May Favourites

May, like any other month, was more of the same old. At least for yours truly. My dad, on the other hand, embarked on 3 week solo trip around Italy jam-packed with tourist activity, fortunately managing to make it back home in one piece. While he was gone, I spent some more one-on-one time with my mum, including a super indulgent high tea buffet at the Swissotel for her birthday. In terms of beauty, May has been all about returning to my first love: perfumes. Favourites-wise, it's been a successful month with lots of products I'm genuinely excited to have discovered or put to good use.

Serge Lutens Un bois vanille
To describe this merely as a vanilla perfume as I've done in the past doesn't do it justice. It's so much more than that, and it was only this month when that finally clicked in my mind. This is actually a busy, complex fragrance with A LOT of notes. According to Fragrantica, sandalwood, black liquorice, coconut milk, beeswax, bitter almond, musk, vanilla, benzoin, guaiac wood and tonka bean. I don't know if my nose detects all of that, but I do get whiffs or bursts of certain ingredients coming to the fore when I'm smelling it. There's almost a risk of too much going on, but it's too well-blended to be overwhelming or dissonant. There's an unpredictability and depth about it that keeps things interesting, but overall, this potent, full-bodied, somewhat spicy/smoky but lusciously sweet concoction is simply addictive. The lasting power is phenomenal and it's one of few perfumes I can easily smell on myself after I've applied it.

Cacharel Amor Amor
ZOMG. I discovered Amor Amor only this month and it's like I've been living under a rock all this time. Bit of trivia ... the nose behind Serge Lutens Un bois vanille, Christopher Sheldrake, named Amor Amor as one of his favourite perfumes. If that's not a ringing endorsement, I don't know what is. This stuff is strong and very, very sweet. At first when I sprayed it on my wrist, I dismissed it as some generic, slightly chemical, overly sugary, youth-oriented frag that I'd quickly forget. How wrong I was. This developed and blossomed on my skin in a way that commanded my attention and soon, my wrist was glued to my nose. Someone on Fragrantica described it as smelling like an orange creamsicle and I'd have to agree. Fruity, sweet, creamy, edible, romantic, comforting. Call me utterly hooked.

Essie Cocktail Bling
Star polish of the month. You know it's a hit when it's on both my toes and fingers. Cocktail Bling is up there with Nails Inc. Porchester Square and OPI Tickle My France-y if we're talking unassuming, easy to wear, effortlessly cool neutrals. Eva Chen describes it as one of very few shades she repeats and it's not hard to see why.

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream + Garden of Wisdom Argan Oil
Obsessing over this combo for my skin, day and night. Nothing else works as effectively in combating the winter dry spells. I wasn't a huge fan of the FAB on its own, and I'd completely forgotten I even had the Garden of Wisdom argan oil, but together, they're magic. As odd as it sounds, I find my skin responds really well to no-frills moisturiser mixed with a straightforward, one ingredient face oil. I was using rosehip oil (or rosehip oil with avocado oil) for a while, but I'm convinced argan oil is it for me. Nicest texture (not overly greasy or thick), largely scentless, great absorption, and noticeable, fast results. It's my favourite oil and I'll probably repurchase the Josie Maran travel size when I run out of the Garden of Wisdom.

Max Factor Creme Puff Blush in Lovely Pink + Real Techniques Blush Brush
These Creme Puff Blushes from Max Factor do remind me a lot of Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blushes, though they're not as long lasting. Still, I've been enjoying the sweet, girly, warm pink flush Lovely Pink gives. It's pink without being too earthy/ruddy or cool-toned. Texture-wise, it's smooth and soft but not powdery. The pigmentation is easy to work with as it's not too strong, but still gives good colour payoff. It leaves a glow to the skin due to the shimmer content, but it's not pore-emphasising or OTT. I've swatched it in a previous haul post here.

I've been relying heavily on my Real Techniques Blush Brush this month to apply Lovely Pink (and basically all my blushes). The fluffiness and large size is ideal to diffuse pigment and ensure a well-blended, natural-looking flush. It's so soft on the skin and the tapered shape helps to sculpt my cheeks when placing the colour. I love that I can also dab the round tip into my blush to concentrate the colour on the apples of my cheeks. In a way, I've always overlooked the Blush Brush for applying my blush, favouring other brushes like the Ecotools by Alicia Silverstone Blush Brush, or more recently, the Zoeva Luxe Sheer Cheek, but I've truly rediscovered it in May and realise the error of my ways.

Wet n Wild MegaLast Lip Color in Bare It All
I've finally managed to buy this darn lipstick, despite wanting it for more than 2 years after seeing it on clothesencounters in one of her tutorials. I tried to live without it, even going as far as attempting to replicate the colour by combining BYS Longwear Lipstick in Beautifully Bare with Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Ginger Rose. Now it's here, I wish I hadn't resisted for so long. The colour is spot on for me as a not too pale, reddish brown nude. A true "my lips but better" shade. The lip swatch doesn't even do it justice as it's coming off a bit too brown. The pigmentation is incredible and it's not especially drying for a fully matte lipstick. I also love that it's extremely versatile. Wear it lightly patted onto the lips for a barely there, fresh-looking stain, or built up to full opacity for a bolder, more done up look.

Top 5 Low-End Eyeshadow Palettes

Following my Top 5 Low-End Eyeshadow Singles post, I've rounded up my top five budget-friendly/"drugstore" eyeshadow palettes. While I usually find myself reaching for my more expensive palettes, like the Urban Decay Naked palettes, NARS And God Created the Woman Eye Palette or Laura Mercier Lingerie Eye & Cheek Palette, every now and then I'll use these more affordable alternatives and be reminded that you don't necessarily need to spend big bucks to satiate all your eyeshadow needs and wants. It's only because I have so many palettes (and single/duo eyeshadows) that I don't appreciate and pay as much attention to these cheaper standouts.

MUA Heaven and Earth

MUA Eyeshadow Palette in Heaven and Earth
Into neutral eyeshadows? Then this is the palette for you. Take your pick from the selection of shimmery champagne, peach, bronze, gold, copper, taupe and chocolate shades. The shadows might not be as creamy, effortlessly blendable and pigmented as Urban Decay, but they still exceed expectations given their low price point. For a palette containing a high proportion of ultra wearable, all-over lid shades (and some highlighting and deepening colours to boot), you can't go wrong with Heaven and Earth.

Revlon Coffee Bean

Revlon ColorStay 12 Hour Eye Shadow in Coffee Bean
I consider Coffee Bean a good "drugstore" alternative to the Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette. My favourite colour is the matte light greige shade — a kind of colour you don't see very often among the more affordable brands. (I'm wearing it over the lid with some decorative paper lashes here.) I do find the shadows to be on the powdery side with quite a bit of fallout if I don't tap my brush first to minimise any loose pigment, but as you can see from the swatch, the colour payoff is good and the versatile shade selection allows for the creation of different looks that can be taken from day to night.

Revlon Naturally Glamorous

Revlon CustomEyes Shadow & Liner Palette in Naturally Glamorous
Revlon has had its fair share of dud eyeshadows (see ColorStay Mineral Eyeshadow in Midnight Garnet), and unlike their generally outstanding lip products, they're not exactly renowned for their eyeshadows, but along with Coffee Bean, Naturally Glamorous is a definite hit. Admittedly, I mainly use the first and fourth bronzy shades, but that's because I'm largely unadventurous and lazy when it comes to eye makeup and I don't like to deviate from what I know and love. The texture and overall quality of these warm-toned shadows are superior to Coffee Bean in that they're creamier, not as powdery, have less fallout and richer colour payoff (though at the same time, there aren't any matte shades). The plastic packaging is flimsy though, perhaps a design flaw as the palette unusually opens from the side rather than the bottom. The hinge of mine has fallen apart, reducing the functionality of the palette considerably.

Wet n Wild Comfort Zone

Wet n Wild Color Icon Eyeshadow Collection in Comfort Zone
Along with MUA Heaven and Earth and Sleek i-Divine Eyeshadow Palette in Storm, Comfort Zone was one lower end palette that I simply needed to have. I bought it relatively early on in my cosmetics obsession, having read countless rave reviews about how the shadows were comparable to much pricier brands. Sure enough, the pigmentation of the shadows in Comfort Zone is uniformly excellent. There is a bit of annoying fallout with some of the darker shades, so I usually try to steer clear of them. I was a tad disappointed that the bottom left Definer shade turned out to be closer to black than the rich chocolate brown it resembled in the pan, but it's not like I'm experiencing any shortage of chocolate browns, so I can live with that. I appreciate that Comfort Zone offers more variety than the brown/beige/grey palettes I stockpile, with even the odd green and orange shade in the mix. The incredible duochrome of the right Definer shade is what makes this palette in my opinion — MAC Club dupe, anyone?

Sleek Oh So Special

Sleek i-Divine Eyeshadow Palette in Oh So Special
Surprise, surprise — a Sleek palette is of course in here, but it's not Storm. I figured I only truly adore and use one shade in Storm, but Oh So Special is, well, just as its name suggests. I have to tip my hat to any cheaper makeup brand that includes not one, but two bright pink matte shades in a single palette. And the biggest revelation is that they're not at all terrible. You'd almost expect them to be underwhelming given the poor track record of matte shades from the lower end of the market, but they're actually intensely pigmented (ironically, the tamer, ho-hum matte dark brown Box was the only flop of this palette). The shimmery shades have an almost moist, spongy texture and they're vibrantly metallic with minimal fallout. Oh So Special is unabashedly flirty and feminine.

All Day Shimmer

After looking through my matte eyeshadows, I felt I needed to balance things out and feature my favourite and most used shimmery eyeshadows. The majority of the shades I picked are neutral eyeshadows that I reach for in the mornings to apply over the lid. I usually opt for a second darker colour (a deeper bronze, purple or green) that I place along the upper lash line and blend out slightly for more definition. I haven't included any of those darker shades here, though they would certainly be among my most beloved eyeshadows (namely, the bronze from the Sleek Storm palette). I've also confined the list to powder eyeshadows, even though two cream shadows (Maybelline Bad to the Bronze and Essence Pas Des Copper) are absolute staples.

Wet n Wild Color Icon Eyeshadow Trio in Silent Treatment (Eyelid shade)
I almost much never touch the other two shades in this trio because they just don't hold a candle to the Eyelid colour. This is a very wearable purplish taupe that isn't too cool, grey or silvery. It takes 2-3 layers for full pigmentation as it can apply a little on the light side initially. It has more of a soft sheen and isn't overwhelmingly shimmery or frosty. I usually pair this with a darker purple (lately, the right side of the L'Oréal HiP Metallic Shadow Duo in Electrified).

Laura Mercier African Violet (from the Lingerie Eye & Cheek Palette)
There's a reason why African Violet seems constant in every Laura Mercier eyeshadow palette release. Nothing that I have in my whole collection comes close to it. It's a warm pinkish-purple infused with the most beautiful coppery-gold shimmer. The glimmering finish and chameleonic quality of this shade makes it truly special. It could easily be too much and appear overly glittery, but it's sophisticated and surprisingly wearable for the daytime. Goes really well with a matte brown (I like Rich Cocoa from the same palette).

Revlon Luxurious Color Satin Eyeshadow in Polished Bronze
Brown and bronze shades are my default choice because they're easy to wear and go with anything. Polished Bronze is one of those ever-reliable colours that I reach for constantly. It might not be the most unique shade, but it's exactly what I'm after when looking for an everyday bronze that's a complete no-brainer. Not too dark, not too metallic, not too cool or grey, or overly warm/copper. Just right.

Revlon CustomEyes Shadow & Liner in Naturally Glamorous (fourth shade)
This is similar to Polished Bronze but quite a bit darker and a touch warmer, so it's better as an all-over lid colour when I can't be bothered to add more depth with a separate, darker shade. I find it a bit too dark for the day time unless I apply it lightly and blend well to soften the edges and sheer out the colour. It's nicely pigmented and the texture is smooth, soft and not at all crumbly or powdery. On the downside, the packaging seems flimsy as the hinge of my palette recently shattered.

Urban Decay YDK (from the Naked2 palette)
Honestly, YDK is ridiculous. So pigmented and stunningly metallic. It's a treasure in my collection. Just a light swipe is all you need for intense colour payoff. It's almost too shimmery for the daytime, but that hasn't stopped me. It's a copper-tinged, frosty bronze that I usually pair with Busted from the same palette.

Urban Decay Toasted (from the Naked palette)
Such a good eyeshadow staple. Sometimes I forget how amazing both Naked palettes are, as I haven't been reaching for them lately. Along with Smog, Darkhorse and Hustle, Toasted is my most used shade from the original Naked palette. I usually wear Smog with Darkhorse, and Toasted with Hustle. I think I marginally prefer Toasted to Smog, as the warm, slightly pinkish bronze is more neutral and wearable than Smog, which is darker and a little more antique in tone. Although metallic, there's a softness to it and it's not at all frosty.

Maybelline ExpertWear Eye Shadow in Rock Icon (Crease shade)
I had to include a green, because along with purple and bronze, it's one of my favourite colours. Green complements brown eyes and goldish olive/khaki shades are an accessible way to venture into colour while still remaining relatively neutral. I used to wear the crease shade in Rock Icon pretty often, but have neglected it for a while. I do have similar colours that I reach for now and then or were once on high rotation, including L'Oréal Infallible eyeshadow in Bronze Goddess and the fourth shade in the Revlon Illuminance Creme Shadow palette in Khaki Suede. The shadows in this quad might not be the best quality, but the crease shade is decently pigmented (moreso than the lid and browbone), and with a primer, they hold up fairly well.

l-r: Wet n Wild Silent Treatment (Eyelid), Laura Mercier African Violet, Revlon Polished Bronze, Revlon Naturally Glamorous (fourth shade), Urban Decay YDK, Urban Decay Toasted, Maybelline Rock Icon (Crease)

l-r: Wet n Wild Silent Treatment (Eyelid shade), Laura Mercier African Violet, 

Revlon Polished Bronze, Revlon Naturally Glamorous (fourth shade)

l-r: Urban Decay YDK, Urban Decay Toasted, Maybelline Rock Icon (Crease shade)

February Favourites

It seems like my makeup during the weekdays hasn't deviated from my normal routine for the longest time. It's only on the weekends that I'm inspired to try out something new or use a product that I haven't picked up in a while. This month, I've been favouring a more minimal (or bare-faced) approach on my "off" days. If I can't be bothered with makeup at all, I've enjoyed the sheer coverage and oil control of my first non-Asian BB cream, a natural pink lip and a multipurpose coral tint that I've finally figured out how to use.

Cutex Nourishing Nail Polish Remover
I couldn't get back to this nail polish remover fast enough after using (and hating) the ineffective and offensive-smelling Sally Hansen Acetone-Free Fast & Gentle Polish Remover. My favourite thing about this Cutex one, apart from the fact it just works a whole lot better at removing nail polish, is that it doesn't smell like nail polish remover. Most nail polish removers I've tried have an overwhelming, sharp chemical stench that makes taking off your polish a generally unpleasant experience. Not this one. Any chemical scent is mild and it smells more like cocoa butter. It's truly unique in that respect, and I'll happily repurchase when I run out.

Garnier BB Cream Miracle Skin Perfector Combination to Oily Skin in Light
I've been meaning to try this after reading Dawn's glowing review and seeing Lisa Eldridge use it in her Kylie Minogue video. This has become my go-to for when I don't feel like wearing foundation, but still want to even out my skin tone with light, natural coverage. It goes on smoothly with fingers on a freshly moisturised face. I'm impressed with the oil control — on really hot summer days, this only gets slightly dewier with time, but in a soft, luminous way that actually makes it better. My only caution is that it overflows when you first open it, so it's best to keep it upright and avoid squeezing the tube.

Wet n Wild Color Icon Eyeshadow Collection in Comfort Zone
I've been neglecting my Urban Decay Naked palettes and instead, paying much more attention to Comfort Zone. For the longest time, I was desperate to acquire this palette (along with the Color Icon Eyeshadow Trio in Silent Treatment), but once it was finally mine, my enthusiasm waned. It's taken me a while to come around, but my appreciation for it grows the more I use it. My favourites are the left crease colour all over the lid and the two bottom shades applied along the upper lash line and slightly blended out. The duochrome of the right "Definer" shade is a thing of beauty. Small warning: the bottom left shade has A LOT of fall out. It's also much closer to a straightforward black than the rich, shimmery bronze that it looks like in the pan, which is the only minor disappointment of this palette for me.

Clinique Chubby Stick in Woppin' Watermelon
Despite having a ridiculous number of lipsticks, I barely wear them the vast majority of the time. During the day, if I'm not wearing nothing on my lips, I usually prefer a safe and sheer option. A little something to add some colour and moisture, but nothing that screams lipstick or is too noticeable. That's when Woppin' Watermelon is the perfect choice. It's a neutral, rosy pink that still has a bit of juiciness. It's softly glossy, fairly hydrating and buildable in colour. And I just love the look of it. The packaging is A+ in my book.

Benefit Cha Cha Tint
I've always liked Cha Cha Tint, but never used it much. That changed when I found an easier way to apply it. Dabbing a bit of the tint on your hand, then dipping your finger into the product to blend onto the cheek, gives you much more control than applying the product directly to your finger, and then to your cheek. (Whatever you do, don't apply this directly to your cheek, unless you want a red dot on your face all day.) The only downside to applying it to your hand first is that it does leave a stain. I can live with that. Though I have a million coral/peachy blushes, what I love about Cha Cha Tint is that it's neither shimmery nor matte. It never looks powdery or shiny on the cheeks. It just melds into the skin completely and invisibly. Sparingly and carefully applied, it gives the face a fresh, youthful, pinky-peachy-coral pep.

BeautyJoint Haul

My BeautyJoint order finally arrived! I'd only recently heard of the site, but I managed to hold off making an order until Cherie thoughtfully notified me that the Wet n Wild Comfort Zone palette was back in stock. The instant I heard, I scrambled to add it to my cart, along with a few other items I'd already lined up. Delivery took 10 working days and all the contents were in pristine condition. The packaging certainly insured against breakage, with everything tightly bound by multiple layers of bubble wrap and industrial sticky tape.

I bought two nail polishes, China Glaze Luxe and Lush and Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat. Here, I'm wearing two coats of Luxe and Lush over Essence Grand-Plié in Black with a top coat of Seche Vite. The effect reminds me of a granite coffee table or a flurry of koi swimming in a pond. I thought that Luxe and Lush would be very similar to China Glaze Snow Globe, but I find Luxe and Lush (at least against a black base) to be predominately gold, orange and green, whereas Snow Globe has a wider colour spectrum and is more reminiscent of opal flecks.

Ever since I saw e.l.f. Studio Blush in Pink Passion featured in Tanya Burr's $20 Makeup Challenge video, it's been on my "to buy" list. Pink Passion is an ultra bright, blue-based candy pink. Less is definitely more with this one, you only need the smallest amount as it's relatively easy to go overboard and look clownish. Notwithstanding the unpleasant, faint chemical smell (a problem I have with BYS blushes as well, which I guess are sort of like the Australian equivalent to e.l.f.), the pigmentation is excellent and the powder is quite soft, not chalky or difficult to blend.

The star of the show would have to be the Wet n Wild Color Icon Eyeshadow Collection in Comfort Zone (738). Some products can be hyped and disappoint, but when a particular palette is consistently well-loved, there usually has to be good reason. The pigmentation of these eyeshadows is amazing. When I first swatched them, I was thoroughly impressed at how lightly I had dipped my finger in each eyeshadow to get such vibrant colour payoff. They're soft, but not powdery, and easy to blend. My only criticism is the smell. It has this unmistakable, sweet but metallic chemical smell that I can't really describe, but it's extremely off-putting. A couple of the darker colours also lose some vibrancy and are much closer to black when applied to the lid compared to how they look in the pan. Having said that, I adore the second browbone colour, the first crease colour and the second definer colour (the emerald/bronze duochrome is so pronounced and sublime).

Wet n Wild Color Icon Eyeshadow Trio in Silent Treatment (335) was another eyeshadow must-have. Forget the browbone and crease colour, this palette is about one thing only: the eyelid colour. It is simply gorgeous. It's what I wanted Maybelline Silken Taupe and various shades in the Too Faced Naked Eye palette to be. It's a purplish light taupe with an almost lavender/silvery shimmer that can be built up in intensity so it looks more brown with an almost pinkish tinge. Perfect as an all-over lid colour, this purple-leaning shade is a welcome change from the usual taupe/bronze eyeshadows that dominate my daily routine.