[REVIEW] Bourjois Healthy Mix & Happy Light Foundations

Hello readers! I am back again with a review on two products from my UK hauls - Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation (red-capped), and Bourjois Happy Light Foundation (pink-capped). 

Bourjois is a sister brand of Chanel and was initially created by a French actor, Joseph-Albert Ponsin in 1863, when he prepared makeup and perfumes for actors and actresses in the comfort of his own home. Five years later, he handed over this activity to Alexandra-Napoleon Bourjois where the brand blossomed to become internationally known. In 1917, Pierre and Paul Wertheimer took over the directorship of the company, of which remains until this day.  Now, Bourjois actually appeared first before Chanel (that was created by Coco Chanel later in 1909). 

History lesson aside, Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation boasts of its long lasting power - 16 hours! In addition, the foundation is enriched with a fruit therapy formula to enhance your complexion and give it a radiant boost (apricot for radiance, melon for hydration and apple for youthfulness). The foundation also contains crystalline pigments to suffuse a healthy looking glow. It comes in 8 different shades.

Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation in 52 Vanilla

 The Happy Light Foundation promises a luminous and flawless complexion under any light. Translucent pigments in the foundation helps to correct without creating a mask-life or cakey effect to form a flawless complexion. It also boasts of lasting for up to 16 hours. It is available in 5 different shades. 

Bourjois Happy Light Foundation in 52 Light Beige

SUMMARY OF REVIEW

My thoughts:

Healthy Mix Foundation: The fruity fragrance made applying this foundation a pleasant experience. The foundation provided medium coverage - I believe this can be increased upon careful layering. I don't believe I have worn makeup for any longer than 12 hours, so I can't say if it would really last for 16 whole hours. However, I would say that the foundation did not start to fade until perhaps the 5th or 6th hour - even in humid weather. So if you work in air-conditioned areas, this foundation may very well last you the entire day! :) The shade I had selected seemed to match and blend well into my skin - in fact, it made my face appear brighter without having that face-neck-no-match dilemma. :) Definitely a recommended product!

Happy Light Foundation: I got this foundation in the same shade number (different name though) as the Healthy Mix Foundation. But...it ended up being a little too dark. However, it also matched my skin if I applied a light layer and blended it carefully. Coverage was light - I'm not sure if it's buildable as I had not wanted to risk having a too dark foundation in the end, but I believe it can still be layered on for those who got the right shade for themselves. :) The foundation did not have a fruity pleasant fragrance like the Healthy Mix, but it did feel lighter compared to it. Blotting may occur at about the 4th to 5th hour, and it doesn't appear to fade until perhaps 4 hours later too. I felt that the foundation wasn't as lasting as the Healthy Mix, but overall still a good product for light makeup days!

Bare arm

[Right] Happy Light in 52 Light Beige
[Left] Healthy Mix in 52 Vanilla

[Right] Happy Light in 52 Light Beige
[Left] Healthy Mix in 52 Vanilla

Would I buy it again:

I really liked the Healthy Mix foundation. It appeared to brighten my face without having two colours on between my face and neck. The smell of this was really pleasant too! I will definitely get another bottle - now about the hefty price tag...

The Happy Light foundation provided lighter coverage, perfect for days when I feel like applying lesser make-up. However, the wrong choice of shade was a bit of a turn-off. Although it isn't glaringly obvious and it also blended into my skin tone when spreading it after a time, I still can't help but feel a tad weirded out whenever I first apply the foundation. Otherwise, I do like this foundation and would get another of it (in a lighter shade this time - perhaps 51 vanilla?) if I ever come across a great a deal as the one I got in Boots. 

Price: 

2 for GBP14 in Boots - approximately SGD14 per bottle

SGD34.90 in John Little

Verdict: 8/10

Thanks for reading this! And do share your thoughts about this product!

♥ Apple

[REVIEW] Elizabeth Arden Flawless Finish Perfectly Nude Foundation

Hello readers! I apologize for the long hiatus. I had just arrived back in Singapore after being away on a 3-week-long post-graduation trip to United Kingdom.

And when in UK, I couldn't resist picking up some of their cosmetics to try. They costs soooo much cheaper than in Singapore. (see my review of Sleek MakeUP i-Divine Eyeshadow palettes here)

Although Elizabeth Arden isn't exactly a UK brand, one of their products that I was very intrigued by earlier back in Singapore - Flawless Finish Perfectly Nude Foundation - was retailing at a much lower cost. So I couldn't resist and approached the counter. The counter had a foundation matching service where the friendly male beauty advisor used a machine and took photos of my face (after removing my makeup from some areas) in three different areas - namely the jaw line, my neck, and slightly above my eyebrow. The machine would then analyse these photos and recommend two shades which would best match my skin tone from the Foundation line.

Elizabeth Arden Flawless Finish Perfectly Nude Foundation in No. 12 Amber

The beauty advisor then tested these two shades along my jaw line and I eventually selected the lighter shade (Amber) as it appeared to match my skin tone (both the neck and my face) a lot better.

On the right is the machine they used to analyze my skin. :) 

Product Benefits: 

The foundation is touted to be packed with hydro-pigment colour technology, vitamins and antioxidants to protect and perfect the skin. It has also been proven to minimize the appearance of pores immediately and overtime with continuous use.  In addition, it also boasts of having 26 different shades for all skin tones and ethnicities. 

Recommended Instructions for use:

1. Pump sufficient amount onto the back of your dominant hand (I usually take about 1 to 1.5 pumps)
2. Using a foundation stippling brush, dab your brush into the foundation and dab the foundation on three points of your face - imagine an inverted triangle on your face with the base of the triangle at your forehead.
3. From these three points, stipple (dabble) outwards from the centre of your face. This would ensure a more flawless look. :) and also prevents streaky lines of foundation from appearing like so if you spread the foundation instead.

SUMMARY OF REVIEW

My thoughts:

I loveeeeee how natural it looks! It's like I don't have any foundation on but my face is suddenly looking so much smoother - my pores had disappeared. HAHAHAS.

BEFORE

AFTER

There is not much need to touching up, the foundation is able to last for a good 6-7 hours (good conditions permitting), but with humid sweaty Singapore, if you suffer from facial sweating like I do, in-between blotting your face with tissue to get rid of the sweat beading everywhere, perhaps a good 4 hours? But that's not really the foundation's fault, I mean, I'm sure any make-up you put on will come off when mixed with a bit of your natural facial oils and sweat (a mixture of urea, water, and salts). If it doesn't come off, I'm pretty sure we would have a hard time trying to remove all traces of it with our make-up remover liquids/creams/wipes/etc. 

The liquid foundation feels so light and breathable too! I can hardly feel it on my skin. :) In addition it contains SPF 15! :)) This foundation provided light to medium coverage with a light dewy finish that doesn't look oily even in hot, humid Singapore. 

The smell of it is not amazing, but hey, they didn't exactly boast of having any fragrances to this product. In addition, it's just how a liquid foundation usually smells like?

And look at the packaging, it looks so...classy. hahahs...I like. 

Would I buy it again:

I had started using it while I was still in the UK and on the last shopping day, I went to get another bottle of it because I know that if I run out of my first bottle, I'd probably be so put off by the price in Singapore that I would wait and wait till the day I get to go back to the UK again before restocking on it.

In addition, I realised that Singapore appears to only have 8 of the available 26 shades, and they don't even have my shade - Amber. (My skin tone isn't an Asian colour...?)

So yes, for those really hoping to try, hopefully they have the occasional sale so that you can get one at a more reasonable price. For those going to Europe or the USA, please buy there, try it there, and if you like it, stock up there too. :)

Price: 

GBP28 in Boots UK - approximately SGD56
SGD70 in Robinsons Singapore

Verdict: 8/10 (the fragrance of the foundation can get a little annoying sometimes, and also...the reduced number of shades available in Singapore - how am I going to restock next time?? :( )

Thanks for reading this! And do share your thoughts about this product!

♥ Apple

[REVIEW] Sleek MakeUP i-divine i-Candy, Oh So Special & Ultra Matte V2 Darks

Hello readers! I apologize for the long hiatus again. I had just arrived back in Singapore after being away on a 3-week-long post-graduation trip to United Kingdom. 

It was my first time travelling in UK and I have to admit, Scotland had stolen my heart away.

And when in UK, I couldn't resist picking up some of their cosmetics to try. They costs soooo much cheaper than in Singapore. Here's a photo of the cosmetics I had bought there: 

[TOP, from left to right]: Sleek MakeUP i-Divine Eyeshadow Palettes in Ultra Mattes V2 Darks, Oh So Special!, and i-Candy
[MIDDLE, from left to right] Elizabeth Arden - Deluxe Compact, Flawless Finish Perfectly Nude Foundation SPF 15, Ceramide Ultra Lipstick, Beautiful Color Lipgloss, Visible Difference Skin Balancing Lotion Sunscreen SPF 15, Green Tea Energising Bath & Shower Gel
[BOTTOM, from left to right] Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Ultimate Wear Concealer, Collection 2000 Mardi Gras Lip Balm, Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation, Bourjois Happy Light Foundation, Sleek MakeUP Face Form

I'll be posting reviews on most of these products progressively so do come back often!
(alternatively, you can register your email address at the right column to receive an email whenever there is a new post on this site.) 

Should you wish to have a review on any of these items soon, do drop me a comment on this blogpost! Then based on majority (if there is more than one item being requested), I would prioritise the requested ones first. :)

Okay, let's get started. I'll be doing a review on 3 eyeshadow palettes from a UK drugstore cosmetic brand - Sleek MakeUP. Now, don't be fooled by the "drugstore" label. This stuff is AMAZING. I'm glad that it's "drugstore" because it keeps prices more affordable, but at the same time, I can't help but boast of the quality of these eyeshadows. 

I had picked up two palettes from their local drugstore - Boots (a must-must visit) - Oh So Special and Ultra Mattes V2 Darks. The lady at the cashier had remarked that that the Oh So Special palette was very popular among customers and that she, herself, was also a huge fan of it. ^_^

Sleek Oh So Special!

Sleek Ultra Mattes V2 Darks

I went back with these purchases and the first thing that crossed my mind was - now what do I do with them??? I have never included eyeshadows as part of my make-up regime, other than the occasional swipe of Innisfree Eyeshadow Pencil. That's because I usually end up with "you-got-put-eyeshadow-meh??" kind of eyeshadow, or "you-kena-boxed-ah?" kind of eye make. 

Luckily, one of my travelling pals was pretty talented with make-up (she was also the one who introduced me to Sleek!). She showed me one of those youtube tutorials which she had picked up her skills from and also guided me along while I was trying it out. I loved how pigmented and how easy it was to apply the shadows. I experienced no fall-out so I didn't get darken shades in areas which I did not want around my eye. :D In fact, the colours applied pigmented but the overall look still remained subtle enough that I didn't feel like I was going around with "WERKIN-IT!!!" eyeshadow. In case you don't get it, no, I like subtle yet classic looks, not the "VIVA-LA-VIDA" kind of look. 

So I was pretty impressed at the ease and versatility of mixing the shades to create a look that I liked. :) Not to mention, there are a plethora of tutorials for each palette on youtube, so do check them out. 

SUMMARY OF REVIEW

I've separated the reviews into the three respective palettes below!

i-Candy: The creamy sorbet shades accompanied with sweet names like Bubble Gum, Mint Cream, Strawberry Sherbet and Apple Sour makes this palette an absolute delight! It contains an array of matte, shimmer and pearl shades. The pastel colours makes this an ideal palette for those looking for a bit of colour to their eyeshadows, without worrying about the colours being too bright. This can be used daily too to sweeten up your makeup. :)

[TOP, from left to right] Strawberry Sherbet, Bon Bon, Parma Violet, Apple Sour, Pear Drop, Flump
[BOTTOM, from left to right] Liquorice, Blue Fizzle, Aniseed, Bubble Gum, Mint Cream, Cream Soda

Oh So Special!: Definitely my favourite out of the three. This palette has 12 trendy shades that would flatter skin tones of all shades and suit all occasions, both day and night. Definitely a must-have for everyone from beginners to professionals. This versatile palette is something I would definitely recommend to anyone who may just want to get one Sleek palette.

[TOP, from left to right] Bow, Organza, Ribbon, Gift Basket, Glitz, Celebrate
[BOTTOM, from left to right] Pamper, Gateau, The Mail, Boxed, Wrapped Up, Noir

Ultra Matte V2 Darks: Matte eyeshadows are often notorious for being chalky and having a lack of pigment. However, Sleek's Ultra Mattes appeared creamy and was highly pigmented to boot. A little goes a long way when applying this eyeshadow. 

[TOP, from left to right] Orbit, Ink, Highness, Noir, Dune, Pillow Talk
[BOTTOM, from left to right] Thunder, Maple, Flesh, Paper Bag, Villain, Fern

Instructions for use:

Being a newbie at eyeshadow application myself, I don't think I'm in the best position to offer any type of advice at all with regards to how to apply eyeshadow. So I've selected and posted three videos below which I found gave great tutorials for the respective palettes! 

[Note: I'm Asian of Chinese ethnicity and I chose these videos because I felt that these eye-makeup tutorials can be followed with relative ease and also shows up pretty well despite not having the heavy creases like our counterparts with those deep-set-eyes.]

i-Candy:

Oh So Special!: 

Ultra Mattes V2 Darks :

Would I buy it again:
Yes! And I did! Shortly after coming back from the UK, I was viewing tutorials through YouTube and realised the two eyeshadow palettes I have were a little on the dark/neutral side. I wanted to experiment with more colourful (but not omg-bright) colours and after looking through several reviews online, decided to purchase the i-Candy palette. It was just in the nick of time that Luxola was having 37% discount all products time sale the next day. :D Please do check out this amazing website as with its regular discounts and sales, it is one of the best places (probably the only best place) I know where you can get your Sleek MakeUP products at affordable prices while still in Singapore. :) 

Price: 

GBP7.99 in Boots (Buy 1 Get 1 Half Price) so I paid GBP 11.98 in total (approximately SGD 24 for 2)

SGD22 at Luxola.com (Look out for their time sales! - I got one at 37% off - i.e. SGD 13.86)

Verdict: 10/10

Thanks for reading this! And do share your thoughts about this product!
♥ Apple