Hada Labo Arbutin Whitening Lotion Review: New Nano Formula

Sometimes, Asian drugstore skincare brands can be excessively gimmicky and trend-driven, rather than truly effective. That's why Hada Labo (literally "skin lab" in Japanese) has won my respect out of a plethora of available options, just because they have simple, cosmetically elegant products that work. While they do have a supremely effective marketing slogan ("one drop locks up an ocean", anyone?), I generally feel that Hada labo actually also has products that have proven to be effective. The latest product, the Hada Labo Arbutin Whitening Lotion, is also similarly promising.

The company previously had a Lifitng and Firming Lotion for bouncy skin, their famous moisturizer with the "one drop locks up an ocean" tagline and even an olive oil cleanser, so what's missing from a complete repertoire of products for the Asian market? A new-and-improved whitening line, of course!


Hada Labo Arbutin Whitening Lotion: pretty bottle, effective ingredients, easy to use - great!
The Hada Labo Arbutin Whitening Lotion is the star of this line, and in true Hada Labo style, the product is packaged like other Hada Labo lotions - in a very nice, tall cylindrical container with Japanese words and design. I'll say this about the company - they sure are generous with their amount of product! I believe this bottle has 170ml of face lotion! Wow, I mean, most creams are in pots of 30ml or 50ml, but nope, not Hada Labo, they do it big. I like that. I'm pretty sure if you divided the cost, on a per-ml basis it would be cheaper than a lot of other drugstore brands. But it doesn't mean it's any worse a product. And the sensible pour spout you see below? Fantastic. I never worry about spillage - when you tip the bottle, only a few drops comes out at a time, so you don't dispense too much by accident.


Sensible pour-spout opening that pours a few drops at a time, so clumsies like me don't end up spilling half the bottle.
The Arbutin Whitening Lotion itself is a milky liquid. It is thinner and more liquid in texture than the Retinol Lifting and Firming Lotion, but less watery than the Super Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Lotion. I imagine that the liquid texture would make it popular. I use this by pouring a few drops onto my palm, and applying onto my face with fingers. I know others who like to pat it into the skin. Whichever method you use, it absorbs fast, and doesn't leave your face feeling sticky. Your skin still feels moist, for sure, but it's not gross and tacky-feeling.


Milky, light liquid that absorbs fast into your skin.
One thing that really impressed me about the Hada Labo Whitening Lotion is the ingredients. It seems like they have made an effort to include a good amount of Arbutin (fourth in the ingredient list, after water et al. solvents and humectants, and is pretty effective as a whitening agent), which probably does most of the heavy lifting, whitening-wise. There is also a lesser amount of Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, a relative of L-Ascorbic Acid (aka Vitamin C), which has also been backed up by available research as a whitening ingredient. Other ingredients, such as Glycerin and Sorbitol, function primarily as humectants to draw water to the skin. It's a good ingredients list - no "fairy dust" type of non-functional ingredients that are just there to look good in marketing materials. Well, if I wanted to be picky, I'd say that the Hyaluronic Acid, billed as one of the a selling point, is really the last ingredient on the list, and its neutralized form, Sodium Hyaluronate, is also somewhere-near-last on the ingredients list. Still, this gives good moisturization regardless.

Ingredients: Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Arbutin, Sorbitol, PPG-10 Methyl Glucose Ether, Methylparaben, Disodium succinate, Styrene/VP Copolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Succinic acid, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid


Key ingredients include arbutin, sorbitol, and some magnesium ascorbyl phosphate.
So, would I recommend this product? I think I would, especially when you consider its cost-for-quality ratio. This is a nicely balanced product - good ingredients that will deliver on the product claims, great cosmetic elegance, and all for a good price. Sure, there are cheaper whitening lotions, but I suspect they may not be as effective as this (arbutin as the fourth ingredient? I don't think so...). And sure, there are whitening lotions that are more effective than this, but you will also pay horribly, disproportionately more. All in all, this is a great all-arounder, and is probably my favourite Hada Labo product to date. If you're interested, Hada Labo's Facebook page allows you to redeem some product samples, so do give it a browse.

(Product was sent for review. Review is my complete and honest opinion. I am not affiliated with/compensated by the company.)

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Quick Look: Sleek Lip4 Palettes (Lip⁴, Really) in Ballet and Siren

Sleek has released the Lip4 (it's really Lip⁴, meaning Lip Cubed, but Lip4 seems easier to type, heh) Palettes, and because I've been busy in real life (which you know, I have, because I can't exactly survive solely on the light and heat emanating from my laptop), I've been kinda...sitting on these. No excuses, I know, but I hope some pretty Lip⁴ Palette photos and my first thoughts of them will be sufficient until I swatch these babies for you! I have Ballet and Siren here with me, and man, are these gorgeous looking!


Sleek Lip⁴ Palettes - L: Siren, R: Ballet
The first thing that made me ooh and aah was really the packaging. I'm not really one for lip palettes, to be brutally honest, because I can't stand getting out my lipbrush (I mean, I have one...I'm just too lazy to use it). But just look at the packaging, and how pretty the palettes look! Even the boxes are pretty!


I like that the boxes show printed colour swatches on the front.
Anyway, let's take a closer look at the two, and I'll give you my preliminary impression of each, until I get to use them, okay? First up, is the Sleek Ballet Lip⁴ Palette. This is a collection of pretty nudes, with mostly matte/satin finish shades. Only the top left shade is a glossy finish. Most of these also seem a little on the pale side. The colour that looks the nicest to me is the darkest nude, because it's the closest to my natural lip shade.


Sleek Lip⁴ Palette in Ballet is full of pretty nude pinks.
From what I can see, even the gloss shades in this palette are pretty opaque. The two shades on the left are a little bit more peach-leaning nudes, which are great for warmer skintones. The other two on the right are neutral to cooltoned shades. So yes, you do cover a base of both warm and cool shades with this one, as well as a range of depth of colours (a deep nude, to a pale, pale nude). Since there are more pale nude shades than deeper nude shades, I suspect this one would work better on lighter skintones, as there is less likelihood of the shades looking a tad corpse-y. Unless you love your nudes pale, of course, then this is for you.


Closer look at the pretty pinks in the Sleek Lip⁴ Palette in Ballet.
The Sleek Lip⁴ Palette in Siren, on the other hand, is just the opposite. This is all red-lipped drama, and very commanding, too. Right off the bat, all the shades in this palette are red. Like, red-red. Not sheer-play-nice-red-for-red-shy-girls red, or red-that's-offset-with-lots-of-brown-and-rose-so-it's-nice-and-wearable red. Well, there is a coral-red, and a pink-red, but generally, if you don't like reds, you probably aren't going to enjoy this palette much. But if you like your reds, and if every red lipstick is different to you (I know I'm like that!) then yes! this is up your alley.


Sleek Lip⁴ Palette in Siren: Gorgeous, fierce reds.
The two glossy shades are the ones at the top left and bottom right. These are the more red-red types of shades. To be honest, the top left one seems somewhat darker than the bottom right, but I'm not sure I see much difference. Maybe when I eventually get round to swatching these. The top right shade is the coral-red, and the bottom left is the pink-red. The swatches I've seen show them to be quite wearable, and not too bad, but how red they turn out seem to vary on different skintones - some swatches I've seen make me think, "Hey, these are pretty wearable and not-red-ish!", while others make me go, "Hmm, these are still pretty red, just a hint of pink/coral." So I guess it's a little personal.


Sleek Lip⁴ Palette in Siren: Reds with hints of pink and coral.
One of the things I'd love to update you guys on when I eventually use these is the texture of the lipsticks. In my experience as a makeup hoarding junkie, lip products in palettes tend to be a tad on the dry side. The only way to know for sure is just to try it out. Looking at these, it seems like the colours are going to be pretty pigmented, so I imagine there proably won't be too many surprises between how they are in the pan and how they are on my lips, but I want to test it out too. I also want to kinda mix the colours around and see what fun shades I can come up with. I'll be reporting back, and letting you know how it goes!

(Product was sent for review. Review is my complete and honest opinion. I am not affiliated with/compensated by the company.)

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Lancôme Advanced Génifique Youth Activator Review and Analysis

Lancôme always has very interesting and cutting-edge products, and this time, they've lived up to expectations with their latest Advanced Génifique Youth Activator. The claims for this product stress the research that has gone into updating the formula - it's "inspired by 14 years of research in gene science and 9 patents covered until 2029", and is "enriched with a biotechnology derived ingredient and exclusive self-loading dropper", and claims to "deliver almost 40% more active ingredients than before", with "visible results in just 7 days". That's definitely a confident sales pitch!

Lancome Advanced Génifique Youth Activator: sleek and sexy in black packaging.
The Lancôme Advanced Génifique Youth Activator comes said self-loading dropper, which I really like as it isn't as messy as sticking my fingers into a jar. The product is a milky-looking liquid with a surprisingly light texture. I applied it to my face with my fingers, and it absorbs quite quickly after a minute or two. It has a pleasant, slightly floral fragrance that is not overpowering or strong. When I used it, I did find that my skin seemed to be more well-hydrated, somewhat plumper and smoother, and had a better texture overall. I'm not exactly at the age where I really need to be concerned about fine lines or wrinkles, so I can't say for sure how those work, but overall, I'd say that this seems to have done its job.


Milky, light liquid that absorbed well and did a good job overall, especially for hydration and plumping.
Now, I could end my review, here, but then we'd miss out on the really cool part of this product - it's ingredients! This is where it gets a little interesting. One of the key ingredients (the second ingredient, in fact) in this product is Bifida Ferment Lysate, which is actually a bacteria. That can be found in your gut. So why is it in skincare? Apparently since 2009, there have been claims suggesting that Bifida Ferment Lysate can aid in repairing DNA damage, and since damage to cellular DNA is a large part of aging, I can see why this could potentially be huge in skincare. There was even a patent filed in 2009 for a skincare formulation involving Bifida Ferment Lysate. To date, the L'Oreal Group (which includes Lancome under its umbrella of brands) seems to be one of the main companies putting out products with this ingredient. L'Oreal has also published a paper from 2009 showing that Bifida Ferment Lysate, when applied to skin in a cream of 10%, helped improve skin barrier function, and hydration.

Mmm...gut bacteria on your skin...(Image source)

The only issue is that there doesn't seem to be any other published research replicating the results (I did a quick search on the Wiley Online Library and nothing turned up). I'm not too surprised, though - this seems quite cutting-edge, and the L'Oreal group happens to be one of the companies that is quiet innovation-driven in its new product launches. Evidently they believe it works effectively enough for them to include it in a product, and make it one of the key ingredients, too. The Lancome PR people are actually really nice, so I felt bad bugging my contact for further info on whether there was any other research they conducted on bifada ferment lysate, because I'm sure all I did was create more trouble for them - not least because the marketing arm that deals with bloggers probably isn't exactly the same department as the one that does R&D; I mean, they may not even be in the same country or continent! But I did it anyway, and I hope they don't hate me for it. I'll let you know if I get anything - it would be cool if there was because it does seem promising (it's one paper, I know, but hey, most creams can't even back up their novel ingredients with anything!). In anycase, there are other ingredients that have a beneficial effect on skin - the other two main ones are Glycerin and Sodium Hyaluronate, which help with hydration.


To buy or not to buy? That depends on how cutting-edge you believe the bifada bacteria to be in improving your skin.
I know that for some consumers, it's perhaps a leap to buy a skincare product when its star ingredient isn't independently proven, but for me, it does seem to work, so I'd say this isn't too bad overall - if nothing else, it does seem to work in making your skin more resilient in its barrier properties and hydrated. And, it does have a unique selling point. It is a little pricey, but there are so many lousier products out there in the market with generic formulation that are equally pricey (if not pricier). If you want a product that will deliver solid hydration to your skin, is lightweight and easy to use, and if you want to try something on the cutting-edge of technology, this is a good one to pick.

The Advanced Génifique Youth Activator comes in a few sizes and prices: 20ml ($99, limited edition), 30ml ($130), 50ml ($170, limited edition), 75ml ($210). The prices are staggered such that on a per-ml basis, the larger volumes are cheaper, but the smaller sizes are good if you're thinking of just trying the product before committing to a huge bottle.

(Product was sent for review. Review is my complete and honest opinion. I am not affiliated with/compensated by the company.)

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Samsung's Fashion Steps Out: Orchard Fashion Runway

Last weekend saw one of the highlights of Samsung's Fashion Steps Out, the Orchard Fashion Runway. During this event, Orchard Road is shut down and transformed into a fashion runway. This year, 173 models, each wearing one outfit, strut down the 600 meters along Orchard Road. It's an impressive affair, and I was able to capture a few shots, both backstage and on the runway, for you!

Balloons...who doesn't love balloons?
Having Orchard Road as the runway emphasizes the show's accessibility - almost all the clothes seen during the show can be bought immediately after the show, too, in stores. That's something that's a little different from most runway shows.

173 models, 18 makeup artists, goodness knows how many hair stylists, and other staff all crammed into two tents...
Backstage was a very chaotic affair. The makeup and hair was both done by Shiseido. Gilbert Yeo, part of the creative team at Act Point Salon, was doing up the hair of the event's emcee, Junita Simon, and he shared with us his favourite product used that evening: Shiseido Professional Stage Works Damp Jelly, a limited edition styling product for achieving an intense gloss finish.

Gilbert Yeo styling Junita Simon's hair. Junita Simon, by the way, is gorgeous!
For makeup, Karen Ooh, Senior Trainer for Makeup with Shiseido, shared on the various makeup looks, noting that it actually took around 30-40 minutes to get a model's makeup ready. Seems shorter than you might expect? Karen explained that for runway makeup, precision and blending weren't as critical as everyday looks, and the emphasis was more on creating dramatic effects that wouldn't be washed out under the runway lights. Her favorite look? Victoria Beckham, because the emphasis was on cheeks, rather than on the eyes like most runway looks. She also gave us a tip: the makeup artists actually used a sticky lipbalm on eyes instead of lash glue to stick the glitter on the model's faces.

Makeup booths backstage. Fast-paced, and slightly chaotic.
This was my first time ever backstage at any fashion show or event, and I have to say - I've never seen so many models, makeup artists, hairstylists, clothes, and shoes all packed together in one venue! And although each model only has one outfit (so there is no need to change her makeup/hair/clothes midway through the show), it still nevertheless takes a lot to prep for a show like this!

Off duty models. I have to say, they are so beautiful and statuesque.
And because I'm not a fashion blogger and I suck at describing clothes, I'm just going to leave you with the pretty pictures of lovely looking models wearing the outfits showcased by the various brands. Well, if I have something to say, I'll say it, but for the most part, I'll let the photos do the talking.

Fausto Puglisi was heavy on the embellishments - almost every outfit had something shiny. To my admittedly clueless eye, the word that stood out to me was "bling". Totally inadequate, I know. This is why I said I'd let the photos do the talking.

Fausto Puglisi at Samsung Fashion Steps Out
Victoria by Victoria Beckham had a totally different look, consisting of chic neutrals paired with colours, such as jade and coral. My favourite by far. But then again, you're talking to someone whose jam waaay back in the day was "Wannabe". Oh, yeah.

Victoria Beckham at Samsung Fashion Steps Out
Coach had a lot of coats - not quite our Singaporean weather, but pretty nonetheless. And bags. Lots of bags. I love how the models were paired up like couples, complete with idyllic accessories like bicycle with flowers.

Coach at Samsung Fashion Steps Out
J.Press - if I'm not wrong this brand just launched in Singapore, and I don't know a thing about the brand or men's fashion. All that came to my mind was, "Wow, this is so preppy." I like the casual looking cloth blazers though - I imagine that if you want to look professional at a "casual" work event, these might come in handy. Not sure I approve of yellow pants, but I guess it's part of the look!

J. Press at Samsung Fashion Steps Out. White pants. Yellow pants. Hmm.
Robinsons had some very wearable features. Nice, but not quite my style. For the most part, the collection looked practical and wearable.

Robinsons at Samsung Fashion Steps Out
Robinsons also has male clothes. I won't embarrass myself by attempting to say something intelligent about men's fashion. Except that I don't approve of shorts paired with blazers. Not for formal wear. Not for informal wear. Not at all. But that's just me, of course.


Robinsons at Samsung Fashion Steps Out. Shorts, red pants, scarves - all your metro manly needs fulfilled.
Marks & Spencer was another brand featuring bright colours and floral work appropriate and patterned and full of prints. I actually like their clothes (I know, my fashion sense is so not-hip, blame it on my corporate work environment); but their prices aren't exactly budget-friendly, even when they have sales. Still, love the florals.

M&S at Samsung Fashion Steps Out
I think this is also Marks and Spencers...Bright springy colours.

M&S at Samsung Fashion Steps Out
And, there were guys too.

M&S at Samsung Fashion Steps Out
Adolfo Dominguez had his models dressed in outfits that cut a sharp figure on the runway. Some more party-oriented dresses were accessorized with sequins, but overall this was also another favourite of mine. I can totally imagine wearing some of these at work, if I ever felt inclined to be more stylish than I currently am.

Adolfo Domiguez at Samsung Fashion Steps Out
Adolfo Domiguez at Samsung Fashion Steps Out
In the photo below, I quite liked all the outfits shown. Looks good in the office, and after work. Except maybe the first one on the right. Shiny white pants...I don't think I'd get through a day at work with those. I'll end up ruining them.

Adolfo Domiguez at Samsung Fashion Steps Out
Maria Grachvogel; not much to say. Very nice and wearable looks, too. Pretty, flowy, feminine. Although I do wonder how they would look on someone a little shorter and fatter - I've got a feeling the lines wouldn't quite flow as well.

Maria Grachvogel at Samsung Fashion Steps Out
Maria Grachvogel at Samsung Fashion Steps Out
Maria Grachvogel at Samsung Fashion Steps Out
Blugirl. So, turns out Blugirl is the name of an Italian fashion brand...obviously I've never heard of it. Bright fun florals on bright colours. Lots of florals and white. I guess this is a brand that targets a younger, fresher market other than an office-bound girl who rarely has reason to buy non-work clothes.

Blugirl at Samsung Fashion Steps Out
And I guess that's it! It was certainly an exciting event for me. I also realized that being a professional photographer is a tough job. They scamper frantically up and down the sides of the runway trying to get good views and angles of every look on the runway, and they have serious gear to lug along - tripods, bags, lenses, and so on. I had an entry-grade digicam on me, and I sat throughout the event, and I was in awe at their photographic chops. So let's end this post with a glimpse of life on the other side of the lens:


I'm your biggest fan, I'll follow you until you love me, papa, paparazzi!

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Cellnique D'Sensi Calming & Hydrating Cream Review

Cellnique is an Asian brand, but the impressive thing about is that, unlike other Asian brands that tend to be more marketing than substance, churning out near-identical faddish products, Cellnique seems to have a unique position in the market. They have solid technology behind their products, and their products actually work. Cellnique isn't cheap, to be sure, but it is really good. Case in point is the Cellnique D'Sensi Calming and Hydrating Cream. I tried it out, and yes, it is indeed good.

Cellnique D'Sensi Calming and Hydrating Cream - Great product, but the clunky jar...
Let's start our with the packaging. Which is good, because the packaging is perhaps one of the few drawbacks about the product. The clear plastic, green tub and silver lid look really cool, but they also make the packaging a little clunky. But you know, if clunky packaging is your worst gripe about the product, then it can't be that bad...And yes, the rest of the product is good.

Look at the luxurious gel-like cream
The Calming and Hydrating Cream itself is a thick white gel. It is a little on the sticky and heavy side, which makes it feel very luxurious. It absorbs better if you wait a couple of minutes for it to absorb fully. I used this both in the day and night, and found that it did seem to moisturize well, and that it seemed to help somewhat with "calming" of my skin.

A dollop of the cream on my skin...
The only downside is that when I used this in the day, under my sunscreen (Avene Very High Protection Spray), something in the chemistry of those two products doesn't interact well when layered, so I experienced some balling and peeling after I had layered my sunscreen over my moisturizer. I find there is less balling if the moisturizer has had a little more time to absorb into the skin, so perhaps the couple of minutes I was waiting between moisturizer and sunscreen application was insufficient. Of course, there are many different ways to formulate sunscreen, so this may not happen with other types of sunscreen.

Fully absorbed into my skin when rubbed in
Nevertheless, despite the balling and peeling, I liked the D'Sensi Calming and Hydrating Cream so much that I actually finished up the entire jar! I mean, I review a lot of skincare, so quite a few products I review tend to be just fiddled around with for the few weeks I'm reviewing them, before they get passed on to other people (mum, sisters, friends and family who are game enough to use my stuff, LOL). Since I only have one face, I tend to just keep the products I really felt were beneficial to my skin. So the fact that I've not only retained this product, but have also actually used it up, says something!

I actually used up this product! OMG! I hit pan!
Anyway, I liked this product - it did exactly what it said it would, and I actually liked it enough to finish it up! If you like your moisturizers in a thick gel form, with good hydration, this is one to look out for.

(Product was sent for review. Review is my complete and honest opinion. I am not affiliated with/compensated by the company.)

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Illamasqua Haul: Nail Polish and Eyeshadow!

Illamasqua recently had an Easter sale (which took the form of an easter egg hunt), and of course, I HAD to order something. So, look at my loot! Ta-da!

Illamasqua haul! Yay!
Now, I know that I do have more than enough makeup and nail polish, but you guys shouldn't judge me for my beauty product acquisition illness. I mean, it was a sale! 45% discount with an extra 10% discount on top of that, guys! One does not simply pass up an Illamasqua sale!

Come on, who can pass up an Illamasqua sale?!
Yes, one does not, indeed. But if you did, Illamasqua's two big sale seasons are Christmas, and Easter. I'm guessing there are a couple more, but I'm hanging on til the end of the year to see what's up then. Anyway, you want to see what I bought?

Neutrals, I know, I know...I apologize for my boring eyeshadow colour tastes.
Most of the haul was nail polishes, but let's start with the eyeshadows first. I tend to use neutral shades on my eyes on a day-to-day basis, so I got two neutral browns, Wolf and Justify.

Illamasqua Justify Eyeshadow
Justify is a light ash brown. Probably nice for a lid colour, or perhaps as an all-over wash for darker-skinned ladies.

Illamasqua Wolf Eyeshadow
Wolf is a dark chocolate brown. It's a crease shade, and a really gorgeous one at that. Both Justify and Wolf are mattes, which is fine with me.

Next up, nail polishes! Unlike my face makeup, I'm perfectly happy to wear bright neon shades on my nails to work. I figure that compared to my face and clothes, the surface area of my nails is so small that not many people will notice!

Illamasqua nail polish L-R: Collide, Gamma, Poke, Hemlock, Bacterium
Collide is a neon pink. Yes, I have another neon pink already in the form of Eyeko's Punk Polish, but everyone loves neon pink, right? One of these days I'll have to do a comparison post, but from the bottle, Collide looks a little more intense and neon than Eyeko's Punk Polish does. Gamma is another neon, this time a bright neon orange. I don't have a neon orange in my stash, so this is definitely a welcome addition! Gamma was also already featured in my Chalkboard Nails DIY Tutorial, previously, as I simply couldn't wait to use it. I love it!

Another shot of the polish, L-R: Collide, Gamma, Poke, Hemlock, Bacterium
Poke is another gorgeous shade. The photos I saw online just don't do justice to this beauty, and neither do the photos I take! It's a bright, happy shade of royal purple, not as blue as in the photos, but it's not neon. And it also has a gorgeous shimmer inside that gives it a little bit of oomph. Hemlock is a sheer off-white shade with a green flash. It looks really cool in the bottle, but I'm not sure if I'd call it a duochrome. I can't decide whether I want to wear this alone, or as a topper over other shades. Bacterium is a light ashy brown with silver shimmer. I know it's not everyone's cup of tea, but it's a pretty unique shade that I don't have a dupe for. I rather like it!

So there you have it, my Illamasqua sale haul! Illamasqua is a little expensive (especially when you covert the GBP into SGD), so thank goodness for sales that let crazy buyers like me cross a few items off their lemming list. You can bet I'll be waiting for the next sale!

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Beauty Blog Link Love

Musicalhouses tries out a summer staple (yellow nail polish), and thinks she just might like it!

Phyrra brings you all of the new Silk Naturals Chromatics Cream Eye Colors. Will you fall in love with them?

There's makeup bases, and then there's makeup bases. Don't miss theNotice's review of the super-cool shu uemura POREraser & Brightening Mousses -- these are definitely the latter!

Jude reviews the WrinkleMD Eye Hyaluronic Filler Patch System. Is this really the No-Needle alternative to Botox and fillers?

Bun Bun Makeup Tips wonders why it took her so long to finally try, review, and swatch the awesome Maybelline Color Tattoo Eyeshadows!

Check out the beauty products that Krasey Beauty used for her first bodybuilding competition!

At Musing on Beauty, Mariella discovers a well-kept secret: Laura Mercier Secret Finish. Definitely a secret you want to know!

Addicted to Beauty is in love with these amazing New York-inspired nail art designs. I heart NY!

You don't need to get all the latest and newest beauty tools. Handmade Reviews reveals the best type of kabuki makeup brush for your budget.

Have you ever written a fan letter expressing your love for a cosmetic? Read tofind out what mascara has Beauty Info Zone excited enough to do this.

Beauty Reflections has swatches and a review of the new Dior Pink Glow Nude Tan Paradise Duo for you!

Gouldylox Reviews loves this new palette from Too Faced. It's developed by the Pro Artists at Sephora and each color is gorgeous. You won't want to miss it!

Want sparkly clean brushes in no time? Check out Sophie's cheap dupe for the Sigma Makeup Cleaning Glove!

Kim has joined the BB cream bandwagon & reviewed the Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector Oil-Free B.B. Cream in shade 'Deep'.

Anita's loving the new Laura Mercier Illuminating Eye Colours, they're just perfect for the summer! Check them out over at Pleasureflush!

Jessika from polish insomniac falls in love with yet another stunning polish from butter LONDON.

Lisamarie from Beauty Crazed is now a Guerlain girl to the tips of her fingers thanks to the new Guerlain Colour Lacquers - check out her swatches and admire the luxurious shades!

Jenn from Spiced Beauty shows you her favourite lip gloss that costs under $3.00!

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Do you change your beauty routine as the seasons change? Check out how Pammy Blogs Beauty tweaks her routine for spring and summer. Plus, enter to win $500 of Jergens products!

Want to take 10 years off your looks? Brighten that smile with the new Oral B Deep Sweep Electric Toothbrush and Crest Pro-Health Toothpaste.Prime Beauty is giving away 5 of them, so hurry and enter now!

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DIY Chalkboard Manicure Tutorial: Cheap, Easy and in 3 Steps!

Ciate has recently started promoting their Chalkboard Manicure, which involve nails that, look like chalkboard doodles on your nails. If you recall, Ciate was previously famous for their "I-claim-to-be-first-with-this-trend-although-I-wasn't" caviar manicure, and then threatening bloggers with legal action because they DIY'ed their own caviar manicures (not because they were trying to pass off their own nail art as Ciate's, by the way). Despite the issue with the Caviar manicure, I remain somewhat grudgingly impressed by Ciate's interesting innovation - I have to admit I haven't seen any other brand doing this yet, and it looks cool. (Okay, if I were to be more frank, I'm not just grudgingly impressed, I'm pretty impressed.)

Ciate's newest nail trend - Chalkboard manicure! (Source: Ciate Facebook)
Anyway, I realized when looking at Ciate's promotional materials, that 1) the Chalkboard Manicure kit wasn't available for sale yet (unless you were, of course, a Big Beauty Magazine Editor who Got It Free), and 2) actually, it just all looked like matte nail polish. Thus, an idea struck me - I could DIY my very own Chalkboard Manicure, using colours and stuff that I already had at home - because, really, who needs to buy a kit to acheive this effect? Besides, even if my polish-lemming self wanted to buy the damn set, it wasn't even available yet. Come on, you're telling me I have to wait to spend my money on an overpriced nail art set (this is assuming a girl like me in Asia can somehow get my hands on it)? Awww, shucks, but I want to wear it now, like the impatient consumer I am. *taps fingers impatiently*

Impatient Ilya understands how I feel. Totally.
So began my quest to do my own Ciate-inspired Chalkboard Manicure. (Disclaimer before Ciate tries to sue me: I'm not claiming I'm using Ciate products, nor am I claiming to sell Ciate products, I'm just providing a tutorial to show how you can get a similar effect using DIY techniques at home, and I'm doing this out of my interest in beauty. I'm not making any form of money or payment as a result of sharing my own DIY techniques.) This what I used.

You'll Need:
1. Black nail polish
2. Nail polish in a few other colours for the "chalk" (I used white, yellow, orange, purple, but of course there's more you could use)
3. Matte nail polish topcoat
4. Nail art brushes
5. Preferred base coat

All the stuff you'll need for a DIY Chalkboard Manicure - Impatient Ilya would approve!
In the photos above, you can see I've used Wet n' Wild Black (my favourite black nail polish), Illamasqua Gemma, Illamasqua Jo'mina, Eyeko Punk Polish (previously featured here), Wet n' Wild White, and my LA Colors Art Deco White nail art striper. The matte topcoat was Rescue Beauty Lounge Matte Top Coat. For best results, I prefer to use colours that are bright (like almost-but-not-quite-neon kind of bright) and opaque in 1-2 coats, as they pop against a black base, and ensure that you don't need to make multiple passes to get a design to show up on your nail.

So. We have our stuff. Let's get to it!

Step 1: Paint your preferred base coat, then paint your nails black.
Do I need to explain further? Just do this and let your nails dry.

Step One: Paint nails black. Simple enough!
Step 2: Using your nail art brushes, do up your designs on your nails.
To create the designs, just take a nail art brush (I used the long bristled, slender nail art brushes you saw in the photo previously), dip it in the nail polish colour of your choice, and then use it to paint the design on your nail.

This was probably the trickiest step for me, so I'm going to share a super-useful tip you'll love if you're the clumsy-fingered, mistake-making kind of nail polish art doodler that I am: Since the base is black, if you make a mistake, you can "erase" your mistakes, by going over them with a nail art brush dipped in black nail polish! I used this trick, so you don't see the huge mistakes I made. Sad, I know, I cleaned up my mistakes and it still looks like I was doodling on my nails while I was half-asleep. Such are my nail art skills.

Step Two: Almost done, just need a little matte-fication.
Step 3: Wait for your nail art to dry. Then paint with your matte nail polish topcoat.
I can't tell you how crucial it is to wait for your nail art to dry. You don't want to smudge your nail art with your topcoat! This happened to me on a couple of nails, which made me a little sad.

Step Three: Matte, and you're set!
And there you hvae it, your very own DIY chalkboard nails! Here are a couple of completed shots of my manicure. I actually really like the effect - it does kinda look like chalk scribbles when mattified, and lends a very rocker-chic vibe to any look.

My very own DIY Chalkboard Manicure!
I guess the chalkboard manicure would probably be more convenient with Ciate's sets, but it isn't necessary to get the effect. Because the Ciate set features nail art pens with a chalky-looking ink rather than using a brush dipped in nail polish, it may be a bit easier to use for those who feel that they can't work with a nail art brush. So that could be one advantage of spending on the Ciate set.

DIY Chalkboard Manicure: Doesn't look any different from Ciate's version?
In any case, given that I'm living in Asia and we don't have Ciate over here, I'm glad that there's a way for folks like us over here to get the look too! Or, since I'm in the mood for memes (as you can tell), in the words of Success Kid:

DIY Chalkboard Nails FTW!

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