Holiday Beauty Haul

If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen I recently spent 2 weeks in Singapore and Malaysia. I've become a lot more measured with holiday beauty purchases (compared with previous years), especially if the products overseas are barely any cheaper than where I live. However, it's not a vacation without splashing some cash in Sephora, so I still allowed myself a few new additions. The most expensive item I bought (and what I'm most excited about) was actually a set of 5 diptyque 7.5ml EDT travel sprays, but I didn't photograph them for this post.

Yay: compact flashes purple. Nay: scratch on the lettering already.

Fenty Beauty had just launched when my holiday started, so naturally I had to get something from the range. I was able to get a good look and feel of pretty much all the products, and quickly decided that if I allowed myself just one thing, it would have to be one of the standout highlighters. I deliberated over the shade choice, but in the end opted for Girl Next Door/Chic Phreak. The duo wasn't too light on my skin and I have a preference for pink-based highlighters as opposed to conventional champagne/gold. Trophy Wife was way too yellow gold and outright glittery, and the others except for Ginger Binge/Moscow Mule looked really pale against my skin. I also was drawn to the Match Stix Shimmer Skinstick in Confetti, but I'd probably never wear it and I feel like I could get something similar from Colourpop for a fraction of the price.

The one thing that immediately became apparent about the Killawatt highlighters is that they don't shy away from glitter. If Fenty Beauty is anything to go by, glitter is making a comeback. No longer considered a liability, it's cool again to load a product with glitter. It used to be that people would criticise or steer away from highlighters with visible glitter, but glitter seems to be en vogue again. Personally, I'm enjoying glitter. Who needs subtlety anyway when you can have pretty pretty SPARKLES.

l-r: Girl Next Door, Chic Phreak

The duo has 2 distinct halves with different colours, finishes and textures. Girl Next Door is more smooth and creamy to the touch (almost like one of those bouncy feeling/cream to powder products), with a subtle metallic finish. On my light to medium skin, it actually applies quite whitish. Chic Phreak is more chunky/sandy to the touch and more obviously glittery. It's a much darker peachy-pink colour with more visible sparkles, especially in direct sunlight or bright artificial light. Having said that, the glitter adheres to your skin, doesn't fall down and get everywhere, and is fine enough to wear on a daily basis in the office (at least in my opinion). I did try both shades on the eyes as you can wear the Killawatt highlighters all over the face, but the colours barely showed up and just produced a glimmering effect.

l-r: Napoleon Perdis Highlight, Girl Next Door, Chic Phreak, theBalm Cindy-Lou Manizer

Here, you can see how bright/shimmering/vibrant the Fenty Beauty shades are compared with the more satiny and subdued Napoleon Perdis (from the Ultimate Contour Palette) and theBalm highlighters. However, the shades themselves are fairly similar, to give you an idea of what kind of colours Girl Next Door and Chic Phreak are.

The vibrancy and glitter factor (especially of Chic Phreak) remind me of Colourpop eyeshadows. Really, from my experience with the highlighter and general first impressions of the brand, Fenty Beauty is reminiscent of Colourpop (youthful, contemporary, "fun", urban, for different skin tones), but with proper quality control in terms of packaging, formulation and performance. It will be interesting to see how the brand develops over time, especially when the initial hype from its launch invariably dies down.

I've heard good things about the Too Faced Hangover primer (favourite of KathleenLights) for a while now, so I bought the 20ml travel size to try. I appreciate the hygienic and useful pump packaging that dispenses just the right amount of product each time. They could have just gone with a squeezy tube but they put in that extra functionality so the travel size is like a miniaturised full size version, which is what really sealed the deal for me. I've used it a couple of times and while it's nothing earth-shattering in terms of improving how my foundation goes on or prolonging its wear, I do like that it's soothing and comfortable on the skin, and the light, tropical and refreshing coconut scent.

I also purchased a travel size of Ouai Dry Shampoo Foam. Playing around with the tester in Sephora was what sold me. This stuff comes out in a ball of aerated mousse and you vigorously apply it to your dirty hair, focusing on the roots, until it dries up and starts doing its thang. Essentially, it's a dry shampoo that comes out as a wet cloud of foam and forces you to get your hands dirty. Something about the novelty of it and the fact it's almost like giving your hair a wash without water was hard to resist. I'm sure it's not as effective as my beloved Klorane dry shampoo with oat milk, and admittedly it kind of leaves your hair slightly grimy/crunchy/crispy/more brittle, but it does make it less oily and look cleaner, at least for a day. I'm also hoping the travel size will last a long time (since my small cans of Klorane seem to only last about 4-5 liberal uses), since I'm hopeful about a more economical conversion of liquid to foam.

I came across a H&M Beauty stand in Malaysia (to my knowledge not yet launched in Australia), but didn't spot any cream eyeshadow pots that I wanted to try. I have been searching for a mustard nail polish ever since I saw one in Urban Outfitters two years ago but passed on it, so I didn't hesitate to buy Golden Tumeric. The polish itself surprisingly exceeded my expectations — really nice, smooth formula, great wide brush, opaque in one coat but I did two just in case. I just wish there was more product in the bottle and it was cheaper.

Finally, I bought a Victoria Beckham x Nails inc nail polish in Bamboo White. I have no idea about the state of the polish given the collaboration was ages ago (the nail swatch is from a picture I posted on Instagram in July 2015), but the bottle definitely hadn't even been opened, so I figured it should be fine. I believe the original price for one of these polishes was $35, but I managed to get this one on sale for 40 Malaysian Ringgit or $12. It's hard to come by a nude polish that isn't thin, streaky, difficult to work with or boring/blah on the nails, and I remembered liking the colour and the polish quality, so at that price I gave in.

Blue Trend

Nails Inc. Baker Street might be better known as "that polish Beyoncé wore after she had Blue Ivy". I've had my eye on this famous cobalt blue for quite a while, but what always stopped me was this niggling suspicion that I already had a very similar shade back at home, Ulta3 Blue Marlin. When I unexpectedly spotted Baker Street on sale at a chemist near my work, I decided it was a sign that we were meant to be. Plus, even if the colour ended up being an exact dupe of Blue Marlin (unlikely), I'm such a fan of the Nails Inc. formula that it would've still been worth it.

Once at home, I tested Baker Street next to the darker, more navy Blue Marlin, and thankfully they were sufficiently different to justify having both. After enthusiastically painting both hands with Baker Street and closely examining my nails over several days, I've concluded that for me, the colour is only "pretty good", not "mindblowingly, heart-stoppingly amazing". I can see why some might think it's truly an exceptional shade, but to me it's just a bit too medium blue with a hint of creaminess and nothing else. It reminds me of a darker shade of primary blue or the non-metallic version of deep, bright blue car paint. Don't get me wrong, I imagine this exact shade of blue would be hard to find a perfect dupe of, and it is unique and eye-catching, but I just don't personally adore it. Something tells me without Beyoncé's personal endorsement as documented through pap snaps, Baker Street wouldn't be anywhere near as popular or coveted. The impeccable Nails Inc. formulation doesn't disappoint though, with an absolutely buttery consistency that is largely opaque with one coat, and with two, leaves your nails looking so smooth, glossy, evenly painted and neatly manicured.

Muted and Hazy

Nails Inc. Porchester Square was high up on my London wishlist during my holiday last September, despite a surprisingly hefty price tag of £11 or just under $20. At that point, I wasn't aware David Jones in Australia stocks Nails Inc. for $19.95 per bottle — more or less the same price as the UK. At least the department store I purchased it from was having a 3 for 2 sale, so I split the cost with my friend who fell in love with the vibrant green Queen Victoria Street. After a century deliberating what second polish to buy along with Porchester Square, in the end I picked Queen Victoria Street as well. Despite taking home two Nails Inc. polishes, really all my excitement was reserved for Porchester Square, a greige polish favoured by blogger heavyweights like Essie Button and Vivanna Does Makeup.

Nails Inc. Porchester Square

I've already featured Porchester Square in my October Monthly Favourites of 2013, but I thought to dedicate an entire post to it anyway. This is one nude polish that's modern, timeless and elegant. It's an understated, sophisticated crème that's easy to turn to when you can't decide exactly what polish to wear, or you simply want a break from glitters, brights or metallics. It's not too busy or loud or garish, but it's not completely dull and boring either. You'll never hate it when it's on your nails.

One of the most fascinating aspects of these greige colours is how they subtly transform depending on the light. At times, it's more of a beige or putty shade like Barry M Hi-Shine Nail Paint in Lychee, other times more mushroom/taupe or concrete grey with a dash of brown, and I love it best when there's hints of lilac and blue coming through. It's a light-to-medium shade which I prefer — any darker and it would lose much of its distinctiveness and be too similar to Essie Chinchilly or Sally Hansen Commander in Chic.

The formula of Porchester Square is close to perfection. It's absolutely buttery and smooth, with complete opacity in one coat (though I painted two for good measure). I can't comment too authoritatively on longevity or chip resistance since I rarely wear my polish longer than a few days, but I remember my friend and I painted a few Nails Inc. colours from testers on our nails in the first week of our holiday. A whole week to two weeks later, the polishes showed minor signs of wear but overall were still going strong. We were impressed to say the least.

October Favourites

October saw a resurgence in my interest in fragrance, both perfume and scented candles. Well, the scented candles were a new thing altogether, but I was obsessed. I'm pretty sure I smelled every single candle at David Jones one Sunday while entertaining the idea of buying one, but ultimately walked home empty-handed (Glasshouse Oahu and Night Before Christmas were awfully tempting though). I also picked out the best of the skin care and nail polish I hauled in Europe, and a couple of cream eyeshadows on heavy rotation.

diptyque Roses candle
I thoroughly enjoyed burning this candle this month. It's become something of a bedside lamp substitute. The scent isn't that overpowering but it does fill the room for a few hours after it's blown out. I don't think the roses fragrance is anything amazing, it's a little bit generic in a pleasant but inoffensive way. It's not all that sweet, boozy or reminiscent of potpourri, it's gentler, cleaner and a bit more modern. I look forward to burning and finishing it only because I can't wait to be a sheep and use the empty jar as a brush holder.

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser
I'd wanted to try this cleanser for the longest time and finally managed to get hold of one from John Lewis when I was in London. This has cocoa butter, rosemary, chamomile and hops extract, panthenol, and eucalyptus oil. My skin was in a gross state around in the middle of my European holiday and using this, along with Clarins moisturisers and NUXE Huile Prodigieuse was a godsend. I'd take a good 15 minutes to do the whole routine with the included muslin cloth, but back home I ditch the cloth and use one pump all over my face before washing it all off in the shower. I much prefer this to Emma Hardie Amazing Face Moringa Cleansing Balm. For one, you can use it around the eyes to remove mascara and eyeliner and it won't feel like oil is clouding your vision. The texture is closer to a moisturising, thick cream cleanser that just dissolves into the skin, rather than an oily balm that can't be completely washed off. I love the refreshing cool from the eucalyptus, the minty, soothing herbal scent, and how it leaves the skin feeling clean, soft and supple.

Caudalie Grape Water
I was surprised at how much I liked this, since I'm loyal to my Avene Thermal Spring Water (though my 300ml bottle inexplicably decided to stop spraying with about a third left). This is the first aerosol face mist I've encountered that isn't just water (Avene, La Roche-Posay Serozinc). This Caudalie one consists of grape water and grape juice, so it smells very sweet (a little bit like overripe fruit) and leaves a slight residue on the skin. It's more moisturising than plain water in a can, especially when it dries on the skin. I find it an effective, inexpensive hydrating toner that you can spray over the face before or after your moisturiser. I would definitely be stocking up if it were available here, but unfortunately it's not and I can't buy it online either because of shipping restrictions with the aerosol can. Guess I'll just have to savour it while it lasts.

Nails Inc. Porchester Square
I have Anna from ViviannaDoesMakeup to thank for this one. I immediately jotted down Porchester Square on my London shopping list after seeing it featured in her August Favourites. I absolutely love the colour, especially as my focus has increasingly shifted to office-friendly cremes. I'll always be partial to my glitters, brights, pastels and blues/greens/purples, but sometimes you just need an excellent safe bet with a more conservative environment in mind. Even if I didn't have to worry about whether my nail polish is adhering to a corporate dress code, I'd still enjoy wearing Porchester Square. It's a pitch perfect, elegant and feminine light mushroom with slight purple tones. I love that it's one of those chameleonic shades that leans more sandy beige or cloudy grey or hazy lilac depending on the light. The formulation is also stunning — ultra smooth, buttery, a true one coater with impressive wear time.

Jo Malone Orange Blossom Cologne
Already raved about here, so I'll keep it short. I think this is my favourite of my recent perfume acquisitions. I'm kind of wondering whether I should have heeded to the sales assistant's advice and purchased the bigger bottle. A friend complimented me on this fragrance while we were having dinner out, which only provided more positive reinforcement. What can I say ... it's a crowd-pleaser.

KIKO Long Lasting Stick Eyeshadow in 06
Another product I've already written about before, this truly has set in motion a second wave of enthusiasm for cream eyeshadows (ideally in pencil form). What I love most about the KIKO is that not only is it an effortless all-over lid colour, but I've found that it works just as well on the lower lashline. If anything, I've been preferring to use it that way. It stays on longer than regular pencil eyeliners, it's richly metallic but still daytime-friendly and not too dark, and it's just so quick and easy to swipe on while in a rush.

l-r: Face of Australia Budge Proof Eyeshadow in Bronze Sphinx, KIKO Long Lasting Stick Eyeshadow in 06

l-r: Becca Gilt, Essence Pas des Copper, Maybelline Bad to the Bronze, Face of Australia Bronze Sphinx, Benefit Busy Signal

Face of Australia Budge Proof Eyeshadow in Bronze Sphinx
Undoubtedly one of my favourite recent discoveries, Bronze Sphinx is one of those unanticipated, lucky finds. I was casually browsing Big W and came across the Face of Australia stand, where they had a blanket $3 off the entire range. I'd heard about the new Budge Proof Eyeshadows (evidently inspired by Maybelline Color Tattoos) from local bloggers, but I hadn't seen them in person at Priceline or anywhere else. I was interested in Tip Top Taupe as well (which reminded me so much of a toned down Chanel Illusion D'Ombre in Illusoire), but ultimately settled for just Bronze Sphinx, as I rationalised I'd get infinitely more wear out of it. Tip Top Taupe looked a bit too cool and grey, which I've found isn't the best with my skin tone. Bronze Sphinx, on the other hand, is just what I'm after in a cream eyeshadow.

Compared to similar shades, Becca Eye Tint in Gilt is closer to a warmer version of Benefit Creaseless Cream Eyeshadow/Liner in Busy Signal, with more gold shimmer but a difficult texture to work with (slides around, very patchy, a struggle to get even coverage). Essence Eye Soufflé in Pas des Copper (tragically limited edition) is lighter than Bronze Sphinx, with a touch more of a silvery overlay. Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze is cooler, more of an intensely metallic, medium frosty brown. Benefit Busy Signal is the darkest, a rich chocolate brown with fine gold shimmer. It's very pigmented and the tiniest amount goes a long way. Face of Australia Bronze Sphinx has more of a copper (red/orange) tone, and isn't as silvery as Pas des Copper or Bad to the Bronze, or with as much gold shimmer as Gilt or Busy Signal. Equally easy to apply with fingers or a brush, it's smooth, emollient, and not gritty or patchy in any way. Building up pigmentation in thin layers is a breeze. A bargain at $8.95, this is well on its way to being a much-loved staple.