REVIEW: Tarte Shape Tape Contour Concealer

~AG~

This best-selling concealer has been on my wish list for the longest time! With the pandemic and working from home situation, my makeup has not been touched in a long time. Decided to toss my long overdue Chanel concealer. It has been in use for over 2 years. It is way past the recommended shelf life for concealer. Formulated without parabens, mineral oil, phthalates, triclosan and sodium lauryl sulfate. Tarte Shape Tape Concealer is great for those who are concerned of harmful ingredients in their cosmetics.

This highly raved concealer claims to lasts for 16 hours. Tarte Shape Tape concealer claims to smooth and brighten to make eyes appear lifted. Since the main use of concealer is for my dark circles, this product sounds perfect. The sponge tip applicator makes it easy to use. Tarte Shape Tape’s crease-proof formula would not cake or settle for 12 hours. Its trademarked tape technology helps to smooth and blur appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. 

Tarte Shape Tape concealer is quite pricey at S$42. Though it is slightly cheaper compared to Chanel Le Correcteur, which is S$47.50. The texture of the Tape Shape Concealer is thicker than Chanel Le Correcteur concealer. You only need a small amount (less than a pea-size amount) to conceal the dark circles. When I tried the concealer under my eyes, the 27S light-medium sand was a better match for my overall skin tone. It conceals my dark circles without being too light. 27S is suitable for light to medium skintone with yellow undertones. 

For reference, I use:

• Chanel Le Correctuer in 20 Beige

• IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Undereye Corrector in Medium

• Cle de Peau Beaute concealer in Ocher

• Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua in Shade 22 Beige Rose

• Bobbi Brown Beige (3)

• Urban Decay Weightless Liquid Makeup in Shade 3.0 and 

• Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation in Shade 52 (Vanille)

REVIEW: Drunk Elephant Beste No. 9 Jelly Cleanser

Photo Courtesy of : Drunk Elephant

~AG~

Bought this Drunk Elephant Beste No.9 Jelly Cleanser about a year ago. This expensive cleanser costs S$46 from Sephora. It contains 150 ml of product, which lasts about 6 months with daily use. Note: I only use the Drunk Elephant Jelly Cleanser at night. 

This cleanser has been on my wish list for a while. It is expensive compared to other cleansers on the market. Drunk Elephant Jelly Cleanser claims to remove all traces of makeup, pollution, oil and grime without irritating the skin. It is free of SLS, fragrance and essential oils. The Jelly Cleanser has a P.H of 5.5 which would not strip the skin. This sounds perfect for those with sensitive skin, like me. 

So what are my thoughts on this Drunk Elephant Jelly Cleanser?

Drunk Elephant Jelly Cleanser is a transparent gel that creates a nice foam.  It works well for my sensitive combination skin. My skin does not feel tight or dry after use. 

The gel texture reminds me of Avène Soapless Foaming Gel. Even the scent is reminiscent of Avène Soapless Foaming Gel The difference is that Avène Foaming Gel contains thermal spring water which is targeted for its soothing properties. In terms of costs, Avène Foaming Gel comes  in 120 ml packaging, and costs $32.60. For comparison, Avène Foaming Gel costs $0.27 per ml while Drunk Elephant costs $0.31 per ml. 

Photo Courtesy of : Avène

REVIEW: Peter Thomas Roth Irish Moor Mud Mask

Photo credit: Peter Thomas Roth

~AG~

The skin around my nose area has been clogged and full of blackheads. So it is time for me to address these problems with a mud mask. Peter Thomas Roth Irish Moor Mud Mask was part of a 6-piece kit that I purchased. Since it was part of the Peter Thomas Roth Mask Kit, this tub only costs me US$12.50 (S$17), which is a great deal. Each 50 ml tub usually retails for US$42 (S$57). That saves me S$40! This tub should lasts me for more than 6 months with weekly use. 

PTR Mud Mask purify, decongest and hydrate the skin. It contains:

• Irish Moor Mud Mask to draw out impurities 
• Hijiki Seaweed provides nutrition for the skin
• Volcanic Ash & Activated Charcoal that draw out dirt and impurities 

The texture of this Peter Thomas Roth Mud Mask is different than that of other mud mask. It has a soft cream texture. You are supposed to leave it on for 10 minutes then remove it with a warm, damp washcloth. Though, my preferred method of removal is simply with warm water. One thing that I like about this mud mask is that it does not make my skin to feel dry. On the directions, it states that you can use it 2-3 times a week. 

So what I can tell after using this PTR Mud Mask is that it does extract impurities. Each time after use I would get a small whitehead pimple. I feel that the PTR Mud Mask brings the excess grime and dirt to the surface and the skin is trying to remove it through the whitehead pimple. This cause-and-effect does not stop me from using PTR Mud Mask. Regarding blackheads, PTR Mud Mask does not completely remove it, but my skin feels less congested after use. 

Overall, it is a decent mud mask for my sensitive, combination skin. I much prefer it to the expensive Glamglow Supermud Clearing Treatment Though I would probably not repurchase it as there are other mud masks to try on the market. 

NEW BUY: Japanese Facial Sheet Mask LuLuLun Blue & Saborino Pink

Saborino Morning Facial Sheet Mask (Moisture Rich)

~AG~

Decided to get some Japanese facial sheet masks before the circuit breaker restriction. Saborino Morning Facial Sheet Mask (Moisture Rich) has a 3-in-1 performance of cleansing, skincare and primer. It is supposed to be used in the morning for 60 seconds before makeup application. My thoughts are, who has time for that? Saborino Moisture Rich contains hyaluronic acid, collagen, honey, apple acid, peppermint leaf, raspberry, pomegranate, grape, blueberry and peach leaf. Bought Saborino sheet mask for S$6.90 from BHG Welcia. You can also find Saborino Morning Facial Sheet Mask at Watsons and Guardian stores. Each pack comes with 5 sheets of facial mask. Cannot wait to try it on days when I am lazy to do my morning skincare routine. 

Another facial mask that I bought was the Lululun Deep Moisturizing. Tried this Lululun daily sheet mask before and decided to repurchase.  It is a highly popular sheet mask brand in Japan and has sold over 1 billion sheet masks. Lululun masks are available at BHG Welcia, Watsons, Guardian. Each pack costs S$8.90 and comes with 7 sheet masks. It works well to hydrate the skin and is at an affordable price. 

Will definitely spend some time with self-care during this circuit breaker period. One of the simplest way to self-care is by putting on a facial sheet mask to pamper the skin. Stay tuned for my review on these Japanese sheet masks.

REVIEW: Skinceuticals Mineral Radiance UV Defense SPF 50

~AG~

This Skinceuticals Mineral Radiance UV Defense is now know was Sheer Physical UV Defense SPF 50. This sunscreen was recommend by an Italian pharmacist. She said it is a good sunscreen for daily use as well as for outdoor use. Bought it last April before my trip to the sunny island of Maldives. It is a high-end sunscreen that costs US$45 (S$50) for 50 ml of product. 

Tested it during my trip to Maldives, and happy to report that even with snorkelling everyday, my skin was not sunburnt at all. Applied this Skinceuticals Mineral Radiance UV Defense each time I went outdoors. Even when you reapply the sunscreen, it is blends well. What is unique about this product is that it uses 100% mineral filter to provide broad protection from the sun. This liquid sunscreen is lightweight and does not feel sticky. My skin does not look oily after use. It is a natural tinted sunscreen that does not have a greyish or white overcast. You only need a 10 cents size to cover your whole face. Been using Skinceuticals Mineral Radiance UV Defense for over five months and there is still plenty of product. A bottle can lasts for a good 7-8 months. The good thing is that it is also paraben-free.

My only dislike about this sunscreen is that there will be streaks if it is not properly applied. So be sure to apply the sunscreen evenly to prevent that. Other than that, this is a good sunscreen for daily use as it is not sticky and feels comfortable on the skin. Will definitely repurchase Skinceuticals sunscreen!