Need: NYX Intense Butter Gloss

NYX, your lip products game is too well-played. 

They launched the NYX Intense Butter Gloss a few months back and I'm attracted to SO MANY shades. 

The great thing is, NYX always has amazingly affordable price points, so I can buy multiple shades at once without feeling like I've been robbed. 

The above swatch video is from the gorgeous BeautywithEmilyFox. She does amazing swatch videos and I love supporting smaller YouTube channels because their contents are very much sincere and less profit-oriented. 

BUT YES...

Here are the colours that I need to buy ASAP: 

• Tres Leche (nude mauve pink)
• Toasted Marshmallow (deep chocolate red with a tinge of purple)
• Funnel Delight (bright fuchsia pink)
• Orangesicle (bright orange)

... then they have the High Voltage Lipsticks and I still want to collect more of their Soft Matte Lip Creams. 

Just take all my money lah!!!! 

BLOGMAS Day 4: Review - NYX Matte Lipstick in MLS 10 Perfect Red

Funny how a few months back I'm adamant about not wearing lipstick, and now....I'm all about matte lipsticks. NYX is incredibly reliable (not to mention extremely affordable) when it comes to matte lipsticks. I have tried both the soft matte lip creams and the matte lipsticks, and I love them both! I'll highly recommend both products to those who love matte lipsticks - more so if you are a fan of bright/dark coloured matte lipsticks. All of the NYX brighter/darker colours that I have tried have not disappointed me. 

This post will be dedicated to my favourite red lipstick - the NYX Matte Lipstick in MLS 10 Perfect Red. Different stores (online or physical) sell this at different prices but most of the stores will not sell the NYX Matte Lipsticks for more than S$15. If I remember correctly, I got mine for less than S$10!. 

However, please be wary when shopping for NYX matte lip products online. Due to the huge following of the soft matte lip creams and the matte lipsticks, there are some nefarious people who sell fake NYX lip products for the same price. I found a brilliant article on facebook on how to differentiate the real and fake soft matte lip creams and do take a look! I have yet to find one for the matte lipsticks but I'll definitely update this page if I find a reliable article. 

Proceeding with the review...let's go!

Packaging: Truly brilliant packaging - chic matte black texture for a matte lipstick (very appropriate and also damn smooth) with a clever addition of the transparent panel in the middle. No need to open the cap and search for the shade that you want to wear because you get to see the actual product shade from the packaging. Genius!

Colour and pigmentation: MLS 10 Perfect Red is a true red colour with quite a lot of blue undertones. Blue-based reds are great for those with cool toned skin! If you're looking for a true red with lots of orange undertones, then MLS 08 Pure Red is good for you!.

When I had Perfect Red on my lips, my teeth looked whiter than they actually were. Major love please!

Pigmentation-wise, oh my NYX Matte Lipsticks are beyond amazing. The swatch below was done with a single swipe. SINGLE! But of course, incredible pigmentation can lead to some application trouble, especially for beginners, hence I will suggest that you use a lip brush to apply this, or to apply any bright-coloured lipsticks.

Swatch under natural lighting

Swatch taken with camera flash

Application: The NYX Matte Lipstick in MLS 10 Perfect Red glides oh-so-smoothly on the lips. Even when using a lip brush, it's not that hard to get product on the brush. It will not apply matte - after application, it will take a good 10-15 seconds to mattify, or even more depending on the temperature/humidity level.

Longevity: The NYX Matte Lipstick in MLS 10 Perfect Red is not as transfer-proof as the soft matte lip creams. This will definitely transfer to any mugs/straws when you drink. However, very strangely, even after transferring to mugs and after two meals, I still had bright red lips. Yes, it did fade a little bit and it wasn't as bright as initial application, but the fading was minimal! Lasted me a good 12 hours with NO touch-ups. Two thumbs up!

Will I buy it again? More colours for me please! I'm loving Tea Rose and Angel. Maybe I'm going o get more soon! :D

Quick Review: NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in SMLC17 Ibiza

Words alone are not enough to describe my obsession with the NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams. I need to do hip shakes, arm flails and many fist pumps. The want is urgent - I want ALL colours. 

Before SMLC17 Ibiza, I only owned one NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream - SMLC01 Amsterdam. After months and months of looking at swatches on Instagram, I decided to stop thinking too much and just GET IBIZA. The NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream is not very expensive; it's actually really affordable at S$10.50 at Shopping-Disctrict.net. The reason why I hesitated getting this so much is because this colour seemed rather similar to the one that I owned. "Seemed" is the key word here because once it arrived, I realised my worries were unfounded. 

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in SMLC17 Ibiza is a beautiful deep rose pink that sets to an impressively long-lasting matte finish. On the other hand, SMLC01 Amsterdam is more like a true red. 

Why do I love it so much to the point where I can put this on an altar and pray to it?

• Applies smoothly and easily with no lumps or streaks. 
• Dries to a pleasant matte finish where your lips still look full and not dry.
• Surprisingly moisturising - doesn't cause fine lines on the lips, unlike many other matte lip products.
• Extremely long-lasting - it will survive a full 9-6 day with no touch-ups effortlessly.
• Super durable - no matter how many sips of coffee (or any other drinks) I took and how much food I ate, the colour is still on my lips. It didn't look like I had food/drink at all!
• Pigmentation is to die for. Seriously at S$10.50, this is the bomb man. 

I don't think I can find any legit cons. Ok, maybe removing it takes a little bit more time and effort, but aiyah laziness will make you ugly, so just take that extra time and effort lah!

Photos, photos!

Next on the list - SMLC20 Copenhagen. I REALLY REALLY REALLY WANT THIS, but it's sold out on Shopping-District.net. I've already registered my email in the notification list, so once this is restocked, I'm checking out!!!!! Major excited woots!!!!

Gorgeous photo from x

Have a great Sunday guys! :)

Lip Obsession: NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream

Highly pigmented, applies like a dream, has the perfect soft matte finish, not easily transferable and very long-lasting (>12 hours WOW). All the things a good lip product should have. 

I really want all the other colours! Time to drop Smoochiezz a visit!

Review: NYX Above & Beyond Full Coverage Concealer

The elf studio Maximum Coverage Concealer didn't really work for me, so I had to find another find to replace my holy grail concealer (L.A. Girl Pro Conceal Concealer). The review for the elf studio one has been linked in the previous sentence, so if you're interested to know more about my thoughts on that, click away! 

I chanced upon the NYX Above & Beyond Full Coverage Concealer during my previous Shopping District experience and so I decided to get it. It retails for S$9.50 on the Shopping District website. One major reason why I got it was because I remembered I used to use this concealer when I was on exchange in 2011, and I loved it so much. Back then, my skin was a horrific mess because it couldn't adapt well to the stark temperature difference; I had dry skin and acne - a very catastrophic combination that I never want to experience ever again. The NYX Concealer did its job well in covering up what needed to be covered, so I decided to repurchase to see if it's still as amazing as last time. 

The concealer definitely has gone through some changes. Back in 2011, it wasn't called the NYX Above & Beyond Full Coverage Concealer. I think it was more simply named, maybe like NYX Full Coverage Concealer or something along that line. 

Packaging: The NYX Above & Beyond Full Coverage Concealer has a problematic in-a-pot packaging. Positive things first, it's definitely a good product for travel or for throwing in your purse because even though it's in a glass pot, it's not bulky. Also, customers will get a lot of product. Usually, some brands will create this fake illusion by using a huge glass container, but when you open it up, the width of the glass is so large that you get very little product in the end. Not with this concealer!!

Ok now onto the troublesome part. I generally dislike products being in a pot, unless it's a gel eyeliner. With gel eyeliners, you have to use a brush to apply your eyeliners, so getting product out of the pot is no biggie. With concealers, some people prefer applying it with their fingers, and this pot packaging can prove to be quite unhygienic, especially for those who break out easily. Furthermore, what if the user prefers long fingernails? Then you get product stuck and it's a hassle removing it. Luckily for me, I like short nails and I always clean out the top layer after each application, so all's good for me. It takes more time than concealers in a tube, but if it works, why not spend those few extra seconds?

The NYX Above & Beyond Full Coverage Concealer promises to be light weight, crease free and full coverage. I'm 66.7% agreeable with this claim.

Texture/Consistency: The NYX Above & Beyond Full Coverage Concealer has a rich, creamy texture without being greasy or oily. It definitely is light weight as after applying a few layers on super active acne, the area didn't feel cakey or heavy at all. The creaminess also help to improve the blendability of the concealer.

Pigmentation: I don't agree that this is full coverage concealer. Maybe after three to four layers, but definitely not on the first two. It's great for under eye area, redness and fading acne scars. but more layers are needed for active pimples. I'm not complaining about the coverage though because at the moment I have no active pimple, so the concealer works very well for me in terms of covering up the required areas. Those with many inflamed spots but still need to cover up, you may need more than 3 layers to sufficiently conceal them.

Application: A very easy-to-use concealer. A few dabs will already blend the concealer into the skin, hence it's quite pleasant to use!

Longevity: This is the most amazing factor about the NYX Above & Beyond Full Coverage Concealer. It lasts soooooooooooooooooo long?! I didn't even have to touch up at the end of a 9-6 work day. My T-zone area will be slightly oily, but that's just how my skin is, nothing too major! It's definitely crease-free. The concealer doesn't melt under our crazy weather and it stays put forever and ever! Two thumbs up!!

Will I buy it again? Yes, I will! It's now my go-to concealer (while saving on the last bits of the ultimate awesomeness concealer, L.A. Girl Pro Conceal Concealer) and I have a feeling I'm going to continue reaching out for it more and more in the mornings!

Hope this has been a good read! Have a good day guys! :)

Shopping District Beauty Haul (NYX, elf, COVERGIRL, Wet n Wild, jordana)

I got to know of Shopping District from a friend of mine on Twitter and ohmygosh I was hooked once I visited their website!

Just FYI, I'm not sponsored to write this blog post. I just love the site so much I have to write about it! Easy, fast and hassle-free transaction, and they have so many drugstore products that are not available in Singapore! 

Yay, here's my haul!

Wet n Wild Color Icon Collection Eyeshadow Single in Brulee (S$6.90) - Photo from X
COVERGIRL Lashblast 24 Hour Mascara in Very Black 800 (S$15)
NYX Concealer Jar in 04 Beige (S$9.50)
elf Essential Eyelid Primer in Champagne (S$4)

Jordana 12 HR Made To Last Liquid Eyeliner Pencil in 01 Black Point (S$8.90) - Photos from X and X

NYX Matte Lipstick in MLS10 Perfect Red (S$10) - Photo from X
Jordana Easyliner For Lips (S$8) - Photo from X 

Can't wait for all my new toys to arrive! Especially the lipstick and lipliner! 

Website

Facebook

Review: NYX Nude on Nude Palette

Ever since I got my hands on the Urban Decay Naked Palette, I have been hooked on nude/neutral eyeshadow shades. I still like my pop of colour, but it's obvious that my makeup style has progressed to one that is less daring and more subtle. Neutral colours are just so ... simple. Nothing fancy at first glance, but a closer look reveals a little shimmer here and there, or a gradient of smokey neutral shades. Basically, neutral eyeshadow shades are versatile. Confirm cannot go wrong one.

 

The Urban Decay Naked Palette is legendary. It's so legendary that I wanted to get Naked 2 Palette even though many of the shades are so similar. But of course, the hefty price tag of S$80 stopped me on my tracks. I want more but I'm not willing to spend so much. Hence, the NYX Nude on Nude Palette caught my attention! It has been labelled as the perfect dupe for the Urban Decay Naked and Naked 2; like that of course must get right?

 

Smoochiezz sells this for around S$45 I think and even though it's almost half the price of a Naked 2, I was still quite hesitant. FORTUNATELY, the NYX Nude on Nude Palette is available on Amazon and I was able to get it for around S$26. SCORE.

 

I had really high hopes for this, and that's not a good thing because the NYX Nude on Nude Palette proved to be at most, mediocre. Bleh.

 

The NYX Nude on Nude Palette gives you more for less by including 20 eyeshadow shades and 10 lip colours.

I was so excited when I saw the colour swatches on the packaging - they all look major gorgeous! Well, now I know that photos can be deceiving. I'm not that disappointed with the eyeshadow shades, but the lip colours, oh man, they are not stellar at all.

Packaging: Simple and classic with a sturdy brown casing that's easy to open. I don't understand the see-through thingies though. You have 20 gorgeous shades but you are only displaying 10? I'd much prefer it if NYX just exclude the weird see-through things and add more oomph by changing the casing to a metallic brown/faux leather brown with the logo emblazoned on it. However, cannot complain too much because it's not that bad lah.

The pull-out lip palette is quite filmsy though. A lot of times, the lip palette will just slide out on its own because of how insecure the bottom palette is, and I'd have lipstick all over the side of my right hand.

Eyeshadow palette photographed under normal sunlight condition

Eyeshadow palette photographed with camera flash

Lip palette photographed under normal sunlight condition

Lip palette photographed with camera flash

Swatches of first row of eyeshadows - photographed with camera flash

Swatches of second row of eyeshadows - photographed with camera flash

Eyeshadow palette

Pigmentation: Most of the eyeshadows were decently pigmented. The black eyeshadow is extremely powdery and not as pigmented as expected. Generally, the golds, browns and taupes are fantastically pigmented. The matte shadows are powdery but still workable. The blendability of the shadows range from very easy (the shimmery colours) to hair-pulling challenging (that black..just kill me).

Application: I have this palette for almost 1.5 months now and I keep reaching out for the lighter shimmery browns and golds, and that's simply because they apply beautifully and the texture of those shadows are just perfect. I like how the shimmery shades contain almost no glitters - this means no weird glitter residue on your under-eye area. The matte nude-peach shade (first left of first row) is so amazing as a brow highlighter that I have already touched pan on that shade. If you are still a beginner in eyeshadow application, I'd advise you to stay away from the dark shimmery grey and shimmery black though - these shades are fallout champions and you need to be extra careful during application.

Longevity: I used the NYX eyeshadow base before applying the eyeshadows and they lasted the entire work day (9am-7pm). A little bit of fading at the end of the day, but nothing too significant.

General overview: Great palette with a wide range of shades and almost superior longevity. The darker shimmery shades are a pain to work with but not something totally unmanageable.

Swatches of lip palette photographed with camera flash

Lip palette

 

Pigmentation: 25/75. 25% woah pigmented and 75% barely there. Those nude lip shades look so gorgeous on the pan, but they are non-existent on the lips. I don't get it seriously. The fiery reds are stellar, and I prefer the cool-toned red more because it matches my skin colour better. Another shade that I don't get is the crazy shimmery pastel pink on the far left. Maybe it's just me, but I cannot imagine myself or anyone wearing this shade at all. It's in-your-face shimmery and it's only suitable for .... a costume party or something along that line.

 

Application: The 25% that are more pigmented applies dreadfully. When you are layering the lip shade to get a more intensified colour, streaks will appear and basically you look like you have crazy dry lips. I used the lip brush that came with the palette to apply and I think it's a combination of the medicore lip brush and queer lip colour formulation that caused the streakiness. NOT A FAN.

 

Longevity: What longevity? The nude shades were barely there to begin with and after 2 hours, I think I ate all the lipstick up already. The reds performed better but they get quite dry after a while (I think being in an air-conditioned room affects the performance, so let's give the reds the benefit of the doubt).

 

General overview: A let-down, especially when the actual NYX lipsticks have amazing pigmentation and formulation. If this palette were sold on its own, I definitely will not purchase it.

 

Will I buy the NYX Nude on Nude Palette again? Maybe not. The eyeshadow shades are great, but the lip palette really brings the quality down. Moreover, I like to find more nude/neutral palettes in the beauty market, so perhaps it's time to move on to another brand? Maybe Lorac next? HEE.

 

Thanks for reading guys! Hopefully this post has been helpful! Have an amazing amazing AMAZING week ahead! :)

 

 

Travel essentials - light makeup edition

This is the second part of my "travel essentials" post - all about the makeup that I bring with me when I'm traveling. 

However, because of my fussiness about makeup looks, this post will only be for the products that I bring along with me for trips that require no heavy or fancy makeup looks! For those looks, I tend to bring a much bigger makeup bag filled with a lot more products haha. 

I have a lot of makeup bags, but I prefer to use a clear one during traveling just so that I can save seconds when looking for the products. It's not a lot of time, but the seconds add up! 

My current go-to traveling makeup bag is this Banila Co. one which Eve got for me from S. Korea. It's not so huge but it can contain a lot of products! Also, it's clear and it's bright orange. I'm sold. 

• Sunscreen - I always use sunscreen before my actual foundation routine. I'm paranoid of getting old and the sunlight is no longer my friend at this age!
• Concealer - MUST HAVE. Without a concealer, I think I will just stay indoors all day. 
• Two-way foundation - I always use the ZA two-way foundation. I have used more expensive powders and I still think the ZA one is the best. I will use the sponge for under-eye area, then use the everyday minerals brush for all the other parts. This way, my face will not look cakey! 

• Tinted moisturiser - I completely forgot to include this on the above photo! I will use my tinted moisturiser before concealer! I'm running out of my Laura Mercier one and I'm sad. :( 
• Blush + Bronzer - I have too many blushes and too many bronzers, but when I'm traveling, I will always bring my elf Contouring Blush & Bronzing Powder because the packaging is not bulky and I get two products in one. I always apply them with my trusted elf blush brush!

I tend to bring more eye products. haha.

• Eyeshadow base - it's my habit to use an eyeshadow base because it makes whatever eyeshadow I apply last longer and smudge-proof. 
• A good neutral eyeshadow - the one that I like is Elianto's brown eyeshadow! Enough shimmer for everyday wear! 
• A good highlight eyeshadow - I MUST blend my eyeshadow to make it look more natural, so I will always bring a skin-shade eyeshadow. 
• Trusted pencil eyeliner - Urban Decay's 24/7 in Perversion (LOVE!) 
• Trusted felt-tip eyeliner - for the winged eyeliner look that I love so so so so very much. 

I don't really bring mascaras because I will be out and about, and hence I don't want my mascara to smear, melt or just create a mess lah.

The above products are must-brings for me, no matter where I go. In my makeup bag, these products will always be present. I will only add other things and never take the above products out. If I'm going to school or just going out in Singapore, I will normally just bring out my two-way foundation out.

Should I do another post on heavy makeup edition? I'm on the fence because I will be featuring many similar items and the post will be a bit boring then. :S Do tell me if you guys want to read a post on that though!

Have a good weekend and hope the two posts have been useful for your traveling plans! :)

Worth my money: NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream and NYX Xtreme Lip Cream

I do not like lip products but the weird idiosyncrasy (I realised this does not make sense because an idiosyncrasy is already peculiar, but whatever, DOUBLE THE EFFECT.) does not stop me from salivating over amazing lip products like the two below. NYX is really killing it with all these stellar products that are coupled with wallet-friendly prices! 

I know Smoochiezz sells them, so next time I'm in the Smoochiezz warehouse or the Tanjong Pagar Xchange booth, I will grab some! 

The first one is the NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream. I know Huiling has a couple and she raves about them (http://www.thatfeeling.sg/2012/07/nyx-soft-matte-lip-cream-in-san-paulo.html). I have been intrigued for so long, and I really need to make the plunge huh? 

Even temptalia recommends it, so I REALLY NEED TO GET SOME! 

Some swatches I found on the nyxcosmetics website. I really fancy Monte Carlo, Stockholm and San Paulo!

Photo taken from nyxcosmetics.com

Another NYX lip product that I just discovered and deeply want in my collection is the NYX Xtreme Lip Cream. This product promises a velvety finish while still giving a full-on pigmentation on your lips that lasts. SIGN ME UP PLEASE. 

The colour range for the NYX Xtreme Lip Cream is more extreme than the Soft Matte Lip Cream range. I especially like Spicy, Buttery Nude and Bonfire.

I really don't like nude shades because they make me look like I just woke up from my coffin, and I'm still on the fence about hot pink lipsticks. Personally, I think hot pink suits girls with a darker skin tone more, but then again the debate about cool tone pink and warm tone pink will start and I'll be caught in the middle. Argh.

But yes, cool tone red is my friend, and so I need some cool tone red lipsticks!

Photo taken from nyxcosmetics.com

TIME TO DROP BY SMOOCHIEZZ! :D

Everyday Make-up Routine + Jazzing it up a lil!

I have been asked quite a lot on the everyday makeup products that I use. So here's a post to answer all the queries that I have on that topic! 

I used to buy makeup products just for the sake of buying, but nowadays I keep repurchasing things that I like, and I hesitate a little more when it comes to experimenting with new brands. The reason is simple - I don't want to risk my skin from breaking out. As I get older, my skin gets more and more sensitive to the chemicals used in such products and so usually I take the easy way out and just stick with the products that I know will work fine on my skin. 

The first section is just for face alone. Not everything is used on my face at one go; I rotate between products or just simply apply what I feel like applying. 

ZA Two-way Foundation - has been a favourite of mine since secondary school days. I strayed in the past, but always come back to this powder because it's fantastic! 

Rimmel Stay Matte Liquid Foundation - Not kidding about the "Stay Matte" claim. This liquid foundation also has no SPF in it, so it's good for days when you know there's a lot of flash photography involved. 

Maybelline Pure Eraser Mineral Liquid Foundation - My current favourite liquid foundation. Amazing product! 

Heroine Beauty Perfect Sunscreen - My default primer. Makes my skin so smooth and high SPF content too! 

L.A. Girl Pro.conceal - I used to hate this product but ever since my skin became the shipwreck that it was, I realised this was the only concealer that covers well but will not break me out. So I have officially jumped ship.

MISSHA Under Eye Brightener - I only use this for my dark under-eye areas. Works like magic.

everydayminerals blush in Viki's Radiant Creation - I use this blush when I feel like I need a more orange or coral cheek look. The fine sparkles are pretty too!

M.A.C Beauty Powder in Pretty Baby - On days in which I like pink cheeks, I will turn to this beauty powder. Extremely buildable and the colour is not too ra-ra!

elf Healthy Glow Bronzing Powder in SunKissed - I always turn to this product whenever I need to look more alive. I don't use this for contouring though because it's quite sparkly. Usually what I do is I apply after my blush to make my cheeks more radiant!

Go-to eye products! I always use them!

NYX Eyeshadow Base - This product deserves more love from the beauty community. I tried both the UD Primer and the Too Faced Primer. This one works as brilliantly. So why pay more? :)

Clinique Colour Surge Eyeshadow Trio in 12 Lotus Flower - I mainly use this for the nude colour. I will apply it all over my eyelid area and that will be all my eyeshadow work.

I like to layer my mascaras so here are my current two favourites - Tony Moly Cats Wink Mascara and M.A.C Zoom Fast Black Lash.

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Perversion - The blackest of black eyeliner with an amazing amazing AMAZING formula and staying power. I'm just sad I'm using it so much. I need to get a new one soon!

Heroine Make Liquid Felt-tip Eyeliner - I always use this to do my cat-eye or winged eyeliner. Of course years of practice help when in comes to the perfect winged eyeliner but this is a good product to start with!

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Midnight Cowboy - I like to apply this on my inner undereye area because it creates the illusion of larger and more awake eyes!

When I see the need to jazz it up a little, or when I have a little bit more time, I turn to these products the most! More time equals to more products and more colours!

• Urban Decay Naked Palette
• Sleek Pout Polish in Electro Peach
• Too Faced bronzer
• Fresh lipbalm 
• elf Blush in Candid Coral

Yay! Hope this answers the queries! Have a good week ahead! :) I'm going to Bangkok in another 12 hours' time! Shopping galore!!! :D