This weekend involved a little bit of running around, driving around and being busy from place to place so I figured that it would be a perfect time to use Make Up For Ever's Aqua Rouge.

I didn't want to look too made up just to run errands so I reached for the very much loved Nude Beige shade and took this opportunity to also snap some pictures and post my thoughts about the Aqua Rouge.

The Aqua Rouge applies in a matte and almost dry-like finish on the lips and while I am not certain about the reds, you most certainly do not want to leave the nudes in this state.

1 Nude Beige is pretty close to my natural lip color except perhaps with a little more beige / brown tones to it. It appears quite light at first and without a gloss, it honestly does seem a wee bit nasty... like dry-ish lips.

Yet after slathering some clear gloss over, the color takes a complete turn and actually looks like a proper nude-ish gloss!

I did apply this a little haphaardly before dashing out of the house (thank goodness its a nude) hence the closeups are a little messy. My apologies about that!

I love how the Aqua Rouge seems to wrap around the lips and if in terms of wear, these really do impress me.

Up close they may not seem the most perfect because the color portion is a dryer formula, this tends to cling to the lips instead of plumping it up and ridding lip lines. When viewed from a 'normal distance', you can't quite pick up on the lines so much and it does look a lot better.

However if you have dryer lips or battle some flaking then maybe these are not a good thing to reach for in those times. Some lip exfoliation beforehand would be good for those who require it.

But otherwise, these wear through a whole day of errands or work (about 10 hours), even after food – think breakfast, lunch, snacks! Of course the gloss part has to be touched up to ensure the color continues to look good but any clear gloss would work and due to that, you would not even need a mirror to do touch ups! I do notice some parts fading a little after the 8 hour mark but overall the lip color still seems to be in good shape.

In terms of how it wears, it is not a heavy formula yet you can still feel this on your lips especially when you press them together. Without a gloss, the rouge itself is like having glue dabbed on the lips, okay not that extreme... it takes on a sticky yet thin consistency so that urges you to layer gloss over to transform the color back to its glorious state.

Here's the gloss from 'afar'!

The brownish tone to it does help this shade (1 Nude Beige) from looking too zombie or corpse like. It's a good enough nude to wear for a casual look yet not too nude that it makes you look sickly or can only be paired with a smokey look.

What I have on the rest of my face is boring boring same old stuff so I will skip mentioning those. And yes, my mascaras still haven't been getting much love from me but oh well, soon!

I am somewhat enjoying the easier makeup removal process with the lack of mascara but I do miss how that really 'opens up my eyes'. ha! Didn't mean to use that cliche statement.

Anyhoo, I hope everyone had a great Mid-Autumn Festival celebration be it through feasting or just spending some quality family time!

I got to head home yesterday to have a pre-celebration with my parents and spent today chowing down a mooncake platter with the boy's fam. Overall, very accomplished weekend! ha.

Thanks for reading!

Last Friday (or rather the day before), I took a rare detour to the town region for dinner after work. I used this chance to check out the beauty spaces I had not seen for a long while, such as: mid-revamp TANGS, new shops in ION, etc.

Since I was in town, I decided to also try my luck at the Giorgio Armani counter but of course, to no avail. Or perhaps not much avail.

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As we know, Giorgio Armani's Maestro Foundation launches 1st October, which would be the coming Monday, and I was trying my luck to see if I could sneak a peak at it beforehand. After all, I was all the way in Orchard – a place I rarely got to frequent.

Hey, a girl can dream try, right?

Though sadly the stocks were not in yet but I did manage to get a feel of the foundation from this 1 tester they had out (of the lightest shade) and was instantly sold. I am definitely definitely going back for the foundation.

While I did not manage to pick Maestro up, I did get swayed by the Beauty Assistant's recommendation and swatched what seems to be one of the creamiest and blackest liners I have gotten my hands on. Naturally, that came home with me.

Initially I was on the look out for the Black Eyes to Kill Liner, after chancing upon a positive review on Temptalia, but apparently that isn't stated for release till the holiday collection (which comes out in October in the US?) so I ended up with this Smooth Silk Eye Pencil.

This, like Black Eyes to Kill, is a dual-ended pencil with a liner on one end and a firm sponge smudger on the other.

From my brief encounter with this, the name of the product is the perfect way to describe this pencil eyeliner.

It glides on the skin in a silky smooth manner and at the same time is intensely rich in pigment (for #1 Black at least). It does remain creamy for a little while, allowing you to smudge it out if you wish, before drying down to a swatch that seems to hold its place on the skin.

I doubt I would be adopting the smoking or blending out technique much with this since I rarely do that and the intensity of this alone is enough that rimming my eyes and smoking it further would be reserved for function looks, which I rarely do these days.

Though I could try it out for the fun of when I get the chance!

I don't have many black pencil liners to compare it to since I am hardly adventurous with the pencils but here it is swatched alongside what I could find in my stash.

The MAC Powerpoint Liner in Engraved that I love so much definitely seems to be the least intense of the bunch. While Burberry's Eye Definer seems equal in pigmentation, it felt a little drier in formula compared to Giorgio Armani's Smooth Silk which literally slides across the skin.

While a hand swatch is no true judge of an eye liner's prowress (or smudge resistance), I thought why not snap a shot of this and post it anyway. Here's what my hand looks like after attempting to wipe the liners off.

I have not given this pencil liner a go yet, seeing as I had just picked this up, but the intensity that it delivers really excites me and I can't wait to see how this would look and feel on.

I did some googling around once home and found out that some did face smudging or disappearing issues with this but I am hoping that since I set my liner with powder (and since all our lids / eye areas are different), this may perform better on me.

Fingers crossed!

Have you tried this? Any thoughts on it if you have?

Thanks for reading!

MAC seems to be going on this glam, girly and retro route in the later half of 2012 with the Marilyn Monroe collection followed by their upcoming Holiday 2012 Collection.

(images from tumblr)

While some visuals of the Holiday 2012 Collection Glamourdaze are floating around online, what really caught my eye with this collection is the Special Edition brush set.

Is that MAC's take on the Yachiyo brush? (extreme right brush below)

I don't know MAC's history to a tee and have been falling out of the loop with their updates but... is this the first time they adopted this brush shape?

While I am intrigued in that, I also know what they say about MAC's Special Edition brushes (Made in China, lower quality... etc) but I guess I'll have to see it in person and scout around for reviews before I decide.

As for the collection itself, it is pretty, girly and all sorts of glam/cute but it has yet to jump out at me.

More visuals of the Holiday 2012 collection over on here. It seems no official product information has been released just yet.

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Speaking of Yachiyo brushes, I feel tempted to indulge in Hakuhodo's Yachiyo brushes - namely the medium and small one. NARS has a Yachiyo too but that can wait since they will have a counter here eventually.

Has anyone tried Hakuhodo's Yachiyo brushes? Thoughts?

Thanks for reading!

p.s. Random but I kinda like how this entry looks right at the very top with my blog's color theme and all. Heh.

Its nearing the end of September and I have yet to give this month's beauty boxes a mention!

I am sure by now they would have surfaced just about everywhere and everyone has gotten their boxes, which defeats the purpose of my entry, but I would still like to give them a round up post.

I received Vanity Trove in the early part of September and Bellabox sometime mid-September so I would kick start this entry with what I got first!

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September's Vanity Trove welcomes the transition into Fall and although we don't have seasons here in Singapore, it is still nice to acknowledge these beauty trends and somewhat 'go with the times' or rather, go with the direction of the rest of the world!

The Trove is segmented into various 'categories' and I like that within the provided brochure, they list down the product variations within each category.

If you squint and read the brochure, you will get what I mean!

As we all know, not everyone's trove is the same as they like to switch up the contents but this layout or method of explaining it makes it feel a lot more 'controlled'. It also gives you the impression that you aren't quite missing out on anything since it is shuffling within the same 'category'.

Here's a quick look at what was in September's Trove!

Princess Pinki (Lip, Cheeks and Nipple Cream)

Making a return to the Trove, Princess Pinki is a tint that you can use on your lips, cheeks (and also nipples, heh!) to give it a pinkish hint. Though hint is probably too mild a word to use. It dispenses clear and turns a rather vivid pinkish tone when left on the skin for awhile. That tint actually seems to stain the skin because I had a pink mark on my hand (where I swatched it) for pretty much the whole day, even after showering.

Oilum Body Cleanser & Oilum Revitalizing Lotion (Sample)

To aid with wrinkle-free and hydrated skin in Singapore's non-existent Fall, we have here Oilum's Body Cleanser and Revitalizing Lotion. I haven't given these a shot yet because bath and lotion stuff this size is always stashed for travel.

Vanity Trove had the Oilum Scrub Bar and Oilum Cleanser Bar up for rotation amongst their boxes.

Essie Nall Polish in Mink Muffs

You could say I was pretty darn excited when I saw the bottle and the shade. Essie's Mink Muffs is one of the colors that have always been on my mind – I would like to haul it yet I am always distracted with everything else. I will definitely be swatching this lovely milk chocolate shade soon!

Goodskin Labs Serum

Part of the skin enhancing aspect of the Trove, this was thrown in under the category that also contained variants like JK Acne Cleanser Bar, Shu Uemura White Recovery EX+ and Shu Uemura Skin Purifier.

Rimmel Glam'Eyes Eyeshadow

Not forgetting some love for the peepers, this Trove sheds some light on Rimmel products and if you did not get the quad, you would have received either a Rimmel Mascara or Rimmel Lipstick.

I am pleased with what I randomly received in mine and the colors are just perfect to play around with on a work day. As I had never played around with Rimmel prior, the pigmentation and smoothness of these shadows surprised me!

Bvlgari Omnia Coral Fragrance (Sample)

Aside from introducing skincare and makeup items, this trove also covers some new scents, either Bvlgari Omnia (as you see here) or DKNY's Be Delicious. I'm not exactly a DKNY Be Delicious fan (oh blasphemy!) so I am glad I received the Omnia variant and I do like the pleasant feminine appeal this scent gives.

All that aside, there were a couple more Vanitytreats thrown in, courtesy of and in partnership with Watsons!

Leaders Insolution Hydrogel Eye Therapy Patch

Montagne Jennesse Masque in Fruit Smoothie (Sample size)

Well, that ran longer than I had intended but this wraps up what you get in Vanity Trove in September!

While I may be late with my mention, Vanity Trove gives you the option of purchasing the current month's trove (backorders) incase you wish to inspect the contents before you decide.

Purchasing backordered Troves will cost you S$5 more than their monthly subscription price.

Visit Vanity Trove to subscribe monthly for S$25 and await the November Trove or purchase the September Trove at S$30!

p.s. Vanity Trove pictures were all taken with the trustee Samsung S3 camera!

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Moving on with the beauty boxes, here's Bellabox's take on September.

For September, Bellabox is taking on a very holistic theme of going Out with the Old and In with the New.

Well, before I go into the box I guess I do want to throw out a quick mention. It seems the competition between beauty boxes really goes back and forth and certain months you are left floored with some and other times a little 'meh' with everything.

After all, the idea of beauty boxes is about receiving a surprise every month and sometimes our own level of expectation does cause these surprises to fall a little flat.

With that said, I will continue on and say that this month around (instead of this time around), Bellabox had left me a little meh with their September offerings. I can't say its their fault because I am sure the team does try their best to pick the contents and it would never be easy to pick and suit everyone but their previous boxes (starting from the bumper one) really just stepped up their own game for them.

Okay, enough rambly insight and rationale, here is how September looks in a Bellabox!

Taylor Swift Wonderstruck Perfume (Sample)

I have received a press sample of this scent and actually done a write-up for it here. It's a lovely scent, not quite my favorite but I am guessing some may be pleased to be in posession of this scent sample to try.

Celmonze Premium Facial Ampoules

I was recently introduced to the luxurious world of Facial Ampoules. Prior to that I had no idea these little serum packed vials were this costly and that luxe. I haven't tried this out because of the term 'Marine Concentrate' scrawled on the fragile bottle (me and my Marine Collagen fear) but there are 3 variants up for circulation – Whitening, Lifting and Vitamin A.

Rimmel Flash Eyeliner in Black Noir

A common brand in both the beauty boxes this month, Rimmel! Bellabox had up for rotation the Flash Eyeliner (as pictured above), Lip Liner, Stay Glossy Lip Gloss, Automatic Eye Line, Max Volume Mascara or Sexy Curves Full Figure Mascara

The Flash Eyeliner I have is a felt tip liquid liner, one of my favorite types of eyeliners. Howver, unlike other felt tip liquid liners I have tried, the black pigmentation in this one felt a little disappointing though I will have to try it out to better judge it.

VICHY Bi-White Med Deep Corrective Whitening Lotion (Sample)

For fairer and whiter skin, the Vichy Bi-White Lotion aims to target melanin at its source and fights dark spots, dullness and yellowish skin tones.

Lifecella Essence Sheet Mask - Face Mask

Last but not least, we have Lifecella, a brand that is formulated specially for the concerns of Asian skin. The very first thing I noticed with this is that adorable bear-like shape that the mask takes on but I'm sure that isn't the point of it. These masks cover issues from anti-aging to dryness and even have targetted eye masks as well. Lifecella is available at Watsons and Guardian.

And that is Bellabox's September edition for you!

Visit Bellabox if you are interested in a month subscription which would cost S$19.90.

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With that, I wrap up this extremely lengthy post about September's Beauty Box offerings! It seems it is honestly anyone's game in the beauty box industry and it is getting incredibly hard to subscribe to a box in advanced these days so i think Vanity Trove did a very wise move of putting backordered boxes up for grabs.

As a consumer that still gives me the joy of the box and also the mental preparation of knowing what to expect!

But do share, do you still like the joy of the surprise or prefer to know what is in it beforehand?

Thanks for reading!

Disclosure:
Products were provided to me for review consideration.
I am not affiliated to them and all opinions expressed are my own.

Hello!

A post or rather a look from the weekend that is sadly now over. I like to have a little optimism every Monday and think, 5 more days to the weekends! That makes it sound less of a stretch, no?

I am probably just being delusional all by myself here.

But anyway, in the midst of playing around with some new things (in a casual weekend makeup manner), I had unintentionally done up a Lancôme-laden look.

I tested out one of the Lancôme Ombre Hypnose Mono Eyeshadows I had received (Vert Innocent) because it was such a beautiful shade just beckoning to be used.

I paired this with MAC's Henna (a rustic olive-gold) on the outer corner and Club for some definition, as opposed to my other Lancôme mono eyeshadow picks which were more suited for a 'made-up' look.

More about these Lancôme Ombre Hypnose Mono Eyeshadows soon!

With this weekend look I also got the chance to snap shots of how Lancôme's Moonlight Rose Blush Highlighter looks like on.

Due to its silver-pink tinge, it does give off a slight pink-ish touch of color along with the moonlit glow, it's faint but still lovely.

(click to enlarge and inspect the 'bling'!)

Aside from using it solely as a highlighter, I also love layering this over my matte and satin pink blushes. However in this look I have it only on the high points of my cheek (and a little on the apples).

Products Used:

FACE / BROW
MAC Eyebrow Crayon in Fling
Biore Aqua UV Aqua Rich SPF 50PA++
Lancôme Maqui Blanc Miracle Compact (2011 version)

EYES
Urban Decay Primer Potion
Lancôme Ombre Hypnôse Mono Eyeshadow in Vert Innocent
MAC Eyeshadow in Henna (Limited Ed)
MAC Eyeshadow in Club
Lancôme Plume Liquid Liner in 01 Noir
MAC Powerpoint Liner in Engraved

CHEEKS
NYX Powder Blush in Natural
Lancôme Blush Highlighter Illumnating Powder in Moonlight Rose

LIPS
Lancôme Rouge in Love in Corail in Love (132M)

Highlighted products were provided by companies/distributors,
I was not obliged to use/feature them in LOTDs.

Simple eye look with a light wash of color, nothing new here!

I feel like I am seated within a comfortable and non-adventurous corner with my makeup usage now, in terms of looks I prefer and 'go-to'.

It could be partly due to my laziness with contact lenses and my preference of glasses because honestly, contact lens plus tired eyes is just no fun at all. If anything, that combo makes me feel even sleepier, does anyone else get that?

Here's the final look with frames.

I feel that this hairstyle coupled with frames make me feel super dorky.

I am at a stage where I have no clue what to do with my hair hence it looking like a choatic mess right now in terms of both style and color. I can't decide if I should grow my bangs out for the heck of or go back to having bangs?

What do you think? Have bangs again or go with the no bangs look?

Hope everyone is having a great start of the week! Remember, 5 more days to the weekends :)

Thanks for reading!

Still easing my way through my OPI Germany haul here and I wouldn't lie, I have my sights set on a couple more nail polishes, some already out there and some upcoming ones.

I remember what I said but frankly it's quite impossible to completely halt purchases, and why decline yourself that bit of hauling fun in life, yes? But I am making sure I don't go overboard with the current lemmings!

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Anyway, OPI's Berlin There Done That is one beautiful shade if you are a fan of greige / grey tones on your nails.

It's not extremely unique and it is likely dupe-able but that doesn't take away the fact that it is a lovely color with a decent formula.

In comparison to the other 2 I have swatched from OPI Germany, this has a slightly thinner consistency but 2 coats later, you're left with a creamy, glossy and streak-free finish.

Swatches are 2 coats of Berlin There Done That with 1 coat of Seche Vite Topcoat. It is probably glossy enough that you can do without a topcoat but I love that extra shine (and durability).

Berlin There Done That is greyish taupe with a slight milkiness to it, a very easy shade to reach for and wear on occasions when you want something chic, neutral but not quite a nude. At least that's how I see it and how I would likely wear this color.

(with flash) – Blur shot but it shows how creamy this looks!

At a glance, this felt a little comparable to the really (once?) popular Sephora by OPI's Metro Chic.

Comparable, probably in the color family but Metro Chic has more mauvey tones in it and isn't as grey or milky as Berlin There Done That.

While Metro Chic still has a special place in my heart for being one of the earlier polishes I had been downright obsessed with, I think I may reach for Berlin There Done That a whole lot more in situations where I would used to reach for Metro Chic.

I just love that neutral creamy grey-ness!

Did you haul Berlin There Done That? What are your favorite grey-toned polishes?

Thanks for reading!

Hope everyone is having a good weekend! I'm spending mine being very productive in the lazing department (oops), catching up with the family and just enjoying the slow pace of life before Monday comes around again. Boohoo.

Extremely belated with my mention but here is Lancôme's beautiful Blush Highlighter Illuminating Powder in 001 Moonlight Rose that was released along with the Lancôme Midnight Rose Collection.

I can't be entirely certain but this is likely a Europe, Canada and of course Asia exclusive as it is not within the US inventory of the Midnight Rose Collection.

(image source: google images)

Midnight Rose had arrived at Lancôme counters in Singapore on the 1st of September and this Fall 2012 Color Collection is inspired by the fragrance, Trésor Midnight Rose. Splashed with sensual purple hues, Midnight Rose (the collection) is made to evoke mischief and also a feminine glamour.

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Back to the product at hand, the Lancôme Highlighter in Moonlight Rose, which probably plays a part in the glamour aspect of this collection.

This is a white-pink hued highlighter that imparts a soft moon-lit glow to the cheeks. It has a healthy dose of sparkle to it that gives it a pronounced highlighting quality yet prevents it from being glitter-ladden.

The brush that comes encased with is alright – good enough to use if you were out and about but honestly nothing much to give special mention to.

For highlighters I typically use the ELF Studio Blush Brush (center one in the image above) because it is a good size to place colors just on the high points of my cheeks yet is soft enough for me to buff the application out so it appears natural.

This Lancôme highlighter has been compared to Guerlain's Cruel Gardenia Meteorites and from what I have seen, they are pretty darn close! Check out Sophia's comparison swatch of them.

Guerlain's Cruel Gardenia Meteorites – (picture from Temptalia)

Thankfully I do not own the Guerlain variant so I do adore and really love Lancôme's Moonlight Rose highlighter.

Though there is a close dupe mention above, I find that silver/white-pinkish hued highlighters of this breed seem a little hard to come by. It gives the perfect touch of glow without lending too strong a pink tone and has a finely-milled texture that allows the silver to give a soft moon-lit touch without making the it look gritty.

According to Lancôme's very poetic and serene way of putting it, it is meant to mimic the soft glistening glow of moonlight dancing and bouncing off ripples along the banks of the River Seine in France.

The illustration of that is a very soft romantic glow yet with a lively spirit to it, very poetic for something as simple as a highlighter but this sure does have the glow to boot that description!

Formula-wise the powder is smooth in texture, picks up quite well and of course is artfully embossed.

I am take extra care with this and only dipping my brush along the sides. It's quite a challenge but I am doing my best not to ruin the beauty of the rose. On top of that, while I wouldn't classify this as something pigmented per se, it can pick up a little more potently than your usual highlighters so practice some control with this!

I have worn this out a few times to work but have not managed to snap a good shot to post and I wanted to get this entry out as soon as I can so no face swatches here but that will come soon!

In the meanwhile, do drop by the Lancôme counters and swatch this lovely Limited Edition highlighter for yourself if you are captivated by the glow (or embossed design) of it.

Hopefully it's not out of stock at counters just yet!

Lancôme Blush Highlighter Illuminating Powder in Moonlight Rose retails for S$70 at local Lancôme counters!

Thanks for reading!

Disclosure:
Products were provided to me for review consideration.
I am not affiliated to them and all opinions expressed are my own.

Hello! Just a quick shoutout and sharing of information that I had received in the mail.

FANCL, A premium Japanese brand that I'm sure everybody is no stranger to, is opening 2 new boutiques within the bustling part of our town / orchard area.

1 boutique is situated at ION Orchard (in September) while the other will be opening at Plaza Singapura (in October)! The following are just some artist impressions of the shop space.

ION Orchard Shop space

Plaza Singapura Shop space

There were no mentions of the exact store location and I'll update once I have it!

The new boutiques at ION and Plaza Singapura offer free premium services such as:

• Express Skin Counselling — analyzing the individual's skin conditions to better recommend products that would be suitable. [10 - 15 minutes, complimentary]
• Makeup Advice — Learn about makeup techniques from the Beauty Advisorts to highlight and suit your features. [15 - 20 minutes, complimentary]

A little late to mention but ION Orchard's new outlet will first launch the Limited Edition 'HEART' Mild Cleansing Oil, as designed by acclaimed Japanese textile designer, Masaru Suzuki. Other FANCL outlets will start stocking this from 21st September onwards.

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It seems ION Orchard is becoming quite the beauty hub with brands like Shu Uemura, Chanel, Bobbi Brown and more already there and new additions like YSL and now FANCL.

Maybe the dream of having a whole floor of cosmetics, departmental store concept aside, is not such a far-fetched idea anymore!

I haven't shared much about my past experiences with FANCL products though I have given some items use so... maybe I'll squeeze those reviews/mentions in future entries to come!

Thanks for reading!

Do you have any loves or recommendations from FANCL?

Disclosure:
Some information and pictures featured were extracted from a press file (with or without paraphrasing).
Opinions and thoughts otherwise mentioned are my own.

Hey everyone!

Still in the midst of my disappearing act and the absence has thrown me a little out of the blogging state-of-mind as well but I aim to get that back as quick as I can! Along with some time to talk about loads of back-logged and belated items.

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Anyway, following my recent discovery and love for the Bioderma makeup remover, I had the chance to try out the variant for Oily Skin which is called Sèbum H2O as opposed to the Sensitive skin one that is called Créaline H2O.

In all honesty the names and terms have me confused but just note that the Oily variant has a green cap and the Sensitve one is a red cap.

After having the chance to give both of them a shot, I figured I would quickly share my thoughts for those who may be undecided about the two versions and wondering what the difference is. 

It is not much of an essay to write so I aim to keep this short but in general, there is one version that I do prefer!

The Bioderma Sèbum H2O (Oily) comes in a green capped bottle and the liquid itself has a faint blue hue, very pretty yet reminds me of chlorine in a pool though that has nothing to do with the review at all.

As for how it fares, if you ask me, I would say that Sèbum H2O (Oily) is more effective and seems to work quicker in removing makeup as compared to Créaline H2O (Sensitive).

That being said, Créaline H2O (Sensitive) does a great job too but to properly illustrate it, lets say Créaline H2O (Sensitive) needs a couple more swipes to achieve the same removal that Sèbum H2O (Oily) does in less swipes.

Though after sharing that, I still stand my ground and prefer Bioderma Créaline H2O (Sensitive) because like Mandom, Bioderma Sèbum H2O (Oily) does have a stinging sensation when it gets into my eye during eye makeup removal.

I can't say that everyone would experience that same eye-stinging sensation and perhaps some out there don't but this is just me! Though my eyes aren't exactly the super sensitive sort either, if you need a gauge.

Here's the ingredients listing for Bioderma Sèbum H2O (Oily)

Simply said, I still love Bioderma Créaline H2O (Sensitive) for its all-in-one purpose and if I were putting a use to the Sèbum H2O (Oily) version, it would be handy for quick and thorough removal of face makeup such as foundation.

If anyone is interested to know, I get my Bioderma from Eliza (from here!). Though right now she's currently away and will be back on the 29th Sept but you can still drop her a note.

Thanks for reading!

Have you tried both variants? Which do you prefer?

Hello weekends!

I want to give these 2 days a nice big hug and hope they never go away but of course... that's wishful thinking.

The weekends aren't as work-free as I had expected but I'm not complaining. It sure beats the weekdays by a mile and the fact that I could properly get made up and am putting this entry up says a little!

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In this post, I want to do a Look Feature and mention of this rather newly-acquired product. I say rather because I have had it for maybe 2 weeks now but just got the chance to play around with it.

A brilliantly beautiful mix of something raspberry-tone with a dash of pink on a base of red, the Lancôme L'Absolu Mat Cashmere in 300 Magic Pourpre is one of the three limited edition L'Absolu Mat Cashmere shades put out with Lancôme's Midnight Rose collection.

Housed in Lancôme's usual lipgloss tube, don't let that lipgloss aspect fool you as the L'Absolu Mat Cashmere packs some pretty intense pigmentation.

It is akin to a liquid lipstick formula and swatches with a satin-like finish. I want to use the word matte yet it has a more forgiving (albeit hard to detect) soft sheen that prevents it from being a full-out flat matte.

Similar to the packaging design of Lancôme's Creme de Brilliance glosses, this too comes with a doe-foot applicator which does a decently job at allowing a precise and clean application, given the intensity of this.

While the color is strikingly bold and perhaps borderline intimidating for some, I was told that this particular shade is very flattering across skintones. While I am not one for pinks and would probably normally give this sort of color a pass, I am glad I tried this out as I ended up really liking how this shade looks on.

It is a bolder shade to wear but color-wise, it isn't all that hard to pull off.

Despite it being a gloss-like liquid formula, it is creamy enough that it glides easily on the lips yet doesn't make for a messy application.

While the doe-foot does ease the application, due to the pigmentation of it you still have to be cautious when defining the lip shape. Alternatively you could always lend the precision of a lip brush but I personally don't think it would be majorly different and usually don't bother with the fuss of that.

Forgive the partially dead eyes but I haven't slept off the work week's fatigue yet.

Isn't the shade gorgeous? It also seems to lend a hand at perking up the overall complexion, due to its brighter tone.

Under varying lighting conditions the lip color does tend to shift a little deeper or a tad pink-er depending. Here are some flash shots:

And a sneaky out-door shot taken on my mobile:

I think we have enough photos of me to cover the whole absence of my face on here and we have certainly established that I adore and really like this shade.

I find it wears well on the lips and could even sit through a meal but during the times I wore this out, I chose to wipe it off before eating. Even with that, this gives the lips a soft raspberry stain so you aren't left with completely nude lips.

I believe it could be partially due to its glossier formula but this has a tendency to feather a little. It's not drastic and if you want to put it in positive light, it gives the illusion of fuller lips!

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I would definitely recommend giving the Lancôme L'Absolu Mat Cashmeres, especially 300 Magic Pourpre given how pretty and unique (I find) it is. Mag from makeupstash had also done a review of it and has a mention of how the shade morphs on varying skintones, check that out!

Lancôme's L'Absolu Mat Cashmere launched with the Midnight Roses collection on 1st September and retails for S$40 at Lancôme counters, while stocks last!

Thanks for reading!

Disclosure:
Products were provided to me for review consideration.
I am not affiliated to them and all opinions expressed are my own.