The Body Shop Fuji Green Tea Body Range

If you love the bracing, translucent freshness of green tea scents, heads-up as the Body Shop has just launched their new Fuji Green Tea range, which is made with real green tea imported from Japan.

Now besides smelling great, green tea also has a lot of antioxidant properties when ingested or applied topically. Now I don't know whether there is enough of a concentration in these products to make a huge difference, so I would stick with purchasing it simply based on whether you like the scent or not.

The range includes the whole gamut of the usual bestsellers, including a scented cologne spray, an exfoliating scrub, a "bath tea" or salts, an accompanying infuser, just like you would use when brewing tea leaves, and a body butter.

The scent itself is very fresh and clean, almost astringent because of the tea and the citrus. It isn't a straight tea smell, but more of a blend between herbal and fruity-fresh. There are also some soft florals in there so it oesn't smell completely like a men's cologne, but if girly sweet scents aren't your thing, or you're looking for bath products that you can enjoy together with your partner, this is a good choice.

Notes in the fragrance include green tea, bergamot, lemon, mandarin, camellia, jasmine and violet.

The Bath Tea is probably the most interesting product in the range, because it's a tin of tea-infused crystals that you can just throw into the bathtub for a detoxifying soak. It's optional to buy that Bath Infuser (like tea infusers, it stops loose tea leaves from floating all around in your bathtub and interfering with your at-hoe spa experience.

I swear - when my mother saw the tin and the infuser she thought it was for drinking. Until I opened the jar and showed her the bath salts. I'll still give her the infuser of course. She can do whatever she want with it. Including make tea. 

The body scrub is one of those gel like scrubs that's very runny, and filled with sooth little jojoba beads and capsules infused with green tea extract.

I'm not a huge scrub-user but if you want something quite smooth and gentle, this is a good alternative to more scratchy sugar and fruit kernel scrubs around. And it smells SO strongly og that green tea fragrance that it's really bracing to use it in the morning.

The Body Shop Fuji Green Tea Body Butter

My favorite product is the body better though. If you've tried The Body Shop's body butters before, you'll know they range from very light and runny to thick and buttery. This one falls in-between and is designed for all skin-types, like thick Greek yogurt, and the hydration lasts for hours.

The scent is strong enough that you can layer this with the cologne and really increase the lasting power of the light scent.

The cologne itself is very fresh but lasts barely an hour or two on me. It comes in a big bottle so you can reapply all the time, but I am not sure I want to bring a glass bottle around and spray every couple of hours. It's nice, but not essential unless you want to layer all the products for he full experience.

The Body Shop Fuji Green Tea Cologne

Singapore pricing list:

Fuji Green Tea™ Bath Infuser - S$12.90

Fuji Green Tea™ Bath Tea 300g - S$39.90

Fuji Green Tea™ Body Butter 200ml - S$32.90

Fuji Green Tea™ Body Lotion 250ml - S$21.90

Fuji Green Tea™ Body Scrub 250ml - S$36.90

Fuji Green Tea™ Body Sorbet 200ml - S$21.90

Fuji Green Tea™ Body Wash 250ml - S$14.90

Fuji Green Tea™ Eau de Cologne 100ml - S$28.90

Fuji Green Tea™ Exfoliating Soap 100g - S$8.90

Laneige Two Tone Lip Bars: Swatches and Best Way To Apply Them

Ombre lips have been a big thing for a few years now, especially in Asia where the preferred style of "ombre" is more of the "stained" look, where there is a deeper or more intense color on the insides of the lips and a lighter, more muted shade around the outsides. 

This is not the same as the more dramatic style of ombre lips featured more commonly on social media among Western communities, where the top and bottom lips are different colors, and fade into each other in the center. 

Most of us bring two lip products out to achieve that effect, so a few brands have more recently come up with two-toned lipsticks to help reduce clutter in makeup bags. Laneige is the latest to create a series of Two Toned Lip Bars (SGD$34), that aim to to make ombre lips a one-step one-produce process.

The bars come with 2 shades stacked diagonally, and what you're supposed to do is to apply them vertically, with the deeper shade towards the center of your lips. (Or outside if you want your lips darker outside.)

Just remember to flip the bar upside-down when moving from top lip to bottom lip, cos otherwise you end up with a very strange striped effect instead of an ombre look.

The cons?

I'm not entirely sure you can get a seamless ombre effect in a single stroke without doing some other things to tidy up. Even when applied neatly and perfectly, the difference between the two shades can still look a bit harsh. The fact that they stacked the two shades together diagonally helps a bit, but doesn't blend the shades together enough without a little extra effort in my opinion.

And several of the shades in the range have a pale shade which is so muted and nude that when applied, it can make your lips very thin and mean, like in a press visual of Song Hye Kyo which actually looked a bit scary. But almost anyone can wear ombre lips, unless your lips are really extremely thin, or very mature and lined.

I'm using duo No 4 below to illustrate. 

This is a scarlet and white/clear duo, so the shades should blend together to give you a vibrant rose. But for most people, it can look harsh and geisha-like because of the huge contrast between the red and the white. In some cases, it looks like you simply applied lipstick in the center of your lips and forgot to blend.

So this is what I do to get the effect I want with ombre lips.

1. Apply the lip bar vertically on both lips (like shown above).
2. Flip the lip bar horizonally sideways and run it across the center of each lip just where the 2 colors meet. (When you hold it sideways, you get an automatic mix of both shades, and this allows you to blend out the pale and deep shade on your lips so they fade into each other more beautifully.)
3. Run a nude lipliner lightly along the borders of your lips to add some definition to the shape if your lips look very thin wearing ombre. The liner won't look obvious but it will help to make the edges of your lips more visible. 

Voila, no more harsh line between the white and the red. And I don't look like a geisha. 

If you prefer the more dramatic contrast between the two shades, just follow Step 1.

For me, to get the softest, most kissable, fullest-lip effect, the "mixed shade", the medium color you get when you mix two colors, should take up the most space on your lips. Only the outer edges and the very center where your lips meet should be very deep and very light. And you can only achieve this effect if you apply the lip bars vertically first, then horizontally to blend the colors. 

That said, I do actually like these lip bars a lot. They take the hassle out of bringing two colors out with me, and the textures and pigmentation are amazing. Every one of these is extremely intense and creamy, and I have 10 swatches below. Some of the shades are quite hard to remove from the lips actually. The colors do cling and stain a bit, but that also means they last.

Apologies for an error in the shade numbers; the print was too tiny; No 3 here is actually No 8.

(Apologies - just checked a press document and realized that I labeled No 3 and 8 wrong. The print on the bottom of the tubes is so tiny and the manufacturers like to stamp serial codes ON TOP of them. Couldn't see through that!)

As per above, shade marked No 8 is actually No 3!

What are my faves here? Just initially, I like No 2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.
Yeah I'm no help narrowing things down. It's fun experimenting with these!

Jo Malone Orange Blossom Cologne and Bath Oil

Few things brighten my day as much as a be-ribboned bone and black Jo Malone box.

I'm a fan of white florals, and Orange Blossom (sometimes also called Neroli) is one of my favorites. I would consider the gorgeous girl-next-door, alongside the king of plush white florals - Jasmine - and the more loud and busty Tuberose, or the more virginal Lily of the Valley.

So it's kinda odd that I've never actually decided to buy Jo Malone's bestseller Orange Blossom until now.

Top notes: Cedrat (a fragrant citrus fruit used mostly for perfumery), Green notes, and Clementine leaf

 Heart notes: Orange blossom, water lily

Bottom notes: Orange blossom, lilac 

The odor of orange blossom is slightly tangy and fruity, aromatic and only slightly sweet. It also smells soapy and clean, but with an idolic edge of animalic pungency, like many other white florals. Think of a fruity gardenia.

Jo Malone's Orange Blossom is very linear. What you smell at the start is pretty much what you get towards the end. Maybe a bit more powdery and clean, as the lilac starts to peek out, but mostly translucent and fresh throughout. It smells - pretty. That's the only word I can think of. It manages to bring out the delicate sweetness and aromatic nature of orange blossom, but mutes the fruity pungency that often characterizes orange-blossom laden fragrances. It's still indolic, but is not as rich and "ripe" as Maison Francis Kurkdjian's version, so it's great for a quick hit of freshness.

I've been in the mood for a Jo Malone so I decided to pick it up.

1. Blue Agave & Cacao - my oldest Jo Malone; this smells almost cakey and like chocolate frosting but minus a lot of sugar, and with a translucent melon-like facet to it. Very strange and interesting to me. 
2. Vanilla & Anise - this is a like but not a love; this spicy warm ambery scent is quite deep and interesting, but not quite as complex and faceted as I usually like my amber/spice scents to be, so I only wear this occasionally.
3. Red Roses - a gorgeous basic rose soliflore. It's not too sweet, not too green, and has enough complexity to not smell like rose essential oil, so I enjoy it.
4. Blackberry & Bay - possibly my absolute fave for hot days; this is so addictive and fresh; like sipping fizzy non-sugary blackberry soda water with a bay leaf floating among the ice cubes. 

The problem with Jo Malones is their lasting power. Most of these do not last that long, unfortunately. Especially not on my dry skin. And because I don't like to bring perfume bottles out to touch up in the middle of the day, I always buy the matching bath oils in the scents I love. If you smooth a little of the oil on and then let it sink in for a moment before spraying the cologne over, the scent lasts for hours and hours.

So of course I got the bath oil version for Orange Blossom as well. The only 2 of my JMs without a matching oil are Vanilla & Anise which I like but don't love, and Blackberry & Bay, which I love but can't find an oil for. (I regret not purchasing a bottle in California last year; it's not stocked in Singapore.)

Sounds extravagant, but owning any Jo Malone cologne is an extravagant thing to begin with, and the bath oil is really the best way to extend and maximize the scent - and your money. (I'm not always a fan of layering scents over lotions because there's more of a tendency for the scent to get distorted or change on the skin. Oils are a more stable medium for scent, so I love this option.)

Plus, you can sometimes just dab on the oil and just wear it like a light perfume oil, skipping the cologne altogether. For Red Roses and Blue Agave & Cacao, this method of layering gets the colognes to last like eau de parfum for me. 

Sadly, the lasting power for Orange Blossom, even layered, is probably about 4 or so hours on my skin. Very fleeting. Without the oil it's probably about 2-3 hours. Similar to other fresh scents like Blackberry & Bay. Still, it's large enough a bottle that I don't feel too bad about re-applying. 

The Tartelette Amazonian Clay Matte Palette

Tarte's new Tartelette Amazonian Clay Matte Eyeshadow Palette is a real beauty if you love matte neutrals. I haven't always loved their eye palettes because some previous ones had been rather chalky or unpigmented, but when I saw this on the display at Sephora, it was love at first swatch.

I'll just start out by saying that the textures in this palette are ultra smooth and silky. I swatched all of them below so I can point out the couple of shades that go on slightly patchier than the rest. There are less than I usually expect from an all-matte palette with so many deeper shades.

Tarte Tartelette Amazonian Clay Matte Palette

There are 12 x 1.5g of shadow in the palette. Which is fantastic value because that's 12 full-size MAC pans worth of shadow. And all of these are gorgeously coordinated.

Row 1 is a collection of 4 warmer neutrals. Nice chocolate browns, a latte, and a cream shade.

Row 2 is a collection of pink-hued plummy neutrals. Bombshell is probably the patchiest shade in the entire palette, but to be honest, it actually looks fine if you wear it sheer and don't try to build it up like I did.

I dunno though. What's with the slightly cheesy names that look like they belong on Mothers' Day Better Homes & Gardens wax tarts from Walmart? Those of you who are in the US and into budget home-fragrances might know what I mean.)

Seriously, "Caregiver"? "Super Mom"?

ANYWAY - I'll try to ignore that. The colors are great.

Row 3 is made up of 4 cooler-toned taupe-based neutrals. Power Player reminds me of classic MAC mattes like Omega. There are several MAC dupes right here in this palette.

I'll try to do a tutorial or two with the Tartelette soon, but I honestly think this is a great investment if you don't already own other matte neutral palettes like the Urban Decay Naked Basics. The quality of the shadows is similar, but you get a lot more for your buck. 

I actually seldom wear all-matte eye looks, so this palette is still perfect as a transition palette. No matter what I wear on the lids, I will be able to find a nice natural blending shade in the Tartelette for buffing into the socket line. It's a quick way to make any metallic or colorful shadow instantly sit better on the eyes. 

Estee Lauder Crescent White Skincare and Makeup Range

Estee Lauder has replaced it's previous whitening/brightening range Cyber White, with a new line called Crescent White.

Similar to the older range, this is formulated in Asia and primarily targeted at East Asian consumers, who prize fair, unblemished skin. Unlike the previous series however, this range is based on the same theory as bestselling Advanced Night Repair, and aims to support and harness the skin's own Circadian rhythm to repair and resist environmental aggressors which can cause uneven pigmentation and dullness.

According to Lauder's research, the skin pigmentation process has a definite Circadian (day/night) rhythm, and a day of being assaulted by UV, pollution, and other triggers rmelanin production, which peaks at night. Over time, these discolorations accumulate and can be hard to treat.

Whether you're into a fair or a tan look, I believe we all want even-toned skin because aside from lines and sagging, that's one of the biggest indicators of aging. And because a lot of so-called "whitening" products on the market aren't actually lightening, but actually simply contain potent antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents to help prevent further sun damage and allow the skin to heal itself, they are actually very worthwhile investments - no matter whether you prefer a tan look or not. (Hence my preference for Advanced Night Repair Whitening serum - sadly discontinued - over the original. I always felt it worked better!)

Crescent White

The new Crescent White range is not split into day and night products, despite the concept behind the line. Aside from the sunblock, BB cream and compact foundation, you don't have to worry about using separate things in the day and at night. The entire line contains active ingredients which are meant to address BOTH daytime protection needs, as well as night-time correction needs.

I'm not going into too much of the pseudo-science lingo and names because things like Light Cycle QD Complex, Quasi-Drug Anti-Inflammatory agents, or SIRT-Technology mean nothing to most people and are meant to sound impressive and scientific, but I always found unnecessarily confusing. Technically, "Quasi-drug" means "not really a drug", so those 2 words pretty much cancel each other out.

 It doesn't mean I don't believe the line does what it says though. I've used a lot of Lauder's serums over the years, and they are one of the premium lines that has given me consistently good results. I'll just say ignore all the mambo-jambo and remember that this line contains a lot of powerful plant-based antioxidants and anti-irritants like Baicalin and Sea Fern extract, which can help reduce and prevent the inflammatory response in skin which triggers melanin overproduction.

It also contains Molasses extract, a proprietary extract which is supposed to target and break up accumulated pigmentation in the skin, and help the skin to even itself out.

But traditionally, no whitening line I've used has been that great at treating existing discoloration quickly enough to see a noticeable difference within a few months, so I wouldn't get your hopes up. I would see the line as a great way to maintain and prevent further discoloration, and to accelerate your skin's own repair abilities so that it evens itself out slowly.

The Range:

The Crescent White Range consists of 7 products.

• Cleanser (SGD$58)
• Moisture Treatment Lotion (SGD$94)
• Spot Corrective Essence (SGD$168)
• Moisture Creme (SGD$114)
• UV Protector SPF50/PA++++ (SGD$86)
• BB Creme SPF50/PA++++ & Brightening Balm (SGD$92)
• Powder Makeup SPF25 (SGD$22 for compact / SGD$72 for powder refill)

But if you ask me what I'd focus on, here are my top recommendations from the line.

Estee Lauder Full Cycle Brightening Moisture Treatment Lotion

The Moisture Treatment Lotion is a gentle toning lotion which just feels so refreshing on the skin. This is meant as a skin-prep and softener to enhance the serum and moisturizer, but it also contains all the active ingredients in the line, and just feels (and smells) lovely to pat on. 

I would actually suggest decanting this into a small spray bottle and bringing it out with you for a refreshing mist in the middle of the day.

Estee Lauder Full Cycle Brightening Spot Correcting Essence

The core product in any skin range is usually their serum or essence, because this tends to contain the highest concentration of active ingredients. If you like the whole concept behind the Full Cycle Brightening range but have to focus your budget a little, then I would probably check out the Essence first and foremost. 

This is a very lightweight, non-siliconey feeling serum that sinks in and absorbs quickly. Great for all skin types, including the very oily.

Estee Lauder Full Cycle Brightening BB Creme and Brightening Balm

Now BB creams are a dime a dozen these days, but the reason I actually have been reaching for this particular product, aside from the fact that it contains an impressive SPF50 with PA++++, is that little pan of shimmering balm in the cap. It's become one of my favorite things for adding a subtle glow to the cheekbones. If you like creamy balm textures like NARS Multiple sticks or Tom Ford's Shade and Illuminate for adding glow without powderiness, you might just like this as much as me.

The BB creme itself is alright; the coverage is very light so it only evens out the skin but will not give you much coverage. But if that's all you need, and you like the glow the balm provides, then it's an ideal second layer of protection over your sunblock.

I do like the SPF50 UV Protector sun cream in the range as well. It's completely translucent and doesn't leave a cast or a film on the skin, so I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to those with oilier skins. I tend to stick with cheaper sunblocks on a daily basis, but if you are going to be out and exposed in the sun for awhile, I think it's always good to have a block which is souped up with extra antioxidants and anti-irritants, because no sunscreen gives you 100% protection, and this has a backup safety net of good stuff to help minimize problems when you can't avoid sun exposure.

And yes - I would layer both sunscreen and a BB creme with SPF, just for the safety net. It can be tempting to be lazy, but a typical layer of sunscreen or foundation is usually not thick enough for you to maximize the sun protection factor, so it's far better to have two layers (you're more likely to max out the SPF50 protection) than to rely on just one. 

Shu Uemura Laque Supremes

Shu Uemura launched their own versions of the glossy gel stains quite late, considering sister-brand YSL launched it several years ago, and various our other brands - including the budget ones - followed in the last few years.

But for fans of these stay-put jelly-tints, it's better late than never!

The question is how these compare to the previous versions of jelly tints on the market.

Well after a few days of try, I'll say some things are similar.

The volatile oil formula allows the product to go on very juicy and liquid, then slowly set into a shiny gel-like layer on the lips, which is not budge-proof but still semi-resistant to transfers. If you've never tried these gel tints before, you'll be happy to know the best benefit is you get the lasting power of lipsticks but the translucent glossiness and effect of glosses.

I don't have the whole set of shades to show you but these were just 6 that I personally picked out of an image line-up to review for you.

I do still stick to my original theory that most of these jelly tints look best from a medium to strong shade range. They don't look that good when they're too pale pale (they can settle and sit in lines) or when they extremely dark (they can look patchy and uneven). That's especially true for the Shu Uemura formula because it sets slightly faster than most other gel tints I've tried.

The key thing is to remember with Laque Supreme is you're working with a texture that will set quickly from liquid to semi-solid, like jelly. And once that happens, applying more on top of the first layer will not dissolve the layer below. Then it literally looks like you get a few different layers super-imposed on top of one another. This is the one thing that makes this formula a bit harder to work with than something like YSL Glossy Stain, which takes much longer to set and can be blended and smoothed out while you're building up color.

The good thing is this formula is very pigmented and goes on and stays intensely glossy. A lot of the thinner, cheaper lines have gel tints that look almost like traditional lip stains (all color, no gloss). I wouldn't say it's quite as glossy and pigmented as Dior's Fluidsticks, but it's somewhere between the Diors and YSLs in texture.

There IS one thing you need to watch out for with these: When the product is setting, you CANNOT press your lips together to try and even out the product. I did that and the product ended up peeling up off one lip and sticking to the other in patches. If you have a habit of rubbing your lips together through the day, this is not the product for you.

Have you tried these and what's your opinion on them?