FAVORITE BEAUTY PRODUCTS OF 2014 (PART 2) + COUNTDOWN TO SG Updates

Sunday, January 04, 2015

Here are my favourite MAKE UP products of the year 2014, and I cannot tell you guys how tough it is for me to narrow down to these few products out of my crazy collection.
Read Part 1 here, where I talked about my favourite Skincare and Haircare products :>

PS I'm very sorry to those that are not interested in make up, newer blog posts coming up soon so don't worry! Hahaha 

Base
1.    The Face Shop’s FACE IT Power Perfection BB Cream
Source: The Face Shop
Its funny because I bought/received SO MANY foundations and BB creams this year. I think my collection probably grew by 3 times this year and I still find myself going back to this BB cream every time. It provides a medium coverage, and an SPF of  37 PA +++ which is pretty high.
 For some reason, it photographs very nicely, though it contains SPF in it which would usually leave a white cast.

This foundation is pretty long-lasting as well, and leaves just a teeeny weeny bit of glow on your skin after you’ve applied it. Got this off Gmarket for only SGD20 about 1.5 years ago, that’s really really cheap for such a big bottle imo!

2.    Maybelline Mineral Power Concealer
Source: Maybelline
I’ve been wearing this concealer for the past 2 years.. or even 3! And to date, I haven’t found a concealer that is as creamy, has better coverage and doesn’t crease.. at this price! 
This is only SGD 14.90 and lasts a really long time. I brought it with me on this trip and I use it all the time to conceal my blemishes, and highlight the bridge of my nose and eye area, still left with about 3 weeks worth of usage haha!

I love how its not as cakey, very creamy and easy to blend. Although it only has 2 shades, 1 and 2 (something a lot of ppl fuss about), I feel that Shade 1 fits me perfectly. I can use it as a highlight and it gives the prettiest lift to my face.

3.    Heroine Make Smooth Cover Powder SPF 32+++
Source: Skinfrosting
This is also not a new product, and I’ve been using this for the longest time. 
Every single day! It’s the only thing I don’t change up in my daily make up routine – I change up my blushes, eyeliners, mascara, and sometimes even concealers.. this has been the only constant in my life since I discovered it around 10 months ago! 
It gives a tiny bit of coverage, but its so subtle that it goes on almost transparent. I love how it is so fine, and has SPF in it, giving me even more protection from the sun, which is always a plus.
 This sets my make up seamlessly, without caking it. 
However I found that to achieve a non-cakey finish with this powder, you will have to use a separate big fluffy powder brush, instead of the puff that comes in the pan.

Eyes

1.    AB Eyelid Tapes (Yellow)
Source: Arakaki
I did an advertorial and demo in a blog post here
On the AB eyelid tapes. AB is a brand originated from Taiwan and specialises in different eyelid tapes for different sets of eyes. I was born with double eyelids, so using the kind that comes in a yellow box is most suitable for creating more deep-set looking eyes.
I use these AB eyelid tapes on days when my eyelids decide not to cooperate with me, haha anyone feel me? I call them eyelid-wonky days.

It is by far the BEST eyelid tape I have ever used. Although it is much more costly than other eyelid tapes in the market, these are so sturdy, and does the job well. 
I get the crease I want every single time and its so easy to use. Plus it stays put the whole day, even with make up over. And also, it looks pretty natural!

2.    Urban Decay Vice 3 Eyeshadow Palette

I don’t think anything can go wrong with this palette because it has everything you will ever need. 
From mattes, to glitters, neutral to electric and bold colors, the Vice 3 covers it all. 
I did a review on this palette here, with swatches of every single shadow included. It also comes with a huge mirror that makes it so much easier when I’m doing my make up on the go. What I love about this palette is that unlike others, it doesn’t only have a certain “family” of colors. 
You know how most palettes are either neutral, smokey, brown, taupe, reddish… etc? 

The Vice 3 has everything from Green to blue to brown to silver to gold, to purple.. everything!
I can do my eyeliner, brows, contour, eyeshadow all in just one palette!

Quality: needless to say, Urban Decay probably makes the best eyeshadows in the market in my opinion. Every color is so true and vibrant, they glide on so easily and is so easy to blend. Of course this is pretty pricey, but this palette will probably last you a lifetime! Hahaha

3.    Heroine Make Smooth Liquid Eyeliner
Source: Inluxure
This is by far the blalckest, and most opaque liquid eyeliner I’ve used in my life. I’m proabably on like my 6th or 7th one right now? It has a relatively thin tip that allows for easy application. It comes out completely black and opaque, dries so quickly (so you don’t have to worry about it transferring on your eyelid) and doesn’t budge at all throughout the day!
Highly highly recommend this eyeliner, I even bought 2 more to bring with me to europe because I know I wont be able to find it here.

4.    Heroine Make Long and Curl Mascara
Source: Herworldplus
If you’re wondering.. yess I know I can be Heroine Make’s spokesperson already. HAHA! But I’m serious when I say that this Mascara is the most longlasting one that I’ve ever used. Something about heroine Make and their products huh :>
People who’ve used other HM Mascaras before will know that its super waterproof and very difficult to get off. That’s probably the only downside to this mascara – the removal. This doesn’t bother me too much because I use the Heroine Make mascara remover, which makes removal much easier!

Back to this mascara, it is really black, and have little fibers that cling onto your lashes to elongate, separate and provides a tiny bit of volume.
 HM also has another version for volumizing, which works pretty well too but I personally prefer length and definition to volume for my lashes, so this is my fave! Because it is so waterproof, it does not budge and keeps the curl ALL DAY. Thumbs up for it being affordable as well!

Blush
1.    MAC Powdered Blush in Desert Rose
Source: Makeupalley
I’m sure MAC blushes need no explanation. Everyone loves MAC for its huge range of colors and pigmentation. I personally love the shade, Desert Rose (not available in SG) but it is the perfect Mauve color the goes so well with any skin tone.
It is not the cheapest, nor the most long lasting, and neither does it have the best packaging (so bulky) but it has pretty good color payoff and allows me to blend pretty easily.

2.    Catrice Cosmetics Defining Blush in 090 Mandy-rine
Source: Beautyaz
This blush has the prettiest packaging imo – it is so small and compact, and I like how its totally transparent that allows me to see the color of it easily.
It is also rectangular which enables me to store it easily.
 Although I only recently got it on my trip to Amsterdam, this is the ONLY blush I have been wearing since then. It has the prettiest color and lasts a long long time!
Says a lot huh ;)

Lips

1.    Maybelline Babylips Lip Balm
Source: Maybelline
My friends don’t call me the “Lip Balm Queen” for nothing. My lips are so dry and I absolutely detest the feeling of chapped lips. I have about 2 lip balms in every single bag I use and a tiny one in my wallet – I think its clear that I need my lip balms wherever I go. Haha!
 Its not a bad habit though, I feel that taking care of my lips is very important because I have exceptionally dry lips and it might trigger my eczema to flare up.
I love the Maybelline Babylips because not only do they taste yummy, they are very moisturizing and readily available at affordable prices!

I’ve used many other higher end ones that often claim to give better results, and none of them really give me lips as soft as these.

2.    Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet Lipstick in No.37 L’exuberant
Source: Chanel
I’m sure you guys are probably sick of me raving about this lipstick. But this is my holy grail go-to lip color the whole year! This is also the only Chanel lipstick that I bought (others were gifts), so you can only imagine how much I love it.
I’m never one to splurge on lipsticks because I feel that dupes out there are always easy to find. Always been a huge fan of drugstore brands like Rimmel, Revlon, Maybelline, NYX etc because they make amazing lipsticks at a fraction of the price.

But when I first tried on this shade during one of my photoshoots, I knew I had to get it. It’s like no other- for one, the color is nothing I’ve seen before. There are a few drugstore alternatives but the color is not even close to this.

L’exuberant is like a fuschia, pink that has a little bit of coral, pink, red, purple.. its just the perfect shade to me. Plus I love how I can apply it sheer or build it up easily and it gives me a brand new look.

3.    NYX Soft Matte Lip Crème in Istanbul
Source: Candice Reviews
Apart from the very attractive price (this was only SGD$12 ish), these have the best pigmentation and they glide on so smooth and easily on the lips. My personal favorite is this shade called Istanbul, a soft, nude, my-lips-but-better baby pink. Its so natural it can pass off as me having super healthy and beautiful lips.
But of course, everyone has different natural lip colors and this is pretty close to mine.. just better.

The lasting power is not great but it's small enough for me to throw it in my bag and reapply whenever I need to.
For the price, I have no complaints and this tiny tube is still going strong after 2 years!

Tools

1.    The Beauty Blender Sponge

Every girl that use make up should have already heard about this product by now, I can’t think of anything else that has been hyped up as much as the Beauty Blender Sponges on the internet in the year 2014!
If you’re interested, I wrote a whole long post on why it is SO DAMN WORTH your money.

I know many of you feel that spending $30 on a sponge is ridiculous, but I must say that this is probably my favoritest of favoritest out of all the products I’ve mentioned in this post. Seriously, I don’t know what I’ll do or where I’ll be if I hadnt discovered this earlier. HAHA!

If you’re a fan of flawless, simple, easy, quick and brainless application, you need a Beauty Blender sponge in your life. Hahaha in case you guys are wondering again. Nope, this post is not sponsored nor paid.

The durability and quality of this sponge is incedible and unlike any other sponges I’ve tried. I used to use a foundation brush/my fingers to apply my foundation and thought that buying another tool is unneccessary since I can just use my hands – they’re free of charge anyway LOL.
But trust me, applying foundation with your fingers can sometimes be unhygienic, and the worst thing is when you’ve got long nails and you get foundation in between your nails! EW
Plus, I found that using fingers always result in me slapping too much product on my face, not forgetting, it can sometimes look patchy and uneven too.


Using a foundation brush on the other hand requires a lot more time and technique in order to blend the streaks out nicely. With a damp beauty blender sponge, I can achieve a flawless, airbrushed canvas that looks so natural in NO TIME (I take 1.5 mins TOPPPPP to do my foundation)
AHH! Can you guys believe it ? In no time i'm flying my ass (together with my 30KG suitcases) back to Singapore.
I can't tell you guys enough about how bittersweet I feel about going home :') 
One thing for sure, I'm gonna be so happy stuffing myself silly with all that Singaporean food and of course, seeing my family again. 
Also not forgetting.. sleeping in my bed and having my wardrobe back in my arms. WOOHOO!

But the sad thing is, I'm gonna miss all of this so badly.
Who actually gets to travel to 20+ cities in Europe like I did? Without any worries, commitments, etc.
I'm so blessed to be able to go on this wonderful journey together with Matthias as well.
They say you will only truly know someone when you live with them, and we are very proud to say that although we've had our little quarrels and pet peeves here and there that we only found out during this trip, it has been nothing short of amazing.
Every single tiff we've had were constructive ones, and i'm so glad we had them because they only bring us closer and stronger as a couple :>

Well, now its time for work and time to up my game!
I'm already available for photo shoots / adverts starting next week so if you're interested to collaborate with me, feel free to drop me an email at mongchin-@hotmail.com .

Hope all of you are well and I'll see you in Singapore in no time,
Sweet dreams 




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4 comments

  1. hello may i know what colour code do u use for the heroine make powder?

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  2. Hello may i know where you bought your beauty blender? :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello! Mine was kindly given to me by the company itself, but you can get it easily at Sephora or online sites like Luxola.com

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