Recent Beauty Haul

Well, I haven't been doing a lot of makeup shopping lately... *Doh! So not true!* I was just too lazy to post them all here.

Here's some of my new babies, recently purchased from local department stores and eBay. From left to right:

1. Etude House Dr. Oil Solution BB Lotion SPF 20/PA++
Somehow, I am always attracted to Korean makeup/skincare brands, especially Etude House and Skinfood. Even more than the Japanese ones. Or, perhaps my drooling years over Japanese brands have passed. I guess.
Etude House products have never completely failed me. Though some of them don't live up to my high expectations, they still perform quite okay. So, I decided to buy this primer a few weeks ago when I was browsing for a new primer. Monistat just feels a bit too silicone-y for me lately.

(pictures will be posted tomorrow)
This product has pink-greyish color, which I thought would be a total disaster on me. But no, topped with foundation, the color of this product is perfectly concealed. Thank God! The texture is similar to most bb creams, easy to blend, but turns matte pretty quickly. Oil control is also good. My nose needs a little touch up after 10AM, which is okay for me. Additional SPF 20 is not so bad either, though I'd still apply another sunblock prior to this.

2. Kanebo Lunasol Water Cream Foundation in YO03
I posted my review on this foundation a few months back. I begged my friend, Amalia, to give hers to me because she said it was too light for her (OC03), and fell in love with this thing. It was actually too light for me as well, but I just loved it so much! I finally bought my own jar, in YO03, because I thought this would be a better match for my yellow skin tone. Turns out this is also too light for me, like the OC03. Better in tone, but still too light. I had to mix it with my NARS Sheer Glow Foundation in Tahoe to make this shade works better. Anyway, I don't regret buying this. Love, love! :)
(pictures will be posted tomorrow)

3. Make Up For Ever HD Foundation in #153
Hmm... As much as I don't regret buying the Lunasol one, I still craved for a new foundation which matched perfectly to my skin tone. *Excuses, excuses... :p*
So, after lemming and reading more reviews, I went to buy this. I have been considering to buy this foundation since last year, so I am happy to finally did it! The shade is P-E-R-F-E-C-T for my NC40-42-ish skin. Blends verrry easily on top of Etude House Dr. Oil Solution primer, creating a smooth satin finish.

(pictures will be posted tomorrow)
I have read reviews saying this foundation screams "makeup" on them, whereas the brand claims this product gives the most natural look, even in a flashed photography. I think those people just chose the wrong shades. Because if you are lucky to find the perfect match, this is invisible. I'd say this gives me the "my skin but better" effect. I had to look closely to a mirror to check whether this foundation is still on, or has gone completely. Well, it's still on! I did touch up after 1PM with my Silky Girl Pure Fresh Oil-Control Pressed Powder, but I can still see the foundation on me.
I use my skunk brush to apply this and it gives me sheer result. I will try using another brush (blending brush or flat top) next time! I think I'm gonna wear this pretty often to the office. :)

4. Hada Labo BB Cream SPF 32/PA+++ in Natural Ochre
If you read my first post on this blog, you'll know how much I love this brand! So when I read good reviews on the bb cream, I just had to buy it! Some ladies in femaledaily forum have been raving this bb cream, especially the one in Natural Ochre shade. As most of you out there probably know, bb creams tend to have light and pinkish color. So, us, medium to dark Asian girls, have a hard time finding a bb cream that won't make us look like wearing a mask. Though every bb cream out there promises the color will blend and gradually adapt to our skin tone, most of them don't.
I haven't tried this on my face but I think the color IS a bit darker and yellowish than the bb creams I previously owned. Will post pictures of the product tomorrow!

My Current Makeup Routine

I change my makeup routine depending on my mood and skin condition.
This is what I wear on my face these days:

1. Biore UV Perfect Face Milk, SPF 50+ PA+++
High sun protection with matte result. I love the oil control from this product and it has very little white cast, almost none, which keeps my foundation true to color.

2. Monistat Chaffing Relief Gel-Powder
This is currently my favorite primer! I have Kanebo Media makeup base (with SPF 27) but compared to Monistat, Kanebo looses big time in controlling oil. But it does even out my skin tone nicely. So, in hot humid days, I prefer to use Monistat while my Kanebo Media works for cooler days or evening, when I dare to expect my makeup to last for 2-4 hours only.

3. Kanebo Lunasol Water Cream Foundation in OC 03
I have always loooved Kanebo makeup products! I think it's my favorite Japanese makeup brand. I don't actually own this foundation, I only swap my foundation temporarily with a friend. This shade is a tad too light for me, but still blends nicely on my skin. My tone suits better with YO, but I think YO 03 would be a tad too light as well.
I must say I SUPER LOVE this product! With combination of Biore UV Perfect Face Milk and Monistat, this foundation lasts all day. Whereas with Kanebo Media base, my makeup --this foundation-- only lasts 2 hours! This foundation blends like a dream, provides medium coverage, enough to cover imperfections on my face. The result is glowy, healthy and fresh. I blot once a day, with much less oil shows up on the blot paper. I intend to buy my own jar soon!

4. Everyday Minerals Flat Top Brush
This is my own personal heavenly brush for applying liquid/cream foundation! This brush does not shed at all, really easy to handle and gives perfectly even application and flawless result. Well, doesn't mean flawless skin tone though, as my skin is far from flawless. And even though this has flat top, this brush can still provide sheer to medium coverage, depending on the type of the foundation used. So, don't worry that you'll look like wearing a mask with this.

5. Kanebo Kate Stick Concealer in NB
Another Kanebo product, haha! Thanks to my friend, Amalia, who informed me about this concealer. This is a great product! I use this to cover my dark circles and flecks. It gives medium coverage, completely invisible after blending, not cakey whatsoever. Thank God the NB shade matches my skin tone quite nicely, since there's only 2 shades, and NB is the darkest one.

6. Silky Girl Oil-Control Pressed Powder
Ah! My current favorite! Could be my HG pressed powder. If you read my review on Revlon PhotoReady Pressed Powder, Silky Girl beats Revlon big time! Color match is way better, and oil control is also much more superior than PhotoReady.
I couldn't believe it cost only S$8.90! I really hope this powder will be available in Jakarta soon, following the loose powder which I know is already available in the market here.
Silky Girl also have BB pressed powder. I swatched it on my hand when I was in Singapore, but I thought I'd test the oil-control powder first before buying another Silky Girl product. Well, I can tell you that I'll probably buy this next time I have the chance!

7. Majolica Majorca My Lashes Extend Elegantly Mascara
I don't know about other people, but I prefer a mascara that gives longer lash effect rather than thicker lash effect. My eye area is already pretty dark because of my thick eyebrows, so having thicker lash effect would add darkness to my eye area which will not look good. Majolica has superior waterproof effect, which is great for me. Unlike Kiss Me Heroine Mascara, which also has superior waterproof effect, Majolica does not shed my lashes!

8. NYX Lipliner Pencil
I am so very happy to have found this lipliner pencil! It is cheap, easy to find (I buy from eBay) and good quality. I have several colors now: Natural, Peekaboo Natural (my favorite!), Soft Brown, Nude Pink, and one more which I forgot the color.
I have never tried the high-end lip liners, because I don't want to spend too much for such a small product. Among the middle to cheap lip liners I've tried, Bourjois, Revlon, Oriflame, this is the best! Covers my natural lip color (which is dark) and makes my lipstick looks perfect. I can wear light-colored lipsticks, even nude ones, thanks to this. Easy to sharpen, the wooden pencil is soft enough for a regular sharpener to handle, and does not break easily! I don't think I'll ever need to buy another brand as this is perfection for me already.