New Hauls: E.L.F

I've been buying quite a bit of stuff online lately. :(

Received my E.L.F haul today. (Yes yes, I ordered it from the USA site. Don't get me started about E.L.F Asia who barred off ordering access from that site) Was so looking forwards to it. Especially the mineral lipsticks after reading Kimoko's haul.

I ordered:
- 3 Mineral Lipsticks: Nicely Nude, Party Pink, Rosy Raisin
- 1 Studio small angled brush
- 2 Custom compact
- 2 Eyeshadow brushes




The compact and eyeshadow brushes are missing from the photo because it's nothing much. I already have those and am just buying extras because I like them. :)

The small angled brush was great. It's tiny and soft. I think it'll be great for my gel liners. :)


The lippies.......


Nicely Nude, Party Pink, Rosy Raisin

look the same in my photos. Pardon me. My camera is really bad. haha.

Anyway, they were supposed to look like this:




Nicely Nude, Party Pink, Rosy Raisin
But obviously they didn't turn up true to pictures. Nicely Nude and Party Pink looks the same. In fact, the lipsticks look darker than they really are.


Nicely Nude, Party Pink, Rosy Raisin

I've tested them. Can't say much for I'm heaty these days and my lips are just so red most of the time. Nicely Nude and Party Nude turn out pink on me. They do appear the same, just that Party Pink is a brighter and more pigmented shade. Rosy Raisin was a nude pink brown shade. It didn't even turn up on me. I guess I'll give it a go another day when my lips are back to normal.

The lipsticks are supposed to be sheer lipsticks. They are rather nice mineral lipsticks. There's no parabens, no preservatives, no funny smell in these lipsticks (and i assume no lead too). They go on smooth and the design is rather chic. But I cannot say so when I touch the black surface because it feels cheap. But noone is going to touch your lipstick cover anyway.

For USD $5, I would say it's ok. The ingredient list really appealed to me.

The not-so-appealing part of the lipstick is when you lift it up to look at the bottom and on the sticker, it reads "Made in China". And then you'll wonder again if they really are mineral lipsticks.

And my verdict? I think it's ok to buy them when they are having sale. I'm not totally blown away by it, partly because the colours didn't turn out the way i wanted. The pinks were too bright/pink for my liking.

But it's ok. I have 10 more lipsticks coming my way. hahahaha..

Correction: It should be 11. OMG...

John Little Star Deals (1-2 April)

In case you have missed this out.

Exclusively for cardmembers.

Date: 1-2 April 2009

Venue: Star Dust Plaza Singapura and Marina Square





I think it might be too blur to read.

It says "Pretty up for less with 20% off Cosmetics & Toiletries"
Valid for nett priced items only except KOSE and fragrnaces.

ZA - 40% off
Lioele - 30% off
Milani - 30% off
Bio-essence 30% - off

There are also freebies giveaway for various brands like Bourjois, Phyto, NUXE, Milani, Lord & Berry, FCUK.


For such good deals, what are you waiting for?


I hope there's going to be sale for Fasio and Canmake. :D~

Haul from Robinsons Expo Sale

Went to the Robinsons Expo Sale 2009.


Bought these from Stila. :)



- Eyes and shine - smudge pot trio (Black, bronze, gray) $20
- Single Eyeshadow pan in Cha Cha for $10
- Eyeshadow duo for $10

The eyeshadows were all right. Not very pigmented and rather shimmery. Cha Cha was something I've been wanting to get so I'm kind of glad I got it cheap. It's minty green but has golden shimmers. I find it very pretty for a spring colour. Though I'll probably have to use it wet to get it to show.

The smudgepot trio was a steal. They can be used as eyeliner or eye shadow. However, the eyeliner brush was missing from the box. I wouldn't mind having an extra brush, but after realising the brush is made in China, I didn't really mind after all. :P



A very small picture of the swatches. Pictures didn't turn out clear. Could only savage it by resizing. Top to botom: black, bronze, gray.



The smudge pots are very creamy and soft. Used my own Silk Naturals eyeliner brush (which I didn't really like either for it's too thin) for swatching. Bronze turned out great, very smooth. I didn't really like how black and gray turned out. It was a little uneven and smudgey. But they seemed great for smudging eyeshadow. Very easy to spread and blend.

Overall I'm rather pleased with it. Was planning to get a few more Indelible Gel Liners and Creme Eyeshadows from MAD Minerals. Now I can save some money.

I own only one Indelible Gel Liner in Chocolate Mousse. In comparison, I still prefer Indelible gel liners. Very easy to use. The only problem I have with them is sometimes, will find them too dry or dry up too fast. That's why I don't really want to buy too many of them in one go.

I think I might go down Robinsons Expo Sale again! :D Didn't buy much this time because I wanted to leave before it gets crowded.

New Hauls: Ah Yuan Organic Soaps

Had planned to head down several sales lately but in the end, cancelled my plans. I had new acne popping up one side of my face and it was really troubling me. :( Couldn't figure out why they keep popping up on that side. My skin was also itching badly. I suspected I'm allergic to one of the cleansers I'm using.

I recalled this entry I read about Ah Yuan organic soaps. I have been wanting to get them for some time but was a little lazy to go all the way down just to pick them up. Decided to get it since my skin seemed to be acting weird these days.



I bought three soaps: Organic Mung bean & Job’s tears, Wild Mugwort and Liquorice Hair.
Mung bean & Job’s tears just mean green beans and barley. I'm using it on the face. 3 days into it and I can see my acne slowly clearing up. The bumps hidden beneath the skin are still there though. Can feel them. I hope to see miracles. I'll give a more detailed review after longer usage.

Wild Mugwort soap is for my eczema/atopic dermatitis. It's supposed to help in relieving itching. So far it's all right. I've been itching and scratching so much. I wonder if it's due to the cold weather.

I bought Liquorice Hair for my parents but they haven't started on it. It contains liquorice, ginger etc and is meant for oily scalp and improve hair growth.

Here's the ingredient list for Organic Mung bean & Job’s tears soap followed by Wild Mugwort




I just realised there is an ingredient list in English but I forgot to take photos of that instead (and I can't take pictures cos I've dismantled my soap). You can hop over here again to read it there.

The soaps smell very herb-ish. For Organic Mung bean & Job’s tears, it doesn't smell as delicious like the dessert green bean soup. In fact, both Organic Mung bean & Job’s tears and Wild Mugwort smell the same to me, except the latter has a stronger smell.

I find them expensive for a small bar of soap. Mung bean & Job’s tears costs $9+ while the other two costs $12+.

Also had a chat with the salesperson there and she told me these soaps are selling very well. So sad when she told me these soaps are never on discount and the same price in Taiwan.

When I picked these up, the shelves (or rather boxes) were half empty. There's like about 8-10 different types with their uses indicated there. I just realised those information are not indicated on the soap, so I'm a bit lost because I forgot all that information.) Haha. Anyway I've dug this thread and this site out with all the information there.

If you are interested, hop over to NTUC The Living Pharmacy to pick it up. So far, I only know it's available at Lot 1 and Ang Mo Kio. Am not very sure about other branches.

I'll do a proper review again after longer usage.

The Body Shop Warehouse Sale 11-14 March

Source: http://thebodyshopsg.waveo.com/newsletter/display.html?x=106ie8.1m&y=923149B947D3C8BE01360BA721459B93&lang=en

Members can go in at 10am on first day.

Free Samples

In case you missed it.

Get samples of Cure Natural Aqua Gel here at their website

I was kind of sold after watching this


Cure Natural Aqua Gel works as a gentle exfoliator in removing dead skin cells. I've already tried the testers at Watsons. Got a lot of white flakes from rubbing on my hand. It also promises that those white flakes you get are really from dead skin and not from the exfoliator. I wonder if they are hinting Ginvera's Marvel Gel in any way. I'm currently using Ginvera's Marvel Gel so maybe a review to compare after I get to try this on the face. Do get a sample because this product is selling a pricey $38 in Watsons. It's best to try before buying. :p


KOSE Mask White also giving out samples at their site but I'm a little late. :(
It's currently on hold but for those interested, just bookmark it so that you can redeem it if they decide to reopen again.

That's all.

Watsons 21st Anniversary Sale (26 Feb to 25 March)

[off-topic] If anyone's interested in the upcoming John Little cardmembers' sale mailer, I have it but I'm not posting since Kimoko did. You can check out her photos (so much clearer). I'm very excited since it does look promising. I'm jotting down a list of items to buy. :)

Their current promotion is very tempting too. Not too sure whether it applies to all items but if you are not planning to spend $100 and above, I don't think it's worth it.






Not much.

Only bought these.



Avene Thermal Spray - 2 big bottles for $29.90
Box of Watsons Green Tea Mask - $6.95 (for every $10 purchase)

I don't really like Watsons masks but this green tea masks really work well for acne. Especially for new acne that just popped up and inflamed and those that are terribly painful. That's why I had to stock up on this. Especially when it's so cheap now.

As for the thermal water spray, I've heard good reviews about it for setting makeup and calming the face when irritated. Decided to try it out. :)

Took photos of the catalogue too since it's not up on Watsons website yet. Click the photos to see a bigger version (yes bigger, but not much clearer. :\). Sorry if some of the photos are blurred. Took coffee and my hands got shaky.




Posting such photos is a pain. >.< Hope you find some great deals though.:) -edited- Watsons online catalogue is available on their site. You can check it out for clearer details.

Review: Joppa Tinted Concealer Base

I realised I've lost interest in spreeing/online shopping recently.

Only ordered this tinted concealer base from Joppa Minerals. One item.



But you see two, or rather four items? No your eyes aren't playing tricks. I got a free eyeshadow sample along with my item. But instead of one package, two packages turned up at my door. Think I got lucky.



Sorry the ingredient list is blurred.

The tinted concealer base is recommended for those using mineral makeup concealer. It's suitable for those who find their powder concealer not adhering well to their face.

A quick review. The texture of the base is like lip balm in jars. It's not creamy, but rather dry in the pot and would need a good rub to get some out. But I find it moisturizing and spreads rather easily on the face. It gives a sheer coverage and goes on a little tinted. I think it might show up distinctly on very fair skin but for me, it wasn't obvious and helps to conceal a little bit.

Tested it with Everyday Minerals colour correctors for the undereye (Peach and Sunlight). I had problems with them for correcting my dark eye rings because the powder concealer just refuse to stick no matter how I applied them. And yes, with this, it works very well for me. But it's still very likely for the area to turn cakey if too much powder is used as the powder adheres to the base quite well.


Pros: Smooth application, moisturizing, powder adheres well to it.

Cons: Very unhygenic to keep digging your finger into the pot (I hate lipbalms in pots/jars)

Overall, I think it's not too bad since it works for me. But it does look like something that will dry out quickly.

Joppa is offering free shipping until 5 March 2009. Order your stuff fast if you want to enjoy the deal. :)

Storage Solution

Look what I found!


The perfect storage for all my makeup collection.



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Hahaha...


Ok obviously I didn't buy that.

I bought this instead.



Toyogo 3-tiered drawer for $14.90. Bought it off Fairprice Xtra.

It's a beautiful blue shade. Very sad it turns out green in the photo.
The plastic packets next to it and on top of it are compartment dividers where you can get them at Daiso.

I'm still in the midst of packing. Non-mineral items are easy to arrange but it's the mineral makeup that gives me a headache.

I think I still need slip-proof mats because everytime I open it, the items just fly all over the place. :(

Although it's a pretty drawer (out of the other Toyogo drawers), I wouldn't recommend this model. The back of the drawer sinks down when you pull them out. So when you close it, it gets stuck and you have to push it up to close it properly. I think it's a design defect for this model because my uglier Toyogo drawers work perfectly fine. But still, it's just so pretty la.