the make-up blogette Page 5

FAQ & DISCLAIMER

About Me

My name is Sophia, and I am in my early 30s. I am from Singapore and I am the sole writer of this blog.

About this Blog

I started this blog in 2006, I like to use a wide range of brands though I seem to have a growing preference for higher-end brands in recent years. I also like to share interesting things I have come across about makeup and beauty.

Currently The Makeup Blogette receives 39,000 unique views monthly or 2,238,932 views and counting.

My Makeup Style

I like classic looks (neutral tones on eyes, anything goes for lips & cheeks), though occasionally I try out dramatic/ statement looks. I believe that a flawless base is the key to achieving great makeup looks. I also believe that if you don't have great skin to start with, fake it with a good foundation routine, and even greater skincare. I am currently loving Clarins & Lancome skincare products, and Vichy NormaDerm for tackling with breakouts.

What Cameras do I use?

Most of the pictures you see in post 2010 entries are taken with my Canon G-11. Previously I was using Canon Ixus 80. I do post some pictures which are taken with my iphone4 which I will state in that particular entry. I have stopped watermarking my pictures as of 2011, because I think watermarks are ugly in general, and does not prevent people from stealing my pictures if they wish to. I just take it as a compliment that my pictures are even worth stealing in the first place. I might look into getting a Canon EOS next year, not just for blogging purposes, but I also like photography in general.

My Favourite Makeup Brand(s)

It is hard to name just one, but I like NARS, Chanel, Illamasqua and the ocasional Guerlain, Dior & Urban Decay item. I own quite a stash of MAC items, but recently I have stopped catching up with their collections, and I much prefer to splurge on a few really outstanding items.

Where to find me

Twitter (link button above!) Email (stated above!) Instagram (makeup_blogette)

I have no official Facebook fan page, and currently have no intention to start one at all. The Makeup Blogette remains my personal hobby and property, so as such, I don't believe in having a Facebook fanpage for it.

Final Disclaimer

I bought/ paid for all of the products mentioned in this blog. I am not affliated to any company. If certain products are sent to me for review purposes, I will say so and express my honest opinions about them. In any case, I will only review and showcase the products which I have personally tried and tested, and enjoy using. I do not get paid to review anything.

No ads, no paid links etc please. I am in charge of all content and pictures here.

I am not a makeup artist, nor do I have any professional training in makeup.

June 2013
S	M	T	W	T	F	S
	1
2	3	4	5	6	7	8
9	10	11	12	13	14	15
16	17	18	19	20	21	22
23	24	25	26	27	28	29
30

May 2013
S	M	T	W	T	F	S
	1	2	3	4
5	6	7	8	9	10	11
12	13	14	15	16	17	18
19	20	21	22	23	24	25
26	27	28	29	30	31

April 2013
S	M	T	W	T	F	S
	1	2	3	4	5	6
7	8	9	10	11	12	13
14	15	16	17	18	19	20
21	22	23	24	25	26	27
28	29	30

Dior Summer 2013 Bird of Paradise Collection 374 Blue Lagoon

Hi hi!

This just arrived, and I am posting the swatches at this point. Might follow up with an LOTD, depending on my schedule... but this is part of the Dior Summer 2013 collection - in 374 Blue Lagoon. There's another quint released with this collection, and you can click on my previous entry for more pictures and information.

The palette is beautiful, and if you have a weakness for the shades of blue and teal in this quint, you kind of need to get this soon. I am not much of a blue/teal fan as far as makeup colours go, but I do see myself enjoying the two darkest metallic shades in this quint.

Here are some close up of the quint:

Swatches:

The top right shade (shown here in the middle among the five shades) is quite pale and sheer, but the rest of the colors have pretty good payoff.

The quint retails for $90 each, and is currently available at all Dior counters.

Hope these swatches have been helpful, and thanks for reading!

Posted on May 11, 2013 at 1:32AM | Permalink | 0 Comments

Filed in: eyeshadow, Swatches, Dior, summer 2013, blue lagoon palette | Tagged with: eyeshadow, dior, swatches, summer 2013, blue lagoon palette

May 11, 2013

CLIO Professional Gelpresso Waterproof Pencil Gel Liners in 3 'Bloody' Shades [Photos & Swatches]

Hi!

In this entry, I am featuring three brand new CLIO Professional Gelpresso Waterproof Pencil Gel Liners - currently available at $18.90 each at all Watsons stores.

When Gelpresso first launched with six trendy shades in 2011, 100 000 pieces flew off the shelves in Korea. Now, Clio introduces three new extensions to the Gelpresso family - Bloody Devil, Bloody Angel and Bloody Sweet. These colors can be both sexy and bold, and warm and soft, depending on how you wear them.

Why wear Gelpresso?

1. It has the consistency, smoothness and staying power to create the perfectly defined eye.
2. Gel liners may be difficult to apply with brushes. A gel liner in a pencil, Gelpresso contains a silicone cross-polymer to offer a smooth creamy texture and a gel-like pencil finish for ease of application.
3. This talc- and paraben-free formula is suitable even for sensitive skin.
4. It's so versatile it can even be used as an eyeshadow.
5. This is a retractable auto-pencil that allows easy application every time. Just twist to use only what you need.

Product close ups:

Bloody Devil is a dark burgundy liner that contains beautiful red and gold shimmer.
Bloody Angel is a warm reddish pink that contains silver and gold shimmer bits.
Bloody Sweet is a pale warm pink densely packed with golden and silver shimmer bits. I find this to be the most irisdescent among the three shades.

All three shades do not feel gritty on my hands. The formula is extremely creamy and smooth.

I allowed them to set for a couple of minutes on my hands. Then I rubbed quite hard, and they did not budge at all. The shimmer bits stayed put.

I will be using them in an upcoming LOTD. Please stay tuned.

Swatches:

Loving these gorgeous shades! I like they are colorful and super on trend.

Have you checked these out yet?

Thanks for reading!

Posted on May 11, 2013 at 1:32AM | Permalink | 2 Comments

Filed in: Review, Swatches, gel liners, Clio professional, red blood eyeliners, Gelpresso | Tagged with: review, swatches, CLIO professional, Gelpresso, gel liners, red blood eyeliners

May 10, 2013

Lancôme x Alber Elbaz Collection: The Wide Eyes Look [Photos & Swatches]

Hallo!

Here's a closer look at some of the pieces from the upcoming Lancôme x Alber Elbaz Collection which I have previously mentioned (click here for more information). I will be posting a step by step LOTD entry sometime over this weekend.

The packaging for this collection is just really pretty, the illustrations are super fun very focused on the different eyelooks you can pull off. The whole collection is loosely divided into 3 main looks, so in each look, you have the matching eyeshadow palette, single eyeshadow and a mascara. There's also a set of falsies (a first for Lancome) released with this collection.

My top picks are the 'wide eye look' series - everything is printed with red and black hearts - and I really love this eyeshadow palette.

The colores are what I would wear easily (a slightly cooler toned neutrals which can take you from day to night).

Product close ups:

The beautiful palette -

It comes with magnetic applicators - which don't fall out even when you turn the palette upside down.

and another close up - the sparkles and sheen are just amazing.

Swatches - the eyeshadows are quite smooth and pigmented.

And the eyeshadow single - it is a pale irisdescent pink, which is great as a layering shade.

And the rest of the collection:

Do stay tuned for my review and LOTD with the products from this awesome collection!

Happy Weekend!

Thanks for looking!

Posted on May 10, 2013 at 10:05AM | Permalink | 0 Comments

Filed in: Review, Mascara, Lancome, Swatches, Eyeshadow Palette, Lancôme x Alber Elbaz Collection, alber albaz | Tagged with: Lancome, review, mascara, swatches, eyeshadow palette, Lancôme x Alber Elbaz Collection, alber albaz

May 10, 2013

Lancôme Mat Miracle 24H Foundation Review & Application

Hi hi

This will be a review of the new Lancôme Mat Miracle Foundation, I have been mostly using it for the past month, and I think I am ready to give it my overview.

Here's a quick rundown of the product details:

Here are swatches on my hand - I am using the shade O-01, which is the lightest shade. It is a good match for my skin, slightly brighter which is my preferred shade.. If I am feeling torn between two matching shades, I usually pick the one which looks brighter on my skin.
As you can see the foundation blends into a smooth and velvety finish on my hand.

Here's a quick rundown of the application - I used sunscreen on my face, followed by the liquid foundation.

I prefer to use a buffing brush to apply and blend the foundation. It is quite creamy, and I usually apply and blend each side of my face as I go along..and finish off with a overall blending to ensure everything is smooth.

I find that the coverage of the foundation is medium buildable to full...though I don't actually suggest that you do so. It is really much better to apply and spread a thin layer of foundation, and only use more product on areas (or a concealer) where you need to.

With this foundation, I find that I can easily create a long lasting flawless finish. The trick really is to use a little at a time, and use less than what you think you need. It blends and spreads out to cover quite a lot, so the first few times I used it, I think I had used too much product, I thought it didn't really sit very well on me.
Later on, I tried using less product, and really work it into my skin, and that's when I realise that the product is able to blend in properly, and give my skin a soft matte finish. It is not entirely matte-matte...it's more of a fresh looking matte (not dry looking) - thanks to the aura technology of the foundation.

I usually set my liquid foundations with a loose powder, so in this case, I used my Lancome Teint Miracle loose powder, but you can use any loose powder that you have at the moment.

The finished blended and set with loose powder look. I think you can see that there is still a subtle glow to my skin, and the coverage of the foundation is pretty decent.

I have worn this foundation out on many ocassions, and to work and I can say that it didn't oxidise on me throughout the day (and we have been experiencing some of the most horrid humid days lately) - the foundation holds up quite well, and I still look relatively fresh by the end of the day. Obviously I haven't worn the foundation for 24 hours, but I would say it lasted a good 12 hours. I blot twice a day usually, and skip touching up with powder unless I am going out.

Here's another look when I am wearing the foundation - note that I did not use any primer - I found it slightly unnecessary (shock horror!) these days. But the foundation alone is able to provide me enough coverage and longevity without the help of a primer, and this is one impressive feature I noticed.

and of course, Joey and I both tested out the foundation during our Mat Miracle day out (click here for her entry) - you can see how the foundation wear on both of us.

Overall, I would compare this long wearing foundation to the Shiseido Radiant Lifting foundation - in the same price range, same matte radiant finish which is long lasting - though I would say that the Shiseido foundation has slightly more coverage. Urban Decay Naked Foundation has the same finish, but way more lightweight. The Lancôme Mat Miracle is also very similar to Chanel Perfection Lumiere.

All these are just based on my personal experience testing out the various foundations - if you have any specific foundation that you want me to compare this to, please leave your questions in the comments below.

I would recommend this foundation - in recent years, I have come to really enjoy using Lancôme foundations, and I love the Teint Miracle - so if you love the beautiful finish of Teint Miracle but need more coverage, I think you would love the Mat Miracle.

If you would like to sample the foundation, and find out more - do click on the Lancôme site here to find out more information.

Hope this review has been helpful, and thank you for reading!

Posted on May 10, 2013 at 9:28AM | Permalink | 4 Comments

Filed in: Review, Lancome, Swatches, LOTD, Application, Lancôme Mat Miracle 24H Foundation | Tagged with: Lancome, review, application, swatches, LOTD, Lancôme Mat Miracle 24H Foundation

May 06, 2013

Product Empties Part One: Cleansers & Skincare [May 2013]

Hi hi!

Time for another empties entry... I swear I have been putting this entry off for the longest time, it is at least 1 month overdue. And along the way, my bag of empties got heavier and heavier. Most of this products were used up in the months of Jan to Mar 2013..with a few products I used up as recently as last week and yesterday. I will be doing a part two which consists of mainly shower/hair products in an upcoming entry (maybe next week).

So lots of cleansers, I wash my face twice a day, and it is no wonder that makeup removers and cleansers are always frequently used up. Also sometimes my sister share these products with me, so we use them up more quickly than others.

Here we have three makeup removers:

1. LANCOME Remove all deep cleansing oil for face and eyes
A rich cleansing oil, I bought this for only S$20 when I was at the JPO. It removes all makeup effectively, especially foundations and eye makeup. I like that it comes in a pump, and really melts away makeup. I would repurchase this, but not in a long long time, I certainly didn't see it anymore at the JPO, and I have several other cleansing oils I can use in the meantime.

2. Ettusais Gentle Makeup Off
This reminds me of the Biore Jelly makeup remover, it is sort of gel texture, and not entirely oily. It is very effective and gentle for light makeup days, but if I have full eye makeup, this is not enough. If you have sensitve skin, this would be fantastic - very gentle and soothing to use.

3. Bioderma
This needs no introduction. I have lost count of how many bottles I have gone through. I constantly have backups, and I always have a bottle of this on my table. When I need to remove my makeup in a hurry in my own room, I would use Bioderma...and when I am on a major makeup swatch fest, I also use Bioderma to wipe my lips, hands, etc etc in between swatching and photo-taking. This is definitely an essential.

Next are three cleansers:

1. Lancome Blanc Expert Ultimate Whitening Purifying Foam
I really enjoy this cleanser, from the rich creamy foam, to the scent. It leaves my skin feeling super clean without being stripped.

2. Perfect Whip Foamy Cleanser
I have gone through several tubes of this. Really afforable, and really dense cleansing foam and always leaves my skin really clean afterwards. Definitely a staple in my cleanser stash. Many thanks to Amy for recommending this a year ago!

3. Clarins White Plus Gentle Brightening Exfoliator
I think this is my 3rd or 4th tube. I love the scent, and the natural exfoliator beads. Leaves my face visibly brighter and more radiant, and I always follow up with a brightening mask after this exfoliator. Will definitely repurchase.

Skincare products:
No surprises here that I am using up a lot of Lancome products, since I have been using them since Feb.

1. Lancome Blanc Expert Ultimate Whitening Refining Beauty Lotion
This is the very first time I finished a toner/ lotion type of product. (well, okay come to think of it, I have used up several Clarins ones in the past). I have never been a toner girl... but I started decanting this product into a spray bottle, and it makes this toning step of my skincare routine so much more effective and enjoyable. No more fussing with the watery toner in the palms of my hand, no more fussing with cotton pads. I just spray the toner onto my face, pat dry and go on to the next step. I love the feeling of this toner. It is not 'drying' nor alcohol-y, it feels moisturising and relaxing.

2. Lancome Genefique

3. Lancome Visionaire

I don't need to say more, this is my power super serum combination... I am currently using the brand new Genefique Advanced (which I am loving, cos it is richer and even more POTENT). I have used both serums at least 3 - 4 times... and always very very satisfied.

Click here to read all about my Lancome skincare routine - it is pretty comprehensive, and my skin has never been better.

4. Lancome Absolue Extrait cream
This is a deluxe sample tub, and it is just an amazing luxe face cream. Very very pricey, and I enjoy it. I use it very sparingly, and it leaves my face totally regenerated and radiant the next day. Definitely a skincare treat for your face.

Next are a bunch of randoms, LOTS OF EYE PRODUCTS. I am a eyecream, eye serum junkie.

1. Clarins UV Plus Multi-Protection SPF40
This lasts me forever and ever. It evens out the skintone, not oily, and provides great sun protection. It is a decent and effective sun protection product, and I highly recommend this.

2. Clarins Defining Eye Lift (old formula)
This is a eye serum, I don't feel any visible eye lifting effect, but it feels lightweight, and I don't mind this extra step before I use my cream. Better be safe than sorry. I am paranoid that way when it comes to skincare for my eyes. I don't really have serious eye issues, but I just want to be really careful anyway.

3. Kiehls Cream Eye Treatment
A super creamy rich eyecream, I LOVE IT because it is so thicky and cream, and it doesn't transfer into my eyes and irritate them. I would defnitely re-purchase this. Can't remember how much, I think it's around $50 (got it in HK) and it is super moisturising.

4. SK-II signature eyecream
This tub lasted me around 4 months. And I LOVE IT. It is very creamy, moisturising and definitely brightening. I would definitely want this as well.

5. Embryolisse Eye Cream
This is a very basic eye cream, and if you don't have much eye issues, I do recommend this.

6. Kiehls Midnight Discovery eyecream (not pictured)
Finished my second tube! I used it, but most of the time it's my sister who is faithfully use this every day and night. She really noticed brightening around her eyes, and all my friends whom I recommend it to, all love it. It is very lightweight, and very effective.

If you are wondering why I use up so many eye creams, it is because I am using 2 - 3 eye creams at any one point. I sometimes layer a serum and cream, and sometimes just a cream. I rotate my eye creams randomly too. So after 3 - 4 months, suddenly I run out of a few of them at one go.

And lastly, this Clarisonic brush head. It is the delicate skin brush head, as with the one I am currently using. I have been given the deep pore cleansing one lately, and I can't wait to try that out. I found the delicate skin brush head nice and gentle, maybe a bit too gentle. I think I will want to buy the normal ones next time. I don't really switch it out after a certain amount of time, I just sort of go by my gut feeling, like if I need to replace, I just do it.

Phew!

I hope you find this entry helpful, many of these products are not new, and I have mentioned many of them before. Feel free to leave comments below about anything I have mentioned!

What have you used up recently?

Thanks for reading!

Posted on May 06, 2013 at 6:26AM | Permalink | 8 Comments

Filed in: Lancome, Clarins, Ettusais, bioderma, random chat, product empties | Tagged with: Lancome, clarins, Ettusais, bioderma, random chat, product empties

May 06, 2013

Lancôme x Alber Elbaz: A Makeup Fashion Show

ALBER ELBAZ is collaborating with Lancôme on his first make-up collection. The Lanvin creative director's first foray into cosmetics will be revealed worldwide on June 15.

"Alber Elbaz is, without a doubt, one of the world's most influential fashion designers. But beyond that, he is also the most talented," said Youcef S. Nabi, Lancôme president, in a statement. "His sense of luxury, his vision of femininity and that hint of audacity resonate perfectly with the new values of the Maison Lancôme. We are extremely proud and happy that, with us, he is set to channel his universe into the world of make-up for the very first time."

I had the chance to preview the entire collection last week, and was totally wowed by the colors, the illustrations and just the whole overall aesthetic appeal of everything. I have already swatched some of these items, and will be sharing with you in the coming weeks to come, including LOTDs, and more.

But now, let's watch the video, and enjoy snapshots of this pop-up book of illustrations:

How gorgeous is the packaging! :)

Hope this is helpful, and get shopping!

The collection will be revealed in MID JUNE at SEPHORA, I won't be in town during that time, but be sure to check this out!

Thanks for reading!

Posted on May 06, 2013 at 5:05AM | Permalink | 0 Comments

Filed in: makeup, Lancome, Alber Elbaz | Tagged with: Alber Elbaz, Lancome, makeup

May 04, 2013

LOTD: Quick & Wearable Reds

Hallo!

Just a quick LOTD with my somewhat matching red nails and lips. This took me about 10 minutes to slap on, and out of the house I went.

I skipped the primer, and focused on having neat brows and a pop of color on the lips. I know there's nothing really 'new' to this LOTD..but I rotate my products all the time, so it's nice to experience different product combinations.

All products used:

Face - Lancome Mat Miracle Liquid Foundation, set with Lancome Teint Miracle loose powder

* the lack of a primer here is interesting, I got to see how the foundation works on its own, and I am glad to report that it settles very beautifully and flawlessly on its own too.

Cheeks - Clarins Mosaique Bronzer, GA Ecailles face and cheeks duo

Brows - Urban Decay naked basics palette, Shu Uemura brow manicure

Lips - Lancome Rouge in Love 174B Crazy Tangerine

Nails - Lancome Vernis in Love 154M Miss Coquelicot

Ring - ARTY Rose Gold

Top - H&M (old)

Hair was scrunched up and slept in most of the day, so they seem a little fluffier than usual.

Lenses - Blincon

Posted on May 04, 2013 at 11:23PM | Permalink | 5 Comments

Filed in: Lancome, red, LOTD | Tagged with: Lancome, red, LOTD

May 04, 2013

Lancôme Vernis in Love & NEW Rouge in Love shades [Photos & Information]

Vernis in Love comes in 22 shades and will be available at all Lancôme counters from 1st June 2013 onwards.
The price of Vernis in Love is S$30 each.

6 Rouge in Love shade extensions will be available at all Lancôme counters from 1st June 2013 onwards and will be priced at $40.

Lancôme Vernis in Love - finally launching in Singapore, in 22 shades from the classic reds, to trendy aqua marine and purples.

Rouge In Love: super-shiny colour in six new shades

The Rouge In Love palette is enriched with 6 new colours, as surprising and easily addictive as ever: radiantly pure and vibrant reds, oranges and pinks...

Including Fall In Rose, a petal-pink with the power to freshen every complexion, already emerging as a cult shade. Lastly, Rouge In Love offers an incredible range of 33 colours: an almost infinite reservoir of possibilities so you can live in glorious technicolor at all times!

In Love ambassadress from day one, Emma Watson is again in front of Mario Testino’s lens.

Swatches and more in upcoming entries!

Thank you for looking!

Posted on May 04, 2013 at 11:13PM | Permalink | 0 Comments

Filed in: Lancome, Rouge in Love, vernis in love | Tagged with: Lancome, Rouge in Love, vernis in love

May 04, 2013

CHANEL Powder Blushes: Malice, Fleur de Lotus & Rouge

My friend Pearl loaned me a few of her Chanel blushes recently, and I couldn't resist taking photos of them. They are all gorgeous, and I really need to look into getting myself a couple...soon. I have several Chanel powders and bronzers, but no Joues Contraste yet (cos I always think they all look really pretty but nothing very unique - does Notorious count?).

I believe they are all limited edition blushes, though I have spotted Malice at the counters as recent as last week.

The texture is super fine, and I think it really depends on whether you can find a unique shade or something that really catches your fancy. They are slightly powdery, but goes onto the skin very smoothly. I haven't used Rouge yet, but Fleur and Malice are really something very sweet and feminine.

Close ups:

Swatches:

Happy Sunday!

Thanks for looking! :)

Posted on May 04, 2013 at 10:39PM | Permalink | 2 Comments

Filed in: chanel, Review, Swatches, blushers, rouge, powder blushes, malice, joues contraste, fleur de lotus | Tagged with: chanel, review, rouge, blushers, swatches, malice, Joues Contraste, powder blushes, fleur de lotus

May 04, 2013

YSL Summer Manicure with Vert D'Orient & Jade Imperial

YSL Spring and Summer collections see the release of two highly sought after polishes - Jade Imperial, and Vert D'Orient. Supplies of both shades are extremely limited, though the stores do re-stock them time to time. It is best to put your name on the reservation lists, to avoid any disappointment. They retail for S$35 each.

I recently added Vert D'Orient to my collection, and it is beautiful. I like the fact that it is dark enough, and has that milky muted tone which makes it look less green. YSL polishes have excellent formula, and this is no exception.

I paired both shades together for the ultimate YSL SS2013 Jade manicure look.

Loving this combo!

What's on your nails recently?

Thanks for looking!

Posted on May 04, 2013 at 8:34PM | Permalink | 0 Comments

Filed in: Review, haul, manicure, Swatches, YSL, vernis, SS2013, jade imperial, Vert D'Orient | Tagged with: review, manicure, haul, YSL, swatches, vernis, SS2013, jade imperial, Vert D'Orient

the make-up blogette is part of the OnSugar Fashion & Beauty Network. Are You OnSugar?

Search

About Me

e-mail

BLOGLOVIN

Follow @makeup_blogette on Instagram

Twitter Me!

Latest Headlines

Tags

2245 followers

Hot Links: Basic Makeup!

Reviews: Foundations

Latest Comments

FAQ & DISCLAIMER

Archive

Archives

Dior Summer 2013 Bird of Paradise Collection 374 Blue Lagoon

CLIO Professional Gelpresso Waterproof Pencil Gel Liners in 3 'Bloody' Shades [Photos & Swatches]

Lancôme x Alber Elbaz Collection: The Wide Eyes Look [Photos & Swatches]

Lancôme Mat Miracle 24H Foundation Review & Application

Product Empties Part One: Cleansers & Skincare [May 2013]

Lancôme x Alber Elbaz: A Makeup Fashion Show

LOTD: Quick & Wearable Reds

Lancôme Vernis in Love & NEW Rouge in Love shades [Photos & Information]

CHANEL Powder Blushes: Malice, Fleur de Lotus & Rouge

YSL Summer Manicure with Vert D'Orient & Jade Imperial

Search

About Me

e-mail

BLOGLOVIN

Follow @makeup_blogette on Instagram

Twitter Me!

Latest Headlines

Tags

2245 followers

Hot Links: Basic Makeup!

Reviews: Foundations

Latest Comments

Blogroll

FAQ & DISCLAIMER

Archive

Archives