I used it for exactly a month today. No miracles though.

Looking at my skin care corner that hasn't been touched much the past year (because my skin couldn't tolerate most things), I admit this purchase was more of an impulse buy out of desperation. I heard so many wonderful things about this cream that I decided to take the risk and give it a try. I figured, if I turn out to be sensitive to it too, I could always pass it along to my brother. It was all done in hopes of giving my face a little help in healing from my ongoing eczema woes.

PRODUCT INFORMATION

MIZON is a Korean skin care brand that is well known for using snail slime extract to improve skin conditions. I know snail slime sounds off putting, but it merely sounds disgusting because of the mental image it conjures up. If you focus on the healing benefits of snail mucin, which includes speeding up wound healing and possibly improving photoaged skin, perhaps you can overlook that preconceived distaste for the product.

The product retails for USD16.09/SGD23.46 on iherb. It contains 75g of product.



It claims to be made of 92% snail secretion filtrate. I took a look at the ingredient list and it's rather long. Assuming their claim to be true, then there is 8% of "others", part of it is what I would call fillers and stabilizers that make the cream from separating into its individual components. Of the 8%, it also includes plant extracts, polysaccharide, as well as polypeptide. But it's all the way at the bottom of the list, so are they there for functionality? Who knows.


It comes packaged in a protective paper box. So fancy in its foil finish!



The cream is housed in a brown tinted glass container which is rather weighty.

The container itself has double leakage prevention – an extra plastic lid to keep the products in, and plastic film wrap keep the lid in place. I didn't manage to get a photo of it this time round as I happily opened up the cream before remembering to snap photos. Next time maybe?

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION


A look into the glass container. Nothing special! What were you expecting?


The cream is whitish, lightweight and has a gel texture. It spreads easily, so a little is enough to cover my entire face. Because it's mostly water, it absorbs very quickly too. It hydrates effectively, but doesn't keep my skin supple for too long, so I usually end with a layer of facial oil (currently using argan oil) to lock in the moisture.


The cream got all over the sides because I lay it on the side to take photos for this entry. It's normally neater than this!


The product is fragrance free. But if I take in a deep whiff, there is a sterile scent to it, perhaps with a tiny tinge of floral scent. It's by no means unpleasant. You won't be able to smell anything after you spread it out on your face.

75g is actually quite a generous amount. I use it twice daily on my face and neck. After 1 month, it's down to half the original amount, so I'd say a container would last me about 2 months.

PERSONAL THOUGHTS

I believe it was some reddit post that got me interested in this product. They've been raving about how much it helps to heal their wounds, get rid of redness, and how it fades their pigmentation after using it for a while. Even though my skin type (dry/sensitive) is different from theirs (dry/oily/acnetic), but mine has a lot of wounds too, albeit a different type. I wanted to try my luck. If 22 bucks can give my skin a boost to have a breakthrough in my eczema recovery (I've been in for the past year), why the hell not!?

The cream didn't irritate me most of the time, unless I broke my skin is flaring. It might sting a little bit, but it dissipates quickly. It doesn't make me itch, or uncomfortable as it sinks in so quickly. I believe this cream is meant to be a "primer cream" for the later skin care products, as such it is only logical that the cream isn't all thick and heavy. I add this to my minimal skin care routine now, before I apply my facial oils to give it that moisture surge.

After years of dealing with eczema, I know well enough that there are no miracles (except steroid creams, which are a no-no for me). But I still hoped nonetheless, that the cream can do something more for me. I really can't tell if the snail filtrate did anything more for me than a regular gel cream does. Maybe it did, maybe it didn't. There isn't any comparison for me. But that didn't stop me from liking this cream. Compared to the other gel creams in the market, the MIZON All In One Snail Repair Cream offers more product for about the same price as its competitors, making it a rather economical choice.

In the past month, my face flared twice even as I used the cream. My skin continued to go through its flare-dry-flake cycle. All I can say is that while the cream didn't help get rid of the inflammation in my skin, it didn't make it worse.

I like that it's lightweight and highly absorbable, leaving behind supple and smooth skin even if it's only temporary. It's intended to be used as a first step in your skin care, so layer it with something else if you want more.

Will I repurchase it? I think I might! But I'll decide again when I'm actually done using it for 2 months.

I believe people with dry and oily skin will have the best results from using this cream. You can get it from iherb with my referral link if you wanna give it a try! If you're a US resident, then you can get it at a lower price at amazon!

UNRELATED SIDE NOTE
I've been getting myself busy with graphic design and stuff, hence the lack of updates! Otherwise I'm still alive, and healing. Still not able to wear face makeup though. But lipstick, yes! So maybe I'll finally write about a few lipsticks I tried next time.

Long time no review

Well.. Let's see if I still remember how to do a proper review since I haven't been able to do it for so long. You know.. Because of my skin.. I kinda stopped using all skin care products. So lip balms are like the only stuff that are reviewable for a long time.

Let's begin. (Typing this as I stuff my face with fruits. Feeling hungry before dinner!)

The DHC lip cream is a dainty little lip balm (contains only 1.5g of products) made for ants maybe. The lip balm itself has no fragrance, but it sure does have a scent. Not really pleasant, but also doesn't stop me from using it. I just tried sticking the tube too close to my nose for comfort to figure out how to best describe the scent. I think it's the smell of rancid olive oil, as it smells similar to some organic olive oil lip balms I've tried in the past. It just doesn't smell fresh.


Photo credit: DHC

The lip balm has a light yellowish colour to it, is soft and glides on upon warming up to my skin temperature. With one swipe, you'd get a thin film of the lip product hugging your lips. This is probably what I like best about it - it doesn't deposit too much product. It's soft, but not that soft where it'll make a mess. After all, a thin film is all you need, especially when using this to prep your lips before lipstick application. I find that the product doesn't really interfere with lipstick application, meaning lipstick will still adhere to my lips despite having a layer of lip balm on it.

It's not sticky nor glossy, only a slight sheen is observed. It moisturizes my lips just fine, nothing too special in my opinion, as the good old Vaseline petroleum jelly does the same job for me. Except, I gotta admit that Vaseline is a lot softer than the DHC lip cream, so it tends to applies thicker than the latter (unless you control the amount you use carefully).

I used the photo from the official DHC site because I didn't want to show you guys the sorry state my lip cream is in. I used it up within a month (used it day and night as my exclusive lip balm to see how fast it runs out) and resorted to extracting the remaining products that's within the lip balm holder. I used something to dig it out and it just looks like a murder scene.

The skinny tube, while it helps with a more precise application, also makes it hard for me to clean it out after the exposed part of the lip balm is exhausted. Usually I can dip my finger into the lip balm holder to use the leftovers, but unless you're of alien descent with unusually long and skinny fingers, you'll need a tool. I used a toothpick to get it out but it didn't do a good job. I could have used a cotton bud to dip and apply, but how many cotton buds will I waste in the process?

Just a question I ponder at night that helps me fall asleep.

The ingredients used in the DHC lip cream are mostly derived from botanical sources.

lanolin oil, caprylic/capric triglyceride, euphorbia cerifera (candelilla) wax/candelilla cera/cire de candelilla, beeswax/cera alba/cire d’abeille, lanolin, stearic acid, squalane, paraffin, olea europaea (olive) fruit oil, pentylene glycol, tocopherol, phenoxyethanol, stearyl glycyrrhetinate, panax ginseng root extract, aloe barbadensis leaf extract

We have the moisturizing ingredients like lanolin and squalane. There is also paraffin forming part of the lip balm base (the other being olive oil).

Some people with chronically dry lips (or from medication like accutane) found relief in the DHC lip cream. But if you have an average lip like mine, you'll probably find any other lip balm works just fine for you. For a price of USD 9.50 (holy cow it's SGD18.90 at watons), I believe there are other options that work just as fine, but cost lesser.

In a nutshell:
- Moisturizing, for about 4-6 hours before I have to reapply
- Applies only a thin layer of product, awesome for priming lips
- Fragrance free
- Contains botanical ingredients
- Moisturizes like any other lip balms for my average lips

Unrelated thought:
Phew! After writing all of the stuff, I'm relieved I can still write at all.

There isn't any beauty news that interest me enough to want to blog about it. Also, I was at a wake 2 weeks ago and was unable to blog.

To be honest I've been avoiding review posts for a while, not just because I have no content to write about (since I'm not using much products), but also because to come up with an entry like that, I need to take photos of the product. To take a good photo, you need good lighting. Having lived like a vampire for the entire time my skin is bad, I still don't really like the idea of being in a brightly lit room. I'd inadvertently see my skin and it upsets me. I thought I'll be steeled by now, but it still hurts me to see it being abnormal and all.

Taking that photo for this entry is all I can manage for now. I channeled all my focus on the subject and managed to avoid glancing at my hands (that's holding the camera, and I need to look at the camera to review the photos and stuff) for that short period of time. Let's take it one step at a time. 

One photo this time, maybe two photos the next. :)

Everyone else has a (huge) stash of lip balms too right!?

i don't know how else to justify the amount of lip balms i own.
those in the photos are just 5 that i'm currently using, i still have another 3 or more that's not opened yet.
GASPS.

"i am running out of lip balm!"
says no one ever!!!

here's a brief comparison and my thoughts on each of the lip balm.

VASELINE | PETROLEUM JELLY | ~6 SGD

vaseline is probably the best value of money out of all products here, at only 6 SGD, i get 368g of product and i am pretty sure i can NEVER finish this tub. ok, never is a strong word, so let's just say i won't run out of vaseline for another 5 years AT LEAST.

it's not sticky nor shiny, and does an awesome job preventing my lips from getting dry. layer this baby on before bed and you'll wake up to gorgeous lips. due to its viscosity, vaseline runs the risk of going on too thick, but that's a welcomed quality when i use it at night.

as it does interfere with lipstick application, i usually apply it before starting my makeup, only wiping/blotting it off just before moving on to the lipstick step.

SMITH'S | STRAWBERRY LIP BALM | 7 USD

this lip balm hands down smells the best!!! their scent is what makes this special, i guess. oh, and that lovely pink colour balm too! it doesn't tint my lips pink though.

in terms of its ability to prevent dryness, it does a rather mediocre job. it's harder than vaseline, so it's harder to get a good amount of products onto my lips. i'll need to reapply this more just to keep my lips from drying out. definitely not something i'll use overnight because i tried it and.. my lips were a little dry in the morning.

the formula is not shiny, making it an undetectable lip balm.

it contains beeswax and lanolin on top of petroleum jelly, and while it smells like a minty strawberry, it tastes nothing like strawberry. not even like the artificially strawberry flavoured pocky.

it's safe to say the only redeeming point about it is the sweet scent. is it worth 7 bucks? not in my books. and the packaging is a pain in my ass at times because it's so hard to open it.

LUCAS' | PAPAW OINTMENT | 3.25 AUD

one of the cult favourites well known for its protective capabilities, it's also known to be a "very expensive petroleum jelly" since it's mostly petroleum jelly. in my honest opinion, it is indeed very similar to my vaseline petroleum jelly, but the formulation makes all the difference between the two.

in singapore's temperature (around 30 degC year round) it's a lot softer than vaseline, more shiny for sure. the blend reacts well to my body temperature as it melts into my lips nicely and coats it thinly. it's as though the softness of the product make it incapable of layering too thick a layer (a tragedy that might happen with vaseline). when i smack my lips together, they glide across each other with ease unlike the slight friction i get after using all the other lip balms. that's a strangely satisfying sensation.

there is a slight scent to it, but almost undetectable. if any, it's a natural scent that does't put me off. i can't speak of it's power to "relieve and cleanse" to be honest. if vaseline works well on wounds, this will too! but you know, this will be a greasier version.

due to its shininess and slipperiness, i also blot it off before applying my lipstick. otherwise, it's the perfect overnight treatment for my lips.

CARMEX | SOOTHING LIP BALM | 1.59 USD

i was actually using this lip balm on my skin to soothe any irritation because of its awesome cooling sensation. with added camphor and menthol, it calms any tingles within my skin very well.

cooling lips felt amazing too! it doesn't sting, and the effect last for a few minutes at most. the scent though!!!! it took me a while to get used to it. the first time i smelled it i was really taken aback.

the formula is just as soft as the lucas' papaw ointment, it's definitely more greasy than vaseline and lucas' which might be due to the additional ingredients such as petrolatum, cocoa seed butter, mineral oil, lanolin and so on. the lip balm feels heavy even though i only used a thin layer, and the shine is real.

i haven't worn this overnight before, but it being more greasy and thick than lucas' tells me it'll work just as well as an overnight treatment.

MAYBELLINE | BABY LIPS | ~3 USD

perhaps i am too used to using softer lip balms (like vaseline and lucas' papaw ointment), i find the baby lips not meeting my high expectations after seeing how it's been raved as the most hydrating lip balm out there. those girls are missing out.

it's not as greasy or oily as what i'm used to, but the redeeming point about the baby lips is its light application, and adorable scent. the one i have smells like grape juice, and i gotta say i quite like it!

i'd say this is the perfect lip balm to wear beneath your lipstick without have the need to blot it off prior to lipstick application because it's not quite as oily as the other lip balms. the lack of shine makes this invisible on my lips, except for the slight tint that gave it away. it's also a pretty no-mess product since you don't need your fingers, nor have to worry about it melting and leaking out of the package.

definitely not my go-to lipstick for sleeping though, because it's just not enough to keep my lips from drying out. i need something heavy duty.

the other issue i have is the long list of ingredients used to formulate this lip balm. like, WAY TOO MUCH YO! but then again, do take note that i've used an one ingredient lip balm (vaseline petroleum jelly, which is 100% petroleum jelly) for years. so anything more than one is many in my opinion.

IN A NUTSHELL

there's always a lip balm for ever situation! when i need an extra layer of protection, i drift towards the oilier/softer products. when it's a little prep for makeup, i use the harder products.

personally i drift towards unscented and uncolored lip balms because i love using them on my skin too. any multi-purpose products score extra points in my heart because i just need to carry one item out instead of two! lip balms are awesome barriers to lock the moisture within our skin, so don't hesitate to use it on your skin if necessary!

i can't decide if i prefer vaseline over lucas' papaw ointment or not. both are very similar in terms of function, but lucas' makes my lips feel more lubricated, and i quite like that.

My thoughts after using it for more than 2 months.

i've already done a first impression for this product, in this entry i'll just add a little more details shots and swatches.


the shade i got is 005 parisian passion.

i've been eyeing this shade ever since it was released in the U.S. because it's hard to come across such a gorgeous deep purple shade in the usual drugstore brands. after praying hard that revlon singapore will bring in this shade, my prayer is answered!!!


the paddle applicator has a tapered top, giving you more control and precision when maneuvering around the delicate corners/cupid's bow.

NUDE LIPS | ONE THIN COAT | 2 LAYERS OF PRODUCT

COLOUR:
i've colour corrected the photos so as to show a more true to life colour. i've mentioned in my first impression that this is a purplish wine-burgundy shade, that description still holds true. it's reminds me of black berry juice perhaps - a dark purplish shade.



PACKAGING:
the colour on the packaging is a good depiction of the product's colour. if you can't test this out in your local drugstore, it's useful to place the tube over your lips to imagine how this colour will look with your skin tone.

WEAR AND TEXTURE:
the product is slightly viscous and can go on a little too thick and cushiony initially, hence it's best to apply many thin layers instead of one thick layer or product. after several hours however, it will thin out and by the time i blot my lips with a piece of tissue, there is little emollient that transfers to the tissue. most of it either absorbed into my lips or evaporated away.

my lips continue to feel hydrated and moisturized for up to 3-4 hours, however do not be surprised when you realize your lips feel a little rough and hard at the end of the day unless you keep reapplying it. the long hours of no touch up definitely speeds up my lips' renewal process.

once the stain gets onto our lips, the colour of the product will change. i noticed that if i were to wipe off the products off my lips initially, the product looks just like it did from the tube (as in dark purplish). hours later, when i blot my lips the lip stick stain i get is a clear blackish shade. i have no idea what transpired, but it's probably the loss of water soluble stain that got stuck onto my lips.

despite the glossy/balmy texture, i'm happy to report the product DOES NOT feather.

STAIN:
the wonderful thing about this product is its staining power. i'm left with a berry-bitten lips after wiping it off after several hours. i'm not exactly sure how long it'll take to stain your lips, but the longer you leave it in, the deeper the stain. common sense right?



VERDICT:
i absolutely adore its texture and how it feels on my lips. it's hydrating, the colour payoff is amazing, and that stain is so lovely.

however, this might be the kind of product which will require the user to learn how to work with it. it's not idiot proof and one must be patient when applying - many thin layers instead of one thick layer. also, make full use of the paddle applicator by pressing it hard against your lips for the best application possible. just speaking from personal experience.

i mean, this is a very kissable product because you can use it as a lip stain. no transfers to your lover's cheeks or lips!

Rekindled my love for liquid eyeliner pen and took a leap of faith

ever since my skin got bad, i tried to avoid gel eyeliners because they would require an eye and lip makeup remover. even though my skin can tolerate some makeup, i'm not sure if they can tolerate the makeup remover! so i've been utilizing my liquid eyeliner pen a lot more. my heroine make smooth liquid eyeliner is running dry soon, and my kate spider liner melted and smudged throughout the day, i figured it's time to try something new to see if it'd work as great as the heroine make smooth liquid eyeliner.

this is totally an impulse buy. i heard how good it is from a girlfriend of mine, she said the pen is really fine, and long lasting on her eyes. while passing by my budget toiletry shops in chinatown, i picked it up considering the lower price. (you see the price tag on the title image! $21.90 is the usual retail price at watsons, and $16.40 is the price at swanston)

looking fancy with a shiny yellow cap and gold lettering on the pen

i picked up the colour "intense black". there is two other shades if i remember correctly - brown and soft black.

CLAIMS

below are its claims on the front of the package:

1. 0.01 tip for super sharp lines
2. water proof
3. easy removal
4. stain free

more claims printed on the package on the back

in summary, it's an eyeliner that will deliver super fine lines that're jet black. formulated to have amazing staying power, it's also easily removed without staining your eyelids.

i just found out it's has a film type formula too, meaning it stays put on the lids really well but easily removed with warm water.

surely, something must be missing here because as far as i know, there's always gonna be a compromise between staying power and ease of removal. one of the claims must be false. which is it? 

INGREDIENTS

maybelline hypersharp liner ingredient list

PEN TIP

since i have other eyeliners of similar type, i can show you a comparison of their tips.

a closer look at the pen tip of the eyeliner pens i own

honestly, the difference is too small and insignificant. heroine make looks the finest at the tip, maybelline might be finer than kate.

the tip is a brush tip, making it very easy to control and contour against your eyes.

COLOUR AND FINISH

swatches of the eyeliner pens i currently own

the maybelline hypersharp liner in intense black wasn't as intense as i hoped for it to be! both the heroine make and kate appears to be blacker than maybelline. however, it's fully matte, so that's something new for me. i've been looking for a matte eyeliner! you will notice heroine make has most sheen.

MY EXPERIENCE:

i got about 2-3 hours of wear time from the eyeliner before it started melting and transferring to my lower lids. BAD NEWS!!! i was so disappointed when it happened. what happened to it being water resistant and sebum resistant!? i used it to line the inner corner of my eyes, which might be a mistake on my part (but heroine make never did that to me).

even after i avoided using it on my inner corners where it's easily in touch with my tears, i noticed the outer half of my eyeliner transferring to my lower lids as well. :( YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO DO THIS!!! now this is acting exactly the same as the kate spider liner. :( what am i going to do with 2 bad eyeliners?

now that the worst thing that can happen is mentioned, i'll talk about the other claims.

the pen tip is indeed very sharp and will be very useful for people who need to draw fine eyeliners. the tip is a brush tip, my favourite kind of tips because they can bend and conform to your eyes so that you get that perfect line.

the ink does not feather into any fine lines even on my arm.

and i like the matte finish because i feel like it enlarges the eyes better than a shiny eyeliner.

lastly, this eyeliner is easily removed with vaseline. i find that it requires a little bit more tugging when i used a makeup remover (bifesta cleansing lotion). i have yet to try removing it with warm water, so i'll give that a try next time. as far as i know, this has a completely different formula as the heroine make, even though both claims to be a film type formula. heroine make will come off in a sheet if i did rub it with vaseline, while this actually melts off in it.

VERDICT

i'm still on a quest to find a matte version of the heroine make smooth liquid liner. if you're not going to use this for your inner corner of your eyes, and you only use this on your outer lid (not even remotely near your lash line), you might like this eyeliner.

for me, it's not water proof enough.

This might improve your quality of life.

the SIGMA spa express brush cleaning glove is a younger sister to the full size glove, 2X spa brush cleaning glove. it's smaller and more portable, yet still retains 7 patented textures for cleaning face and eye brushes.



MATERIAL: soft and flexible silicon that allows you to flip it over to access more textures on the inside of the glove with ease.

THE 7 TEXTURES:

FRONT FACE:

1. REFINE PLUS TEXTURE (FACE)

on the front face, you'll see the REFINE PLUS TEXTURE for face, and the other rinsing/washing/refining for the face on the inside of the glove. however, you'll be slotting your hand into the glove so you won't get to use the other textures while wearing the glove on this side.

BACK FACE:

2. RINSE (EYE) | 3.WASH (EYE) | 4. REFINE (EYE AND FACE)

on the back face, you'll see the RINSE, WASH and REFINE texture for eyes. the refine texture is the same as the one on the front face, so i assume it's applicable for both eye and face brushes.

the textures for eye brushes are relatively smaller and its thickness of the ridges are also smaller. but the refine texture is exactly the same on both sides.

INSIDE OUT, FRONT FACE:

5. REFINE PLUS (EYES)

after flipping the glove inside out, the REFINE PLUS texture for eyes is revealed. now, the rinse/wash/refine for the eyes are on the inside of the glove, not accessible unless you flip the glove inside out again.

INSIDE OUT, BACK FACE:

6. RINSE (FACE) | 7. WASH (FACE) | REFINE

for the face textures, the RINSE and WASH are sturdier and larger, most likely to accommodate to the larger and denser brushes.


STEPS:

taken from the official website

1. WASH (Face or Eyes Side) – Add a small amount of cleaning solution and water to mat and swirl brush on ‘Wash’ texture to begin deep cleaning the brush(es).
2. RINSE (Face or Eyes Side) – Place brush under running water and sweep brush back and forth on the ‘Rinse’ texture of the mat to remove makeup residue & soap.
3. REFINE – Swirl brush on the ‘Refine’ texture of the mat for an added deep cleaning
4. RINSE (Face or Eyes Side) – Place brush under running water and sweep brush back and forth on the ‘Rinse’ texture for a final rinse.
5. REFINE PLUS (Face or Eyes Side) – Repeat cleaning process for a deeper clean
6. RINSE (Face or Eyes Side) – Repeat rinsing process to remove excess makeup residue and soap.

MY EXPERIENCE:

you'll discover that you don't actually have to follow the 6 steps that's been outlined in the official website. you just have to follow go from top to bottom when washing your brushes, and if you have enough patience, all that sweeping and swirling of your brushes will get rid of the most stubborn bit of makeup off your brushes.

my overall experience has been good so far, as the grooves proves to be a better tool than my palm when washing my brushes. i don't like to touch soap, so having a layer of barrier between the soap and my skin is always good in my books.

one thing to take note of is the tendency for the soft silicon textures to bounce back and flicker water droplets in all directions. as i as doing it on a table instead of at the basin, it proved to be more messy than i expected.

VERDICT:

the SIGMA spa express brush cleaning glove does what it states - it manages to deep clean my brushes without too much of a hassle. all you really need is a bit of patience with each brush. i did notice i used lesser time cleaning my brushes while using the glove. the different textures make the brush cleaning process more fun than it normally would be, plus the hot pink colour lifts my mood. do note that this is coming from someone who hates washing her brushes. with this glove, i think i hate the process a little less :P

i've only used it once so far, so i'll likely update again after using it a few more times.

at the end of the day, i think the 7 types of different textures might probably be a way to pack on more "features" so that it can become more attractive to a consumer. i say this because i believe that even with just 1 texture, it can do the cleaning job just as well. the idea of a deep cleanse is to maximize the surface area that the bristles come into contact with such that it's easier to dislodge any residue makeup. technically speaking, any kinds of grooves can do that for you. but that's just me speaking from the technical side. one can argue about the different fluid mechanics on the different textures and how it affects the efficiency of cleaning a brush. if it makes any significant difference, so be it.

on a side note, this silicon glove is USD25. it's a little pricey, but if you can afford it it'd be worth investing in. if you can't afford it, i'm pretty sure you can find cheaper alternatives like the plastic facial cleaning/massaging devices you can find in daiso, which also have textures and stuff sticking out for you to run your brushes against. it's just a crazy thought i have and i've yet to test that out. but you know i'll write about it if i do lay my hands on one, because who doesn't like a cheaper alternative!?

also, i think it's a bummer that they decided to put the refine plus (face) on the outside, and the refine plus (eye) on the inside. isn't it just more convenient if all the eye textures are on the outside, then i wouldn't have to flip my glove around just to use that surface for the eye? not that it matters to me anyway, because like i said, all the surface will work the same for either purpose. but for sigma, it's obviously a design flaw.

Let's get down to the good and bad

FAUXFAYC is a singaporean beauty brand and they sent me the fauxstix matte liquid to try out, and here are my thoughts on the product after using for more than 2 weeks.

before i begin on the swatches, i'd like to take some time to reminisce my first impression of the product. my first impression was so bad - inconsistent number of clicks required to get an adequate amount of products (read: getting too much product), extremely uneven application if i don't do it right, that eerie sense of stickiness that was so familiar to me (think of the revlon ultimate suede). other than the lovely shade, i really couldn't find another reason to give this lipstick a second try.

first impression sucked, hard. but i gave it a second try nonetheless, since i do have to come up with a full review of it. once bitten twice shy certainly doesn't hold in my case.

well, i'm glad i did because once you get to know how to work this product, it'll be one of the best experiences you've ever encountered with a matte lipstick.



PACKAGING:

the first time i took the pen out of the paper packaging and held it in my hands, boy, it felt luxurious. the pen is weighted and feels somewhat dense in my hands. "fancy! this feels luxurious", i thought.

the liquid lipstick come housed in a clicky pen brush applicator. i don't have much successes with such packaging, especially if the product is on the viscous side. it's more like a paste than a liquid in my opinion.

to get the pen started, it took me about 30 clicks (the sound it makes when you twist the end of the pen). and that's not enough, so i lost my patience and did another round of 10 clicks. too much product came out after that. my bad i guess! need to be more patient next time!

it looks a little deeper in the pen than on my lips, and a lot redder in photos!

INGREDIENTS:

doesn't contain nearly as much stuff as the other lip products i have.

COLOUR:

102 KULT is a deep berry red shade. its official swatch looks deeper and more purplish. however on my lips, they take a brighter and redder hint. on photos, they appear even redder (might be the brightness).

source: fauxfayc website

TEXTURE AND FINISH:

the product itself is like a velvet paste when first squeezed out of the pen. it glides on smoothly and it sets into a matte finish after a minute or so.

SCENT:

slightly scented, smells like vanilla to me.

my bare lips (shiny because i exfoliated) versus 2 layers of product.

PIGMENTATION:

the product is extremely pigmented, it is completely opaque and covered my original lip colour within just one coat. getting a few more layers of product will definitely build on the colour to make it deeper and closer to what's in the pen.

simple eye look to complement the lip colour.

LONGEVITY AND WEAR:

the product claims to be a long wear product and it's true. i've worn this out and unless i eat/drink, it doesn't require much touching up at all. even if i do eat, 95% of the colour still remains. however, along the inner part of my lips, some chapping does occur so i do find myself getting rid of everything and reapplying it. i guess i should have done a better job exfoliating my lips prior to my first application. wear time can be up to 8 hours, with not much transfer of colour throughout the entire time. it also does not feather, which is a really good quality.

during my 8 hours of wear, not once did i feel that initial stickiness i experienced during my first impression. i can smack my lips together alright, and my lips doesn't feel dry or tight the entire time. however, after 8 hours of no lip balm, my lips are dry after i removed the lip colour. but you don't be able to feel it while you're still wearing it.

i've blown up the exposure of this photo, hence the lip colour look much lighter and brighter. absolutely love the pairing of a simple eye look with this lips.

in reality it looks something like this! but still i can't capture the true colour of the product very well. it's still more reddish than the official swatch in real life.

VERDICT:

this is definitely a product that requires some tender loving patience as you'll need to learn how to use it. my thoughts about it went from really bad to really good. sometimes it really pays of to try to make something work, even though the chinese saying preaches against trying too hard. i'm a rebel! what to do?

here are a few of my tips to get the fauxstix working in you favour.

1. less is more: start with just a little product and thin layers, then slowly build it up to your desired intensity. i tried a dollop of product at once and it was an uneven mess. i also believe the stickiness arose because i used too much products at one go.

2. be prepared for an explosion of products: i realize it takes some pressure build up to push the product out into the brush part of the pen, it usually takes about 5-15 clicks. i'm not sure if doing 5 clicks slowly is the same as doing it quickly, i'll report again after i tried it. in the even that too much products are deposited, get rid of them on a tissue paper because you really need to layer them up slowly. read point 1.

3. exfoliate your lips really well: this goes for all matte lipsticks. the matte finish WILL accentuate your lip lines and dry skin if you have them. do yourself a favour.

4. make sure your lips are naked: i realize the product doesn't adhere that well to my lips if i have a trace of vaseline/lip balm on my lips. make sure your lips are really naked before dressing it up in this lipstick.

5. give yourself enough time to apply this lipstick: this is definitely not one of those lipstick where you can put it on without a mirror. it took me a lot longer than when i use my usual lipsticks, but let's just say given how long lasting it is, a little more effort at the beginning is well worth the hassle.

all in all, this is a decent product, but probably not an everyday lipstick unless you are used to not applying lip balm throughout the day. i'm a lip balm addict and the texture of my lips after i remove the lipstick just doesn't float my boat very much. it's okay once in a while though ;) MODERATION!!

Maybelline ColorSensational SoNude - Rosy Rebel

a light pastel shade that covered my lips in just one swipe! this would be my favourite if they change one thing..

nude lips really hit me hard for a while after my radar picked them up from american makeup looks. while i love bold and vivid colours on my lips, i also see the beauty in soft nudes.

the maybelline colorsensational so nude collection is a set of milky nude colours. as they are mostly pastel shades, they work best on fair skin. if you're familar with maybelline products, the colorsensational line promises vivid colour payoff, and so far, that's true.

i'm not sure if this product line is still available in singapore. i can't seem to find it on their official website anymore. they are available in japan, but under a different name "water shiny milky so nude"


"brighten up pigments and smoothing essence" printed on the plastic sleeve that wraps the lipstick.


i got it in the shade NU34S rosy rebel. initially, i wanted NU36S because it's closer to the nude that i want - a toned down brownish beige.. but it was out of stock. :( so i picked this shade instead.

there are 4 shades in the collection. honestly, they're all so lovely, it was hard for me to choose.

just like the bold matte, none of the product name is actually printed on the outer casing. the holographic effect over the neon pink casing is quite pretty though! the inner plastic casing is the same as the bold matte. this is the first time i'm nitpicking a product for its packaging.


ingredient list! it contains a lot more polymers as compared to the bold matte lipstick, so it's no wonder they have a pretty different feel to it. (hint: i don't really like it)

pretty close to the official swatches huh?

NU34S rosy rebel is a pastel peachy pink. pigmentation is superb, as you can see it pretty much covered my lips entirely with just one layer! it's much redder than what i wanted, but that's okay.

the texture is slightly different from the bold mattes. this glided over my lips easily too, but it has a slightly slick feel to it. they may go on unevenly and requires a few more swipes to even things out.

it does hydrate my lips for the first few hours but that's it.

there is something else i observed - this lipstick seem to be formulated to be long wearing. how so? because it feels exactly the same as the revlon ultimate suede lipsticks, AND I HATE THAT! if you've used the latter, you'd know the lipstick will set and form a film over your lips. a very uncomfortable plastic film that reminds me of its presence on my lips every single time i speak or do something. on the bright side, it does cling onto my skin throughout the entire day. there was one time when i applied this lipstick on in the morning, then i went out and forgot to bring the lipstick with me so there's no way i can reapply it. i tried removing it with my tissue but it just won't work. at the end of the day, my lips had patches of the lipstick still on, and my poor lips were totally parched. :(

IMHO

i am pleasantly surprised by the pigmentation, because most pastel products usually end up sheer and thinned out. but not these. they covered my original lip colour in one setting and it definitely could have been my favourite pastel lipstick if not for the fact that it sets into that yucky plastic film. it makes smacking my lips hard, and i become self conscious about smacking my lips because i know i'll risk bunching the products together (my experience with the revlon ultimate suede. it was so sticky!!!).

to maybelline, you did a good job on the pigments, but the formulation could have been better. i'd rather it do without that "long wear" thing. i don't mind reapplying my lipsticks at all! i have to, because no lipstick can provide me with hydration for a straight 8 hours anyway.

if you love revlon's ultimate suede, these may be the thing for you. it's just not my cup of tea.

it's kind of a blessing in disguise that the NU36S was out of stock, because now i can continue my hunt for that colour. i'm looking at the loreal color riche because i love the formulation to death.

i purchased this lipstick for SGD$17.90 when it was having a one for one promotion.