Haul / Swatch : Make Up Store - Blusher in Glam Rose

The next few entries would be overdue haul posts that I've accumulated over the past 2 months... Will find time to do reviews when my workload starts to reduce come Mar 2011.. (I hope)..

Alright, this purchase was really an impulse buy. I had originally wanted to get a MAC Blush in Loverush during the Tangs 12% Rebate sale on 10th Feb 2011.

But after a long day of back to back meetings and a major presentation, I wasn't really in the right form to battle the long cashier queues, not to mention I was feeling kind of drowsy from my allergy medication.

Since I figured I wasn't really in need of a blusher, just the need to do some retail therapy, I gave up on the purchase while waiting for the MAC consultant to attend to me.

So feeling a little unsatisfied, I popped by Make Up Store during lunch the next day and came out with one of their blushers, the Glam Rose @ SGD32.00.

Make Up Store hails from one of my favorite European countries, Sweden and have been in Singapore for some time now. It's just that I never quite found the opportunity to browse their products. So, this blusher is actually the first item that I own, under the Make Up Store brand.

The packaging, product offering and prices are very similar to MAC and some may mistake it for being a MAC wannabe. But on a personal note, I find that the quality is actually better compared to MAC's. It is very pigment and the powder is more finely milled, compared to MAC.

So next time when you are near a Make Up Store, be sure to check their products out!

The item straight out from the store.

Minimalist packaging.

It was wrapped in a black thin tissue.

Love the chic details on the cover!!

Glam Rose - 2.5g at SGD32.00. Noticed that it's made in Canada (land of MAC).

Gorgeous pink.

The swatch. A little goes a long way.

Comparison swatch between NARS Deep Throat.

Review-Compare / Skincare: Laneige Perfect Renew Emulsion Vs Kose Sekkisei Emulsion

Originally, my intention was to do separate reviews for these 2 items but I realized they are both moisturizers and emulsion based. So, why not stack them against each other and do a comparison?

The main contenders would be the Laneige Perfect Renew Emulsion and Kose Sekkisei Emulsion.

Item Name: Laneige - Perfect Renew Emulsion
Size: 100 ml
Price: Not Available
Available At: Metro Paragon and all good dept stores
Picture Source: klutzbeauty.blogspot.com


Product Description from Manufacturer:

BALANCE & RENEW: The milky light Perfect Renew Emulsion holds the key to intensive moisturization and firming. The Ceramide Repair Water lays a stronger foundation for ultimate absorption and penetration of anti-aging ingredients. A coating film (Bio-saccharide gum) on the skin surface prevents the loss of moisture. Skin is hydrated at all times.

Continuous hydration promises skin resilience as it corrects the balance of skin cell protein. It even lightens and in all, improves discolored skin tone.

Item Name: Kose - Sekkisei Emulsion
Size: 50 ml (Part of Coffret Set)
Price: Not Available
Available At: Metro Paragon and all good dept stores
Picture Source: klutzbeauty.blogspot.com

Product Description from Manufacturer:

• Heavyweight serum with high emollient effects that works deep into skin without any sticky after-feel. 
• Inhibits melanin production & prevents freckles, dark spots & dry rough skin caused by UV rays.
• Formulated with Moisture Balance Polymer (developed by KOSÉ ) to maintain the skin's moisture-retaining balance against ambient air.
• Fortified with extracts of Inula Britanica Flower, Chinese Pearl Barley, Paeonia Albiflora Root, Melothria Heterophylla and Angelica for highly translucent skin.

Why I bought them:
The Laneige was actually an accidental buy. I had asked my friend to get the Laneige Perfect Renew Skin Refiner but she got the emulsion instead. So, this was really not an intended buy.

For the Kose Sekkisei Emulsion, it came as part of a coffret set. I was looking for a brightening product and got the coffret set from Isetan to try out the whole range.

Packaging:
Both came in clean and hygienic pump bottles, although Laneige's one comes in a classy light blue galss bottle while Kose came in the usual dark blue distinctive plastic bottles.

Texture:
Both are emulsion based. I find that I have a tendency to go for products that are emulsion base due the fluidity properties of the products. I find creams a harder medium to spread. Both had a whitish emulsion consistency.

Although in the pictures later, it may seem that the Kose Sekkisei lotion seems to be of a lighter texture, it is the Laneige that gives better spreadability.


Price:
I don't have the numbers for comparison, but I think Laneige would definitely be cheaper compared to Kose. In fact, if we import directly from Korea, prices are so much lower.

Road Test:
To test the products, I used them on alternating weeks to see the results.

For the Sekkisei Emulsion, there was no bad reaction and I was pretty happy about it. My sister who has even more sensitive skin than mine swears by this range. My skin was moisturized after a night's sleep and there was a bounce to it.

For the Laneige Perfect Renew, I like the fact that the consistency is lighter. Sometimes, when I feel that my skin is overloaded, I would slather this over my face and go to sleep. However, the shortfall of this product is that it doesn't moisturize enough for me. I wake up with dryness around the corners of my mouth.

Verdict:
I would definitely buy the Kose Sekkisei Emulsion again but that would only happen after I've finished up my current stash of other skincare products. It definitely hasn't raised to HG status for me. But I would definitely want to revisit this product.

For Laneige, I feel that other than the fact that it is light, I wasn't able to find any other wow-factor that would entice me to buy this product again; unless there is a compelling factor at work.

Other Product Pic:

Sekkisei Emulsion

Laneige Perfect Renew Emulsion

Review / Makeup Tool: Shiseido 213 Eyelash Curler

Chen was asking about eyelash curlers. So I decided to do a review on my newly acquired eyelash curler and do a comparison with my existing Koji No. 70.

Item Name: Shiseido 213 Eyelash Curler
Price: S$16.20
Available At: SaSa Outlets
 
Incidentally, both models were recommended on the Taiwanese 女人我最大 show by famous makeup gurus..
 
 
 

 The road test:
 

1. My original eyelashes without curling. Although the end part is curled up, the front and middle portion is flopping downwards.
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 



2. Using the eyelash curler. It managed to catch all my lashes without pinching. Be careful when using eyelash curlers. Test by pressing down slowly and lightly first to make sure there is no pain, before clamping down. There are many ways and preferences to clamp lashes but my preferred way is to do a one-off 90degrees clamp straight at the roots because of my hooded eyes. This may sound a little dramatic but the end result is a natural perky curl cos most of it would be hidden in the hooded eye area. 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 

3. End result. Now we can see all the lashes in the middle and front is all curled up. And 90 degrees angle doesn't look so unatural under th hooded eye.
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

4. Lashes with Mascara. For people with monolids, we are usually limited to do magic on our eyelids. So, another way to play up the eyes would be the eyelashes. A good mascara that gives length and volume is very important.
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Shiseido 213 VS Koji No. 70  (Standard Curve)
 
The design: Both design looks very similar, in a conventional eyelash curler design. The curve for Shiseido is apparently bigger compared to the Koji. And the pad for Shiseido fitted better than Koji.
 
All in all, I would say Shiseido is a better product in this case due to the ability to catch all my lashes and the curl effect is a little better than Koji. However, we have to note that Koji also have a No. 73 which is wide curve and might prove to be better compared to Shiseido.
 

For a review of the Koji Eyelash Curler and a run-down of the various models offered by Koji, please visit mintfusion.