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!

Shu Uemura Blanc:Chroma Brightening UV Cushion Foundation SPF50+ PA+++ Review

The cushion foundation that looks natural but has so much coverage that it negates the need for concealer? Shu Uemura's Blanc-Chroma Brightening UV Cushion Foundation SPF50+ PA+++ actually does just that for me.

This foundation feels light on the skin, gives a beautiful believable glow (almost exactly like Lightbulb foundation but much lighter and non-oily on the skin), has hefty sun protection, and an applicator that I like more than any other one that comes with cushion foundations on the market right now.

If you're like me you probably think "what - ANOTHER cushion foundation?? Isn't that so 2012/2013? Well I guess so if you are in Asia, but the trend is still alive and well in the West right now, which is why a lot of the large beauty conglomerates have only just started launching their own versions. 

Shu Uemura's was pretty interesting to me from the get-go because the delivery mechanism is quite different from most. Most cushion compacts will vary only in terms of whether you get a sponge (LANEIGE, Lancome, L'oreal, Innisfree and everybody else) or a metal plate (VDL, Givenchy).

Blanc-Chroma Brightening UV Cushion Foundation (SG$20 for the case, $55 for the refill) launches in March 2016 with 6 shades in Singapore, has a double-layer sponge and mesh to help control product dispensation, and I kinda like the surface because it has a "wiper" technology which helps the product sift out in a neater and more controlled manner. While it's not as hygienic as metal plate cushions which completely block the product off from the air, this still feels a touch better than an exposed cushion.

Shu has a strong focus on applicator tools though. Most of its recent foundation releases have been centered around specific applicators like the Lightbulb foundations.

This is no different. And here's one of my favorite parts. 

The Blanc:Chroma Brightening UV Cushion Foundation comes with an ultra-soft flocked puff, more like the ones you use for powder than typical stiff rubbery pads used with cushion compacts. This puff (SG$8 for a replacement) is much more pliable so you can get into tight corners, and the flocked surface also doesn't drag your skin, or leave you with circular rings around your pores... all things I dislike about typical stiff cushion puffs. The best thing is it blends product out much better as well.

You still apply in the typical patting motion - no pulling and dragging across the skin. And it also washes out easier than those hard, dense cushion puffs. It's a complete win in my book already.

I'm actually tempted to try this with other liquid foundations to see how it works with those!

Now the formula!

Elie Saab Le Parfum Rose Couture

Elie Saab's second fragrance Le Parfum Rose Couture launches Feb 2016, just in time for Valentine's. And it is perfect for the occasion as well, although I know many of you enjoy Rose scents for daily wear anyway.

Created by long-time collaborator, parfumeur Francis Kurkdjian, Saab's second offering takes a leaf from the original (orange blossom) but is less dense and heady, and has a crisper and fresher edge. 

Official notes

Top notes: orange blossom, rose petals, peony

Heart notes: rose nectar, fruity nuances, jasmine, vanilla

Base notes: patchouli, sandalwood

This scent is only available right now as an eau de toilette, and is described officially as a "bloomy chypre solar", which I know is not going to mean anything to most of you. So I'm going to break it down the way I experience it:

The opening is delicate and slightly "dewy" sweet, because of a blend of watery peony with a soft sweet rose. The orange blossom is very soft and just adds a light tanginess without being as fleshy and pungent as it can sometimes be. On my skin the initial phase only lasts for a short time, and the scent sweetens up as a denser, sweeter jasmine-rose accord blossoms. The jasmine and vanilla adds a more voluptuous, almost candy-like tinge to the rose at this point but it's still a bright scent, not dark and musky. If you like scents like Flowerbomb and La Vie Est Belle, you might be reminded of those at this point.

In the final dry-down, I expected the fragrance to get muskier and darker with the patchouli and sandalwood but surprisingly it just becomes transparent and almost like a clean skin scent. The peony, surprisingly, seems to come back out and blends with the woody base notes for a just-showered kind of effect. 

I don't consider it a linear scent (same from start to end), but it's also not really one of those scents that morphs from one animal to a completely different creature at the end; you can be assured that this has one distinct personality, but different facets/notes come out and take the spotlight as you wear it. 

If you're not a huge fan of florals in particular, you might still want to have a sniff and wear a spray on your skin, because it's got just enough fruity sweet woodiness to balance out the florals and keep it modern. I would say this is an extremely likeable, wearable scent. Elie Saab is not an avant garde line, and his scents are also designed to be tasteful, feminine and elegant. Don't expect something extremely unique and "out there". It's got presence but it's not extremely heavy, and I can see it being a year-round scent and equally nice in warm or cool weather.

The only con in my opinion is the lasting power is quite average. I get about 3-4 hours of presence, and then it fades to a complete skin scent unless I respray. But that's about how long many other eau de toilettes last on my dry skin, and I'm kinda hoping they will come out with an eau de parfum version. Otherwise you can purchase the body lotion and layer the scent on top for lasting power.

Elie Saab Le Parfum Rose Couture is available in 30ml (SG$88), 50ml ($125), and 90ml ($169) sizes. 

There will also be a promotion going on in Singapore at Paragon Lobby. From 29 Jan - 4 Feb 2016, customers can receive a little gift with every size of Le Parfum Rose Couture purchased.

• 30ml - 4ml sample vial

• 50ml - pouch

• 90ml - perfume miniature

• $250 or more - 10ml purse spray. PLUS from 29-31 Jan 1-7pm, you can get your own DIY rose bouquet at the pop-up station. 

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Concentrated Recovery PowerFoil Mask

I've been a long-time user of Estee Lauder's Advanced Night Repair Serum (I bought my first bottle in college about 15 years ago) and to this day it is still one of the best "work-horse" antioxidant serums I have ever used.

I am one of those weird people who will use this both at night and also in the day, under sunblock for extra free-radical protection. I even apply it over my arms and decolletage if I know I am going to be out in the sun and I'm worried that sunblock will not be enough. And I believe my skin's better off for it.

When I heard Lauder had come up with a mask that is infused with nearly half a bottle's worth of ChronoluxCB™, Advanced Night Repair Serum's key complex, my first thought was not about whether it was going to be good. I seldom say this of many brands but I have rarely ever been disappointed by Lauder skincare. My first thought was - good lord, how much is it going to cost? 

Well it's actually not TOO bad. If you consider the amount you would pay for a single facial session, this is quite reasonable. A 4-pack which will give you a month of once-weekly uses, will cost you SG$120, which is $30 per treatment. The 8 pack is $216 ($27 per treatment). Not your typical drugstore dollar-mask price, but then this mask isn't exactly the typical drugstore mask either.

Besides the concentration of vitamin and anti-inflammatory loaded repair extracts, the delivery mechanism for this mask is also quite different. It is a split-face mask with a bottom and top half, so you can get a better fit, but what's special is (obviously from my top image) the fact that the cotton mask sheet is layered with a piece of special foil which is designed to help lock the moisture in, and help ingredients penetrate 25 times faster than a traditional cotton sheet mask.

The foil also helps the fiber mask to conform and fit to the face a bit better in my experience.

When you open a packet, you will see a translucent plastic separator sheet, and the two halves of the dual-layer mask within. DO NOT REMOVE THE SILVER FOIL FROM THE COTTON!

There is a lot of moisture and product, so if you want to get your money's worth, rub any remaining liquid onto your neck and down your chest as well. The amazing thing for me was the absorption process. I'm not a huge fan of typical sheet masks because they are drippy and messy, and only a fraction of the product gets absorbed. But with these, I know the product is not evaporating or drying up from exposure to air, and after 10 minutes, you can tell from how much drier the cotton sheets are that the liquid has absorbed into your skin.

The best proof is how smooth and plump my skin feels after use. Fine lines (and those pesky beginning nasolabial lines) disappear and there is just a smooth glow to the face.

You're supposed to use these at night before bed so you can just rub the remaining liquid into your skin and leave it to work overnight, but I'm going to be naughty and say you can use this before a special occasion. You need to rinse your face slightly to take away any of the residual tackiness from all the moisture-binding ingredients, but makeup goes on beautifully afterward.

The Lunar New Year period is coming up, and if my skin is going to look bouncy and radiant, I want it to be seen!

Just for your information, the mask smells exactly like the usual Advanced Night Repair serum. And I do recommend trying a sample of the serum on your entire face (if you have never used this range) before investing in a full pack of the mask - just to be sure you are not allergic to any ingredients.

Recommended for: all skin types that need smoothing and radiance, but especially for those with first-signs of aging

Ingredients list for the PowerFoil masks, for those who are worried about allergies etc.

NYX News - relaunch under L'oreal in Singapore and new product range

The original cheap 'n' chic beauty brand NYX has relaunched this January 2016 under the L'oreal umbrella, and the great news is they have brought it a much bigger and also a more updated range. New products launch at the same time as they do in the US, so we're not stuck watching people talk about new things for 6 months before we can try them.

The bad news is it won't be all that easy to grab some of the more popular things right now - they don't seem to have put a ton of products on the shelf at this time, and the renewed interest from shoppers has caused a lot of things to be sold out very quickly. I say give it a bit of time for stock levels to even out.

Still, if you can't wait, I do suggest going down to see what's still available because the updated range at Sephora is really great. NYX has stepped up their game in the recent year or so, and a lot of the products are pretty much on point in terms of quality and composition. There are the Intense Butter Glosses, the Avant Pop palettes, and my personal fave - the Go To Palettes (SG$30). I have Wanderlust, which is an eye and cheek palette with 6 shadows, a highlighter, blush, and contour shade.

My reason for actually highlighting this palette is because in the past I've never been very impressed by eye and face kits from lower-end brands. A lot of times the concept is on point but you may get great shadows, an okay blush, and crap highlight and contour. But this palette is pretty impressive. I would say 95% of the products are things that I would consider buying if they were sold on their own for a good price.

I won't say it's a 100% hit but all the shades are definitely good. The shadows are GORGEOUS. You get 2 mattes, 1 satin and 3 metallics. The metallics are the most beautiful in terms of feel and texture, but the mattes and satin are still good. You also get the option of doing light soft looks, dramatic metallic looks, or smoky smoldering looks.

The blush is my one complaint; it is a tad sheer and dusty feeling (it will dust right off if you apply it on dry skin so I don't expect it to be long-wearing unless you use a setting spray or a cream blush as a base first) but in general everything else is very silky and blendable. The thing that sealed the deal for me was the highlight and contour actually. I usually expect the ones in a face-kit to be there just for the sake of it, and never that great quality.