Laneige Two Tone Shadow Bar

My recent lot of makeup have all come from Sephora's online store. I wanted to check out some Laneige products seeing as to how popular Korean cosmetics have become. I found some interesting products, as usual, tried and tested them myself. I don't ever show up for work without full makeup... ever! So I look for quick, easy fixes that can save time, and is a big plus if it's compact so I can dump it in my bag if I run late. 

On the top of my list was the Laneige Two Tone Shadow Bar. There are 4 colour combos to choose from:

No. 1 [Humming Coral]

No.2 [Golden Rose]

No. 3 [Orange Island]

No.4 [Coffee Bronze]

I decided to go with No.4 Coffee Bronze coz I am extremely fair (so I've been told, even though I like to think I'm not), so I doubt any of the other colours will show up well. If I had my way, I would have gone with Golden Rose coz that colour combo is super nice, I love the gold with the pink. So if you're fair and have pink toned skin, you should really check our Golden Rose. My skin tone is quite yellow so I have to be careful not to choose anything that would make me look sallow. So Humming Coral and Orange Island was a big no-no for me, as orange always makes me look jaundiced. If you are sun kissed however, you should check out Humming Coral or Orange Island though, it would look really fresh and pretty. Since all the colour options are shimmery, they would look quite good on tan skin as well, just have to choose the right colour for your skin tone. 

The Laneige Two Tone Shadow Bar comes with 2 colours in 1 stick. For Coffee Bronze, the darker colour is a medium bronze, which is a medium brown; the lighter colour which works as a highlighter is a light champagne gold (so it's not your yellow gold). Both colours have shimmer, which is good as it brightens the eyes up tonnes. The perfect pick me up your eyes need if you're tired and your eyes are showing exhaustion. 

In my head I imagined that the lazy me could swipe across my eyelid and have the darker colour above my lashes and the highlighter on my brow bone. But of course that was not the case, coz well... no ones eyelids are that flat or narrow. So I switch tactics. I have to talk about the shape. At first glance I was a bit doubtful to be honest, but it turned out to be easy enough to use and the angle makes it easy to switch between the colours. I angle the shadow bar to apply the darker colour first. I go across my eyelids up to the crease. Then I swap sides to the lighter colour and highlight the area above the crease and brow bone. Then I used my trusty fingers, and blended carefully. It is a cream consistency so instead of just smearing, you have to use a dabbing motion to blend. It took a bit of effort for me coz I'm used to using powder eyeshadow, and usually use at least 3 colours. But this is only 2 colours, so I was slightly curious about the possible "depth" 2 colours of eyeshadow could provide. Now because it's cream upon application, I left it on for a few minutes to dry before continuing with my usual eyeliner and mascara. This step is important, coz if skipped, you potentially risk eyeliner transferring to the eyelid when you open your eyes. 

Crayon eyeliner + Cream eyeshadow = Transfer of eyeliner

The Laneige Two Tone Shadow Bar amazingly feels powdery after a couple of minutes. It does not feel sticky or creamy, and there was no creasing! Hooray!

The outcome is quite pleasant, and I've decided it would be my "go to" eyeshadow for days when I want to go with the slightly nude look or when I want to wear a dark red lip (this way the eyes and lips aren't competing and you won't risk looking like you just came off a broadway production).

I bought this online at Sephora coz I love online shopping and it was also convenient. It arrived within a week all nicely bubble wrapped. The Laneige Two Tone Shadow Bar costs SGD$38, a pretty good price for a compact nifty little pocket wonder. You can click HERE to get your Laneige craving satiated!

Laneige BB Cushion

Getting sucked into this whole BB cushion craze has led me to the Laneige BB Cushion. The first one I bought was from iOPE which turned out to be too oily for my combination skin. It felt sticky and I wasn't very comfortable with that, so I decided to look for other alternatives. 

The Laneige BB Cushion [Pore Control] seems to be of a slightly thicker consistency. This provides more coverage and it turns out, still a bit sticky on my skin but not as. I can wear this all day at work and though my skin gets oily, it's less oily in comparison to iOPE. I can make it to lunch time without feeling like a greasy pan. The coverage from Laneige is also much better, I think because of the thicker consistency.

Laneige BB Cushion has SPF50++ and PA+++ so that's ok for a normal day at the office. Of course if you're going to be out in the sun for prolonged periods of time, definitely put on sunscreen before this. I don't feel the need to brush on powder after unless it's a special occasion and I want to make sure it stays in place. Most days I wear it on it's own to work, add on some blush and I'm good to go. It's so convenient. 

Laneige has 3 different types: Air Cushion, Air Cushion Anti-Aging and Air Cushion Pore Control. I bought the Pore Control because I have quite large pores. I feel this evens out my skin quite nicely. My pores aren't that obvious anymore. Of course this means that the makeup is going into your pores and filling up the holes, so when you take your makeup off at the end of the day, make sure you clean your skin thoroughly. They each come in 7 shades to match almost all skin tones which is great! I'm the fairest so I'm a No.13. It doesn't make me look pasty white which is a very important point. 

I have since purchased another set so I vote this above iOPE for combination skin. It comes with a refill, so you essentially get 2 for S$68. I got mine a couple of months ago and it was the PLAY NOMORE design, very cute!

Bioré Cleansing Oil

I've had quiet good experiences with Bioré products in general. When I was younger, I used their face wash. I remember enjoying the menthol feeling making my face tingle and was particularly soothing and refreshing. when I saw this special edition My Melody Cleansing Oil I couldn't resist hahah.

This product boasts to be able to remove waterproof makeup so I decided to put it to the test. A standard day of make up would consist of foundation, powder, blusher, eyeshadow, eyeliner and mascara. All of which aren't issues in my opinion, except THE EYELINER. This eyeliner is SO good that if I were caught in a tsunami, they would find my dead body washed ashore after 2 days... with perfect eyeliner. Serious. 

The way you use this is to apply the oil without wetting your face. Best if face and hands are dry. 1 pump is sufficient. Smells like apple, quite nice. Rubbing the oil in circular motions all over your face. You can see the foundation and powder, even lipstick come off quite immediately. Which is pretty good... except the eyeliner. That eyeliner!!! GRRR!!! It refuses to come off, it sort of just gets smudged around a bit (think panda eyes). After that you're supposed to rinse off with water and use face wash.

I must admit I don't rub my face for 5 minutes... but I do it for at least 1 minute. I give up. I use eye makeup remover to get rid of the eyeliner in 2 seconds. As a whole, the Bioré Cleansing Oil is a good product to buy. It removes make up well and is reasonable S$17.90 at Watson's. 

In comparison to the Belif Cleansing Oil Fresh, I think this is a bit thicker and oilier. But they both do the same job, you can read my review about Belif Cleansing Oil Fresh here. Belif doesn't get rid of the eye make up either. Bioré is however the cheaper option. It's worth giving it a try. 

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 Oxygen Wow

The first thing I said when I used Oxygen Wow! for the first time was... WOW! I had purchased Petal, the same shade as the Hello Flawless! powder that I use. I bought this online and didn't even go to the shop to test the colour. If that's not brave, I don't know what is.

I used Stay Flawless before applying Oxygen Wow! since that's what everyone was recommending. (If you have read my previous posts about Stay Flawless, you would have seen how my entire face began to shrivel up and crack when I used Stay Flawless with PlaySticks. It was horrors! Thank goodness it didn't happen with Oxygen Wow) This liquid foundation went on really easily. One pump was sufficient. It blended and spread well. The coverage level is very high. I think this possibly provides better coverage than PlaySticks. Oxygen Wow! is also very lightweight and doesn't make you feel like you have a layer of make up on, which I think is pretty good considering it's got good coverage. 

PlaySticks is of a cream consistency which I felt was too oily for my combination skin and for this humid weather. Oxygen Wow! is liquid and for that reason I think managed to even my face out much better. Oxygen Wow! is also Oil-Free which is ideal for oily or combination skin. It doubles up as sunscreen, broad spectrum SPF 25. Not enough sunscreen for extended periods outdoors in my opinion but for going to the office, I think that's ok. 

This power combination of Stay Flawless + Oxygen Wow! + Hello Flawless! lasted me from 8am to 11pm. Throughout the day I only touched up once, at 6pm I blotted my face and brushed on a light layer of Hello Flawless! to look a bit fresher before going out for dinner. 

Oxygen Wow! is a foundation that I would highly recommend. It's got good coverage, matches my sallow skin tone well, lasting power, non oily, sunscreen... not sure what else you could ask for. I got it from Benefit online for US$36. Considering exchange rates aren't so great for me at the moment, I still think it is worth it. Go check it out!

For some reviews about the other products which I am talking about... You can read my previous posts about PlaySticks, PlaySticks Verdict, Hello Flawless! and Stay Flawless

Benefit Stay Flawless 15-Hour Primer

So you probably know by now that I'm a big fan of Benefit Cosmetics. I find their make up to be good to my skin and colours suitable for my skin tone. During my last big buy, I decided to try Stay Flawless 15-Hour Primer. Primers are especially important in hot and humid climates like Singapore. From the moment you leave the comfort of your air conditioned room, you feel your whole face melting off. Literally. Followed by consistent blotting and soon enough, you have almost no make up left and it's not even noon yet. 

Stay Flawless comes in a stick which I find particularly useful when I have to travel. It glides on your skin really easily and is almost colourless. What I particularly like is the slightly cool sensation you get when you put it on. I'm not sure why that happens, but it feels soothing. It feels slightly tacky on your skin but that's to make your make up stick to your face for 15 hours right?

The first time I used it, I was extremely shocked! I had used it and then applied Play Sticks, the followed by Hello Flawless! powder. Almost immediately, my skin started to crease and crack. Play Sticks has a very creamy consistency, like a soft crayon. I could feel my face tightening and I when I looked in the mirror, I saw my face cracking up. It looked like dried up clay mask... I quickly washed everything off my face and heaved a sigh of relief.

The next time I used it, I got a slightly better results. I used Stay Flawless then I used You Rebel Lite. Being a tinted moisturiser with a more liquid consistency, it didn't cause that dryness that I had when I paired Stay Flawless with Play Sticks. So a word of caution... make sure you use a liquid foundation when you use Stay Flawless.

When my next shipment come, I will try it with Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow! This is a liquid foundation and the reviews that say that Stay Flawless is good, they all use it with Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow! So till next time... Let's see if this US$32 that I spent on Stay Flawless was worth it in the end.

You read about my reviews about Play Sticks, Play Sticks Verdict, Hello Flawless! and You Rebel Lite

Benefit Play Sticks - The Verdict

I've been using Play Sticks on a daily basis and am ready to commit to comment now. I think it's a great product that provides good coverage for scars, open pores, pigmentation. It goes on well and is easy to use. Once you use powder on top of it, your skin does look quite flawless.

I however, will not be buying it again once this stick is done. Reason being that the weather here is too humid and lately it's been so hot like 35ºC with a humidity of more than 90%, so my skin gets really oily a couple of hours later. I must admit that I do have skin that's a bit on the oily side, but I have noticed that it's significantly oilier when I use Play Sticks. I think it's too creamy for oilier skin types.

If you live in dry climates and/or have dry skin, I think Play Sticks will be great for your skin as it will provide sufficient moisture and won't have your skin feeling dry and flaky.

To read my previous post about Play Sticks - go HERE

It's Skin PO Effector

I haven't fallen into the whole Korean craze. Not the music, not the make up, not the style, no Psy or Rain... but I found one of the BEST products I've ever used. I was in the Changi Airport DFS waiting for my friends to purchase their alcohol and was browsing the cosmetics section. I saw a row of colourful bottles, what looked like serum and it was calling my name. It's not very expensive, under S$20. So I just took a chance and picked out. It's a dream come true!!!

Power 10 Formula PO Effector

Pore Minimiser

Now I have all along had pretty large pores and lately I haven't been going for my laser treatments. So I've been noticing that my pores are larger and it is getting to me. However I don't have the time to get to the clinic. Therefore anything that says that it minimises pores, I'm willing to give it a go. 

After using it for a week, I now realise how it works. What is does is make your pores look smaller by filling in the pores. This is why the PO Effector is a thick starchy consistency, unlike the other serums which felt like a dense liquid.

How to use: After cleansing, apply PO Effector (amount depends on how large your pores are), followed by moisturiser, foundation, powder. The PO Effector makes your skin look so flawless. It's really amazing! It also lasts well... in the terrible heat and humidity (it's about 35 degrees everyday now with 90% humidity), my pores are still not visible after a whole day at work. I think that's just never been possible... up till now.

This is my new favourite thing and I highly recommend you get it... I saw it on Strawberrynet for S$17 only. At the airport I paid like $18.90 or something like that.

Benefit Play Sticks

I did a big shop at Benefit Cosmetics recently and bought some interesting stuff. In the past I didn't use foundation, instead I used You Rebel Lite which is a tinted moisturizer that provides light coverage and doesn't feel like you're wearing a thick layer of makeup. This time I thought I'd try something with a bit more coverage for a few reasons. I was hoping that it will be able to disguise my big pores and make my skin look a little better.

Play Sticks

I have been using it daily, after moisturizer but before Hello Flawless! Play Sticks does provide slightly better coverage being that it's a creamy consistency so it can fill in any holes and reasonably cover any red pimples. I do feel that my skin is a little oilier these days and I am not sure if it's because of the Play Sticks or just our bad weather. 

Play Sticks comes in only 3 colours, so if it doesn't suit you, then you might prefer to go for Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow! which comes in more colours (matchy matchy with the Hello Flawless! powders). The next round I will buy Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow! to try, I hear good things about it. I use light beige with Hello Flawless! in petal. 

The three colours are playfully named, as with all their stuff:

• Spin the bottle (light beige)
• Tea party (medium beige)
• Jump rope (medium tan)

Because it comes in a stick, it makes application extremely easy which is a real plus for me. The consistency of the foundation is also a winner coz it's smooth. However, I'm still entirely sold on this product. There's something about the way the powder goes on that I don't really like. It seems to be a bit... coagulated. I'm not sure why, but it doesn't feel like it sits well into my skin. Only after some light perspiration then it settles. Perhaps my moisturizer is too light.

For now if you're interested, I'd suggest you go to the Benefit Boutique to test it out before buying, to see if you like it and also for the colour. It cost me US$36 and I'm 50/50 on this one. I might post a conclusion later on how I feel about this product.

For the verdict - go HERE

Trilogy Certified Organic Rosehip Oil

I've had skin troubles for a big part of my teenage life and even into my twenties which was extremely depressing. I've gone through almost every brand imaginable, doctors for all kinds of scary AHA products, hormone pills and whatever else you can think of. It was a very disheartening process each time, trying something new and then getting no results or worse... total painful breakouts. I used to have to wear make up all the time because my skin was so sensitive that I would get a few pimples going out for a couple of hours without make up.

Sometime during all that, I got a job working in a spa and my colleagues recommended that I go very simple. They got me generic stuff that was very soothing for my skin and didn't contain any perfume or additives. I remember the face wash was light green and smelled like cucumber. More importantly, I remembered the relief my skin felt when I washed my face with that for the first time. Since then, I was convinced that I had to go natural. 

I've read a heap about Rosehip Oil and all the good things it does for scars. It boasts to help with scars, stretch marks, eczema and other skin concerns. I now only use Trilogy Certified Organic Rose Hip Oil every night, I don't add any other night creams or moisturisers. The rosehip oil does feel a bit oily but above all, my skin feels soothed. In Singapore the organic products all cost so much and I was really hesitant, but I checked online and saw a really good brand on Strawberrynet for a really good price.

Sometimes I also do my own "facials" (via Biore Pore Pack) and after ripping off the blackheads and probably a few layers of skin, I can't use moisturisers as my skin will start to itch and get irritated. I can only use rosehip oil after. Even if I forget and use something that causes itchiness, I wash it off and use the rosehip oil... the relief is immediate. The good part is that rosehip oil doesn't cause clogged pores, considering it's oil. I know some oils do cause clogged pores but not rosehip. It feels light and just comfortable.

I know it sounds too good to be true but I swear by it. I now go out without makeup whenever I like, just with Trilogy Certified Organic Rosehip Oil on and my skin feels really good. I get mine from Strawberrynet and it's SGD$60 for 45ml (which is a really big bottle). Each time you only need 2 or 3 drops, massage that on your skin and you're good to go. You don't need a whole lot. You can even use it on scars and it's supposed to lighten the scar in time. Try it!

Benefit They're Real! vs Dior's Diorshow Waterproof Mascara

I have used a wide range of products from Benefit and what I like most about it Benefit Cosmetics is that they actually deliver what they promise.  The first draw for me is that they give their products very catchy names and have extremely attractive packaging. 

In the past I used to use Diorshow Waterproof Mascara, I found that it could withstand any natural disaster.  It was that good!  I've been drenched in hours of pouring rain and still had my make up in tact.  In trying some stuff from Benefit, I got a tester and found it to be comparable to Diorshow.  

At a glance there's nothing about this that stands out.  As we know, all the pictures that they show us about super thick, long, luscious eyelashes are a lie!  The people they pick to take those pictures clearly have the long end of the stick and won't need any special mascara for obvious reasons.  However people like me who obviously got the short end of the stick, need enhancers... if they sell it, I will buy.  I think that's a pretty clear objective don't you think?

On the packaging it boasts:
- 94% saw dramatic length and volume
- 90% saw base-to-tip curl
- 94% saw visible lift
- 100% saw long wearing results

Anyways, on my sparse and so un-long eyelashes, I apply this mascara on.  It glides on easily and within the few seconds it takes it dry, it actually curls my eyelashes a bit.  I'm not sure how they make stuff like that but it is possible so it seems.  Needless to say, I put a few more layers on because I have no limits and am pretty sure 'less is more' applies to everyone except me.  It does a good job at making my eyelashes seem fuller, thicker, darker and adds curl.  Just for the record, I don't have curly eyelashes because I have straight hair and it's not inherent in Chinese to have curly eyelashes.  With They're Real!, the curl effect actually opens my eye up and makes me look like I have bigger eyes and more alert.

They're Real! also doesn't smudge or run after a whole day.  I haven't tried standing in the midst of a hurricane yet but I'm sure it'll still be there even if I do not make it out alive.  When trying to remove this, I have to use quite heavy oil based removers to get a proper clean.  This indicates to me that it is truly waterproof.  In conclusion, all that they're boasting about, I found to be true.

It's a hard fight between the Diorshow Waterproof Mascara and Benefit They're Real!, I'd go with either.  The prices are similar, US$25 for Dior and US$23 for Benefit so that's not a point that you could challenge either.  To be completely honest, one big reason why I'm using They're Real! now is because I buy other Benefit products so it makes it easier just to order the mascara as well, considering they're both equally good.

Benefit Dandelion

Another favourite from Benefit is Dandelion.  They've classified it as a brightening face powder, but since I'm so fair, I use it as a blush.  It may seem like a very light pink, but when I put it on, somehow it shows up very well.  

It gives my skin a nice blush that doesn't make me look like a backstage Chinese opera performer.  The powder is fine and goes on easily.  One of the big reasons that I love using Benefit cosmetics is that not only do they improve on their products and keep introducing new ones, they always maintain the quality and colours.  I've bought their face powder Hello Flawless! in Petal more than 10 times over more than 5 years and each time, the quality and colour is consistently good.  

I've bought Dandelion about 3 times now (one box lasts a really long time even with daily use), and I'm very happy that they've revamped the packaging.  The old box was a little bit cumbersome because the cover was separate so you had to take it off and set it down somewhere.  The old box also never had a mirror, which means you had to set the cover down, then use a separate mirror.  Now they've improved the box to be a flip top which is SO much easier and they've also included a mirror on the inside of the flip top.  They've always included a little brush that sits in the box nicely.

I bought this online for US$28 and it lasts for at least 6 months!  Now you see why this is another essential in my beauty box.

Benefit Dream Screen

The reports have come out and everyone's on about sunscreen.  To be perfectly honest, when I go out on the weekends, I don't even use moisturiser.  Doesn't help that I enjoy going to the pool or to the beach.  Now that I'm older, I should at least pretend to be a little bit wiser.  I've decided that I will wear sunscreen when I go out, regardless of the weather or activity.

When I use make up, the sunscreen that I use is You Rebel Lite, my previous post was about that.  That has worked out pretty well thus far.  I did realise that my beauty box lacked sunscreen for when I'm not wearing makeup.  Therefore... I purchased Dream Screen from Benefit.  It has SPF 45 which is pretty good coverage.  But that was not the selling point for me.  What got me to click "Buy Me!' was that it claimed to have an invisible silky-matte finish.

If you're like me and have sensitive skin/ oily skin/ problem skin... the list goes on, you would have tried almost every item out there.  Anything that says matte or oil control, just buy!  I've become apprehensive about the matte finish but my main focus was the SPF. 

When I tipped the bottle to use it, I was slightly taken aback because it came out like looking like milk, consistency (not the smell).  Smell was like sunscreen, nothing special.  I don't know why but I had expected it to be more creamy instead of liquid.  Never mind that... I slap it on anyways.  To my delight, when it dried, it WAS silky-matte.  Just like it said.  It didn't feel oily like how sunscreen usually feels.  It was comfortable for the rest of the day that I was out so I would totally recommend it.

Dream Screen by Benefit for US$32 online, I'd say it's one of my new favourite essentials in my beauty box.

For the benefit of those who haven't seen it, this video shows you what happens to your skin when you use sunscreen.  It's amazing how glorious the sun is and yet can do so much damage. Watch the video here

There's even a song about sunscreen, I've included this for your listening pleasure. Watch the video of the sunscreen song here

Benefit You Rebel Lite

My makeup parcel has arrived... yipee! One of the products that I had purchased from Benefit was You Rebel Lite.  It's a tinted moisturizer with SPF 15, Aloe, Vitamins A and E.  I had previously purchased You Rebel once and couldn't use it coz I found the colour too dark for my skin tone. 

 

SPF (Sun Protection Factor) rating is a measure of the fraction of sunburn producing UV rays blocked, in this product there's SPF 15.  Aloe is good for soothing and moisturising the skin, Vitamin A is known for anti-aging properties and Vitamin E will help the skin fight free radicals.

Today I got to use it and I am very happy with it.  I applied moisturizer before applying You Rebel Lite, for the sole purpose to ensuring my skin is well moisturized and hydrated.  A big mistake when applying makeup, so I have learned through the years of bad makeup, is that less is more.  I very carefully squeezed about 0.5cm of You Rebel Lite onto my finger and dabbed it all over my face, blending after.  I'm super lazy so I just used my fingers throughout.  I'm sure it'll probably go on more evenly with a foundation brush, or so they say.

The very first thing I did notice was how well the colour suited my skin.  It was like it wasn't there!  The coverage for blemishes and scars was moderate.  I don't expect it to be able to erase my scars 100%, but I think it did a pretty good job.  The consistency is thick-ish, maybe slightly thicker than toothpaste.  So it's still easily spreadable and at the same time, providing pretty decent coverage.  After that I applied a light layer of Hello Flawless! in Petal (Never Settle) and I'm out the door, this is at 8am.

The next thing I noticed at 4pm today was that my skin felt considerably less oily.  I have quite oily skin, depending on the weather, time of month, etc.  But as compared to yesterday where I only applied moisturizer and Hello Flawless!, my skin is not greasy.  It does not make any sense to me -  putting on more moisturiser to make your skin drier.  It is however fact, that your skin is oily because it's trying to compensate for the lack thereof.  Technically speaking, your skin is oily because it's actually dry.  Weird but true.  So those of you who have oily skin, remember to moisturise!

This can be used in place of a foundation if you want something that's really light weight.  My conclusion is that You Rebel Lite is a fantastic buy, for only US$25 direct from Benefit's website!

If you'd like to read my review on Hello Flawless, click here!

Belif Cleansing Oil Fresh

This make up remover is one of the best I've tried.  Belif's Cleansing Oil Fresh removes make up quick and easy.  It's a wash off make up remover so you just have to massage it all over your face and it will dissolve whatever foundation, BB cream, CC cream, powder, etc that you applied, doesn't take much effort to be honest.  Only 1 pump is needed for a good clean.  After rinsing off, you should wash with facial cleanser as usual.

The true test is that after washing your face, when you apply your toner, you will see that the cotton pad doesn't have any make up residue on it.  With other facial cleansers that I've tried, I do find that even after washing (sometimes twice!), the cotton pad still has make up on it.  Not withstanding that fact that your face still feels oily even after the make up remover is washed off. 

Although Belif's Cleansing Oil Fresh does contain oil, it doesn't leave your face feeling oily and this is apparent even before the final wash with facial cleanser.  Oil is an essential ingredient in make up removers as this breaks down the make up and allows the make up to separate from your skin.  The ingredients are listed and are all natural, which I really like because of my sensitive skin.

Another plus point is that it removes blackheads.  I gather that using the oil cleanser and massaging actually loosens the blackheads.  I'm not by any means saying that this will get rid of all your blackheads, but I'm sure it helps the skin stay cleaner for longer between facials.

The only gripe I have about this product is that it isn't really strong enough to remove my eye make up thoroughly.  Waterproof eyeliner and mascara tends to be a bit too much for this, therefore I do not use this for my eyes unless I really have to.  When I do have to (probably because I'm lazy) then I massage it for a longer time to give it more time to dissolve my waterproof make up and tissue off whatever eyeliner and mascara that's left.  I personally don't mind using something separate for my eyes because I don't expect 1 product to do everything.  What's important is that this Cleansing Oil cleans my face thoroughly and quickly.  Costs SGD$47 and lasts for 4 or 5 months of daily use, it's pretty fab!

Belif Tinted Moisturiser Powdery B.B.

BB cream is commonly known as blemish balm, blemish base, beauty balm... Whatever you choose to think it is... it's really a tinted moisturiser that's supposed to be an all-in-one to replace serum, moisturiser, sunblock, primer or foundation.  Depending on the level of coverage you want, you can use BB cream under powder as well.  Now they also have CC Cream in the market but it's basically the same thing, BB or CC, they're all tinted moisturisers.

I really like the BB cream from Belif.  It's very light weight and doesn't make your skin look pasty.  In the hot and humid Singapore weather, it's very important (especially for oily skin like mine) that the cosmetics are lightweight.  Despite not having good complexion, I don't want to apply so much make up that I look like I'm wearing a mask.  I want to look my make up to look natural.  If your foundation and powder look very thick or don't match your skin tone, then you're very likely to look like you have a thick layer of make up.

Belif's BB Cream doesn't have shades to choose from, it's only 1 colour.  But because of it's consistency, it's sheer enough for most fair and medium skin toned people to use it.  I;d suggest trying it for colour before you buy.

For oily skin, the Tinted Moisturiser Powdery BB is ideal.  It gives your skin a matte look and covers big pores and small scars.  I use it under face powder because I am not used to going out with only tinted moisturiser on.  I feel like I'm only half made up.  I apply this on top of my toner, serum and moisturiser.  I know it sounds super hardcore, but no one said beauty was easy.  Technically speaking, you have oily skin because your skin is actually dry.  So your skin produces extra sebum to try and rehydrate the skin... In between my 3 showers a day, I'm pretty sure my skin is dried out, so I have to do my best to put the moisture back in.

The BB cream is good enough coverage for day or night and the best part is that it doesn't clog your pores!  I am so paranoid about blackheads it's not even funny, I had a nightmare about it last weekend. True story.  For SGD$33, nice looking complexion, SPF43 sunscreen and lasts for a couple of months, I think it's pretty good stuff! Please Belif me :)