Advertorials: Maybelline HyperSharp Wing Liner!

From Audrey Hepburn,

Lana Del Ray, 

to Baekhyun from EXO,

women and even men have been wingin’ it for decades!

Ladies who do their own make-up,

or even if you don't do make-up,
you must have also heard from friends about how hard it is to get the perfect wing liner look.

Now, the symmetrically wing-tip look can be yours with the new Maybelline HyperSharp Wing Liner!

The innovative new liquid liner comes with a duo-thickness flat-tip brush.

Similar to a fountain pen nib, the brush is able to create precise thin or thick lines at your pleasure. The brush measures 0.01mm on one side for thin strokes and goes up to 2mm for thicker lines at a flick of your wrist. 

Just one product and in two simple steps, you’ll be ready to take flight. 

Be it a subtle look for work, or bold for playful look for a night out, the Maybelline HyperSharp Wing Liner lets you have it all with a flick of your wrist.

Availability:

The Maybelline HyperSharp Wing Liner is available in Intense Black. 

Retails for $23.90 at Watsons, Guardian, SaSa, selected departmental stores and major supermarkets.

Advertorials: KATE TOKYO 2015 Spring/Summer

Feeling sexy this Chinese New Year?

Transform into the Ultimate Temptress with KATE TOKYO 2015 February Eye & Lip Makeup Launches.

• KATE BLACK FEATHER LASH, $25.50 

Transform your lashes into jet-black lush, voluminous lashes to complete your transformation into a debonair woman with KATE BLACK FEATHER LASH. 

Featuring an innovative double-sided Resin brush with long and short bristles on each end, the mascara seperates and volumises the lashes in a single coat.

The smudge-, water-, oil- and abrasion- resistant formula is also packed with black feather lash fibres to lengthen lashes while its shape-memorising wax creates and maintain voluptuous curves that curl all day. 

• KATE FLASH CRUSH, $23.50 <Limited Edition> 

The highly popular KATE FLASH CRUSH palette is back for a limited time only to update the immensely trendy metallic zing from the runways. 

Combining a high concentration of glitter with a long-wearing glossy metallic finish, KATE FLASH CRUSH presents an eye-catching trio of colours to choose from.

• KATE SUPER SHARP LINER S(S) 3, $17.00 <Limited Edition>

Dressed in a limited edition design, the KATE SUPER SHARP LINER S(S) 3 has an ultra-thin 0.03mm felt-tip brush to give a precise application even for those new to liquid liner.

• KATE CC LIP CREAM, $8.50 <Limited Edition>

A multifunctional highly pigmented lip cream that not only colours and even-out the lips for plumper-looking lips with vibrant shine, but cares, nourishes and protects it like a lip balm. 

What’s more, the SPF19PA/++, lip colour also protects the lips from harmful UV rays and comes in a portable lightweight stick, perfect for women-on-the-go.

Available in 01 Beat Red, 02 Pink Spice, 03 Nudist Pink and 04 Orange Burst

The KATE BLACK FEATHER LASH will be available from February 2015 at selected FairPrice Finest, FairPrice Xtra, OG, John Little, Nishino Pharmacy, Sasa Cosmetics and Watsons. 

The limited edition KATE FLASH CRUSH, KATE SUPER SHARP LINER S(3) and KATE CC LIP CREAM will be exclusively available at selected Watsons outlets from February 2015, while stocks last.

Advertorials: The Body Shop Forbidden Flower

Valentine's Day is around the corner~~
No idea what to give?
This Valentine’s Day, turn heads with The Body Shop Forbidden Flower, the most enticing scent ever with a blend of sultry spices, seductive florals and woody notes.

Inspired by nature’s most controversial flower, the poppy that symbolises love and fertility, the new limited edition Forbidden Flower is the ultimate Valentine’s Day seduction tool. 
Beautiful, intoxicating and dangerous, the Forbidden Flower contains an extract of hand-picked poppies from Ankara, Turkey for an addictive hit of fragrance.

Available in Eau de Toilette ($24.90), Body Butter ($32.90), Shower Gel ($14.90) and Body Lotion ($21.90).

Get a colour rush with The Body Shop limited edition 2015 Spring Trend Make-up Collection.

The collection includes The Body Shop first chubby Lip & Cheek Velvet Sticks ($29.90) that give a rich colouration and velvety matte finish, a Poppy Universal Lip & Cheek Velvet Stick ($29.90) that adjust to the unique pH of the skin into your own individual poppy shade, Poppy-inspired Blusher Brush ($32.90), iconic Shimmer Cubes Palettes ($39.90) and Colour Crush™ Nails ($12.90) for a dramatic colour statement.

The Body Shop limited edition Forbidden Flower Body Range and Spring Trend Make-up Collection will be available from 5 February 2015 onwards.

Advertorials: New Drops of Youth Bouncy Sleeping Mask

As we age, our skin loses elasticity. It takes longer for it to bounce back into shape. Sleep marks take longer to disappear in the morning than they did when we were fresh-faced teenagers.

Bounce back to youth with the NEW Drops of Youth™ Bouncy Sleeping Mask, the latest addition to The Body Shop best-selling youth-enhancing range.

The lightweight youth-enhancing mask has a uniquely bouncy, memory-shape texture that moulds itself like a second skin. Designed to be left on overnight without washing off, it seals in other skincare products for smoother, more hydrated and fresher skin.

Packed with powerful Edelweiss stem cells that possess exceptional skin renewal properties, the Drops of Youth™ Bouncy Sleeping Mask protects the skins collagen and Hyaluronic Acid levels which are vital to firm, bouncy, skin. The youth-enhancing mask also contains Community Fair Trade Babassu Oil to help retain the moisture in the skin, and Adenosine, a known pro collagen active and caffeine, to help circulation.

To maximise the efficacy of the Drops of Youth™ Bouncy Sleeping Mask, The Body Shop has engaged its first independent Global Skincare Expert, Dr. Terry Loong, to specially design a unique massage technique that stimulates the lymphatic system for better circulation and absorption of the mask.

 Drops of Youth™ Bouncy Sleeping Mask is available at S$44.90.

Sponsored: New Essential Moisturising Frizz Free Range

Waking up to a welcome a bad hair day is one of the worst things anyone can face.

To be honest, I have very unmanageable hair. If I ever forget to apply conditioner or serum after a hair wash, my hair will be like

Understanding the needs of us girls and our hair woes, Essential (a popular hair care brand from Japan) offers a wide range of products to help repair and care for our hair.

Ever heard of the term combination hair? You may be more familiar with the term combination skin, however combination hair?

The concept of ‘combination hair’ is similar to that of ‘combination skin’, where hair condition from the same person is not uniform from root to tip. People with combination hair usually have oily roots and dry ends.

Most of us are faced with the dilemma of combination hair type, just like combination skin type that we are all familiar with, where the needs of our hair roots and ends are vastly different. 

I bet most of us do not have one haircare product which can solve both oily roots and dry ends. 
Using a rich moisturizing product to care for dry ends, will usually result in a heavy and oily scalp because of the product buildup on their scalp.
Using a light, clarifying product for oily scalp will cause the ends to be even drier.

Thus, people with combination hair may find themselves having to rotate between using a rich moisturizing product and a light clarifying product to achieve a balance. 

The new Essential haircare range promises to smoothen your locks and helps you achieve healthy and manageable hair! 
The brand new Essential haircare range is specially formulated with the new Microfine All Smooth Essence and variants that contain the Sebum Cleansing Technology.

Essential’s new range comes in four different variants: 

• the Nourishing Breakage Defence (Orange range) for weak and damaged hair

• Moisturising Frizz Free (Pink range) for dull and rough hair

• Light Finishing Volumizing range (Yellow range) for limp and flat hair; and

• Deep Cleansing Care range (Blue range) for with oily scalp and dry ends. 

Before choosing the right range, you may want to ask yourself 2 questions.

1. Do you have oily hair roots/scalp?
2. Do you have dry/damaged hair ends?

And the results~~

I did the 'test' myself too, and I got myself the pink range~

Infused with the new Microfine All Smooth Essence, the new Essential haircare range coats each hair strand evenly with a protective veil, delivering nutrients to repair damaged hair. 
Its uniform veil locks in moisture and repairs the dry, damaged hair ends without causing the hair roots to be sticky and heavy. This new formulation also soothes the damaged hair cuticles from root to tip. 

I can now run my fingers through my hair effortlessly even during shampooing. 
I can now comb my hair without having to use too much force, (you know it's bad to keep having to pull your hair because your comb is stuck in it)
No more knots!

With strong, healthy and tangle-free hair, styling your hair has never been easier! 

With the optimum combination of Smart Cuticle Care & Sebum Cleansing Technology in the Light Finish Volumizing and Deep Cleansing Care variants, you can now achieve moisturised hair ends while maintaining a refreshed, breathable scalp! 

The NEW Essential haircare products are available at leading supermarkets, hypermarkets, western pharmacies & personal care stores at the following prices:
- Shampoo SGD $4.50 (200ml) / SGD $11.50 (750ml)
- Conditioner SGD $4.50 (200ml) / SGD $11.50 (750ml)
- Treatment SGD $0.00 (180g) [Sorry but I do not have the price for this at the moment.]
- Hair Mask SGD $9.90 (200g)

Sounds too good to be true? Try it yourself!

Like Essential on Facebook (www.fb.com/Essential.SG) and follow Essential on Instagram @essentialsingapore for latest news!

Advertorials: Sephora Zoom Masques

The face mask is the beauty addict’s number one tool for getting that desired, dewy complexion. 
A mask application is all you need to get that game face on in a jiffy.

It is one of the most important steps in the beauty routine to recharge your skin – and probably the most enjoyable one too! Especially for me, now that I am living in a country with 4 seasons, face masks have become an essential for me!
Why is that so? The effect of masks is instant, thanks to formulas rich in powerful, active ingredients. Face masks are also designed to meet different skin needs.
They can:

• soothe

• moisturise

•  lift

Well you see, Sephora not only has their own in-house mask brands, there is also a variety of masks from different brands to choose from.

• ALGENIST- Algae Brightening Mask (Detoxify)

Application Time: 10min

• SEPHORA – Ginseng Mask (Firming & Toning)

Price: $4 – 1 sheet / $16 – 5 sheets

• BOSCIA – Luminizing Black Mask (Pore-Minimising)

Tip: Avoid the eye area, eyebrows, hair line & lips.
Application Time: 15-20min

• PETER THOMAS ROTH – Rose Stem Cell Bio-Repair Gel Mask (Anti-aging)

Cutting-edge plant biotechnology isolates and replicates the perfect rose stem cells for maximum anti-aging benefits.
Application Time: 10min
Price: $83 – 150ml 

• FOR BELOVED ONE – Whitening Bio-Cellulose Mask (Whitening)

Price: $63 – 3sheets 

Face masks can come in a variety of formats as well! Be it fibre, gel, cream or mud,  using them regularly will help in maintaining a great complexion. It’s also great as a last-minute weapon, on an evening you need to look your glamorous best! 

Composed of six sources of both micro and macro algae, this expert formulation visibly brightens, smooth and hydrates skin.The luxurious and professional-grade mask gently exfoliates with leaves of sea kelp while the freshly scented blue-green algae silt delivers powerful antioxidant protection.
Complexion becomes more luminous and even, skin becomes toned and glowing. Tip: Remove the mask with a damp cloth and cool water to boost the product’s clarifying effects.
Price: $83 – 50ml 

A new item in the Made In Sephora range, the Ginseng mask is also one of the best-selling variants in the Sephora Natural Therapy Mask collection. 
A fibre mask rich with ginseng root extract, it tones and revitalises skin, restoring its suppleness. 
Ginseng root extract also provides a tightening effect to energise and “re-plump” the complexion. 
The fibre mask hugs facial contours perfectly ensuring your skin fully absorbs the nutrients from the mask.
Tip: The single-use dosage makes it great to bring along for trips. 
Application Time: 15min

This jet-black, mineral-rich mask has a unique “peel-off” effect. 
It also delivers powerful detoxifying, purifying and brightening results. 
Made with premium quality clay, its deep-cleansing properties draw out dirt and oil, while powerful antioxidants ingredients shrink pores, firm skin and reduce inflammation.
When dry, the mask strips away dead skin, impurities and excess oil to reveal brighter skin and smaller pores.
Price: $52 – 80g 

Breakthrough stem cell technology goes into the making of this mask. 
Rose stem cells are blended with rose extracts to counteract visible signs of aging – including fine lines and wrinkles, dehydration, dullness and sagging.
This cooling and soothing gel mask also strengthens and tones, revealing silky soft, radiant and youthful-looking skin.
Tip: Apply a generous layer & rinse off with cool water after 10min, or apply a thin layer & leave on overnight for an intensive treatment

Widely recommended by dermatologists and celebrities alike, this was the first bio- cellulose mask to appear on the market. 
Made of nano-scale organic fibres, it has the highest possible affinity to the skin, making it possible to achieve essence absorption 30 times higher than other masks. 
The Whitening Bio-Cellulose Mask also contains Lumiskin and Melaclear2, two patented skin-whitening formulas to instantly reveal bright and luminous skin.
Tip: Suitable for skin that has gone through intense treatments such as laser or IPL 
Application Time: 15-20min

SEPHORA IN-STORE PROMOTION
From now till 31 Oct 2014, Sephora Singapore customers can enjoy a direct 10% savings off the ZOOM masks.
Sephora members will be entitled to an additional 5% savings. 

Sponsored Review: Bio-essence Hydra Tri-Action Aqua Droplet Sleeping Mask

I believe it is every girl's dream to want to be pretty, or at least have flawless skin.

So most girls I believe, slap on many various products...

Products from different brands, products aimed at different skin problems.

However, do you realise no matter how many products you apply on your face, they all don't seem to absorb well.

Why is that?

One most important step to skincare is moisturising your skin!

I did an interview with 2 different skincare brands for a beauty story on Lian He Wan Bao. (Read it here!)

They mentioned that if your skin lacks moisture, anything you apply will not be well absorbed. If so, you will just be burning money~

The product that I am reviewing today is the Bio-essence Hydra Tri-Action Aqua Droplet Sleeping Mask. There are many different sleeping masks or night care products out in the market. What makes this particular one different from the rest of them? 

Bio-essence Aqua Droplet Sleeping Beauty Mask replenishes moisture level, hydrates, nourishes and repairs your skin non-stop while you sleep. Another story that I am currently working with for Lian He Wan Bao, is a night care story.

One of my interviewee mentioned that between 10pm to 2am, is the best time for the absorption for the skin. Read about it by clicking here!

Anyway, back to the product.

Bio-essence Aqua Droplet Sleeping Beauty Mask's unique formulation is enriched with: 

• 2 types of Hyaluronic acid (Power Nano Hyaluronic Acid & Hyaluronic Acid)

Hyaluronic acid is an important moisturizing "ingredient" used in many beauty products in the market. Hyaluronic acid helps to replenish and lock in moisture, providing skin with non-stop hydration.
With an average nano molecular size of 15-25nm, the Power Nano Hyaluronic Acid absorbs quickly and easily into the skin, making skin instantly hydrated and moisturised.

• Cranberry Extract & Bio Energy Fluid

They help in moisturizing your skin, giving you a radiant smooth complexion.

Bio-essence Aqua Droplet Sleeping Beauty Mask not only provides long lasting hydration but also protects skin from environmental factors (for example: pollution, weather, etc.)
Bio-essence Aqua Droplet Sleeping Beauty Mask is also able to brighten dull and tired skin, refine enlarged pores, and regulate oil and moisture levels.

The technology behind all these benefits? The unique Bio Aqua Crystal Technology. 
This technology forms a protective shield over the hydrating ingredients to prevent moisture loss before application. 
Upon application, this shield breaks away and big aqua droplets are formed. This ensures our skin gets hydrated with the freshest and most optimal amount of hydrating activity. The big aqua droplets are made up of superior hydrating ingredients of small molecular sizes which allow moisture and nutrients to be easily delivered to the deepest layers of skin, while the protective emollient film remains on the skin to lock in moisture for non-stop hydration.

How to use?

Step 1: Massage gently till aqua droplets form.
Step 2: Gently pat till fully absorbed into skin.
Step 3: Apply a thin layer over skin as a daily moisturiser. For more intensive treatment, apply a thicker layer to replenish skin’s moisture throughout the night as a sleeping mask.

Too wordy? Watch the videos below!

My verdict:

Sleeping masks, in my opinion are meant for lazy people like me...
Yes, I am not only lazy, but suuuuuuuper lazy.
Which is why, I love sleeping masks!
I have various different brands of sleeping masks at home!

This particular brand, it is of a more watery-gelish like texture, much like many other sleeping masks.
Very suitable, not only for lazy people, but people with sensitive or oily skin because the texture is much much lighter than night creams! 

Some moisturisers or night creams make your face feel oily or sticky after application. Bio-essence Hydra Tri-Action Aqua Droplet Sleeping Mask does not!
Non-sticky, not oily. Which is why, I think I will continue using it and buying it again! (:

ATTENTION!

If you are not convinced by what I said, try it out for yourself!
Bio-essence is conducting a street sampling session on the 6th Sep 2014 (Sat) from 2pm-6pm outside Mandarin Gallery.
Not only do you get to try out this awesome product, but you also get freebies and enjoy attractive discounts!

Also, hurry and go to the Bio-essence Singapore's Facebook page, and "LIKE" the page. You get to redeem free samples.
For your convenience, just click HERE!

Bio-essence Hydra Tri-Action Aqua Droplet Sleeping Mask is retailing at $33.90.

Sponsored Review: Astalift White Lotion and Essence Inlift

Astalift, the Japanese award-winning anti-aging skincare brand by Fujifilm, launched an enhanced version of it whitenening skincare series back in April.
The whole new Astalift White skincare series is enriched with a new brightening ingredient, Nano AMA. The combination with other effective whitening ingredients such as Arbutin and Vitamin C in the formula enables Astalift White to deliver advanced whitening effects that inhibit the production of melanin in the skin, achieving a brighter, more translucent complexion.

Comprising 3 products, the series includes a whitening lotion, whitening cream and Astalift White Essence Infilt.

 

Astalift White Lotion is a moisturising toner containing:
● Brightening ingredient: Nano AMA
● Whitening active: Arbutin
● Super antioxidant, Astaxanthin: to prevent age-related damage
● 3 types of collagen to improve skin firmness and elasticity
● Seaweed extract to moisturise skin

How-to-use:
Just pump one full pump, and you should get a 50 cent coin amount on your palm.
Pat gently onto face. This toner is orange in colour, and non-sticky in texture.
I have used various different toners before, and this one smells relatively stronger.
If not for the smell, I will actually like it alot. My skin absorbs it really quickly, so it definitely compliments whatever skincare procedure you have later on.

Retail Price: $64
Refill Price: $57

 

 

I also tried the Astalift White Essence Infilt. This is a much thicker in texture as compared to Astalift White Lotion. It contains:

● Nano AMA, (among the ASTALIFT White series, Astalift White Essence Infilt contains the highest concentration of Nano AMA)
● Whitening ingredient: Vitamin C
● Yeast extract: Boost collagen production, thus preventing melanin from sinking into dermis, which causes permanent skin pigmentation
● Super antioxidant, Astaxanthin and three types of collagen: for skin-firming benefits

How-to-use:
Use it after the Astalift White Lotion. Just 1 pump will be sufficient. Massage into skin for 30 seconds.
It absorbs really quickly just like the Astalift White Lotion, however this product also has this one smell that I don't really like, but I think it really complements the toner, and does show effects of whitening.
I am not really tan to begin with, but living in Singapore, and not getting tan is really tough. But I am not tanned yet, so I guess the product works to a certain extent.

Retail Price: $64
One really attractive point for Astalift White series is that it uses environmentally-friendly packaging. The series of products comes in a new refillable design. The new translucent casing is buttressed with a UV protetion coating to shield the delicate ingredients of the product from UV degradation.
Astalift White is now available at all Astalift boutiques (JEM #01-20 & ION Orchard #B3-66.
For more information, you can go to their webpage www.astalift.com.sg