Hey there!
I can't believe it's time to do another monthly favourites again, because it means I only have about 3 months left before my hectic academic life starts again... Oh well, I shall not think about it and enjoy my holiday as it is first, because #YOLO!!
SO! This April's favourites will be split into 4 sections, namely "Skincare", "Makeup", "Fashion" and "Random".
I can't believe it's time to do another monthly favourites again, because it means I only have about 3 months left before my hectic academic life starts again... Oh well, I shall not think about it and enjoy my holiday as it is first, because #YOLO!!
SO! This April's favourites will be split into 4 sections, namely "Skincare", "Makeup", "Fashion" and "Random".
Skincare Favourites:
1. Avene Thermal Spring Water
I know I'm a little slow in this, but I only got obsessed with this mist in the past month despite hearing soooo many raves about it throughout the years. Initially I was a little skeptical because afterall, it's just normal water right? How much difference can spring water and normal water have? Well, let me tell you that I don't know why, but this thing really works. My skin was having some trouble due to the stupid hot weather here in Singapore, and even though I wasn't breaking out, my skin just felt rougher than before and there are dry, red patches around my nose, forehead and chin. I was pretty annoyed because my base makeup did not sit as nicely as before. However after using this product, I felt like my skin has soothed down a lot, and it felt more hydrated and less irritable. In addition, this is a good before & after makeup spray because it helps the makeup to adhere better and also hydrate your skin even with the layers of products on. In conclusion, I'm sure this is going to be a permanent staple in my skincare routine from now on!
2. Bath & Body Works Golden Magnolia Sun Fine Fragrance Body Mist
I got this while shopping with Char & Esmay for a friend's present. I always wanted a BNBW fragrance body mist, but never got one because there were just tooooo many varieties in the store I cannot make up my mind and da BF definitely cannot let me waste 1H in the store picking up a suitable fragrance. However with my girlfriends, it was a different story because we literally took almost more than an hour in the store just going crazy over every single product! I think I tried out almost all the fragrances available in the store to be honest, and by the end of the day my nose was sooo clogged up. I wished they had those little jars of coffee beans in the store to kill the multiple scents lingering in my nose. Anyway, I was not very keen in any scents despite the wide varieties available. They were just too sweet, too strong or too musky for my liking. In the end I just settled for this Golden Magnolia Sun scent which I was not exactly loving, but the scent was not too offensive and I was okay with it. (You know, girls have this time when they just need to spend money on stuff they don't really like/need, yeah?) However, when I got home and sprayed this on my skin, I was really surprised! It smells so much better on my skin than that strip of paper they gave me in the store, and this mist lasted longer than I had expected! I like how the caramel and vanilla scents worked well with the peony and magnolia scents! It feels very summery to me, and the bottle is PINK, what is there not to love? All in all, I find this a great summer scent for the days when I feel active and extremely cheerful!
3. LALINE Ocean Handcream
I've mentioned this product in my previous post before, but I have been using it dutifully for the past month and it deserves a spot in my monthly favourites! I just really like the consistency of this handcream as well as the subtle scent it gives. My Mom hates it when I put on strong body/hand creams at night because the scent lingers in the aircon room and irritates her nose. However, with this Laline handcream, the scent is so subtle that she does not even realize I had on a scented handcream. It feels personal because only I can smell it from my hands hehe. Plus, this handcream has really kept my hands feeling moisturized and cured those dry patches near my cuticles which I cannot stop picking at. Definitely wished I had purchased more of this than the Laline body mist. Oh well!
4. SK-II Signature Eye Cream
I've had this for awhile, and never really used it because the first time I tried, it gave me oil bumps around my eyes and I was freaked out. I recently rediscovered this, and decided to use it in tiny amount, and it worked brilliantly! In my opinion this eye cream is seriously rich, and hence a little goes a long way! I did not really see any improvements in my dark eye circles, but that is probably because of my unhealthy lifestyle (3am bedtime, <2 cups of water/day), but it definitely did provide a brightening effect and helped in reducing the developing wrinkles around my eyes! (They say that you should start using anti-aging/wrinkles products once you hit 20 years old) I find it a bit too greasy for my liking, but that is why you really only need a tiny weeny bit to moisturize the eye area! However it is probably one of the most expensive skincare product I have ever owned, so I will have to go hunt for an alternative before I finish this jar up!
Makeup Favourites:
1. e.l.f. Studio Endless Eyes Pro Mini Eyeshadow Palette
1. Avene Thermal Spring Water
I know I'm a little slow in this, but I only got obsessed with this mist in the past month despite hearing soooo many raves about it throughout the years. Initially I was a little skeptical because afterall, it's just normal water right? How much difference can spring water and normal water have? Well, let me tell you that I don't know why, but this thing really works. My skin was having some trouble due to the stupid hot weather here in Singapore, and even though I wasn't breaking out, my skin just felt rougher than before and there are dry, red patches around my nose, forehead and chin. I was pretty annoyed because my base makeup did not sit as nicely as before. However after using this product, I felt like my skin has soothed down a lot, and it felt more hydrated and less irritable. In addition, this is a good before & after makeup spray because it helps the makeup to adhere better and also hydrate your skin even with the layers of products on. In conclusion, I'm sure this is going to be a permanent staple in my skincare routine from now on!
2. Bath & Body Works Golden Magnolia Sun Fine Fragrance Body Mist
I got this while shopping with Char & Esmay for a friend's present. I always wanted a BNBW fragrance body mist, but never got one because there were just tooooo many varieties in the store I cannot make up my mind and da BF definitely cannot let me waste 1H in the store picking up a suitable fragrance. However with my girlfriends, it was a different story because we literally took almost more than an hour in the store just going crazy over every single product! I think I tried out almost all the fragrances available in the store to be honest, and by the end of the day my nose was sooo clogged up. I wished they had those little jars of coffee beans in the store to kill the multiple scents lingering in my nose. Anyway, I was not very keen in any scents despite the wide varieties available. They were just too sweet, too strong or too musky for my liking. In the end I just settled for this Golden Magnolia Sun scent which I was not exactly loving, but the scent was not too offensive and I was okay with it. (You know, girls have this time when they just need to spend money on stuff they don't really like/need, yeah?) However, when I got home and sprayed this on my skin, I was really surprised! It smells so much better on my skin than that strip of paper they gave me in the store, and this mist lasted longer than I had expected! I like how the caramel and vanilla scents worked well with the peony and magnolia scents! It feels very summery to me, and the bottle is PINK, what is there not to love? All in all, I find this a great summer scent for the days when I feel active and extremely cheerful!
3. LALINE Ocean Handcream
I've mentioned this product in my previous post before, but I have been using it dutifully for the past month and it deserves a spot in my monthly favourites! I just really like the consistency of this handcream as well as the subtle scent it gives. My Mom hates it when I put on strong body/hand creams at night because the scent lingers in the aircon room and irritates her nose. However, with this Laline handcream, the scent is so subtle that she does not even realize I had on a scented handcream. It feels personal because only I can smell it from my hands hehe. Plus, this handcream has really kept my hands feeling moisturized and cured those dry patches near my cuticles which I cannot stop picking at. Definitely wished I had purchased more of this than the Laline body mist. Oh well!
4. SK-II Signature Eye Cream
I've had this for awhile, and never really used it because the first time I tried, it gave me oil bumps around my eyes and I was freaked out. I recently rediscovered this, and decided to use it in tiny amount, and it worked brilliantly! In my opinion this eye cream is seriously rich, and hence a little goes a long way! I did not really see any improvements in my dark eye circles, but that is probably because of my unhealthy lifestyle (3am bedtime, <2 cups of water/day), but it definitely did provide a brightening effect and helped in reducing the developing wrinkles around my eyes! (They say that you should start using anti-aging/wrinkles products once you hit 20 years old) I find it a bit too greasy for my liking, but that is why you really only need a tiny weeny bit to moisturize the eye area! However it is probably one of the most expensive skincare product I have ever owned, so I will have to go hunt for an alternative before I finish this jar up!
Makeup Favourites:
1. e.l.f. Studio Endless Eyes Pro Mini Eyeshadow Palette
I purchased this 32 colors eyeshadow palette in NATURAL from a Carouseller who sells many makeup instocks at a more reasonable price than Watsons/SASA roadshows. For $9.90 I was not expecting much from this palette, especially since its from e.l.f., which is famous for their hit & miss products. I was actually going to skip this palette because of its natural shades, as I already have both the NAKED 1 & 2 palettes as well as The Balm Nude 'tude palette but gave in because of its price. Thankfully, the pigmentation of this palette is slightly better than average, and despite some chalky shades, the rest of the colors were beautiful and applied evenly! In addition the palette has a fair share of matte and shimmer shades, and the colors compliment each other on the eyes. The palette definitely performed beyond my expectations, and I find myself reaching for it a lot when I feel like doing a natural eye makeup. For days when I prefer a pop of color on my eyes, I use the Too Faced "A few of my favourite things" palette which my boyfriend got for me last christmas! With these 2 palettes, i can do any looks that i want :)
2. ASA Korean False Eyelashes DS20
2. ASA Korean False Eyelashes DS20
After watching one of the episodes of Get It Beauty! (Korean's version of 女人我最大)where the makeup artist revealed that all actresses, even Jung Ji HYun in "You who came from the stars", can never give up their false lashes, I decided that it was time I venture into the false lashes dimension. The Koreans make false lashes look sooooo natural and pretty, I just had to try!
So I searched for an identical lash design as what the makup artist in the episode showed, and cut the lashes up as he had instructed (that's why you see the first pair of lashes appeared shorter than the rest in the image above). I realized that using only sections of the lashes greatly increased the ease of its application, and gave a more natural appearance. I do not like to have the false strands appearing longer than my own lashes, as my main intention is to create volume not length, hence i trim down the lash tips to reduce its length. I find that it looks even more natural like this. I don't use the lashes often because application is quite troublesome, but on days whereby I do not need to rush to head out, I like to feel a little more dolled up.
3. Darkness Eyelash & Double eyelid glue
I needed an eyelash glue as the lash glue that came with my false lashes could not be shipped over via normal air, so i went to SASA and randomly picked up an eyelash glue without reading the description. I did not realize that this is a double duty glue, and can be used as an double eyelid glue as well. I have natural double eyelids so I only used this as an eyelash glue. I find that it performs as well as the ever so famous ARDELL lash glue, and turns transparent when dried. I only wished it came with a brush applicator or something so that I can apply it on the lashes easily. Nonetheless since it is the only eyelash glue I own for the moment, I have been reaching for it alot in the past month!
4. CATRICE Made to Stay Smoothing Lip Polish in Mission PINKpossible
3. Darkness Eyelash & Double eyelid glue
I needed an eyelash glue as the lash glue that came with my false lashes could not be shipped over via normal air, so i went to SASA and randomly picked up an eyelash glue without reading the description. I did not realize that this is a double duty glue, and can be used as an double eyelid glue as well. I have natural double eyelids so I only used this as an eyelash glue. I find that it performs as well as the ever so famous ARDELL lash glue, and turns transparent when dried. I only wished it came with a brush applicator or something so that I can apply it on the lashes easily. Nonetheless since it is the only eyelash glue I own for the moment, I have been reaching for it alot in the past month!
4. CATRICE Made to Stay Smoothing Lip Polish in Mission PINKpossible
Lip lacquers are all the hype now, and several brands ranging from YSL to Etude house have introduced such similar lip products. I had always wanted to try Clio's Lipnicure, but never got around buying it because of the mixed reviews on the net saying that it was extremely drying and uncomfortable. The Etude House color lips fit lipstick did not appeal to me because of its powdery finish when dried. So when I was shopping in Guardian, scanning the Catrice shelve from top to bottom, I saw these lip polishes and immediately grabbed the hot pink shade and headed to the cashier. I did not bother to google for reviews because after trying so many Catrice products, the brand has built up a sense of trust in me as Catrice has never disappointed me in the aspect of their products' quality. My trust did not go to vain because this lip polish is not only superrrr pigmented, it is moisturizing and lightweight, long lasting and also wallet-friendly!! These were only $9.90 per tube, and even though I wished they made the packaging a bit more glamorous, the applicator is really good at precise application. The finish is glossy, which was right up my alley, and a matte look can be achieved by removing the surface of the lip polish. What is left behind is a beautiful matte hot pink stain, which I adore as well. My braces do not really like this lip polish though, as I must be really careful to prevent the lip polish from coming in contact with my braces. It seriously stains my braces in a hot pink shade, and that is a big problem especially for my ceramic braces. Removal for this product is a little troublesome as a oil based makeup remover is needed (I use the Loreal Eye & Lip makeup remover). I am currently planning to purchase another shade "Jen & Berry's", as I need a more natural shade for days when I don't feel like wearing such a bright lip color.
(Swatches available below, along with swatches fro the color sensational lipstick)
5. MAYBELLINE Color Sensational Bold Matte Lipstick in Hot Pink
(Swatches available below, along with swatches fro the color sensational lipstick)
5. MAYBELLINE Color Sensational Bold Matte Lipstick in Hot Pink
Another really bright and bold lip color, I have been using this lippie for the gradient lip effect. Because it is super bright and pigmented, I apply this in the middle of my lips and sheer it out towards the edges of my lips, and the result is beautiful and girly.
Here are some swatches of the lip polish and this lipstick!
(L - R: Maybelline Color Sensational Bold Matte Lipstick in Hot Pink, Catrice Made to Stay Smoothing Lip Polish in Mission PINKpossible)
Here are some swatches of the lip polish and this lipstick!
(L - R: Maybelline Color Sensational Bold Matte Lipstick in Hot Pink, Catrice Made to Stay Smoothing Lip Polish in Mission PINKpossible)
6. Beauty Blender Pro
If you are wondering what that black round thing is from the first picture, it is my beloved Beauty Blender Pro Sponge. I had always wanted to get the original pink Beauty Blender, but held back because of its price tag. I do not know what got into me for the past month, but I finally went out and purchased a duo set. I got the Pro one because i couldn't find the original pink one sold anywhere, and I did not like the Beauty Blender Pure as it will definitely get stained like crazy. I finally understood why many people do not mind the price tag that comes with these blenders! They seriously apply my base makeup flawlessly, and gives an airbrush finish. Like mentioned above, my skin has been very irritated by the weather recently, and my base makeup emphasized those problem spots. However, using the blender helped solve this problem! I also really liked the way my base makeup is even and applied in thin layers, because it allows my actual skin to shine through and doesn't look cakey. I use the blender with my IOPE CC cream (which did not make it to my favourites as I don't really adore it), and managed to achieve a dewy and flawless finish. I also use it to apply primer, concealer and powder blush! It is simple actually, I JUST REALLY REALLY LOVE IT! If you haven't gotten one, don't hesitate, just splurge and be impressed!!
Fashion favourites:
1. Sneakers creepers
Fashion favourites:
1. Sneakers creepers
If you follow me on Instagram, you already know that I have been wearing these kicks A LOT. They give me some extra height (not that I need one, I'm already 171cm), and are pretty comfortable to walk in. They are really light, but the only problem is that I cannot run or walk too fast in these shoes because of the extra layer(s) below. I just feel that they really add a statement to my overall outfit, and breathing even fresher air is a plus for me! HAHAHAH
2. Infinity Rope Bracelet
2. Infinity Rope Bracelet
This infinity bracelet is available on MARIXSTYLE ! I just like that it is simple yet adds a little statement on my wrist, and the white ropes make it easy to match my outfits!
Random favourites:
1. Meiji Matcha Latte Ice Bar
Random favourites:
1. Meiji Matcha Latte Ice Bar
My mom got this for me, and let me tell you IT IS SO GOD DAMN GOOD!! The matcha icecream isn't bitter, and has small lumps of what seems like mochi in the icecream! Really good for a hot day (which is everyday), but not very cheap as it cost $7.90 for 4 sticks. But who cares, when it's this good?
2. Harada Green Tea Sachets
2. Harada Green Tea Sachets
There are many health benefits in green tea, and drinking unsweetened green tea is definitely better than those bottled green teas with artificial flavourings. These sachets can be used to make hot or cold green tea, and the taste is very rich unlike those bland green teas that are served in several japanese restaurants. However, do note that these are not tea bags and do not come with the strings, and soaking the sachets in water for too long may result in a cup of overly bitter green tea! I prefer to drink these hot, and the taste encourages me to drink more water! You get 40 sachets for $3.90!
Well, this has been a really long post, and I hope I didn't bore you out!
That is it for now!
XOXO,
Iris
Well, this has been a really long post, and I hope I didn't bore you out!
That is it for now!
XOXO,
Iris