High End Let Downs

Higher prices tend to command higher expectations, so it's more of a downer than usual when expensive products turn out to be disappointments. I don't like to keep any products I actively dislike, but when they cost a pretty penny, it's harder to bring myself to get rid of them. These six items mostly just take up space and spark the occasional moment of regret and annoyance when I see them.

Kevyn Aucoin The Sculpting Powder in Medium
I thought this would be the be all and end all of contouring powders. The price put me off, but after encountering many a rave and seeing The Sculpting Powder work its magic on people's faces, I bit the bullet. This doesn't look right on me. I think it suits pink-toned, pale complexions only. If you're more yellow and light-to-medium, it pulls very cool brownish grey (read: muddy). I've tried every brush under the sun, I've tried a light application, heavier application, different placement. It's not flattering or believable. It either is too subtle and therefore useless, or makes me look like I have a dirty stripe where I wish my cheekbone was. Swatches here.

MAC Eye Kohl in Powersurge

MAC Eye Kohl in Powersurge
There's nothing hugely offensive about this pencil eyeliner, except it's so unremarkable and overpriced for the quality. I was willing to pay a premium for the colour, but once I actually tried it on my lower lash line, I realised it wasn't anything special. A medium khaki-ish (greeny) gold. I have plenty of similar coloured eyeshadows which I could apply with a pencil brush to my lower lash line if I wanted identical effect. Pigmentation is not woeful, but could be better. The metallic quality is relatively subdued and not particularly intense or lustrous. The main problem is the texture. It's fairly hard, doesn't glide on and isn't that creamy. Lasting power is also extremely ordinary. There are SO many cheaper eyeliners that are superior in every respect (e.g. Savvy by DB Soft Glide Eyeliner, Kiko Glamorous Eye Pencil, Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal) that nothing can justify the $32 price tag for the MAC. I wish I'd bought another 217 Blending Brush instead.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Dim Light
I weep a little thinking about the $62 I bid farewell to when I bought this powder. I was expecting this to be a skin-perfecting finishing powder, but it's so BROWN and PINK and DARK that it's virtually unusable. It's not even something I can use to "warm up" or darken my skin if my foundation's too light, since it doesn't match my natural skin colour anyway. It's far too pink-toned. It also doesn't impart any brightening luminosity to my face except the subtlest whitish pearl. I more or less never reach for Dim Light since I have other powders that do the job I wanted it to (Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Sheer Powder, Guerlain Météorites Compact Light-Revealing Powder). I should've bought Diffused Light instead. Original review here.

Estée Lauder Sumptuous Extreme Lash Multiplying Volume Mascara
Granted, this was a magazine freebie, but I was super excited to try out a high end mascara since I don't tend to buy them. Sadly, this was a complete flop. This mascara did absolutely nothing for my lashes. No curl, no lift, no volume, no separation, no lengthening. All the times I've applied it, I've either hated it, or abandoned it mid-way to grab something that actually works.

l-r (top to bottom row): Caught in the Act Courtney, Feisty Felicia, Insane Jane, Bossy Bobbi, Makeout Mary, Just This Once Jamie, Mischievous Marissa, Tempting Tara, Devilish Danielle

theBalm Shady Lady Vol. 2
I truly dislike this palette. The first two darker shades with glitter (Caught in the Act Courtney and Feisty Felicia) are dry, patchy, poorly pigmented and have huge amounts of fall out. Some of the other shades (Mischievous Marissa, Tempting Tara, Devilish Danielle) are really powdery even if they have strong colour payoff. But the main problem with Shady Lady Vol. 2 is none of the colours are flattering on me. None. This isn't a palette I want to reach for. It's not a palette that houses colours I'm excited to use. Since it came into my possession, I don't think I've ever used it, except maybe the darker shades to deepen an eye look. Also, the shade names are gross (Makeout Mary? Just This Once Jamie??).

l-r (top to bottom row): In the Buff, Birthday Suit, Pink Cheeks, Pillow Talk, Like a Virgin, Satin Sheets, Unmentionables, Lap Dance, Stiletto

Too Faced Naked Eye Palette
I possibly dislike this palette more than Shady Lady Vol. 2, which is saying a lot. At least the eyeshadows in Shady Lady Vol. 2 are visible on my lids. Almost half of the shadows in Naked Eye are invisible, including all 3 of the larger pans. In the Buff, Birthday Suit, Pink Cheeks and Pillow Talk are rubbish. Maybe if you're very fair, they'll have some kind of effect, but on my light-to-medium (NC 20 to 25) skin, they're useless. (Looks like I'm not the only one that feels that way.) I bought Naked Eye early on in my "makeup journey", back when I didn't realise cool-toned eyeshadows and I don't mix. Lap Dance and Unmentionables swatch nicely, but are so dirty/ashy/muddy on my lids and drain my complexion. Satin Sheets is admittedly very pretty and super pigmented, but I wish it were more of a gold-pink rather than a bright white gold on me. Like a Virgin is the only shade I use in this whole palette, and even then, it's a cool-toned grey that isn't as flattering as a warmer brown shade with yellow or orange tones. Given I love both my other Too Faced (Chocolate Bar) palettes, Naked Eye seems especially a waste.

Addicted to Blush Tag

Thank you Emma for tagging me and Kat for creating the tag! While I don't consider myself a fully fledged #blushfiend, I still have more blushes than most people. I think my main issue with blush is I don't find subtle variations show up on my skin. I tend to group blushes into large, sweeping colour families (pink, orange/peach, deeper berry/plum, red, tawny/hybrid bronzer shades and pinky nude), and if I have one or two per category, I feel I'm pretty much done. I certainly don't share that perspective when it comes to lipstick or eyeshadow, hence my compulsion to continue buying despite an existing overabundance. The other thing about blush is application is so hard to get right. My technique is still a constant work in progress. I also find blush requires a truly flawless canvas to look good, and notwithstanding the fact that everything looks a bit worse for wear at the end of the day, most times I don't put in the effort to really perfect my skin other than slapping on my foundation.

1. What colour blush suits you the most?
Definitely peachy pinks or corals. Basically something that's mainly orange with a bit of pink/red in it. I can't wear berry shades at all, most pinks look terrible on me (especially cool pinks ... horrid), and pinky nudes, as much as I want to love them, have generally been underwhelming (I'm looking at you Tarte Exposed and Illamasqua Naked Rose).

2. Pressed/cream/loose blush?
Pressed. I never wear loose blush (don't have any, not interested), and while creams have their strengths and serve their purpose, they're just that extra bit fiddly compared with pressed powder blushes.

3. Favourite shimmery blush?
Benefit Sugarbomb. I put it in my 2013 Favourites and it's still one of my all-time favourite blushes. Probably top 3. It looks like it might be too light judging from the pan, but it builds up to a fairly pigmented sherbet orange with a luminous golden pearl. Special mention goes to Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Diffused Heat. More coral than Sugarbomb and less intensely shimmery, it has a beautifully soft texture, good lasting power and really perks up the complexion.

Benefit Sugarbomb

4. Favourite matte blush?
Easy. NARS Douceur. I can't believe NARS discontinued it. NARS, what were you thinking?! This is a rare pinky nude blush that works for me. I use it with my Ecotools Blush Brush in a tapping motion up and down my cheekbones to sculpt my face. It's not so brown that it belongs in serious contouring territory, but it's not overly red/pink so that the placement looks slightly strange. The overall effect is subtle and sophisticated. I should really reach for this one more.

NARS Douceur

5. Favourite cream blush?
Another obvious choice. Stila Convertible Color in Gerbera. I love this cream blush. It is one of very few pinks that I can pull off, it applies in a non-patchy manner and has a beautiful dewy finish that instantly adds life and freshness to the face. It goes on easily with the fingers, but for best results I like using the Real Techniques Expert Face Brush, working the product from the temples downwards onto the cheek.

Stila Gerbera

6. Favourite drugstore blush?
This was a recent rediscovery. Rimmel 3 in 1 Powder Blush in Autumn Catwalk. I mainly use a combination of the first two shades and steer clear of the third (not that there's anything wrong with it, but I prefer the look of the first two pinks combined). While lasting power could be improved, I just love the warm, sweetly youthful shade of pink this blush creates. The shimmer in the middle section is not frosted or whitish but actually pink-based with diamond sparkles, which I find very rare in a drugstore blush.

Rimmel Autumn Catwalk (l-r: first two shades combined, third shade by itself)

7. Favourite high end blush?
I took this question to mean favourite line/brand of high end blushes, as opposed to favourite specific high end blush. I'd have to say NARS. I've built up a little collection that I cherish. While there have been 1-2 semi-duds (more on that later), overall, they make my favourite blushes. Flattering shades, extremely pigmented, unparalleled lasting power and excellent quality in general. Runner up would be Benefit. You already know my love for Sugarbomb, but Hervana is a perfect everyday blush and Dallas is beautiful in the cooler months.

l-r: NARS Orgasm, NARS Deep Throat

8. Favourite bright blush?
This was easy to answer because there aren't many contenders to begin with. I'd have to go with e.l.f. Studio Blush in Pink Passion. While it looks frightening (or glorious, depending on your blush proclivities) in the pan, it's almost tame when blended out on the cheeks. You do need a light hand and something like the SUQQU Cheek Brush to diffuse the intense pigmentation, but once properly blended, it gives an earthy rosiness to the cheeks that looks surprisingly natural.

e.l.f. Pink Passion

9. Biggest blush disappointment/regret?
I didn't get along with the Becca Beach Tints at all, which was extremely disappointing given they seem to enjoy a good reputation. Fig barely showed up on my skin (making it effectively useless), and while Watermelon didn't have the same problem, I disliked how it looked on me. Not a fan of reddish berry shades with my skin tone, especially since every bit of redness in my face gets highlighted. Watermelon fared much better on the lips, though it's nearly the same colour as Revlon Soft Rose, so why bother.

While I said NARS made my favourite high end blush, there have been a couple of disappointments. I never managed to make Sin work for me, despite repeated attempts. When swatched, it's the most unique, captivating, berry-purple with gold shimmer, but on my face, it either looks like a disturbing bruise or a sheered out, complexion-draining, ruddy mess. Enchanted seems like a peachy cream blush, but it's a straight up glittery highlighter. There's barely any pigment, but rather, CHUNKS and flakes of glitter. Don't get me wrong, the glitter in this is stunning in action, but it's the least inconspicuous highlighter you could find. I love glitter as much as the next person, but unfortunately daily office life doesn't call for it.

NARS Sin

NARS Enchanted

10. Best blush packaging?
Surprisingly, there wasn't one blush that really stood out for me. I picked Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in the end. I like the sturdy feel, gold exterior and square shape, plus the inside is gorgeous.

11. What's on your blush wish list?
Quite a few blushes! Perhaps doing this tag has reignited my blush spark. Top of my wishlist are the newish Bobbi Brown Brightening Bricks. I have my eye on Pink or Tawny. I'm sure I'll love Benefit Rockateur and feel that it's only a matter of time before I cave and buy it. Apparently I need NARS Madly. I've been eyeing Burberry Light Glow Natural Blush in Earthy as well, though it's closer to a bronzer. Chanel Joue Contraste Blush in Jersey looks like a blush staple I NEED (I trust both Emma and Temptalia). The Charlotte Tilbury Cheek to Chic blushes and Clinique Cheek Pops are also mightily tempting.

12. Number 1 holy grail blush?
This one was hard, but I think I'll have to go with NARS Luster. It's a foolproof option that complements my skin tone and does it all. If I'm running out of time in the mornings and can't be bothered with separate contouring, highlighting and blush, I'll whack on a bit of Luster and be done. It's sculpting, injects warmth and colour, and imparts a soft, golden glow.

NARS Luster

And those are my responses. I now tag Cherie, Michelle, Jennifer, Tiffany, Kelly, Shari, Pam, Sharlynn (the blush queen!), Amanda, Diana, Coco, Tasha, Sheri, Evelyn, Karen, Jennie, Amy, Emma and Tram. Think I may have gone just a touch overboard with the tagging there. But basically, anyone who feels like joining in!

Priming Veil

On a recent trip to Mecca Cosmetica, I decided it was finally time to get serious about primer. In an ideal world, one's foundation would be good enough to last the whole day. But I've come to accept that sometimes, you just need a bit of help. I wasted no time heading straight for the best (or at least the one I've heard the most raves about): Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer. The full 30ml size is an eye-popping $79, so I opted for the 10ml travel size at a more modest $25.

Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer has a light, silky consistency that's easily spread over the face. With SPF 15, it's the colour of sunscreen and absolutely leaves a white cast. The first time I tried it, I was slightly taken aback at how geisha-like my reflection looked in the bathroom mirror. Perhaps I just used too much, but this product definitely interacts with your foundation and makes it lighter than usual.

Does it work in the way you'd hope a good primer would? Yes. It noticeably makes my foundation last longer and valiantly keeps the oil at bay. Examining my T-zone in the middle of the day, I saw individual microscopic beads of oil on my nose (TMI, I know) where a puddle of shine would normally be. It's almost as if the primer was working overtime to try to shut down oil production, but some of the more stubborn secretions still managed to surface. I find that when I have this on, there isn't as much need to blot with a tissue. By the end of the day, my foundation's still mostly intact, as opposed to mostly slipped off and gone. Especially important when a) my skin has been in need of higher coverage lately with a lot of spottiness from blemish scarring b) I'm more liberal with the moisturiser in the mornings due to the colder weather and spending my days in a dehydrating air-conditioned office.

The primer reminds me of NARS Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base if it were more liquid, serum-like and had SPF injected into it. It seems to work in a similar way to the NARS, in that it almost dries out the skin (sucking up excess water/oils) and makes it more of a non-slippery, matte surface upon which any product layered on top better adheres. To its credit, it doesn't leave my skin feeling or looking dry, and foundation still applies smoothly over the primer. I even ditch the powder when I use it, confident that the primer will be sufficient. It's not a product I'd incorporate into my everyday routine as it's more of an extra, skin-perfecting step that daily life doesn't really call for, but when I want my makeup to last or when an occasion calls for it, I know what I'll be reaching for. Just be mindful of the white cast.

The Hottest Thing in Blush

For a brief moment, I thought I'd be a rare specimen among beauty bloggers: someone that didn't succumb to the monstrous hype surrounding Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush. Who was I kidding — even if they turned out to be hideously expensive and overrated, I just wanted to join in on the fun. When these rolled in Mecca Cosmetica, I was quick to slap some of the testers on my cheeks and examine closely. Was the effect that special and unique that I'd fork out $50 a pop for them? Probably not. I wasn't convinced with Radiant Magenta on me, as incredibly attractive it looked in the pan, the subdued browny peach of Dim Infusion seemed a touch too dusty and light, Ethereal Glow was out of the question and Mood Exposure didn't appeal to me. It wasn't until I spotted Luminous Flush and Diffused Heat at another Mecca store that I was tempted to buy. Luminous Flush was a bit too reddish/rosy, but I was drawn to Diffused Heat, particularly the swirls of Diffused Light (the one Ambient Lighting Powder that I kind of wish I'd purchased instead of Dim Light) mixed into the "vibrant poppy" colour.

l-r: NARS Orgasm, Hourglass Diffused Heat, NARS Deep Throat, theBalm FratBoy

I'm of the view that the single most important factor in ensuring satisfaction with these Ambient Lighting Blushes is picking the right shade that best suits your blush preferences and skin tone, since the application takes care of itself and the quality seems uniform across the board. They definitely have good colour payoff, but I don't find Diffused Heat ultra pigmented (which is a good thing), especially if you use a fluffy brush like the Real Techniques Blush Brush or Multi Task Brush. The inbuilt highlighter works to soften and add dimension to the coral/pink pigment so it's not just a block colour.

Predictably, I have several very similar shades in my blush collection. I guess I just can't stay away from my brightening coral/peachy pinks. I was actually more surprised that NARS Orgasm and Deep Throat aren't as similar to Diffused Heat as I'd anticipated, in that both are lighter and noticeably more shimmery, Orgasm more than Deep Throat. I thought Diffused Heat would have a comparable amount of shimmer, but it doesn't have the same characteristic golden, glowy sheen of Orgasm and Deep Throat. It's closer in colour to theBalm FratBoy, though FratBoy is slightly redder, darker and earthier in tone, with a more powdery texture and matte finish.

As most reviews have pointed out, the texture of the Ambient Lighting Blush is very close to the Ambient Lighting Powders: soft, bordering on a touch powdery, and incredibly smooth. It's a breeze to pick up pigment with your brush and blending on the skin is effortless. I've found the lasting power to be better than average, though not as good as NARS. If anything, as much as I've enjoyed Diffused Heat since I purchased it, and I'm truly impressed with how foolproof it is to apply, this whole frenzy with the Ambient Lighting Blushes has reinforced my love for NARS blushes. They might lack the eye-catching marbleisation of the Hourglass, but I feel they are the superior product, and prettier in action.