Laneige Brush Pact

My 3rd little goodie from Laneige is the Brush Pact and I got it in No. 2 Pore Blur. It looks like a white powder. The Laneige Brush Pact comes in 2 shades on Sephora online. The other shade is No. 1 Natural Finishing, which looks like a light beige. For some reason my face is super fair so I thought it would be the safest bet to get the colourless one. Ok let's get to it!

The Laneige Brush Pact comes in a really cute package. First you twist out the bottom, which contains the powder, then you can twist out the brush on the other half. Very nifty and very easy to pop in the handbag. I'm thinking I might have been a little over amused with this. But it's really good to carry around. 

So I wait for the right time, middle of the day, so something like 4 hours into the work day. When my face starts to look greasy. I've never been in the habit of re-applying make up half way through the day for a few reasons: my skin is super sensitive so in my head, if I am to put powder on my face that is not clean, I feel like I'm rubbing the dirt into my face. That generally causes me to have some pimples. So I don't like to re-apply makeup. The other reason is coz I'm a germaphobe so putting the brush on my face which is 4 hours into the day just feels like the dirt is going to fester and reproduce into a colony on the brush.

Ok so 4 hours into the day, I blot my face with some blotter paper... then I whip out my handy Brush Pact. I start applying it all over my face and asked everyone who was around me if my face was still greasy before going to see for myself in the mirror. Lo and behold!!! It works really well and I didn't look like I had another layer of powder plastered on. So bye bye greasy face!

Now for my other concern... will I break out. There are 2 times that I check if I have a break out from makeup. Once when I just get home from work, and once again the next morning. Patiently I awaited. To be honest, every time I try something new, I worry that I will break out. 

Verdict the next morning: The coast was clear! I didn't break out. So this is going to be a permanent fixture in my handbag. You can, and you should get this! I got it on Sephora online for SGD$42, link for you to get it is here. You're welcome.

IOPE Air Cushion® XP Natural

I've bought into the fad I'm slightly embarrassed to admit. After a night of discussion with my girl friends and some reading on the internet, I went to Strawberrynet and got me some IOPE Air Cushion® XP Natural, Colour N21. There are 3 different ranges of Air Cushion, Natural, Shimmer and Cover. For Natural there are 2 shades N21 and N23. For Cover there are 2 shades C21 and C23. Shimmer however only has 1 shade S22. 

The main difference between Natural and Cover is the amount of coverage it provides. The Natural range provides light coverage, good for evening out uneven skin tones or slight pigmentation and the Cover range provides more coverage. Shimmer gives a luminous end result. What I do like about the IOPE Air Cushion® XP is that the coverage is build-able. I got N21 which is the fairest colour of them all and doesn't really look like you're wearing make up. However for areas where I have a pimple or some red marks, I find that I can apply 2 or 3 layers and it will cover that blotchy spot up quite well. 

All IOPE Air Cushion® XP has SPF50+ and PA+++ which is pretty high protection for normal day wear, unless you're going outdoors for extended periods of time, you might want to apply sunblock before applying Air Cushion just for that bit more added protection. I'm in the office all day except for lunch time so I don't use any additional sunscreen under. 

The IOPE Air Cushion® XP is very moisturising and I have combination skin. So I've found myself asking people over the course of the day - does my skin look dewy or oily? Just to get an idea of how it actually looks. For the first few hours of the day it looks ok (without any outdoor activity and only sitting in the aircon) but later it does look oily. My skin might be too oily to use this on its own, I might have to use powder on top of it to prevent it looking too greasy. In which case I could use it like a foundation and finish off with powder. That would bring the coverage factor up one notch.

IOPE Air Cushion® XP has quite a strong perfume smell when you first apply but it wears off quite quickly so I wouldn't worry about the smell. The puff is a rubbery sort of texture which means none of the product gets absorbed into the sponge which is good, and it transfers to the skin nicely. I do wish the weather here was less humid then I could use this product on its own coz I really do like how it looks. It feels a bit sticky so I try not to touch my face too much which is probably a good idea. 

 

I think I will repurchase this once I'm done despite the oily look. I think I can sort that out quite simply... either with a dusting of powder or something. I do like it quite a bit especially the light weight feel. The IOPE Air Cushion® XP pack I bought was one in the compact with one refill for SGD$60 on Strawberrynet. It arrived within a week, pretty good!

Benefit Hello Flawless!

Hello Flawless! by Benefit is a powder foundation with SPF15 that glides on silky and sheer and lasts all day.  The coverage can be customised depending on how and how much you choose to apply.  It comes with a sponge and a brush that keeps neatly under the powder.  If you want sheer light coverage or for touch ups later in the day, I'd recommend using the brush.  This creates a matte "no make up" kind of look.  If you want more coverage (generally for going out at night), then I'd recommend using the sponge.  Applying the powder with the sponge can cover up small imperfections on the skin and create a flawless look.  For daily use I'd say it lasts me for at least 2 months.  I personally don't have very good complexion so I use the sponge... That helps cover up big pores quite well.

It comes in a range of 9 shades so you would definitely be able to find a shade that is perfect for your skin tone.  The 9 shades from lightest to deepest shade:

• "I love me!" Ivory
• "Never Settle" Petal
• "Me, vain?" Champagne
• "I'm cute as a bunny" Honey
• "All the world's my stage" Beige
• "What I crave" Toasted Beige
• "I'm haute for sure" Amber
• "Why walk when you can strut?" Hazelnut
• "Too fierce to beg" Nutmeg

I have a very sallow yellow tone to my skin which makes it really difficult to buy face powder.  I've tried many other brands but so long as they have an underlying orange or pink tone to it, my face turns too orange or too pink and I look super weird.  "Never Settle" Petal is the best for me.  It doesn't make my face look pasty white, nor does it make it look too pink or orange.  This shade works for me is I suspect is because the undertones are yellow.  Not to mention, Hello Flawless! does not irritate my sensitive skin nor cause me any unsightly allergies.

Benefit's website also has a Shadefinder page to help you choose the most ideal shade.  What I like best is that their shades caters to Asians and Africans, not only Caucasians.  I'd imagine a Caucasian with olive skin would experience the same troubles finding the right shade of powder, they would probably find something at Benefit.  You can also go to their stores and ask them for help in choosing a shade if this is your first time buying from Benefit.  I however, being the queen of lazy and online shopping did not go to the stores.  When I started buying Benefit makeup, they didn't have any stores that sold it here so it's not like there was a choice.  Hello Flawless! goes for US$34 online, in Singapore stores I think they go for S$54.  Buying online is a good option when they have free worldwide shipping for purchases above US$125.