icyabstract makeup

Haul: That Pretty Pink Powder - Diorsnow White Reveal Pure Transparency Loose Powder

icyabstract — Mon, 06 May 2013 19:25:07 SGT

Remember my not-so-secret obsession with loose powder?

Apparently that struck me full force when I laid eyes on the (rather) new Diorsnow White Reveal Transparency Loose Powder SPF 15 PA++. Obsession aside, I did try to be rational and not purchase it on my first encounter with it, giving myself time to really think it through.

Yet I could not forget about the powder no matter how much I tried and in my theory - if you can't take your mind off it, you need it.

Perched quietly in the skincare category, the Pure Transparency Loose Powder (shortened name from here on) is enriched with Icelandic Glacial™ Water, which gives it the 'Pure' factor within the name.

Quick titbit about Icelandic Glacial™ Water - It is a natural spring water derived from the glacials of Iceland; it poises itself as the "purest water on Earth". Crystal clear in quality, this spring water contains a mineral rich mix of Calcium, Magnesium and more, leaving it with an alkaline ph level. Another quick point, alkaline water is good at soothing our skin by balancing the ph levels in our (usually acidic) skin.

While I found out all that good stuff only after the purchase while putting this post together, what drew me in would be the very frivolous fact that... the powder is pink!

Cheap thrill, check out that lovely snowflake design on the sifter!

Call me a sucker for such antiques but the soft pink (or Crystal Lilac, as Dior describes it) hue serves a purpose as well.

This pastel rosey shade helps to brighten dull complexions, reduce redness on the skin and provide an overall fresh, healthy glow look to the skin.

Brightening, Correcting and Fresh radiance? Maybe I am biased towards my own concerns of appearing dull-skinned but that is ticking all the right boxes for me!

The pink factor aside, the powder itself is very soft and finely milled. With micronized powders, this smooths the surface of the skin in both appearance and to the touch.

Though unlike my rather recent acquisition, NARS Light Reflecting Loose Powder, the Pure Transparency Loose Powder is not invisible on the skin.

It does lend some coverage, which I do prefer, as far as face powders go. A light veil of coverage just seems to help wrap everything up and seal them together - the foundation, concealer etc. However the light veil also means that those with tanner skin may want to swatch this first, incase it is too fair on.

While the powder claims to give a healthy glow, do not expect a dewy or outrightly glowy finish. Think highlighters and 'glossy' skin.

The powder illuminates the skin simply by lending a brightened appearance and a very natural / soft sheen, almost like how skin naturally shines. The overall finish of the powder leans towards a more satin look so don't expect dewy with this bugger!

Pardon the red blotches on my hand. No, it is not some odd skin reaction but rather I busied myself with swatching lipsticks prior, hence.

This Loose Powder also comes with a very pretty Dior-adorned powder puff. However as pretty as it is, I feel the puff a little small for my liking.

Though in purpose it functions fine and is fluffy and plush enough to not feel 'cheapy'. Some may like the smaller size for the precision and ease of maneuvering but when it comes to loose powder, I prefer a bigger puff to get the job done.

Product aside, I am also a bit of a sucker for how white and gorgeous the white Dior packaging looks sitting on my vanity.

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While this is a haul entry I loaded it up with a bit of information here and there, hope it wasn't too long-winded or dull to read.

I am currently in the midst of alternating between this and NARS Light Reflecting Loose Powder. Though I must admit that NARS's Loose Powder is one contender that is hard to beat!

Diorsnow White Reveal Pure Transparency Loose Powder SPF 15 PA++ retails for S$80 (14gm)

Thanks for reading! What is one loose powder that you use and love?

Haul / On My Nails: YSL Tie & Dye La Lacque - Not Quite A Monochrome

icyabstract — Wed, 01 May 2013 15:25:18 SGT

If you ask me, I think YSL's Tie & Dye La Lacque is quite a genius product.

While simple in function, performing as a glitzy topcoat to add some spice to your manicure, the beautiful and interesting settling of the product makes you need it in your stash.

Which is probably why I ended up with it even though I hardly have time to paint my nails these days.

A Spring 2013 release, these Tie & Dye La Lacques are sold in extremely limited quantities on our shores. Word is that only 24 pieces per color were brought in (to the YSL Boutique at ION only) and they could very well be sold out by now.

I managed to pick one up by dropping by the YSL Ion Boutique when the stocks were in but testers and word of the release was not out yet.

When left to stand (for quite a long while), the polish settles into three beautiful layers, perfectly showcasing the formula.

Though when shaken up, it appears like a shimmery, shiny, and part metallic mixture.

The polish is fairly liquid too hence it is not hard to shake it up.

Going for S$35 each, these polishes give a hint of color with more emphasis on the glowing shimmer and shine.

Hip coat, the one I have here, has a purple-ish hue to it along with occasional flashes of pearly blue and green tones.

Amongst the 4 shades, this caught my eye the most and seemed the prettiest and most unique, though they are all gorgeous.

I did not bother with doing a swatch of it alone because I anticpated the sheerness of it. Thus, here is Hip Coat worn a monochromatic base.

Base Colors –
MAC Dark Enough? + Random White Polish

Base Color + YSL Hip Coat –

Pardon the spam but at certain angles Hip Coat, while being largely purple, can look a little greenish too.

While I applied 2 coats of Hip Coat over the white base, apparently it hardly shows up on camera and the black base has stolen the show. In person, it is a soft irridescent touch but hardly noticeable unless you were inspecting it.

I have a mind to try Hip Coat over a purple base, just to see how it would transform. Though that is if I can find time to paint my nails again!

For swatches of the other shades, do visit Ommorphia!

Though as I had mentioned, they could be sold out locally by now.

Thanks for reading and hope everyone enjoys their (Labour) day off!

The NARS Gift and Haul Compilation

icyabstract — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 19:41:22 SGT

Excuse how 'NARS' my blog has been but it seems I have unintentionally hauled a fair bit of NARS of late, hence the influx. Though more brands and more mentions are coming up soon, so hang tight!

The items I am about to briefly mention were actually acquired earlier than the Satin Lip Pencils & Schiap.

Basically these are the splurges I had quietly added to my stash, away from the radar of my blog. Heh.

Since they were picked up here and there and I did not have time to do individual mentions each time I got something, here they are all bundled together in a collective entry.

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The first item was one I bought through the help of Mag (makeupstash).

I have heard great things about the NARS Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base and was finally on the very last and drying up bit of my Urban Decay Primer Potion. Thus I figured it is a good time to 'jump ship' and try something aside from my usual UDPP.

Mag helped me pick this up when the NARS counter first hit our shores (yes, that means last year!) thus I have been using it for a good while now!

This swatch picture is rather unnecessary but it does give you an idea of how the NARS Eyeshadow Base works as a good 'grip' for eyeshadows and enhance their pigmentation.

From my experience with it, which is a rather good while now, I am ready to crown this my new Holy Grail eyelid primer. The Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base functions just as well as UDPP in terms of enhancing eyeshadows and making them last, yet with UDPP I find that often times my shadows 'stick' so well that it could make blending a little tough.

I don't want to over run this haul mention with a review so I would leave it at that! If anyone is interested I can share more about the eyeshadow base in another post.

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Moving on to the other 2 items, these were acquired a little more recently - around March this year.

While the Eyeshadow Base was a haul (or custom purchase if you want to be precise), the following 2 items were a gift from the hubs! Long story short, they are belated Valentines' Day presents and we practice the practical gifting method.

Forget chocolates, I'd rather have makeup!

Either ways, aside from thanking the hubs I also have Eliza (our high-end makeup supplier, hurhur) to thank for helping acquire these be it through dropping by TANGS or facilitating an online order!

Starting with the more 'basic' of the two, I had my eyes set on the NARS Light Reflecting Loose Powder when word of it got out.

The online reviews, mentions and comparison pictures made it such a big deal that I just had to have it. What's more I have this subconscious and un-admitted obsession with loose powders but I will save that confession for another time.

The sneak-preview overviews, reviews and comparison images (Beautylish, looking at you) threw this product into an intensely bright positive light that I knew I wanted it even without having to check it out in person.

The initial game plan was to purchase it online but the TANGS 12% came along while we were staring at this starry-eyed so I got Eliza to pick one up for me in her trip to TANGS (thanks again!).

I personally prefer the loose variant instead of the pressed because it is a lot quicker and easier for me. Though since it is permanent I may find myself with the pressed version sometime down the road!

I don't want to lengthen this entry with a review about this powder here. If anything, that will come on its own later but my verdict of it is that I love it!

The next item to give a quick showcase to is the NARS 413 BLKR Multiple. This also happens to be my very first NARS Multiple!

Yes, I have heard great things about the Multiples but I don't reach for cream products as often as my powders so I never thought to cave, until I saw this beautiful brick red.

The fact that it is an iconic piece (from the 413 BLKR collection) and only available on NARS.com or their New York and Los Angeles boutiques gave it a rather 'deadly' appeal.

For a quick trivia, the 413 BLKR collection pays tribute to NARS's New York City boutique at the address of 413 Bleecker Street. The tones of this collection (greyish and red) mimic the boutique's atmosphere of gray-washed brick walls.

Though back to this Multiple, the 413 BLKR is a beautiful (I cannot stop using that word to describe this) reddish hue that is extremely natural when swatched.

The above is the best shot I coud get of the heavy swatch without it appearing like a wound / abrasion. While that doesn't sound very attractive, you cannot deny that it is does give a very natural appearance.

When blended out, it appears like an natural flush of color on the cheeks, more natural than any other 'flush of color' I may have in my stash.

The powdery smooth texture of NARS's multiples helps in giving it a light and (here we go again) beautiful finish as well.

All in all, while cream is not my thing, this multiple may have creaked open the door to a whole new arena.

Here is one more shot of this beauty.

With that, I wrap up my NARS haul and I believe that should be all for NARS for awhile! Maybe a couple of mentions should I do a LOTD but that aside, I am trying to be good and as we have called it, go on a beauty diet!

Thanks for reading! What brands have you over-indulged in lately?

Haul: Giving in to Schiap (Swatches)

icyabstract — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 16:44:53 SGT

NARS Schiap, oh you funny little thing.

How I come to have this lipstick in my posession is quite a funny obsession because I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with it.

I love how vibrant and interesting the color is, yet I don't particularly like (or rather am getting the hang of) wearing pinks. Though the love/hate portion is a little deeper than that but this is the general gist of it.

Though no matter how bright or how pink, the point is that I caved and got it so I shall will myself to love it.

Regardless, I would not short-change Schiap for the fact that it is a beautiful shocking blue-toned pink. I did not notice this till I was speaking with Sophia but Schiap seems to take on a white pigment somewhere in the base of it, making it appear quite stark on certain skintones.

This starkness was what I feared with it initially. While I am not tanned (anymore, heh), I am not extremely fair either and feared a bit of a Nicki Minaj effect with this shade.

Though thankfully once swatached on, it didn't appear too bad.

NARS Schiap, being a Semi-Matte Lipstick, wraps close to the lips and gives a matted coat of color. It does lend a subtle satin sheen too, to prevent this bold pink from appearing too flat and one dimensional.

In the close-up lip swatches below the sheen seems rather evident but that is the work of my flash and a close shot, it hardly appears this glossy from a usual distance.

Those who do battle some flakiness or dry lips may want to moisturize and use a lip scrub before Schiap-ing it.

Pardon the in-your-face-ness of my lips but here's Schiap for you!

And a candid full face shot for a better representation.

This shocking blue-toned pink is widely compared to the newly released NARS Satin Lip Pencil in Yu, because they are both bright pinks with a cool undertone.

Most would argue that the two are close enough that you do not need both and I do agree with that.

Yet, there is the obvious difference in texture with Yu being smoother to apply and Schiap being more lasting on. Texture aside, there is a very partial difference in the two shades - Schiap is a smidget 'whiter' than Yu, and Yu pulls a little purple on me while Schiap remains more of a pink.

The difference is so minor that when worn, no one would be able to tell them apart yet it pleases me enough to have both in the stash.

If you ask me to compare, I love them both but I am inclined towards Schiap though I have to admit that Yu is easier to slick on.

Perhaps it is the 'whiter' and brighter color of Schiap that makes it feel a little more wearable for me, as Yu could pull a little deep and 'dressy'. Though who am I kidding, bright blue-pinks alone are a dressy statement in itself.

With all that said, I am glad to finally own this rather iconic piece of NARS in my stash.

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It is thanks to Mag (of makeupstash) that I hopped onboard with this shade, after much deliberation.

The whole aspect of it having a waiting list of 2,000 names and it being a shade that is constantly out of stock just pushed me over the edge when a batch of Schiaps arrived on our shores.

Word is that once out of stock it would take awhile for the restock so if you have been intrigued with this shade for awhile, it's best to pick it up while stocks last!

Schiap (/ NARS Semi-Matte Lipsticks) retails for S$38.

Thanks for reading! What is your favorite bright lip shade?

Haul: NARS Satin Lip Pencils (Swatches)

icyabstract — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 19:16:12 SGT

Lip pencils are all the craze now and I would happily say that I love this craze. The idea of taking a lip product and modelling it into a fat crayon is somehow incredibly adorable to me (yet I do not own the pioneer Chubby Sticks, odd?).

While the lazy me would prefer if all lip pencils came in a twist-up form so we would not have to fuss with sharpening, I am so impressed and in love with the NARS ones that, NARS, I shall forgive you this time.

Ha, well who am I to forgive NARS but truthfully the sharpening factor did hinder me a little from splurging on more of these lovely pencils. Out of the 12 shades, I managed to be good and only walked away with 2.

While several other shades are haunting me right now (Luxembourg, Isola Bella and Golshan, I am looking at you), I do believe I can go without them.

The two shades that I got, Majella and Yu, are a little more unique to my stash and are two rather strong / bold colors. As I am back to donning contacts for work days, I have no qualms with giving bold lips some love.

Majella - Garnet red
Yu - Shocking Pink

Yu is a shade that I would typically steer clear of due to my 'fear' with wearing pinks, especially bright blue-toned ones. Though now, with a new (hair) do, I am determined to try and conquer that spectrum.

After all, I had eased my way into red lips and grown rather comfortable with it now so why not stark, bright pinks. Yes?

Here's a hand swatch of the pencils!

The formula of these Satin Lip Pencils are a dream.

The minute I swatched them on the back of my hand, I knew it was going to be quite a struggle to just settle for 2.

The Satin Lip Pencils swatch with intense pigmentation coupled with an incredible glide on the lips. They leave, as the name goes, a satin-like finish and a soft stain for the deeper / brighter shades.

It appears rather glossy in the close-up due to the camera flash but while a slight sheen is evident, I would not classify them as glossy.

- Majella -

Majella was love at first swatch.

While an intense red, it isn't too bright and has an interesting depth to the shade. It is incredibly pigmented and dressy when worn in full pigmentation but I like it best worn as a stain.

In fact, I wore it as a stain (while it slowly faded out on its own) in the hair makeover entry!

I have since worn this shade endlessly to work and tote it around in my makeup pouch for touch ups (as these do not entirely survive a meal).

- Yu -

Yu requires a little more effort to wear just because I am getting used to seeing myself in this tone of pink, or rather in pink in general!

Though Yu is a beautiful purple-pink. striking enough yet not as stark as I had imagined it to be, which is a yay to me if you were wondering.

On me, while the theoretically correct term is blue-toned, it tends to lean a little purple and give off a slight plum edge amidst the bright pink.

I have also picked up NARS's Schiap Lipstick, a shade that many have compared Yu to. Though that little comparison would be up in Schiap's post to come!

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These pencils are retailing at S$37 each and definitely worth every bit of it given the intensity and amount of product. I doubt I would ever finish a whole lip pencil but we'll see!

If brights aren't your thing, the neutrals are worth a look too! The formula on those are just as lovely.

Thanks for reading!

Haul: A Shu Uemura Brow Routine!

icyabstract — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 19:36:21 SGT

While I am still in the midst of doing minor tweaks to the fonts around the site, do let me know if anything shows up a little oddly on your screen or if the fonts are too hard to read from your end.

Yes, feel free to say, what's up with the change, are you trying to blind me?!

Afterall, I wouldn't want to make something aesthetically pleasing for me yet have it be a total pain in the butt for everyone else. So do comment away! If it's good / you are fine with it, you can go ahead and drop an a-okay too just so I know!

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Font aside, here is a haul that (in Eliza's findings) took me 3 years to make!

To elaborate the finding part, basically I had commented (approximately 3 years back) about how I wanted to give these Shu Uemura brow stuff a look and maybe pick them up.

So now, 3 years later, that has happened. Talk about taking my time!

The product I had lusted for is actually the Shu Uemura Hard 9 Eyebrow Pencil (as pictured on the right above). It is one of the products iconic to Shu Uemura and has earned its own name in the world of brow grooming.

The color spectrum it is available in, though rather small, serves a rather sophisticated range of hair colors. Walnut Brown (the shade I picked up) is the only one with a true and strong gold undertone in it. The other shades were darker and of an ashy base, which did not suit my hair (then).

While I can't say I am thrilled about the sharpening option of heading back each time it gets relatively 'blunt', the Hard 9 Pencil has served me well in the few times that I have already used it.

It is somewhat redundant to include a swatch because the pigmentation of this pencil is triggered by contact with your facial oil, brow hair and all. Though here is my faint attempt, regardless

While the 'stem' of the pencil reflects a rather golden tone, it isn't that much of a gold and is still on the scale of a medium brown, perhaps.

The eyebrow manicure, or brow wax, is something I picked up simply to complete the routine.

Over the years, I have gotten into the habit of using a brow wax to add finishing touches to the brows and somehow a quick comb of brow wax very easily seals the whole brow look togther.

I have not eyed or even given the Shu Uemura brow wax (or what they call brow manicure) a look prior so I was fairly intrigued with the unique spoolie design.

Like new-age mascara wands, it comes with varied lengths - one end being shorter and the other with longer bristles.

In my own experience, as I do not need the brow wax to impart too much color, I prefer using the longer bristles to very lightly brush through my brows and set them in the right direction.

Again, the shade I picked up, Honey Glaze, is the lightest and most golden of the bunch.

Though for those with fairly light and golden tresses, you would like to know that while this is the lightest and most golden shade in Shu Uemura, it is certainly not the lightest / most golden in the brow market.

I rummaged in my stash and did a quick comparison shot of what I had and was rather surprised at how much brighter (and more golden) the ones I had and used from before were.

Left to Right: Maquillage Brow Wax, Shu Uemura Brow Manicure, Canmake Coloring Eyebrow

Though in Shu Uemura's defence, their brow manicure shade is of a more sophisticated golden brown tone as the other shades of gold could be a little too gaudy for some.

Unless your hair is honestly in need of that bright a match!

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To add more to this rambly haul, I thought why not share some quick pics of my new brows in action! By 'in action' I really just mean them being existent and not wriggling all over like some cadbury advertisement.

The shots were snapped with my trusty-but-not-perfect mobile phone camera hence do excuse the quality.

If you ask me, I would call this the ultimate foolproof eyebrow routine.

The pencil imparts pigmentation through slowly building it up hence you do not have to worry about a stark, deep line caused by accidental pressure. The continual strokes of filling in your brow blends the color rather well and gives the brows a very natural filled in look, if that is what you are going for!

The Eyebrow Manicure imparts just the right about of wax to groom your brows without making the hairs stick together.

Excuse thy act-cute expression, I had to get the shot done without taking a million to QC from. Heh.

Though the one downside is that I have (personally) grown accustomed to using the K-Palette Eyebrow Liquid that this Shu Uemura routine could feel a little time-consuming for me when I am in a hurry, though foolproof nonetheless.

In all, it is a great brow routine in my books and I am quite glad I had finally gotten my hands on them!

I am quite horrible with remembering numbers and can't recall how much they are now but I think it was about the S$37 mark?

Thanks for reading!

Do share, what are you loving right now for your brows?

Rambly Hello Again + Hair 'Rescue' Haul

icyabstract — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 19:32:58 SGT

It seems that my blog is at a bit of a stand-still right now, major apologies for that. Just as I had anticipated, work swarmed me the minute I scanned my finger print and stepped through the office's glass doors. Not that I was expecting anything different, we're talking about catching up on 4 months of work (and a wrapped up campaign) here!

Of course I had help while I was gone and a colleague did a good job of handling things while I was not around but that calm and collect period where I spent the afternoons doing nothing but singing nursery rhymes and changing diapers have long gone. It's now a whirl and flurry of activities starting from 9am all the way till 6pm or even later these days as I have some freelance projects on hand too.

All in all, pardon my neglect on this space.

Amidst this I actually tried drafting some entries here and there but I think the distractions of work on hand and the rushed state of mind made it incredibly difficult for me to word anything well and proper hence I gave up thinking about blogging as a whole and dedicated myself to work so I can clear the backlog over there. Though in that process, I was piling the one over here. Oops.

Nonetheless despite the quiet on my blog, life still went on in terms of makeup hauling, using and all that so let me try to give all that a mention one step at a time! Again, you can follow me on instagram for more instant and up-to-date happenings with me (@icyabstract).

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Starting off, here's a little life saver that I picked up during the last week of my maternity leave. Trust me, I am kicking myself for not having picked it up sooner.

During my leave since I was home most of the time, I did not bother with washing my hair much.

For hygiene reasons I still do once my hair is at an unbearable state, which is normally 4 days in. Though for the rest of the days if I need to head out for a quick run of errands or if I am just too darn disgusted with the state of my hair, yet cannot muster up the time to wash it, I turn to the wonders of Dry Shampoo.

Thus, despite the slightly higher price point, I succumbed to Oscar Blandi's Volumizing Dry Shampoo.

This is available in 2 sizes and while the smaller one would be a bit handier to maneuver around with use, I picked up the larger one for the ease of having more lying around. After all, if I were to start using it religiously, who knows, I may go through it quite fast.

Though I can't comment on how long (or short) a canister of this would last but given my experience with aerosol dry shampoos as a whole, they do stick around for awhile!

Here's a shot of it along with my former love, Klorane's Dry Shampoo.

True to what it claims, the Oscar Blandi dry shampoo is a very fine and invisible mist on the hair, carrying a very soft and faint scent. I don't pay attention to how it smells and it does not stick around once on so I can't explain what it smells like.

Nothing intrusive, that is.

Probably a very unnecessary shot but I wanted to do something like this at least once. ha!

Well long rambly haul aside, I guess I just want to say that I am glad I finally got my hands on this 'can' of awesome.

While I am thankful that my hair doesn't get immensely greasy these days (as opposed to when I first got out of the daily washing routine), it can start to look flat due to the then length and heaviness.

I wanted to spare you the look of greasy roots though I know a comparison would be quite fancy to look at but instead here is shot of 3rd day hair with nothing but a spritz and ruffle of Oscar Blandi just before I head out.

Why do we need shampoo again?

Okay, I'm kidding.

It would be quite gross if shampoo did not exist but I am sure you get my point. While it looks like there are white bits on my hair in the image above, I assure you it is merely the 'reflection' off my hair. The mist does not impart any white at all - hurray to those with dark hair.

This was a great help in my long haired days, which are now over but more about my new hair soon!

Thanks for reading this ramble!

p.s. Yes I have changed the body font of my blog, incase you are wondering why it seems to be different. I wanted to spice things up yet don't have the time for a revamp so this was most appropriate! I am also a little obsessed with this font right now.

Haul: All About Nails, From Beauty Asia 2013 (With Swatches)

icyabstract — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 00:01:05 SGT

Hello!

So here's a quick mention of the items I had lugged home with me from Beauty Asia 2013 at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre (Marina Bay Sands).

If you did not catch my entry about the show, click here to hop on over to it!

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Shopping at the show is quite a funny thing really – for me, that is.

In a glance, it felt like there wasn't much to spend on yet without realizing it, I spent more than I thought I would have. Though since the prices for some items were discounted during the show, I guess you could say there were savings involved to?

That is probably me making myself feel better so, here's a look at my little haul.

I think I did quite good yet like I had mentioned there were some savings with the trade discounts so... even if you do spend a lot, you're spending and saving! Heh.

I mainly zoomed in on nail stuff and nothing much from the other departments really caught my eye. Some falsies here and there did but pity they did not have the designs that I was eyeing so... oh well!

The one purchase I am really glad for would be the nail wheel! I cannot tell you how glad I am to finally have these for swatches and such.

Plus, I can now sample nail designs on it before committing on myself! Well, provided I have time to do designs now that is.

I introduce this first because this newly hauled item will be thrown into action right away!

The first few items would be necessary base and topcoat ones so let me get these out of the way.

Seche Vite's Fast Dry Topcoat isn't cheaper at the show (similarly priced) but since I was almost out of mine, might as well get it here. Nail Tek Foundation is something I have been meaning to get for the longest time. Believe it or not, I actually don't have a habit of using a base coat prior to polish *le gasp*

Next are some polishes from Cuccio Colour, a brand best known for their natural nail, hand and footcare treatments. They were selling their lotions in gigantor tubes at the show, it was quite intimidating.

Turns out their polishes are rather pretty too so I snagged 3 of them.

Beijing Night Glow, Meet Me in Mykonos, Speeding in the German Autobahn.

I must also admit, their clever names are adorable and a pull-factor too. While Meet Me in Mykonos is a lovely color, the main reason I got it was because Fleet Foxes's Mykonos is one of my favorite songs.

The Cuccio Colour polishes I got are rich in color, especially Beijing Night Glow which was opaque in one coat, but they do not have the glossiest finish. In fact, it is almost satin-like. Though that's nothing a topcoat can't fix.

They also have a tendency to dry darker than it appears in the bottle.

These were S$6 a bottle.

Next, I got some Misa polishes – my first very Misa ones!

Got it Made in the Shade, Confection Section

I have this thing for murky and creamy olive-grey shades right now and I have no idea why. I swear I zoomed in on maybe 3 or 4 polishes from varying brands that had a similar color.

And for representation purposes, here's Confection Section over Got it Made in the Shade.

The lighting pulls a bit different here but the idea of how this polish layers is there!

These were S$5 a bottle

The shelves of Zoya polishes were quite ransacked and a couple of colors were already out of stock when we got there hence while I wanted to get my hands on more Zoyas, I only fell for one.

Maisie

This is a flakie polish so while it looks absolutely stunning in the polish, has a different effect when swatched.

I will admit that this is not the best combination because the result seems a little visually off-putting and diseased, but incase you're thinking of a creepy nail shade for Halloween, you can consider this!

This is really just for representation purposes, over Cuccio Colour Beijing Night Glow

Zoya's Maisie was going for S$7

The next 2 polishes were rather frivolous buys because one of them was only going for S$3 and the other was made because I don't have a piecey 'topcoat' polish.

Though come to think of it, everything classifies as a frivolous buy, yes?

From China Glaze...

Whirled Away, Skate Night

Skate Night was the one going at S$3 and I don't think I have a shade quite like it in my stash – a pearly red-magenta with a fuschia glint. Of course Whirled Away is the fun purchase and I can't wait to start playing around with it!

Skate Night was going for S$3 and Whirled Away for S$6

With that, this wraps up the purchase that I have made at Beauty Asia.... thus far!

I got a little tempted and bugged Eliza (who was going the day after I did) to help me get some small items and I swear it really is just 1 or 2 things. Though those can probably wait for their own mention so I am putting these All About Nails one up first!

Looking back, maybe I should have grabbed a couple from Orly and NfuOh while I was at it but... oh well!

Perhaps at the next trade show? Heh...

Thanks for reading!

Haul: At Long Last, Hello Hakuhodo Brushes!

icyabstract — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 19:13:49 SGT

The term 'At Long Last' applies to this entry in so many ways because...

For one, I had finally splurged on these luxurious brushes and secondly, I am finally penning this haul down!

For a timeline reference, this haul actually happened sometime in November, or was it end-October, last year!

Since these brushes are making a physical appearance at Beauty Asia 2013, I figured it would be a good time for me to finally churn this out.

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Anyway, the majority of you are probably not strangers to Hakuhodo Brushes as this name has made its rounds in the beauty realm, from local makeup pals to international beauty bloggers.

For the longest time, I had been tempted to get my hands on them yet at the same time, it wasn't such a good idea.

Long story short, back at my old place (or home-home, as I call it), it gets quite dusty and if I leave some brushes un-used for awhile, they become a landing strip for dust so... that's no fun.

I could put them in drawers but I didn't have the storage space for a brush drawer and personally prefer to have my brushes out in a holder, for easy access.

So, over here at my my current place (the boy's house), it is a lot less dusty and I have a proper vanity area and space to display these brushes in their full (and deserved) glory. Thus, the desire to own some of these luxurious brushes kicked in and the rest is history!

As most would know, Hakuhodo brushes are pure luxury and I am not just talking about the soft sweeping feel of running it across the skin. Though that is also something I can't stop doing because the bristles are so soft.

Each brush is hand-made and constructed with artisan skills, dedication and fine material. The range of brushes available is very extensive and the brushes aren't priced very cheap either (there are the pricier ones, and the rather reasonable ones), therefore a little research should be done to know what exactly it is you are looking for. Unless you have the moolah to just plonk on whatever catches your eye then by all means, go you!

While the brushes, and choices available were insanely confusing at first, I ended up liking the process of discovering and finding out more about the various brushes they had to offer; how the different natural animal hairs were used and how that affected the softness and purpose of the brush.

It is almost like appreciating an art form through learning about the construction and purpose of the brushes.

But anyway, I shall stop rambling and go straight to my purchase.

I picked up a total of 10 brushes, which totalled to about S$400+, inclusive of the pricier shipping option since that included a tracking number. Given the amount of the haul, splurging a little more on a safer shipping method seemed like a good choice.

I must admit that this 10 brush haul actually stemmed from my interest in the Yachiyo brushes and instead of simply getting the Yachiyos, I figured, why not throw in more brushes since I was already hauling from the site.

And look what I've done...

I didn't have anything particular in mind, so Yachiyos aside, I dived into the rest of Hakuhodo's brushes with an open mind. And maybe just a little biase-ness for crease / blending brushes.

I don't know what it is about eye crease / blending brushes but I often feel that you can never have too many of them.

You need various sizes, blendability, stiff and pointed or blunt fluffy ones - the options are endless! Plus not all brands do good variants of crease / blending brushes so when I see good variety and quality, I hone in on it.

Without further ado, let's see the haul.

Do keep in mind that this entry isn't a review about the brushes since I haven't given them all enough use to share my thoughts It is more of a brief write up and break down of what I think about the brushes I had gotten.

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I am hardly an expert at Hakuhodo's brush categories and everything they have to offer but I will share what I know about their various categories. If you are familiar with Hakuhodo, this information would not be new to you but it will be somewhat helpful to those learning about this for the first time!

Starting off, here are the Yachiyo Brushes I have been talking about.

Brushes under the 'Japanese Traditions' range have a very... well, traditional Japanese flair to them. Aside from the Yachiyos that I will showcase soon, they have the Itabake (made popular with Everyday Minerals) and a couple of other traditional brushes that Geishas used (or rather still use?) to paint on their makeup with.

I was attracted to the Yachiyo brushes due to their unique brush handles and bristle shape, especially so for the 'pointed' ones.

Yachiyo Pointed L (48USD), Yachiyo Pointed M (40USD)

The brushes were a little smaller than I thought and though this scissor-comparison picture doesn't yield much in terms of a universal scale, it still gives you a quick idea of how large (or not that large) these brushes are.

While fluffy looking in demeanour, the natural hairs used in this brush is Goat Hair, which leaves the bristles quite firm (but still soft) and allows the brush to pick up and deposit color well.

The pointed shape of these brushes also make it good for a pointed (no pun intended) and precise blush / highlighter application on a certain part of your face.

On hindsight, I should have perhaps picked up the Yachiyo L Purple instead of the medium pointed size as that is fluffier and better for buffing and a softer focus.

Though this just means that I have an option of hauling once more, if ever? ha!

To share another point, of the entire batch of brushes, the Yachiyos are not as soft and silky as the rest of their counterparts but I would attribute that to the Goat Hair used. It is still, in comparison to the brush world, considerably soft and smooth on the skin.

The G series brushes contain a good mix of various hair types and also come with some pretty interesting bristle cuts, shapes and sizes. Some of their G-series brushes may also look similar to ones in the pricier S100 range, except with the default black Hakuhodo polished handles.

G5528 (29USD), G5517 (20USD) and G5523 (26USD)

My entire G series purchase would be eye crease brushes which can ring "boring" for some but I do recommend at least taking a look at the G5523 brush. From this angle you can't really tell but it is actually a flat yet fluffy crease brush, pretty interesting!

It reminds me of the popular MAC 217, except if I remember right (I haven't seen my 217 in ages), it is flatter, softer and a tiny bit longer than the 217.

Moving on to the J series, these brushes have the same handles as the G-series. Bristle-cut aside, there is absolutely no differentiation between both series.

The brushes in the J series range have not been color-treated, hence you will spot a good number of white-bristled Goat Hair brushes in this series. I don't know about you but while white bristled brushes are a pain to maintain because they look dirty quicker, there is a pretty chic quality about them. Me likes.

But back to the J series. Since these brushes are not color treated and have a slight resistance in the bristles, they work well for use with powders, creams and liquids.

J214 (35USD), J242G (17USD) and J533 (18USD)

While J533 may look similar to G5528 above, in the fact that it is a rounded and pointed crease brush, it is notably smaller and more precise in point.

I wanted a small, flat and firm eyeshadow brush for detailed placement of shadows and the J242G fitted the bill.

The last and bulkiest brush you see above, J214, can be used for both the face and eyes, depending on how you prefer it.

I got this on a whim because of its interesting inbetween (and also versatile) size. While I haven't figured out its optimal usage in my routine, it is certainly too big for the eye area for my liking.

I have read reviews of some loving it for buffing on concealers and correctors but I haven't tried it in that way just yet.

Compared to the huge assortment with the G and J series, the K-series is much smaller with its offering.

The brushes found in the K-series are quintessential basic makeup brushes – simple face brushes, general eye ones, spoolies and such.

K004 (24USD)

This simple range was perfect for what I was looking for - yet another small and flat eyeshadow brush for detailed placement of shadows. With that, I settled for the K004, which appears to be very similar to the (previously mentioned) J242G.

Though upon closer scrutiny, this is a tad fluffier and not as stiff as the J242G, however the differences aren't too major.

One thing I wish the J, G and Basic Series would adopt from the K-series would be the labeling. I have no idea why they decided to do it for the K series but not the rest.

The brushes from both the G and J series that I had featured earlier do not have their names engraved or stated on them thus you will have to find a way to either remember it by heart or... like me, transfer a label and hope it stays!

But anyway, I digress...

On to my last brush in this haul!

The S100 series comes with a slightly heftier price tag. Coated in the distinct traditional Japanese vermillion shade on the handles, paired with gold-plated ferrules, it certainly stands out from the rest of Hakuhodo's ranges.

While I prefer the sleeker look of black polished handles as opposed to a loud vermillion, I do like the shape / design of the handle and how exquisite the whole brush looks.

The brushes in the S series also have some interesting bristle cuts and designs, amidst a mix of simple basics.

S122 (65USD)

Of the range, I decided to splurge a little on the S122 because of how unique the bristle cut is. It is not to say there is nothing like it but I rarely come across a medium-sized fluffy angled eye brush, as such.

How would I use this unique looking brush then? Well, I haven't decided yet. Heh.

For now I have been using it to sweep on shadows all over the lids and the angled nature of it gives me control over how buffed out, or blended yet defined I want the outer corners to be. From the reviews that I have read about this brush, many loved how versatile it is.

The brushes in the S100 series have their names engraved on the handles as well, finished in gold.

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So... this marks the end of my really rambly and long Hakuhodo haul entry!

I didn't mean to make it that rambly but I figured with their huge assortment, perhaps a little elaboration here and there would be of help to those who, like me at a period of time, were sourcing images and thoughts about the brushes.

I haven't given all the brushes enough use to warrant a general review post yet but if you have any queries about the brushes featured here, do ask away!

That aside, here are some helpful sites for Hakuhodo referencing if you are just embarking on this Hakuhodo adventure.

Though one of my favorite Hakuhodo references would be trawling through Glossed in Translation's Hakuhodo Tag.

Hope this post was somewhat helpful and thanks for reading!

For the Hakuhodo brush lovers and users, let me know of the brush(es) you love!

Haul: Seacrets Dead Sea Salt

icyabstract — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 19:36:02 SGT

In a moment of stress and much-needed retail therapy, I let myself be swept away by one of those scary mall 'pushcart' retail assistants.

Maybe it's a little harsh calling them so but they can feel quite pushy at times if you are not in the mood for it. Though that very day, I really couldn't be bothered and didn't mind someone enthusiastically selling their whole product range to me. Plus I had time to kill to sample the 1001 creams they were happily slathering on my hands. ha!

Needless to say I did walk away with something which I had a good impression of and this is only a small fraction of the products that were mentioned to me.

I am still intrigued with this other thing that was pushed to me but I will do some searching up about it first.

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The brand in question is Seacrets which hails from Isreal and is said to harness their primary ingredient from the nutrient and mineral rich Dead Sea.

The first item that the sales assistant (who was from Isreal) tried on me would be their classic Dead Sea Salt, a dry bodyscrub. I was quite sold on this because my skin (or rather hands/palms), at that time, was in need of a good scrub and this felt very nice on.

I haven't indulged in a whole lot of dry salt scrubs and the ones I have used are usually salt scrubs that are soaked in an accompanying oil so this was different and I liked the after-feel of it - clean and soft with the option of my own follow-up moisturizer.

While I imagined my skin to feel stripped post-scrub - softer and exfoliated but stripped too since it is a scrub - it was strangely not!

From my close-to-nothing experience with dry salt scrubs, I remember that they all left my skin in a little scrubbed out and stripped of moisture.

Don't get me wrong, 'scrubbed-out' would be them working their scrubby magic and leaving my skin smoother (as they are suppose to) but at the price of stripping my skin of moisture as well.

Thus, I was quite bought over by the Seacrets bath salt leaving this soft yet still plumped (note: not supple sort of hydration) feeling on my hands post-scrub. Maybe salt scrubs have evolved to be this miraculous or maybe it's the magic of the Dead Sea but I was quite happy to lug a tub home to slough off all that dead skin.

From their sales-pitch mention, while you scrub, your skin is nourished with the minerals and nutrients from the Dead Sea derived salt, hence you don't feel your skin getting all stripped out.

They had this available in 3 scents, Ocean Mist (which I have), Milk and Honey (I think?) and one more which I think is unscented? I really can't recall but I do love the refreshing scent of Ocean Mist.

The sales assistant was also trying to sell me a follow-up body moisturizer which I wasn't so keen on (I think I could open a moisturizer store with what I have at home already!) but at the very end she said she would 'throw it in for free' with my purchase since I was hemming and hawing over the sea salt scrub.

So here it is...

Incredibly rambly entry for a small haul, so much for keeping it brief - again!

Not referring to this scrub specifically but I realize that once you give your skin some tough love and a good slough-over every now and then, your moisturizers would often times end up becoming more potent.

No matter how much cream I was piling on my skin before, some areas still felt really dehydrated. Now, after a scrub-a-dub-dub with this harsh seasalt, these areas are taking in moisture more readily and aren't leaning towards stretchy and dry.

Thus I guess sometimes (in the context of the whole dry-but-oily skin dilemma) if your skin is dry, it isn't always about piling even more moisturizer over!

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If you intend to check Seacrets out for the dry salt scrub (which I'm really loving, honestly), I believe the pricings of the products, while fixed, are a little 'flexible'. It seems the sales assistants have the power to bundle stuff up at what they call 'a better rate for you' so ... just look around and don't get too taken with their enthusiasm!

Just a heads up! Thanks for reading!