Primer

Helping you stop your makeup from melting with the Smashbox Photo Set Finishing Powder

Paris B 14 Comments

So, the Chinese New Year or Lunar New Year is just around the corner now, and its the time most of us meet up with relatives (love it or hate it!) and spend time with our families. This is also the time we go around to visit friends, to catch up over the year that we never bothered to stay in touch. It was more fun as kids when I’d have lucky red packets to collect (cash FTW!) but now I don’t get it anymore, its a chore 😛

But if there is one consistent thing about Chinese New Year, it is the weather. Over here in the tropics, it tends to be boiling hot at this time of year. So much so, we call it “Chinese New Year weather”. And if you try traipsing around houses in this heat, you will inevitably find your makeup melting. Well, I have a solution! 😀

smashbox through the lens kit

I discovered the Smashbox Photo Set Finishing Powder in the Behind The Lens set that came out at Christmas, and I swear by this to keep melting makeup at bay. I think having a face primer under the makeup helps some, but the icing on the cake is really the Photo Set Finishing Powder.

I wore this one day, trudged around the city in the hot hot sun and still looked pretty much pulled together by the end of it. It somehow just managed to hold foundation without running or melting, blush colour looked pretty vibrant and the only thing I might see melting somewhat was eyeshadow.

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MAC hops on the BB wagon with MAC Prep + Prime BB Beauty Balm SPF35 PA+++ : My thoughts

Paris B 27 Comments

The BB Cream madness continues. Have you noticed just how many brands now have a BB Cream or another? Sure, they may not always call it a “BB Cream”. MAC for example, calls theirs a Beauty Balm and unless you are familiar with the whole BB thing, you may not realize its supposed to be a member of the BB Cream cult.

mac prep + prime bb beauty balm

Mine came from Changi airport and for now, this is a travel exclusive. But I’m given to understand that that will change soon, so it will be available in MAC stores as well.

The difference I have noticed between Western versions of BB Creams and the Korean/Asian versions, is that the Western versions don’t tout all sorts of miraculous all-in-one capabilities. The recommendation is to apply the MAC Beauty Balm after moisturizer and since it contains SPF35/PA+++, I’d say that the MAC Beauty Balm is actually pretty much a tinted sunscreen cum makeup base.

Regulars will know that I’m not MAC’s biggest cheerleader, so really, how does this one fare then?

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Guerlain Midnight Star Collector : When Limited Edition might be a good thing

Paris B 20 Comments

We did not hear much from Guerlain for Christmas 2010 which is why it sort of flew under my radar. Perhaps it was because everyone was focusing on Spring 2011 and that gorgeous Guerlain Blush G Serie Noire 😉

review guerlain midnight star primer

But I was gifted with this limited edition item from Guerlain – Midnight Star Collector, which has a very interesting concept of a primer in a tube. Essentially, its 10 mini tubes of primer in a glass tube topped with the Guerlain signature bee.

Each tube of primer is supposed to be for 1 use and its supposed to deliver an instant boost to the skin to dispel fatigue and stress and refresh skin. Something you’d use after late nights at work or more likely, late nights partying. Very intriguing right?

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Smashbox Cosmetics fulfils your Wish for the Perfect Primers this Christmas

Paris B 19 Comments

You when its a good time to try new stuff? When it comes in a value set 🙂

The Smashbox Wish for the Perfect Primer set (RM189) is a good one for you to try the various primers under Smashbox Cosmetics. What you get is this:-

smashbox wish for the perfect primer photos

I’ve tried the Photo Finish Foundation Primer (review for anyone interested) and I was dithering over buying the full size but I didn’t. I’m glad I didn’t because I much prefer that the one in this set comes in a tube form.

The old packaging is in a pump form. Whilst I like pump mechanisms for things like moisturizer, I dislike how there is wastage – product sticks to the mechanism and to the inside of the pump. In a tube, you can literally clean it out! I took a quick look at the website and it appears that Smashbox is changing their packaging for the primer to the tube. Yay!

I haven’t tried the Photo Finish Lid Primer so this is a good time to 🙂 Would like to see if I prefer it to the Urban Decay Primer Potion which I wasn’t quite enamoured with.

But there is one product in this set that really caught my attention from get-go and its this one.

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