Friday, February 26, 2016

lip balms review vaseline lucas smith carmex maybelline baby lips
Everyone else has a (huge) stash of lip balms too right!?

i don't know how else to justify the amount of lip balms i own.
those in the photos are just 5 that i'm currently using, i still have another 3 or more that's not opened yet.
GASPS.

"i am running out of lip balm!"
says no one ever!!!

here's a brief comparison and my thoughts on each of the lip balm.

vaseline lip balm review
VASELINE | PETROLEUM JELLY | ~6 SGD

vaseline is probably the best value of money out of all products here, at only 6 SGD, i get 368g of product and i am pretty sure i can NEVER finish this tub. ok, never is a strong word, so let's just say i won't run out of vaseline for another 5 years AT LEAST.

it's not sticky nor shiny, and does an awesome job preventing my lips from getting dry. layer this baby on before bed and you'll wake up to gorgeous lips. due to its viscosity, vaseline runs the risk of going on too thick, but that's a welcomed quality when i use it at night.

as it does interfere with lipstick application, i usually apply it before starting my makeup, only wiping/blotting it off just before moving on to the lipstick step.

smith's strawberry lip balm review
SMITH'S | STRAWBERRY LIP BALM | 7 USD

this lip balm hands down smells the best!!! their scent is what makes this special, i guess. oh, and that lovely pink colour balm too! it doesn't tint my lips pink though.

in terms of its ability to prevent dryness, it does a rather mediocre job. it's harder than vaseline, so it's harder to get a good amount of products onto my lips. i'll need to reapply this more just to keep my lips from drying out. definitely not something i'll use overnight because i tried it and.. my lips were a little dry in the morning.

the formula is not shiny, making it an undetectable lip balm.

it contains beeswax and lanolin on top of petroleum jelly, and while it smells like a minty strawberry, it tastes nothing like strawberry. not even like the artificially strawberry flavoured pocky.

it's safe to say the only redeeming point about it is the sweet scent. is it worth 7 bucks? not in my books. and the packaging is a pain in my ass at times because it's so hard to open it.

lucas' papaw ointment review
LUCAS' | PAPAW OINTMENT | 3.25 AUD

one of the cult favourites well known for its protective capabilities, it's also known to be a "very expensive petroleum jelly" since it's mostly petroleum jelly. in my honest opinion, it is indeed very similar to my vaseline petroleum jelly, but the formulation makes all the difference between the two.

in singapore's temperature (around 30 degC year round) it's a lot softer than vaseline, more shiny for sure. the blend reacts well to my body temperature as it melts into my lips nicely and coats it thinly. it's as though the softness of the product make it incapable of layering too thick a layer (a tragedy that might happen with vaseline). when i smack my lips together, they glide across each other with ease unlike the slight friction i get after using all the other lip balms. that's a strangely satisfying sensation.

there is a slight scent to it, but almost undetectable. if any, it's a natural scent that does't put me off. i can't speak of it's power to "relieve and cleanse" to be honest. if vaseline works well on wounds, this will too! but you know, this will be a greasier version.

due to its shininess and slipperiness, i also blot it off before applying my lipstick. otherwise, it's the perfect overnight treatment for my lips.

carmex soothing lip balm review
CARMEX | SOOTHING LIP BALM | 1.59 USD

i was actually using this lip balm on my skin to soothe any irritation because of its awesome cooling sensation. with added camphor and menthol, it calms any tingles within my skin very well.

cooling lips felt amazing too! it doesn't sting, and the effect last for a few minutes at most. the scent though!!!! it took me a while to get used to it. the first time i smelled it i was really taken aback.

the formula is just as soft as the lucas' papaw ointment, it's definitely more greasy than vaseline and lucas' which might be due to the additional ingredients such as petrolatum, cocoa seed butter, mineral oil, lanolin and so on. the lip balm feels heavy even though i only used a thin layer, and the shine is real.

i haven't worn this overnight before, but it being more greasy and thick than lucas' tells me it'll work just as well as an overnight treatment.

maybelline baby lips review
MAYBELLINE | BABY LIPS | ~3 USD

perhaps i am too used to using softer lip balms (like vaseline and lucas' papaw ointment), i find the baby lips not meeting my high expectations after seeing how it's been raved as the most hydrating lip balm out there. those girls are missing out.

it's not as greasy or oily as what i'm used to, but the redeeming point about the baby lips is its light application, and adorable scent. the one i have smells like grape juice, and i gotta say i quite like it!

i'd say this is the perfect lip balm to wear beneath your lipstick without have the need to blot it off prior to lipstick application because it's not quite as oily as the other lip balms. the lack of shine makes this invisible on my lips, except for the slight tint that gave it away. it's also a pretty no-mess product since you don't need your fingers, nor have to worry about it melting and leaking out of the package.

definitely not my go-to lipstick for sleeping though, because it's just not enough to keep my lips from drying out. i need something heavy duty.

the other issue i have is the long list of ingredients used to formulate this lip balm. like, WAY TOO MUCH YO! but then again, do take note that i've used an one ingredient lip balm (vaseline petroleum jelly, which is 100% petroleum jelly) for years. so anything more than one is many in my opinion.

IN A NUTSHELL

there's always a lip balm for ever situation! when i need an extra layer of protection, i drift towards the oilier/softer products. when it's a little prep for makeup, i use the harder products.

personally i drift towards unscented and uncolored lip balms because i love using them on my skin too. any multi-purpose products score extra points in my heart because i just need to carry one item out instead of two! lip balms are awesome barriers to lock the moisture within our skin, so don't hesitate to use it on your skin if necessary!

i can't decide if i prefer vaseline over lucas' papaw ointment or not. both are very similar in terms of function, but lucas' makes my lips feel more lubricated, and i quite like that.

Friday, February 19, 2016


This is berry interesting.

i hope the lunar new year treated your belly well! i definitely overloaded on the food.
now i need to work those calories off by sharing etude house's brand new offering this month.
the theme is strawberry and it's berry cute and interesting!

other from the pumped up packaging, i can't say if the actual content inside is any different from usual.
i wonder if they're strawberry scented? that would be fun! and yummy!

ETUDE HOUSE BERRY DELICIOUS new products 2016

the whole collection includes makeup and body care. let's take a closer look.

FACE//

ETUDE HOUSE BERRY DELICIOUS pearl crystal clear any cushion
ETUDE HOUSE PEARL CRYSTAL CLEAR ANY CUSHION | SPF50 PA+++ | 18000 won

a new formula for the any cushion series (that's all my limited korean figured out).

BERRY DELICIOUS ANY CUSHION CASE | 8000 won

a special strawberry design for your existing any cushion pact.

ETUDE HOUSE BERRY DELICIOUS strawberry cream blusher

comes in three shades: a selection of peach, pink, and coral.

swatches available on musingsofamuse's blog!
ETUDE HOUSE BERRY DELICIOUS fantastic colour eyes

BERRY DELICIOUS LASH PERL CURL FIX | USD 14.40available in two shades, black and brown. i believe they're the same as the usual curl fix, only difference is the cute strawberry packaging.

LIPS//
ETUDE HOUSE BERRY DELICIOUS colour in liquid lips
BERRY DELICIOUS COLOR IN LIQUID LIPS | USD 12.40
comes in 10 new shades! the most interesting one is perhaps GR701, since it changes colour.

ETUDE HOUSE BERRY DELICIOUS colour in liquid lips swatch

BERRY DELICIOUS STRAWBERRY LIP JAM SCRUB | USD 9.10

BERRY DELICIOUS STRAWBERRY LIP JAM TREATMENT | USD 9.10

ETUDE HOUSE BERRY DELICIOUS strawberry lip jam
BERRY DELICIOUS STRAWBERRY LIP JAM | USD 9.10a slightly tinted lip balm.
   
NAILS//

ETUDE HOUSE BERRY DELICIOUS strawberry souffle nail

ETUDE HOUSE BERRY DELICIOUS strawberry souffle nail swatch



ETUDE HOUSE BERRY DELICIOUS strawberry body milk


ETUDE HOUSE BERRY DELICIOUS perfume
BERRY DELICIOUS STRAWBERRY EAU DE PARFUM | 18000 won

EDITOR'S THOUGHT//
the entire collection looks very impressive collectively, even if you're not gonna use them, it looks like a good desktop decor to own, you know what i mean? haha!
that aside, the coral cream blusher and the pink eyeshadow palette looks gorgeous.
i'd be interested in the body milk if it smells like the body shop's strawberry body butter (because it's my favourite out of all their body butter).
the lip scrub cost way too much in my opinion when you can make your own DIY lip scrub at a fraction of that price with sugar and vaseline.

did anything catch your eyes?

Friday, February 12, 2016


Cuteness overload in 3, 2, 1..

MISSHA has teamed up with LINE to release an entire line of product (pun unintended) with cute packaging! if you're fans of cony and brown, you're in luck!

missha line friends

there are products for your every needs!

1 // FACE

missha line friends magic cushion
MAGIC CUSHION | SPF50+ / PA+++ | 15g | 11600 WON

missha line friends magic cushion
comes in two shades, 21 and 23.

missha line friends magic cushion moisture
MAGIC CUSHION MOISTURE | SPF50+ / PA+++ | 15g | 11600 WON

missha line friends magic cushion moisture
comes in two shades, 21 and 23.

the formula appears to be sheerer than the original magic cushion above.

2 // EYES

EYE COLOR STUDIO MINI (01 CONY PINK, 02 BROWN BROWNIE) | 12800 WON

missha line friends eye color studio mini
swatches of the respective palette.

3D MASCARA, 4D MASCARA | 3300 WON

the 3D mascara provides long curls while 4D mascara gives you voluminous lashes.

3 // LIPS

WATERFULL TINT | 4.5g | 5800 WON

missha line friends waterfull tint
available in four shades.

COLORING TINT BALM | 3.3g | 8800 WON

missha line  coloring tint balm
available in four shades.

MATTE LIP ROUGE | SPF17 | 4.1g | 11800 WON

missha line friends matte lip rouge
available in four shades.

GLOSSY LIP ROUGE | SPF13 | 4g | 11800 WON

missha line friends glossy lip rouge
available in four shades.

4 // CLEANSING
missha line friends
MICRO BUBBLE FOAM (GREEN TEA SEED, LOTUS SEED) | 250ml | 8800 WON

the green tea seed formula is moisturizing while the lotus seed formula is brightening.

5 // HANDS
missha line friends

GLAM ART NAIL STICKER | 4500 WON

MISSHA LINE love secret hand cream
LOVE SECRET HAND CREAM | 30ml | 3000 WON

all these collaborations are amazing!
i believe brown/cony lovers will like this collection a lot!
and can i just make a comment about how amazingly affordable some of the products are?
only 3300WON (about 3.3USD) for the mascara? WHAT???

all information and images adapted from missha.
 
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