Swatches: Revlon Lip Butters

It's been a while since I blogged - and I've got a really good reason! Actually, it's because the hubby and I just found out that we're going to have a baby! 

How awesome is that!

It's early days yet, but we can't wait to take this journey together, and every day is a new experience for us. We've just been busy documenting every moment so we don't miss anything. Soon there'll be a little baby clock running around!

Right now, the little baby is making me exhausted though - I usually feel like I need a nap halfway through the day - and I usually end up KO-ing on the bed once I'm back home. There's not much time to do very much else, and that's why I've been falling behind on my blogging. There's a whole backlog of stuff that I have to get posted! :3

I hope everyone has been well! Share your news with me!

Anyway, I'm sure we're one of the last people on Earth to get these, but Revlon Lip Butters have finally landed in Singapore! I passed by a standee the other day, and caught sight of the gorgeous Emma Stone modelling Peach Parfait, which looked lovely on her. They go for S$15.90 in Singapore, which is quite a lot more than the US$6 or so that they cost in the US. Anyhoo, only 8 shades have been released here so far, and I got some swatches:

Sorry about the mark on my hand - I burned myself with the steamer - there's still a mark there! T__T These are relatively heavy-handed swatches, but I found that the lip butters swatch fairly true to colour and have a great deal more moisture (at least when applied) than your average lip gloss. They didn't last a very long time, because they wiped off my hand easily and came off pretty quickly when I used the one that I bought (below), but I think I can live with the lack of longevity for the cute pop of colour, vanilla scent and smooth, buttery feel.

I have to admit that I was tempted by all the colours, but in the end I went for a colour that I could use at work without appearing too scary or "made-up". Macaroon is a lovely coral, peachy colour, that is easily buildable and applies so smoothly on my lips. I think that for my complexion, it's a "my lips, only better" kind of shade, that I'll definitely be able to hold on to. 

I was also gifted the Strawberry Shortcake by the lovely PrettyShinyThings, which was a nice surprise to find! I haven't had the heart to use it yet (I've been keeping things for special), but I'm intending to break it open for a whirl soon enough! 

Keep well everyone, and happy weekend! ♥

FOTD: Not-so-recent!

It's been a while since I did an FOTD. I haven't had my "face" on for the past week! :(

 

This was my look for an easy-breezy brunch meeting to celebrate one of my close friends' birthdays. The lacey top was really cute, but the heart buttons ended up coming off in the washing machine!! I had to sew them all back once I pried the buttons out of the washing machine filter thingy. 

 

Items used: 

Face:

Steamcream (once again, from Jian!)

Skin Food Aloe BB Cream in Shade #2

Eyes: 

Holika Holika Eye Charm double eyelid tape 

Daiso "Elizabeth" Eyelashes

Japan Barbie Eye Diamond Brown

Sleek Storm i-Divine Palette

I used (A) over the whole lid, then (B) from the inner corner of my eyes to the outer corner, focusing on the highest point of my eye. Then, I used (C) on the outer "V" of my eyes. I skipped eyeliner altogether, because I didn't want the look to be too severe for a laid-back brunch. All in all, it took me about five minutes, hehe :3

Cheeks:

Benefit Coralista

Lips:

Figs & Rouge Organic Balm in Rambling Rose

Revlon Lip Butter in Macaroon

 

That's about it from me for now - hope that everyone is having a happy Sunday! ^~^

FOTD: 18 February 2012

Husband went to spin music at Kinki's Bar at Customs House and brought me along. Here's my FOTD for the night - I lasted till 3am! I'm too old for partying all night!

Items used: 

Face: 

Holika Holika Face 2 Change Cream Starter

Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation in Vanille

Skin Food Lime Secret Shine Base in #75 Lime Shine Gold (mixed with foundation)
Benefit Georgia Face Powder (to mattify my T-zone)
Liole Marbling Blusher in #1 Shining Aurora (to highlight my puny nose bridge!)

Eyes: 

Etude House Petit Darling Eyes Matte Eyeshadow in Black (used wet to keep my kohl eyeliner in check)

Holika Holika Eye Charm double eyelid tape 

M.A.C. Eye Kohl in Smolder

Brandless Eyelashes (bought in Malaysia) 

Japan Barbie Eye Diamond Brown

Sleek Storm i-Divine Palette (kindly gifted by the lovely Jian!) 

 

For interest's sake, here's how I used the palette - been dying to make use of it properly for ages!

I used (A) over the lid, followed by (B), which lent the whole lid a gorgeous, shimmery glow. Then I used (C) just under my brow and on the inner corners of my eyes. (D) and (E) were used to on the outer 'V' and to contour the crease of my eyes. Lastly, I used (F) to add a bit of depth to the middle of my eyes - applied just in the middle of my eyelid (Does that make sense?).

Cheeks:

Canmake Cream Cheek in #09 Pinky Rose

Benefit Coralista

Lips:

H&M Lip Butter in Fresh Pear and Sweet Pea

M.A.C. Lipstick in Myth 

And there we have it! Any thoughts? ^~^

Review: Korres Lip Butters

I got these Korres Lip butters a while ago off ASOS. These retail for an arm and a leg (ok, well, S$20 or so) in Singapore, so I jumped at the chance to get these when they went on sale! I got them in Wild Rose and Quince (both of which sounded really nice ^~^). 

The Claim: 

"Korres is an organic brand that has developed an effective range of natural skin and bodycare. The brand seeks inspiration from their natural environment, sourcing their essential fruit oils and herbal infusions locally. Their extensive knowledge and experimentation with textures paved the way for their extensive skin and bodycare collection.

Korres Lip Butters are buttery lip balms with a shiny tinted finish, and contain a combination of shea butter and rice wax for deep hydration and softness."

All of that goodness sounded great, and Korres products have been getting glowing reviews in the press, so I decided to take the plunge.

Wild Rose is a deep cherry pink, a mid-red, if you will, that adds a pop of colour for cherry-stained lips, while Quince is a lighter, berry-toned pink.

 

Ingredients list

 Sturdy cardboard boxes that are printed on both sides (sadly, can't read Greek!)

No-frills, colourful packaging

 The lip butters are packed in plastic pots with a pronounced lip around the edge, which look like this - unique, huh?

 

Hygienic plastic lids that pop over the pots

 

Wild Rose is on the left, Quince is on the right (both taken in natural light)

What I loved:

This is a lovely product. Vibrant colour, good brand ethos, and pared-down, sturdy packaging. Wild Rose applied smoothly, and the formula was moisturising enough to leave the part of my hand that I swatched silky smooth for the rest of the day. The scent was lovely - made me want to sniff the pots all day!

Lip butters don't have the staying power that lipsticks or lipstains may have, so the creaminess and the glossiness provided by these were a nice touch. Plus, it also felt nice knowing that I was using something that was created with care. 

Not being a fan of dark, matte lips, these worked nicely because the colours were sheer, but just tinted enough to give a hint of colour. Wild Rose looks a bit scary and vampish in the pot, but once applied it lightens up to a nice sheer red, while Quince stays closer to the colour of the lid, achieving a nice pink-y, coral-y shade.

What I didn't:

While Wild Rose applied smooth, Quince was full of odd, gritty things that made the formula look a bit choppy (if you look in the second to last photo, you'll see the consistency of the product in the pot). It didn't really affect the swatch, but I did experience a bit of uneven-ess in the formula when I applied Quince to my lips. 

As nice as the packaging is, I can't help but point out that sticking your lip product in a pot makes for messy work - application can be a little cumbersome, because you've either got to get your fingers dirty, or rummage about for a lip brush. Coupled with their lack of staying power, it basically means that these lip butters aren't as portable / convenient as their makers might like you to think. :(

Another small sort-of quibble - Quince turned out to be more coral than berry in my swatch, and I can't imagine why! Though I personally do like corals more than berry, so it was a blessing in disguise!

All in all, these are definitely worth a try. Although if you're (like me) a bit picky over the look and feel of your products, it might be worth dropping by the bricks and mortar shop first to have a play around with the goods before deciding.

Korres is located in Singapore at #B2-34, ION Orchard,  2 Orchard Turn, Singapore 238801. You can like their Facebook page here! For the month of February, Korres is offering a 20% discount off your total bill when you purchase any 2 items. See here:

Hope that everyone's having a good week! Have you ever tried Korres products before? What did you think?