ZA Summer 2020 White Protector and Coming Journey Collections

ZA Coming Journey Lipsticks (Limited Edition)

Cosmetic giant Shiseido's drugstore line ZA is best known for its popular foundation and brow products. This year though, they've expanded the True White Protector primer line to include color correcting versions as well as a color-correcting finishing powder.

ZA True White Protector range

Priced at S$15.90 per 35g tube (about 1.2oz), the primer range is formulated with Hyaluronic Acid and vitamins C and E for smoothing antioxidant protection, so they are multi-tasking moisturizers, sunscreens and color correcting primers in one. I do have to say these were more pigmented than I expected as I'm used to tinted or "tone up" primers rubbing out to near-invisibility most of the time. 

KATE Tokyo Red Nude Rouge Swatches and Review

Click to watch the KATE Tokyo Red Nude Rouge IGTV swatch video

Here's a quick IG video showing all 8 KATE Tokyo Red Nude Rouge duos swatched to show a full gradient. Meaning you can see the full spectrum of colors achievable in each compact, depending how much of each shade you use.

You obviously aren’t supposed to wear them the way I did. You can wear them ombre or 3D style, or just mix for a single solid color. The point is to wear them as vibrant or soft as you want, depending on the look and occasion. Also, each duo comes with a little sponge applicator but I find it much quicker with a clean finger, and you also won't contaminate each color by transferring the other onto it with a stained applicator.

Shu Uemura Red Authority Lipstick swatches

Shu Uemura recently launched a whole red lipstick collection in Lacquer, Satin and Matte textures recently, with the spotlight on a "universal red for Asian skintones", RD 163 (available in all 3 textures).

The 25 shades in the line-up include a mix of new and existing red tones, but the shades run the gamut from soft warm corals to deep dark browns, so there really isn't too much of an excuse for anyone to not find at least 1 or 2 shades that look good on them, regardless of ethnicity and skintone.

I personally love RD163 in all 3 finishes. Shu touts this as a shade that contains the optimal mix of warm and cool tones to suit a majority of Asian skins. The shade itself is what I consider a warm-neutral red. Something that is close to true scarlet but leans ever so slightly on the warmer side.

I lip-swatched 24 of the 25 shades in my Youtube video linked below (there was one shade missing in the press samples I got so I was not able to swatch all of them) and here are the arm swatches for quick comparison.

Shu Uemura rouge unlimited Red lipsticks in Lacquer finish

Shu Uemura rouge unlimited Red lipsticks in Satin finish

Shu Uemura rouge unlimited red lipsticks in Matte finish

This makes it quite forgiving and in fact, pretty flattering on a wide range of skin tones while staying "red" without going into rose or orange territory.

If you're curious, in the full video review, I also give a breakdown of how Shu Uemura codes their lipstick shades, so that you can easily narrow down shades that suit you as long as you have an idea what sort of undertone you have (warm/yellow, neutral, or cool/pink)

This Week's Power Lip: Armani Lip Magnet 400

Selfie via Instagram Story: Armani Lip Magnet 400

It's weird that even with 101 reds in your collection, you can still find room to obsess over another.

Cue Armani Beauty Lip Magnet 400, the classic true-red that's the signature color of the brand itself. It looks a little tomato-toned in the tube, more Louboutin than Armani, but don't worry. It goes on a vibrant rouge red.

Swatch of scarlet: Armani Lip Magnet 400

I know many people don't like these cos they were expecting a true liquid-to-matte non-transferring liquid. I like the silky smooth texture and the way it "semi" sets to a smooth finish without the wrinkly dried look. Another plus is how this doesn't make me want to claw my parched lips off my face. Do I wish it was transfer-proof? Maybe; when I'm about to chomp heartily into some food mostly, but otherwise I don't really mind.

I find I need to touch-up transfer-proof liquids after a meal ANYWAY. With these, at least touching up is a breeze as the formula melts onto itself when you spot-apply.

As someone who loves the sheerer, slower-setting liquid lip formulas like Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvets and YSL Tatouage Coutures, which have a textureless, less-drying finish, this is similar but one step more comfortable, if not as lasting. 

Shade Obsession: MAC Viva Glam Sia

I decided to put on my tube of MAC Viva Glam Sia one morning and straight out of the tube, this matte scarlet looks VERY much like a creamier Ruby Woo, although it's a regular Matte, not a Retro Matte. It's also just a hair warmer than Ruby Woo, which has a hint of cool undertones although I still consider mostly a true red. The undertone difference may not be noticeable to a lot of people.

The difference comes when you press your lips together and wear it out in the daytime. The warmth in the undertone comes out more in daylight, and you may - like me - suddenly notice all those tiny little flecks of gold hidden in the matte red formula.

The sparkles are not really noticeable to someone standing in front of you, unless they come really close and squint. But it does give the formula a tiny hint of luminosity, the way velvet sometimes catches the light at certain angles.

Bobbi Brown Luxe Lip Color Swatches and First Impressions

I love opaque lipsticks.

I love the color pay-off, and the rich texture. They're a great way to dress up the lips instantly, and they last better than glossy lipsticks without feeling as dry as matte lipsticks.

But intense lipsticks aren't usually known for being comfortable to wear. Most have to sacrifice moisture for color. So I was curious to check out Bobbi Brown's new Luxe Lipstick range (SGD$44), launching 15 October 2015 in Singapore, because they promised to combine great color intensity with a nourishing, comfortable semi-matte texture that can reduce fine lines and relieve flaking. Sounded like exactly what I need.

The lipsticks have a much flatter and wider bullet tip for quicker application, and a point shaped for a precise edge without having to use a brush.

What do I think of these?

They are still new to me but so far these are buttery-smooth and almost every single shade is opaque in one stroke. I expected these to feel a lot drier, but they go on like silk. I would classify these as classic creme formulas - too soft and creamy to be classed as satin/semi-matte. They also stay relatively creamy for the next few hours and don't go matte-looking quickly like pigment-rich lip products usually do.

There were a couple (like Brocade) which needed to be built up a bit more for opacity, but that's not to say it was patchy and sheer by any means. It was just slightly less intense than the other shades in the range, which go on opaque instantly.

As for the colors, there are 30 and they run the gamut from nude to brown to pink to coral to red to dark. And because it's Bobbi Brown, you can expect a good variety of classic nudes and naturals in different undertones. In fact, there may be a few TOO many Nudes/Beiges/Browns in my opinion, but then I prefer to mix it up from day to day.  The natural tones here make up over 1/3 of the entire range, which might be overwhelming for Nude lip novices. Several of them are quite close in tone, although I know nude lovers will definitely appreciate the tiny differences in tone because a hint more pink or orange can entirely change how a shade looks.

Wear-time varies depending on color. Many of the brighter and deeper colors stain the lips and will seem to last slightly longer than the softer shades. But I don't find this range to be especially long-wearing as far as intense lipsticks go. I still recommend a liner if you're wearing one of the stronger shades, to prevent smearing and bleeding. 

I have 27 of the 30 shades to swatch for you at this time, so here they are below.

What's good are also the deeper neutrals, which are very on point and super-trendy right now. You have Neutral Rose, which is a nice soft "MLBB" shade, Pink Buff which is a brown-based beige, and Soft Berry which is a great warm rosy brown which looks great with a tan.

I always love pinks and berries, and there are quite a number of good shades in the line. I especially love the warm salmon-y Bright Coral and the intense raspberry (Raspberry Pink) and fuchsia (Hot Rose) shades.

Even the pale peachy-nude, Baby Peach, surprised me by going on smooth and even. And all the orange and coral shades are fun.

But try the reds. You have a blue-red (Russian Doll), a cherry red (Retro Red), a classic red (Parisian Red), and a vampy red (Your Majesty).

All in all, I'm pretty darned impressed in terms of color and texture. I would classify these as full-on creme lipsticks, not satins. They have the intensity of MAC Amplified Lipsticks but actually glide on much smoother and silkier. These feel like lipbalms.

The one con to this would be that they won't stay on as long as slightly thicker, drier textures, so as mentioned above, wear a liner if you are applying one of the deeper or brighter shades, just so that the edges don't smudge and feather.

Clinique Pop Lip Color + Primer

Clinique's launching their new Pop Lip Color + Primer range on 9 April in Singapore.

And that's what is so interesting about the range. They're formulated with flexi polymers and micro-refined pigments to help colors go on smoother and stay vibrant for longer.

Longwearing lipsticks often start to feel dry and get patchy after a few hours, so to prevent that, Clinique has formulated these lipsticks with sodium hyaluronate, ceramides, shea butter, and murumuru butter, to hydrate the lips. Which is a good thing because I often get chapped, flaking lips, and always avoid full coverage lipsticks even though I love them. At least now there's a chance that I can wear them even when my lips are a bit under the weather.

First off, I'll say the color payoff is beautiful and the shades are gorgeous. There are 13 shades available in Singapore at SGD$33 each, and they are grouped into 4 categories - nudes, tawnies, pinks, and violets. But I say ignore that because the color grouping is a bit confusing. Poppy Pop (bright tangerine coral) and Cherry Pop (blue red) are both listed under the "tawnies", and an ultra dark burgundy brown called Cola Pop is listed under "nudes". 

But there is a nice distribution of shades from nudes to brights to deeper tones, so there is a color for everyone.

My 4 favorite shades from the Pop Lip Color + Primer range: Cherry Pop, Punch Pop, Plum Pop and Nude Pop

After playing around with all the shades at a recent press event, I picked the above 4 - both for their smooth even payoff, and also the fact that they are quite universally skin-flattering. I had gravitated towards the 2 deep, dark shades (Berry Pop and Cola Pop) but they didn't go on as evenly compared to brighter, richer, shades in this range (hot pink, red, berry).

As for whether these last all day, I'll say no cream-textured lipstick lasts all day.
These DO last a good long while for cream lipsticks, and some of the stronger shades leave a stain, but if you're drinking, eating, talking, they will wear away slowly, just like any other lipstick. You will still need to wear a base layer of good lip pencil in order for these to last all day, which is the same for any other range.

The good thing is I didn't notice these feathering or bleeding much, and they do feel quite conditioning on the lips. But eventually the conditioning oils will still get absorbed or vaporize, and the shine and hydration will fade away. I can't say yet if the conditioning formula with ceramides and plant butters can help smooth over ragged lips, because I haven't encountered that problem lately, but hopefully the humectants and emollients in the formula can help minimize the chance of that happening.

But all in all, this is a very nice range with a great formula and nice colorsso it's well worth a look if you're in the market for vibrant, creamy colors.

Urban Decay Sheer Revolution Lipstick Swatches

Urban Decay Sheer Revolution Lipsticks are now available in Sephora Singapore (SGD$33). I have 7 out of the 10 shades here to swatch for you, and you should be able to get a feel for the texture and pigmentation from the images below. 

I'm a fan of the regular lipstick line, which is smooth and ultra-pigmented. But my lips have been a bit sore and chapped since a bad cold the past couple of weeks, so they haven't done too well with lipsticks. Hydrating glosses and sheer, glossy lipsticks are the way to go for me right now, so these came at a perfect time. 

Urban Decay Sheer Revolution Lipsticks: F-bomb, Slowburn, Streak, Rapture, Anarchy, Obsessed and Walk of Shame

The Sheer Revolution lipsticks come in gorgeous metallic purple cases, and what I like best about them is that while they are glossy and translucent, the textures aren't runny and super soft like many sheer lipsticks. They're a little like Tom Ford Lip Color Shines. 

The color range is pretty good, and ranges from an ultra-pale beige to cool-toned pinks and magentas, to coral-hues and reds. 

I usually expect most sheer lipsticks to look patchy and uneven on the lips, but I'll say upfront that all these did really well. They went on smoothly and didn't catch in lines or flaky bits. Just pressing my lips together evened out the color quickly, and the texture is not so light that the color wears away quickly.

Urban Decay Sheer Walk of Shame

Urban Decay Sheer Obsessed

Urban Decay Sheer Anarchy

Urban Decay Sheer Rapture

Urban Decay Sheer Streak

Urban Decay Sheer Slowburn

Urban Decay Sheer F-Bomb

It's really hard to pick a favorite shade here because so many of them are so pretty, but if I had to pick three out of these, it would be F-bomb (Cherry red), Streak (warm pink) and Anarchy (magenta).

These are too sheer to wear with matching liners. If you need a pencil, wear either a translucent one or a nude shade, so you don't end up changing the color and sheer finish too much.

MAC Toledo Makeup Look: Moodyblu Palette and Oxblood Matte Lipstick (plus Toledo swatches part 2!)

MAC x Toledo is one of the most colorful collections of the season, with lots of intense blues, violets, lime greens, violets and rich deep reds. So it was a bit of a challenge for me when I decided I wanted to create a softer, more wearable everyday look with some of the items in the collection.

It's quite wearable and neutral for the most part, but I chose to keep a pop of very intense blue around the outer corners of the eyes for a bit of interest, and to define and draw attention to them. (There wouldn't be a point in doing a look with the Toledo collection if it was going to look like any other neutral collection!)

The star of the show here is really the sparkly metallic blue eye pencil, Petrol Blue. I highly recommend you check it out if you like colored eyeliners and want buttery smooth texture and intense payoff. The lasting power is pretty darned good as well, but of course, I had to intensify it and lock it down by dabbing a matching blue shadow (Deep Truth) over it. 

 And Oxblood matte lipstick? It's a fab, FAB kittenish peachy-beige. Not quite nude, but very pretty if you want something muted with a bit of color.

The surprise of the look for me was Azalea Blossom, the pink-purple blush ombre. I'd expected a very cool-toned shade but over my skin, the blend of pink and purple went on quite a bit warmer. If you're looking for a sweet pink flush, this is great. If you were expecting a very purple hue, you might not get it if you have a yellow undertone, or you're wearing a bronzer beneath.

MAC Azalea Blossom goes on surprisingly neutral on top of bronzer

Speaking of blush, I do owe you all the swatches for Ripe Peach Blush Ombre from the Toledo Collection, which was missing from the first delivery. Here it is.

I was also missing Victoriana matte lipstick in the swatches, so here it is swatched beside 2 other true reds. Tenor Voice is the true red in the Toledo collection, and Victoriana is a cherry red with slight pink undertones. 

Here, the 2 shades are swatched beside Carmine Red from the MAC Prabal Gurung collection, which is another vivid red. On first look they all look identical, but the difference is in how they sit against the skin. 

Tenor Voice casts neither a blue nor an orange border against the skin, while Carmine leaves a blue border. Victoriana has a rosy hue. This is how you check undertones of reds. And when picking one, look not at the color itself but how it makes the surrounding skin look. The best red for you, is one which brightens your skin and makes it look more glowing and even. 

Chilli Red Lips and Soft Winged Eyes: Armani Lip Maestro 402 and NARS Cordura + Kalahari tutorial

Haven't put a tutorial on here in awhile, so here's a very quick breakdown of a go-to "dressed up" look that I often do when I'm going out. It's not all hard edges and precise dramatic lines though. In fact, it's kept deliberately soft around the edges, so that you can wear a stronger lip with a stronger eye, if you choose.

To give you options, I broke the look down into 2 parts. The eye, and the lip. You can wear them separately or together like I did. 

Products used: Shiseido Maquillage Long Stay Eyeliner N, Etude House Play 101 Pencil in 59, NARS Cordura (darker shade), and NARS Kalahari (warmer bronze shade used)

Firstly, a note about products. You absolutely do NOT have to use the exact same things I did. Most of us have black and brown liners, and many of us have a dark brown and a medium brown shadow. Just dig around and look for what you already own. Or if you absolutely LOVE one of the particular shades here, then go for it.

Step by step: Smoky winged eye

This eye look is so straightforward. There is no precision required because everything is hazy and smudged out. That's why I do it so often. It takes only a few minutes.

Now on to lips! I only discovered Lip Maestros from Armani in December last year. Very slow and late of me I know. But I fell for them in a BIG way. These things are incredible. Of all the lip creams that were launched last year, this is probably my favorite texture. They aren't as gel-like and glossy as Dior's, not as sheer as YSL's, and aren't as intense as Shu's (although these 2 brands have the closest textures). 

To me, it's like Baby Bear's bed to Goldilocks. Just right.

Lip products used: No7 Precision Lip Liner in Nude, Armani Lip Maestro in 402

I have a rather specific way of applying these.

Obviously I don't want them to bleed and smear quickly so I don't just wear them straight from the tube without liner.

BUT, I also don't want to ruin that semi-glossy texture or change the consistency and opacity by wearing a layer of liner all over my lips. 

So this is what I do.

My lip application procedure for Lip Maestros

What I end up doing is create a border that is mid-way between red and nude. It melds with the red so it doesn't look like an obvious line, and at the same time, it also protects the lipstick from bleeding quickly, AND it works as a border and helps bright colors from looking too hard and harsh against the skin.

The lip is neat, but it's not overly defined. You will never see a dark lip line when your lip color wears off after a drink or a  meal. And it's never harsh-looking or like "stick on" lips.

7 Great Ruby Red Lipsticks

If you missed my post last week on Dayre, here is a recap of 7 great reds that I'm currently loving.

L'oreal Colour Riche in Bloody Mary

L'oreal Colour Riche in Bloody Mary

L'oreal Colour Riche is a great range for satin-textured, high-coverage lipsticks. And it seems the updated range is also packaged a little better (I haven't experienced any smooshing against the insides of the tube yet, as the older range frequently did). 

Bloody Mary is a very deep scarlet creme lipstick that is a true red. Not too brown, not too blue, not too orange. 

Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm 250 Standout

Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm 250 Standout

I'm a long-time fan of Revlon's Colorburst Matte Balm range, and one of the very first shades that I grabbed for when they launched was the deep red, 250 Standout. These aren't as intense as the Super Lustrous mattes but they sure do the best job of marrying matte intensity with hydrating comfort.

Revlon Super Lustrous Matte in Revlon Retro Red

Revlon Super Lustrous Matte in Revlon Retro Red

You can't mention drugstore mattes without mentioning Revlon Super Lustrous Matte lipsticks. And while the darling for the last few years is the classic Really Red, my personal fave is actually the newer shade, Retro Red.

This is a deeper blue-based red which is much more intense and creamy than Really Red, which is a waxier, thinner, older formula that actually doesn't build up very well. Retro Red is less brown-toned, opaque enough to stay truer on dark or brown-pigmented lips, and and will not look orange on darker skins.

Laneige Serum Intense Lipstick in R17 Red Flame

Laneige Serum Intense Lipstick in R17 Red Flame

Laneige is better known outside Asia for their skincare items, but if you ever get the chance to try out their Serum Intense lipstick range, make sure you check them out because they are the most gorgeously glossy and hydrating lipsticks. And the best thing is they don't go on all sheer. The color actually builds up to a good intensity.

MAC Russian Red

MAC Russian Red

No lover of deep matte reds can be unfamiliar with the queen of deep reds for long. Russian Red was created in the 90s by MAC founder Frank Toskan for the Material Girl herself. Madonna wore Russian Red throughout her Blonde Ambition tour and that helped kickstart MAC's journey from a little-known artists' brand into the mega-brand it is today.

This is one of those deep reds that never looks garish and bright. It's just a touch darker than crimson, and there's a certain regal beauty to it. Whether you have dark skin, dark hair, red hair, or are as platinum as Mads herself, this is a shade that will probably look good on you.

YSL Rouge Pur Couture 55 Rouge Anonyme

YSL Rouge Pur Couture 55 Rouge Anonyme

On the slightly lighter and brighter side of things, there's Yves Saint Laurent's Rouge Pur Couture No 55 Rouge Anonyme. This shimmery red has both warm AND cool undertones, so it manages to be vibrant and neutral at the same time.

It's not as opaque as many Rouge Pur Coutures but it is a great, creamy, easy-to-wear shade for those who don't like things too deep and serious.

NARS Audacious Lipstick in Charlotte

NARS Audacious Lipstick in Charlotte

One of my absolute favorites this year has been NARS' Audacious Lipstick in Charlotte. Actually there are LOTS of shades I love in the Audacious range. But for Fall/Winter, Charlotte is it.

This dark cherry-oxblood shade is so chic. And when reds go deep, they actually work like neutrals and go with most hair and skin colors. I love wearing these with soft shimmery taupes and soft greys on the lids.

Tom Ford Lips & Boys in Leonardo

Tom Ford Lips & Boys in Leonardo

The last shade I've been loving recently is Tom Ford's Lips and Boys lipstick in Leonardo, which is a re-release of Smoked Red, a subtly shimmery deep cherry red. It's not as intense or opaque as Nars Charlotte but it's a gorgeous cool-toned red that looks very sultry and makes the teeth look white.