BB Creams: Feverlet Makeup BB Cream

BB creams became very popular in Asia about 3 years ago and that was also when I first tried them out. I remember that my first tube of BB cream was Skinfood’s Gingko BB Cream #1 and I hated the creamy, thick texture and unflattering colour choices.

BB Creams are now so popular because they offer a multitude of skincare benefits with the various claims of hydration, anti-ageing, whitening as part of their healing properties. Besides, they offer a no-makeup look which has been all the rage in recent years (think: Diorskin Nude, Lancome Teint Miracle, Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua, Revlon Photoready, Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation, Maybelline Fit Me, MAC Face & Body, MUFE HD Foundation).

Anyway, the point is… After neglecting my BB creams for such a long time now, I’m starting to pick them up and use them again.

I know..  I know, I really go through these odd beauty-related phases :/

The BB cream I wore today is Feverlet Makeup BB Cream.

This is actually the older version that does not come with SPF. The newer one should be called “HD BB Cream” or something like that and does not come with a pump if I remember correctly. This is a little hard to find in Singapore, in fact I doubt many people know of this brand. It is one of the most highly raved BB cream brands when they first became popular in Singapore, along with top brands like Hanskin, BRTC and Coogi. I don’t even remember where I got this from and how much I got it for… Seriously I had this since forever:P

I like how it comes with the pump at the top of the squeeze tube. It makes me feel like there’s less chances of contamination and the pump gives me very good control on how much to pump out for a single application. It is also way more sanitary than having to touch the opening with my fingers directly.

swatched in natural light

Coverage is light to medium. Very buildable and gives a matte finish.

5 hours of wear

As you can see, my skin looks quite matte even after 5 hours save for my forehead which is already emitting some sort of shine. There was no fading throughout the five hours and I’m very pleased! I used to use this BB Cream a lot when I first got it, but ever since my foray into other brands I had been neglecting this one. Now I will definitely be using it a lot more

BB Creams / Drugstore Series: Maybelline Clear Smooth BB Cream SPF 26/PA+++ #01 Fresh

Have been truly busy!

But I have recently bought and tried the Maybelline Clear Smooth BB Cream after reading a lot about it on forums and blogs. It was going for $2-$3 off at Watsons so no harm picking up a tube to try, right?

It came housed in an attractive (by drugstore standards) sturdy cardboard package.

It also boasts of containing 8 healthy minerals such as copper, zinc, magnesium, sodium, titanium and 3 iron oxides and helps with hydration, skin elasticity etc etc.

What’s a BB cream if it doesn’t claim to do all that?

The product comes in a nifty little 18ml tube. 18ml, seriously?

swatch: #01 Fresh

taken with flash

I was really quite impressed when I first swatched the tester tube at the back of my hand, which prompted me to buy the tube home. The back of my hand looked and felt even-toned and I could barely see any lines.

5 hours of wear

As you can see, I’m starting to oil a teeny bit on my forehead and nose but it’s nothing serious.

10 hours of wear

I did not do any touch ups along the way just to see how long this BB cream could stay on. If you take a closer look (click on the images), the BB cream is wearing off on areas around my nose and upper lip where I am usually more susceptible to perspiration. It also started to look slightly patchy around my eye areas.

Nonetheless, it seems to give me a nice glowy sheen without looking greasy.

My thoughts:

This is a good BB cream for the price as I think that the oil control is good enough. It is not as dewy or glowy as moisturizing BB creams but it does give a semi matte finish after applying. The #01 Fresh shade also matches my skin tone perfectly but I think it’d be too dark for those lighter than MAC NC20. I am also very surprised by how long-lasting this is and how natural this looked on my face.

Best for:

People with dry/normal skins who like sheer coverage foundations. This does not have fantastic coverage but it does a good enough job of evening out skin tone. Coverage may be buildable but I wouldn’t bet on it. Fantastic colour match too. Doesn’t leave a white/grey cast at all upon application which was rather surprising.

Not good for:

People who dislike sheer finishes. This gives sheer to medium (at most) coverage. Not good if you have a lot to conceal. You can always top up with 2way cake foundation or liquid foundation but I personally find that too heavy for daily use. I personally think this degree of coverage is sufficient for school.

Would I repurchase?

In my opinion, this is a good staple to own but I’m always in search of new things to try so no, I probably will not repurchase once this runs out.

Price:

$13.90/18ml (RP: $16.90)

Review: Stila Illuminating Liquid Foundation #20 Watts

I bought the Stila Illuminating Liquid Foundation some time in 2009 during the Luxasia sales and it’s been forgotten in my drawer until recently I was researching on the Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua and someone compared them both. Then I was thinking, “HEY I have the Stila!!!!”

I still remember it was Hannah who recommended this to me

Anyway. I’ve been starting to use it again ever since school started and over the holidays, I had developed a penchant for light makeup (ie. looking like I’m not wearing anything even though I am). I know liquid foundation is the last thing you’d ever want to put on in the morning when you are rushing for time but the Stila is so quick and convenient to use.

Stila Illuminating Liquid Foundation (fond de teint liquid lumineux)

It comes in a sturdy frosted glass bottle that feels very luxurious to the touch. However, the cap is fragile – I had spotted some cracks along the edges when I didn’t even drop it or anything.

pump dispenser

This product has no SPF. Which is fantastic in my opinion as it will be suitable for use with those unstable sunblocks. I’m really not a fan of SPFs in my foundations. Like as if I’m gonna slap on 1 teaspoon of liquid foundation everyday? And besides, SPF in foundations have a tendency to interfere with the stability of our regular sunblocks.

There are very subtle shimmers in the product but are largely invisible to the naked eye… Unless the sun is shining right in your face and/or you are taking pictures using flash.

On me (approx 4 hours of wear):

with flash

Verdict:

No one I asked could tell I had foundation on, and that’s the exact same reason why I love this liquid foundation. It is sheer, light and goes on with the coverage of a tinted moisturizer but better. It makes my skin look nice and smooth without being “made up”. The texture is lovely – liquidy but not runny, almost like very lightweight gel. This dries down to a dewy finish, definitely not matte!  Oil control is average at best, I find myself oiling at around the 2nd hour or so (but it could be due to my sunblock).

My application for this is a little unconventional. I would apply this using fingertips, smoothing out one area before progressing to another and then spray with MAC Fix+ to “fix” the liquid foundation. After drying, it can still be a little tacky so I will go over with a light dusting of MAC MSF Natural to take away some of the stickiness. It’s dewy in nature and I like the glow so I didn’t want to put too much powder on top. It might be possible to wear this LF alone without powdering but I find that it will just slide away to nothing in this tropical heat.

Bear in mind that the coverage for this liquid foundation is meant to be sheer, but coverage is slightly buildable. I usually just wear one layer of this on its own and put on a second layer if I want to look more “made up”.

Buy this if:

This is suitable for people who have dry/relatively clear skin and just need an extra radiance boost. People who are new at makeup and are not ready to put on full foundations as yet will also find this a good investment. Basically this is a good foundation for people who like the natural no-makeup look but are generally uncomfortable with heading out without anything on the face.

Do not buy if:

You will hate this if you’ve been using (AND LOVING) foundations like Revlon Soft Flex, Estee Lauder Double Wear, Covermark (or other full coverage foundations). This might also not be very suitable for oily skins because of the shimmers (tend to make you look oilier than you already are).

Price:

SGD63 at Escentials (Tangs Orchard)/30ml

I am still looking forward to checking out Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua though

Review: Shiseido Maquillage Lasting Stick UV Foundation

This is a quick review + how-to on the Shiseido Maquillage Lasting Stick UV Foundation. I got this in OC10 which corresponds to the Lasting Liquid UV Foundation.

It resembles a fat lipstick, complete with a cap and twist-up tube. The packaging is sleek and practical, making it a perfect travel companion. The only downside is that the metal tube is a fingerprint and dirt magnet. I end up having to clean it constantly after use. Packaging aside, it houses 11g of solid product and it was going for S$76 at all Shiseido counters.

Please exit my blog if you are squeamish about bare-faced pictures.

Without base makeup (only sunblock):

I know I look horrid with all the angry pimples on my forehead, broken capillaries around the nose and post-acne scars on my chin. Im constantly battling redness because of my sensitivity, so I like to go for heavy-duty concealers + foundations.

The only problem with high-coverage base makeup is that they tend to be cakey and unnatural on the face, which makes finding a good one very hard. I bought the Lasting Stick UV Foundation on a whim without even checking websites for reviews and boy, am I surprised!

It’s super easy to apply. Just swipe on, blend with fingers and you are pretty much done!

I know I look plain retarded, but please do not laugh. I merely swiped it on haphazardly and blended it out with fingers. There was no drag on the skin really. It glided on like melting butter and the warmth from my fingers blended the foundation to perfection.

Coverage is buildable, I like to swipe on more foundation on areas where I need more coverage. For areas which are hard to reach with the fat stick, ie. around the nose, simply rub your finger over the top of the stick to get some foundation on it. Then apply and blend as per usual. I do this until all my imperfections (aka redness, scars etc) are concealed.

It sounds thick and heavy. But trust me, it isn’t. You can hardly feel a thing. It doesn’t feel like a mask nor is it sticky or greasy. It does not give me blotches too.

Ever. At all. Throughout the day.

After blending, you see a semi-matte finish. Any dewiness you see is due to my Amazing Cosmetics Concealer (which I only applied on my undereyes).

You can tell how improved my complexion looks without all that hot cakey mess. The best thing is, this foundation LASTS and LASTS. I have the Lasting Liquid UV as well, which is a liquid-cream foundation but that one is so disappointing because it is not sweat-resistant and wipes off easily when I dab tissues on my face.

The Lasting Stick UV Foundation is the exact opposite. I can wear this for almost 9 hours straight without the need to powder or touch up. It is that amazing. It is also great at oil control because my T-zone stays matte all day long. I do not have major issues with oiling, but I do share the same concerns about oxidation, sebum going into overdrive in the humid weather, longevity of the foundation etc.

Anyway. The Shiseido SA told me that you can skip loose / pressed powder if you want a more dewy look but I always like to use powder to set the makeup. It feels “incomplete” otherwise.

The shade OC10 was a tad too dark and yellow for me so I used SANA Maikohan Pressed Powder to set as the latter is white-ish and helped neutralize the dark foundation.

You see how flawless my base makeup looks now? LOL! This is one of the best foundations I have tried so far, definitely an all-round winner. I did my makeup using this stick foundation for consecutively a week and a half now… And that’s saying a lot considering the fact that I have like… quite a lot of foundations to rotate with?

Walk… No, run to the nearest Shiseido counter to get your shade matched for this. It is a fantastic foundation and I think every self-declared foundation junkie should get her hands on one of these