She Shops Makeup

Hello there! In this post, I would like to share with you my thoughts on a new lip balm that I received to try.

The Mentholatum Deep Moist was launched in 2008 in Japan and has seen tremendous success and popularity there. It quickly became top selling lip balms in Japan’s lip care market. This strengthened Mentholatum Lip Balm Brand leadership as the #1 Top Selling Lip Balm brand in Japan* (2006 to 2009).  

The success of Deep Moist is largely due to 2 main factors, its premium hydrating ingredients at value pricing, and its elegant, ergonomic packaging design.  

1. The Ingredients:

• Hyaluronic Acid, a premium ingredient that forms a smooth, moisture locking shield for softer, smoother lips.  It can hold 1000X its weight in water, or 6 litres of water with just 1g.
• Shea Butter heals the skin, and gives a soft, pleasant texture to the lip balm.  
• Jojoba Oil gives pro-longed, whole day hydration to the lips.

2. The Ergonomic Design
The Deep Moist lip balm comes in an innovative oval-shaped container design that fits the corner of the mouth well and makes it easy to apply with a single swipe. The oval-shaped design fits the corner of my mouth so well that the Deep Moist lip balm can be applied easily without affecting the foundation around the mouth. 

Lip balms are the single most essential item in my makeu-up bag. I am not blessed with naturally moisturised lips so it is important to keep my lips from drying out during the day in the office, as well as at night when I sleep. I am currently still using another Mentholatum lip balm as as overnight lip treatment and have been loving it. Previous review here. 

What I love most about the Deep Moist is the design. Because it is so flat, I can leave one in my pocket without fear or an unsightly bulge. It is also unscented, making it good for people who do not like minty balms or scented balms. This lip balm has the right level of balmy texture without being too oily and it truly moisturises the lips really well. It is available at local drugstores like Watsons and Guardian. 

Disclosure: 
Products featured were provided to me for review consideration. I am not affiliated to them and all opinions expressed are my own.

Hi there! As much as I love beauty and make-up, when it comes to haircare, I like it to be fuss free and simple. I am not one who has the patience to spend hours or even 15 minutes on my hair before I'm out the door. To a certain extent, the logic to haircare and skincare is the same. If the condition of your hair is well-maintained, then there really isn't too much styling required to keep it looking healthy. 

Apart from a good shampoo and conditioner, I also try to mask my hair once a week. The current fave is Burt's Bees Avocado Pre-Shampoo Hair Treatment. 

Leave-on hair treatment works the same way as moisturiser do to our face and body. Hence, this is one step I would religiously include in my daily routine. 

ASIENCE has got a new range of leave-on hair treatment with varying textures to suit all hair types and needs. 

Happy Sunday! Oops!! It's only Wednesday.. Well, it sure felt like a Sunday ;)

Just a little warning that there will be an influx of haul posts over the next couple weeks because as usual, I am hauling much too fast and I am constantly playing catch-up on my blog. It's difficult choosing what to feature first, it's usually the ones I adore the most.

The Diorskin Nude Tan Paradise Duo Iridescent Blush and Bronzing Powder (what a mouthful) is my first ever Dior powder compact. For some bizarre reason, I always seem to miss out on previous launches Dior Bronzing Powders. Given that I had been hauling so much the last couple weeks, I was pretty determined that I would not need this powder. Besides, I have my staple favourite Guerlain Terracotta 4 Seasons bronzer, why would I need another one?

PS: Please excuse the slightly cool-toned and grainy pictures. I snapped this in the evening in daylight because I could not wait to use it!!

This was a product that was definitely LOVE AT FIRST SWATCH! It was pretty funny when Eliza and I first saw this powder at DFS. Given that Eliza was never really a bronzer user, and me, being ever-so-faithful to my Guerlain Terracotta 4 seasons, we did not expect to exclaimed almost instantaneously - "WE NEED THIS!" as soon as we swatched it. 

This is my first Dior powder compact. I have been a big fan of their Lip Glow for years but never tried their powders until now. As with every other high-end makeup, it comes in a beautiful silver compact complete with a deep blue velvet case. What's equally awesome is that this powder also comes with a miniature kabuki brush which is of pretty decent quality. Best of all, that brush has it's own little form-fitted velvet cover, making it perfect for my daily makeup pouch!

Apart from DFS, there were no testers or displays at any of the Dior counters. These were expected to officially be on the shelves sometime during the first week of May (I think today!). It is retailing for $90 and comes with 9.5g of product. 

The pan is divided into 4 quadrants, each one embossed with a letter that makes up the word NUDE.

It comes with 2 bronzer shades and 2 blusher shades. I like how the bronzer shades have got the right amount of warmth, making them great as bronzers or even a natural contour. 

The pink blusher shades lean toward a slightly blue undertone which is awesome because I have an unhealthy collection of coral and warm toned blushers. I love the pigmentation and quality of the powder, it is so soft and delivers the right level of pigmentation especially when used with the mini kabuki that came with the set. 

Initially, I thought that I would most likely swirl all 4 colors together and only use this as a blusher, but I was pleasantly surprised at how natural a contour I could create with the bronze shades. I will do a follow-up post with LOTD and different ways of wearing this powder. 

If you have never owned a Dior Nude limited edition bronzer/blusher duo? Do check this one out. It is gorgeous! 

Thanks for looking! 

Hello there! Hope everyone had a lovely Saturday. I know I did! I had a facial appointment in the afternoon, so Eliza and I decided to meet up for brunch and chit-chat. It was meant to be a shopping-free day, until we habitually found ourselves in Tangs Beauty Hall, after swatching the beautiful Dior Nude Glow from the Summer 2013 Bird oF Paradise collection at DFS.

When we stepped into Tangs, it was purely so that Eliza could pick up the Dior Nude Glow. Of course, while we were there, we also requested to look at the set of nail polishes. They came in 2 sets of duo minis. Ok, I have to confess, I was very drawn to this collection when I first saw the ads. The base color of this collection was TURQOISE, my favourite color ever! I have been secretely trying to psyche myself to thinking that I do not need anything from this collection. I guess that was a fail :p

Given that I was meant to be on a "beauty diet", I limited myself to only one set and of course I chose Samba over Bahlia, just because it is turqoise and also because I do have dupes of both Bahlia colors. 

Yup, this duo is the one on the Collection's promotional advert. Another reason why I needed this duo over Bahlia!

Isn't it just too beautiful to pass? The duos are miniatures with only 7ml of product each which I don't mind because I never every finish my nail polishes. I have never been a fan of minis because the brushes are usually small and lousy. These minis actually came with Dior's signature flat brush in regular size, which was a very nice touch.

Eliza and I initially thought the Pastel Green would look very similar to Nymphea but they are so different! Phew! Another reason why I needed to get Samba. Yup, there was a lot of deliberation before finally getting the duo - much like a justification-to-self situation with an attempt to alleviate any guilt of breaking my beauty diet. 

The Dior counter at Tangs has a new manicure counter where you can get a free express manicure when you purchase any Dior product. Since we had some time to spare before my facial, I got my nails painted on the spot with Samba and topping it off with the Dior Gel Coat. LOVE IT!! I was very impressed with the formulation of both colors, they were perfectly opaque in 2 coats without any streakiness. If you don't already own any Dior polishes, this is your chance to try!

The Dior Duo will be available at all Dior counters from the first week of May. It is also currently available at DFS. Each set is sold at $44.

Thanks for reading! Which set do you prefer?

This month's Vanity Trove is nothing like any previous troves, in that it consists of items from only 2 brands - Elizabeth Arden and Dr. Ci:Labo. 

Apart from the Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream, I have not tried anything from either of the brands. Although there were no full sized products in this box, I was still pretty excited about trying out the Dr. Ci:Labo product, especially the Aqua Collagen Gel which has been raved by many. 

Let's take a closer look at what's in the box. 

ELIZABETH ARDEN

There are 3 Elizabeth Arden products, all from the Visible Whitening range. 

Visible Whitening Smoothing Cleanser features melting micro beads and enzymes to remove surface melanin. 
$55 (125ml)

Visible Whitening Multi-Targeted UV Shield BB Cream SPF 30 PA++ - This is a daytime formula that comes in three shades. It has biomimetic peptides and other ingredients to keep your skin hydrated and even toned. 
$80 (125ml)

Visible Whitening Melanin Control Night Capsules to be used at night. These are serum filled capsules that contain SpetraBright technology and plant derived extracts to help prevent melanin synthesis.
$140 (50 capsules)

DR.CI:LABO

The box consists of 4 Dr.Ci:Labo products. I have to admit, before receiving this box, I have never heard of this brand. I was subsequently told by my friends Sophia and Eliza that the Aqua Collagen Gel is pretty good so I'm quite eager to try it out. I will most probably take it with me for my next trip in May. 

Aqua Collagen Gel Super Moisture EX - this is formulated with 120 natural skin beautifying ingredients in nano capsules, an exclusive nanotechnology to Dr.CI:Labo. 
$130 (120G) | $65 (50G)

BB Perfect Cream White377+ is just like any other BB cream. Filled with ingredients which smoothes wrinkles, regenerates skin cells, moisturises and protects skin while concealing flaws. At first swatch, the product feels pretty good and easy to blend. It even has a really nice dewy sheen which I like. Can't wait to try this out later this week!
$67 (30G)

Super Cleansing EX is an anti-aging cleanser which can be used to remove makeup. 
$50 (100G)

Super Washing Foam EX is a facial cleanser formulated with collagen, hyaluronic acid and ceramide.
$47 (120G)

Visit Vanity Trove to join as a member for a monthly subscription of $25. Remember to quote "sheshopsmakeup" for a free gift upon registration. 
Also visit Vanity Trove's facebook page and keep updated with the latest in beauty.  http://www.facebook.com/VanityTrove

For other Vanity Trove unveiling posts, click here, here, here. 

Disclosure: 

Products featured were provided to me for consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.

You might remember from the packaging that this new BB cream looks really familiar. It is a reformulation of the former Vitamin E Tinted Moisturiser. Eventhough this BB Cream is named "COOL" BB Cream, do not expect this to be like the MAC Cooling Powder which gives you a cooling sensation when used. I did however experience an initial hint of "coolness" when i first touches my skin. 

"Experience beautifully fresh-looking skin in an instant. Vitamin E COOL BB Cream illuminates, evens and corrects your complexion for a refreshed skin-look. What's more, this hydrating BB Cream drenches skin with moisture for 12 hours."

The BB Cream is enriched with wheatgerm oil, one of nature's richest sources of Vitamin E. 
Vitamin E is an antioxidant that protects and repairs your skin. Antioxidants are agents that neutralize the oxidant effect of free radicals, which are molecules that damage collagen and cause skin dryness, fine lines and wrinkles. Yup, this is the same kind of antioxidant found in berries and avocado. 

This BB Cream only comes in one shade. So it's kind of like a one shade fits all. It has the consistency of cream foundation but not as thick and tacky as some other BB Creams out there. 

My Thoughts:

• This is one of the most hydrating BB Cream I have ever used. It doesn't sit into any lines at all. 
• I love the illuminating dewy sheen it leaves behind but it can feel a little sticky and needs to be lightly set with powder. 
• The coverage is extremely light so don't expect it to cover any scars. However, it does even out the skintone, especially if you have mild redness or hyperpigmentation. 
• On the whole, it's a nice product, great as a base before foundation. 

The Bodyshop Vitamin E COOL BB Cream is available at all The Body Shop stores at $26.90 each for 50ml of product. 

Let's join the petition to against Animal Cruelty and Animal Testing!

As you may be aware, after the monumental Eu Ban on animal tested cosmetics officially taken effect on 11 March, The Body Shop is currently petitioning for a Global Ban on Animal Testing on cosmetic products. In conjunction with that, a new Facebook app named Fight Animal Cruelty with Your Pet has been launched.

Like the name suggests, you will be able to sign the petition and at the same time submit a photo of your pet (with or w/o you) to show you're both Against Animal Testing. Show off your pet in all his or her glory: best angle, cutest outfit or funniest face and stand to win Limited Edition Collection by Leona Lewis worth more than $100!

For those who do not own a pet but still love to be part of this, you can vote for the submitted entries and walk away with a Limited Edition White Musk Libertine EDT by Leona Lewis worth $28.90!

First 100 entries will also receive 6 cans of Dog/Cat Canned Food from Pet Addictions, more information please refer to our Facebook page. 

Thanks for reading!

Hello there!! The fact that you are reading this means you have survived Monday! Woohoo!! Give yourself a pat on the back. We all know how dreadful Mondays are, especially if you are working. To cheer myself up, I tend to end my Mondays with a mask, it could be a sheet mask, sleeping mask, or wash off mask. 

Today, I'm going to share with you my experience with these Beauty Clinic 2 Step Sheet Masks which were given to me to try. Beauty Clinic has 4 different types of masks in their range, one for every area of concern. 

Since my key areas of concerns were hydration and fine lines, I received 2 Aqua Smart Filler Masks and 2 Collagen Smart Filler Masks. Given that I don't go for facials too often (probably only once a quarter), I tend to exfoliate and mask at home. I have tried a good number of masks, sheet masks and sleeping masks are by far my favourite because they are so convenient.

Although I have to admit that I was always skeptical about sheet masks not working as well as some wash off masks. Perhaps it's just psychological! This is one of the reasons why I would use a sheet mask once a week and use another type of mask in the same week to ensure my skin is well-nourished. 

These Beauty Clinic masks have got an additional step where you have to apply a Mask Base Ampoule all over the face prior to placing the mask sheet on the face. Personally, I think it's pretty nifty, because the mask sheet acts as a protectant preventing the ampoule and serum from the mask from evaporating so that they can be better absorbed into the skin.

The ampoule feels just like a serum with slightly thicker consistency. The amount that comes with the mask is pretty generous, more than enough to smear all over the face, eyes and even the neck and decollete. Very very important to apply skincare onto our necks because we it is one of the tell-tale signs of aging, much like the back of our hands. 

Once the ampoule is evenly spread, remove the mask sheet and place it on the face for about 20 minutes. Do not leave the mask on for more than 20-30 minutes because the mask sheet is like a double-edged sword - it helps with absorption of the ampoule and serum when it's moist. If the mask is left too long on the face, it will become counter-productive and "suck" moisture out from our skin instead. So very important not to leave it on for too long. 

My recommended way to use the Beauty Clinic mask or any sheet masks:
1. Cleanse face, apply toner. 
2. If you have emulsion or SKII Facial Treatment Essence, use them. These will allow the ampoule and goodness of the mask to be better absorbed into the skin. 
3. Apply the step 1 ampoule
4. Apply sheet mask for 20 minutes
5. Remove mask sheet and pat remaining serum onto the skin
6. Go to bed :)

My thoughts of these masks:

• I like the generous amount of ampoule that came with the mask. We all know how expensive ampoules are!
• The quality of the mask sheet is good and does not tear easily, it also fits perfectly onto my round face!
• I did notice that my skin appears more supple and hydrated the morning after I use these masks.
• My under-eye area also looked more "perked up" the morning after. It's as if the serum drained away my eyebags. 
• The only issue I have with these masks was that rate of absorption of the leftover ampoule and serum after removing the mask sheet. I tend to sleep right after I mask so it was pretty sticky and would transfer to my pillow. Apart from this, I'm pretty satisfied with the result of this mask. One of the better sheet masks I've tried. 

Do check out Beauty Clinic's facebook page https://www.facebook.com/BeautyClinicSingapore as well as instagram @BeautyClinicSG

Thanks for reading! 

Disclaimer: Products were provided to me for my consideration. All opinions expressed are my own. 

Hello there!! 

If you have been following me on Instagram, you would probably already know that I am a big fan of the NARS Satin Lip Pencils. These just launched in Tangs Beauty Hall on 1 April and I picked up 4 after swatching for what seemed like forever. 

Here's the 4 I got - Luxemborg, Majella, Yu and Isola Bella.

When I saw the swatches online, I knew I had to get a red since I'm going through a "red phase" at the moment. Starting with the Giorgio Armani Lip Maestros. So Majella was an easy pick. Was intending to only get 2 colors, a red and a nude... of course, who am I kidding! I would never leave with only 2 colors. :p

The only other "pencil" like lip color I've got are the Revlon Just Bitten Balm Stains. Those are beautiful but very sheer. I believe the Clinique chubby sticks are also fairly sheer. These are entirely different! They are so creamy and pigmented I was immediately sold at first swatch! 

All 4 pencils are very VERY pigmented and can be worn full on or as a stain just by dabbing lightly on the lips. They also have a satin finish, akin to a gloss but without the sticky glossy feel. 

Why I love these pencils:

1. Staying power - these stay on pretty well and even Isola Bella leaves behind a slight stain - my lips but better type color
2. Texture - extremely creamy and pigmented so a little goes a long way. I guess this makes up for the loss product when you sharpen the pencil
3. Range of color - I like how even the nude shades are pigmented and do not give a "dry" look to the lips like most other liquid lipsticks and pencils.
4. The price is reasonable for the quality - especially with Tangs Citibank 10% discount. Normal retail price is $37 each.

What annoys me about these pencils:

1. Why do I have to sharpen them myself?!! It's not the sharpening that I detest, but the cleaning of the sharpener. It's such a pain to clean them out!
2. Related to the first point, if it had a twist up function, chances of me breaking the tip is less. I had blindly "chopped" my Yu in half by misaligning the cap when trying to close it. #butterfingers

Here are some swatches with full face make-up. Lots of "in your face" shots alert!! (lighting was awesome so everything was true to color)
PS: My face looked a little lighter than my neck and body because I was testing out the Cle De Peau brightening powder foundation and the sample color was too light for me. 

Luxembourg

Yu

Isola Bella



Did you pick up any of these satin lip pencils? What's your favorite color?

Hi my dear lovelies!! Gone are the Monday Blues!!

Been such a long day at work!! I recorded a review yesterday of my new favorite hair treatment - the Burt's Bees Avocado Butter Pre-Shampoo Hair Treatment. Yup! You heard right, it's PRE-SHAMPOO and not after shampoo like most hair masks. 

Actually, it was Sophia who picked this item up when we were having a girls night out at Sephora last week with Sara and Eliza. When I saw that it was Avocado Butter, I immediately decided to try because coincidentally, I was watching a DIY avocado hair mask earlier that day. 

The hair treatment cost $20 at Sephora and it is definitely well worth the money for its quality. 

It's got a gel-like gooey texture which did not feel conditioning or moisturizing at all when first applied onto the hair. I have to admit, when I first put it on, I was extremely skeptical. It did not feel like any other hair mask that I have ever used. Once you have applied it onto damp hair, it is recommended to wait for 15min before rinsing and shampooing your hair. I basically killed my 15min in the bathroom playing Candy Crush! (still stuck at level 91 *hmph)

Here are some pictures of my hair after using the treatment. I could not stop touching my hair the day after. My hair looked so shiny and felt so silky soft, almost like it was freshly rebonded except that it was very moisturized and hydrated. 

Hope this review was helpful. What are some of your favorite hair treatment or hair masks? 

Hi hi!! Happy Sunday!! 

While waiting for my Candy Crush "lives" to regenerate, I thought I shall spend my time more constructively by penning down a new post. Couple weeks back, I met up with Eliza for dinner to collect my TF Shade and Illuminate which she helped pick up during a previous Tangs 12% storewide discount. Of course, being beauty fanatics, we unconsciously trotted and found ourselves in Tangs Beauty Hall. Not entirely sure how it all happened, but I recalled so vividly when she exclaimed "How can you not have Dior Amber Diamond?! It's a MUST-HAVE!!" LOL!! I was so embarrassed!!! 

To make it worse, it was out of stock at Tangs so I could not "undo the aberration of not owning one". Then Eliza mentioned that there were rumours that Dior was going to discontinue the Amber Diamond. Naturally, being me and overly sensitive to words like "limited edition" and "discontinued", I immediately went to Dior counter at Isetan Parkway Parade the next day to pick one up. (It was the last piece! Phew!) Being a huge lover of the dewy glowy look, adding another highlighter to my stash was a no-brainer, especially a cult favorite.

The packaging is pretty standard. It's a deep royal blue. 



At first glance, it may look just like any other shimmer brick on the market. It's got 5 shades which you can either use individually to highlight different parts of your face or swirl all 5 colors together to highlight the high points of your face. 

The quality of the powder was better than it looked in the pan. Not sure why, it somehow looks like slightly coarse and chalky in the pan but when swatched, it just feels surprisingly soft and buttery. Of course, don't expect the same kind of buttery texture found in matte eyeshadows. Given that there are fine shimmers in this product, I would say it is very beautifully and finely milled. 

The left most shade is very similar to NARS Albatross which is one of my favorite highlighters of all times. It's great for highlighting the nose and inner corner of the eyes. I like how every shade in the pan has a different undertone - gold, champagne, pink and peach. When blended, it gives a beautiful bronze gold glow.

I've picked out 3 other highlighters in my stash that are somewhat similar to the Dior Amber Diamond - Bobbi Brown Shimer Brick in Bronze, MAC Mineralised Skinfinish in Redhead and MAC Mineralised Skinfinish in Soft and Gentle.

Personally, I like the Dior Amber Diamond over all the other 3 shown here because (1)it has the right golden bronze color which complements my skintone and (2)each individual shade in the pan can be used in more than one ways.

The Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick wears too bronze and slightly orangey. Redhead leans slightly towards a pink undertone which is probably very similar to Dior Rose Diamond. It is difficult to wear a highlight with pink undertone unless you have a fair complexion - NC25 and below. Finally, Soft and Gentle is probably the closest in color comparison to the Dior Amber Diamond. However, Soft and Gentle has slightly larger shimmers so it is better used at night than an everyday highlighter. 

Bottomline, the Dior Amber Diamond is perfect for everday use. It has the right amount of shimmer and color without leaving you looking like a greaseball. I have heard comments about people with lighter complexion finding it difficult to wear this color. My view would be to swipe your brush against the entire pan 3 times but perhaps only touching the first 3 colors on the left on your last swipe. This way, you will pick up less bronze on your brush and the color that will transfer onto your face would be slightly more golden-champagne as opposed to golden bronze. 

My favorite way to using this is with my Hakuhodo brush.

Here are some LOTD snaps with me wearing the Dior Amber Diamond. Don't you just love the dewyness it gives? 

What's your favorite highlighter?