $50 (one NARS blush is also $50). Generally at TF, you will rack up $100 on a single item. So, do go with a generous heart, and a large mind. =)

Volume: 3 g. It is a bit small. Guerlain Shine Automatique and Dior Addict Extreme are both 3.5 g.

Star Properties: Amazing colour. Simply amazing.

Ingredients: As in photos below.
To have castor oil as the first ingredient, it is supposed to be quite moisturising.

Ingredients Part 1.

Ingredients Part 2.

I am actually still quite shocked that this lipsticks has such a long list of ingredients. Normally, it is only one-side-of-the-box long.

But I didn't buy this for the moisturising properties. Bought more for the colour.

Packaging
A picture says a thousand words. Tom Ford packaging is undeniably gorgeous, with the gold and deep sophisticated brown for a lipstick case.

Lipstick box.

The joy of opening the top, seeing the gold, and proceeding to camwhore the lipstick.

Unboxing the lipstick.

Camwhoring the lipstick bullet.

The case looks like black, but it is actually a very deep brown that reminds me of the tinted sunglasses of businessmen in the Wild West.

It holds well in the hand, and has a beautiful, beautiful click. The Tom Ford Click is addictive, let me tell you first. The click from this could rival Chanel Rouge Allure (rumoured to have undergone hundreds of prototyping before the designer finally chose this Chanel Click that you are buying).

I actually keep this lipstick by my laptop, so that I can reach for it and start clicking open, and clicking close, when I am reading material on the internet, or am really just bored.

Colour
My colour is 09 True Coral.

The bottom of the case.

My warm medium skin generally goes well with rose pinks and orange corals. This is one of them.

I couldn't help taking one more picture.

There were so many Tom Ford lipsticks to choose from that I pretty much made my choice by name, and by how much the colour strikes me.

True Coral is one of those bright ones that stood out.

At that point in time, I didn't test this on my lips, so I was making quite a huge bet that this colour would work with my skin.

You will see that True Coral sometimes look pink, and sometimes look orangey red.

Tom Ford Lip Colour in 09 True Coral.

Lipstick Swatch and FOTD #1

We will start with just one swipe of the lipstick on my hand.

You can see that it is pigmented. I didn't use strength to do the swatch, just glided it across.

First time I tried it on my lips, I use the lipstick straight from the bullet, and it came off as vermillion/ bright orange red.

I really love the colour because it instantly brightens up my face. If you are warm medium, this colour may do the same for you too. It is one of those magical pop colours.

This seems to make my teeth look whiter!

It is in that moment that you catch what you're paying for, and you understand why ladies the world over would spend on lipsticks, and why they say more lipsticks are sold in an economic depression.

Lipstick Swatch and FOTD #2
And at other times, I realise that True Coral can look more pink. If you compare this with the photo of the lipstick in the tube, you will find that this is much, much closer to that. It now looks more like what you imagine is a coral colour, a pinkish red.

It is what the name says it is! I mean, can you believe it? For once, there is a company who actually makes a true coral lipstick. I have seen many other lipsticks that are named coral, but are really either too orange, or too pink. But with Tom Ford, 09 True Coral is both - it is both very orange AND very bright pink, at the same time (depending on camera angle and lighting).

Sorry for wet hair. Apparently, this is right before I went out. =D

In both cases, I just find that this colour lifts my entire face up so much, that as you can see, I only need a mascara, and a light touch of blush to seal the look.

Texture
This glides on like a dream. With the first ingredient as castor oil, it definitely feels like a lip butter.

Quality
It is very pigmented, and very buildable. I can actually get this to look like a pale orchid pink if I use a lip brush and do it mini layer by mini layer.

Performance On The Lips
Unfortunately, this actually gets rather drying as the hours run by. Castor oil is not exactly a moisturising ingredient in my books. I much prefer sunflower oil in a lip balm.

Probably also due to the castor oil, this lipstick does not last long on the lips too. I have to touch up in about 3 hours. And if you eat, you can be quite sure this will run. It will stain cups too, because it is very transferable.

I wore this to a friend's wedding, and I had to wipe my glass, and in the end, I decided to wipe it all off my lips and eat. I only went to the washroom to touch up, right before the bride and groom came to my table for photo-taking.

I would say that it is a little bit of a disappointment in that I expect this to be something like NARS and Laura Mercier, and be pretty long-lasting. But over the years, I have somewhat given up my search for the perfect lipstick, and have already begin to believe that no lipstick can be both incredibly long-lasting, and incredibly nourishing, at the same time. There has to be some sort of trade-off somewhere, and manufacturers need to decide where they want to draw the line.

(NARS and Laura Mercier, while are more long-lasting, are also drier than this. Hence I say there is trade-off.)

Conclusion
3.5/5.
I had a hard time deciding the score for this. So I will put out the pros and cons for you to have a look on your own.
What I really do like, and give 5/5 for:
- Unparalleled colour,
- Highly pigmented,
- Buildable,
- Packaging that is probably only rivalled by the likes of Guerlain,
- I really do enjoy putting it on every time.
To me, these reasons are enough for me to own one Tom Ford lipstick. Just one. I am not going to repurchase or buy another.

What I think you may not like:
- Price (do save up, your eyes will pop out, and heart will jump to your throat if you hear the price),
- Not long-lasting, high maintenance (need to touch up), will stick on cup,
- Can be drying after a few hours,
- Only 3 g. I can see my lipstick going shorter and shorter, I swear. I like this a lot, and I have been wearing it often enough over the last half year, and I need to tell you that the castor oil nature of this, means that the stick gets polishes off quickly before you know it. I am so afraid that this will run out and I need to buy another one (because it is not cheap), that I have started using it with a lip brush only. 

A lip brush helps pick up as little product as you possibly can, and yet can still pack on a tonne of colour on your lips. It is a great way to save product, as compared to using the product straight off the tube.

If you're really just going for the colour and willing to ignore everything else, like me, this is a definite 5/5. If you are looking to buy a lipstick for very practical reasons, then skip Tom Ford altogether.

If you find a dupe for such a colour, do let me know. I give my heartfelt thanks in advance!

Closing Note
Tom Ford is brand that is marketed at a level where you have to go beyond practical reasons, and buying the product for the function of the product alone. A Tom Ford lipstick, is, not, a, lipstick. It is in other words, a through-and-through luxury brand. And when it comes to luxury, the price is worth the uniqueness, the rarity, and the exquisite make. It is the feeling that you are buying, the knowing that you're wearing a Tom Ford that makes the difference.

So actually, if you are going for the luxury, then there is no doubt that Tom Ford scores full marks on what they do.

I cannot answer the question in my title (whether TF is worth the hype), not based on one lipstick. I have not tested the other products yet.

Writing this post does make me question myself... ... if there really is a dupe for this colour, will I jump ship to that? I don't have the answer at this point in life.

Do you own any item(s) from Tom Ford? What is it? Will you recommend it? If you have tried the TF lipstick, do you find that it dries after a while too, and is not long-lasting?

Reply to Comments:
Autumn - I agree that Dior lipsticks are one of the best out there that can somehow draw a good balance between its staying power and moisturising power. The best lipstick that I have used thus far is Rouge Bunny Rouge. I count that as my Holy Grail, something that I wish RBR will never stop producing. The drawback to RBR is that I need to get it online. But I find that I can overcome that by making hauls, or simply not buying until my current one is finished.

About Tom Ford lipsticks, haha, I just made an honest review of my experience with it. In the process of testing this, I found that there were many times I got frustrated, and just didn't like it, so I told the truth. But lipsticks can be very different for different people, and for me, I am constantly looking for something that must be moisturising yet lasts long because my lips crack easily. When a brand is this expensive, I do expect it to be perfect or near perfect, so even if there is only a bit of disappointment, I can't give it full marks.

In my case, surely you'd expect a half a hundred bucks lipstick to bring you through a wedding dinner. Maybe I should have worn Guerlain or NARS.

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Urban Decay Naked Skin Liquid Foundation in 4.0 - Good for the heat in Singapore!

2 months into this tiny bottle, it is still not finished, and I love it!

Urban Decay Naked Skin Liquid Foundation in 4.0

Available: Sephora.

Volume: 30 ml (full size).

Star Properties (as on back of brochure): 
Weightless and virtually invisible. Oil-free, paraben-free, creating a flawless, demi-matte finish; light-diffusing spheres make you look professionally retouched. Ultimate in ultra definition.

Infused with Matrixyl 3000 (a powerful anti-wrinkle peptide), protective and brightening Litchiderm, and antioxidants Green Tea and Vitamin E.

Below are images of the brochure that came with my sample bottle.

The front.

The star properties.

This little bottle should last at least two weeks.

A little something for your record.

Colour range: 
0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, so on and so forth, until 12.0.

My shade is 4.0, that would correspond to a Light Medium, NC25-NC30.

Ingredients (as from urbandecay.com):
Aqua (Water/Eau), Cyclopentasiloxane, Butylene Glycol, Silica, Cyclohexasiloxane, Dimethicone, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone, Sodium Chloride, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Litchi Chinensis Pericarp Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Tribehenin, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycerin, Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer, Dimethicone/Polyglycerin-3 Crosspolymer, Isopropyl Titanium Triisostearate, Polysorbate 20, Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Propylene Glycol, Carbomer, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Hexyl Laurate, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol. All shades may contain: CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide), CI 77491/77492/77499 (Iron Oxides).

Packaging
I like it. I admit that I asked for a sample of this, partly because of the hype, partly because I couldn't resist the long row of transparent bottles, all capped with ultra cool black-tone silver cover, and running from light to dark.

I am not sure if the display is the same in Sephora all over the world, but if you are in Singapore, you would have seen it. Rows after rows of UD Naked. 24 bottles, all with the word NAKED printed on it. Now, how can that not be eye-catching and attractive?

Packaging for Sample
In case you are wondering, the packaging for the sample is amazing too. It is small enough to contain a tiny amount product, yet still contain enough product to last me 2 months, and running.

It has a great black screw cap that closes tight. I can bring this around without spilling.

The mouth of the bottle is just right to dispense enough for my face, and not allowing the highly milk product to overflow.

I think UD really put a lot of thought into this, including the sample.

Sample
If you haven't already seen from the photos before, this tiny bottle (slightly taller than a row of keys on your keyboard) comes with a sticker of your foundation shade on it, and inside a card on which you can paste that sticker. You can also take down the name of your sales assistant on that card, and read off those star properties from it.

I find that the whole affair very pleasant and thoughtful. Comparatively, NARS simply pumped foundation from their existing bottle in-store into a jar, and told me the name of the foundation shade. It was pretty hard to remember my foundation shade because you know how NARS doesn't have numbers, and the names are hardly in English.

UD has definitely scored points on this front.

Texture and consistency
True to claim, this is a milky foundation that feels ultra lightweight. It flows well and moves evenly over my face. I never shake this although UD says I need to. The consistency is very even, but this could be because the sample is such a tiny bottle and I use it everyday that the particles don't really settle at the bottom, so no shaking is required.

*UD has reminders to shake this before use printed on the bottle.

Before UD Naked, showing texture and consistency of UD Naked.

After UD Naked, showing coverage.

How I Use It
You can see the round indent on the front of my wrist in the above photos. That's how I use it. With this kind of wide-open hole, you need to press on it (with finger because this is a very small hole), overturn the bottle, and turn the bottle back up. Then you use whatever is on your finger.

That little bit that stays on my finger (in this case, the front of my wrist), is how much I need to cover one side of my face.

I apply that one dot as a stripe across one of my undereye area, like you would use a concealer, then I use my Shisedo flat top kabuki brush to pounce and stipple it out. This way, it is very concentrated on that triangular area under the eye, and then gradually goes thinner down the face (on my cheeks), and towards my ears.

I put another dot on my other under eye area. Do the same.

Another dot on my chin, and another dot from my forehead.

In this manner, I use 4 dots of this foundation to cover my whole face. So it is a really very, very thin application.

How I apply the UD Naked. On your left, I blended the foundation around my eyes. On your right, are those foundation stripes that I haven't blended. As you can see, the coverage for dark eye circles is actually pretty good!

Coverage
If you compare the before and after photos of the foundation on my wrist, you will notice that my veins are slightly less green in the after photo. I would say this is a low to medium coverage foundation.

It is enough to cover my undereye dark circles well enough. It is enough to cover redness around my nose, a little bit of discolouration here and there. And the best part? It actually fills up fine lines somewhat!

If you look closer at the before and after again, you will find that fine lines actually look a little bit smoother. Definitely doesn't look like much in a close-up, but it is enough to give that natural look on the face, because nobody would stand 8 cm away from your face and stare.

A normal acquaintance is at best some 30 - 60 cm away from you, the distance between your laptop monitor and your face. I'd say the UD Naked foundation is good enough for photo-taking.

Photo-taking, like that! =D

And like that! I love this shop. It's Singapore's S.E.A Aquarium souvenir shop.

Finish
This has been my choice of foundation for a number of photo-taking sessions that I have had in the last half year already. (I only started using this daily for testing purposes in the last 2 months, but I have had this sample ever since it launched in Singapore.)

It guarantees me a flawless, yet most naturally brightening finish.

Long-lasting?
If there is one point about UD Naked that is not on par with its other aspects, it is that the UD Naked does not lasts as long as I would like it to IF I do not set it properly. This could be due to the fact that it is so milky.

You really, really do need to set this foundation with a good powder, or it will slip off 3-4 hours into wear.

For me, I find the Make Up For Ever HD Microfinish Powder a good enough one. It can extend the wear of UD Naked to up to 8 hours, in the sweltering heat of Singapore.

Point to note: You want to make sure that your setting powder is a HD one too, otherwise you will waste the HD effect of the UD Naked foundation.

Moisturising?
I find this really suitable for my dry and dehydrated skin. With foundations like Revlon and NARS, I see the layer of foundation crack at my laugh lines and undereye fine lines after 3-4 hours. However, with this, it is still as good as when I first applied after a whole day's work!

I wouldn't really call it moisturising as though it adds moisture to my skin, but I would definitely say that it maintains that level of moisture throughout the wear.

Brightening And Luminosity
I love the the UD Naked because it is not completely matte. I know some people prefer matte matte, but with my dry skin, I go for bases that restores that shine in my face, and UD Naked is a great one for this purpose!

I really like how it lifts my face and gives that *blink-*blink, crystal, see-through effect. You've got to use it to believe it.

Sensitive skin
So far so good for me. I didn't know that this is filled with truckloads of silicones until I checked the ingredients list on the website. But upon knowing, I am just glad that this formula, somehow, somehow, just doesn't irritates my skin! Maybe it is because there is enough good stuff in there.

I don't know. But I am one of those people allergic to M.A.C, and L'oreal. I think I am lucky if a popular mass market product goes well with my skin.

Range
Before I forget, I need to bring this up! UD Naked has a very extensive range of colours! From 0.5 to 12.0, with halves in between, that makes 24 different shades from the palest at 0.5, to the deepest at 12.0!

I am in the middle, so I am not sure if the 0.5 is really suitable for those NC/NW15 and below. I also don't know if the NC/NW45 would be able to wear 12.0. If you know, and you are one of them using the colours on both sides, please tell me! =)

Phew! This is a long review.

Summary
In all, I find that the UD Naked Foundation is,
- ultra lightweight
- incredibly natural
- cover my dark under eye circles and various blemishes well enough (low-medium coverage),
- moisturising/nourishing, does not sinks into and accentuate fine lines,
- brightening and luminous, giving that crystal-clear skin look,
- has a great range of shades, 
- easy to use and blend,
- a little goes an unbelievably long way (this bottle is said to last two weeks, but it is two months, I wear it to work daily, and the bottle is still half full, you will need a lifetime to finish the full-size),
- value-for-money,

but does not lasts as long as I would like it too, just 3-4 hours if you do not set it with powder, or if you do not set it well. 

Also, if you have oily skin, you may want to grab the sample first too because I am not sure how the nourishing properties will go with oily skin. This is not matte.

Will I Purchase The Full Size?
Cross my heart, yes! I will probably only keep a BB Cream (Dr. Jart Black Label), and this foundation once I stabilise my collection. But honestly, I cannot purchase now because I just have too many samples and BB creams to finish right now.

It's like, this is something I will recommend, I will grab for a birthday present, but for myself... that will have to wait.

So I give this a great 5/5!
It is my choice foundation for a photoshoot, no flashbacks. just that beautiful dewy glow (exactly what I want in a photo). It is actually long-lasting enough that I wore it for days I know I will have my photo taken, because I know it will hold through the humidity and unforgiving heat while I wait for my turn.

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Sephora Express Nail Polish Remover - Something that changed my life!

deja vu?

Just 4 months ago, I blogged about a Sephora Nail Polish Remover. And now, I am blogging about it again, but in the sponge form.

The Sephora Express Nail Polish Remover is basically the same thing as the Sephora Nail Polish Remover in liquid form. I just really want to talk about it because it has changed the way I go about doing nail polish! =D

Sephora Express Nail Polish Remover

Available: Sephora, $17.

Volume: 75 ml.

Star Properties: It's express! It is also acetone and paraben-free, as seen below.

Main ingredients include ethyl acetate, alcohol denatured, water, glycerin, as some more as seen below.

Packaging
It is pinkish red, really glaring, and that's good! I like it because I can identify where it is, the moment I open my cupboard.

I think the that size and the perfect cylindrical shape, also allows for my hand to hold it easily and firmly.

The cap screws tight well, and screws open easily.

Effectiveness
Needless to say, this is great. It really takes off even my most long-lasting nail polish, and those chunky glitter ones.

The sponge design is very good for soaking your finger nail inside. After soaking and rubbing around for 30 seconds to a minute, the chunky glitter and long-lasting nail polish will be all gone!

Of course, for the standard nail polish, just one dip, it is all gone. Two dips, will make sure everything, even the sides and the ridges of your nails are sparkling clean.

That's why I love this. It is so time-saving. Essentially, you just have to dip in and out quickly 10 times, and you're done!

Long-lasting
I have been reaching for this rather than my liquid Sephora nail polish remover for 4 months now, and it is still going strong. No signs of drying up at all. This is just great!

Nowadays, I only use the liquid one when I am removing paint from my toenails. Otherwise, I reach for this.

LOVE IT! 6/5.
If you haven't already tried this kind of sponge nail polish remover, try this! If you have, but they are just no good, why not pick up the Sephora one! It is cheap and definitely works. You will love yourself for this.

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