NARS Velvet Matte Skin Tint

I really enjoy NARS' regular Skin Tint as a daily sheer base, so when I heard they were launching a Velvet Matte version that was really exciting for me.

With this release NARS promises:

• effortless application
• soft matte soft-focus finish
• soft-touch feel
• antioxidant defense
• shine and pore control

 I've worn it on and off for over a month, and I'll say:

• effortless application - yes, this does glide on and blend out beautifully. I always use fingers to test new foundations (it's the one universal tool most of us have), and this takes minimal effort to smooth out
• soft matte soft-focus finish - if by that you mean satin and non-greasy looking but not a flat powdery matte, then yes; this does leave the exact amount of sheen I like, and creates a very smooth and youthful glow without emphasizing pores, but I would class it as a satin rather than full-on matte finish. It might simply be due to the fact I live in the tropics, but a matte foundation isn't really matte if it only looks matte in dry climates, ya?
• soft-touch feel - yes, once it sets this leaves skin feeling velvety smooth, non-tacky, and does not transfer to your fingers when patted
• antioxidant defense - this contains vitamins C, and E, which is great for providing a bit of extra daily protection. The SPF30 PA+++ also helps if you live in a non-tropical climate without a lot of direct sun.
• shine and pore control - this does a fairly good job for dry and normal skins in hot weather, and I expect it will be pretty good on combination skins in cooler, drier climates as well. However if you are very oily AND live in a hot place, you will probably get some oil break-through in a few hours. Fair enough, because I always recommend you blot it away than try to find a product that absorbs 6-8 hours worth of oil, and leave it all sitting on top of your skin.

With this skin tint, it does respond to what you use beneath so if you wear a matte primer it will take on a slightly more matte finish. And if you use a dewy product it will take on some sheen. Unlike some really matte formulas it will nor take down shine and change the finish of your skin dramatically. 

The coverage is medium-light, meaning you definitely cover a lot more than typical tinted moisturizers which barely even the skin out. It will even out mild discolorations. However if you want more coverage, you CAN build it up to almost a medium coverage by tapping on a bit more product where you need coverage. This is where I would suggest using fingers rather than a brush or sponge, which will just lift a lot of the product away.

I am using Alaska (I'm MAC NC25) and didn't notice any oxidation or darkening over the day. However I do have to say I tend not to experience much oxidation in general so I would try out a sample if your skin chemistry tends to oxidize many foundations.

Bare skin

NARS Velvet Matte Skin Tint with no concealer or powder

I don't have the full box in my review kit, and I couldn't find the ingredients list online yet, but I didn't detect any fragrance. If it's there at all, it's extremely mild. I have semi-sensitive skin and this did not give me any breakouts or sensitivities with use. It DOES condition and smooth my skin a little - and while it can't really hide flakiness, it doesn't emphasize them overly either. 

Overall, I do really like this for everyday wear. You get enough coverage to look and feel like you spent time on your skin, and it leaves that polished "expensive skin" glow around the high points of your face, which I prefer to a fully matte powdery foundation. It looks like more perfected, clean, moisturized skin. Not makeup. However this means it's not really "matte" matte, so if you have bumpy, uneven and blemished skin, you will need a lot of matte powder to hide the texture if you want to use this. It probably will not provide enough oil-control for very oily girls either. 

Lasting power is fairly good if you're in air-conditioned environments or a fairly cool place for the most part. But I do find it can break down a bit if you are running about in the heat. This is not one I would personally pick for a full day of running about in Summer or tropical heat. Then again - most foundations can't hold up under those conditions.

The one thing I find a bit lacking is sun protection.

While SPF30 PA+++ is alright for those in cooler climates or with tan to darker skins, it really isn't enough protection for Summer, lighter skins, or anyone living in tropical areas. That's fine for me because I usually wear a separate sunblock (the amount of foundation we apply usually does not give us the maximum sun protection listed on the packaging anyway), but don't assume SPF30 PA+++ is enough. 

If you have light skin, SPF30 only gives you 60-90 mins of protection. That's 1.5 - 2 hours. Enough for a quick run to the grocery store. And PA+++ is adequate but PA++++ is required for optimal UVA (anti-aging) protection.

Still, this one thing is not a big enough point to say don't try this foundation. I think it's a great product for combination, normal and slightly-dry skins, and as long as you exercise basic skin wisdom and wear a separate sun screen or avoid too much sun exposure, it's great.

Launches in Singapore in March 2016.

Diorsnow "Bloom Perfect" Perfect Moist Cushion - A First Look!

Dior brings out new Diorsnow products around Spring of each year, and for 2016 it's their own interpretation of the eponymous Cushion Foundation which has started invading all the Western brand line-ups after several years in Asia.

Like Chanel's Le Blanc, Diorsnow is a "whitening"/brightening line created originally just for the East Asian market, where there is an eternal obsession with luminous, unblemished skin with no trace of sun damage. Many people around the world are only just learning about how bad sun exposure and photo-damage actually is on the skin, but it's always been a big deal in East Asia, and good formulas are expected to do double-duty - treat existing damage and prevent future damage.

I will go out on a limb and say that good whitening skincare IS often great skincare for treating first signs of aging. I feel the separation of the two lines is more about marketing and selling more products to consumers. Most of the soothing, repairing, and protecting extracts and ingredients in whitening skincare - like stabilized Vitamin C, Licorice extract, or Edelweiss extract which is used in the Diorsnow range - also can protect against collagen and DNA damage.

Dior's put their skincare ingredients into their latest foundation - the Bloom Perfect Perfect-Moist Cushion - which is an ultra-hydrating, protecting, and brightening foundation which promises to both treat as well as protect. If you've used and gotten good results with other skincare products in the Diorsnow range, you will be happy to know they also have two new skin priming products -  the Bloom Perfect Brightening Effect Skin Creator, and the Brightening Makeup Base, which I'll review separately.

I was sent shade 020 in the cushion foundation for review, and it is available in Singapore in only 3 shades with neutral undertones (005, 010, 020,m). It costs SGD$105, comes in a box with two cushions (one in the case, one in a sealed pouch), and the standard issue application puff. I usually dislike all puffs aside from the new Shu Uemura flocked one which is ultra soft and doesn't soak up a ton of product. The Dior is slightly softer and more plush than the average Korean-style puffs, but it's still mostly the same and I still don't love it.

On application, you get a light coverage, but as with most cushion foundations you can pat a bit more on over the first layer to build up slightly. I did find that the Dior does not build up to the level of coverage you get with most classic Korean cushions. The most you will get is light-medium at 2-3 coats. If you need to apply more than 2-3 coats of a foundation to get the coverage you want, you are using the wrong product.

You can see in the before after below that it does even out my skin considerably. I am slightly paler on the brow bones and in the lower parts of my cheeks, and I have some uneven darkness around the mouth and chin, eyes, nostrils, etc which (aside from making it look like I permanently wear brown shadow) can make my face look slightly deeper than my neck. I usually use 021 (medium-light yellow) in Dior foundations and 020 is slightly more neutral/pink than my skin

It does give enough coverage to cover broken veins and old marks from spots, but I had to tap my finger in the product and pat it gently on specific areas where I want more coverage. Brushes, sponges, and puffs will always take some product off. For max coverage, fingers are the best.

(And before you cringe, remember it's a hundred times easier to ensure your finger is sanitized, than a used brush or sponge.)

PROS:

• A good strong dewy glow
• A light feel
• Very fine texture on the skin; doesn't look heavy or unnatural
• Good SPF
• Skincare ingredients
• Puff is a bit softer and easier to work with than many other puffs around

CONS:

• Too dewy for girls with bumpy, uneven skin or large open pores
• Only gives light-ish coverage
• Will not lock on and stay on in humidity or on oily skin - this will rub off and transfer quite easily
• Not enough PA (UVA) protection - I feel on principle every product that has SPF50 should have PA++++, because many people get a false sense of security from using a "50" and think they can skip sunblock, when in reality they are not getting maximum protection against aging UVA rays
• Not enough shades for deeper skin tones - 020 is around N2 for MAC. Diorsnow is a line created primarily for fair-skinned Asian consumers (Japan is a major market)
• Heavily fragranced

So - same story with pretty much every other cushion foundation I tried - they will not really set and lock on and stay intact the entire day if you are oily, or running about in humidity and sweating a lot. Don't even think of using this if you have oily, blemished skin because it makes my semi-dry/normal skin look a bit greasy after 30 mins even with setting powder. You can apply a ton of powder to try and make it last longer but I don't see why you would get a dewy foundation if you are just going to matte it down. Wear it if you have relatively smooth skin, small pores, and just want something to add a youthful glow, hydration, and to even out the skin for a couple of hours. 

My biggest beef with this product is the lack of lasting power. I let it sit for a couple of minutes and then pressed a sheet of tissue very, very gently onto my skin. It came off with a LOT of product.

That's not to say I hate this product. It's exactly what I expect of a cushion foundation, honestly. This is a very fine formula, smells lovely, feels luxurious going on, and has some sun protection and skincare. I just don't love cushions in tropical climates to begin with. If you need something that stays intact all day and can withstand heat and grease or hide large pores, you might want to try the regular Diorsnow foundation, which has amazing coverage, similar sun protection, and a semi-matte finish that will last a lot better.

The Bloom Perfect Brightening Effect Skin Creator on the other hand, is a silky pre-makeup salve which feels lovely and imparts a subtle smooth glow to the skin. I am very excited about, and will post more info after a bit more testing.

S/S 2016 Makeup Trends and A Chat with MAC Cosmetics Senior Artist Louise Zizzo

Louise Zizzo, M.A.C. Cosmetics' Senior Artist was in Singapore recently to showcase the Spring/Summer 2016 Makeup trends, and along with taking a look at the runway looks of the season (plus some face-chart fun), I was lucky enough to score a quick interview with her.

M.A.C. Senior Artist Louise Zizzo applying lashes on a model

How would you sum up the key looks for S/S16 in one sentence?

Louise: The key looks for SS16 are deliberate, decisive, playful and have a modern sophistication to them.

What are some of the key trends that you expect to extend throughout the whole of 2016, beyond SS?

Louise: The bold lip trend and no-makeup makeup.

Desigual's S/S16 modern retro look with matte orange-red lips, clean skin and black liner

I often feel a lot of modern makeup we see on social media today is actually 50's makeup transposed onto a different color palette. Strong, defined arched brows, overdrawn lips, strobing and sculpting... as a fan of glamorous retro makeup yourself, why do you think these trends keep coming back?

Louise: You are quite right the makeup we see on social media today is based on old school techniques but I think because it is such a process - it gives a feeling of glamour and it can transform you into a completely different looking person. It's playing dress up but for the face!

What are some of the strongest makeup influences/inspirations for you?
1920's, 70's, 80's decades (especially the 80's - that's when my love affair with makeup really began as a teenager).

Colored winged liner at Moschino S/S16

You said once that makeup should be approached with "intention rather than habit". I love that - but for the benefit of the readers, could you elaborate on it?

Louise: We are creatures of habit by nature and it is very easy to apply let's say highlighter because it's trendy and everyone is doing it or someone told us to do it, but our face tells its own story and we know it best, so ask yourself why am I applying this highlighter, where do I actually need it and what is it doing for my features? Another example is concealer, just apply it where you need it - which isn't necessarily all under the eye - perhaps you just need a little in the corners.

What is in your makeup bag right now?

Louise: Plushglass in "Fulfilled" - my fave! Mineralize Skinfinish Natural and Lip Conditioner.

If you were not a makeup artist you would be.... 

Louise: An interior designer.

Thank you Louise!

M.A.C. Spring/Summer 2016 Face Charts

ZOEVA Rose Golden Eyeshadow Palette Swatches and Review

As a fan of ZOEVA brushes, I admit I haven't been all that curious to try out their makeup. Until the Rose Golden palette that is.

This is a 10-shade palette filled with mostly warm metal tones from copper, peach, rose, soft wine, and 3 very functional matte shades which are nicely chosen to provide a little bit of definition and contrast where you maybe don't want shimmer. Namely the socket line, brow bone, and lash line.

The pigmentation of most of the shades are buttery smooth and very soft, but the surprising thing is you don't get a ton of fall-out. These are not exceedingly powdery, which many affordable shadow lines that also give good payoff (e.g. Wet n Wild) tend to be. These shadows are formulated quite similarly to higher-end shadows - true to color, and neither too unpigmented, nor overly soft and intense. You get medium payoff, good blendability, and the option to build up intensity if you need.

Most manufacturers - cheap or expensive - tend to get the metallics right. But I was especially impressed by the mattes in the Rose Golden palette. I will say that a couple of the darker shades here are less pigmented than the others, but that might be a good thing for beginners who are afraid to load on too much dark color too quickly.

Luster, the medium beige matte shade is great as a brow bone shade and even just to clean up around the edges of your eye look as a final touch before mascara. 

Reflective Elegance is a soft warm peach-pink champagne with incredible pigmentation. 

Copper is King is to me THE shade that draws the eye in this palette. It's a true copper with wine undertones, and looks like it would be extremely red and intense, but actually goes on soft. 

Shining Bright is a mauvey metallic brown that is beautiful all over the lids. 

Rusty Petals is a chocolate-y deep bronze which is not as pigmented as I'd expected. This has more of a tendency than the other metallic shades to go on slightly patchy.

Foil is a coppery brown which sometimes look a little rosy in the pan, but goes on more bronze and warm. 

Just a Rose is a quintessential duochrome rose gold with a rosy undertone and coppery-gold highlights. 

Golden Rule is straight-up gold - I love this color; it has enough neutral beige tones in it to not look overly yellow and harsh on the skin. 

Harmony is a taupe matte shade which is great as a transition color in the socket. It's a bit on the cool side, but that only brings out the warm metallic shades more. Dark haired girls can also use this in their brows. 

Wonder Full is a dark matte cocoa, and as with the metallic dark brown in the palette, this is also slightly patchy and not as easy to control and blend compared to the other shades. It still works fine - it's just not as easy to work with as Luster or Harmony.

The quality is fair to great but definitely not consistent across the different colors, and with some of these shades, you do need to spend some time packing on the color for intensity. If you are expecting a super-vibrant molten metal look with this palette, you might be disappointed. I've seen some very intense and vibrant looks done with this palette online, and I'm going to go out on a limb and say you can't get that effect using just this palette - without a primer or cream shadow to grab and intensify the pigments, or foiling the shades with some water.

Applying it on clean lids with standard dry brushes will give you this sort of intensity below. (I'm wearing brown pencil along the lashes as well. The dark shades will not give you this intensity on their own.)

VERDICT:

This is an affordable, good quality palette I actually recommend for beginners or those who want a nice daily palette with beautiful warm tones. It's also a palette girls with blue or grey eyes can use to maximize contrast with their eyes, although honestly speaking, I'm not a big fan of restricting your eye looks by eye color. (You are more than your eye color - your hair, skin, lip and cheek shades, outfit also affect how shades look on you.)

So this is good for anyone unless you want maximum color intensity and payoff from the get-go. I find these comparable to maybe MAC or Too Faced shadows in general. Smoother and less powdery than Wet n Wild, less pigmented than Urban Decay and Make Up For Ever.

I do feel this is a palette lacks 1-2 pale shades for paler girls to use as highlight colors. If you are MAC NC25 and paler, none of the shades will really be pale enough to act as highlights. Not even the soft yellow-gold shade will be bright or light enough to add a strong pop on paler skins. Just something to be aware of. If you want a single palette with a whole spectrum of light to dark tones and don't want to have to add in paler ivory or champagne shades from elsewhere, this might not be for you.

I purchased my ZOEVA Rose Golden palette from Sephora.sg for SG$32.99.

Penhaligon's Lothair - my new poison

Penhaligon's Lothair eau de toilette is my first major fragrance crush - and major scent investment - for the start of 2016. This unisex composition by Bertrand Duchaufour is based around smoky black tea, which I love.

Aside from this one thing, it's actually pretty darned hard to describe because it is made up of so many contrasting facets. It is bright and luminous in the top, with an almost antiseptic "lavender and greens" men's cologne opening. Then it quickly goes from clean and dapper to something decidedly more exotic and dark as the smoky black tea blooms. 

Top notes - juniper, cardamom, bergamot, grapefruit, fig leaf and red berries   

Heart notes - fig tree, lavender, magnolia, geranium and black tea  

Base notes - vanilla, musk, cedar, ambergris, oakmoss and wood

In cool environments, I find the tea and lavender are the most prominent and stay a long time, tinged slightly by geranium and a mossy woody base. My preference is wearing it in warmer, balmier weather, because that's when the citrus, tea, juniper and oakmoss is quickly balanced and rounded out by a soft sweetness from the combination of florals, fig, and a hint of ambery vanilla, which reminds me of a divine Earl Grey Lavender ice-cream float I once had. A perfect swirl of freshness, fragrance, restrained bitterness, creaminess, and just a hint of sweetness on the tongue.

Even when the warmer notes come through, the scent never crosses the line into outright girliness. What I love best is that it has traits of both typical masculine and feminine scents, but it's not a bland androgynous sexless mush. It's actually seriously sexy - I would love it on either a man or a woman, although as a woman wearing it, I tend to think of statuesque Eva Green in a structured pant suit; angles and curves - introverted, mysterious, and slightly aloof. 

Ironically, I find the official reference to old colonial English Tea Clipper ships a bit blah and uninspiring. I mean - it's a perfect representation of exotic tea leaves and spices being transported over the sea in wooden ships - but that's just not a visual I find nearly as fascinating as the scent itself. 

Even though it lends itself to both casual and formal settings well, I somehow feel like I shouldn't wear cheap clothes with it. It's sharp, stylish and refined. Something to wear with that Saint Laurent jacket and spike heels.

Lasting power: 4-6 hours, very good for an EDT on my dry skin

Throw: low - after the initial blast of lavender and juniper, this is a scent that mostly wraps around you like a soft throw

Sillage: moderate - this leaves a soft trail for a short distance as you pass

Get your Beauty Fix 24/7 on Sephora.sg!

Popular beauty e-destination Luxola has been rebranded to Sephora Singapore, and beauty addicts can now get their fix of cult skincare and makeup products anywhere, anytime, online on Sephora.sg.

Luxola has always been the place I go to for This Works and Becca products, which are not available offline in Sephora stores. It’s also a place to test out niche lines like Mirenesse, Alpha-H and LAQA, which might otherwise be hard to get hold of in Singapore.

But honestly, it’s just convenient if you’re busy (or feeling a bit lazy). 

Where else can you get hold of Marc Jacobs Beauty, Ren, Alpha-H and Becca at the same time, with free delivery over SG$40? Plus – you now get to choose whether to use your Sephora member loyalty discounts offline or online. And if you’re an existing customer of Luxola, your points automatically get transferred and combined with your Sephora points. Just go online, log in with your Luxola account and then register your Sephora card number. To find out more detailed information, check out the Loyalty section on the their FAQ page.

If you’re ready to start shopping but are still new to all this, here are a few things you can check out:

1. Marc Jacobs Beauty – some popular palettes and products from the line get sold out quickly in stores or just aren't available offline – like the gorgeous Style Eye-con No. 7 Palette in 220 The Lover. Grab it online if you see it.
2. ZOEVA – you know I keep going on about this niche brush brand because they have gorgeous, high-quality brushes at extremely reasonable prices; they’ve recently branched out into makeup as well but I’m a die-hard fan of their brushes first and foremost. Check out the 126 Luxe Cheek Finish brush and their 232 Luxe Classic Shader for eyeshadows.
3. Becca Cosmetics – This is a no-brainer for me. If you want to strobe like a boss, this is the brand to get you there. I use and love all their champagne toned highlighters, from the classics Opal and Moonstone, to the runaway hit, Champagne Pop. Or if you can’t decide, grab an Afterglow palette, which contains 3 shades of Shimmering Skin Perfector and 2 blushes in one neat little palette.
4. Butter London makeup – You can get the fantastic nail polishes in store (try the Patent Shine 10x Lacquers), but online is the place to get hold of their very-cool Shadow Clutch palette, Lippy Liquid Lipsticks and Bloody Brilliant Lip Crayons.
5. This Works In Transit Camera Close Up – Victoria Beckham and makeup legend Val Garland are both huge fans of this pre-makeup priming balm. It smooths and plumps dry or mature skin, reduces signs of fatigue and dehydration, and prepares it for makeup.

Well you can spend months exploring all the brands and products on Sephora.sg and not be done since they keep adding new things, but this is a start.

I’m personally still in the midst of trying new products of course, and next on my list is this Sephora 83 PRO Ultra-Liquid Foundation brush with the concave buffing head. SO interesting. Watch out for a review soon.

Extra tip!

While you’re browsing the site, don’t forget to also check out the “Monthly Specials” in the Quick Links section on the top left section. This page is regularly updated with new coupon codes and deals so you can try out samples (like a mini Burberry Kisses lipstick or an Erno Laszlo Phormula 3-9 skincare cream for example). This is a great way to check out new brands without a hefty investment. Or just score some free loot with your purchase.

Happy shopping!