REVIEW: CEZANNE UV Clear Face Powder 01, Make Keep Base, Make Retouch Base, Nose Shadow Highlighter, Lasting Lip Color N 402, Gokuboso Eyeliner R & Glamourlush Curl Mascara

December 24, 2018 / Fiona Seah / Leave a comment

Hello everyone!

Forget expensive shipping costs (and *cough* traveller’s fees). Thanks to local drugstores like Watsons stocking up on foreign beauty essentials on the cheap, products that could only be purchased while abroad previously are becoming more accessible than ever! Joining the ranks of Florida-based Palladio and Japanese cult-favourite drugstore brand Canmake is CEZANNE, which has been sold at selected Watsons stores since the beginning of the year (yes, I know I am slow again).

Some of CEZANNE products

Established in 1964, CEZANNE was created with the intention to offer high quality yet affordable cosmetics to the Japanese beauty community through a three-pronged approach – being kind to the environment, skin and on your wallet.

A trendsetter in environmental sustainability, the brand adopts a refillable system which enables customers to reuse their cases. Additionally, metal pins are not used in the manufacturing of the packaging to allow for easy disposal, and packaging is also standardised to be simple and straightforward to reduce wastage and cost.

To minimise the probability of allergic reactions, patch tests are performed for all of their products (excluding nail polish remover) so those with skin concerns can use them in confidence!

Here are some CEZANNE products I was introduced to at their launch party in June! Please pardon my brief review (or lack thereof) on the face products – due to time constraints (damn early morning classes left me with very little prep time every day so I decided to skip out on the face makeup 😅) I couldn’t put them on long enough to form a fair judgement on their longevity and wear. But I will update this space once I’ve tried them all!

1. UV Clear Face Powder 01

CEZANNE UV Clear Face Powder 01 (S$17.90)

CEZANNE UV Clear Face Powder 01

CEZANNE UV Clear Face Powder 01 – original state (right) & spread out (left)

Available in shades 01 (Light) and 02 (Natural), the UV Clear Face Powder provides the skin a silky smooth and semi-matte finish that helps to conceal minor blemishes and even out skin tone. Formulated with SPF28/PA+++ to protect the skin from harmful ultraviolet rays, this face powder also doubles as a setting powder as it prevents makeup from melting by absorbing the excess sebum on the face. It also comes with a built-in mirror and a high-quality powder puff for targeted application.

2. Make Keep Base

CEZANNE Make Keep Base (S$15.90)

CEZANNE Make Keep Base

A non-sticky primer to be used before foundation application, the Make Keep Base absorbs sebum and is formulated to be water- and sweat-resistant to reduce shine and slip, thereby helping with the longevity of the foundation. Apart from that, it also contains SPF28 PA++ for protection against the harshness of UV rays, as well as light-scattering ingredients to make pores appear less conspicuous. This supposedly fragrance-free (it actually smells like the bandung drink) primer yields a non-powdery finish, and yet is smooth to the touch but can be quite a pain to use due to its extremely runny texture.

To use, shake the bottle well and apply an appropriate amount of the Make Keep Base and spread it lightly and evenly on the entire face.

3. Make Retouch Base

CEZANNE Make Retouch Base (S$9.90)

CEZANNE Make Retouch Base

The Make Retouch Base provides shine control and can be used over and under makeup. It comes with a brush tip attached to the cap for a more precise application so you won’t have to worry about ruining your makeup with your fingers (although you would still have to pat with fingers after application).

There was a very faint craft glue smell when I first applied it on my hand, but it dissipated after a while, leaving with no smell at . Somewhat milky in texture at first, the product dried down to a slightly powdery but not exactly transparent (there was still some translucency) finish within seconds, giving the skin a soft-focus effect and smooth appearance.

4. Gokuboso Eyeliner R 10

CEZANNE Gokuboso Eyeliner R 10 (S$15.90)

CEZANNE Gokuboso Eyeliner R 10

CEZANNE Gokuboso Eyeliner R 10 – rub test

CEZANNE Gokuboso Eyeliner R 10

Real-life wear test – not much change after more than 12 hours!

Small-eyed people would most likely agree with me that eyeliners are the single must-have beauty staple because these godsent stuff literally open up the eyes and add definition to the otherwise two-dimensional feature. But it can be a challenge finding one that offers fantastic opacity in one stroke and yet does not smudge in this blistering heat of Singapore without burning a hole in our pocket. Well.. ladies, the search is finally over.

Admit it, we’ve all had our fair share of disappointing eyeliners that should be sold at the watercolour pencil section instead, and we can’t complain much about it for the price we paid for (*cough* Thai brands I’m looking at you). But the Gokuboso Eyeliner proves that even drugstore eyeliners can be as solid as upscale ones. The opacity of the ink, for one, caught me by surprise because I was expecting a really light wash of black out of it. Despite the affordable price tag, application was incredibly smooth and the thickness of the product stayed consistent from start to finish. Most importantly, this ah-mazing eyeliner is highly resistant to smearing – it did not bleed or fade an inch even after more than 8 hours of wear!

CEZANNE Gokuboso Eyeliner R 10 – swatch comparison

5. Glamourlush Curl Mascara

CEZANNE Glamourlush Curl Mascara (S$15.90)

CEZANNE Glamourlush Curl Mascara

CEZANNE Glamourlush Curl Mascara – AFTER application

CEZANNE Glamourlush Curl Mascara – BEFORE and AFTER

Available in black, the Glamourlush Curl Mascara is one of the four mascaras by CEZANNE specifically to add long-lasting curl and volume to lashes using a classic tubular wand that helps separate and lift each individual lash from the root, so every single strand is amplified to make the eyes the focus of attention. Clump-free and smudge-proof, this mascara is resistant to water (thus a great mascara to cry in) and rubbing (although I do not recommend you do this), and can be layered up for a more dramatic effect. Granted, the packaging does feel a little cheap, but the quality of the product is definitely up to the mark because my lashes did look fuller and a lot more balanced and uniformed after just two passes!

6. Nose Shadow Highlighter

CEZANNE Nose Shadow Highlighter (S$15.90)

CEZANNE Nose Shadow Highlighter

CEZANNE Nose Shadow Highlighter – BEFORE (left) and AFTER (right)

No matter how affluent we are, we have this innate desire for things that offer a bigger bang for our buck. That’s why we’re often drawn to palettes rather than singles despite knowing that less than half the selection would be utilised eventually, and suddenly it doesn’t seem like we’ve saved much after all. Do your wallet a favour and opt for this no-frills contour kit that features just two sculpting shades you’re bound to use – one of a fine-grained white pearl for highlighting purposes and another of a beige-brown that blends softly with any typical fair Asian skin (sorry, dark-skinned ladies 😞) for a more natural finish.

The darker shade, which I foresee myself hitting pan really soon since it takes up only a-third of the compact, adds dimension to the face (more specifically, the bridge of the nose, under the eyebrows and cheekbones) by emulating shadows. The pigmentation, however, isn’t as buildable as I’d like it to be so I felt there wasn’t a noticeable difference to my face even after three swipes.

Complementing it is the lighter shimmery shade, which is strangely given a lot more emphasis in this kit, as it helps to add glow (that turned out rather beautifully) to areas where light would naturally hit, such as the top of cheekbones, center of forehead, nose bridge, center of chin and top of cupid’s bow. The compact also conveniently includes a small dual-ended applicator (brush to apply the bronzer and sponge-tip to diffuse the highlight) to allow touch-ups on the go.

7. Lasting Lip Color N 402

CEZANNE Lasting Lip Color N 402 (S$12.90)

CEZANNE Lasting Lip Color N 402

CEZANNE might have brought in a whole range of products, but at the end of the day nothing truly excites me more than a wide array of lipsticks, especially when they are packaged in such pretty Victorian-styled tubes! #suckerforprettypackaging

With more than 10 conventional shades to choose from, there is certainly one for each skin tone. I was gifted 402, a cool-toned medium red (surprisingly not as dark as it seems on the bullet) with a shot of luminous shine that applied like butter on the lips. The glossy finish was sheer at first but buildable to a semi-opaque coverage with 2-3 more passes without settling into the lines. The moisture of my lips was retained and throughout the wear I did not feel a hint of dryness or urge to lick my lips.

But much as I love how feminine this colour makes me look, this lipstick unfortunately does not live up to my expectations in the longevity department because it transfers and budges way too easily (a typical trade-off for moisture, so no surprise there).

CEZANNE Lasting Lip Color N 402 – opacity comparison

Based on what I’ve tried and tested so far, CEZANNE’s strength appears to lie in their eye products but seasoned users may disagree (their face products perform pretty well too according to most reviews I read online), so I suggest you head down to your nearest Watsons outlet and try their products out for yourselves!

What are your thoughts about CEZANNE and their products? Let me know your views in the comments below or simply take a quick poll!

Thanks for reading!

CEZANNE is now available on watsons.com.sg and in all local Watsons outlets.

Products were supplied by CEZANNE for my consideration but all opinions and expressed are my own.

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REVIEW: M·A·C × Patrick Starrr (PART II) Floral Realness Full Face Kit in Me So Fleek – Eye Shadow X4 in Stay With Me, Powder Blush Duo in Take Me Home, Lipstick in Hey, Boy, Hey! & Lipglass in Queen P

June 29, 2018June 29, 2018 / Fiona Seah / Leave a comment

Hello everyone!

If having a cosmetic line is any indication of success in one’s YouTube career (I mean, it has to be, judging from the announcements of new makeup lines we are inundated with by beauty gurus almost on a monthly basis 🤷🏻‍♀️), Patrick Starrr has hit a home run by scoring an unparalleled five collections – which will be rolled out over the course of this year – with the world’s most influential makeup brand, M·A·C.

Following his holiday collection last December, Patrick returned with a second instalment (we are well into the third as we speak) that had a floral theme to it just in time for spring. And to make our lives easier, he had specially curated two kits for the entire face, each comprising a Lipstick, Lipglass, Eye Shadow Quad and Powder Blush Duo, all of which are not sold separately. But don’t worry, at under US$50 per set (with a US$97 value), they won’t break the bank either.

M·A·C × Patrick Starrr (PART II) – Floral Realness (lol he looks like me in my cover picture above)

Available in on-trend hues of Me So Fleek and the natural everyday shades of Me So Chic to choose from, this collection covers both ends of the style spectrum with colour schemes that cater to the adventurous and sophisticated crowds. Consolidated in a box alongside a face chart, the products – which are individually wrapped in purple crepe-like paper to prevent breakage in transit (but failed – you’ll know why) – are designed in pink packaging with a kaleidoscopic floral motif that serves as the backdrop for Patrick Starrr’s signature.

Inside the Me So Fleek kit

It was tough choosing between the two worthy contenders but my daredevil nature eventually led me to pick the Me So Fleek kit which is centred around deeper and more unconventional and contrasting hues. Me So Chic may look generally fuss-free and easy to work with, but it lacks variety in my opinion.

Eye Shadow X4: Stay With Me

M·A·C × Patrick Starrr Eye Shadow X4 in Stay With Me

M·A·C × Patrick Starrr Eye Shadow X4 in Stay With Me

M·A·C × Patrick Starrr Eye Shadow X4 in Stay With Me

Reading stories about makeup arriving broken in the mail might have geared me up for this dreadful nightmare since most of my purchases have to be subjected to long-distance air travel before they reach me. But for it to happen to an order that seemed to be far more protected from shock was certainly what I would have least expected.

So, imagine being so psyched about your order only to find one of the shades in the eye shadow palette crumble into a powdery mess, and it had somehow spilled over on to the case and ruined the aesthetics of it. Unlike fixing a snapped lipstick, reconstituting a broken eye shadow can be a real pain in the neck because modifying the formulation with an additional ingredient (e.g. rubbing alcohol) to revive the product will not only affect its performance, but it also is just a temporary fix. Hence, I’m leaving the damage as is and review it in its flawed state.

According to M·A·C, these eye shadows are ophthalmologist tested and safe for contact lens wearer. They can also be used wet or dry but personally, these work better dry because the colours (apart from All’s Rosy) lose a ton of their intensity when applied damp.

The following palettes were selected for comparison purposes due to their similarities to Stay With Me: Too Faced Rebel · M·A·C × Rossy De Palma Veluxe Pearlfusion Shadow · Juvia’s Place The Masquerade

The said victim of this misfortune is In Living Pink, a muted warm peach described by M·A·C as a pinky coral with gold micro-shimmers and Frost finish. Perhaps because it has disintegrated in the pan, the texture felt incredibly soft and smooth like baby powder, which could also explain why the loose heap exacerbates and breaks down into even finer particles every time it is utilised.

When applied, it renders great colour payoff and blends very well without sheering out too easily. The shimmers are rather fine and not chunky (but you can definitely tell they are there) so they add a beautiful sheen to the lid without being too in-your-face. Unfortunately, because of the mess it causes on the palette every time I dab my brush into it, I feel compelled to knock some scores off its grade.

Swatch comparison for In Loving Pink

Hickie is described as a bright pink with pink micro-shimmers and Frost finish. This hot pink has a semi-rough texture which looks kinda matte at first glance. Although applies with nearly sheer coverage on the first coat, it builds up to a more opaque pigmentation with three or four coats (which is also when the shimmers begin to be more conspicuous). As this shade is being blended out, it loses its intensity very quickly (the pigment couldn’t even hold up past 1 cm when I swatched it on my wrist) and can turn out to be quite patchy especially when applied on larger surface areas. Hence, in order for the colour to show up more vibrantly, I had to employ the pat-and-dab technique a few times on my lid.

Swatch comparison for Hickie

All’s Rosy is described as a dirty midtone pink with a matte finish. Although a repromote from the Padma Lakshmi collaboration, this version appears to be slightly different as it has more of a muted brown-toned plum hue to it and without the gold pearl. In terms of application, this doesn’t apply as pigmented and, on top of that, has the tendency to ball up. It also gives a semi-sheer coverage with a mildly dusty and uneven consistency which renders it a bit more difficult to work with. This shade blends out fairly easily and adheres well on the bare skin.

Swatch comparison for All’s Rosy

In The Shadows is described as a vibrant dark blue with cobalt-blue micro-shimmer and Frost finish which appears almost metallic-like due to its densely-packed shimmers that reflect light to add sparkle and glamour to the eyes. This electric blue has a lightly creamy texture and a finely-milled formula which goes on opaque on the lid with little effort. Although it packs a punch of pigment (which makes it not-so-forgiving towards mistakes during application), it can also cause quite a bit of fallout on the face, so it is best to apply it before putting on foundation (so that any stray specks of the eye shadow can be erased with ease). This shade blends out exceptionally well without sheering out too much.

Swatch comparison for In The Shadows

APPLICATION & SUGGESTED LOOK

Below is what I had come up with using the aforementioned palette because I felt that the suggested look on the given face chart had placed too much emphasis on the blue that it sorta overshadowed the other shades. Furthermore, this look is less intimidating and more suitable for everyday wear.

My face before applying eye, cheek and lip makeup

First shade – All’s Rosy

All’s Rosy as the base colour

Jumping straight to the deepest colour next – In The Shadows

In The Shadows to define the eyes

Bravely applying In The Shadows in the inner corner of my eyes as well which, if not careful, would have really ruined the whole look

Then, going into the Hickie pan

Filling Hickie in the centre of my lid to create an ombré with the blue

Blend harsh edges with the help of some All’s Rosy on the brush

Last but not least, the messiest pan on the palette – In Living Pink

In Living Pink to make the eyes pop a little bit more. You can also use this as a topper above the more pigmented shades

Duplicate the whole process on the lid onto the lower lash line

Without eye shadow → with eye shadow → with eyeliner (As you can tell, Hickie had started to fade the moment I tried to blend it with In The Shadows)

Powder Blush Duo:
Take Me Home

M·A·C × Patrick Starrr Powder Blush Duo in Take Me Home

M·A·C × Patrick Starrr Powder Blush Duo in Take Me Home – Soft Coral Pink (top shade)

M·A·C × Patrick Starrr Powder Blush Duo in Take Me Home – Soft Coral Pink

The powder blush duo (0.35 oz / 10 g) comprises a soft coral pink (top shade) and a muted pink plum (bottom shade) with Satin and Matte finishes respectively, and it was the vast contrast in both shades that sealed the deal for me in deciding to purchase this kit. Both blushes are pressed very densely in the pan so do not kick up any excess and dirty the mirror within.

The soft coral pink is a muted warm rose with sparsely-distributed silver shimmers that aren’t very obvious and do not catch every light. The blush goes on fairly pigmented when pressure is applied, and yields quite a lot of product as compared to the muted pink plum when swatched on my wrist although it somehow does not show much on my cheek (which, in all fairness, could be due to the fact that I had used a tapered brush instead of a buffing one). It has a smooth and silky texture without being too powdery or dry on the skin. Sheer on the first pass, its opacity can be built up with more layers without emphasising the pores or rough texture of the skin.

M·A·C × Patrick Starrr Powder Blush Duo in Take Me Home – Muted Pink Plum (bottom shade)

The muted pink plum, on the other hand, is a muted cool plum with a flat matte finish. Even though it appears deeper than the other shade in the pan, it is actually somewhat lighter and sheerer on the skin but is moderately buildable to a semi-opaque coverage. This shade applies with an uneven consistency unless on a sticky and moist surface, and would leave harsh edges if pressure is not applied uniformly on the skin. Hence, to get a more consistent payoff, you may have to sweep the brush lightly on the cheeks back and forth a couple of times. This shade blends out easily and does not appear dry or cakey on the skin despite its being a matte.

Swatch comparison for Powder Blush Duo in Take Me Home

Lipstick: Hey, Boy, Hey!

M·A·C × Patrick Starrr lipstick in Hey, Boy, Hey!

Hey, Boy, Hey! is described as a dirty pinkish plum with Retro Matte finish which is notoriously known to be incredibly drying. However, it was not entirely the case for this medium-dark reddish purple which, even though isn’t slippery on the lips per se, applies with very minimal tugging and skipping. This lipstick deposits an evenly, semi-opaque pigmentation (but buildable to full coverage in just a few strokes) across the lips with a consistency that is negligibly streaky. Although some product did settle into my lip lines, the formula generally did not suck out all the moisture off my lips like the other Retro Mattes that I own (I’m looking at you, Ruby Woo) and leave them chapping like crazy at the end of the day. This shade adheres to the lips very well and stayed on for more than 5 hours.

Swatch comparison for Hey, Boy, Hey!

Lipglass: Queen P

M·A·C × Patrick Starrr Lipglass in Queen P

Queen P is described as a neon pink with blue pearl. This warm fuchsia has a glossy finish infused with a mix of blue and purple shimmers. As someone who absolutely loathes the tackiness of lip glosses, this is actually quite wearable and lightweight despite the thick consistency. The texture isn’t exactly tacky to the point that it makes me want to remove it the very instant I put it on, and it has the ability to camouflage any imperfections on my lips.

Fairly pigmented (enough for me to properly line my lips) with a semi-opaque coverage, this Lipglass can be used on its own or as a lip topper. When used in conjunction with the lipstick, the shimmers blend into the purple without altering its colour much or moving it while giving the lips a luscious and juicier shine, as well as a fuller appearance. Queen P is neither drying or hydrating and it stayed on my lips for about 2 hours (until I took a sip of my drink, that is).

Hey, Boy, Hey! + Queen P

Hey, Boy, Hey! → Queen P → Hey, Boy, Hey + Queen P

As the brains behind this partnership, Patrick Starrr had, no doubt, put a lot of thought into developing such coherent collection while still living up to the high standards of the brand. But quite frankly, the choice of colours for both kits didn’t quite blow me away because I’ve already seen similar schemes (of the eye shadow quad in the Me So Chic kit especially) a couple of times in past M·A·C collections. That aside, just judging based on the quality alone, the Me So Fleek kit is certainly a bargain at this price so if you haven’t own anything from M·A·C yet, now is the time!

What do you think about this collection? Did you snag any of the kits? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below or simply take a quick poll!

Thanks for reading!

M·A·C × Patrick Starrr (Part II) Floral Realness Full Face Kits are now available on MACCosmetics.com and M·A·C ION Orchard Outlet.

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REVIEW: shu uemura × Super Mario Bros. – Peach’s Eye & Cheek Palette

December 12, 2017December 22, 2017 / Fiona Seah / Leave a comment

Hello everyone!

Before the internet became a household fixture, the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) was a huge phenomenon which provided hours of enjoyment for children cooped up in the house all day (like myself). Through the NES, users were introduced to a whole new world of video games. The “Jump Man” in Donkey Kong in particular received so much attention that it was eventually made into its own game called Super Mario Bros. Today, the character is undeniably one of the things that is synonymous with the ’90s.

This year, the Italian plumber – who recently turns 32 – gets his big break in the beauty world when he was invited to collaborate on a holiday makeup collection by shu uemura. Released on 1 October in the U.S., this 25-piece Super Mario Bros-themed collection offers lipsticks, palettes, cushion cases, cleansing oil and many others presented in packaging that will hit you gamer girls right in the childhood.

Having grown up with Super Mario Bros, saying that I was excited for this launch would be an understatement. I was literally counting down the days until this collection finally makes its appearance at the local shu uemura counters on 15 November!

But sounds like Christmas came early this year as shu uemura Singapore had kindly sent me a few products to blabber about here 😍 In this first instalment of my two-part review on this collection, the spotlight will be solely on the Peach’s Eye & Cheek Palette (which has sold out in the U.S., by the way 😨).

shu uemura × Super Mario Bros Peach’s Eye & Cheek Palette (S$128)

Goomba motif on the inside of the box!

shu uemura × Super Mario Bros Peach’s Eye & Cheek Palette

Inspired by Princess Peach (a character in the Mario franchise), the limited-edition eye and cheek palette includes a dual-ended brush, six eye shadows and two glow ons (shu uemura’s version of blush that enhances the natural glow of cheeks) embossed with some distinctive elements of the game. The shades, organised in quads of purple and brown hues, are specially curated to create two highly-achievable monochromatic looks and are exclusive to the palette.

Made with acrylic plastic with a glossy surface, the palette is pink on the outside with pixel art of some notable characters and items of Super Mario, and white on the inside. It is thin yet sturdy and doesn’t take up much storage space. Upon opening the lid, you will be greeted with a removable transparent sheet of plastic with the names (or rather purpose) of each product placed on top of the pans to guide application and perhaps, to prevent the inbuilt mirror from getting dirtied by powder residue.

From top row, left to right: IR pink, S mauve, P plum, G gold light, ME orange, ME bronze eye shadows (1.0 g x 6 / 0.03 oz) // bottom: dreamy peach, brave orange glow ons (3.5 g x 2 / 0.12 oz)

☆ Eye Shadows ☆

shu uemura × Super Mario Bros Peach’s Eye & Cheek Palette eye shadows

The base shade on the first half of the palette is described as a pink with an iridescent finish which, according to shu uemura, “offer(s) glimmering reflections of changing colors”. It is a light wash of cool pink with finely milled shimmers which have a gritty texture to it. Sheer in coverage, it acts as a lightening and smoothing agent for the shade applied atop it. It can also be used on its own for a dewy look. This feels smidgen dusty and is prone to sheer out when applied dry. Hence, you would get better results (i.e. colour intensifies and a more pronounced shine) when used with a wet brush. Otherwise, if you don’t want to leave a water stain on the eye shadow, perhaps using a dense brush would help the colour show better on the lid.

Compare Base with other similar shades from the Kat Von D Shade + Light (Plum) and Urban Decay Naked 3 palettes

The styling shade is described as a mauve with a shimmery finish. It appears more of a violet to me with warm undertones and has a slight metallic sheen to it. This shade is safely one of those eye shadows that appears dull when applied, but comes alive when light hits it. It applies sheer at first but is buildable to a semi-opaque coverage. It isn’t too soft or firm in the pan which gives it a smooth and blendable texture. The edges also diffuse rather well without losing much intensity. I experienced a negligible amount of kickback in the pan when I dabbed it with my brush but there wasn’t much fallout on me.

Compare Styling with other similar shades from the Kat Von D Shade + Light (Plum) and Urban Decay Naked 3 palettes

The defining shade is described as a plum with a pearl finish which, as defined by shu uemura, lends a “silky shimmer of light for luminous radiance”. This deep violet contains chunkier purple glitter and has a drier and somewhat uneven texture so undoubtedly there would be fallout during application. Moderately dense and generally patchy in consistency, it sheers out quickly when blended but can be built to an opaque coverage if used with a dense brush. The metallic sheen becomes rather glaring as the eye shadow is piled on. Similarly, this applies noticeably better with a dampened brush. Occasionally, I would use this shade alongside the browns to give my eyes a smokier look.

Compare Define with other similar shades from the Kat Von D Shade + Light (Plum) and Urban Decay Naked 3 palettes

APPLICATION & SUGGESTED LOOK

Apply the base colour all over lids with the shader side of the dual-ended brush

With the same end of the brush, apply the styling shade above the base

Define the eyes while still using the shader brush

Apply styling colour along the lower lash line with the precision end of the brush

Using the same brush, add definition along the outer corner of the eye and do a little bit of crease-cutting on the upper lid. Blend out harsh edges with shader brush.

From plain to glamourous!

The base shade on the next half of the palette is described as a gold light with glittery finish which adds “abundant sparkles for glistening glamour”. It is a cool-toned pale gold with a powdery smooth texture. The glitter in this eye shadow is more sparkly in appearance. Although it also seems more scattered, it was fortunately not messy to work with. It may offer sheer coverage but as a base colour, this packs a punch of glow even on the first layer and piling on the product will only build up the shine. I find that this shade applies more smoothly and evenly with the finger tip. On top of that, it can also be used as a lid topper to enhance the sparkle of the main eye shadow colour.

Compare Base with other similar shades from TheBalm NUDE ‘tude, Urban Decay Naked Heat and Juvia’s Place Nubian 2 palettes

The styling shade for the second look is described as an orange with a metallic finish which is supposedly “smooth like liquid with a metallic glow”. It is an orange with brown undertones and has micro-glitter distributed uniformly to give a nice, frosted sheen. This shade applies evenly and goes on semi-opaque on the first swipe when used with a finger or dense brush (dry or dampened – it doesn’t really matter). Buildable to a completely opaque coverage, it is lightweight and blends fairly well on the lid. It may feel a bit gritty in the pan but there is hardly any kickback and fallout. If I have to pick a favourite in this palette, this will be it!

Compare Styling with other similar shades from TheBalm NUDE ‘tude, Urban Decay Naked Heat and Juvia’s Place Nubian 2 palettes

Lastly, add some definition to the eye with a metallic bronze. This warm-toned brown has faint multicoloured micro-glitter that seems more loosely incorporated into the product. The eye shadow has a powdery smooth consistency with rich pigmentation. It is best applied with a dampened brush for maximum coverage and colour intensity. However, it would require a firmer hand to completely diffuse the edges.

Compare Styling with other similar shades from TheBalm NUDE ‘tude, Urban Decay Naked Heat and Juvia’s Place Nubian 2 palettes

APPLICATION & SUGGESTED LOOK

Apply base colour all over the lid with the shader brush

Using the same brush, pack on some colours with the styling shade

Define the eye by adding a darker shade on the outer corner

Cut them crease with the darkest shade on the palette!

Be extra – apply defining shade on the inner corner to add emphasis to the center of the lid

Line the lower lash line with the styling shade

Followed by the defining shade on the outer corner

Don’t forget to blend out the edges!

From girl-next-door to femme fatale 🤗

When glam meets edgy

☆ Glow Ons ☆

shu uemura × Super Mario Bros Peach’s Eye & Cheek Palette blush

Dreamy Peach is a warm pink with flecks of gold shimmers even though it appears to have more orange undertones in the pan. This Super Star and Super Mushroom-embossed blush has sheer pigmentation and can be built to a semi-sheer at most. It blends quite easily owing to its soft texture but has the tendency to sheer out on normal or drier skin (I had swatch it on my wrist a couple of times and it fades away quickly every time). It doesn’t cause any kickback in the pan nor leave any noticeable dents even after multiple uses and that is great if you, like me, don’t want to ruin the cute embossing on the glow ons 😁

Darling Princess (3-4 swipes)

Darling Princess Darling Princess (3-4 swipes, blended out)

Brave Orange is a pale neon orange with yellow undertones topped with accents of gold shimmers. It comes with Fire Flower and the iconic Question Mark Block embossed on it. Soft and lightly powdery in texture, this blush feels luxuriously smooth to the touch and is buildable to a semi-sheer coverage. I actually find this more pigmented than Dreamy Peach and surprisingly, does not camouflage into my Chinese skin tone nor look too yellowish on me. It can be doubled as a bronzer for lighter skin tones to give a subtle contour. However, it does have the tendency to cling onto the drier areas of the skin which could be why it applied slightly uneven on me and needed some effort to buff out the unsightly streak.

Adventure Princess (1 swipe)

Adventure Princess (3-4 swipes)

Adventure Princess for contouring (using Sigma F04 Extreme Structure Contour™ Brush)

Two looks (without the lipstick, yet!) side by side. Which one do you prefer?

As a Japanese brand serving international markets, shu uemura has managed to strike a balance between bold and delicate with this palette to cater to people on either ends of the preference spectrum. While it delivers a relatively lighter wash of colour with a touch of glitter when used as-is, these attributes can also be easily amped up on the lid with your finger tip or a dampened brush. That said, the choice of shades (especially the glow ons) seems to gear towards lighter skin tones in general.

And in case you didn’t catch the price earlier, this would set you back a whooping S$128 so unless you are obsessed with Super Mario or don’t mind splurging a few hundred dollars on a high-end product (made with top grade ingredients and presumably state-of-the-art technology, no less), I honestly don’t think this is worth burning a hole in your pocket for in terms of the price per ounce for each product in this palette.

What are your thoughts on this adorable palette? Let me know what you think in the comments below or take a quick poll!

Totally unrelated to this palette but what are some of your favourite NES games? Apart from Super Mario Bros, I was hooked on playing Antarctic Adventure, Ice Climber, Circus, Duck Hunt, Bubble Bobble, Popeye and Bomberman 😆 There should be more but I can’t remember their names at the moment. Just listening to the 8-bit music of these games brings back so many childhood memories!

Anyhoo, thanks for reading and stay tuned for part two of this collection 🙂

shu uemura × Super Mario Bros is now available on the Sephora Singapore (online), at TANGS and shu uemura boutiques islandwide.

The product featured in this review was editorially selected. All opinions, as always, are genuine and uninfluenced.

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lifestyle from an Asian perspective

Highlighters, Blush & Bronzers

REVIEW: CEZANNE UV Clear Face Powder 01, Make Keep Base, Make Retouch Base, Nose Shadow Highlighter, Lasting Lip Color N 402, Gokuboso Eyeliner R & Glamourlush Curl Mascara

1. UV Clear Face Powder 01

2. Make Keep Base

3. Make Retouch Base

4. Gokuboso Eyeliner R 10

5. Glamourlush Curl Mascara

6. Nose Shadow Highlighter

7. Lasting Lip Color N 402

CEZANNE is now available on watsons.com.sg and in all local Watsons outlets.

Products were supplied by CEZANNE for my consideration but all opinions and expressed are my own.

REVIEW: M·A·C × Patrick Starrr (PART II) Floral Realness Full Face Kit in Me So Fleek – Eye Shadow X4 in Stay With Me, Powder Blush Duo in Take Me Home, Lipstick in Hey, Boy, Hey! & Lipglass in Queen P

Eye Shadow X4: Stay With Me

The following palettes were selected for comparison purposes due to their similarities to Stay With Me: Too Faced Rebel · M·A·C × Rossy De Palma Veluxe Pearlfusion Shadow · Juvia’s Place The Masquerade

APPLICATION & SUGGESTED LOOK

Powder Blush Duo:
Take Me Home

Lipstick: Hey, Boy, Hey!

Lipglass: Queen P

M·A·C × Patrick Starrr (Part II) Floral Realness Full Face Kits are now available on MACCosmetics.com and M·A·C ION Orchard Outlet.

.

REVIEW: shu uemura × Super Mario Bros. – Peach’s Eye & Cheek Palette

☆ Eye Shadows ☆

APPLICATION & SUGGESTED LOOK

APPLICATION & SUGGESTED LOOK

☆ Glow Ons ☆

shu uemura × Super Mario Bros is now available on the Sephora Singapore (online), at TANGS and shu uemura boutiques islandwide.

The product featured in this review was editorially selected. All opinions, as always, are genuine and uninfluenced.

1. UV Clear Face Powder 01

2. Make Keep Base

3. Make Retouch Base

4. Gokuboso Eyeliner R 10

5. Glamourlush Curl Mascara

6. Nose Shadow Highlighter

7. Lasting Lip Color N 402

CEZANNE is now available on watsons.com.sg and in all local Watsons outlets.

Products were supplied by CEZANNE for my consideration but all opinions and expressed are my own.

Share this:

Eye Shadow X4: Stay With Me

The following palettes were selected for comparison purposes due to their similarities to Stay With Me: Too Faced Rebel · M·A·C × Rossy De Palma Veluxe Pearlfusion Shadow · Juvia’s Place The Masquerade

APPLICATION & SUGGESTED LOOK

Powder Blush Duo: Take Me Home

Lipstick: Hey, Boy, Hey!

Lipglass: Queen P

M·A·C × Patrick Starrr (Part II) Floral Realness Full Face Kits are now available on MACCosmetics.com and M·A·C ION Orchard Outlet.

.

Share this:

☆ Eye Shadows ☆

APPLICATION & SUGGESTED LOOK

APPLICATION & SUGGESTED LOOK

☆ Glow Ons ☆

shu uemura × Super Mario Bros is now available on the Sephora Singapore (online), at TANGS and shu uemura boutiques islandwide.

The product featured in this review was editorially selected. All opinions, as always, are genuine and uninfluenced.

Share this:

Powder Blush Duo:
Take Me Home