Sigma Lip Base (Indulgent) First Impression Review And Swatch

First Impression And Swatch of the Sigma Lip Base (Indulgent)

this is the first time i used a lip liner and i really liked it.

my mom isn't into makeup like me, but she do use lip liners, so i've always associated lip liners with the older generation since young. moreover, lip liners aren't marketed as heavily as lipsticks are, i just never thought of buying myself one.

sigma has sent me some of their beauty products (you can read more on a separate entry) and here's my first impression review on their lip base in the shade indulgent.



COLOUR: nude pink that can look a little peachy under warmer lighting.

FINISH: matte, but has a slight sheen to it that resembles natural lips.

a nude pink that is a my-lips-but-better shade for me.

SCENT: unscented.

TEXTURE: almost velvet like because it glides onto my lips (without lip balm) really smoothly and evenly.

PIGMENTATION: able to completely cover up my original lip colour easily, it also lifted my mom's slightly darker lips a little. you can see from the swatch above that the lip liner covered a brown spot on my lips.

STAYING POWER: it can be wiped off easily with a piece of tissue, but it doesn't transfer to cups as easily as lipsticks. i got 2-3 hours of wear before i wiped it off (because i had to eat). reapplication is very easy since it can be cleaned off so easily. 

at the end of the lip liner is a colour that matches the colour of the product.

OVERALL: a very light weight product that hugged my lips like second skin, giving me a really natural look. i really didn't feel a thing on my lips. even though my lip lines are pretty visible when wearing just the lip base alone, my lips isn't actually dry or uncomfortable. the product didn't sink into lip lines like certain lipstick does. as i'm an avid fan of smacking my lips subconsciously, i notice this product doesn't have that sticky feeling like the revlon ultimate suede lipstick.

VERDICT: i'm loving this lip liner! 

since i've never used lip liners before, i have nothing to compare this to, but the performance of the lip base surprised me very pleasantly :) it's perfect for days when i wish to look a little more under stated yet made up. this might just send me into a lip liner hunt in the future for more amazing stuff.

you can check out the other lip base shades they offer.

Revlon Nearly Naked Pressed Powder (020 Light Pale) [Swatch and Review]

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.

Canmake Color Stick Concealer (09 Skin Beige)

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.

Maybelline Lashionista Mascara VS Dolly Wink Long Mascara

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.

Heroine Smooth Liquid Liner VS Kate Super Sharp Liner

Heroine Smooth Liquid Liner VS Kate Super Sharp Liner

a while ago i purchased the kate super sharp liner in BK-1 while it was on sale, i've also done a separate swatch and review on it. i've been a long time user of the heroine make smooth liquid liner. i can't remember what made me want to buy it several years back, but i've since been in love with it as it has worked so well for me, i actually repurchased it because for that price point, this liquid liner is just perfect.



TIP SIZE:
kate: 0.03mm
HM: 0.1mm

honestly, it looks like the heroine make is finer in the photo. both eyeliner tips are made of thin fibres instead of felt tip. the heroine make tip is a little more flexible and soft than the kate's.


can you make a guess which heart is drawn by which pen?

the left is drawn by kate, the ink seems a little lighter in shade because it was brand new when i did this swatch and the ink isn't flowing as nicely yet, but the apparent difference in the thickness of the line is telling of the tip.




FINISH:
heroine make has a slight sheen to it after it's dried down. it actually feel like a thin layer of polymer on top of my skin.
kate dries down to a matte finish, and it sure dries quickly!
this swatch was taken after i used the kate eyeliner for a few more times, so the ink is definitely flowing a lot better, but you can tell it's still on the dryer side.

COLOUR INTENSITY:
both produce an intense black colour.


pardon me for the weird position of the eyeliners.

the first 2 lines and the last 2 lines are kate's, while the one in the middle belong to heroine make. why this odd placement? because after two swipes of kate, i went on to swatching the heroine make only to realize this isn't fair because kate's ink wasn't flowing as smoothly yet. so i swiped another two lines with kate to show that its ink is actually pretty dark too. #thingsthatcangowrongwhenswatching



OIL PROOF TEST:
both comes off pretty easily when rubbed in vaseline, but the kate eyeliners stained my skin.

WEAR TIME:
i'm recalling this from memory, but both eyeliners lasted me the entire day. they stay beautifully on my lids, they don't melt off after exposure to my sweat or oils.

however, they weren't as reliable on my inner corners. it's fine if i don't touch it there, but if i do, it's likely they'll get rubbed off by a tissue after soaking in tears for the entire day.

EASE OF REMOVAL:
heroine make is definitely easier when it comes to being removed by my eye makeup remover. it can be removed by warm water too, but i don't usually do that. it'll come off in a sheet if you do decide to use water.

PRICE:
heroine make: SGD18.90
kate: SGD17.90

i actually bought the heroine make eyeliner in HK, it's only HKD78 over there.

CONCLUSION:
being the kate fan girl i am, i'm actually not too impressed by this eyeliner. even though both of them fare similar in terms of colour intensity and wear time, i'm not too fond of the fact that it stains my eyelids. i'm also used to the more flexible and bendy tip that heroine make offers, i don't think i'll repurchase another kate eyeliner in the future.

Solone Vivid Fantasy Smoody Pencil 04 Grape Cakeroll (Swatch and Review)

Solone Vivid Fantasy Smoody Pencil 04 Grape Cakeroll (Swatch and Review)

this was on my radar for quite some time. solone is a taiwanese brand and they're most well known for their eyeliner pencils that sets in 30s. i believe i first saw it on the yahoo auction website many years ago. they've grown much bigger over the years, and this time round they collaborated with an illustrator to create this alice in wonderland series :)


such a cute illustration!


i got it in shade 04, grape cakeroll, it's a purple colour.


ingredients list if you're interested.
it contains 0.5g of product.


a little translation for those who can't read chinese:

what's special about this product:
1. eyeliner + eyeshadow capabilities, can be used as an eyeliner and blended out into an eyeshadow.
2. twist up mechanism ridding you the need of a pencil sharpener.
3. a sharpener is embedded at the end of the pencil to allow for a more precise application.
4. mousse finish that blends easily. colours are vibrant, waterproof and oil resistant, and a long lasting budge proof experience.


it even comes with instructions on how to use the product.
this is for using it as an eyeshadow.

step 1: use a light colour eyeliner pencil on the eyelid and blend it out as a base colour.
step 2: applying a dark colour eyeliner pencil along the lash line and blend upwards to create a gentle gradient.
step 3: use a bright coloured eyeliner pencil to emphasize the inner corner and the lower lid area.


for use as an eyeliner:

step 1: lift up your eyelid with your finger gently, fill in the lash line for the outer half.
step 2: starting from the start of your eyelids, draw the eyeliner and connect to the second half of the line.
step 3: extend the eyeliner according to your eye shape by 1-3mm, lift it up slightly.
step 4: line the outer third of the lower lash line and connect to the upper eyeliner.


the black little part is actually the eyeliner pencil lead sharpener. it only shaves off the product and not the surrounding plastic (unlike a traditional pencil sharpener).


04 grape cakeroll.


it contains about 4cm of product, which is pretty generous in my opinion. the diameter of the lead is definitely much wider than most other brands out there.


swatched on hand over powder foundation:

grape cakeroll is more of a violet-like-purple. i'd say it leans towards the bluish side of purple under normal lighting. it contains some shimmer as shown in the bottom photo.

it does glide over my skin very easily, the mousse formula does allow it to be blended out pretty easily, but some skill is definitely required if you want to get an even colour out of this darker shade.


vaseline test:

it's definitely more resistant than my maybelline gel eyeliners. those melt into vaseline within a few seconds of rubbing, but these thing stayed on my hands until i wiped it with a tissue paper. i guess it takes some friction to get them off the skin.

in case you're thinking that it's really hard to remove, it is difficult only if you use the wrong thing. i tried it with an eye makeup remover (i used my bifesta eye makeup remover) and it came off really effortlessly after soaking the pad in for a few seconds.

IMHO:

do the eyeliner pencil live up to its claims?

vibrant colour - YES. as with most eyeliners.

budge proof - YES. the first time i tried these in sasa, i tried rubbing my hands to get rid of them. i only got myself some red skin after that. eyeliners still intact. :(

water and oil resistant - yet to test them out for the entire day yet, but the vaseline test speaks volume for its oil resistance.

easy to blend - quite easy i would say, but to get an even application is a little hard. it would required some skills definitely. perhaps loading up on the product instead of a sheer layer will allow more products to be blended out smoothly. i think it blends out a little easier than the makeon season 1 eyeliners (especially the darker shades). currently, i think the clio gelpresso eyeliners still top my list of super blendable eyeliners.

i think the addition of a lead sharpener is a really nice bonus to the twist up mechanism. a lazy bum like me really appreciate this invention.

i bought this for SGD$10 from sasa when it was going on sale. the usual price is $14.90. although it's a little more expensive over here in singapore, but i think it's really worth the buck considering the amount of product you get.

maybelline masterliner cost $9.90 for 0.3g. you do the math.

BB Cream Comparison (Dr Jart+ VS Etude House)

BB Cream Comparison (Dr Jart+ VS Etude House)

i got the etude house precious mineral cotton fit bb cream tester from my korean beauty haul, it's in the same shade as my any cushion - W13. i'm not too sure about the differences across the precious mineral bb cream lines, they come in a variety. i believe cotton fit is meant to give you a matte and silky smooth skin that feels like cotton candy.

as for dr jart's bb cream, it's mean to give you a moisturized and even complexion, touted as the 'detox bb cream'. hmm? really? you can read my review here.






COLOUR:
dr jart: appears slightly darker and ashy when unblended. looks slightly pinker than etude house. when spreaded out, it appears to be a ashy beige.

etude house: appears much more yellowish when unblended, also much lighter in colour than dr jart. when spreaded out, it appears to be peachy.

COMPARISON:
dr jart is slightly darker and pinker.
etude house is slight yellower and brighter.

IMHO
on my hands, the colour of dr jart looks pretty horrible as compared to etude house. but dr jart actually looks very natural on my face as it brightens naturally. i guess the greyish tone neutralizes the yellow on my skin gentle, whereas the etude house makes my face look really really fair.

Dr Jart+ Black Label Detox Healing Blemish Balm (Swatch + Review)

Dr Jart+ Black Label Detox Healing Blemish Balm

just how long do i keep my makeup products? for quite long. i've retired this bb cream as of late, but i want to note down a little bit more about this product first.

i got this about 4 years ago and it's my first full sized bb cream. i remember seeing my cousin use it and i love that it has a higher coverage than most bb creams in the market at that time (back then the skin79 was really popular, but too watery and thin for me).

it has served me well the past few years. by now, dr jart has already changed their packaging (i realize they have a slight different packaging for the american market) and offer a lot more selections in their base makeup line. back then it was only the silver label (meant for oily skin) and black label (for drier skin).


product description at the back of the tube.

1. whitening
2. anti-wrinkle
3. sun protection (SPF25)


ingredients list from a while ago.

the things that stand out to me are: sweet almond oil (for moisture), arbutin (for whitening), all the other floral extracts are pretty much at the bottom on the ingredients list, i doubt they have said effects. collagen and Q10 (ubiquinine) too? wow, i just realize how much skin care stuff is in this product, at such a minute concentrations (lesser than the preservatives, also known as parabens). can't dispute the "detox healing" branding of this product! but efficacy? that's another story.


comes in a squeeze tube with a rather huge opening.


taken in two different lightings: natural and camera flash.

the bb cream has a greyish undertone to it (but do not be alarmed! more on that below!), but blends out to offer a slight hint of brightening for the skin. it doesn't appear warm nor cool after blended out - just neutral.


close up in flash lighting.

this bb cream leans on the moisturizing side, so there's a slight sheen to it. there'a also a slight greyish/white cast in flash lighting.

the product is scented.

IMHO
firstly, even though it appears very greyish on my hands, it is able to brighten my face pretty well. i think it's because the grey is able to counter the pink and yellow tones on my skin and neutralizes it to give an illusion of fairer and brighter skin. it is rather mind boggling because the bb cream appear to dark coloured and grey on my hands in another swatch i did (will be up soon), but on my face, it looks just fine!

secondly, perhaps it's the age of this product, or it could be the weather (and the constant blotting of my sweat), this product can't stay on my face for too long - it loses its brightness after a few hours in the heat (even after powdering). however, in an air-conditioned setting, my face stills look bright and fine! this is a very moisturizing bb cream, so i think it's best for cold and dry weathers instead! for the hot and humid weather in singapore, i'm better off with my revlon colorstay foundation.

thirdly, the coverage of this product suits me pretty well. it's consistency is a little stiffer than normal bb creams, it's pretty much like tooth paste! like i said, i got this because i needed something of a higher coverage to lighten my dark circles, and i got what i wanted :D

i can't say much about the anti-wrinkle and whitening effect of this product. don't bank so much hope on it, really. i use it for its higher coverage so that i can lighten my dark circles and brighten my T zone and inner cheek area. assuming that the maximum concentration of parabens allowed in the product is 4g/kg of product (meaning 0.4 w/w%), the concentration of said skin care benefits must be even lower than that. not sure if that will be enough for anything to happen.

i purchased this from hk for HKD$120~.

IN A NUTSHELL
1. able to brighten up my face even though it has a strange grey cast on my hand
2. creamy and blendable
3. slightly higher coverage than watery bb creams
4. scented
5. moisturizing (and thus, not long wearing)


MAKEUP LOOK

i used to wear this very often in the past as it was the only foundation i have. i still use it when i want to create a very moisturized and dewy look.





xoxo
karman

Revlon Colorstay Foundation 200 Nude (Swatch and Full Review)

Revlon Colorstay Foundation 200 Nude (Swatch and Full Review)

i just checked back, the first time i tried this foundation was in mid april. it's now mid august, a good 4 months. it's about time to do a full on review on this foundation, which has quickly risen to become my favourite foundation out of the few that i have. bye bye dr jart bb cream!

a little recap on the product:


i got it in the shade 200 nude.

the foundation comes in a glass bottle with a black cap. i like simple packaging! a lot of people complain about the lack of a pump. initially, i detest it as well because i find it difficult to control how much will end up flowing out. BUT! after 4 months of our loving relationship with each other, i've learnt to overcome the difficulties and to devise ways to make things work out for us (just like another other relationships huh!).

i find that it's easiest for me to shake the bottle so that the product will hit the root of the cap, and then i just have to open the bottle and dip my finger into the pool of product on the bottle cap and VOILA! it's even better than a pump that way because some pumps may dispense too much products at one go, and isn't that friendly about letting you do a half pump.

the only issue that may still concern some will then be the hygiene issue.

some of the claims off the bottle:
1. wear for up to 24 hours.
2. flawless look, lightweight feel.


ingredients and usage instructions concealed within the white sticker that can be peeled open.



taken in two different lightings: natural and camera flash.

200 nude is a light peach colour with a tinge of pink undertone. 180 sand beige has more yellow in it, but just as light.


close up in flash lighting.

you can see the blended foundation as a slight sheen to it. it's a very lovely and natural looking foundation that imparts a slight sheen to it. i find that a fully matte product looks way too unnatural on me. this is just perfect for my needs.

IMHO
i did like it after trying it out the first time because it's incredibly sweat resistant, but i was quite aghast at the white cast it gave me (because i applied too heavily and over an area too wide). i must admit that this colour is not matched to my skin tone, that's why it had that kind of effects on me. i got this foundation because i wanted to use it on the centre of my face as brightening. my complexion is okay enough to skip a full face foundation routine.

after so long, i can finally declare my love for this foundation. i feel like it's a MUST HAVE for me because i simply sweat too much. being sweat resistant earned it a lot of brownie points. the fact that it stayed bright on my face after the entire day makes me love it even more - it doesn't oxidize on me.

also, in my first impression video i spreaded this thing out with my fingers, not the smartest move. i've since learnt to use my foundation brush to blend it out after dotting it on my face with my fingers. you can watch how i do it when i demonstrated my summer proof makeup. the coverage is light to medium coverage. when blended out with a foundation brush, i get a really light coverage which helps with brightening.

i can't be happier with my purchase because the peace of mind this foundation gives me is worth more than anything. i don't need to worry about foundation being blotted off by my tissue paper, uneven skintone after some time roaming outside.. :)

just do note that my skin isn't SUPER OILY to begin with. this foundation is meant for oily combination skin, but i've read reviews that it's not as efficient in the oil control department. i don't remember seeing my face looking very shiny at the end of the day (maybe because i blotted the oil and sweat off all at one go?). if you fall into the group with horribly oily skin, an oil control base would definitely be your best friend. if you sweat a lot like me, consider investing in this drugstore gem.

i find myself reaching out for this foundation subconsciously whenever i know i'll be out in the heat for an extended period of time.

i bought it from watsons when it was having a sale for $24.90.

IN A NUTSHELL
1. very sweat resistant
2. acceptable oil control properties (but i'm not a good gauge)
3. doesn't oxidize on me
4. wear for at least 8 hours on me.

MAKEUP LOOK

i've worn this many many times by now :D you'd have known if you saw my instagram! i wear this on the centre of my face only.





xoxo
karman