Skincare Empties! Serums, Essences, Moisturizers, and All That!

Another few months have passed, and with that more empties! Yes I have been trying to use up my products instead of just accumulating them (because truth be told as a beauty junkie you do accumulate a LOT after a short period of time). Anyway over the past few months, I (with a little help from some of my family members) have managed to accumulate quite the literal pile of products. Behold! My empties!

As usual, I wait for months until my empties pile up to the high heavens before it occurs to me to do an empties post, LOL

Since these are a lot to get through, they're going to be split into two parts - skincare, and makeup. We'll start with the skincare first. Basically every face product you can think of - lotions, essences, creams, masks, eye creams, are all in this post. Except sunscreens, because they're grouped with makeup this time round (mostly just to prevent this post from getting too long).

Alright, let's get to it!

L'Oreal Super Liner V-Sculptor Swatches and First Impressions

L'Oreal's Super Liner V-Sculptor eyeshadow sticks were launched last month, and yes, I'm only just getting around to swatching them. I wanted to blog about these because they're pretty interesting as far as eyeshadows go. These are powder eyeshadows, but instead of being in a pan and coming with a brush, these are actually in a pen form, with a cushion tip, as you can see below. The idea behind the cushion tip is that it's easier to blend the eyeshadow out to get a natural-looking application. As for the eyeshadow powder, it's stored inside the cap of the pen.

L'Oreal Super Liner V-Sculptor: A powder eyeshadow with a cushion applicator for better blending

If these look a bit familiar, it's because these are basically the eyeshadow version of the L'Oreal Tint Caresse that was launched last year. Pretty much everything is the same - the pen format, the cushion tip (right down to the cushion material), the storage of the powder product in the cap. So if you've ever looked at the Tint Caresse and thought, "I'd like this in eyeshadow form", well, here we are!

L'Oreal Youth Code Skin Activating Ferment Pre-Essence Review and Ingredients Analysis

The L'Oreal Youth Code Skin Activating Ferment Pre-Essence just launched earlier this month, and already it's making quite a splash here. Firstly, this is supposed to be an upgrade of the original L'Oreal Youth Code, which was already a pretty popular product in its own right. But beyond just "sequel syndrome", the marketing is pretty eye-catching, too. The product claims to have "98% Ferment Essence (extracted at 98% purity) to stimulate skin metabolism and accelerate cell renewal". So the Ferment Essence is really a huge draw here, too.

L'Oreal Youth Code Skin Activating Ferment Pre-Essence: With claims of 98% Ferment Essence, this product has been making a splash

For those with some familiarity with the original L'Oreal Youth Code (as well as a similar product from L'Oreal's sister brand, Lancome's Genifique Youth Activator), you might recall that the "ferment essence" used in those products was Bifida Ferment Lysate. And indeed, it seems that L'Oreal has increased the concentration of Bifida Ferment Lysate in the updated Youth Code. Beyond the increased use of Bifida Ferment Lysate, L'Oreal also claims that the Pre-Essence will "boost skin recovery ability against fatigue and aging signs".


L'Oreal Youth Code Skin Activating Ferment Pre-Essence: An updated version of the L'Oreal Youth Code
That sounds pretty cool, but how does the Pre-Essence work? What ingredients are in there to help in skin renewal, or in anti-aging? And how different is the new product from its old formulation? Well, we'll find out!

L'Oreal Tint Caresse Orchid Blossom Review, Swatch, Ingredients Analysis

L'Oreal Tint Caresse was launched a few months ago, and basically, it's a pretty nifty powder lip tint. Yes, powder, with a sponge applicator! L'Oreal advertises this as the "1st lip gradation cushion tint for lips that blossom with delicate colour", and the idea is that the sponge and powder combination is supposed to make it easier for you to get that on-trend ombre lips look.

L'Oreal Tint Caresse Orchid Blossom: One of a range of Tint Caresse shades

The Tint Caresse seems to be developed out of Japan, or at least, the packaging and wrapping all has Japanese text. Sometimes L'Oreal does develop Asia-exclusive products, so perhaps this could be one of those - indeed, the idea of gradient lips is pretty much a Kbeauty/J-beauty sort of concept. I'm always pretty happy with such products though, as it often results in some pretty innovative and unique products. The shade I'm reviewing today is Orchid Blossom, which is one of several shades.


L'Oreal Tint Caresse Orchid Blossom: The Tint Caresse seem to be an Asia-only product
This is the first time I've seen a powder lip product before, so I have to admit, I had all sorts of curious questions about it. How did L'Oreal formulate a powder lip product? What does it feel like on lips? What does it look like? Well, let's find out, by starting at the ingredients list!

L'Oreal Revitalift Filler HA Essence and Cushion Cream Reviews and Ingredients Analysis

L'Oreal's Revitalift Filler HA Micro Volumizing Essence and Revolumizing Cushion Cream have both hit stores here in Singapore, and these are two new additions to L'Oreal's already-popular anti-aging Revitalift skincare range. The Revitalift Filler HA products contain hyaluronic acid, as you might have guessed from the "HA" in the names. I've had these two products for awhile, so I thought it was about time that I reviewed them properly!

L'Oreal Revitalift Filler HA Essence and Cushion Cream: The latest additions to the Revitalift line

Obviously, hyaluronic acid is a big selling point for the Revitalift Filler HA line, and also the "volumizing" or "filler" aspect. Basically, these claim to "fill up lines" and "restore skin plumpness" (I'm quoting those two claims directly from the packaging there). The idea is that it's not just wrinkles that make a person's skin look old, but also a lack of facial volume and plumpness, and the Revitalift Filler HA line is supposed to address both these concerns. We're already familiar with hyaluronic acid as a humectant, so in this sense it could be useful in skincare to help hydrate the skin. In addition to the "micrometic hyaluronic acid", there is also Fibroxyl, which L'Oreal explains is a derived from rye seed and is an anti-wrinkle and firming ingredient.


L'Oreal Revitalift Filler HA Essence and Cushion Cream: Advertised as containing hyaluronic acid, and Fibroxyl
Well, that's a whole lot of claims for two products, so let's get down to the review! We'll take a look at the Essence first, and then the Cushion Cream. And of course, we're going to start right at the ingredients lists, to see if the products really live up to their claims. But first, let's talk about Fibroxyl, which appears in the products as Secale Cereale/Rye Seed Extract, and what that actually does in skin!

Empties Galore Part 2: Makeup I've Used Up!

Alright, you've seen my skincare empties in the previous post, and now, we're moving on to the makeup items that I've used up in the past 6 months or so! (There's also a skincare item that I forgot about for the previous post - oops - but otherwise, all the other items are makeup!) I'm pretty excited to talk about some of the items here, because some of these items are really my makeup staples, and although I don't often talk about them on my blog, they are some of the day-to-day backbone-of-my-routine type products.

Makeup and skincare empties that I can finally say I've used up in 2015!

On reflection, it's pretty appropriate that this post is going live on the last day of the year, because it really has that "out with the old, in with the new" vibe. And while I'm excited for the new products that I will be buying this upcoming year, it's also weirdly satisfying to see that I managed to use up some of my older products, too.

All the skincare and makeup empties I've accumulated over the past half a year or so

So, without further ado, let's get started!

Empties Galore Part 1: Skincare I've Used Up!

It's been awhile since my last empties post, and since this is the end of the year, it seemed appropriate to have an "in with the new, out with the old" empties post! And since my last post, I have accumulated a good number of empties, if I do say so myself! I think I've even accumulated more empties this time round, as compared to the last post, so I consider this to be a "massive empties" acheivement unlocked!

All the skincare and makeup empties I've accumulated over the past half a year or so

While empties posts might seem puzzling to most people, as a beauty junkie with a fairly considerable stash accumulated over time, actually using up products can be a tad of a struggle sometimes. So when I do use up things, I always feel pretty happy - it's like I've successfully cleared space in my stash for more beauty products! And empties posts are always a great opportunity for me to reflect on which are the products I've liked, and kept using, and why.


Acheivement unlocked: lots of skincare and makeup empties from a variety of brands
And I do have quite a lot of empties this time round, from makeup to skincare and more, so I'm pretty excited to share my thoughts with you! At first, I tried to cram all my thoughts into one single post, but then I realized that it would be a pretty long post. So, I've decided to split this post into 2 parts! We'll take a look at the skincare I've used up first, since it's the foundation of any beauty routine, and then in the next post we'll look at makeup!

Stuff I've Used Up: Lots of Empties and Pans!

It's been a few months since my last empties post, so here's a check in on what I've been using! I'm happy to add, I have a lot of empties to show you! I don't know about you, but since I'm a beauty hoarder (one of the problems of being a beauty addict, I suppose!), I have way more product than I can ever use up in my entire life (that might not, by the way, be an exaggeration), so I get overly excited whenever I do actually use up something!

Empties! So many empties, including skincare and makeup items of all sorts!

This time round, I have a lot more empties than normal because I decided to consciously use up some of the products that were starting to run low, especially for colour makeup, which I don't always do. I actually set a blush that looked like I could hit pan on it to be my "everyday" blush until it actually got used up, and I couldn't be prouder of myself, haha.


All my empties! Look at how much stuff I actually use up!
Anyway, let's start taking a look at these empties! Empties this time include both makeup (eyeshadow, blush, foundation, lipstick, and more), and skincare (moisturizers, pimple products, eye cream, sunscreen), so there is a lot to cover! Most of these are products I like, probably because I wouldn't even use up products I hate. So I think that the fact that I used all these products up says something!

Stuff I Actually Used Up: Skincare and Makeup Empties!

Yes, I did it! I have pan porn and empties to show you guys! And because my last empties post was sometime back in September last year, and because I've been diligently consistently using products until they were all gone, I do have a good amount of finished products to show you this time, and I'm so excited about it! It's been six months, and I've accumulated all this pan!

So proud of my many empties!

Look at all that! Look at all that makeup and skincare that I managed to pan! While it might seem odd to non-beauty junkies, the sheer amount of makeup I have means that using up something is always an acheivement - I take it to mean that 1) I'm not as much of a hoarder as I think I am, and 2) Why yes, I could indeed buy another lipstick to replace the one I just used up! (Nevermind the fact that I already have many other lipsticks...*ahem* incriminating Instagram evidence here.) But I guess if you just have a lot of makeup, it's always a good feeling to actually use something up!

So, without further ado, let's take a closer look at what I've managed to use up in the past half year!

Top 10 Most Popular Blog Posts of 2014, and 3 Honourable Mentions

2014 is ending, and I thought it would be appropriate to do a recap of some of this year's popular blogposts! After making 2013's list of most popular blogposts, there were some unexpected results, so, just for fun, I thought it would be great to do one for 2014, too!

Some of my Top 10 most popular blogposts, as well as the 3 honourable mentions!

Just like in 2013, this year, I have also picked the top 10 by raw number of blogpost views, because it's the simplest way to go about doing things. I've written last year that I feel this method isn't totally ideal because it disadvantages posts that are popular but were written at the end of the year, or "evergreen" posts (like posts on classic topics like skincare, foundation, etc., such as my post on parabens in skincare, as opposed to a more trend-based post, like the latest MAC makeup collection) that may not garner as many initial views, but tend to do very well over a longer period of time. I always feel like counting the raw number of views tends to overlook the evergreen posts and the posts written towards the end of the year. Nevertheless, this seems to be the simplest way of doing things. Of course, if you wanted to be really particular about it you could pro-rate the number of views to the length of time the post was up, but this seems to present its own problems, because not every post follows the same viewcount trajectory - some (like the trends-based posts) do really well for a short time, and then quickly taper off, while others tend to follow a steadier growth trajectory.

But in any case, since we are using raw views, let's get to it, and here's the top 10 posts of 2014! I've also included 3 honourable mentions, which are posts that did well views-wise, but didn't get into the top 10 because they were written in the later part of the year. So let's check out the top 10 posts!

Stuff I Used Up! Skincare, Makeup and Nail Empties

I think I've been pretty good this time round! I've actually used up a whole lot of stuff with this round of empties! There are 6 products in here, so perhaps numbers-wise this isn't the most, but 3 of them are tubs of moisturizers, so I get some credit, right?

As an aside, though, I've always felt like the "empties" post is perhaps something only the beauty junkie can appreciate. I mean, normal people with like, 3 eyeshadows and 1 blush and 1 powder foundation and 2 lipglosses don't go around telling people, "O Hai I finished up my eyeshadow! So happy! Squeeee!" because they pretty routinely use up their stuff - and go back to get the same (or similar stuff). So to them, it isn't particularly spectacular when they use up something. But the beauty junkie is slightly different. When you have literally have a few tens of blushes, eyeshadows, lipglosses, and so on, even as you keep lemming the new collections and makeup that gets put out, then every empty that you use up, every pan you hit, becomes a cause for celebration. To me, it's sort of a way of saying any one of the three messages: "Look, I actually use up my stuff - see, I don't have that much stuff, you're kidding, stuff, who me?", or "Look, I actually use up stuff! I get to buy more!", or "Look, I used up this stuff, because it's awesome/although it sucked, and I want to tell you about it!" And hence, the empties post.

Look at all those empties! This is some serious using up of products, guys!

But don't let my existentialist comments on empties bother you, let's get down to the good stuff - what did I use up this time, and what do I think of it?

L'Oreal Mat Magique Matte Transforming Powder Review and Swatches

L'Oreal's Mat Magique Matte Transforming Powder is an upcoming addition to L'Oreal's Magique line (you might have seen the Nude Magique and Lumi Magique products), and as the name suggests, it is a matte powder foundation that is touted to keep you shine-free for up to 12 hours! It also has SPF34 PA+++, so it has some UV protection too. One of the marquee ingredients in the product is Perlite, which L'Oreal advertises as a volcanic rock-based ingredient that contributes greatly to the oil control properties.

L'Oreal Mat Magique Matte Transforming Powder claims to provide up to 12hrs of oil control.

The product is shine resistant, and a matte finish, and it is touted as being good for girls who engage in a lot of outdoor activity or spend time outdoors, since it has both mattifying properties as well as UV protection. This is also a Southeast-Asia only release, geared towards ladies in the region who have to deal with the heat and humidity. And although it's not going to be launched elsewhere yet, I think that it's probably also great for summers worldwide.


L'Oreal Mat Magique Matte Transforming Powder: Great for those who spend time outdoors.

L'Oreal Revitalift Review: Anti-Wrinkle Essence, Eye Cream, Night Cream

L'Oreal has reformulated its Revitalift Anti-Wrinkle line, which is one of the most recognizable and reknown brands of anti-aging products on the market. Now, with new packaging and a new formula, I thought it was worth paying this range a visit again! According to L'Oreal, the newer formulation of the Revitalift range includes Centella Asiatica extract, which is renowned for its repairing properties.

L'Oreal Revitalift Anti-Wrinkle range: Essence, Eye Cream, and Night Cream

There is indeed some evidence that Centella Asiatica extract, when used topically, has the potential to heal wounds by stimulating collagen synthesis and angiogenesis. So, I was intrigued and definitely keen to know more. For this review, I'm looking at three products - the Revitalift Intensive Repair Essence, Revitalift Anti-Wrinkle + Firming Eye Cream, and Revitalift Anti-Wrinkle + Firming Night Cream. Let's go through these products, take a look at their ingredients, and see how I fared with them!

L'Oreal HydraFresh Review: Mask-in Lotion, Spa Water, Supreme Emulsion, Creamy Foam (With My Ingredients Geekery)

L'Oreal has launched its HydraFresh line, which is meant to restore moisture to the skin. The range contains French Grape Seed Extract, for 50X anti-oxidant power, French Vosges Spa Water, which has 16 minerals to strengthen skin’s moisture barrier, and Double Hyaluronic Acid.

The L'Oreal HydraFresh line: with French Vosges Spa Water and Grape Seed Extract.

I've been trying out the products in this line, and I have to say that the entire range is pleasant to use - most of the products in this line feel light on the skin, absorb fast, and do make my skin feel hydrated. The HydraFresh line also seems to be fragranced with a fruity-floral smell, that while a little on the stronger side, isn't unpleasant. I imagine some consumers would like the smell.

So now that we've done some of my initial thoughts on the L'Oreal HydraFresh range as a whole, let's do a blow-by-blow review of every product in the range! And because I'm a huge skincare nerd, you'll also get to see me talk about the ingredients in each of the products. So, here we go!

L'Oreal Men's Expert Volcano Red Foam: A Face Wash That Removes Camo Cream!

L'Oreal Men's Expert is the top men's brand in the market, and they have launched a new product to clean the gunk of all the manly faces out there! The new product, Volcano Red Foam, is a cleanser targeting oily and acne-prone skin, and is meant to purge your pores as well as fight and prevent pimples.

L'Oreal Men's Expert Volcano Red Foam

The featured ingredients in the product are salicylic acid, which is a good pore un-blocker and anti-acne ingredient, as well as volcanic mineral extract. There is also peppermint extract, to give a cool menthol feeling when you use the product. I personally could do without the menthol (I dislike the tingle), but I imagine that guys with thicker skins would probably like using it. I also really like the inclusion of salicylic acid, which has good scientific literature behind it. I do use a 2% salicylic face wash a couple of times a week myself to help unclog my pores. I let it sit on my skin for a minute or so in order to get maximum effect.

L'Oreal Lucent Magique Foundation, BB Cream, Concealer Swatches

L'Oreal has launched the Lucent Magique range, consisting of foundation, BB cream, and concealer. The Lucent range of products claims to give you a dewy, flawless glowing canvas that looks like you have no makeup on. It's a way to get that lit-from-within Korean pop star look that's been pretty popular in Asia lately. And, I've got swatches!

First, let's start with the foundation, the L’Oreal Lucent Magique Light Infusing Foundation. In Singapore, we get 6 shades, in a mix of undertones. The shade names start with R, G, and N - R (Rosy) denotes pink-toned shades, G (Gold) denotes warm shades, and N (Neutral) is for neutral undertones. Part of the selling point is also that the Lucent foundations have light-reflecting pigments to give your skin a dewy look.

L-R: G7, G4, R2, N7, N5, N2

G7 is a deep, warm-toned shade.
G4 is a medium, warm shade.
R2 is a fair shade, around the same lightness as N2, but it's pinker than N2.
N7 is a deep neutral shade, less yellow than G7 but comparable otherwise.
N5 is a medium neutral shade.
N2, which I think is closest to my skin (MAC NC20), is a neutral light beige.

The foundation has a lightweight texture that dries quickly. During the demonstration, the makeup artist explained that for such a quick-drying foundation, the dot-and-blend method may not be as effective as the foundation would dry too fast. Instead, she applied it evenly to sections of the face with a foundation brush and blended instead. We were shown the "CCTV technique" - apply the foundation in a C shape on both cheeks, a T on T-zone, and a V on the chin. To set, she lightly dusted over the foundation with the L'Oreal True Match powder.

The L'Oreal Lucent range also consists of a primer and BB cream, as well as two shades of concealer. Let's start off with the Lucent Magique Pure Light Primer and Lucent Magique Skin Illuminating BB Cream. Both come out of their tubes as white creams. The BB Cream is supposed to blend into your natural skin shade upon application. The primer comes out a white, light liquid with shimmer. The BB cream was a little thicker in texture and more gritty.


Lastly, the Lucent Magique Pure Light Touch-up Pen. This is pretty multi-purpose too; in addition to being used as a concealer, the makeup artist also used it as a eyeshadow primer/lid brightener to good effect. There are two shades, Light, and Fair. A handy tip given to us was to use the concealer on the brow, cheek bone, and a dot at the sides of lips for a brightening effect.


Light is a pink-toned light beige.
Fair is also a light beige, but more yellow.

I've always thought L'Oreal was one of the better drugstore brands for foundation, due to the good shade range and aesthetic elegance of the products. The Lucent Magique range hasn't changed my mind - the foundation is lightweight and covers well, and comes in realistic skintone shades. If you're looking for a high-end foundation on a drugstore budget, this is worth trying.

L'Oreal Infallible Eyeshadow Swatches + Chance to Win Prizes!

Finally, the L'Oreal Infallible Eyeshadows have arrived again in Singapore, after being in other international markets for months and months. Well, we did get a few of them, limited edition only for a few weeks, before they disappeared in a flash, as soon as they came. (I tried to do the decent thing by providing swatches of the L'Oreal Infalliable Eyeshadows before they disappeared, but maybe I was a tad late.) So it's a good thing that they're here again, and we can all go crazy about them again. I know I am!

The L'Oreal Infallible Eyeshadows that will be making an appearance in Singapore are different from the ones we saw last time, and while the formulation is still the same - the smooth, pigmented formula remains, thank goodness - the colours we now have are a lot more pretty and complex. So I'd consider this a great time to get some, if you haven't gotten your hands on these yet.

I got to take a look at the colours recently at an event, and so I thought I'd swatch them for you. Of course you know I would. Do you guys know how hard it is to take swatches in an event? First of all, the lighting is usually crap. Secondly, not all bloggers focus on bringing back swatches to their readers at events. Some I know of prefer to dig into the food, suck up to the PR people, or gossip with other bloggers. And some take a lot of photos at these events, but not swatches, because if you swatch as much as I do, even the PR people will look at you funny. It takes a dedicated, swatch-crazy, maniacally-focused, screw-what-the-PR-thinks blogger to do actual work for you guys, when I could be eating, cultivating useful contacts, or just plain ol' hanging out. But I know you guys like swatches, so I make an effort for you guys. Aww. Can I get some points for effort, now? LOL.

Anyway, yes, swatches. Here's all of them at a go, I've broken up the swatches further.



There will be eight colours released altogether, and the colours span from everyday neutrals to deep, dark, smokey shades. All in all, there's something for everyone here. Let's look at the first four shades.



Clockwise from Top Left: 002 Hourglass Beige, 004 Forever Pink, 005 Purple Chrome, 006 All Night Blue

Don't they look so pretty in their little pots? I know they've been dug into and all (sorry, I'm a messy swatcher) but the frosty, shimmery finish is great. Here are my arm swatches:



002 Hourglass Beige is a yellowy vanilla beige shade.
004 Forever Pink is a light pastel pink shade.
005 Purple Chrome is a gorgeous purple with a bit of blue duochrome. Me likey.
006 All Night Blue is a shimmery navy blue.

Next set, the smokier colours, including my favourites.



Clockwise from Top Left: 009 Permanent Khaki, 012 Endless Chocolat, 014 Eternal Black, 015 Flashback Silver

I know, don't they look gorgeous? Right when I saw Flashback Silver, I knew it was going to be my favourite. It just was, because it's not silver at all, but TAUPE! Gorgeous, beautiful, silvery taupe. You know me, and you know I love a good taupe. Don't believe it's taupe? Let the swatches convince you:



009 Permanent Khaki is a olive green shade. I don't really call it khaki, to me khaki has more brown? But it's a lovely neutral green nonetheless. Very flattering on all skin types. This is my second favourite.
012 Endless Chocolat is a very nice deep neutral brown.
014 Eternal Black - ooh sparkles! Black with big bits of sparkly glitter. This one, you either like or hate, depending on your glitter preference. I think it looks like stars in a night sky.
015 Flashback Silver - A purply-silvery shade with a hint of taupe. There's even just the slightest bit of pink reflect in there. Obviously calling it "flashback silver" just doesn't do the colour justice.

There, now you know why Flashback Silver is definitely my favourite-st colour of the bunch. Nothing else just comes close. It's a very lovely silvery-purple-taupe shade, and while the shade definitely leans cool, I imagine some warm-toned girls could wear it too. I know I would so rock it happily.

Anyway, L'Oreal is running this contest where if you submit your photo of you wearing the blogger's chosen shade (in my case, this is obviously Flashback Silver), you stand to win prizes, the grand prize being a Samsung ST200F Camera worth $299. I normally don't do these types of contests (every brand has these "contests" and I get weary of them fast as I can't possibly be advertising every promotional effort for free), but I figure I'd put it up just in case any of you want to take part, since the blog reader (that's you!) gets to win the prize. So what to do to win the prize? Email me (my email is in the sidebar - go look and don't be lazy) a photo of yourself wearing Flashback Silver, and L'Oreal will pick a winner from among you guys. Simple enough, right? Your photos may also get posted on their Facebook too. Get your email in before the 10th of May.

Speaking of photos, here's a photo at me and fellow blogger friends at the event. You can only see my right arm, because my left arm is covered in swatches and is thus hidden behind my back. What did I say about going out of my way to make such big swatches for you guys? LOL.



L - R: Lynn, me, Minru.

Oh yes, at the event we also tried out creating face charts with the L'Oreal Infallible eyeshadows. I didn't take any photos, except for this Instagram snap (which you would have seen if you followed me on Twitter or Instagram), but suffice to say, it sucked. Big time. I don't think I can do face charts.

The eight Color Infallible shades are available at $14.90. If you haven't tried them out yet, I highly recommend them. We already know that they're very good in terms of pigmentation, staying power, and are generally very good quality, so I won't go into any more detail. But for the price, they're a really good buy, and this time round, they have some gorgeous colours too.

Magnetic Nail Polish NOTD: L'Oreal Star Magnet Purple

Magnetic polish is back in vogue again, with China Glaze releasing their Magnetix Collection, a line of six magnetic nail polishes. I'm always amused by how trends come and go with nail polish - first crackle/shatter polish, which Covergirl had in the late 90's that has made a comeback in the past 1-2 years again, and now, magetic polish. I remember these during just a few years back, perhaps in 2007 or 2008 (anyone remember?). Back then, L'Oreal and Lancome both had magnetic polishes, and both of them made quite a splash, too. The L'Oreal ones I have were from this range called the Star Magnets, which have since been discontinued.

This one that I'm wearing is in the colour Purple, although to my mind it's not really truly purple. It's a gorgeous shimmery pinky-purple that looks more pink than purple, and if you hold the magnet over your nail when the polish is still wet, you get a star design on your nail. Pretty cool, huh?



There are various ways of using the polish and the magnets to get the best possible star design on your nail (meaning, clear designs that actually look like a star shape, not a blotch). The one important thing is to hold the magnet over the polish while it's still wet, so the magnetic particles can move into shape. Once the polish is dry, you won't get any design. Because the L'Oreal Star Magnets are discontinued, a lot of people I know conserve their bottles by painting a base coat of similar colour, and then layering the Star Magnet colour on top. For me, I personally don't get as nice a star shape that way, so I just do it the wasteful way, and do two coats of Star Magnet polish.



I still remember all the trouble I had to go through to get my L'Oreal Star Magnets. I only wanted them after they had been discontniued (of course), so fortunately the lovely ladies on MUA (Makeupalley) pointed me to an online etailer based in the UK, who still had some bottles left. These have been the babies of my stash since then. Anyway, since magnetic polish is in again, I thought I'd dust off my L'Oreal Star Magnets and give them a shot!



I'm loving these magnetic polishes, although I feel like they're a little more time-consuming to apply, because you have to hold the magnet over the polish while letting it dry. But they're pretty fun, and I like seeing the stars form. Anyway, has anyone else been bitten by the magnetic polish bug? Do you already have any magnetic polishes? Tell me!

L'Oreal Professionel Haircare New Launches: Quick Look

L'Oreal Professional has launched a few exciting haircare products recently, spanning a huge range - everything from shampoo to hair masks, oils, and wax is covered. There's truly something for everyone here. Since I'm not that much of a haircare person, suffice it to say I was slightly overwhelemed at the sheer number of things you can do to make your hair better (so all that time I've been walking around with disgusting hair...Sigh).

Let's start with perhaps some of the more mundane products, shampoo and hair masks. L'Oreal Professionel has a range of haircare products, Serie Nature, which cater to users who want more natural haircare. Serie Nature boasts that 100% of its ingredients are of natural origin, with 95% being organic. Pretty cool, huh? There are two ranges within the Serie Nature brand - Riche Macadamia, and Couleur Botanique. Both Riche Macadamia and Couleur Botanique have a shampoo and hair mask each.



Riche Macadamia, as the name suggests, contains macadamia nut oil, and is meant to give an intense hydration to hair. The Couleur Botanique, meanwhile, is meant to hydrate coloured hair. The hair masks are really cool. They appear as normal ol' hair masks with a cream texture, but when you add the cataplasme spruce powder to the mask and whip, you get a foam-like texture that you then apply to your hair and leave on for 5 minutes. That was really cool.



Another range of products we were introduced to was the superhero-themed Techniart line of products. The hair styling wax is named Bad Mud, and the volumizing powder is named Super Dust - now, how cute is that?



Bad Mud, dubbed by L'Oreal the "shape hero" is a styling product midway between a wax and a clay. We were also treated to a very convincing product demonstration for Bad Mud - the hairstyler present styled the hair below using Bad Mud, and everyone present was ooh-ing and aah-ing over the transformation.



Super Dust, the "volume hero", is probably going to be a lifesaver for people like me, who have fine, limp hair that has no body. This is a white powder that reminds me of a dry shampoo, but it's meant for volumizing the hair. Like Bad Mud, Super Dust got to display its prowess with a demonstration, that was also quite convincing. Lookit all the volume! I got to try out the Super Dust later, and it did make my hair look more full. I really liked it.



Last, but certainly not least, we move on to my favourite product of the entire launch - L'Oreal's Mythic Oil. I've always stayed far away from hair oils, as I've always been worried that they would weigh down my hair. However, I got to try out Mythic Oil at the event, and I have to say, I was very impressed.



The hairstylist first applied a small amount (about the size of a 10-cent coin) to my ends, and then used a hairdryer to blow dry my hair. It wasn't a terribly complex process or anything, but after he was done, I was pleasantly surprised to find that it really did help make my hair more smooth and shiny-looking. It even helped with those pesky flyaway strands I had. It also It felt very lightweight on, and didn't weigh down my hair. The Mythic Oil can be used in a number of ways too (pre-shampoo, blow-drying, for frizz protection and so on), so I'm quite excited to see what else it can do.



And of course, photo time! That's me, on the left (with eyes closed and no makeup - yes, no makeup! It was just one of those come-from-work, no-makeup days), and Lynn on the right, together with a gorgeous L'Oreal intern in the middle. Anyway, I'll be using these products, and I'll report back with my thoughts on them after I've tried them out!

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

L'Oreal La Couleur Infallable Eyeshadow Swatches

I'm late to the party with these swatches, but man, the L'Oreal La Couleur Infallable Eyeshadows are amazing. They've been all over the blogosphere, of course, so I needn't say more. But here are swatches of the eyeshadows, anyway! When it comes to swatches, more is always better right?

The La Couleur Infallable Eyeshadows are awesome. When I swatched them, they were pigmented, smooth, and had a nice texture. All of them have dense shimmer that translates into a slightly frosty finish. I've swatched the shades which are available in Singapore (sadly, that's not much...why, L'oreal, why do you not give us the full range of such a gorgeous product?).

L-R: Sahara Treasure 021, Black Onyx 023, Goldmine 027, Emerald Lane 022, Bronze Goddess 024

Sahara Treasure 021 is, as the name suggests, a sandy, light beigy brown.
Black Onyx 023 is a black with silver glitter.
Goldmine 027 is a pale gold. The finish on this one is more foil than shimmer. Very stunning. It's a great gold that would look good on cooler skintones too.
Emerald Lane is a deep forest green with gold glitter. I like this colour, it has some depth and interest to it.
Bronze Goddess 024 isn't bronze, but more of a khaki or olive colour, with some brown and bronze thrown in.