Gerard Cosmetics Star Powder Audrey Review and Swatches

Gerard Cosmetics is an indie brand that has gotten really popular lately, especially on Instagram, where I see so many posts on the brand on there. So I couldn't resist, and started buying some Gerard Cosmetics myself, and ended up with a tiny collection of their lipsticks, lipglosses, and their Star Powder in Audrey. So, I thought I'd start by reviewing the Star Powder in Audrey first!

Gerard Cosmetics Star Powder Audrey: A gold shimmer powder

Anyway, Gerard Cosmetics is available to purchase from their website, and while the prices seem a bit expensive at first glance, there are always codes floating around for various deals, e.g. a 3 for $25 lipstick or lipgloss deal. Anyway, the Star Powders have been getting quite a lot of love on Instagram, so I thought I'd get one for myself! Most of the shades were a little too dark for me (unless I was looking for a bronzer or blush), so I got Audrey, which is a beige champagne shade.


Gerard Cosmetics Star Powder Audrey: One of several shades of Star Powder
As is my style, let's start with a quick look at the ingredients list, and then we'll go on to the swatches and reviews! I also did a comparison with one of the more similar shades of highlighters in my stash, too!

Philosophy Renewed Hope In A Jar Review and Ingredients Analysis!

Philosophy's Renewed Hope In A Jar moisturizer, as the name suggests, is a "renewed", new and improved version of Philosophy's iconic Hope In A Jar moisturizer. I happen to be running a giveaway for a jar of Philosophy Renewed Hope In A Jar and Purity Cleanser right now (which you can enter if you are a Singapore resident), so I figure that there's no better time to do a review of the new Renewed Hope In A Jar!

Philosophy Renewed Hope In A Jar: The new and improved version of Hope In A Jar

According to the Philosophy website, the "the revolutionary lightweight, whipped formula of hope in a jar is renewed and infused with a new innovation: clinically proven skin renewal technology", in particular "a triple blend of alpha hydroxy acids, 3 forms of hyaluronate plus an asian fruit extract". The old version was already pretty popular, so I imagine the new one is going to turn some heads!

I'm a big fan of acids, and both AHAs and BHAs have both worked well for me in the past, so I was definitely keen to try this out! And if you're like me, chances are you're probably pretty excited about the AHAs too, and you're probably wondering - what are the AHAs that are in the product, and is the product formulated to allow the AHAs to function optimally? And also, are there any other benefits beyond AHAs in this product?


Philosophy Renewed Hope In A Jar: The latest moisturizer from Philosophy
Don't worry though - we're going to look at all of these questions in my review. It's going to be a bit long, because we'll be looking both at the overall formulation of the product, as well as aspects of the product that are specific to AHAs (e.g. the AHAs inside it, and the pH of the product), but I hope it will be worth it! This also means we're going to get comfortable spending some time getting to know our ingredients list, so let's get started!

Singapore Giveaway: Philosophy Renewed Hope In A Jar and Purity Cleanser!

It's giveaway time! 5 lucky blog followers are each going to win a Philosophy Renewed Hope In A Jar and a Purity Cleanser! Philosophy's Renewed Hope In A Jar is the new and improved version of their iconic Hope In A Jar, and the Renewed version also happens to be pretty good, by the way (review on that to come soon). Philosophy's Purity Cleanser is also another of the brand's cult product, so these are some pretty great prizes! Just fill out your entries in the entry form below, and voila! Entered!

5 winners will win a Philosophy Renewed Hope In A Jar and Purity Cleanser!

Also, because I had a good reception to my previous Instagram giveaway, I'm also concurrently running an Instagram giveaway this time too over here on my Instagram account (basically, you can follow + regram/tag your friends if you're on Instagram for another chance to win). So the 5 sets of prizes will be given to followers who are either participating in this blog giveaway, or in the Instagram giveaway! (Of course, nothing's stopping you from doing both if you're so inclined to - you have better chances that way!)

And now for the standard rules: This giveaway is open to Singaporean residents. If you win, you have to collect your prize from Sephora Ion before 28 October, hence why this giveaway is only open to Singaporean residents (unless you have a nice friend who will do it for you). Lastly, this giveaway will end on 18 October midnight. It is going to run for a shorter period of time than my usual giveaway length, because you have until 28 October to collect the prize, and I want to ensure that people have enough time to do so! So don't wait to enter, and good luck everyone!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

(Product provided for giveaway. I am not affiliated with/compensated by the company.)

The Face Shop Oil Control Water Cushion Review and Ingredients Analysis

The Face Shop Oil Control Water Cushion SPF50+ PA+++ is the latest BB cushion to come from the brand, and it seems to have been advertised just for this hot weather we've been having - two of the key features being marketed are that it is waterproof, and has oil-control properties. That's gotta be good for hot weather, right?

The Face Shop Oil Control Water Cushion: Waterproof, and Long Lasting

The Face Shop Oil Control Water Cushion comes in two shades, V201 Apricot Beige, which is the lighter shade, and V203 Natural Beige, the darker shade. I have V203 Natural Beige with me, and although it isn't the best match for my skintone because it was too dark and orange, but it was the "default" shade that was sent to me. Which is a pity, because the Water Cushion does have a lot to recommend it! So if you see me looking kind of Oompa Loompa orange in my FOTD or swatches, don't worry, it's the result of a less-than-optimal shade match!


The Face Shop Oil Control Water Cushion: Perfect for hot weather and summer days
So, now that we've gotten that out of the way, let's start the review - by taking a look at the formula and ingredients list!

Jane Iredale PlayOn Lip Crayons Swatches, Review and Ingredients Analysis

Jane Iredale's PlayOn Lip Crayons are new for Fall 2015, just in time to catch in on the jumbo lip crayon trend (these things are still trendy, right? I don't know about you, I'm still loving them!). And they come in 7 shades to boot, so there's something for everyone.

Jane Iredale PlayOn Lip Crayons: New for Fall 2015

These are advertised by Jane Iredale as having a "creamy formula [that] glides on and stays on", although these are not retractable so you'll need a jumbo pencil sharpener to sharpen the pencils. Jane Iredale has their own Jumbo Pencil Sharpener, but in my humble opinion any appropriately-sized one will work too.


Jane Iredale PlayOn Lip Crayons: 7 shades, from light nudes to berries
I'm pretty excited about these PlayOn Lip Crayons, so let's get started with the ingredient analysing and the swatching, and the reviewing! Without further ado, let's look at the ingredients list first!

MAC Waterweight Foundation and Smashbox Camera Ready BB Water: Dupes and Similar Products

MAC's Studio Waterweight Foundation SPF30 is the latest foundation from MAC, and it has been getting tons of raves online for its lightweight, water-like texture. However, the foundation really made its way onto my radar because I was asked by my colleague at work whether I was going to review it or not. After sheepishly admitting that I probably wasn't (not because I don't want to, but because I'm already backlogged on my reviews), she told me that she had heard that it was a dupe of a Smashbox foundation, the Smashbox's Camera Ready BB Water SPF30. So I just had to check it out!

MAC Studio Waterweight Foundation SPF30 vs Smashbox Camera Ready BB Water SPF30: Dupes or not?

Of course, the ingredients nerd in me was piqued by this. Certainly this wouldn't be the first time a product has had a dupe, and is hardly surprising to me. In my 5 years of blogging, I've encountered beauty dupes for everything from brush-washing tools to colour-changing lipbalm to face creams, so nothing fazes me. But it is interesting to see a product being duped so early into its release.

Smashbox Camera Ready BB Water: A new Smashbox product, rumoured to be a dupe for the MAC Waterweight Foundation (Source)

Turns out, as you might guess, the MAC Waterweight Foundation SPF30 and Smashbox Camera Ready BB Water SPF30 are indeed extremely close, if not identical. But I wanted to find out more - what if there were other similar products out there? So began my journey into ingredient nerdiness.

Supergoop! Everyday Sunscreen SPF30 Review and Ingredients Analysis

Supergoop! is a US-based niche brand dedicated to sunscreens, and the humorous brand name belies its goal: to "formulate products that you and your family actually want to put on: they are lightweight, never greasy or sticky and easily absorb into skin". That's great, since sunscreen can feel kinda icky to wear and apply (and also to reapply), although in recent years there have been quite a few non-greasy options from both Asian brands as well as Western ones (as a quick look through some of my previous sunscreen reviews will show. Still, it's always good to have another sunscreen brand to choose from - as I've mentioned in my blog before, I'm a pretty big fann of sunscreen, and I think it's one of the skincare products everyone should use.

Supergoop! Everyday Sunscreen SPF30: From a brand that specializes in only sunscreens

Supergoop! is also one of those brands that will appeal to those who like their skincare to be more natural (as far as sunscreen can be "natural" I guess) - they proudly brag on their packaging that they are free of "controversial ingredients" like parabens, synthetic fragrance, and oxybenzone. While I'm all for fragrance-free stuff, it always annoys me a little when brands pander to greenwashing, because not all controversial ingredients are unsafe, and some (if not most) of them actually have been shown to be safe time and time again. The hype and noise surrounding an ingredient often doesn't match up to the science, so just because an ingredient is currently making the "OMGZ WILL CAUSE CANCER AND MAKE YOU DIE" rounds, doesn't mean it is actually harmful. Specifically for parabens, I've written a blogpost about parabens and safety and whether they cause cancer or not that pretty much summarizes my view - but, in short, parabens are safe for use in cosmetics as they are currently used. I'm cool with natural brands advertising themselves as being natural (although it seems almost every brand is jumping on that bandwagon), but I would like it much better if they didn't have to resort to relying on spurious science and "chemicals are bad" bashing when they undertake their marketing efforts. (And as I've also mentioned in my parabens post, EWG is not actually a good source for science-based info!)


Supergoop! Everyday Sunscreen SPF30: The sunscreen's claim to fame is its light, non-greasy texture
Anyway, marketing aside, I have the Supergoop! Everyday Sunscreen With Cellular Response Technology Broad Spectrum SPF 30 for review. I got mine from Luxola, which seems to have sold out of this particular sunscreen but still have many others, but you can also get it from the Supergoop! website or Nordstrom. We're going to check out whether the Supergoop! Everyday Sunscreen lives up to its claims - whether it really does feel lightweight and non-greasy, whether it does provide adequate sun protection, and while we're at it, we'll also take a look at what the deal is with this Cellular Response Technology. And to do that, we'll start at the ingredients list!