Maybelline Grabs!

Here's a short update on my little trip to Watsons - grabbed some Maybelline stuff as there was some kind of promotion going on. Basically, purchase two items and get another item free (lowest value). This offer is until end-March so do pop by if you haven't already!

It's crazy how ridiculously happy I get from makeup shopping. I bought their Lasting Drama Gel Liner in Blackest Black ($20.90) to replace my L'Oreal 24Hr Super Liner Waterproof Gel Eyeliner, which I've had for a while now at the risk of another bout of pink eye. I do want to know if it blows the latter out of the water, or if it simply blows.

Grabbed Totally Toffee ($17.90) from the new Color Sensational lipstick range as well, since I do so love nude lipsticks and my staple nude lippie, which coincidentally is from Maybelline as well (Watershine Pure B23) is whittled down to just a stub. Plus, Totally Toffee looks beautiful swatched. By the way, the Color Sensational is a gorgeous series with great colour choices. When it first launched, a colleague and I hemmed and hawed over the astoundingly gorgeous Red Porcelain, which is also limited edition. It is a bright doll red, and is not an easy colour to find on drugstore products. The hesitation stemmed from how loud the colour is - it isn't something you can wear to work so it's just so red. But after going back and swatching it multiple times, I gave in and got it and have only had one opportunity to wear it. But I don't regret the purchase because the colour is gorgeous with a capital G.

Lastly, the free item I decided to grab is their Color Tattoo in Tough as Taupe ($15.90). I've never had a taupe eyeshadow and decided it would be good to start now. I mean, you can't really go wrong with a basic taupe shade right? And perhaps it's time for me to give creamy eyeshadows another try since creamy eyeshadows always crease messily on my hooded eyes.

Anyways, I'll eventually do reviews on the above 3 products so keep an eye out for that.

In the meantime, hope you're having a great weekend!

Review: Urban Decay Vintage Eyeshadow in Dashiki

Hi! So I thought I'll pick up where I left off with my Urban Decay haul 2 months back. I really need to get updating more regularly. Believe me, I've got images catalogued in folders and a list in my phone with the different products used for different days but I just haven't gotten around to blogging.

So! Dashiki, from UD Vintage Eyeshadows collection cost an amazing US$6 on the website during the sale. Picked it up because the colour is gorgeous on screen. It's a bright blue, akin to pool water, with a shimmer/sheen.

I was a little hesitant initially because whenever I use stronger eyeshadow colours, I always end up looking like I'm headed to a getai (for those not in the know, a getai is a live stage performance performed in Singapore during the Hungry Ghost Festival, and the performers are usually dressed really loudly, with as much glitter and colours as possible). But the price and the prettiness of the colour just gave me that little push towards the 'Add to Cart' button. I have no will.

Cute little packaging that looks like a Coke bottle cap.

Check out the gorgeous shimmer.

Swatched it with just one light swipe.

Again, UD doesn't fail. The consistency is again rich and creamy, with great colour pay-off. One swipe gets you a decent colour, a few more swipes and you'll look like you coloured in your eyelids with crayons.

Blending is a dream, so I did this.

Not too much - they can't go over the lids or I may get locked up. :(

Just a subtle tinge of Dashiki.

Here's my look - primed with Urban Decay Primer Potion in Original. Didn't use a base to get the best test effect from Dashiki. Topped it off with Clio Gelpresso Waterproof Pencil Gel Eyeliner in Golden Black and coated my lashes with Silkygirl Big Eye Collagen Waterproof Mascara.

For some reason, my husband hated my outfit. :(

Here's an image I posted on Instagram - the sunlight made Dashiki stand out more.

Here's how it looks after 11 hours.

The blue wasn't as vibrant anymore so there was that bit of fading, very slight creasing and that ugly messy eyeshadow was actually a result of Clio eyeliner transferring all over my monolids. Sigh. However, for all its vibrant colour, slight fading and creasing was something I expected. It held up better than I thought it would so good on UD.

Overall, I do like the quality and the colour, but I still don't think I'm adventurous enough to wear this often. Also, I do feel that UD Deluxe Eyeshadows are a mite better than the Vintage Eyeshadows in terms of staying power and quality. It could just be a trick of mind though.

So what do you think?

Urban Decay Haul + $5 Urban Decay Code Giveaway

I hate that Urban Decay products at the local Sephora stores cost an arm and a leg. It's ridiculous.

In the meantime, UD's website features awesome Sale items which seem to mock me. Oh, you would think it's easy to ship items over but UD made it almost impossible. I attempted to ship to a friend in New York but UD wouldn't let me pay. Apparently, they only accept credit cards issued in the U.S. I attempted to use VPost or Comgateway but UD is on their list of Restricted Merchants. I was so desperate, I even wrote to UD and here's the reply:

It is against company policy, yo.

I wasn't about to let it go just yet. A friend of mine happened to be going back to his hometown in Oklahoma for the holidays and I casually asked if he still has an America credit card. Struck gold! I swear, I wiped back tears of happiness and expressed my gratitude about a billion times.

Anyways! Here's the haul that traveled the 15,416.7 kilometers (it's accurate, I Googled it) from Oklahoma to Singapore.

Was told original packaging tore so friend repacked them -
these arrived in a GameStop plastic bag haha!

The items I purchased.

The awesome samples that came with.

UD is so consistent with their image - all the items were wrapped in their iconic purple. The lot cost US$91, and I paid an additional US$19 for 2nd day shipping even though ground shipping was free. I didn't want to risk any delay in shipment due to the festive period or blizzards - it would be pointless if the items didn't arrive at Oklahoma before my friend was due back here, right? The total damage was US$117.62 (they charged a 7% tax), which came up to about S$150.

If you think that is a lot of money for makeup, I won't deny it. But by doing a comparison of prices locally, I saved an estimated S$130.

Here are a few comparisons:
All-Nighter Makeup Setting Spray
UD Website: US$29 (120ml)
Local Sephora: S$48 (118ml)

De-Slick Makeup Setting Spray
UD Website: US$19 (XL 177ml, which is no longer available on the site)
Local Sephora: S$48 (118ml)

Eyeshadow Primer Potion
UD Website: US$22 (Original/Sin Duo - 11ml each)
Local Sephora: S$32 (just one, 11ml)

Eyeshadow
UD Website: US$6 (Vintage Eyeshadow), US$8 (Deluxe Eyeshadow), US$18 (Normal Eyeshadow)
Local Sephora: S$30 (Normal Eyeshadow) - no Vintage or Deluxe available

UD also provides samples when you make purchases, some of which are generous in size. I received a 3.7ml Eyeshadow Primer Potion in Original (same size as the one that came with the original Naked Palette but that was in the genie bottle and I hate that while this is in the new squeeze tube), a 3.7ml Naked Skin Beauty Balm (which is in a shade way too dark for me), a 5.4ml Supercurl Curling Mascara and a card with tiny samples of Half-Baked Eyeshadow (which I have in both the Naked Palettes - they need to mix things up a little), Evidence Eyeshadow and a minuscule sachet of Eyeshadow Primer Potion.

I was also given a thank you code which entitles me to US$5 off next purchase but I can't use it anyways since I don't have any friends who's headed back to the States at the moment. So if you do and you want the code, do hit me up! Or if you're staying in the US of A and you want to make a purchase, leave a comment asking for the code! The code is valid until 28 Feb, so that's 3 more weeks for you to find a way to make your purchase. I only have one though, so whoever's first gets it.

So if you happen to have American friends visiting and they're generous enough to help you make the purchase and bring them over, please don't miss the opportunity!

I'll be doing reviews and comparisons for some of these items over the next few posts so do check back for more!

xoxo
Sam