Completed: Chanel Mat Lumiere Extreme Powder Foundation

For the longest time, I have been using powder foundation because it was more convenient. Instead of applying liquid foundation and setting it with powder, all I need to do is to sweep powder foundation with a sponge with less than 10 strokes and I'm done :)

Today I am here to share the completion (ok, maybe it can still be used for a few more times) of my HG powder foundation: Chanel Mat Lumiere Extreme Powder foundation.

Please pardon the disgusting looking case as it has been heavily used. Chanel Mat Lumiere Extreme is housed in a black plastic case and the compact is refillable. Unlike some brands where the refill compact is keep intact in a case with a sticky tape at the bottom, Chanel's is a snap in case which is much more secure in my opinion. It comes with a velvet case which is a terrible dust magnet but looks pretty sleek when you bring it out for touch up. Check out the Chanel logo embossed on the top of the plastic case!

Ok, now to the formula of this powder foundation....

Extracted from Chanel website:-

Enriched with vegetal lipides and Lilium extract, MAT LUMIÈRE EXTRÊME mattifies the complexion with lasting results: sebum production is perfectly controlled and the appearance of pores is minimized. 

Coated powders and treated pigments ensure optimum makeup and colour hold all day long. With its SPF 20 / PA+++, it protects the skin from damaging UV rays. The soft focus pigments allow MAT LUMIÈRE EXTRÊME to conceal dark spots and imperfections while offering a luminous and even makeup result. Peach Extract, renowned for its moisturizing and emollient properties, offers the skin an excellent sensation of comfort.

One of the reason why it is my HG powder foundation is how well it controls the sebum production. In addition, the powder of this foundation is soooo smooth and fine that when I apply it on my skin, it does not look cakey at all. As such, my skin stays matte and smooth for as long as 12 hours. I do blot my skin with tissue paper as per usual and with this powder foundation, I usually blot around every 5 hours or so which is consider super good.

For my NC30 skin, I am using 40 Beige Sable and it fits me perfectly. Coupled with P&J moisturising primer, this combination is my fool proof formula to a long day. You might be wondering why am I using a MOISTURISING primer with a mattifying powder foundation given that I would like to control the sebun production. The reason is because I noticed that as I grow older *cry*, my skin is not as oily as before and if I were to use a mattifying primer with this mattifying powder foundation, I end up with a overworked oil field that is just terrible. However, with a slight moisturising primer, it is just enough to keep my skin moisturised without looking oily. I also noticed my skin doesn't feel tight and uncomfortable with this combi at all too.

I have used 2 refills of Chanel Mat Lumiere Extreme powder foundation and it never fails me. For 13g of product, it lasts me a good 4-5 months if I use them daily for weekdays. I cannot remember the price of the refill but it is around 70-ish range and case is sold separately.

Would I re-purchase this again? You bet! Even though I am developed a liking to liquid foundation, but I would still go for speed of the powder foundation when I am in a rush. :)

Misses for March: Lancôme Teint Miracle liquid foundation & Revlon lipbutter

We all love good purchases that made us feel that we made the right decision and spending the money. The cruel truth however is that no matter how much we research on a particular product, there are just some products that might not suit us or we end up not liking them.

Today I would like to share my misses for March: Lancôme Teint Miracle liquid foundation and Revlon lip butter.

Lancôme Teint Miracle liquid foundation

I have done many researches online before deciding to give this foundation a try but unfortunately, it still doesn't work for me. My preference in foundation is one with medium coverage. Even though I have combination skin, I do not need one with oil control and I find acceptable to have shine even within 4 hours. But somehow, this liquid foundation just doesn't sit well on me. I have read on many beauty blogs that it provides light coverage but it didn't cross my mind that I would dislike the light coverage since the acne scars and redness on my face are still visible. Having the lazy streak in me, concealer is never an option for me, lol.

Earlier on, I mentioned that this foundation does not sit well on me and believe me when I say I tried different combination possible and I still dislike this. The combinations I tried so far:-
1) P&J Moisturising Primer + Teint Miracle + P&J Pressed powder = Shine appearing as fast as within 3 hours (disaster!!)
2) RMK Creamy makeup base + Teint Miracle + P&J Pressed Powder = Oil control is better but my skin feels tight and uncomfortable
3) Clarins UV Plus HP Day Screen + Teint Miracle + P&J Pressed Powder = It looks perfect for the 1st 2 hours and subsequently turning to an oil field once again :(
4) Dior Snow UV Shield BB Cream + Teint Miracle + P&J Pressed Powder = looks full coverage for my liking. Foundation stayed on the best with this combination but I just find it too drama to have full coverage
5) Teint Miracle + Chanel Mat Lumiere Extreme = cakey cakey, hiaz.

This liquid foundation is a miss for me not because it is a lousy product but I have certain requirement of a liquid foundation that I look out for which it is not able to meet, primarily in terms of coverage and oil control. For ladies with complexion not requiring much concealing and having normal skin, I believe Lancôme Teint Miracle liquid foundation will be able to recreate the natural light of perfect skin for you that you love.

Revlon Colour Burst lip butter

When Revlon lip butters were finally launched in Singapore, I remember I RUSHED to Watson's like a crazy woman, dying to try out the texture and snagging at least one for my own use. I happily bought Peach Parfait and Sugar Plum and tried it 1 week later. Despite the website indicating that the lip butters contain hydrating mango, shea and coconut butter formula that boosts lip moisture, my lips tell me otherwise. At the end of the day after applying the lip butter, my lips crack fairly badly. Maybe it's my lips drier than normal but at least for me, this certainly doesn't live up to my expectations.

Not sure if there are any misses for you but I would love to hear you sharing them. :)

HerWorld Beauty Awards 2012 (Part 2)

If you refer to my earlier post introducing the 3 SK-II products that won HerWorld Beauty Awards 2012, you would know that's not all. SK-II won a total of 7 awards and I have only shared 3, so let's take a look at the other products that is worth your attention now. :)

Brightening Serum: SK-II Cellumination Mask-In Lotion

This unique lotion has a dual function like a mask which allows you to have a mask-like experience in addition to conditioning the skin. It provides intensive moisturisation while boosting skin's Aura-Lucency. If you want a product that provides you with hydration and whitening benefits, this is the product to look at.

Spot Targeting / Tone improving Serum: SK-II Whitening Spots Specialist

If you are troubled with spots and freckles like me, pay attention here!! :) SK-II Whitening Spots Specialist is able to fight spots formation by targeting both hidden and visible spots. This is due to the presence of new Spot Root Complex, a potent combination of ingredients such as the Pal-pal extract and De-Melano P3C that demonstrates superior whitening efficacy.

Wrinkle Filler: SK-II Wrinkle Specialist

If you have concern about wrinkles, I would recommend you to use SK-II Wrinkle Specialist. It contains a Retinol derivative and a high concentration of SK-II Pitera to soften the skin and reduce the appearance of wrinkles. All you need is 14 days to see the effect.:)

All-in-one Skincare Foundation: SK-II Cellumination Pancake

I love makeup that comes with skincare benefit. Not only are you beautify yourself, you are also treating your skin. One stone kill two birds! SK-II Cellumination pancake contains ultra fine spherical powders coated with a skincare agent that helps lock in moisture and provides a smooth and translucent finish even after touch ups.

So here are the remaining 4 products from SK-II that won HerWorld Beauty Awards 2012, which are your favourite and which got you interested to try? Do remember to keep a lookout for SK-II promotions during this upcoming Great Singapore Sale so you do not miss out on any good deal.


SK-II Singapore Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/skii.singapore
HerWorld Beauty Awards 2012: click here

HerWorld Beauty Awards 2012 (Part 1)

How do you ladies out there decide whether a product that you are interested in but have yet to try is good enough for you to invest and try it? Forums? Websites? Recommendations by friends or family? For me, I tend to rely on recommendations by friends or family because I can ask more questions on how much is it, how long they used to see the effect etc etc. BUT there is another way for me to find out more of the new or excellent existing products in the market that is worth a try and that is awards / beauty list by major magazines in Singapore. One of which is the annual HerWorld Beauty Awards. :)

As the saying goes "Good things must share!!" thus the purpose of HerWorld Beauty Awards is to bring together all the wonderful products in the market from skincare, bodycare, haircare, to fragrances, compile them in a list and allow all readers out there to refer to and see what are the best products in town. Isn't that convenient??? I hate searching and researching, that's the lazy bug in me.

Do you know SK-II won 7 awards in HerWorld Beauty Awards 2012? Not 1 and not 2 but 7!!! Wow, that's impressive! Given that there will be so much to share since there are 7 products, I will start by sharing 3 of the products that won awards in HerWorld Beauty Awards 2012 in this post and the remaining 4 products in another post. Are you ready?? Let's go!

Hydrating Cleanser: SK-II Facial Treatment Gentle Cleanser

Do not underestimate this tube of cleanser, haha. SK-II Facial Treatment Gentle Cleanser contains Concentrated Pitera™ and Mild Treatment Essence that leaves your skin hydrated even after 30 minutes of cleansing. Yes, there is no typo there, it's 30 minutes and not 3 minutes! How impressive is that??? It also has a light rose scent that is not over the top but yet giving that calm, tranquilizing effect. I have personally used this cleanser myself and I have to say I really like it. If you hate the squeaking clean and tightness effect after cleansing, SK-II Facial Treatment Gentle Cleanser would be what you are looking for.

Anti-ageing Cleanser: SK-II Facial Treatment Gentle Cleansing Cream

For ladies who prefer a richer version of SK-II Facial Treatment Gentle Cleanser, I present to you her sister, SK-II Facial Treatment Gentle Cleansing Cream. It has similar ingredients as SK-II Facial Treatment Gentle Cleanser with the mild rose scent. The only difference is the texture as SK-II Facial Treatment Gentle Cleansing Cream is in cream form. The creamy texture makes this cleansing cream suitable as makeup remover and providing a luxurious, cleansing experience.

Anti-ageing Eye Care: SK-II Skin Signature Eye Cream

When I go to any cosmetic counter to get eye cream, I noticed there is always different eye cream for different concerns and more often than not, the eye cream for dark circles and puffiness and for anti ageing is usually different. Wouldn't it be wonderful if there is just 1 eye cream that targets ALL concerns that you have for your eyes? Dark circles, puffiness, hydration, wrinkles, radiance.... the list goes on. Do you want such an eye cream? SK-II Skin Signature Eye Cream is here! SK-II Skin Signature Eye Cream is able to rejuvenate the eye area and address 10 concerns (hydration, tone evenness, fine lines / wrinkles, radiance, dark circles, lightness, all day eye power, firmness around the eyes, barrier function and texture around the eyes). All these concerns are able to be addressed due to the revolutionary anti-ageing formula that contains a blend of ingredients including concentrated Pitera™, making this eye cream such a wonderful product. :)

Phew! If you have reached this stage, kudos for reading this lengthy post introducing the 3 products from SK-II that won HerWorld Beauty Awards 2012. Stay tuned for the next post introducing the remaining 4 wonderful products from SK-II and see why they are so! At the same time, if you are interested in trying out these products, do keep a lookout for SK-II promotions during this Great Singapore Sale.

SK-II Singapore Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/skii.singapore
SK-II Malaysia Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/skii.malaysia
HerWorld Beauty Awards 2012: click here

Group Therapy at 49 Duxton Road

Me and BC love brunches on lazy weekends and as such, we love hearty hearty brunch (considering we are compressing 2 meals into 1) with eggs, meat and toast. Initially when we walked past Group Therapy along Duxton Road, we thought it is pretty interesting to have a eating place on the 2nd floor of a shophouse. Needless to say, we googled for it when we were back and got all excited thinking that it is a all-day breakfast place just like Hatched. But when we reached Group Therapy some time later, we were vastly disappointed.

First and foremost, they do not accept reservation. For a small place, which can only accomodate around 20 customers, no reservation?????? My honest opinion..... either you head over super early or you pray that their business to be not so good so that you do not have to queue long for a seat.

Next, the menu. It's not an all-day breakfast place!!! It's more like a cafe that served sandwiches. The only few items on the menu which is considered breakfast to me are granolas, toasted bagel with ham (which is what BC ordered) and pancakes. I do not recall if there were any more breakfast items as my heart was already on ground floor. In any case, we still managed to find something that we would like to eat. BC ordered ham on toasted bagel with cream cheese and a sunny side up as additional order. I ordered toasted ham and cheese panini and scrambled eggs as additional order. We also had our skinny lattes along with the food.

BC commented that he was only impressed with the ham because it looked thick and juicy as you can see from the first picture above. My ham and cheese sandwich was decent but the serving is pretty big. However, I am disappointed with their scrambled eggs as it looks more like omelette than scrambled eggs. It was cooked so well that it does not have the runny texture anymore. :)

Now to the ambience of Group Therapy. Yes, it is nice and cosy as you can see from the pictures below but all sound are trapped in the small space! I do not find this place nice and relaxing throughout our 1 hour stay there as I can hear the lady on my left talking about her work and the guy on my right talking about his photography trip. I am really not interested in their conversation, seriously!

Will I be coming back? NO, that's for sure. I rather pay a bit more for transport to Evan Lodge for Hatched which is also more reasonably priced. We actually paid $56 for what we ordered and honestly, we feel we could have gotten a better deal dining somewhere else.

Dior Addict Extreme lipsticks

Dior Addict lipsticks have always been 1 of my favorite lipsticks because of its moisturising texture, high shine and lovely shades. The peeve I had about Dior Addict lipsticks is the light shade and that they do not last very well on me with only 2 - 3 hours of wear. If you are just like me who love Dior Addict lipsticks and just wish the colour is stronger and longer lasting, your wish just came true. You should check out Dior Addict Extreme.

Dior Addict Extreme lipsticks includes plumping hyaluronic acid spheres and delicate oils that create the shine that we love and with the exclusive blend of 4 targeted-action waxes to give us the lasting power that we wish.

The 4 iconic shades of Dior Addict Extreme are Incognito (nude), Lucky (coral pink), Riviera (strong electric coral) and Plaza (mauve pink). When I checked out Dior counter few days ago, I only zoomed towards these 4 colours and immediately swatched Incognito and Plaza. I really really love these 2 shades.

Seriously, I am tempted BIG TIME to get these 2 lipsticks but I really do not need anymore lipsticks given my current stash of lipsticks is just plain disgusting. Good thing these shades are not limited edition and that would really give me more time to consider and reconsider whether I should get them or not.

Have you check out Dior Addict Extreme lipsticks? What would be your favorite? :)

Essie Brandie Alexander

I used to dislike strong nail colours on my fingers because my nail beds are short and my fingers are stubby. Having strong colours on my finger nails will only bring unnecessary attention to my existing ugly fingers. But lately, I have been having the wth feeling about this. If I feel like painting strong colours, I jolly well would, as long as I am happy!!!

One of the colour that I recently painted that I would not have touched years ago is Essie's Brandie Alexander. It is a bright pink coral with subtle silver shimmers which look extremely vibrant and happy. Such a beautiful cheerful colour! :)

I hope you guys had a good weekend to recuperate and rest after a week of work. The new week is starting again and I am sick of it already...... :(