Revlon Nearly Naked Pressed Powder (020 Light Pale)

i almost never win things, but i won this in a revlon official giveaway a few months ago from their facebook page :D but i wasn't allow to choose the colour - they sent me the shade in the middle since there are only 3 shades available in singapore's collection.

the nearly naked pressed powder claims to
1) even skin tone
2) a non cakey formula that provides a shine free finish
3) blends into skin to create lightweight finish, almost naked!

my experience, IN A NUTSHELL:
1) really non cakey/powdery formula! what!?
2) not sweat resistant
3) doesn't really even skin tone since it's so naked
4) can't detect presence of powder on my face
5) it smells very weird


the entire compact case is pretty huge, it contains a small mirror and a sponge puff.


ingredient list. that's a whole lot of yeast extract (saccharomyces) in this powder! it's use? snooped online and it only identified it as a skin conditioner.


the sponge has a really weird capability, it's really soft and squishy, and has some memory :P but i didn't use it to apply the powder. felt that it was too small to deposit the powder evenly.


in the pan, 020 light pale looks like a light beige with yellow undertone.


swatched on bare skin.

on my skin, 020 light pale looks nothing like what's in the pan, it looked more ashy and seem to match my skin tone, probably due to the low opacity of the product. it's almost invisible after i blended it out. if not for enhancing my lines on my hand, you can't tell that i've anything on.

IMHO

i've been using it for the past few months, i can't say i love it because i really dislike the scent of the product. but i do like the very natural finish it gives me. i really can't detect any powder on my face at all.

the powder itself doesn't feel like a powder. it's not powdery at all! i tried swirling my finger and it hardly picked up any product unlike my powder foundation. i swirled my brush next and nothing gets kicked up at all, a small amount of powder gets onto the brush and that's it. sometimes it frustrates me because i feel like i'm not picking up any product at all (but i actually am, just that they're really quite naked).

the only way i know i have the powder on my face is the way it takes away shine. it does a pretty good job at mattifying my face. it doesn't last the entire day though, especially if i perspired as this product isn't sweat resistant. it comes off by blotting.

this powder is a very weird powder.

i had some problem with it - there was build up on the surface, so i tried to wipe it off with a tissue. it usually does the trick, but it didn't work this time. it buffed the surface into a shiny surface. whattttt???





so i scraped it off, but the surface is still gritty no matter how many times i swirl my brush over it. i don't know why the texture is like this. while it doesn't affect the quality of the powder (it still comes off after i scraped off the build up), i don't like the sight of a gritty product. the powder on display are all super smooth for some reason. not sure if it's just this colour, or just this particular product that i own. maybe there's a slight defect?

all in all, this product does what it claims. i wish they smell nicer. and less gritty in the pan.

i've been a fan of the biore aqua rich sunscreen for a few years now. a few years ago when they came out with the first variation of the sunscreen, the high SPF caught my eyes.also, the idea of having a hydrating sunscreen appealed a lot to me as i have dry skin.

over the years they released more products to their existing product line, and i've been collecting and testing them out ever since.

IN A NUTSHELL
1. lightweight
2. oil free
3. sinks into skin quickly, doesn't react with foundation
4. high SPF


from left to right: watery mousse / watery cream whitening / watery essence

the entire aqua rich line is infused with hyaluronic acid, making them hydrating without the need of oils. all three contains an SPF of 50, and PA+++.


the watery mousse was the first SPF50 product that was released. as the name suggest, it has a mousse like texture, making it very light weight. the water base texture is infused with hyaluronic acid, which helps to lock down moisture without the need for oils.


it comes with a small-ish opening.


and it contains 33g of products.


the water cream is infused with whitening ingredients, also, it does give off a brightening effect after using it! the product feels more nourishing than the watery mousse. its whitening ingredient is chamomile extract. i have no idea if it has any whitening power, to be honest. biore claims that it can fight dark spots.


it has a similar dispenser as the watery mousse.


it also contains 33g of products.



the watery essence is the third product to be released in the aqua rich line, it boast of a non sticky formula that absorbs right into the skin without any white cast. of course there're no white cast! this is purely a chemical sunscreen! if you have sensitive skin, make sure to test it out first. the idea of having no white cast is attractive, but not everyone can withstand chemical sunscreen.


the opening is different from the previous 2 products, it has a larger and wider opening.


and you get more product too! 50g as opposed to just 33g! all of them cost the same (SGD18.90 if i remember correctly), so you're getting a little more product for your buck if you get this on.



and finally onto the swatch, you can definitely tell a difference when i put them side by side.

watery cream has a cream like consistency (even though it looks real soft here, it's only like that because i messed up the squeezing process).
watery mousse does have an airy feel to it, you can see that after i pushed them out slightly in the upper right image.
water essence is nothing more than clusters of white stuff within a watery base. once i push it out, the white stuff disappears.

from the photo, the watery mousse seem to give off the most white case. in reality, both the watery cream and watery mousse gives off a slight white cast. it's not unwelcomed to me, because i do like that slight brightening effect.

the products have a very faint scent to them, smells like citrus to me.

IMHO

on to the main claim: are these hydrating/moisturizing?
perhaps i have particularly dry skin, i don't find them extra hydrating or moisturizing. this may be a good news for people with oily skin. in fact, i think the nature republic sunscreen is way more moisturizing for my skin! i really love that!

i notice they leave my hands with a weird taut feeling after spreading the product out on my face (with the help of my hands). it's something i didn't quite like, and i don't know if it's the product or just my hands drying out naturally throughout the day. (the nature republic sunscreen also gave my palms a similar feeling)

these products are "foundation friendly", meaning they don't react with my foundations to produce little rubbery stuff. you'll know what i mean if you tried using a moisturizing gel prior to using a foundation.

in my opinion, these work as very wonderful make up base thanks to their light weight texture. the high SPF also means i can do without reapplication for a longer period of time. the fact that they absorb right into my skin makes it makeup friendly as i do not have to wait too long for it to sink in. i loved them for a while, that's why i repurchased the watery mousse. but after trying the nature republic, i think i found my new favourite, since i prefer a more moisturizing formula.

if you like a light weight and oil free sunscreen, give these a try! you make like it! if you want something more moisturizing, check out the nature republic california aloe sunscreen!

did i miss out anything? leave me a comment and i'll answer your queries!

Kate Stick Concealer

kate stick concealer was my second concealer. maybe my third. this was a repurchase not because i think it's absolutely the best i've ever had, but simply because it worked fine for me. this is one of those purchases i did a long time ago before i know much about make up.

IN A NUTSHELL
1. not the most creamy concealer
2. light to medium coverage, may cake if too much product is used
3. brightens pretty well
4. good for spot concealing
5. can be used for concealing dark circles if the shade was darker


this is the old packaging where the inner metal tubing is silver. the newer ones are black, and seems to be made of plastic.

the cap is held loosely by a little wedge on the plastic case, which will wear down over time. pretty soon, the cap will just fall off freely.


there are two shades available, i've gotten the shade "light beige".


image source: kate official website
the other shade is "natural beige" and is slightly darker than what i've got.

this stick concealer is meant to cover slight blemishes and dark circles naturally, according to the official website.


swatched on the back of my hand, a comparison of the unblended and blended product under different lighting.

light beige is a light peach shade that brightens my skin pretty decently. it blends out to give a matte finish.

IMHO

the coverage of the concealer is light to medium, while the texture leans on the drier side despite being creamy enough to blend. it's not the creamiest concealer i've owned (the canmake is probably much more blendable), but its texture gives the product a little more coverage than my other concealers. but i will caution against using it heavily as it tend to build up quickly.

it does crease under my eye, as with all the other concealers. it does last me throughout my day when i set it with a powder. i don't feel like it accentuate dryness, nor make my eye area look dry.

the lightness in shade makes it perfect for brightening of the face instead of actual concealing of flaws. if i were to use this under my eyes, it may make my dark circles appear ashy/greyish. however, if i pair it with a darker concealer with a peachy tone, the two will work perfectly to conceal my dark circles.

i think the formula will work very well for people who require spot concealing to cover up small blemishes on the face, as the drier texture allows the concealer to cling onto the skin better. i've had success in covering up small red spots with the help of a small brush.

all in all, i seldom use it for concealing my under eye area ever since i bought other concealers, because i usually use either my sonia kashuk hidden agenda palette or my canmake colorstick, both of which are easier to blend. for spots, i'll reach out for this stick concealer because it formula seems to fit my needs.

i bought this for about HKD$60 many years ago.

Canmake Color Stick Concealer (09 Skin Beige) Swatch and Review

in an attempt to search for another concealer that can perform what the sonia kashuk hidden agenda concealer is doing for me, i picked this up when it was on sale at a sasa event. i got this for $5!

IN A NUTSHELL:
1. lightweight, creamy and super blendable
2. light to medium coverage for natural look
3. colour most suitable for hiding dark circles
4. not long wear formula, but stayed on for at least 6 hours on my skin with a proper foundation and setting powder

read on if you'll like more details.


the tube is in a colour that's similar to the content - a slightly darker beige with orange undertones.


on the tube it did suggest that this colour is meant for covering dark circles, and it has a natural skin colour.


swatched on bare skin, the left side is unblended while the right side is blended out slightly.

09 is a dark peach colour.

IMHO

the coverage isn't full coverage, in fact it sheers out quite a lot after blending into the skin thanks to the lightweight formula. the coverage is buildable although i won't recommend it as this is a very creamy product, the chances of it creasing and enhancing the lines around the eyes are very high.

what i like most about this product is its colour and spreadability. it is lightweight and creamy at the same time - making it very easy to sheer out. the colour is very suitable for covering dark circles under my eyes, i'm not sure if it's because of the slight orange tone (which isn't that obvious once it's on my skin), i think it's most probably due to the slightly darker colour that made it work better than the brightening concealers i own.

the best way to use this concealer is to layer it over a brightening foundation. brightening foundations tend to make the under eye area look greyish, this concealer will return some natural skin tone to the area to make the dark circle less glaring, what you get is a very natural look at the end of the day - no more tired look eyes, but people won't be able to notice that something is weird because this lightens the appearance of dark circle instead of eradicating it altogether.

as the consistency of the concealer is thin, don't expect it to work wonders like achieving full coverage.

this is not a long wear formula, so it's best to set it with a powder after using. to prevent creasing, it's best to use just a thin layer of it.

i'm really surprised at its blendability as my experience with drugstore concealers told me they tend to be slightly stiffer and thicker. this defied my expectations. now, if only it's more pigmented..

i purchased this for SGD$5 when it was on sale.

Innisfree No Sebum Primer (Swatch and Review)

if you have extra oily skin, you may want to incorporate this item into your makeup routine to help them last longer. this primer helps to soak up some oils and blur out pores, allowing you to have a smooth canvas to apply makeup on.

there are plenty of primers like these in the market, i picked this up because it's much cheaper than what i can find in singapore. these cost 10000 korean won, which is about 10USD (13SGD) as opposed to paying 20SGD for a maybelline baby skin primer. if you're familiar with the latter, then you can have a feel of what this product does.

as the name suggest, this primer is meant to get rid of excess oils.

IN A NUTSHELL
1. removes shine in an instant
2. smoothes out skin
3. blurs pores


it comes with a small opening as you do not need a lot of the product. in fact, if you used too much, your makeup will slide across your face later. less is more with this product!


the product claims to produce a shine free face while refining lines at the same time.

i couldn't find the ingredient list, but i'm pretty sure it contains silicones and silica. they did however make it a point to tell me that it's paraben free.

the product is a colourless gel, you may have saw it in my korean haul video here.



looking at the swatch, you can see how it removed most of the shine and blurred out my enlarged pores. my pock mark is still visible, but at least the pores doesn't look as glaring anymore!

IMHO

this does a pretty good job at reducing shine instantaneously. i haven't got the chance to really test it out enough because i don't have very oily skin to begin with, therefore i seldom use this product before applying foundation.

i can't vouch for the long lasting power of it, but i do know that you really only need a very tiny amount. if you use any more than what you need, your makeup will have difficulty staying put on my face. i tried that once and my foundation just refuse to sit on my face! it really makes my skin SO smooth that the foundation just glided right past where it's supposed to be on.

i think it would be best to use the primer, coupled with a setting powder if you have very oily skin.

my girlfriend purchased this for me while travelling in korea for 10000 korean won.

Kate Mineral Powder Foundation OC-B Swatch and Review

call me a risk taker, i bought this from adambeauty without any idea how the actual colour look like. the word "mineral" drew me to this series. i didn't like the previous foundation powder i was using as it's too cakey (why am i surprised? i bought the canmake concealer foundation UV!).

i really like the white and simple casing too. i added some crystals onto the face to personalize it :D

this powder is supposed to be moisturizing as they have infused some olive oil, jojoba oil, and almond oil into the concoction. what's more amusing is the "W effect", i have no idea why they term it as that, but they mean for the powder to 1) protect the skin from friction, 2) cover up pores by diffusing light.

IN A NUTSHELL
1. finely milled
2. light to medium coverage, buildable
3. not cakey
4. leaves face feeling very smooth
5. not long wear
6. matte finish


the casing has a mirror within, a piece of plastic sheet to separate the sponge from the powder. i never opened the sponge though, not a fan of using sponge after my bad experience with the canmake foundation (i feel like sponges apply too much powder too quickly).

afterall, i actually use foundation powder to set my concealer, not really for the coverage anyway. this was a few years ago, before i actually studied the differences between the different type of products. i always think that marketers were trying to get me to buy things i don't need you see.. so getting this fouundation is akin to killing 2 birds with 1 stone - getting some coverage when i need it as a foundation, and setting my concealer with a little bit of coverage.


OC-B is a bright ochre colour - the lightest shade they have in the collection. it looks rather peachy in the pan, but on my skin it takes a slightly different shade. japanese makeup brand makes it easy for us to differentiate between foundation shades. all ochre shades are neutral. if it has a "beige" embedded, it's warmer and yellowish.

this series has a total of 3 shades according to their official website. B is the lightest, while D is the darkest.


on my skin the powder looks less peachy, instead it has a whitish cast. under flash, it appears a little pink.

IMHO

the powder is much more smoother than the canmake one i've used in the past. in fact, i was really happy with my purchase, the powder is fine and smooth, it makes my skin so smooth after application.

on the official website, they claim they accomplish this smoothness by encasing mineral particles with a coat of kanten, which also helps with moisture retention. of course i can see that on the powder with my naked eyes! (hahaha i'm just kidding) i don't know how true it is, but i won't deny the effects i experienced - smooth skin like a baby's butt. as for moisture retention.. take that with a pinch of salt - just how moisture retaining can a powder be, really?

as for covering pores, i managed to achieve that with the help of a flat top brush. i can't say much about the light diffusing properties, in fact, i sometimes feel like the powder made my face look very one dimensional. perhaps it's due to the matte finish, and the slightly whitish cast when seen under certain lighting.

the powder provides a light to medium coverage, depending on how much you slap on. it can cover my blemishes (slight hyperpigmentation) when i buff it with a flat top brush. dusting the powder will result in an even lower coverage.

the powder definitely looks a lot better after it soaked in some of my oils throughout the day. but at the end of a long day, my face doesn't look as bright anymore. i'm not sure if it's because i've sweated most of the powder off or what.

as this is not a long wear powder, do expect it to come off when you perspire, especially if you tend to rub your face with a tissue. light patting is fine though, some powder may come off, but not all.

i bought this from adambeauty, it was a while ago and i've forgotten how much it cost, but it was having a special bundle promotion that time, i got the case and the powder at a much lower price than if i were to buy it separately.

will i repurchase this? not at the moment, as i want to try another one before i can do a comparison.

Maybelline Lashionista Mascara VS Dolly Wink Long Mascara

my first ever film type mascara was the deja vu fiberwig mascara and it disappointed me. but that didn't stop me from trying more film type formulas.

film type mascaras are water and oil resistant, as far as the formula in the past few years goes.. i can't say the same for fiberwig from a decade ago! they are easy to remove in the shower as they can easily come off with warm water. they form little "caps" of black polymer that will just trickle down your drain after some gentle rubbing.


i'm comparing the maybelline lashionista mascara in black to the dollywink long mascara, also in black.



similarities:
1. both create very natural lengths (seems to have similar lengthening powers)
2. both straighten my curled lashes
3. both last me throughout the entire day, no panda eyes!
4. both are able to hold curls IF i use a heated lash curler after application, and they do not melt or stain the heated lash curler!

differences:
1. dollywink has a wetter formula and tend to group my lashes together, whereas the maybelline is of a drier formula, giving me a one by one look.
2. dollywink has a fatter brush than the maybelline.
3. maybelline is able to go up to 5 coats without looking unnatural, while dollywink may look a little spidery.
4. maybelline may be a few dollars cheaper than dollywink.
5. maybelline's formula feels more light weight.

that's all for a simple comparison! if you were to ask me which do i prefer, i'd go with the maybelline. even though both will straighten my curled lashes, the lightweight formula of the maybelline means i can keep going on and on to build a layer of fibers, and then using my fingers i can push these fibers upwards and they'll hold the curl just fine. they'll probably need some "reassurance" throughout the day to keep them perked up, but i couldn't achieve that with the dollywink because it's formula is just too wet. i did try to remove most of the excess mascara on the wand, but it's just a little troublesome.

for a more dolly look, i'd go for the dollywink since the brush bunch up my lashes together. for a really natural "i don't have any mascara on" look, i'd choose maybelline.

the full review of the individual mascaras are linked above! check them out if you want more details.

L'oreal Lucent Magique Touch Up Pen (Fair)

this was kind of an impulse buy. i've heard a lot about the YSL touche eclat highlighting pen. considering how loreal manufactures YSL's products, i can expect them to use similar formulations to achieve similar results, right? that's what i hope for, since i'm only paying a fraction of the cost for this little pen.

these are sold under the name "lumi" in the states. in asia, they're launched udner the lucent magique line.

IN A NUTSHELL:
1. very brightening
2. i can't tell if it really has the lit from within look
3. low concealing powder
4. rather thick consistency


the pen comes with a twist mechanism - twist the back and product will extrude from the plastic fiber tip. it takes about at least 3-5 clicks to get enough product streaming out for smooth application. there's no need to worry about getting too much product out at one twist.

the product claims to be infused with liquid light technology, a transparent liquid silver that helps to reflect light. !?!? i can't source any information on the "byron technology". but what this pen aims to do is to "cover" by reflecting.

you hear me right. if you can make something reflective like a mirror, then you won't be able to see what's behind the reflective surface, instead, you see light - the area will appear brighter and whiter.


suggested instructions and ingredient list.

there are two colours in the series, fair and light.
fair has a pink undertone, while light has a yellowish undertone.



fair is a light pinkish beige, several tones lighter than my original skin tone.

once it blends out, it becomes more subtle and seeks to brighten in a subtle manner. it performs pretty horribly in flash, be warned.

IMHO

the highlighter pen is a different kind of highlight to me. as opposed to the pearly kind of highlighter that we're familiar with, this is more of a whitening kind of highlighter. most of the highlight is due to it being in such a fair shade when contrasted next to my skin. while it can't cover or colour correct my dark circles, it did reflect light in a way that made them less visible.

i really can't say much about the "lit from within" look when i use this product, as i've tried flashing myself with the camera flash wearing this on one side of my face and my normal concealer on the other, both of them appear to have the same kind of brightening effect.

perhaps the difference is only noticed under ambient light, as i did notice some "blurring" effect on my skin after i used this product.

the consistency is slightly thicker than what i expected, making it a little hard to blend unlike the foundation from the same series. it helps to use a little more product as it allows it to be blended a little easier. it dries down pretty quickly, so tap and blend fast.

i find that i can use this as a brightener on my face to substitute foundation if i just want a brighter look. i usually use my foundation as a brightener, but thanks to its packaging, it makes it much more easier to deposit products onto my face. i think they should totally consider packaging foundation in this kind of packaging next time, it makes it travel friendly too.

i purchased this for SGD$10 when it was on 50% off at john little.

L'Oreal Lucent Magique Foundation N2 Pure Porcelain Swatch and Review

after eyeing for quite a while, i finally snapped it up when it went on 30% off in watson's. i thought i got a really good deal and was happy for a few weeks, until the next deal happened - buy 1 get 1 free. that's 50% off! WHATEVER!

i don't regret buying this anyway, because i LOVE it.

the entire lucent magique series aims for a lit-from-within look with its light infusing technology. from its official website, they say this is achieved with a silver transparent liquid that amps up the reflection.


it's quite a standard size for most foundation, fits in my hand nicely, and it has a pump. the gold part is just plastic paint though. i wish it's metal. i love the feeling of cold metal in my hand.


so gold. one of the things that loreal do to differentiate itself from their sister brand maybelline - loreal is more classy.


"first light creating foundation", oh really? :/ that's kind of misleading. the formula is oil free, while it's hydrating, don't expect it to lock in moisture for you.

it also comes with SPF 20, PA+++. however i didn't experience too much of the dreaded white cast that most foundation with SPF have.  


N2 pure porcelain is a light yellowish beige. N2 is the lightest shade they offer here in singapore.

after blending, it appears slightly fairer than my original skin tone. GOOD :) since i use this on the center of my face for brightening only. you can compare the way it looks under different lighting - in natural light it appears to have a white cast, but under flash it actually looks a lot more natural as light is reflected un-uniformly, which gives my hand dimension.


comparing between my hands, i almost couldn't tell which one has the foundation. this foundation performs very well in flash photography because it doesn't give that uniform white cast that most foundation product. instead, it reflects light according to your natural contours to highlight those areas. my hand on the left looks a little brighter than my hand on the right, also, it looks more dewy and hydrated, however, the "lit from within" effects is really subtle.


i only applied the foundation on half of my face, can you tell which side? it's on the right hand side of the photo. this is one thin layer of foundation. coverage is pretty damn low (i used a flat foundation brush).

IMHO

the foundation has a very light coverage, you can build it up but it'll take quite a few layers. it can't cover up my blemishes on my forehead, but it brightens very naturally. this doesn't produce a white cast unless you've layered on too much.

the foundation is very runny and thin, which explains for the coverage of the product. it blends easily, and unlike the revlon colorstay, this won't set that quickly so you can have all the time in the world to blend. once it sets after some time, it is slightly sweat resistant. don't expect it to rival the colorstay in this aspect.

as for the lit from within look and all that light infusing and light creating claims.. i can't say that it's entirely bullshit since this foundation did manage to reflect light in a way that no other foundation that i currently own can, but i'm pretty sure if i were to mix my nature republic blending highlighter into my foundation, i can get much or less the same result.

what i love the most is how natural the brightening effect is, perhaps it's because this colour matches the undertone of my skin. i usually use a slightly pinkish product for brightening, which make look a little odd when i didn't blend it into the side of my face well enough.

the watery consistency also helps to achieve that light coverage.

as with all foundation, this will accentuate any dry skin. moisturizing before hand can reduce the appearance of dry skin.

while the brightening effect is really awesome, i can't agree to what it claimed - a dewy, k-pop look. it's not as dewy as i expected. i guess you'll need to get the primer (which you can use as a highlighter as well) to achieve that look. i have the liquid highlighter with me so it's fine.

i bought this from watson's for SGD$16.90.

IN A NUTSHELL
1. brightening and light weight
2. light to medium coverage
3. not long wear
4. diffuse light very naturally and beautifully (especially so in flash photography)

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