Cotton Skyline

[Review] bareMinerals 7 Piece Customizable Get Starter Kit

2012-09-16T18:01:00.000+08:00

bareMinerals was introduced to me by the MA at Sephora Ion when I was there to try out the Make Up Forever HD Foundation, and I was totally sold lol. I took the chance to get the Customizable Starter Kit when I was in US for US$64 (excluding tax). Was it worth the trouble bringing back the big box from the other side of Earth? Let's check it out.

The 7 piece kit contains:

Full size Foundation (Original or Matte of your choice, I chose Matte)
Medium size Original Mineral Veil
Medium size All-Over Face Colour in Warmth
Full Flawless Brush
Flawless Face Brush
Max Coverage Concealer Brush
Exclusive to Sephora: Sample Size Primetime Foundation Primer
Get Started Guide and DVD

Considering the foundation alone is already S$48 in Singapore, it sounds like a steal aye? I got matched to fairly light, which is actually the lightest shade. But mind you, I'm neither fair nor tanned.

The powder comes in a circular container with a rotating lid inside. It covers the holes when you're not using it so it doesn't get powder all over your makeup bag when you carry it around.

First Impression

Foundation: SPF 15 Foundation in Matte
The powder evens out the skin so naturally that it was barely visible. It feels a little "creamy" as compared to normal face powder so my face doesn't look too powdery. It might get a little cakey when you build up to medium/full coverage, especially when your skin is dry.

Setting Powder: Original Mineral Veil
I'm not too sure if it's supposed to make a visible difference because it really doesn't. Neither does it help with the oil control. My face looks shiny in just 3-4 hours :(
Illuminator: All-Over Face Colour in Warmth
I haven't used much so I shan't review it. It's supposed to give you a sun-kissed glow, but the colour is so dark it looks a little intimidating heh. The amount used in the tutorial was so little that I wonder if it really does make any difference. Which also means that if you are not careful enough you'll end up looking like a Red Indian *kidding* It probably makes a good bronzer instead.

Brushes: Full Flawless Face | Flawless Face | Max Coverage Concealer
*facepalm* Proceed to "The Bad" please.

Primer: Primetime Foundation Primer
The texture is really interesting, but I haven't tried enough primer to judge. The foundation definitely stays and appears better with the primer on.

The Good

What got me hooked on to the foundation is that it doubles as a concealer. Talk about cost efficient and laziness heh. When I started spot concealing using the Max Coverage Concealer Brush, the acne marks just vanishes! Ok, maybe not totally but the results makes me go all "Ehhh~?!". The coverage is just amazing. Two thumbs up!

The Bad

The brushes, seriously why do they even make them? It does the job but they are so rough and scratchy, which gets a little painful when buffing. The Full Flawless Face and the Flawless Face Brushes are made of goat hair, and it sheds like crazy! I have to keep picking out the strands of hair from my face. The Max Coverage Concealer Brush wasn't too bad (it's synthetic bristles, how bad can it get?), it's too big for my liking for spot concealing but great for under eye area.

Rating:

Customizable Starter Kit

SPF 15 Foundation in Matte

I MUST rate the items separately since the kit doesn't do any justice to the goodness of the foundation.

It doesn't seem that worth it with Singapore's pricing (S$140?!), so just grab the foundation and a better buffing brush from another brand instead. I'm eyeing the Real Techniques Core Collection on SummerHaul. Should I? Hm...

Price: US$64 | S$140
Purchased at: Sephora

[Review] ICM Acne Clear

2012-09-15T18:05:00.001+08:00

Today I'm going to review on the pimple cream Acne Clear by ICM. I came across it while watching Tried and Tested (love Shu An!) and got all nostalgic. I used to wear it in Secondary School days when it was prescribed to me by the polyclinic doctor, but I stopped using the cream when the skin flakes really badly. Plus it's just not a pretty sight when you put the cream on haha.

First Impression

I got the cream at a discounted price of S$4.40 at Guardian. It should be cheaper at the pharmacies in hospitals and polyclinics. The price has increased over the years, but it's still pretty affordable as compared to other pimple creams in the market.

It comes in an aluminium tube and you have to poke the seal with the cap to start using it.
The cream is really thick and is in a beige colour that is nowhere near to Asian skin tone.

"Active Ingredients:
Sulpher Precipitated BP 4% w/w, Zinc Oxide BP 8% wlw, Resorcinol BP 2% wlw, Calamine BP 8% wlw, in a non-oily tinted cream base.

Other Ingredients:
Purified Water, Liquid Paraffin, Crodamol GTCC, Glyceryl Monostearate, Propylene Glycol, Veegum, Amphisol, Stearic Acid, Polawax GP 200, Citric Acid, Microna Matte Yellow, Triethanolamine, Microna Matte Red, Sodium Carboxymethylcellulose, Microna Matte Black."

The BP ingredients reminds me of the Acne.org regime that I tried and had nightmare with, not too sure why I still tried this but I'm glad I did!

The cream is really drying and it dries up into powder form and might even crack sometimes, so you really shouldn't wear them out, not that the colour is that wearable anyway lol.

Oh oh, it has a smell that lingers for quite long. I don't know how to explain it, it's unpleasant but still bearable.

The Good

Some of the spots seem smaller after just one night! The spots flatten just like they were run over by a car lol.

The Bad

Time. Some of them end up pretty much the same after one night and it takes a few days for it to be gone, which always gets me wondering if it just healed naturally. Hmm...

Rating:

It does work (at least for me), but it takes a while. You should also place a towel over your pillow when you sleep, otherwise the cream will just get all over your pillow cover. It's a cheap alternative that probably doesn't hurt much to have one.

Price: S$5.85
Purchased at: Guardian

[Review] Wet n Wild Eyeshadow Trio

2012-09-13T00:05:00.002+08:00

One of the best things of the US: drugstores. It's just a huge cosmetics heaven with unbeatable price! It's probably the only reason that makes me wanna migrate to US lol.

Anyway, I wanted to get a cheap nude palette for everyday wear and was immediately attracted to the Wet n Wild Eyeshadow Trio in Walking on Eggshells. I bought it at CVS when I was in US for just US$2.99 (ultra cheap!). You can get it at SummerHaul for S$10.90 though.

First Impression

It comes in a small plastic rectangular case with transparent lid, so you will need to use another mirror when applying.

The palette has imprints on it to tell you which colour goes where: browbone, crease, eyelids. They have diagrams at the back to guide you too.

It also comes with two applicators, one of which is the usual sponge head and another one which is a hard brush.

The powder has a slight shimmer to it and I love it! Not too much for everyday wear and it's just sooo soft.

The Good

Price. What else can you say? Not even Silkygirl can beat it haha! Good pigmentation (just look at the swatches below!) and it comes off easily with remover without staining your lids. The powders are fine and soft, which makes application really easy.

The Bad

Generally Wet n Wild's eyeshadows are so soft that it breaks easily. In case you were wondering "eww why can't she just clean the case up a little?", I actually left the casing untouched to show how easily it gets messy (no, not because I'm lazy). The ones I bought in US and another 1 which I ordered from SummerHaul have got powder on the rims and applicators when it first came. It's sealed nicely so I know it's new. You will get a hard time if your makeup pouches tumble in your hand bags too much.

Rating:

You probably wouldn't want to bring it around that often; otherwise it's a nice little thing to add on your makeup rack for the money-saving peeps. 4 and a half cloudies!

Price: US$2.99 | S$10.90
Purchased at: Drugstore.com | SummerHaul