Review: BB Creams

I have a French test tomorrow, but I'm lazy, so ta-dah!! Presenting my puny collection of BB creams.

Swatches, from left - Scandal Magic, Coogi Flowertox, SkinFood Aloe (Shade 1 Light), SkinFood Aloe (Shade 2 Natural).

Scandal Magic
Looking at the photo, you can tell that the colour's way duller than the others, which is why I don't like it. It blends ok, has pretty good oil control, matte medium buildable coverage and smells nice, but the colour's just lifeless and wrong. It's pretty cheap, you can get it from SASA at $19.90 for a 50g tube.

Coogi Flowertox 3 Action Super BB Cream SPF 25 PA++
This has a pink-toned colour which blends easily (it's quite runny), smells flowery and provides light to medium coverage that's not very buildable. Positive - it controls shine really really well, not matte but in a nice glowy way. Negative - it oxidises. I think they're having a sale for this in Korea so it's really cheap over there, but you'll definitely get a little ripped off if you purchase it from a middle-manwoman. It's available in 30g and 50g tubes.

SkinFood Aloe Sun Blemish Balm Cream SPF 20 PA++
This is my sort-of favourite. It smells really pleasant and sweet, blends ok (it has a thicker texture so you really need to moisturise first), and provides medium buildable coverage enough to partially conceal eye circles. It's passable at shine-control. I prefer the Fair over the Natural shade because Fair's more yellow-based while Natural has a pink undertone, but you can actually mix both shades together to create your custom shade. This costs $38 at SkinFood for a 50g tube.

Right now I'm quite over BB creams cos as a MAC NC25-30, the shades are all a little off, so I passed them all to my mom who looks amazing and glowy in SkinFood Aloe Shade 1 - she's very fair so it matches perfectly and makes her skin look really creamy. Seriously, my ex-tutor complimented her skin and my mom recommended the BB cream to her! (I wasn't at home at the time, so my mom took it from my room and showed it to her. Haha!)

Maybe I'll try them again if I get fairer. (They'll probably suit skintones of MAC NC25 and below best.) Oh, and you're always supposed to use makeup remover/cleansing oil to remove BB creams, or you might break out. The most irritating thing of all is that my mom's so lazy, she doesn't remove it, yet her skin is like crazy-good. -_-U

My mom is so lucky to have a daughter like me who introduces and gives her such great stuff for free all the time! Haha!

Oh, if anyone wants samples, please ask from me! My mom can't finish them all cos she still has tonnes of products her wonderful daughters bought for her! And I'm thinking about selling my SkinFood Aloe in Shade 2 Natural, I only tested it once, so tell me if anyone wants it!

[Background info: BB creams are a Korean invention, they have healing properties and stuff like that to help skin recover from cosmetic procedures. They've mentioned BB creams in 8Days and CLEO, but I got into them way before the articles were published, so there!] :P

[Update on July 10, 2008 - I still have samples of Aloe Sun BB Cream in Shades 1 and 2, Coogi Flowertox, Scandal Magic, and Dr Jart Black Label Detox! I also have a brand-new tube of Aloe Sun BB Cream in Shade 2, and a brand-new tube of Dr Jart Black Label Detox to let go.]

Haircut

Ooh baby am I in a good mood today! I had a spur-of-the-moment decision after French lesson to cut my hair, and I did! I look kind of butch-ish now, but heck! The weather's been so hot these days, I need to cool down!

And the guy who did my hair is... kinda cute! You knowww, in the non-conventional, blur, Fiona's type-ish way. (Same old, same old. My preferences never change much.) He wore the type of dress shirt that you know I love, the sleeves ending after the elbow, and I love it cos it shows off the forearms and I love skinny-ish, toned forearms. -faints- Ok, he's new and he cuts like really slow, so he asked if I was in a hurry. "No, no," I reassured him. HAHAHA.

I'll be playing for CSTD summer school starting tomorrow, at my old ballet place. Wish me luck, cos I don't actually have a clue what to play.

1st day of GSS

I was very glad to be accosted by people from Mercy Relief on Friday (the start of the Great Singapore Sale!) I had no idea how to donate to the victims of the Sichuan earthquake, and at Orchard, everyone kept shoving their tin cans under my nose so I donated every time they did. I know, Myanmar needs more help, but people don't donate there because you can't be sure that your money goes directly to the victims, which is sad, but that's reality.

Here's the stuff I bought, none of which was on sale or with discount, which is kind of dumb, but yea. (The little stone paperweight (?) on the left is an omiage from my Jap-ex-classmate. Nobody knows what it's for, but it's cute, lol.) From left: Muji SPF40 Sun Lotion, Muji Cleansing Oil, Ettusais flat liquid design foundation, Ettusais Acne Whitening UV SPF24 Dry Block. Will do reviews soon!

We went to the Muji at Paragon and it was really hard to stop myself from buying all the skincare products. The bottles are so minimalist and pretty! Especially the humongous toner bottles, I can imagine sticking a long-stemmed flower in it. I also love Clinique's toner bottles, they're so cylindrical, y'know? Pity they smell funny (very strongly of alcohol) even after I rinse them out.

We had lunch at Pepper Lunch and tried out the new Sukiyaki Beef set. It's really good! Then we had tea at Han's where I tested the macro mode of my camera.

Yin yang. It's confirmed - I've 100% most definitely kicked the coffee habit cos after I drank this, I couldn't sleep at night. And it's just a mixture of coffee and tea. I love yin yang though, it tastes so good! It's a taste that you can't recreate at home.

Rumball. Looks yummy, but a bit too nutty and cloying for me.

My favourite blueberry crumble pie!

Cheesecake.

After that I went to get a cake for Wendy's birthday (which was yesterday). She's 22! (Vingt deux is my lucky number!) I was supposed to return $$ to Samantha but that woman flew off to catch her plane straight after her last exam! Omg, it all sounds so dramatic. O_o

Anyway I also had dinner with Ming Li at Fish&Co the other evening. We had lots of mussels, yum!! :D You know there are orange mussels and white mussels, right? I've always wondered what's the difference. Guess what? Ming Li says it's because they're of a different gender!!! (I just went to Google it and yes! Females are orange, males are white.) Cool!!! Hahaha!

Lastly, I'm clearing out my books. If anyone wants one, gimme a holler and I'll bring whatever book you want the next time I see you. I desperately need to free up prime real estate on my bookshelves!

Mediocrity

'How can I hate someone who only ever gave me love?' thought Veronika, confused, trying to check her feelings. But it was too late, her hatred had been unleashed, she had opened the door to her personal hell. She hated the love she had been given, because it had asked for nothing in return, which was absurd, unreal, against the laws of nature.

That love asking for nothing in return had managed to fill her with guilt, with a desire to fulfil another's expectations, even if that meant giving up everything she had dreamed of for herself. It was a love that for years had tried to hide from her the difficulties and the corruption that existed in the world, ignoring the fact that, one day, she would have to find this out, and would then be defenceless against them.

-Veronika decides to die

I read this many years ago but it seemed a strange novel to me because I couldn't understand it. I find I gain more insight when I re-read novels now that I am old and grey. (I'm still a teenager ok!!)

There are many things I want to say but I can only speak of them to friends who are in the same situation as I am, because many are uncomfortable with the notion that they are... mediocre.

The title of this post? Mediocrity.

A: I regret quitting my piano classes when I was little.
B: Why don't you continue now?
A: Oh, I don't have time.
B: But with your level of competence, you can actually practise and submit a self-entry for the exam.
A: Ya, I know, but I dunno about the theory.
B: Oh, me too! But you can read up about it, can't you?
A: Aiya, I'm lazy! If nobody pushes me, I won't push myself!

Well, where does the problem lie? I hate it when people say "I don't have time" and then follow up with sentences like "I'm so envious of you, you have a regular part-time job, if I had continued my piano lessons I could also have one." Are you sure about that?

"If nobody pushes me, I won't push myself!" It clearly shows that A's passion is insufficient, A lacks drive. If you don't want to do anything about it, just quit complaining and move on to something better.

You can lead a horse to water but you can't force it to drink. I'm a nice person, I'll try to enlighten people like A, but most of the time, they never do. That's why they always end up as my acquaintances, not my close friends.

Anyway I just received a call. The woman I'm supposed to meet at 1.30pm later just called and said she walked out of the exam hall early. -_-U So now I'll have to go get ready. Au revoir!

Kimchi Ramyeun

My sister brought 2 jars of Gyukaku Kimchi back from Japan. All the kimchi I've tried in Singapore have tasted herbal and funny, but this one tastes really sour and spicy! Perhaps it's not authentic, but I like it. (:


So I tried making kimchi ramyeun yesterday. I think it tastes better in the soup, so it's not that sour. Yes, I love raw egg. The photos don't do it justice, I was too busy eating to bother to take photos properly.

Anyway, this year's cut-off points for hall is 15. Last year it was 13. (The maximum points anyone can get is 18.) It's high isn't it?! (I got 6 points for home distance, 9 points for being the main committee of a club which shall remain unnamed - don't ask.) I was like, gosh, thank God I made it! Luckily I perservered even though I was so damn tired - I was in the social subcomm of my hall as well, and in the freshman orientation camp also (which is coming right up in July, happy days...)

I'm just thankful that my efforts have not gone to waste. (: Going for dinner now!

Bottle It Up

Yesterday I went to the Isetan private sale in the morning, before French class, because I wanted to get the camera (on offer) but it was sold out! I was so disappointed! So I had lunch at Pepper Lunch with my mom. ^^ They have a new Sukiyaki set! Yum!!

When I reached home it was almost 11pm, so I just bummed out on the couch and started flipping through the channels till I spotted Chitty Chitty Bang Bang airing on the Disney Channel. :P It was my first time watching it, believe it or not. I love musicals. My mom was also glued to the screen (musicals are the stuff of her era) and I watched it till about 1.30am. Gosh!



Here's a review of Chacott Finishing Powder. I bought 2 tubs, one in 753 (colourless) and 756 (suits my MAC NC25-30 skintone). One tub contains 170g, it's supposed to be really cheap at about 1600yen a tub, but with the shipping and agent fees, I paid double that. It's still quite affordable though. A tub of MAC Select Sheer loose powder is only 30g, so just imagine how huge a tub of Chacott is. O_o

Just some background information - if you read Popteen, you'll notice Chacott powder being featured in the cosmetics section. However, I haven't noticed it in any of the other Japanese magazines (Non-no, Seventeen, VOGUE nippon -d'oh it's too cheap-). Popteen caters more to the Kogal-ish type of girl (which is why I stopped reading it) which makes me a little suspicious of Chacott's quality - is it featured in the magazine because it's cheap, or because it's good?

Basically, Chacott is touted as the number 1 loose powder in Japan, described as a powder used by stage performers (thus explaining the large size), being able to resist perspiration. It does smell very much like backstage makeup - if you've ever had a dance performance or drama production and had to be made-up, you'll remember the scent, which isn't unpleasant, but not that great either.

There aren't any swatches, they wouldn't make a difference because the powder is so sheer, there's practically no coverage at all. As its name suggests, it's pretty much used only to set your liquid foundation (which should already have provided enough coverage in the first place), so I don't find the translucency a problem. The powder's very finely milled and practically melts into your skin, giving a very natural, poreless look. It feels really light, and doesn't break me out (and I break out so easily). However, it doesn't control oil very well (about 4 hours max). For packaging, the plastic sifter in the tub is cheap and flimsy - I just ditched it. I transfer the powder into a 30g jar of mine and use it from there, refilling as necessary to keep it more hygienic (and also in case anyone wants samples).

Speaking of samples, I recently sold 2 satchets to this girl on a forum at $4.50/tbsp, which is about 14.5g (a lot!). Be warned - I see so many people selling samples at exorbitant prices, like $4.50 for 3g, which is utterly ridiculous.

I'll end with something by Sara Bareilles - I saw one of her videos on MTV and fell in love with the song.

-------

There'll be girls across the nation
That will eat this up babe
I know that it's your soul but could you bottle it up and
Get down to the heart of it,
No it's my heart you're shit out of your luck
Don't make me tell you again my love love love love.
Love love love love.

I am aiming to be somebody this somebody trusts
With her delicate soul
I don't claim to know much except soon as you start
To make room for the parts
That aren't you it gets harder to bloom in a garden of
Love love love love
Love Love love love

Only thing I ever could need, only one good thing
Worth trying to be and it's

Love
Love
Love
Love
I do it for Love
Love
Love
Love

We can understand the sentiment you're saying to us
Oh,
But sensible sells so could you kindly shut up
And get started
At keeping your part of the bargain aw please
Little darlin'
You're killing me sweetly with love love love love
Love love love love

Only thing I ever could need only one good thing
Worth trying to be

Love
Love
Love
Love
I do it for Love
Love
Love
Love

Started as a flicker meant to be a flame
Skin has gotten thicker but it burns the same
Still a baby in a cradle got to take my first fall
Baby's getting next to nowhere with her back
Against the wall.
You meant to make me happy make me sad.
Want to make it better better so bad.
But save your resolutions for your never new year
There is only one solution I can see here.

Love you're all I ever could need only one good thing
Worth trying to be and it's
Love
Love
Love
Love
I do it for love, love, love, love
Oh, only gonna get get what you give away,
So give love, love
Only gonna get get what you give away
Love.

Focaccia

is the best bread ever. YUMMM!!!!!!!

I know I've kicked the coffee habit because the other day, I went out to Starbucks, had a tall caramel mach at 3pm, and couldn't fall asleep that night.

Anyway, the other day, I managed to catch an episode of Survivor, where this Eric dude actually gives up his immunity to this other girl just to "redeem" himself. (He was in the final 5 and the rest were all girls, and they were complaining that he was fickle cos he said different things to each of them). In the end all the girls voted against him and he got out. I haven't been following Survivor at all, but I just found it so sad! "Let this be a life lesson," Jeff Probst said, and I felt kind of depressed. Those evil bitches!

I went to Cafe Cartel the other day with Tzu Wei. They've got good student deals - perhaps it's cos I'm not quite a student that I think it's affordable. Maybe it's not so for secondary school kids. :P I just love the bread there so much, I kept eating and eating till 5.30pm, and if Tzu Wei hadn't reminded me that I had a dinner to go to later, I would have happily eaten another basket. :P

Oh, and my sister's back! With stuff.

Cute socks, and amulet, a pouch. My old amulet was red (from the Meiji shrine) but this one's pink, I think from Asakusa. (:


Clinique freebies that I took. She bought so much, she got 3 freebie bags.




There was tonnes of other stuff but they're not all for me. :P I'm busy reading the stack of magazines. And remember I told my mom about Strivectin-SD? Well, my sis bought it in the US where it's apparently way cheaper! Lots of other skin care stuff, plus Shiroi Koibito, other food, kimchi, Choya (my dad refuses to open it grr), and like, other stuff. I let Tzu Wei play with my fortune-stick phone dangly. She was quite... unfortunate. Haha!

I have also been trying to clean my room up. It's insane that I'm 19 and still share a room. (I live in a freaking flat. The rooms are like crazily small.) I need a wardrobe with at least 3 doors! My clothes are spilling out of my poor closet, I keep them in boxes underneath my bed as well, and that's after I filled a bag to give to charity. -_-U And my keyboard is resting on the piano chair. I can't take the mess!

My old poster fell off so I replaced it:

I still have the NEWS poster, rolled up in my closet... I have no idea where I should stick it... If I put it up at home my mom will be like OMG why do you like these effeminate guys?! And if I put it up in hall my friends will be like OMG why do you like these effeminate guys?! -shrugs-

Ah well, I'm off to dinner! Ciao!

Bonjour!

I haven't been keeping up with the news til about a week ago cos I was holed up in hall for exams, but I only became aware of how big the HFMD (hand-foot-mouth disease) outbreak/threat was this past weekend, when I went to work and noticed a huge pump bottle of blue anti-microbial liquid on top of the piano. Apparently some of the kids have gotten it as well, but mild forms only. The HFMD photos in the news look so scary! Eww.

So I had my first French class yesterday! It was interesting. :P Pronunciation was a pain though. We have like, 3.5 hours of class twice a week for 5 weeks, with the exam straight after that, so the pace is pretty fast. Ah well, I think I'll rewatch Amelie and get my sister's Pink Martini albums out to listen in the hopes that some of that stuff will ooze into my head through knowledge-osmosis.

Voici...


...et voilà!


That's an old corduroy jacket of mine. I remember seeing something like that on some craft site, or maybe Susie Bubble's blog. I cut the sleeves short and tucked them inside-out to make pockets! I should have done a shot of me putting my hands into them but I forgot.

Looking at the photos, I do think I should go jogging. Maybe tomorrow...

Polyvore

Cream, grey, pastels. This is my dream wardrobe. I probably wouldn't pair that top on the left with a skirt though, probably some lean, black/grey calf-length trackpants, or tailored pants.

Urban Outfitters and Vie Couture.


Polyvore totally reminds me of paper dolls I used to play with in the past. And in secondary school and JC, I'd cut and paste magazine cut-outs onto my notebooks, but this is glue-free! My poor magazines will be free from the menacing blades of my scissors - for the moment.

The Trees

For we are like the trunks of trees in the snow. They seem to rest lightly on the surface, as though a gentle touch would push them over. No, that one cannot, for they are firmly rooted to the ground. But see, that too is only an appearance.

-Kafka

Clothes

Often when I see clothes with various pleats, frills and flounces which fit so beautifully onto a beautiful figure, I reflect that they never stay like that for long, but get creases that can't be ironed out, collect dust that lies so thick in the trimmings it can't be removed, and that no woman would wish to make herself so pathetic and ridiculous as to put on each morning and take off each evening the selfsame costly dress.

And yet I see girls who are certainly pretty, and have lots of delightful muscles and little bones and smooth skin and masses of fine hair to show, and they do, nonetheless, appear daily in this one natural fancy dress outfit, always laying the same face in the palms of the same hands and letting it be reflected from their looking-glass.

Only sometimes, in the evening, when they come back late from a party, does it seem to them in the glass to be threadbare, puffed up, dusty, too familiar to everyone and hardly wearable any longer.

-Kafka