Quick Review: Innisfree No-Sebum Mineral Powder VS Tarte Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Finishing Powder

Applying finishing powder is a must in my everyday makeup routine because of my excessively oily skin. The oiliness of my skin has somewhat improved because I have been going for freezing non-ablative laser sessions so it's okay for me to lay off the finishing powder application. However, if I don't do that, I feel INCOMPLETTTEEEEE~~ (please adjust the tune to Backstreet Boys' song. Sorry, this song just played on my spotify so....) 

I have two favourites at the moment and I really cannot decide which is the better one if I don't consider the price point. Both are my holy grail products for the finishing powder category. On some days I feel like the Innisfree No-Sebum Mineral Powder is doing a better job, but on other days I'm on Tarte Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Finishing Powder's team. Very confusing, so I have decided to love both. 

Here are some product specs and claims:

Innisfree No-Sebum Mineral Powder

• Cost: less than S$10 (I got it for S$8.50 on Qoo10 with free shipping) for 5g of product
• Highlighted ingredients: Jeju mineral powder, Jeju green tea and mint
• Claims: Double-sebum control system controls sebum secretion so well that you can forget about using oil control paper/oil blotting sheets.
• Other uses: Dry shampoo, eye primer

Tarte Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Finishing Powder

• Cost: S$48 for around 8.5g of product (available at Sephora)
• Highlighted ingredients: Amazonian clay
• Claims: Keeps makeup looking fresh without being chalky and can diffuse imperfections
• Other uses: can be used alone as treatment to reap benefits of Amazonian clay

So at first glance, the Innisfree one is definitely a much cheaper alternative - it's more than 5 times cheaper than Tarte. The reason why I cannot judge based on price right now is because I got the Tarte one in deluxe sample size free when I bought the Christmas special set. The deluxe sample has around 2g of product and so it's around S$11.50 worth of product. 

Even though both finishing powders seem to be for the same purpose (control oil, mattify skin etc), both are strangely different when it comes to application outcome. 

Here's a summarised breakdown of what I think about these finishing powders:

Innisfree No-Sebum Mineral Powder

• Slightly more refreshing scent due to inclusion of mint.
• Intensity is doubled when you use the puff - you may look way too white - so I will suggest using a soft all-over face brush instead.
• Controls oil decently. My face looks put together and relatively oil-free for a longer period of time than if I exclude this from my makeup routine. 
• After 10 hours of wear, skin may look a little bit patchy around the nose area. Not sure if it's my foundation or if it's this product.
• Please do not use it as dry shampoo. My hair roots looked....dusty. O_O
• Longevity: 9-10 hours
• Great to use if you have no acne scarrings and are only concerned with oily skin. This will stick to the acne scars and make the dry skin in that area more obvious. 

Tarte Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Finishing Powder

• No standout scent. Great if you don't like fragrances in your products.
• No given puff, so I used only my face brush and application was delightful. Skin feels smooth after application.
• Controls oil decently as well. Not much difference from Innisfree No-Sebum Mineral Powder.
• Longevity: 9-10 hours
• This finishing powder can be used even when you have blemishes. It will just settle nicely on top of the blemishes and it will not emphasize the dry areas. 

I used both the Innisfree one and the Tarte one interchangeably. If I feel like I have way too many blemishes on my skin, then I will use the Tarte one. If everything's looking okay, I will use the Innisfree one. So, it's great to have both! 

But of course, taking the price point into consideration, the Innisfree No-Sebum Mineral Powder is much more superior because it does almost the same thing as the Tarte Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Finishing Powder. It's a great dupe! 

So which one do you think is a better finishing powder? 

OOTDs, Best Boyfriend Award, Pink Dot and Catching Up

I think the most likely reason why I started taking OOTD photos again is I want to proof to myself that I can buy new clothes AND wear them. Seriously, I have way too many clothes that still have their tags on. It's a terrible habit, so I must start to wear all of them!! 

But then hor, I think I'm being overzealous last week because I have lost the steam this week. It's back to comfortable tops and jeggings for me. Alamak how leh like that!! :S 

Dress: Zalora
Vest: Uniqlo
Bag: Taobao
Shoes: ASICS 

Blouse: Uniqlo
Vest: ZARA
Shorts: H&M
Bag: Taobao
Shoes: Puma

Shirt: GU Japan
Vest: Something Borrowed (from Zalora)
Culottes: GU Japan
Shoes: WOO! (from Zalora)

Shoes: Zalora

Wow, I really like shopping on Zalora huh? 

Kengyang went to South Korea for his grad trip and being the nice girlfriend that I am, I told him to just get me 2 Laneige BB Cushion refills and a few masks. 

I guess Kengyang and friends had too much time on their hands because they went crazy shopping at the drugstores. He whatsapped me every single time they were in new shops and remarked on how crazily cheap the sheet masks were. So yes, Kengyang and friends went a little bit overboard in terms of sheet mask and aloe vera gel purchases. But hey I'm not complaining because I get immediate benefits, as seen above. :D 

I really need to go to South Korea for all the amazing beauty and skincare products!

And being the amazing boyfriend that he is, Kengyang also bought me Big Bang socks. :) 

Attended Pink Dot with dorabanana and I really enjoyed the positive energy and overflowing love from everyone! I accidentally tripped and hit a lady but instead of the usual and expected TSK + eye roll, I got a "Are you okay!!!". Everyone is happy for everyone. I love it! 

When I posted this photo, I expected a couple of family members (who always like my Instagram photos) to not like it. And indeed, that happened. But hey, that's their opinion and I respect that. Even though these family members do not approve of homosexuality, they don't go around preaching about how sinful it is either. 

As a Catholic, I have been taught that homosexuality is a sin. As my own being, I do not think homosexuality is a sin. 

Also, people who are using religion as weapons - who are you to judge? 

Did you completely ignore Romans 2:1? 

You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. 

How about Luke 6:41-42?

Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,' when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.

John 8:7?

When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her."

(all using NIV)

THERE ARE MANY MANY MORE. Don't ignore and just read things that you want to read leh. Selective reading means you don't know your religion entirely. How do you call yourself a follower of that religion then? 

If you have unpleasant things to say at this point, please exit the page and proceed somewhere else. Bye bye. 

Ending off this post with a photo of Shangying and I. We met up a couple of weeks ago for dinner and it was a great catch-up session. The last time I saw her was probably more than a year ago, so it was much-needed meetup!

Have a great week ahead guys! :) 

This is why I hate dieting.

How to diet when Singapore has so much to offer in terms of ridiculously delicious food? I used to be much better at this dieting thing when I was in my teens. I was in TAF club (damn paiseh to be in TAF club when you're a teenager okay. The body shaming pressure is real and harsh.) in secondary one and I was so over getting laughed at by my schoolmates, so I hardcore dieted. In 5 months, I lost more than 10kg and was out of TAF club. But ohmygosh, I remember surviving only on liquids for 3 straight weeks. It was hell and I was the most prickly person to be with. 

After that, my diets lasted less than a week. Always complete fiascos. 

I'm too greedy for diets. 

So, I exercise more so that I can eat more good stuff. Good balance right? :D

So here are some of the food I consumed these past 3 weeks. 

Fat Cow

1 Orchard Blvd, 248649

Five & Dime Eatery

297 River Valley Rd, Singapore 238338

Woori-Nara

19 Lorong Kilat #01-02, Singapore 598120

Sunday Folks

44 Jln Merah Saga, Singapore 278116

Also, since I hate dieting, I have started on a must-exercise-at-least-6-days-a-week routine and actually quite shiok leh :D

It's usually a combination of blogilates and fitnessblender workout videos. If not then I'll do 500 squats/500 abs then I'll run for at least 30 minutes. I really feel very uncomfortable when I don't exercise. Is that bad? :S

Have a great week guys. HUAT! 

Review: Makeup Revolution Ultra Professional Blush Palette in Golden Sugar and Hot Spice

Makeup Revolution is still not familiar makeup brand name in Singapore. I think many would think of Sleek Makeup when asked about affordable English drugstore brand. Makeup Revolution has arrived in Singapore and it has garnered quite a following with over 25000 likes on the Makeup Revolution Singapore facebook page. 

The blush palettes that I'm reviewing today are not available in Singapore yet, but I'm quite sure the Singapore team will introduce these palettes very soon because they are BOMB DOT COM. I love these palettes so much, I need to glorify them and spread the gospel! 

I bought them from the English website and they were only £6 each. Super affordable! Shipping was more expensive than one palette (£7.50) but I had a 20% discount code so okay lah, I checked out. Googleland has plenty of coupon codes for Makeup Revolution, so be sure to google first before checking out!

I bought the Makeup Revolution Ultra Professional Blush Palette in Golden Sugar and Hot Spice. I couldn't decide between the two, so I just got both because they were so affordable. 

Packaging: Nothing too fancy and nothing to be wow-ed about. Simple and neat black packaging with a large functional mirror, so nothing to complain about either.

Golden Sugar is too gorgeous. Look at those baked highlighters, bronzers and blushes! I even used the baked gold bronzer as an eyeshadow and it was super beautiful on the eyelids.

Hot Spice focuses more on matte and shimmery shades and it only contains two baked shades. More muted than Golden Spice but still amazing!

Swatches of Golden Spice

Swatches of Hot Spice

When I received both palettes, I immediately took photos for this blog and then I applied them before going out. They are beyond incredible. I love them and I haven't used any other blushes/highlighters in my collection.

Pigmentation: When they used the words "high pay off" for the packaging, they were not kidding at all. These are highly pigmented. All my swatches were the results of just one swipe on each colour. Crazy right?! This also meant that you have to be careful during application because there's a risk of applying too much.

Application: Despite being so highly pigmented, these were surprisingly easy to blend out. Application was a breeze using my usual elf blush brush and the colours glide on smoothly. It does not stick to dry areas and cause unsightly patches (my cheeks are usually quite dry after cleansing).

Longevity: The blushes and highlighters last for a good 8-10 hours. I haven't used the bronzers on my face since I'm not into contouring, but I did use one bronzer as an eyeshadow and it lasted for around the same number of hours also.

Seriously, for 6 pounds each, these palettes are very impressive. I have NO negative points at all.

Here's a the finished makeup look after mixing 3 shades from the two Makeup Revolution Ultra Professional Blush Palettes.

Damn pretty leh, buay tahan. I LOVE THEM.

Will I buy it again? I don't think I will use them up that quickly, but if I really do run out, I will buy again!

Have a good Friday guys! :) 

Quick Review: Caudelie Instant Detox Mask

Photo from Caudelie's website

Caudelie recently launched 4 new facial masks and I was truly intrigued. The 4 variations are:

• Glycolic Peel Mask (an exfoliant for cellular renewal - for radiant and bright skin)
• Instant Detox Mask (eliminate impurities and toxins - for that "poreless" skin)
• Purifying Mask (eliminate impurites and excessive sebum - for clear and even skin)
• Moisturizing Mask (provide intense moisture and relief - for hydrated, supple skin)

These 4 facial masks are formulated to address different skin concerns and it's quite clever how Caudelie has included a facial chart on their website on how you can mix and match different masks on your face in one application to address the multiple skin concerns that you may have. 

For example, if you want to have skin balance, you can apply the Purifiying Mask on the oily areas and then the Moisturizing Mask on your cheeks. Here's the facial chart!

I was interested in both the Instant Detox Mask and Purifying Mask, but I didn't want to pay the money for the full-sized product without trying them out, so I browsed Carousell for some samples. 

I only tried the Instant Detox Mask once and I now know why there were so many glowing reviews for this mask. I actually am tempted to get the full-sized one now because it worked wonders on my skin. Just a single application and I'm already sold!

Okay, details...

The Caudelie Instant Detox Mask has green-coloured packaging, but the product itself is in a pinkish-red hue. It's just like any other clay mask that will harden after 5-10 minutes of application. But the major difference between this clay mask and the others that I have tried is that there's no tingling involved. I only felt a cooling sensation and that's about it. I was so worried that the mask wasn't working at all! After 10 minutes, I rinsed off the mask and scrutinised my skin. Nothing much leh, so I was relieved that I only paid for a sample. 

The magic happened the next morning. I was really very shocked. 

I had two pimples before application - one on my upper cheek and one on the upper lip area. The morning after using the Caudelie Instant Detox Mask, the size of the two pimples reduced significantly. I still could see the redness, but they didn't hurt anymore. WOW?! 

And then, I applied my foundation routine as per normal and left for work. After lunch, I finally had the chance to go to the toilet (yay mirror!) and I noticed that my face wasn't as oily as it normally was and the two areas next to my nose were not as "holey" anymore. I was, to be honest, quite speechless. How come one application can so powerful one?! 

I also read online that some users experience a "purging" effect where the mask pulled out impurities to the skin surface, causing you to have bumps/breakouts. It has been 2 days and I have zero pimples, so no "purging" effect for me! Hooray! 

Seriously man, I'm very willing to spend the S$53 on the full-size 75ml product now! 

Review: Laneige BB Cushion [Pore Control] in 23 Sand Beige

I used to think of the BB Cushion concept as "just another gimmick that wouldn't work". Obviously I was very wrong because right now, I can't think of a better way to apply liquid foundation or BB cream. The magic is in the cushion puff used to apply the product. I used up my Etude House Precious Mineral Any Cushion but I didn't want to stop using the puff so I used it to blend out my favourite Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation. Best decision ever because the puff and the patting motion resulted in a well-blended, no-streaking application. 

I now have purchased back-ups of the puff ONLY because the puff seems to work well with almost all of my base products. 

But of course, that didn't stop me from trying out more cushion products. I'm now more wary of trying out these BB cushions because most of the available ones in the market are targeted towards dry to normal skin users. There are very few that are formulated for those with oily skin, hence when find one, I will get it. 

The Laneige BB Cushion is not a new product - it's probably the most talked-about BB cushion in the beauty industry. It's like the Naked palette of South Korea. Cult product status. However, the original formulation was more for those with dry to normal skin types. I've read a multitude of positive reviews on the Laneige BB Cushion (and very very few negative experiences. Quite a feat!) and I was upset that I wasn't able to try out the product. 

Then, they had a Pore Control version out. It's like Laneige was testing the waters first, then once the product boomed into mega stardom, they released a semi-matte version which will delight those with combination to oily skin types. Similarly to the original version, the Laneige BB Cushion [Pore Control] barely has any negative reviews from users. Very li hai hor? So I also must buy. 

And I did. 

But not the full compact, just the refill. I got mine from Carousell for just S$20. 

I didn't buy the full compact (S$59 in Luxola) because I still had my Etude House compact. Luckily I did some research. Etude House and Laneige are owned by the same company (Amore Pacific), and so some of their products have similar packaging. The Laneige BB Cushion refill fits perfectly into the Etude House Precious Mineral Any Cushion packaging. S$39 saved! 

Random fact: I just did a quick Wikipedia search for Amore Pacific and I'm quite shocked at how many brands Amore Pacific owns. Aritaum, Hera, Mamonde, Sulwahsoo, Innisfree, IOPE, etc. It's like the Asian L'oreal. 

Packaging: I don't have the actual Laneige BB Cushion packaging because the refill is currently residing in the Etude House compact, but I'm very glad that someone in Amore Pacific decided to make the refills compatible across brands. Yes, they are not going to earn a full S$59 from customers, but they are going to earn the refill money from returning customers. Kengyang is in South Korea now, and I have asked him to get me 2 refills of the Laneige BB Cushion (Pore Control). If they only sold the full compact, I wouldn't even ask him to get me one.

Shade: I got mine in 23 Sand Beige. I think there are 5-6 shades available depending on where you buy the product. I searched online and the darkest shade is 33 Coffee (which looked NOTHING like coffee). 23 Sand Beige is an almost perfect match for my skin tone. My skin tone is more on the yellow-olive side and 23 Sand Beige is a little bit pinker than my skin tone. This is great because I always look for foundations with a slight pink in them to neutralise the yellowness slightly.

Pigmentation/Coverage: The Laneige BB Cushion [Pore Control] has incredible coverage. I always forget that it's marketed as a BB cream product because the coverage is almost like a liquid/cream foundation. I would say that one layer will give you medium coverage, and you can build it up to almost full coverage by piling on the layers without feeling like you armed yourself with a thick face mask. It covers my acne scars quite well even only with one layer. I usually apply two layers - one on the entire face, then a second one on the areas that need more TLC.

Come, come I show you pictures!!

First photo: No makeup at all. This was after I applied my day moisturizer.
Second photo: First layer of the Laneige BB Cushion [Pore Control] (as you can see, it has a semi-matte finish, and not dewy finish)
Third photo: Second layer of Laneige BB Cushion [Pore Control] on lower cheeks and upper mouth area.
Fourth photo: Follow up with finishing powder
Fifth photo: Completed look!

Very impressive right?

I show you a more drastic change.

Lai, before and after!

有没有很厉害 !!

Longevity: You definitely need to use a primer before using the Laneige BB Cushion. I tried with and without primer and the difference is quite staggering. Without a primer, this lasted me for 3-4 hours before things started to look a little bit too oily for my liking. With a primer, this lasted double the time. A good 7-8 hours before I needed a powder touch-up.

Will I buy it again? I already have 2 backups, and I'm willing to stick to this BB Cushion till I find another one suitable for my skin type. Whenever I find a product that works for my skin, I will stick to it and I'm quite resistant to product changes. Just like how I have used my ZA two-way foundation for almost 10 years. If there are no better alternatives out there, I will stick with the Laneige BB Cushion (Pore Control). Great, great product!

Have a great day guys! Do let me know if you have more BB Cushions that you want me to try! :) 

Hougang Adventures + Weight Rant

Oh look what I found! A forgotten blogpost! 

These photos were from almost 4 months ago, oh my goodness. We had a Chinese New Year gathering at Dora's house and we all had a great time. Finally met all of Dora's pet and non-pet birds. "Non-pet" meaning there were these birds that flew from don't know where to her house. Her house macam pit stop/ rest stop for birds like that. 

Anyway, onto something completely irrelevant to the photos ...

Someone said this to me last week - "Fitrina, you have a pleasant face! Would be much better if you lose a little bit of weight!". And this individual didn't mean the words negatively. The words were supposed to be somewhat motivational and encouraging. Initially, I didn't put much thought into these words, but I kept thinking about them before I went to bed that night.

It's like telling me an A- is great, but if I put in more effort and get an A+, it will be much much better.

I used to be incredibly fixated with losing weight and getting thinner. But I couldn't let go of my food-loving nature, so you know what I did? I ate way too much, then I barfed.

I have decided to let go of this tiring habit by loving myself more. Yes, I'm not thin. But I'm not morbidly obese as well. I try my best to eat healthily and I make sure I work out at least 3 days a week. I know I'm doing what I can to be healthy and that is all that matters. So, I'm just going to take those words with a pinch of salt.

Now... to all those of you who lack the sense of filtering when you speak, what if those words were received by someone who did not have self-love or someone who already felt unsure about himself/herself? What detrimental impact would those words have on him/her? A few simple words that will add more burden on that someone. I know you mean well, but if your words have that element of ambiguity, then it's better not to say anything.

My response to this individual was simple - "Oh thanks! How about you join me this Sunday at Bukit Timah Nature Reserve? I usually do a bi-weekly morning hike there." I got a "haha wah really ah, good for you then!" reply back and this individual left.

To those of you who are battling such words everyday and greatly affected by them, please try your very best to ignore them. Most of time, these people meant no harm. They just needed to say something. If acquaintances/strangers say these words, it's best to ignore - what do they know about your life right? If people whom you care about say those words, then let them know you're bothered by those words. They won't stop till you yourself do something about them. Ignore or inform.

I'm glad I love myself more now. I still get the occasional boohoo-I-hate-myself sessions but usually just on those days before monthly cycles end. Maybe next time when I need to try wedding dress then I lose more weight lah hor? :D Must look mei3 mei3 glam glam~~

Don't say bo jio.

Don't you just hate it when people say "ehhh!!! BO JIO LEH!!!" 

Like shut up can? If you are meant to be jio-ed, you will be jio-ed. The more you say, the more people will get annoyed, then they don't jio you anymore. Why put yourself in such a situation?? 

Yes, there are a couple of people I know who are a bit needy that way. You can do much more than that. Why not you take the first step and ask your friends out? 

ANYHOO~ some photos from past gatherings. 

My 5-day weekend has come to an end. I'm ready to go back to work tomorrow but also a bit scared. These days I get really jumpy over small things. :( 

Ohwell, let's cheers to a great week ahead! A few more days to 2-year work anniversary. Damn fast, cannot take it.