FOTW: 34-degree weather

I was trying to do Palette a Week (PAW), with last week's palette being the UD Alice Through the Looking Glass, but it turned out to be one of the hottest Saturdays ever, and I didn't want shimmer shadows all over my eyes, so I skipped the UD and pulled out my trusty Viseart Dark Mattes and The Balm California Driver Licence and went all-matte instead.

The blush and the brown shade are my jam. They just look so natural on me, I love it.

Lips are NYX Intense Butter Gloss in Black Cherry. That was my third IBLG, because I loved Toasted Marshmallow and Chocolate Crepe so much, and I've missed wearing a dark, vampy lip colour.

Unfortch. Two things:

1. They don't have the blood-red shade that I really want, so I kinda had to settle for this shade. 
2. This colour, unlike the other two, applied really streaky and it bleeds, and it fades patchy. 

It's so sad. I wound up wiping it off halfway through the date and applying my trusty Toasted Marshmallow instead (yes, I had it in my bag as a backup). 

I dunno, I think the eyes don't look as intense as I wanted them to. Or maybe this shot is overexposed, God knows I need more practice taking good quality selfies (for critiquing purposes, not IG likes). 

Oh yes, the rest of my face was just my Nude by Nature BB cream with no blush, because I wanted my skin to breathe and also I wanted to continue reapplying my sunscreen (which I did - twice!). 

I still miss wearing my Unicorn Blood. Praying that my lips get better soon!

Skincare diet

Skin is mad at me for staying out in the sun for a good five hours on Saturday. It's been rashes, itches, redness, peeling, and breakouts.

All the aloe vera I'm slathering on doesn't seem to be good enough, so I've downsized to just my Hada Labo HA and a moisturiser. Somehow, the dry patch on my right cheek likes it, because this is the least dry it's been all week.

Also Belif gave me a foil sample of their latest bomb - the water bomb? Duh, isn't water = aqua? Find a better name, guys. But I'll update my thoughts in a coupla days!

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FOTW - Ella and Open House

It's been a really hot weekend, which yes fine, I'm thankful for since it means it didn't rain. But. My skin really did not enjoy the heat and started rashing up last night after I removed my makeup. I think I'm gonna have to go easy on the foundation for the next few days, and give my skin a break.

But anyway, the heat didn't stop me from putting on a full face both days, because when else am I gonna get the time and mileage to use all my colours, right?

Yesterday was the Ella concert, and I had agreed to actually bring Ferb out for a ride. So I went with my trusty KVD Lock-It liquid foundation, which really doesn't budge, no matter how much I sweat. And I did a dark carved-out V-shape. The dark colours were to match with Ella's dark smoky aesthetic, but I went for a V because I don't wanna look too bruised with all the purples. Ha. I went with my Juvia's Place Nubian II for this. Lips are my current go-to, the NYX Intense Butter Gloss in Toasted Marshmallow, because my lips were madly swollen when I woke up yesterday morning. Also I'd been avoiding doing my brows for a couple of weeks, because I just didn't have the extra time, but since I was pretty ahead of schedule this weekend, I went in with my ABH Brow Wiz in Soft Brown. I do like it, but I'm really angry that the spoolie part broke off. I realised from reading the subreddits that it's a common thing, but that just makes me angrier, so I'm gonna try the NYX one next time.

Anyway, the makeup held up pretty well! It didn't look super crazy when I got home at like 2.30am.

Yes, my skin looks really crazy here, because it was even hotter today than it was yesterday, if that's possible. I was headed to Djamil's Hari Raya open house today. I went with a lighter foundation because rashes - the Hourglass Vanish Stick Foundation. I didn't like the way it sat on my face today. I guess it's not the kind of foundation that goes on well on a sweaty face. Eyes are Nubian II again, because I wanted to use another shimmer, heh. And I deepened the outer corner with the orange shade from the Viseart Neutral Mattes palette. I used a tint for the lips because I knew I'd be eating a lot, and I didn't wanna be bothered with touching it up. So, thanks again Rainnie for the Too Cool For School Peekaboo Oil Tint in Red Bang Bang!

Yup, so that's it for my Faces of the Weekend. Catch you next time!

JS VLL Gemini dupe

So I have to admit that I'm still buying a couple of J* liquid lipsticks, because Gemini (perfect pinky nude), Unicorn Blood (brown-based blood red), and Leo (browny nude) are my favourite colours to wear, the formula is long-wearing without being drying, and I haven't been able to find dupes for them.

But I wandered into the standalone NYX store at Bugis on Monday and they had the full range of their IBLGs, so I swatched everything and bought me a Chocolate Crepe. When I put it on, I realised that it's a great shade dupe for Gemini! Yes, totally different finishes, but if you remember, my lips are still not 100% yet so I'm hesitating with going back to liquid lipsticks for the time being. Other than that, it's just great to know that if I ever want to boycott J* totally (uhh, I won't until I find a Unicorn Blood dupe), I still have nude options.

Top to bottom: NYX IBLG in Chocolate Crepe, J* Gemini, MUFE Aqua Lip Liner in 14C

Granted, the NYX is a little deeper, but I think that's even better on my skin tone. Yay!

June Favourites

Hello guys! (No one's reading this, I know :p) I don't do videos (yet), but I thought I'd start doing monthly favourites posts because I do buy a lot of new shit every month and also, sometimes my preferences change and I'm reluctant to admit it because it's like I'm cheating on myself or something.

Anyways. In no particular order, ...

Cosrx One-Step Pimple Clear Pads
These are amazeballs. I like the whole wiping mechanism, it's one less thing to pour onto my palms and therefore to control the pouring power (?) of. And they started working quite visibly within two days of the first and only use. Well, yes, I admit that it turned the almost-dry parts of my face unequivocally dry, but I can manage that. Anyway, it got rid of my chin CCs, which I've tried steaming off, squeezing out, scrubbing away, everything! So it gets my eternal gratitude for that.

Zoeva Foundation Brush (104 Buffer)
I picked this up to use on my Infallible 24HR Matte, which is a way thinner consistency than my former HG, KVD. It worked so, so well! Like, even the feeling of just smooshing it into my face is pleasant. I'm trying it with my stick foundations next, but I think I need more practice/technique update in that area.

Biore Perfect Milk Sunscreen
I bought this precisely for the extreme mattifying properties it's known for, and it did not disappoint. Sadly, it gives me a white cast which I didn't notice when I swatched it on my inner arm in the store, so I can't wear it on its own. Also, since I'm more combo-dry than combo-oily now, it tends to dry out my cheeks, so I have to moisturise madly with this. I think it's perfect when combined with...

Nude by Nature Sheer Glow BB Cream in Golden Tan
Got this in Sydney because I was obsessed with trying out Australian products which I'd not be able to find here. I didn't really like it when I got back here though, because I thought it was too sheer and also I felt like the "glow" looked more like "uncontrollable shine" on me. But now my skin is clearer, the sheerness works. And the matteness of the sunscreen keeps the glow at the perfect level.

L'oreal Infallible 24-HR Matte in Amber
Apparently this is the Australian version, as compared to the US one, which is called the Pro Matte. I love love love it. It feels so light on my skin, but the coverage is pretty full, and it stays on even after a normal walking sweat session. Unfortch, this shade is too pink-toned for me. But whatever. I don't mind the wrong undertone with such a great formula.

Well, I think that's it. Five products is enough to favourite in a month, right? See you next time!

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