No-frills Makeup

Mascaras are called the magic wand because they can really open up your eyes, not only making them look more attractive, but fresh and attentive as well. Overdoing it, though (with major clumping!), may make your eyes look heavy or sometimes even inappropriate for work. For me, mascara is the second most important thing next to eyeliner as a form of 'basic makeup'.

And my fave drugstore mascara?

Maybelline Magnum Volume Express ($18.90). I bought the brown waterproof version this time. My HG drugstore mascara has always been L'oreal Collagene mascara ($22.90), but I find that costly to keep restocking each time. But Magnum is just as good, and I daresay slightly better in fact!

I picked brown cos I wanted a softer, less stark look. Same idea with choosing a brown eyeliner over black.

I have long lashes, but they hardly have any curl so I love that Magnum's best quality is its ability to hold. And a tip for longer lasting curl? Follow these steps!

1)  Eye makeup done. No mascara yet.

2) Curl your bare lashes starting from the base, middle then end, holding for 3 secs each time.

3) Apply a thin coat of mascara. Just one swipe so that it dries immediately.

4) Now curl your lashes again following the same base, mid, end method.

5) Apply a thicker second coat in a zig-zag upward motion.

6) Done! You can carry on adding more coats to your preference. But Magnum is volumizing enough so two coats is sufficient for me.

7) If you find that your eyes are now top-heavy, go on, apply on your lower lashes too! They need some attention too ;) Start with horizontal downward swipes.

8) Then, vertical downward swipes to reach the invididual lashes.

9) Now, you're really done! Strut along like you've had a full 8 hours of sleep, but actually it was only 4 hours! Make sure you conceal your dark rings sufficiently beforehand and you're good to go.

I absolutely love that the Magnum mascara gives the wispy lashes effect, rather than a clumpy effect. The holding power is a winner too! My lashes stay curled till the end of the day. The slight V-shape of the wand also helps to lift the lashes better :)

Nothing bad I have to say about this mascara, except that I wish the non-waterproof version offers this much hold! Waterproof versions naturally have better holding power than non-waterproof ones because of its high wax and oil content which hardens and helps retain shape. I am always too lazy to painstakingly remove every trace of mascara off with a proper makeup remover!

Thanks for reading. So what's YOUR favourite drugstore mascara?

Hi, all!

This BB cream is from my collective Korea haul, but this product is available in Sg too (SGD32.90 @ Wisma Atria). Holika Holika in Korean basically means beauty-holic - repeated twice. I realized HH products have really high SPF levels, which can both be a good and bad thing. And their products are sweet-smelling. If you can't tolerate scented cosmetics, then skip Holika Holika products. I personally love the smell actually!

I'm wearing both the BB cream & the blush cream provided. FYI: BB creams work best with cream blushers as both are of creamy consistency therefore 'stick' on each other longer, and better, without 'sliding' off.

With flash:

No flash:

Pros:

• SPF 37 PA ++ is really high, so you can safely skip your sunblock
• Great coverage for pores & redness on face (sore skin and mild pimples)
• Dries down to a lightweight, smooth dewy finish
• Good lasting power (6-7 hours) with powdering of face
• Comes with a universally flattering peach lip/cheek cream with a mirror too - super pigmented, by the way ;)
• Easy squeeze tube that you won't oversqueeze!

Cons:

• High SPF means its not ideal for flash photography (visible white cast) - noticeable in my pictures above taken with flash. I must say, though, it gets much better after the BB cream oxidizes after an hour or so.
• Moisturizing properties might not be suitable for people with very oily skin
• Sweet scent may put off some people
• Cream cheek/lip colour is too drying to be used on lips, but works perfectly on cheeks!

After a day out (7 hours), touched up with pressed powder twice throughout the day

Overall, I feel this is a good BB cream to have on days which I feel I need the extra lightweight feel. It doesn't make my face feel sweaty - and trust me, I sweat a lot on my face, so that says a lot! That's a reason why I don't like liquid foundations :p I won't say it's a product you should go running in the stores to buy, but if lightweight + dewy are what you're looking for, then you should give this a go :)