New Awesome Eye Cream

Clarins Defining Eye Lift Eye Gel

I used the Clarins Eye Contour Gel religiously for over a year and I just discovered that they discontinued it :( Tough luck. 

BUT - I was recommended something new from them and I have to say, it's pretty brilliant. 

I understand that the main concern for most Asian women when they buy eye cream is the occurrence of Milia - that's when you get oil spots under your eyes. With the products that we use, the weather and the fact that Asian women generally have combination to oily skin, it's very important to use something light and hydrating for the under eyes. 

This has a very light, almost water like formula that goes on smoothly and doesn't sting your eyes. Only downside is that it's $82! I remember the old version being around $50-ish. This doesn't really tackle anti-ageing, but it focuses on lightening dark circles and removing puffiness around the eyes. Great for women up to the age of 26. They have an alternative eye gel to prevent ageing and wrinkles around the eyes - it's called the Multi-Active Eye Revive and it tackles the first signs of ageing around the eyes. It will definitely be my next buy!

Another thing you can do to ensure this works to its maximum standard is put it in the fridge. It'll be really nice and cool and soothing for the under eye area. 

Till the next post!

Tasha

Awesome foundation brushes!

Hey guys

SOOooo

I have a thing with foundation brushes. I know some people have more eye shadow brushes than anything, but I actually have tons of foundation brushes and I thought I'd share my takes on the best ones. 

NUMBER 1

Real Techniques - Buffing Brush

This came as part of the Core Collection and it is the best brush I've used for foundation, ever. And it's 5 times cheaper than a MAC 109. The bristles are pretty stiff so it's a sturdy brush for application and buffing. It's best for liquid and mineral foundation but probably won't work well for a powder foundation. 

The bristles are dense, so I would recommend washing this often if you're using it for liquid foundation because the product could really get wedged into the brush. 

Rinse with warm tap water and swirl the brush into some baby shampoo.  

THE RUNNER UP

Louise Young LY34 Foundation Brush

Sadly, I don't own this but I've tried it and read about it and I'm really impressed. 

It is quite expensive but I haven't come across any brush that is similar. The brush is quite big but the bristles are sturdy (but soft) and it's great for really getting an even, not thick coat of foundation on. Tanya Burr uses it tons in her tutorials so you can see how it works there.

IN 3rd POSITION

MAC 109

I have to go with this as a 3rd. I'd say it's probably more useful for mineral foundation than liquid, only because the bristles do come out.

BUT, it's a great multi purpose brush that can be used for highlighting or blush as well. It's dense and the bristles and not very long so it's great for mineral foundation because you can really buff the foundation into your skin and get a flawless finish. 

I use the Laura Mercier Mineral Foundation with this the most and the coverage is great. 

Till the next post. 

Ta!

Happy 2013!

Hey guys. Happy new year!

Every year I tell myself my resolution is to keep this going and every year, I get busy and phase out. 

This time, I'm determined to get it done! Especially since I discovered I could use Blogger on my work computer. 

Thought I'd start the year with some good January buys you guys can check out. 

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua

I bought a new foundation after religiously using my Nars Sheet Matte for months. I love this stuff - You should use it with either dense brush or you fingers. The coverage is medium but it's enough for a day out or even for nice dinner makeup. It's definitely not as heavy as the former Mat Lumiere but it's buildable and great for our hot and humid weather. It's water based so all skin types will work with this - just make sure you shake it up well otherwise it comes out a little fuzzy. 

It's also a good foundation to mix in with another - I mix it in with my sheet matte from Nars for a more flawless finish and stronger staying power. It's also a great foundation to mix with a tinted moisturizer for extra coverage. 

Mac Lipstick in Hot Gossip

I had my funds with plums and reds for Christmas and the New Year but since we're heading into Spring/Summer, it's time to whip out the pinks and nudes. 

This is a new one I got from  MAC after back to MAC-ing my products. It's a cremesheen so it has a really nice sheen to it that's not too loud for an every day look. It has pretty yellow undertones so it's good for Asia skin, doesn't matter if you're fair or more tanned. 

Maybelline The Falsies Mascara

Best new find since CoverGirl's Lash Blast. I saw this on Tanya Burr's YouTube channel and I LOOVEEE it. It's not as volumising as the Lash Blast but it's great to get those whispy long lashes we all see in make up videos. It gives a pretty clean finish but I'm sure it will start making your lashes look fuller as the mascara gets thicker. It's cheap and good. Mascara's dry out fast so don't spend more than $25 on one. 

You can use a volumising one under and this over if you want something super full looking. 

Real Techniques Expert Face Brush

Very very good for liquid foundation. I hate using the normal flat foundation brushes - no matter where you buy them from the make up always looks streaky. Using something like this is great for liquid foundation. It's dense so it spreads the foundation out well and makes it all even and it also makes sure you don't put too much on. Best way of using it is to get some foundation on the back on your hand and dab the brush in to it. - Less is more guys, that's the no. 1 rule with this. 

I'm also loving Real Techniques and you take a look at them here. Great quality (for he face brushes - not great for the eye brushes) and super reasonable priced. And the more ou use them the softer they get - you don't have to pay $80 at MAC for a good face brush any more. 

Have a great Friday. See you guys tomorrow!

Love, Tasha

Happy Birthday!

Sooo. Make a wild guess what I bought myself for my birthday? Well, deborah lippman's Happy Birthday of course! You can see swatches of the nail polish here. It was $35 and I'll tell you where I got it from in a minute.

Been wanting to get this for ages but it's pretty expensive. However, thanks to Her World, I discovered Luxola dot com. It was started by 2 friends (i think it was 2) who decided to bring in their favorite brands that were not being brought into Singapore for some reason. They bring in brands like BECCA Cosmetics, Sleek, deborah lippman, By Terry, Korres and KAI. Good stuff. They do sell Korres in Sephora and there is a small By Terry stand at Tangs, but I'm glad they brought it to a local online store. PLUS, there's no shipping charge! And they deliver the products straight to your house. Fantastic. They delivered mine the next day and were nice enough to accommodate to my schedule.

They sent it to me in a nice little paper bag -

And I got a sample of AHAVA's Purifying Gel in it as well! :)

 I've not tried the wash yet so I can't give my comments about it. Butttt - I highly highly recommend their store. Go nuts with you CNY money everyone!

Peace out,

Tasha

My Beauty Diary Mask

These have been all the rage for awhile now, but I never got down to using one till one of my friend's gave me some to try. She passed me the Apple Polyphenol masks and I am so in love.

I don't usually use sheet masks. So far, I've only used one mask which is an anti blemish mask from my dermatologist. That works well but it's pretty drying so I needed something moisturizing to counter it.

A polyphenol antioxidant is an antioxidant found in many fruits and in honey as well.  It's what protects the fruit and they work in the same way to protect our skin. These masks are super hydrating and this Apple Polyphenol Mask is targeted for oil control & pore constringing. There are 10 sheets in a box and I bought these from Guardian pharmacy for $12.90. I think that was some special though, usually they're about $14.50.

After you wash and cleanse your face, use your toner and wait for it to sink in. Then take a mask and peel off the protective backing. Leave the mask on for 20 - 30 minutes. Once you're done, peel off the mask. You'll find a lot of serum left over in the packet. Squeeze out the serum and pat it in with the remaining product into your skin. Don't wipe it off. Use the excess on your neck and chest as well. Once everything has absorbed into your skin, continue your usual routine with moisturizer and so on.

I found that the redness in  my skin was all gone, and the break out I was struggling with had subsided. These masks are known to show immediate effects so you'll find that your skin is really dewy afterward. It's not a night mask so you can use it before you head out for a night out, just to perk your skin up.

So save one of those red packets this new year and head to get a box of your own. There are different types of masks for different skin types so go take a look at them and find one that's suitable for you skin concerns here.

Happy Chinese New Year guys!

Love,

Tasha