Makeup Reviews

REVIEW: Clinique Pretty Easy Liquid Eyelining Pen in Black & Chubby Lash Fattening Mascara in Jumbo Jet

/ Fiona Seah / 2 Comments
SAMPLE

Hey everyone!

Despite being one of the oldest and most trusted brands within the cosmetic industry, Clinique has never rested on their laurels. They just keep getting better and better with new products regularly being developed to cater to the needs of every individual (including men), as well as to address specific aspects of skin care. Therefore, after launching a range of improved face, cheek and lip products that were such a hit with the market, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out what is next on their docket. Yup, that’s right! Clinique has recently brought forth a series of eye products consisting of a mascara, eyeliner and an eye serum (which will be covered in the next post).

Clinique Pretty Easy Liquid Eyelining Pen

Clinique Pretty Easy Liquid Eyelining Pen (S$34)

Clinique Chubby Lash Fattening Mascara

Clinique Chubby Lash Fattening Mascara (S$30)

I’m really excited about this new lineup! Eye makeup is something that resonates with me for it was what evolved me into a more confident person. Growing up, I was always dissatisfied with my small, uneven Asian eyes and I hated how they would narrow into a slit whenever I smile. Likewise, my self-esteem was further battered by the taunts from my peers (although I knew they were just joshing around) because of my appearance. Therefore when I discovered the wonders of makeup in my late teens, I invested quite a lot in eye makeup products to enhance the shape of my eyes and I guess that’s what got me started on them!

Pretty Easy Liquid Eyelining Pen

Get the drama of liquid eyeliner without the drama of putting it on. Introducing NEW Clinique Pretty Easy Liquid Eyelining Pen, an error-proof pen that creates a clean line in one steady and simple sweep. This liquid liner is a tapered, precision brush that easily paints on pure, deep colour in a continuous, even and defined line. Use the tip to create an ultra-thin line or hold the brush flat for a bolder thicker line. NEW Clinique Pretty Easy Liquid Eyelining Pen promises 12-hour smudge-resistant and transfer proof wear that can be used effortlessly in three different ways to create a bold and dramatic look.

Pretty Easy Liquid Eyelining Pen (S$34)

Pretty Easy Liquid Eyelining Pen (S$34)

Pretty Easy Liquid Eyelining Pen

Pretty Easy Liquid Eyelining Pen

Pretty Easy Liquid Eyelining Pen

Pretty Easy Liquid Eyelining Pen

Pretty Easy Liquid Eyelining Pen

Pretty Easy Liquid Eyelining Pen

Pretty Easy Liquid Eyelining Pen

Pretty Easy Liquid Eyelining Pen

The pen glided on very smoothly on my tiny lids and was very comfortable to apply. With the very consistent and pigmented output, achieving the perfect cat eye is easier than you can imagine. The colour dispensed is matte and opaque and the tip is supple and soft, making it pretty easy to create a precised lining along my waterline. It didn’t poke nor tug my lids and I didn’t have to press it down too much to get the product out. It dried almost instantly after application (give it 8-10 seconds), perfect for days when I’m in a hurry.

Considering the warm and humid weather in Singapore (plus my tears of joy in between from laughing too hard while watching some comedy clips), I was astonished that it never smudged one bit even after 12 hours of wear. Therefore, do expect some difficulty in removal.

Chubby Lash Fattening Mascara

Lusciously plumped, full-bodied and thick lashes are just a wink away. Introducing NEW Clinique’s Chubby Lash Fattening Mascara that creates bold, volumized and luscious lashes with just a few strokes of an over-sized brushed. To create fine and faint lashes into bodacious and bold lashes, our volumizing brush fattens up lashes without weighing them down.

The Chubby Stick family just got bigger with the newest addition of NEW Clinique’s Chubby Lash Fattening Mascara. Add a hint of colour to maximize your sultry lash look with NEW Clinique Chubby Lash Fattening Mascara in Jumbo Jet (Black). These sexy and fun blackened pop colours create the perfectly styled lashes to complete your look in a buildable formula.

Clinique Chubby Lash Fattening Mascara (S$30)

Clinique Chubby Lash Fattening Mascara (S$30)

Clinique Chubby Lash Fattening Mascara

Clinique Chubby Lash Fattening Mascara

Clinique Chubby Lash Fattening Mascara

Clinique Chubby Lash Fattening Mascara

Clinique Chubby Lash Fattening Mascara - no falsies!

Clinique Chubby Lash Fattening Mascara – no falsies!

I don’t have the habit of putting on false eyelashes at all so when it comes to purchasing mascaras, the essential qualities I usually look out for are lash-lengthening and volumising. Not surprisingly, this mascara fulfilled all my requirements because my lashes really looked longer, more intense and visible. The product applied evenly on my lashes and had even attempted to separate them without leaving any clumps. The formula is amazing – it doesn’t overload upon application and it also allowed a buildable volume from the root of the lashes after each stroke. It took me just 4 full strokes to achieve my look. On top of that, the brush of the mascara managed to catch all the lashes from the inner to the outer corners of the eyes, giving my lashes the extra lift to stay in position.

Having said that, I’m not really fond of the oversized wand (ironically, the unique selling point of this mascara) because I find it a little too big for my short and sparse eyelashes. It was a challenge for me to manoeuvre the wand without inadvertently hitting my lids (which happened way too many times). I guess if you have a wider pair of eyes, the size of the wand shouldn’t pose a problem for you.

But ultimately, I have to say that the pros definitely outweigh the cons for this. It doesn’t leave any (zero, I swear!) small grains under my eyes after application! Okay scratch that. Not a single speck of fall out at all even after 12 hours! I was absolutely impressed by this because fibre fallout is a very common problem I encounter with mascaras in general. It is also not waterproof hence removal was a breeze as well.

So should you get it? Hell yes!

Comparison with other mascaras I have

Comparison with other mascaras I have, applied in left-right motion

Check out the intensity and the smooth appearance of the Clinique mascara! The wand that has a cluster of fine bristles that grip on to each lash, giving you a beautiful fringe of well-defined lashes. It also didn’t feel as sticky and heavy as my Urban Decay mascara (which could be due to it being waterproof).

Pretty Easy Liquid Eyelining Pen and Chubby Lash Fattening Mascara

Pretty Easy Liquid Eyelining Pen and Chubby Lash Fattening Mascara

Finished look

Finished look

Both products are ophthalmologist tested and safe for sensitive eyes and contact wearers. They are absolutely, 100% fragrance-free.

What do you think? Would you consider buying any of these products? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below! 🙂

Thanks for reading and do check back for another Clinique review 🙂

tHE clinique Pretty Easy Liquid Eyelining Pen (S$34) and Chubby Lash Fattening Mascara (S$30) are now available at Clinique island-wide.

REVIEW: MAC Veluxe À Trois Lipsticks – Royally Riotous, Heaux & Quelle Surprise

/ Fiona Seah / 6 Comments

Hey everyone!

Much as I would call myself a lipstick junkie, my obsession with lipsticks – or MAC ones, for the matter of fact – only started less than 3 years ago. As a result, I missed out on a lot of limited-edition shades launched donkey’s years back which are no longer available in the market (or even if they are, prices would be marked up way too high). But fortunately for people like myself who are late to the party, the human eye is restricted to the visible spectrum of colours. Hence, with only a limited range of colours to work with, cosmetics companies are bound to have repeated shades for their lipsticks and this is especially so for MAC which launches new products very frequently.

So quite inevitably, a new collection by MAC would often include lipstick shades which are either a repromote of previously released ones or similar.

MAC Veluxe à Trois

MAC Veluxe à Trois

Just like in the case of the recent Veluxe à Trois collection, 2 out of 6 of the lipstick shades are actually repromotes (though granted, it’s more of an eye shadow collection with a corresponding lipstick lineup) and the rest are probably something you’ve seen before.

But you know what? I ain’t complaining because I can finally lay my hands on Heaux – a shade which I’ve been searching high and low for since missing out on RiRi Hearts MAC in 2013. *throws confetti*

Veluxe à Trois lipsticks and a free sample

Veluxe à Trois lipsticks and a free sample

3 out of the 6 Veluxe à Trois lipsticks - (from left) Heaux, Royally Riotous and Quelle Surprise

3 out of the 6 Veluxe à Trois lipsticks – (from left) Heaux, Royally Riotous and Quelle Surprise

Veluxe à Trois lipstick swatches

Veluxe à Trois lipstick swatches (layered 2-3 times)

Veluxe à Trois is a collection of 6 eye shadow trio (Gingerluxe (online exclusive), Fabulous Three, Collective Chic, Claretluxe, Lapisluxe & Cool Companions), 6 lipsticks (Pillow Talk, How Tropical, Flowerscope, Heaux (online exclusive), Royally Riotous (online-exclusive) & Quelle Surprise), 6 cremesheen glass (You’ve Got It, Softly Lit, Loud & Lovely, Richly Revered & Dark Outsider), 2 two-in-one mascaras (Haute & Naughty Too Black Lash & Haute & Naughty Waterproof Lash) and a 247 Flat Shader Brush.

As always, I wasn’t interested in anything but the lipsticks 😉

#1 Royally Riotous

Royally Riotous is a malty warm brown with Amplified Creme finish (US$17)

Royally Riotous is a malty warm brown with Amplified Creme finish (US$17)

Royally Riotous

Royally Riotous

Royally Riotous

Royally Riotous

Royally Riotous

Royally Riotous

Royally Riotous

Royally Riotous

Royally Riotous

Royally Riotous

A lovely nude that blends very nicely with my natural lip colour, Royally Riotous is a shade to die for that glides effortlessly on the lips! It’s semi-opaque with a slight sheen and it’s also very flattering because it does not emphasise the flaws of your lips. Moreover, it feels lightweight and comfortable, leaving the lips looking smooth and hydrated which reminds me why Amplified Creme has always been one of my favourite finishes. Although this shade is not available in stores at the moment (because it’s online exclusive), I’m sure this would make a comeback alongside future releases. Mark my words!

Royally Riotous swatch comparison

Royally Riotous swatch comparison

#2 Heaux

Heaux is a berry with Amplified Creme finish (US$17)

Heaux is a berry with Amplified Creme finish (US$17)

Heaux

Heaux

Heaux

Heaux

Heaux

Heaux

Heaux

Heaux

Heaux

Heaux

Got Heaux from the RiRi Hearts MAC collection already? Lucky you!

Formerly a bold and velvety Retro Matte, it is now a creamy and a more luxurious finish with an emollient texture while still maintaining the rich and striking berry colour. Although I’m elated about the revival of Heaux (pronounced as “hoo” by the way), I can’t help but feel dismayed by the change of finish for this latest version because it now looks comparable to the lustrous berry shades I already have. I guess the adjustment was made in response to public complaints about the Retro Matte finish being too flat and extremely drying, causing it to tug too much on the lips. Still, I’d very much prefer it to be in Retro Matte finish because that’s what I feel made Heaux stand out.

Ahhh… trades with RiRi Heaux, anybody? Haha!

Heaux swatch comparison

Heaux swatch comparison

I take comfort in knowing that I don’t have an exact replica of Heaux (or maybe I do, just that I couldn’t find it among the sea of lipsticks in my stash at that point in time).

And in case you spotted the discrepancy between the stated finish and what is printed on the sticker at the bottom of the both lipsticks (e.g. Amplified Finish v.s. Amplified), it’s due to a printing error which, from what I understand, would only affect the first batch of lipsticks.

#3 Quelle Surprise

Quelle Surprise is a deep purple berry with a Cremesheen finish (US$17)

Quelle Surprise is a deep purple berry with a Cremesheen finish (US$17)

Quelle Surprise

Quelle Surprise

Quelle Surprise

Quelle Surprise

Quelle Surprise

Quelle Surprise

Quelle Surprise

Quelle Surprise

Quelle Surprise

Quelle Surprise

The consistency of this shade caught me by surprise (no pun intended). It applied smoothly and evenly (I must have confused it with Lustres! Argh, sickening Lustres) and it highlights the lips with its sheer and glossy texture. Even though it is not very pigmented in one single swipe (as expected of Cremesheen finish), the colour is pretty much buildable with relatively good staying power (that is, if you don’t eat or drink anything). I honestly didn’t think that I would like it as I do now so yeah, what a surprise, indeed!

Quelle Surprise swatch comparison

Quelle Surprise (single swipe) swatch comparison

If you haven’t realised, the price of each lipstick has gone up to US$17 from US$16. Oh dear, the price seems to be creeping up gently. At this rate, MAC is not going to be pocket-friendly anymore! Hopefully the price isn’t going to be permanent for non-collaborative lipsticks 😦 *fingers crossed*

What do you think of this collection? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more beauty updates! 🙂

Veluxe à Trois is now available on MACCOSMETICS.COM and in NGEE ANN CITY MAC OUTLET.

REVIEW: Urban Decay Naked Smoky Eyeshadow Palette

/ Fiona Seah / 14 Comments

Hello everyone!

urban-decay-naked-smoky-17

As a beauty junkie, I experiment with my looks from time to time using several makeup brands and it’s through these experiences that I discovered the cosmetics lines that would be the mainstay in my beauty regime. For instance, I rely on MAC lipsticks to give my lips colour but when it comes to eye makeup, I switch to none other than Urban Decay to give my peepers some depth (though Tarte and Too Faced are creeping up my list, that’s a different story for another post 😀 *hint*).

I remember owning my first eyeshadow palette 3 years ago when I started out on (proper) makeup.  It wasn’t a full colour palette because I didn’t know how to work with bold shades. I wanted colours that were more neutral and easier to blend with (as I think I suck pretty much at colour combination). Therefore, I eventually decided on Naked 2 which was the latest palette from UD then.

Fast forward to 2015, I have more than 10 eyeshadow palettes from various brands in my possession. But those of UD are still my ultimate holy grail because of their great pigmentation and good mix of matte and shimmery shades. Plus, UD is known to be cruelty-free and vegan, including their complimentary brushes that come with their full palettes! So what’s not to love about UD? 🙂

Of course, the highlight of this post isn’t my vast collection of eyeshadows, but the latest Naked eyeshadow palette rolled out by UD this summer! Nope, it isn’t Naked 4 (it’s ok, that’s what I thought too). It’s the Smoky palette!

Smoky? *scratches head* Doesn’t UD already have it long ago?

No, dearies, it’s not the Smoked palette. I know, I know. It is a little confusing but trust me, you will catch on because these two products are worlds apart! I will go into that later. But first..

The familiar font of NAKED that immediately catches your attention

The familiar font of NAKED on the packaging that immediately catches your attention

Back

Back

Unveiling what's inside the box

Unveiling what’s inside the box (minus the faux flowers of course hehehe)

This palette comes with a lookbook with detailed steps on achieving a pair of sultry and smoky eyes in 4 ways!

Palette

Urban Decay Naked Smoky Palette (US$53/ S$83)

Along with the truckload of samples I got from Sephora.com!

Along with the truckload of samples I got from Sephora.com! Key in code “HOTHAIR” upon checkout to get them 🙂

This purchase made me so happy because of all the freebies! But I could have gotten a bag of many mini branded fragrances instead if not for the fact that alcohol-based products are prohibited for air shipment -_- Dammit, why don’t the Sephora outlets in Singapore shower their customers with as many samples as their US counterpart? 😕 *greedy*

Back of the palette

Back of the palette

Side of the palette

Side of the palette

The transparent case is made of hard, uniform plastic material featuring floating smoke effect to exude a sense of mystery.  On the surface are the words “Naked Smoky” printed in gunmetal foil. It also has a magnetic closure for convenience .

Eyeshadows

Eyeshadows and full-size mirror

The Naked Smoky palette consists of High (champagne shimmer with micro-glitter), Dirtysweet (medium bronze), Radar (metallic taupe with iridescent micro-glitter), Armor (metallic silver-taupe with tonal sparkle), Slanted (light metallic gray), Dagger (medium charcoal with micro-shimmer), Black Market (jet-black satin), Smolder (deep plum-taupe), Password (cool taupe matte), Whiskey (rich brown matte), Combust (soft pink-taupe) and Thirteen (light beige satin).

Swatch

Swatch

My favourites are Dirtysweet, Radar, Dagger, Smolder, Password, Whiskey and Combat. Great neutrals, don’t you think?

With High (brow bone), Thirteen (base), Bittersweet (corners), Combust, Radar, Daggar and Whiskey

With High (brow bone), Thirteen (base), Bittersweet (corners), Combust, Radar, Daggar and Whiskey, primed with Urban Decay Anti-Aging Primer Potion.

All my Naked palettes prior to this purchase have been extremely satisfactory but for the Smoky palette? Not quite. The colour payoff for the mattes (e.g. Smolder and Password) are mostly weak and sheer although they are generally darker than those in Naked 1, 2 and 3. I had to apply at least 3 layers to make the colours show. But having said that, you may enjoy this palette if you have issues working with eyeshadows that appear too pigmented.

The shimmery ones, on the other hand, have impressive consistency and the glitters are very micro and evenly distributed. The metallic finish for Bittersweet and Armor are too frosty for my liking but the rest are rather muted. Never thought I would say this but I really prefer the shimmery to the matte ones for this palette!

One thing about the eyeshadows that stood out was the fallout. I mean, the very minimal fallout, perhaps because of the thinner texture of the eyeshadows. I usually have my eyes done so that I can cover the fallout with my foundation thereafter but nope, nothing much to conceal! I guess UD finally hit the nail on the head this time!

Palette comparison with Smoked palette

Palette comparison with Smoked palette

Swatch comparison with Smoked

Swatch comparison against Smoked with just 1-2 swipes

The Smoked shades are a lot more pigmented and heavy (even the lightest matte ones!) as you can see.

Moving on to the complimentary dual-ended eyeshadow brush, the bristles are similar to what you have in the first 3 Naked palettes – smooth to the touch of a finger but slightly prickly on the lids because they are too sturdy. I don’t really use the provided brush anyway so I’m not bothered by it.

Naked Smoky Dual-ended Brush

Naked Smoky Dual-ended Brush

Naked Smoky Dual-ended Brush

Naked Smoky Dual-ended Brush with smoke effect

Smoky Smudger Brush on one end

Smoky Smudger Brush on one end

Tapered Crease Brush on the other

Tapered Crease Brush on the other

On the whole, this palette is a good investment if you’re looking for a set of not-too-heavy shades to do your smoked eyes. The colours are relatively easy to work with (except that the mattes could be a bit more pigmented) and I’m always very tempted to blend all of them on my lids (HAHA, Singaporean kiasu mentality, I guess. Anyone else does the same??). It’s definitely way better than the Smoked palette which I felt were too dense to the extent that it gave me panda eyes on many occasions and I ended up having wipe some off (and ruining my makeup in the process).

Is there ever going to be an end to this Naked series? I mean, since we already have bronze-hued, taupe-hued, rose-gold and now smoky-toned palettes, I wonder what’s going to come next! What do you think? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below! 🙂

Thanks for reading, lovelies!

Urban Decay Naked Smoky Eyeshadow Palette is now available on Sephora.com and Urbandecay.com. It will be released in Singapore on 20 August 2015.