News: IPSA Makeup and Skincare Workshop

Just received something in the mailer from IPSA.....

IPSA MAkeup and Skincare workshop in the month of March:

Everyday Makeup in 5 Minutes

Date: 26th of March 2011, Saturday

Time: 3.00pm to 5.00pm

Venue: Vanilla Bar & Cafe (3 Boon Tat Street #01-01)

Workshop Fee: S$30.00 (fully redeemable for product and a S$25.00 goodie bag)

S$15.00 for IPSA Members and OCBC Cardmembers

RSVP: RSVP at 6238 2000, payment to be made at IPSA counter (Tangs Orchard Level 1) by 18th of Match 2011.

Trainer: Ms Michelle Ong (IPSA Trainer) and guest makeup artist.

Sensitive Skincare Workshop

Date: 25th of March 2011, Friday

Time: 7.00pm to 9.00pm (Registration at 6.30pm)

Venue: Tangs Workshop Room Level 2

RSVP: RSVP at 6238 2000 by 18th of March 2011, Friday.

Do check out the Workshops if you are interested. : )

Sale: TANGS Cardmembers' 12% Rebate storewide

TANGS is going to have a Cardmembers' exclusive- 12% rebate storewide and on exclusive deals for Spring arrivals on 10th of March (Thurday, which is tomorrow). Terms and conditions apply.

Haul: Cosme Decorte White-Science Premium sample gift

Got to know from a friend that L'officiel Singapore is giving away Cosme Decorte White-Science Premium sample set from every purchase of their magazine (while stocks last) at Kinokuniya Bookstore. I managed to snag a set in the afternoon yesterday and there seems to be quite a number copies of magazines available when i left the place.

Cosme Decorte is a Japanese Premium skincare and cosmetic line which is under the Kose (brands like Fasio, Esprique Precious, Beaute de Kose, Nature & Co, etc are also under Kose). If i do recall correctly, Taiwanese host Matilda Tao is the spokeswoman for Cosme Decorte.

Being a Japanese Premium line (which spells $$$ to me), its range of skincare products are mostly targeted at whitening, hydration and anti-aging or anti-wrinkle, i wasn't very keen to commit to the products (considering the prices range from approximately S$90 for a cleanser and onwards for the rest of the range).

This sample set gift with purchase of a magazine is a good way to allow people who are intimidated by the startling pricing of the line and yet are interested to find out if it is as good as it claimed that it is as well as people who are have phobia approaching the counters (i was one and still is under some circumstances) lest they be approached by overzealous beauty advisors and felt pressurized to buy products that they are not convinced will work for them.

Now, this sample set i would say is a generous one.... scroll down and you will know what i mean : )

7 piece sample set from the Premium White-Science range.

Crystal Tenor - the whitening lotion (there are 2 types, refreshing and rich sensations).

There are 6 packets of the 3.0ml Crystal Tenor- a total of 18.0ml.

White Lift Powder Foundation with SPF 20 PA++ in #302.

There is a small square of sponge provided (but i prefer to use my own).

# 302 is about 2 skintone too fair for me, might suit someone who is matched 2nd or 3rd shade for foundation.

White-Science Premium Cleansing Cream.

Should be sufficient for a one time usage.

White-Science Premium White Protection with SPF 28 PA ++ (why SPF 28? i wonder).

A generous 10ml or 0.33oz.

White-Science Premium Revolution- whitening, clarifying and anti-aging emulsion.

The washing cream.

From the Whitelogist line -Whitelogist Spots Concentration that contains Koiji Acid.

All in all, i am quite excited at trying some of the products especially the Whitelogist Spots Concentration (suppressing melanin production and prevents dark spots as well as freckles from forming) which contains Koiji Acid (for brighter skin), the White-Science Premium Revolution and the White-Science Premium White Protection with SPF 28 PA++.

All the samples will only be expired in 2014 ( i gather they are really fresh not stale stuffs that cosmetic company want to get rid of).


Get your set at Kinokuniya Bookstores (while stocks last).


L'officiel Singapore magazine S$5.90 per copy.


You can read up more on Cosme Decorte on www.kose.com.sg (look under brand list and you will find it there).


Will give a review when i have tried them out. : )

Haul: Clinique, Dr Murad and SK-II at Metro Paragon

Haul, haul, haul....

There are just times that i just want to haul and nothing more nothing less.......

Here we go......

The hauling done (SK-II is something that i did not budget for).

My essential and trusty buddies.

The GWP (2 liquid cleansers and 2 tubes of Super City Block SPF 40-not shown coz they are stashed deep in my drawer).

Dr Murad Essential-C cleaner - suppose to wash away environmental pollutants on the skin.

Was available at a promotional price of S$22.oo (usual Price: S$70.00)

The indulgence that was totally unprepared for.

Love to try it when i have the time.

Hauling?

My favourite kind of activity. : )

What's yours?

Review: Bourjois Metallise Eyeliner in Vert Eclatant 87

I've gotten this from a friend who has no use for it and since i was into makeup and skincare, it went to me.

Presenting Bourjois Metallise Eyeliner in Vert Eclatant 87......

The colour of the eyeliner is true to the colour of the pencil itself, a nice emerald-grass green. Application itself is an easy task, it glides on effortlessly and it is possible to increase the intensity of the colour by simply layering over it. The swatch above is merely a single swipe, which goes to show the intensity of the pigment itself-a nice green with very subtle shimmer in it.

The staying power of the eyeliner is strong and it doesn't smudge easily once it settled on the skin comfortably (which is a mere 20 secs or so?), so a word of caution, do whatever smudging you want fast. Removal of the eyeliner is no easy feat nor it is a arduous task, one just need to be armed with a bottle of cleansing oil, ordinary cleansing milk is not capable of the task here.

I was never a eyeliner kind of gal and have never owned a green coloured eyeliner until this and by the way it swatch, it shouldn't be something that is unwearable (to work?maybe not. For play? yeah, why not). I would say, a nice and interesting piece to add to my makeup collection (i am starting small at the moment).

Nice product at an affordable price (especially if there is a sale going on in the drugstore).

This may prompt me to explore the world of eyeliners.... who knows what i have been missing out?

Priced at S$12.90 for 1.2g or 0.02oz (available at major drugstores).

Review: Dior Addict Lip Glow SPF 10 vs Nivea Soft Rose Lip Balm

There are days when i just want to get out of the house without any makeup on me yet i do want those naturally soft looking lips with a subtle hint of healthy pink.

Well, what's a gal gonna do?

I got to know about Dior Addict Lip Glow (lipbalm) when i was accompanying my close GF on her quest for the perfect liquid foundation and as she found her HG foundation, i found mine too......

Weeks later, when i was almost 1/2 way through the tube of Lip Glow and pondering if i should purchase a backup, i found Nivea's Soft Rose lipbalm which also gives a tinge of pink and moisturiser your lips at the same time.

I did a comparison between the 2 of them, sort of a high-end vs drugstore match.

Here we go......

Nivea Soft Rose Lipbalm.

Dior Addict Lip Glow Colour Awakening Lipbalm SPF 10.

Nett weight: 4.8 g

Nett weight: 3.5 g

Nivea Soft Rose Lipbalm.

Dior Addict Lip Glow.

T-B: Dior Addict Lip Glow, Nivea Soft Rose.

L-R: Dior Addict Lip Glow, Nivea Soft Rose.

L-R on paper: Dior Addict Lip Glow, Nivea Soft Rose.

Packaging:

Dior's Lip Glow definitely has my vote in this area, the transparent light pink cover and the silver knot looks pretty on the dresser, in the bag and just anywhere else compared to Nivea's utilitarian look which serves its very basic purpose (the pink rose motifs printed added points in this area).

Scent:

Dior's Lip Glow has a subtle sweet and slightly minty smell, whereas Nivea's Soft Rose possesses a bubblegum-like or candy-like sweet scent. Personally, i lean more towards Dior's Lip Glow where scent is concerned.

Application:

Although the 2 are supposed to give my lips a healthy pinkish look, i would say they are so alike (function-wise) and yet so difference (performance-wise).

Upon application, Dior's Lip Glow gives my lips a flush of pink with a hint of red in it, as well as a shiny sheen that is quite similar to lipstick with very sheer coverage. On the otherhand, Nivea's Soft Rose gave a barely there hint of pink which is not noticeable unless you are under close scrutiny.

The difference between the 2 might not appear obvious in the pictures above, but in real life on the lips one can see the difference instantly. On the paper, one can notice that the tone of pink is different, Dior's being the warmer pink and Nivea's is cooler.

I have to cast my vote to Dior's Lip Glow as i have gotten many compliments from friends and colleagues, sadly none when i am wearing Nivea's Soft Rose. Apart from the differences above, Nivea's Soft Rose does not contain any sun protection (Dior's Lip Glow has SPF 10).

Price: Dior's Lip Glow contains 3.5g or 0.12oz of the product for S$40.00 vs Nivea's Soft Rose which contains 4.8g or 0.16oz of product for S$3.50 which works out to:

Dior's Lip Glow: S$40.00/3.5g=S$11.40 per gram

Nivea's Soft Rose: S$3.50/4.8= S$0.73 per gram

which makes Dior approximately 15 times more expensive than Nivea.

Now for the million $ question, who won and will i repurchase it when i am done with the tube i have currently?

Dior Addict Lip Glow Colour Awakening Lipbalm wins hands down with only one downfall which is its hefty price tag (which comes no surprise to anyone as we are talking about Christian Dior here), lesser product and that it doesn't take long to finish a tube (about 2 to 3 months with daily usage).

Like it enough to repurchase?

Yes, when i am feeling rich or when i felt like pampering myself (that happens alot : ))

Dior Addict Lip Glow Colour Awakening Lipbalm SPF 10

Main Ingredient (active): Octinoxate (Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate) 7.5%

Other Ingredients: C10-30 Cholesterol/Lanosterol Esters, Dissostearyl Malate, Bis-diglyeryl Polyacyladipate-2, Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl lauroyl Glutamate, Synthetic Beewax, Dimer Dilinoleyldimer, Dilinoleate, Octyldodecanol, Ozokerite, Ethylhexyl palmitate.

Priced at S$40.00 for 3.5g or 0.12oz (available at all leading Departmental Stores).

Nivea Soft Rose Lipbalm

Main Ingredients: Apologies, i threw the packaging away before i remember. : (

Priced at S$3.50 for 4.8g or 0.16oz (available at major drugstores and supermarkets).

Fragrance of the Moment: L'eau d'Issey Issey Miyake for Woman

How exactly does Spring water smells like?

It is said that L'eau d'Issey by Issey Miyake is what Spring water is supposed to smell like (if it does possess any scent at all).

Created by Jacques Cavallier in 1992, this aquatic floral is a fragrance that defines the whole generation of people seeking a "clean" scent and having reached young adulthood myself in that era, i was one of those who was captivated by the squeaky clean fresh and sharp scent at first whiff. Being a poor student back then, i was never able to afford the fragrance (having to juggle and budget between school expenditure and living cost).

It has been quite a while (many fragrances pass and go), i came across a good deal for this fragrance via a close friend and decided to revive memories of my young adulthood, and so i purchase a bottle.

The bottle retains its iconic cone-shaped with metal cap, it smells slightly different to me (if my memory of the fragrance is correct) which i can't place a finger to, it has become something less natural (than i remember) and more chemical-like.

The fragrance started off with a strong fresh floral smell, i still smell the melon as well as the lily of the valley somewhere in between, a hint of rose and something woody hours after which the fragrance wears off.

But something has changed and i can't really tell if its good or bad, just that it is not the same thing that captivated me years ago. Though i am not saying i detest it (i have been wearing it for about 2 weeks), i am quite alright with it, just like having met a crush you have during your schooling days years later, he/she is still as charming or beautiful but something has changed (maybe its the mindset).

Although L'eau d'Issey Miyake for woman is supposed to be a light fragrance, it is actually a rather strong one and sharp too i would say. My friends are divided into 2 groups so far as this fragrance is concerned, one group adores it and the other simply flee when they detect molecules of this scent whiffing into their nasal cavity.

I still like this fragrance as it evokes past memories, i will still wear it every now and then and keeping it is more of like of a keepsake of memories past.

Like it enough to repurchase?

If you like lean towards clean, fresh and sharp scent, and if you have fond memories linked to it like i do.

Top Notes: Cyclamen, Rose Water, Melon, Freesia, Lotus and Rose.

Middle Notes: Lily, Lily of the Valley, Carnation and Water Peony.

Base Notes: Amber, Cedar, Musk, Exotic Woods, Tuberose, Sandalwood and Osmanthus.

Sources from http://www.fragrantica.com/