Review: Essence Semi-Permanent Eyeliner Pen

I think my current mission in the beauty-related part of life is to collect all pen eyeliners from every brand. It's a really bad habit. But I use eyeliners every single day and I go through eyeliners so quickly! It's always good to have backups; I get a panic attack when one pen eyeliner starts to dry up and I have no other pen eyeliners to turn to (of course, I have plenty of gel eyeliners and pencil eyeliners, but pen eyeliners is MY LIFE). 

As of now, I have 2 go-to pen eyeliners. The first one is the Essence 100% Splash-Proof Eyeliner Pen and the other one is the Essence Semi-Permanent Eyeliner Pen. 

Essence is doing a marvellous job with their eyeliners!! I'm officially a fan and I will definitely repurchase these eyeliner pens! 

As with the Essence 100% Splash-Proof Eyeliner Pen, the Essence Semi-Permanent Eyeliner Pen is also not entirely perfect. It definitely has its flaws. However, the positive traits of this eyeliner pen definitely outweighed the flaws and I'm a happy camper!

I bought the Essence Semi-Permanent Eyeliner Pen during the Essence Warehouse Sale not long ago, and I got it for S$3. SO CHEAP RIGHT?! The retail price should be below S$10, so it's still affordable without the discount! 

What got me excited:

• Precise line (yay!)
• Colour intensive (yay yay!)
• Extra longlasting (triple yay!)
• There's no statement of it being waterproof or smudgeproof, which somewhat lowers my expectation, and will make me feel more impressed if the eyeliner proved to be quite waterproof or smudgeproof. 

I was a little bit unsure of using it because of the "stains the skin" disclaimer, but then again, my favourite K-Palette 1 Day Tattoo Eyeliner stains the lids like nobody's business, so yes, I decided to go ahead and use it. 

Packaging: Nothing to fancy and frankly nothing much to talk about. I kind of wish it has a pop of colour on the packaging though because it takes me a while to grab this eyeliner pen because it's stored in an eyeliner box with other eyeliners with similar packaging.

Applicator design: The Essence Semi-Permanent Eyeliner Pen has an applicator that's extremely similar to a permanent marker/slim whiteboard marker. The applicator is not filmsy at all and it's very sturdy. It's not a good applicator for beginners who want to try the winged eye look because it's not easy to use. Those looking at a simple eye look will be able to create it within seconds.

Top: one swatch of eyeliner pen. Bottom: double swatches of eyeliner pen

Pigmentation: Yes, yes, yes! One swipe is enough, but if you're looking at drama, two swipes will be the way to go! It's extremely pigmented and I like how a second coat will not scrunch up the first layer and cause nasty messy flakes. It has a semi-glossy finish as well.

Application: I did a simple eye look in mere seconds with the Essence Semi-Permanent Eyeliner Pen. Super user-friendly! If you want to get that flattering winged eye look, you have to practice a couple of times before getting the grip and the flow right. Be careful not to make mistakes though because this eyeliner stains your lids and even when you try to erase the mistakes using a cotton bud+makeup remover, you will still see a greenish tinge on your lids.

Top: one swatch of eyeliner pen. Bottom: double swatches of eyeliner pen (a good smudging after 5 minutes of application)

The Essence Semi-Permanent Eyeliner Pen did not claim to be smudgeproof or waterproof, but I decided to give it a test anyway.

Smudgeproof: Surprise, surprise! After waiting 5 minutes, I gave the swatches a good smudging and they did not budge! A very welcome pleasant surprise!

Top: one swatch of eyeliner pen. Bottom: double swatches of eyeliner pen (a good smudging with water)

Waterproof: The eyeliner pen is certainly not waterproof. A few drops of water disturbed the consistency of the eyeliner pen and a slight touch smudged the swatches. But Essence didn't claim for it to be waterproof, so all's well in this review because I don't feel cheated.

Top: one swatch of eyeliner pen. Bottom: double swatches of eyeliner pen (after removal with makeup wipes)

Staining power: The Essence Semi-Permanent Eyeliner Pen really does stain your skin. The above photo shows how much it can stain even after I tried to remove the swatches with makeup wipes. It works the same as the KPalette 1 Day Tattoo Eyeliner - it will stain when you remove the first time, however when you try to remove it again a couple of hours later, the stain will come off. Strange but yes it's something that I noticed after using eyeliners that stain the eyelids.

Longevity: Full marks for this section. FULL MARKS. Applied at 730am, and removed at 8-9pm with no smearing/transferring throughout the day. The trick with this eyeliner pen is to just let it chill and not touch it.

Will I buy it again? Most definitely! It works almost similarly to the KPalette 1 Day Tattoo Eyeliner (but not waterproof), but it's so much more affordable!

Hope this review has been useful! Have a great day guys! :D

Review: Essence 100% Splash-Proof Eyeliner Pen

There are 2 makeup products I cannot live without: concealer and eyeliner. Without these two, I don't think I will feel confident walking out of my house. 

I have already found my HG concealer (L.A. Girl PRO.conceal HD Concealer). I have also already found multiple HG eyeliners (Urban Decay's, K-Palette's, etc.), but I'm more open to trying out new eyeliners from various brands than concealers. Concealers are more tricky. You apply concealers straight to your skin and when you have a lot of blemishes, once you find a great one that has amazing coverage + doesn't break you out, you STICK WITH IT. Eyeliners, on the other hand, allow me to be more adventurous and experimental since I don't really have sensitive eyelids/eyes. 

This post will be about my current go-to felt-tip eyeliner - Essence 100% Splash-Proof Eyeliner Pen. I got it during the recent Essence Warehouse Sale for S$3-S$4? Ya, damn affordable. Normal retail selling price is also still affordable when compared to other drugstore brands! Definitely less than S$10 for one eyeliner. 

Claims:

• 24hr wear
• maximum waterproof formula
• maximum smudgeprood formula
• precise line

Some of the claims are definitely far-fetched. It's like a newbie trying to throw darts for the first time - MISSING THE BOARD ALTOGETHER. Ok, maybe not so bad lah, I sometimes exaggerate. :P  

But I still like to use it. Strange I know. READ ON. 

Packaging: Fuss-free and minimalistic. I don't like the blue fonts but it's not going to affect my usage so I'm not going to dwell on that too much. It's compact and the perfect size for your makeup bag.

Brush/Tip: The Essence 100% Splash-Proof Eyeliner Pen has a refreshingly sturdy felt-tip applicator. The usual felt-tip eyeliners in the market endorse the more flexible and bendable applicator (going for flexibility + control), but such eyeliners are more suitable for those who are already used to applying eyeliners. I think beginners will be more comfortable using the Essence 100% Splash-Proof Eyeliner Pen! The tip is not bendable and a shaky hand will not cause the tip to accidentally swerve from the line of application and mess it up. This kind of tip actually makes application a breeze and to be frank, quite fool-proof. It's only when you venture into the realms of cat-eye eyelining that you will meet some challenges. Overall, great brush/tip for beginners who are looking at a simple eyeliner look.

Pigmentation: I got the Essence 100% Splash-Proof Eyeliner Pen in 01 Ultra Black, and no joke, the pigmentation is certainly ... ultra black. I especially like it because there is no downtime when I use it. Sometimes, the tips of felt-tip eyeliners/pen eyeliners get really dry, and when you open the cap to use it, you have warm up the product at the back of your hand first to make sure you get maximum pigmentation on the first swipe. This eyeliner needs no warming up! I opened the cap and applied it straightaway and I got the below pigmentation after two strokes. Quite remarkable! Saves insignificant seconds but makes a lot of difference when you are in a rush.

Swatch after two strokes

Smudgeproof? Not really. I don't see the Essence 100% Splash-Proof Eyeliner Pen as a smudgeproof eyeliner. After 5 minutes of application, I tried to rub my index finger back and forth the applied area, and some of the eyeliner was smudged almost immediately. Maybe it's not fully dry yet, but 5 minutes should be enough time for eyeliners to dry during application! This is an indication that you SHOULD NOT rub your eyes when you use this eyeliner. There was one day when I suffered from a really itchy right eye and I subconsciouly rubbed it - good bye front half of eyeliner!! Fortunately I brought the eyeliner pen out and I could reapply right after I realised the disaster.

Swatch after a smearing attempt 5 minutes after application

Waterproof? This depends on how you define waterproof. As a product name, it's claimed to be "splash-proof", but in the description, it's described as "waterproof". I agree that the Essence 100% Splash-Proof Eyeliner Pen is splash-proof; I dripped some water on the applied area and the eyeliner didn't budge. I ran it under running water and I have no melting mess to handle. So yay for that. HOWEVER, the slightest swipe after it has touched water will cause the eyeliner to go haywire. Below is a photo of the swatch after I SLIGHTLY slid my finger down the wet area. It's almost gone! WHAT?!

This only mean one thing - you can cry all you want with this mascara. You can even be caught in a thunderstorm with no umbrella. But you have to make sure you don't touch your eyes AT ALL while crying or being trapped in the rain.

Swatch after a smearing attempt with water

Application: Easy peasy for a normal eyeliner look (no cat-eye, no winged look). Extremely quick application also. I think I used less than 5 seconds per eye for a normal eyeliner look. When it comes to the more elaborate eyeliner look, the Essence 100% Splash-Proof Eyeliner Pen will not be as user-friendly. Because the tip is sturdy and not as flexible, it's difficult to get the perfect winged look. If your hands are still shaky while applying eyeliner, that's it man, you cannot use this for your cat-eye look. I apply eyeliner almost every single day and I had trouble matching the winged eyeliner on both eyes. Aiyoh. But of course, practice, practice, practice! I'm now very comfortable with using this eyeliner!

Longevity: I have never tried leaving this on for 24 hours, so I'm not sure how factual this claim is. However, the Essence 100% Splash-Proof Eyeliner Pen has a great longevity. The longest I had it on was from 730am to 11pm and it stayed put throughout. You must be careful not to rub your eyes though, if not the eyeliner will FOR SURE rub off. This is not the eyeliner for people with oily eyelids and looking for a longlasting eyeliner. Even though it's splash-proof, it's not oil-proof. It will 100% smudge in presence of oil.

Will I buy it again? Surprisingly yes. It's not the most waterproof. It's definitely not smudge-proof. But...I use it every single day. I think the breezy application process won me over. Moreover, the Essence 100% Splash-Proof Eyeliner Pen is REALLY cheap. So yes, I will buy it again!

Hopefully this has been a good read! Have a great Friday guys! :)

Taobao (+Cotton On +River Island +Zalora +Runwaybandits+Romwe) Haul: December 2013

Let me just begin this post with a determined declaration - I'M ON A SHOPPING BAN TILL 20TH DECEMBER 2013. 

I have accumulated more new items than I have expected and it's, to be quite honest, disturbing. So yes, no more shopping till I leave for Taiwan! 

Let me illustrate to you how bad the situation is. Let me also reiterate that this haul post DOES NOT include the skincare and beauty items that I have shamelessly purchased. 

See lah, confirm got problem already. Self-control is a trait that I lack and one that I need to apply on myself. If I succeed this 16-day shopping ban (very lihai already okay?), I will .... eat a really good buffet when I'm back from Taiwan. GREAT IDEA. Rewarding myself with food always works. 

Taobao stuff! 

Purple Galaxy creepers. I had my doubts about them, but the pair's in amazing quality and NO REGRETS. 

Link: http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a2106.m5465.1000384.413.JETHuA&id=27526296452&scm=1029.grouplist-01.1.50006843&ppath=&sku=&ug=27 

Price: RMB45 (S$9.47) excluding international shipping fees

Oxblood/maroon booties. This was a good buy. My sister commented that they looked very expensive. 

Link: http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a1z10.4.w4004-4582930004.28.0AWpfL&id=35722766603 

Price: RMB25.98 (S$5.47) excluding international shipping fees

Floral dress for work!

Link: http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.286.ox3L7k&id=36039605054 

Price: RMB49 (S$10.32) excluding international shipping fees

Leather-trimmed skirt for work. I especially like that weird cut and the zipper detail. 

Link: http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a1z10.5.w4002-3631278473.46.8zT0CN&id=35585030289 

Price: RMB45 (S$9.47) excluding international shipping fees

Denim hoodie for Taiwan trip.
Link: http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.11.ogCvow&id=35101951415

Price: RMB64 (S$13.47) excluding international shipping fees

Sweater for cool days. Cannot go wrong with sweaters lah.
Link: http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=2013.1.0.0.sLglwO&scm=1007.77.0.0&id=35593792280&pvid=bb1014fe-6692-46b4-b07d-7623d78f4218&jlogid=p24131050c02e6

Price: RMB39.99 (S$8.42) excluding international shipping fees

Another sweater. Peplum detail!
Link: http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a1z10.1.w4004-3863101586.22.3Djy3l&id=35609046488

Price: RMB39.50 (S$8.32) excluding international shipping fees

I bought this travel pouch for myself and for Kengyang's family. Useful!
Link: http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a1z10.3.w1017-770658115.42.qsG1Zp&id=26614588422&

Price: RMB15 (S$3.16) excluding international shipping fees

New wallet because mine has a faulty zipper.
Link: http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.1.vL35ID&id=35128323323

Price: RMB25.80 (S$5.43) excluding international shipping fees

Travelling bag!
Link: http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.12.NVqlhz&id=20315138983

Price: RMB39 (S$8.21) excluding international shipping fees

The 3 photos below are necklaces that I don't need but I couldn't resist so yes, I got them.
Link: http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a1z10.1.w6475762-4425816493.1.QD6nY0&id=35360337623

Price: RMB22 (S$4.63) excluding international shipping fees

Link: http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a1z10.1.w4004-4427861331.8.QD6nY0&id=35360946105

Price: RMB19.20 (S$4.04) excluding international shipping fees

Link: http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a1z10.1.w4004-4427861331.8.QD6nY0&id=35360946105

Price: RMB19.20 (S$4.04) excluding international shipping fees

River Island purchase! Completely took advantage of the free worldwide shipping deal. 

I also got a blue sweater top but it's now out of stock and they have taken down the web listing, so I can't "kop" the photo. I got the last piece! YAY!

I needed new lingerie so I bought them from Cotton On (S$5 only halo?), but of course I'm not going to show the world what panties I wear. To get free shipping, you need to spend at least S$50, so I got myself this pair of palm trees print sneakers too (30% off - Black Friday/Cyber Monday sale)!

Can I just say how much I love Cotton On's shipping? I ordered on Thursday and the package came hand-delivered to me on Saturday morning?? MAD EFFICIENT.

Link: http://asia.cottonon.com/shop/product/jade-plimsole-palm-tree-print/

Bought this gorgeous denim crochet top from Runway Bandits. When I saw the preview photo a few days before the launch, I was IN LOVE. Not sure if the 18-inch bust measurement will be tight on me, but WHATEVER I got it. :D 

Link: http://www.runwaybandits.com/dresses/kenzie-embroidered-dress-blue

Romwe also had a Black Friday/Cyber Monday sale going on and initially I just wanted to browse. I have never liked Romwe's sales before because I could find the exact same thing on Taobao for much cheaper? So I was just browsing for the sake of browsing, until I saw this sweater. It was under USS10, and I had a discount coupon? So I ended up paying US$8+ with free worldwide shipping. Can lar hor? 

Anyway, this sweater is now OOS and has been taken off the website. 

Last one last one!

I wanted a nice festive dress for Christmas and yay I got it from Zalora! This dress was S$24.90!

Link: http://www.zalora.sg/Ponte-Dress-With-Cut-Out-Yoke-127226.html

I'm a ding dong bell. I NEED TO STOPPP! 

Hais. Wish me luck on my shopping ban. I'M SCARED BUT I CAN DO THIS! 

Shoes. Nothing but shoes.

I threw two pairs away. I bought four new pairs. 

I'm running out of space. 

But aiyah, if buying shoes make me happy, then might as well? 

Black Box December 2013 Edition

Another Black Box post! The December 2013 box came in just in time! So many of the items included are travel-appropriate! 

Black Box website

Black Box facebook

The best thing about Black Box is you don't need to pay a single cent! Just be quick and participate in the balloting system when it opens every month, and you will be notified instantly if you are eligible for a free Black Box or not! Awesome! 

FREEBIES! :D

Taiwan's weather is definitely going to be mega drying for my dry hands, so this hand cream is a great addition to the box!

Who doesn't love freebies? :D

November 2013 in general...

I do not what happened to 2013. Why is the year passing by so quickly?? We are now into December 2013 and I'm quite sure I'll be attending count-down gatherings very soon. Then it'll be 2014, then I'll be turning a quarter of a century years old. Gosh. 

Scary how fast you go through the 20s so quickly. Your 20s is like the bullet train period, for most people lah. You graduate, you find your first job, you buy your first house, you get married, you have kids, etc. etc. So many responsibilities to handle in your 20s. 

My mind is always about these. Aiyoh. I think that's why I have acne flares so late lah. I'm so stressed about everything! 

ANYWAY, I got to recommend the below curry noodles to everyone that I know. It is SO NICE. I went to Chan Brothers to get my Taiwan travel visa done and Kengyang and his parents brought me to this magical place (Hong Lim Complex!) for breakfast. 

W.O.W. I don't fancy curry mee very much, especially those with yellow noodles. I detest yellow noodles. But the thick beehoon version was so nice and soooooo smoooooooth. It's quite pricey for hawker food (S$5/S$7) but the S$5 bowl was a mega huge serving and the uncle's generous with his portioning. 

TWO THUMBS UP. 

Kengyang also brought me to this porridge place at Bukit Merah (Ye Shang Hai Porridge) and it was extremely affordable and very yummers.

Yes, Kengyang's family eats out a lot so they know where the good eats are. Yay for me. HAHA.

Anyway, we paid S$6.20 (!!) for what we ordered. We realised we didn't have meat so we ordered a small portion of duck from the duck rice stall and that plate cost as much as our entire porridge meal (S$6). Haiyoh.

Finally tried the Royal Pudding from Paris Baguette Cafe. This is not cheap at all - S$4.50 for a tiny portion. But the container is cute, can be reused and mom paid for it, so of course must try. I got the Mango Royal Pudding and wow now I know why people are raving about it.

More Yankee Candle for December! My room smells foul whenever there's no ventilation (strange, maybe there's a dead bug somewhere), so burning candles is a life-saving routine.

I was really upset last Monday and overall I wasn't feeling in the mood to do anything. It was the usual PMS mood swing and it was worse than ever. Miss Lirong was so sweet and when I met her to pass her her Taobao purchase, she gave me a stalk of sunflower and a hand-written note to cheer up. :') This girl is very precious.

-Insert random photo here heehee- I like the necklace so yay!

OKAY. We have come to the most important part of November 2013.

I started on this 30 Day Squat Challenge after seeing it on Instagram. Today is Day 12 for me and it's rest day (Thank God). I have been religiously following the routine and I gotta be honest, it hurts, hurts like hell.

However, the results have been quite positive. I did squats everyday + 1-min planks and then my jogging routine every other day, and I have lost some centimetres!!!! So exciting!!

My weight has increased though but I'm quite sure that's the additional muscles' contributions. As of last night, I have lost 1.5cm off each calf, 1.5cm off each thigh, 2cm off my waist and 4cm off my hips. WTF?!?! Got so lihai or not?? That's after 11 days only le!!

I'm so impressed with the results and I'm DEFINITELY going to continue this routine. I must admit though, planks are so much more difficult to do than squats. But yay, centimetres lost = always a good thing! :D

Now, let's face December 2013 bravely! I'm traveling to Taiwan from 20-27 December 2013 (thanks Kengyang's parents!!) and I'm stoked!! :D

Michael Todd True Organics Acne/Oily Skin Regimen

Me and my never-ending quest in finding the correct skincare product for my acne-prone skin. I don't know about any of you but this journey is a tired and strangely exciting one. 

So far, my skin has been better. Being back on doxycycline and a gazillion other pills definitely helped the situation, but I'm thinking of cutting out the zinc pills and doxycycline in another 3 months or so because I don't want to suffer from any side effects in the future. Hence, here I am again, browsing the web for the next big acne-crushing skincare product. 

To be frank, I'm quite tired. My TBS tea-tree products have been great and they didn't cause any breakouts, which is superb! Hence, I'm going to continue using TBS tea-tree moisturisers because they are mega awesome and they smell amazing. :) 

For all the other steps in my skincare routine, I'm planning to switch it up a little. I'm a bit wary of using SKII products (even though a lot of people have been pushing me to use the miraculous SKII products), and so I think I will SKII when I turn 30? LOL I don't know, I may just buy it for myself when the time comes. But definitely not now. 

So, I came across Michael Todd True Organics products! The reviews online have so far been mostly positive and I'm stoked to try it out. 

They have an Acne/Oily Skin Regimen specially targeted at users with acne-prone skin (ME ME!) and I just placed my order. 

The kit is not cheap. I paid US$65.95 in total (plus international shipping). The kit itself costs US$132, but it's now on sale for US$70, and I got a further 20% off using the code "noacne", so I ended up paying US$56 for the entire kit! Thanks GOOGLE! 

The products are all organic and contain no water/alcohol/harsh chemicals. I'm quite curious as how this will turn out because the products do not contain chemicals like benzoyl peroxide, which is the first chemical that comes into my mind when it comes to treating acne! Pumped to try the kit out! 

The Acne/Oily Skin Regimen consists of:

• CHARCOAL DETOX deep-pore gel cleanser penetrates pores to draw out impurities - 210 ml 
• ORGANIC LEMON AHA + DMAE toner - 250 ml 
• KAOLIN CLAY  detoxifying facial mask cooling and detoxifying treatment  - 100 ml (maximum strength)
• ANTIOXIDANT CARROT multivitamin serum - 30 ml (new and improved formula)
• JOJOBA CHARCOAL SCRUB gentle exfoliating facial scrub - 100 ml 

They also had a Discovery Kit for Acne/Oily Skin where you get to try out travel-sized products first but I was doing the math in my head and this kit was more "bang for the buck". 

For those of you with sensitive acne-prone skin, they have another regimen - Acne/Oily Sensitive Skin Regimen - for you! The kit that I bought may be too harsh/drying on sensitive skin!

And yes, they don't really have a moisturiser included in the kit, so I'll be using my TBS day and night moisturisers with this kit! Can't wait! :) 

Update on my skin condition: my right side is TOTALLY clear, but my left side has been acting up (should be menses lah) and I woke up to 6 new pimples. LOL. The good thing is they are drying up really fast! I'm okay with pimples, but I really hate painful ones. Yesterday was not a good day for me. I was extremely sick and I had painful pimples on my skin. NOT NICE AT ALL. 

I'm excited to try out the Michael Todd True Organics Acne/Oily Skin Regimen! Faster come faster come!!