YSL ROUGE PUR COUTURE Vernis À Lèvres Glossy Stain #5 Rouge Vintage and #16 Pourpre Preview

I have fallen for the YSL glossy stains in a major way. Can you imagine my delight when I found them at the DFS at the airport? (We do not have YSL in Singapore.) I own 4 at the moment (you can read my reviews of Corail Aquatique and Rose Vinyl here and Corail Fauve ad Orange De Chine here.) and I have another two to add to my collection.

Left to right: Rouge Vintage and Pourpre Preview

Rouge Vintage is a warm dark rose shade on my lips. Not really a red on me.

Pourpre Preview is a cool magenta shade, a shade I don't think I own.

All my YSL babies in a row

Left to right: #5 Rouge Vintage, #7 Corail Aquatique, #8 Orange De Chine, #12 Corail Fauve, #15 Rose Vinyl and #16 Pourpre Preview

Of all the shade, my favourites are still Rose Vinyl and Corail Fauve. What are yours?

Ratings: 5 lipsticks

Giorgio Armani UV Master Primer Review

I bought the UV master primer to streamline my morning makeup routine. Instead of having to apply a sunblock and then a primer, this will kill two birds with one stone. 

I have always been particular about sun protection. So when I saw the high SPF, I was doubly happy.

For some reason I am unable to find much information about the UV Master Primer on its official international website. I was able to find it on the GA website for Asia, you can read about it here.

The UV master primer comes in the same plastic squeeze tube like the fluid master primer (one of my favourite matte primers of all time!) except that it is a white tube instead of black.

The consistency and texture is that of a very light cream that blends and absorbs easily into the skin. I do not get a white cast but I do notice an instant glow. It works similarly to my Burberry Fresh Glow Luminous Base Fluid except it has SPF and is glowier (is that even a word?)

I tried it with various foundations and found that it helped my foundation stay put and last throughout the day. However it doe not minimize my pores.

I prefer using this with my matte foundations e.g. GA Lasting Silk UV foundation or MUFE HD foundation for a subtle glow. When paired with GA Designer Lift or GA Luminous Silk the luminosity is quite pronounced.

Just UV Master Primer and Designer Lift foundation, no powder.

I love that it is a two in one primer. I have always been happy with GA base products and this is also one of them. My skin currently is between a normal and combination but I don't get the oilies now like before. I can go the day without blotting and not looking like an oil slick. So for me I love the glowy effect the UV Master Primer gives me. If you have oily skin and need to blot every few hours and also have enlarged pores, this isn't a product for you. I think you would be better off using a favourite sun block under the Fluid Master Primer.

This is selling for SGD $63.

Ratings: 3+ lipsticks

Epic Online Haul

I just received my long awaited package. These are some items that I have ordered in the past months. I am so happy to receive them all at once. I am bedazzled by the number of pretty things.

New Giorgio Armani Eye To Kill eye shadows from the Sumer 2012 collection. Madre Perla and Obsidian Black plus a sample of the Multi-corrective Rejuvenating Cream.

Le Metier de Beaute Blush Kaleidoscope, single eye shadows in Jojo and Corinthian, a lip palette GWP, a sample of the Peau Vierge (been dying to try this for ages!) and a sample of the makeup remover.

Finally, Chanticaille's Coral Reef palette and a little Shu Uemura lipgloss (thanks J!).

I am having so much fun playing with my new stuff! Reviews and more pictures soon I promise. Be patient. :)

Giorgio Armani Designer Lift Smoothing Firming Foundation Shade 6 Swatches and Review

I have been wanting to try this since I read reviews from Front Row Beauty and Delicate Hummingbird. But back then it was quite difficult to get access to Giorgio Armani. And foundations are so tricky to buy online.

I have been under the sun quite a lot lately and have gotten a serious tan. I decided that it would be a great time to get myself matched at the Giorgio Armani counter at DFS Scotts Road once and for all. 

(Taken from the Giorgio Armani website)

Full coverage in the most featherlight texture there is. Comfort, sensory delight and hold. Designer Lift creates the perfect balance. 

The Armani glow reaches its height: the skin is cloaked in a matte and luminous veil. The stretch texture, rich in active ingredients, enhances the youthfulness of the face. 

Just like in couture, the difference is in the details. Designer Lift’s added extra is an unusual hint of Prussian blue pearliser. A bold addition that brings a new freshness to the complexion. 

Nothing is more difficult to achieve than apparent simplicity.The best of Giorgio Armani technology is combined in this formula, resulting in an immediate effect.

A natural result is guaranteed and reached easily, as if it was the work of a practised make-up artist. 

Drawing on Micro-Fil Stretch technology, Designer lift drapes the skin in a new cosmetic textile: an extremely fine extendable mesh, inspired by Stretch fabrics. Smooth and voluptuous, Designer lift gently embraces the face.

Sensory pleasure and absolute comfort, for hours… A perfect second-skin sensation.

I was matched to shade 6 which is described as a golden beige shade. It suits my skin tone very well so it does not look like I am wearing foundation. Just my skin but better.

Left to right: GA Lasting Silk 5.5, GA Designer Lift 6, GA Luminous Silk 6 and GA Lasting Silk 7

I have above all my Giorgio Armani foundations (Face Fabric missing, sorry.) As you can see, my misadventures with ordering foundations online has left me with 2 foundations that are either too dark or too light. I mix both to get a shade suitable with my skin tone. I also asked for a sample of the Luminous Silk foundation in shade 6 which I will review later.

When compared with Lasting Silk and Luminous Silk, Designer Lift has a creamier slightly thicker consistency. It still blends very well with my two favourite foundation brushes. My Shiseido Perfect Foundation Brush and my Sigma Round Top Kabuki (not yet reviewed.)

With only Designer Lift applied over UV Master Primer, no powder

Coverage ranges from medium to full. I was recommended to use one full pump which I found still too much for me. So I use less than a full pump and concentrate mostly on my cheek area which has the most acne scars. Designer Lift imparts a satiny glow and after a 5 hours I do get some shine which I blot. I do find that in humid conditions I start to shine much sooner. 

I wore this for my dance class on Saturday. It survived a hot and sweaty 10 minute walk under the sun. After dance class, instead of an oil slick, I was slightly shiny looking.

I think this would be a great foundation for drier skins and normal skins. If you happen to have very oily skin, you might not like the shine.

Left to right: GA Designer Lift 6, Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua B30, Burberry Sheer Foundation No. 7, MUFE HD Foundation #123 Desert ad Lancome Teint Miracle O-04

My overall thoughts on Giorgio Armani Designer Lift Foundation:

I think it is another winner from Giorgio Armani. They make some of the best foundations. At SGD $84, it is one pricey foundation but worth the price if you like a luminous finish. It blends well and though creamy still feels feather light on the skin. If you have very oily skin or work in a environment which is non air-conditioned and humid, I would prefer you try the Lasting Silk foundation which is another fantastic foundation in my humble opinion. 

Ratings: 4 lipsticks

Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill Waterproof Mascara

(Taken from Nordstrom webite)

Empower the eye with more intensity with Eyes to Kill Waterproof mascara, a long-wear, lengthening and volumizing formula.

The lash-liner brush instantly outlines and loads the lashes with a high-powered yet lightweight formula. Use a zigzag movement starting at the root, and glide up to the tips to elongate, curve, separate and extend the lashes with an unforgettable sheen.

• Suitable for sensitive eyes.
• Fragrance-free.
• Ophthalmologist-tested.

I have been wanting to try this mascara for the longest time now. I finlly got to try it at the Giorgio Armani counter. At the counter after Alan tried it on me, my puny lashes were visible. I liked it so much I bought it. SGD $46.

I love the hefty steel tube. It feels so luxurious.

I hate doing lash swatches. My lashes do not behave and they always turn out wonky. That is real life for you. 

I definitely prefer this to my Lancome Hypnose Doll Eyes. The formula isn't very wet so I can use it easily with minimal smudges. I can apply quite a few layers without feeling that it is all spidery leg like. Because it is water proof, it does not smudge on me at all. I like the wand. It separates my lashes with no clumps at all. It also holds up my curled lashes without weighing them down.

I like it but I am not in love with it yet. I have a strange and sneaky feeling that a drugstore brand would probably give me the same results and at a lesser price. Sigh.

Ratings: 3 lipsticks

Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill Silk Eye shadow No. 1 Blast of Blue

There are a couple of pot eye shadow formulas that  am head over heels for and I hoard like crazy. I love the Shiseido Shimmering Cream eye shadows, the Chanel Illusion d'Ombres and the Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill eye shadows. The main difference between the Chanel and Giorgio Armani ones is the texture. GA is a pigmented pressed powder whereas Chanel is a pigmented bouncy cream/mousse texture.

I think many people compare ETKs to the Loreal Infallibles. Yes they do have a similar texture but when it comes to the complexity of colours and quality, I still feel ETKs beat Infallibles hands down.

I did not want to get any more blue eye shadows. Certain blues are very tricky for me.  Blast of Blue was sitting so prettily at the counter and between Lust Red (another gorgeous colour) and Blast of Blue I felt I would wear it more often. When Alan the MA at the DFS Scotts GA counter applied it on me, I was sold.

Blast of Blue is a silvery steel blue with hints of gold. I can wear it as a subtle colour or go smoky with it.

Just to recap what I have been saying about the ETKs. Eyes To Kill eye shadows do crease slightly on me if I do not use a primer underneath. With a primer, they last all day without creasing. They are not tear  proof for me. Selling for SGD $41.

Ratings: 5 lipsticks