Chanel Quadra Eye Shadow in Jardin Zen

Today I will be sharing with you my thoughts of one of the items in Chanel Jardin de Camelias Collection. It is none other than the eyeshadow quad in Jardin Zen.

Other than the fact that I am a sucker for purple shade, the embossing on the quad is also catching my attention. I feel kinof sad that by using it, I will be destroying the design, but well.........

I love how Jardin Zen is a versatile quad that gives the girly feminine look and it can also be transformed to give a smoky look.

The texture of Jardin Zen quad is smoother than the usual baked formula and it's a breeze applying and blending these shadows. The black shade is the only exception that feels dryer. However, since we do not use much of it, the issue is manageable.

Other than Jardin Zen quad, I also picked up Rouge Allure in Fleurie (which I have yet to  break into, hahah). Below are the swatches I took of Jardin Zen quad, Rouge Allure in Fleurie and Sakura Blush over the counter.

Have your picked up any items from the Chanel Jardin de Camelias Collection? Do share with me your purchases. :)

BRAND’S® Honours Women this International Women’s Day

Most women would agree with me that it's getting tougher to a woman in modern society. Juggling between work, family and play time, sometimes we just wish that we are octopus with multiple hands to do what we need at the same time and not feel tired.

On this International Women's Day on 8 of March, BRAND’S® would like to recognize the contributions of women and honours the sacrifices that they make for the nourishment of others by gifting them with BRAND’S® Essence of Chicken with Tangkwei. Designed to aid in blood restoration and iron absorption, BRAND’S® Essence of Chicken with Tangkwei helps to ease menstrual pain and relieve fatigue. With regular consumption of BRAND’S® Essence of Chicken with Tangkwei, women can enjoy the reassurance of comfort and vitality.

From the beginning of March 2014, do keep a look out for BRAND’S® Pink Cabs plying the streets while you are trying to flag for a cab. Women who board the BRAND’S® Pink Cabs between 3pm to 8pm from 1st to 8th March 2014 will enjoy a complimentary bottle of BRAND’S® Essence of Chicken with Tangkwei.

In addition to giving women a power boost in the BRAND’S® Pink Cab to stay on top of their game, BRAND’S® encourages pledges of support for women during International Women’s Day through an Instagram contest. Participants just need to post a photo of how they themselves, or the women around them, celebrate being a woman on Instagram with the hashtag #brandswomensday. The most creative submissions submitted between 1st to 8th March will stand to win a BRAND’S® hamper worth SGD 150!

Clinique Cheek Pop in Plum Pop and Ginger Pop

Long long time ago while I was still young, broke and experimenting with makeup, Clinique is always my go to brand because I was battling my acne skin with their skincare products. But years went by, other brands came up with better products and somehow Clinique lost that edge. But recently, Clinique has definitely made a comeback with the cheek pops that there are LOTS of raves about it on the blogsphere!

There are 2 shades available in Clinique Cheek Pop and I had to control myself not to get all 4. Being very rational, I decided to go for only Plum Pop and Ginger Pop.

Not sure if you recall Clinique's not so pretty green plastic case that they always use to house blush and powders? Thank goodness that case was not used to house these beauties and instead a sturdy thick clear plastic case was used. I still remember one of my friends use to tell me she doesn't use Clinique because their casings are ugly.

Check out the print! Isn't it gorgeous?

Left to right: Plum Pop, Ginger Pop

Let's take a look at the swatches below. Plum Pop is a nice cool pink which honestly does not look plum at all. Ginger Pop is a warm brownish orange shade which is perfect to get that healthy sun-kissed look!

I have to shout this out loud, I LOVE THESE CHEEK POPS!!! The texture is soft and buttery (comparable to Burberry blushes!) and it last very well on my combination skin around 6 hours. The colour intensity can be build up from soft to intense which is great. Price wise?? Retailing at S$39 over the counters and US$21 over Nordstrom or Saks, I say this is a pretty good deal!

Great Singapore Sale with ZALORA!

Online shopping has become so common nowadays since most of us are sitting in front of a computer or laptop most of the time. To me, online shopping also becomes a form of stress reliever, in a way (I'm sure most people can relate with me on that, haha). It's always happy to know sites that has almost everything under 1 roof when you need your retail therapy and yes, I am talking about ZALORA. :)

Singapore is definitely getting hotter lately which serves as a reminder that summer is approaching. Time to get some light summer outfits to enjoy the weekends!

Love the prints on this dress!

Bring on the flats :) The owl print looks so cute!

Don't forget the shades to protect your eyes.

There is also items for your man!

If you are just like any smart shoppers who want to have extra good deals during the Great Singapore Sale, do sign up with ZALORA here to have the access pass to the latest deal!!

Sulwhasoo Evenfair Perfecting Cushion Foundation

Sulwhasoo is a renowned korean skincare brand that has taken Singapore by a storm for about a year or two and much raves have been heard about their skincare. However, it didn't cross my mind to try any product from Sulwhasoo until the launch of Evenfair Perfecting Cushion Foundation.

A few korean companies have launched the cushion foundation, which to me is just a different way of storing the liquid foundation or BB cream. Instead of storing it in a bottle or container and you disperse it out either by pouring or pumping it out, the liquid foundation is soaked in a sponge like thingy in a case. 

Sulwahsoo Everfair Perfecting Cushion Foundation has UV Protection function (SPF 50) as well as anti-wrinkle and whitening properties. This definitely sounds like a BB cream to me.

No introduction needs to be spent on how this foundation can be use. It comes with a sponge that can be used to dap the cushion to get the product out and applied on the face using dapping motion. I personally prefer to use my favourite Real Technique Expert Face brush to dip into the cushion and dap and sweep onto my face.

The texture is much lighter than normal BB cream (which tend to be thicker). Here I have No.23 Medium Beige.

No. 23 Medium Beige

Do I love it? Hmmm, I hate to say it definitely doesn't fall into the HG category and here's why:-

1) There are only 4 shades available for Sulwhasoo Everfair Perfecting Cushion Foundation. I am a NC30 skin tone and No.23 Medium Beige is too light for me and No. 25 Deep Beige is too dark. Despite that, I went ahead and purchase No. 23 and resort to using a slightly darker than usual powder to set the foundation. This is not an issue for me as I do have powder that are slightly darker than usual but for ladies who are unable to get a suitable shade from Sulwhasoo and doesn't want to spend extra money for the setting powder to get a total natural look, this might be a problem.

I have provided a swatch compare of No.23 of Sulwhasoo Everfair Perfecting Cushion and Chanel Lift Lumiere in 30.

Top: under sunlight, bottom: indoor lighting

2) My skin type is combination and unfortunately for me, I also have big pores. I have tried different 'combinations' of products so that I look the best without generating an oil field earlier or accentuate my pores. Here are some of the combis I have done:-

Cle de Peau pore smoothing base + Sulwhasoo Evenfair Perfecting Cushion Foundation + Cle de Peau powder foundation (lightly dust over to set the foundation)

- the best combi so far! My makeup stayed on for more than 6 hours (with abit meltdown) and my skin also look smoother. I feel it this solely contributed by Cle de Peau's products.

Clarins UV Plus HP + Sulwhasoo Evenfair Perfecting Cushion Foundation + Guerlain Meteorites
- worst combi ever! Guerlain Meteorites hardly provide any setting powder and is almost transparent so I look fairer like usual. My colleague actually asked if I am not feeling well!! My face shine pretty quickly after application too.

Sulwhasoo Evenfair Perfecting Cushion Foundation + Cle de Peau powder foundation (lightly dust over to set the foundation)
- my pores is still visible but at least I look natural. Makeup lasts for about 4-5 hours before I start to see meltdown.

I actually concluded that ladies with normal to dry skin will probably appreciate this foundation better than me.

3) I didn't like that I am unable to know if there are amount of product left in the case. The only way to know is to dap into the sponge and see. The good thing is that by paying $74, you get the case and 1 cushion foundation with another refill. It is also very travel friendly as no spillage will occur and everything is just in 1 compact case.

Would I re-purchase? Probably not as I find there are other foundations that work better for me. I would however recommend Sulwhasoo Evenfair Perfecting Cushion Foundation to ladies with normal to dry skin and without much skin concerns to give this a try. :)

Tom Ford Lip Colour Sheer Lipstick - Firecracker and Incorrigible

For a while, I have not had my eyes on Tom Ford lipsticks because their shades just did not appeal to me. However, when pictures of Tom Ford Spring 2014 Collection started coming out on blogsphere and Instagram, I was really really tempted!!! I'm not sure if it will be released over Singapore counters so I decided to order mine over Nordstrom.com.

As the name states 'sheer lipstick', I decided to go for the brightest of the lot and chose Firecracker and Incorrigible!

The colours look really intensive, isn't it! So drizzling hot, I love it!

Let's look at the swatches. Firecracker and Incorrigible are in no way sheer. The colours are bold and pigmented. Firecracker is a orange red which I have never tried before. For ladies who wanted to venture into bold red shades because you have never tried red before, Firecracker is a good shade to start with. Incorrigible is a fuchsia pink with slight shimmers in it (not very visible). I love this shade!

From left to right: Firecracker, Incorrigible

To show the lasting power of these lipsticks, you can see from the picture above that the colours leave behind a stain. Mind you that these swatches are removed around 20 mins after the lipsticks are applied on my arm!

Let's see how it looks on my pigmented lips, shall we?

From top to bottom: Natural lips, Firecracker, Incorrigible

I totally love how these shades look on me. Bright, pigmented and leaving behind a nice stain which is just lovely. But I do have 1 peeve, the shape of the lipstick. Somehow I am unable to apply the lipstick nicely over my lips without the lip brush. Without the brush, the colours either doesn't cover my lips fully or it will exceed my lips! I'm not sure if this is an isolated problem that I am facing but this will be an issue for me if I would like to bring it out for touch up.

Would I recommend these 2 shades of Tom Ford Lip Colour Sheer Lipstick? You bet!! In fact, I am soooo satisfied with this range that I picked up another shade! Made a guess?? :)

SK-II Facial Treatment Essence - Eye

For readers who have been reading my blog would know that I am a fan of SK-II products. I especially love SK-II Facial Treatment Essence and Skin Refining Treatment which has definitely help me in control my pimple breakouts. When I know that SK-II is launching a new essence targeted for eyes, I am really excited to give it a try.

Eyes have been termed to the window to our souls and unfortunately it is also the FIRST place to shows sign of fatigue and ageing. Luckily for my combination to oily skin, I do not yet have any wrinkle issues around my eye areas but I am definitely plagued by dark circles and puffiness due to long hours of staring at computer screen and late night reading.

Inspired by 10 years of anti-oxidation research, SK-II’s new Facial Treatment Essence – Eye harnesses the power of Pitera™ with the new Eye Albus Complex to improve the five dimensions of skin around the eye area – texture refinement, firmness power, radiance enhancement, less dark circles and less fine lines – and target these visible signs of damage. A powerful concoction of Pitera™ and the new Eye Albus Complex – composed of two plant extracts White Lupine and Alfalfa, SK-II’s latest innovation delivers a breakthrough formula that will brighten and rejuvenate tired skin around the eyes.

SK-II Facial Treatment Essence - Eye has a light cream texture which is very easily absorbed into the skin.

To unlock the full power in the new Facial Treatment Essence – Eye, SK-II recommends pairing the eye serum (beauty essence) with its recommended eye massage steps. The eye massage is specially designed to intensify the benefits of the new Facial Treatment Eye Cream to help lymph drainage, relax stressed muscles and promote blood circulation to deliver a visibly improved and brighter look around the eyes.

You would be happy to know that the texture of SK-II Facial Treatment Essence - Eye is light enough to pair with other eye products that you have to target certain issues that you have. In fact, I have been pairing this with another eye cream which helps in preventing fine lines and it works fine without causing milia seeds or breakouts.

I have been using SK-II Facial Treatment Essence - Eye for the past few weeks and my eye area felt soft from the hydration of the essence. I do not have wrinkle issues (*touch wood*) at the moment but this product is definitely something useful for me to start and continue to keep the lines at bay. Retailing at $113 for 15g of product, I would say it is worth it to start investing in it as part of your eye care regime.

If you are interested to try out the new SK-II Facial Treatment Essence - Eye, read on for the upcoming SK-II Promotion. On February 6 and 7, the first 100 customers to quote “SK-II TANGS via Ruby” when you make a purchase of $350 worth of SK-II products at TANGS Orchard and TANGS SEVIIN* will receive an additional 1-piece SK-II Facial Treatment Mask gift with purchase.

* Terms and conditions apply (for TANGS SEVIIN Facial Packages)

If you are also a TANGS Card or Citibank TANGS Card holder, you will be even happier to know that there will be 12% (instead of 6%) rebate on 6 and 7 Feb 2014! More deals await you here!!

Purchase $250 worth of ala carte SK-II products to receive a 4-piece gift set:
·         SK-II Lipstick

·         SK-II Facial Treatment Gentle Cleanser (20g)

·         SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion (30ml)

·         SK-II Facial Treatment Mask (1-piece)

* Purchase to include 1 Facial Treatment Essence (any size); $300 to receive same gift if purchase does not include Facial Treatment Essence

Purchase $550 worth of ala carte SK-II products to receive an 11-piece gift set:
·         SK-II Moisture Lipstick (Shade 111 or 433)

·         SK-II Sheer Lipstick (Shade 111 or 221)

·         SK-II Cleansing Cream (15g)

·         SK-II Facial Treatment Gentle Cleanser (20g)

·         SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion (30ml)

·         SK-II Facial Treatment Essence (30ml)

·         SK-II Facial Treatment Repair C (15ml)

·         SK-II Facial Treatment Mask (2-piece)

·         SK-II Signs Eye Mask (2-piece)

* Purchase to include 1 Facial Treatment Essence (any size); $600 to receive same gift if purchase does not include Facial Treatment Essence

Purchase $800 worth of ala carte SK-II products to receive an 11-piece gift set including a full size Facial Treatment UV Protection (SPF 25, PA++)!:
·         SK-II Facial Treatment Gentle Cleanser (20g) x 2

·         SK-II Cellumination Mask-In Lotion (30ml) x 2

·         SK-II Facial Treatment Essence (30ml) x2

·         SK-II Cellumination Day Surge UV (8.4g) x2

·         SK-II Whitening Source Derm Revival Mask (2-piece)

·         SK-II Facial Treatment UV Protection (30g)

Sure-Win Lucky Dip
Customers who purchase $500 worth of SK-II products and above are entitled to win either an SK-II trial or full size product with every dip. One chance per every $500 purchase.

Full Day Double Point for SK-II Crystal Club Members

SK-II Crystal Club Members will enjoy double points with every $500 purchase.

Disclosure: The product in this review is sent by the company for my review and consideration. All opinions stated are my own honest views and no compensation is received for this review.