Add Subtle Warmth and Glow To Your Face With By Terry Compact Expert Dual Powder

Add Subtle Warmth and Glow To Your Face With By Terry Compact Expert Dual Powder

Reviews Cosmetopia Digest   Friday, December 15, 2017

Anyone else here who cannot get the hang of Instagram contouring? I fail to master the sharp-sculpted-cheekbones-look at all levels. So in a rather clever display of "sour-grapes", I vote for a subtler look, a softer glow.
By Terry's Compact Expert Dual Powder offers just that; it comes in a demurely-packaged compact of two finely-milled powders. There are eight shades in the range, so you can choose from a blush-bronzer combination, a blush-highlighter combination, or a bronzer-highlighter combination. I prefer the last one.
This means that you only have TWO differently coloured powders to grapple with; just the two shades to figure out what goes where. Those multi-pan face palettes give me the heebie-jeebies, no matter how many face charts and instruction manuals the brands include. This one is a lot less daunting.

Scroll down for a review and demo of the By Terry Compact Expert Dual Powder.

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Third Blogiversary Special: Collecting Vintage Powder Compacts

Third Blogiversary Special: Collecting Vintage Powder Compacts

Powder Cosmetopia Digest   Sunday, January 17, 2016

I cannot believe I have actually stuck to this blog for three years now! When I started it on January 15, 2013, I thought I would walk away in a few weeks. If I have stuck to it, it is only because of support from readers and fellow-bloggers. Thank you!
Each year for my blogiversary, I do a history-of-beauty post. Last year, it was Beauty Trends over 100 years - see here. In 2014, it was Vintage Beauty Advertisements - see here.
This year, I was going to show you vintage vanities and dressing tables I had spotted around the world but my recuperation from antibiotics at my parents' meant I spied my Mum's powder compact collection.
She has been collecting them for ages and now has about 80-ish vintage compacts, including an ivory one that was owned by HER grandmother (Neither I nor my living family members support buying ivory in any form).
She flatly refused to take out the oldest, mother-of-pearl, ivory and jewel-encrusted ones, but agreed to share her tips and thoughts on collecting vintage compacts, and allowed me to "photograph, from a safe distance only", half a dozen of them. 

Scroll down for tips on collecting vintage powder compacts, where to find them, pricing and photographs. 

Clarins Travel Bright White face palette review, swatches, photos

Clarins Travel Bright White face palette review, swatches, photos

Travel Cosmetopia Digest   Tuesday, December 03, 2013

Usually, I am not really fond of travel/all-makeup palettes, preferring eyeshadow palettes, and individual products such as mascara, concealer and face powder. But I do own two travel palettes - one from Clarins and the other from Lancome. I thought I would dig them out now, as I am leaving for Doha in two weeks' time and am about to pack for the trip.
This is the Clarins Travel Bright White Face Palette. I love the packaging. Inside the red external box is this cute, chic white rectangular "clutch".

Bourjois Rouge Edition lipstick swatches and Max Factor liquid eyeliner review

Bourjois Rouge Edition lipstick swatches and Max Factor liquid eyeliner review

Nail polish Cosmetopia Digest   Saturday, July 13, 2013

For some time now, I have been thinking about getting the Bourjois 8-in-1 BB cream compact. I'm not a BB cream person after trying out quite a few of them; I prefer the decent coverage of a foundation. But this was a compact, and, more importantly, this was Bourjois. So I asked a couple of bloggers and decided to go for it. I've used it only twice and am loving it already. I shall review it in detail, once I put it through a reasonable trial period. There are only four shades available, but apparently they adapt to different skin tones. This is 22 Beige Dore or Golden Beige, which should suit anyone medium, from NC 30 to 42, according to the SA.

TheBalm S3xy Mama Translucent Powder

TheBalm S3xy Mama Translucent Powder

TheBalm Cosmetopia Digest   Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Despite being a huge fan of TheBalm, I had never owned S3xy Mama, Hot Mama (blush) or Bahama Mama (bronzer) until I got this for my birthday in April. S3xy Mama Anti-shine Translucent Powder has become my HG mattifying powder.
Packaging: I can't tell you how much I love TheBalm's packaging, and this is no exception. This comes in a cute retro cardboard case with a mirror.

While googling it, I found some of the pictures online slightly different - the logo below the compact being a bit off centre scared me so I shot off an email with half a dozen photos to TheBalm. Christina from TheBalm got back to me almost at once. She instituted inquiries - at first it looked dodgy, and I was gutted, but she got back last week saying it is absolutely genuine! There are batches with off-centre logos and the code at the back proved it belonged to said batch. Whew.

End of shopping ban: L'Oreal haul

End of shopping ban: L'Oreal haul

Nail art Cosmetopia Digest   Friday, March 15, 2013

My month-long shopping ban is over (for now). And I've ordered a replacement Konad stamper. But before I reward myself at Lush over the weekend, I wanted to buy something, anything, today. Broccoli, even. So I hit the L'Oreal counter and picked up a couple of things.
The first is the Infallible compact. It is supposed to last 16 hours. I haven't worn it that long, just a couple of hours. This isn't my Holy Grail compact foundation, but it isn't bad. I used it with a damp sponge and my skin looked smooth. It doesn't feel heavy or look chalky. The product doesn't go on the sponge too smoothly though - you have to give it a firm swipe or two.

Second is the Color Riche Nail art sticker set in Disco Ball and Python. I love both these designs and, trust me, the sampler stickers the SA applied looked absolutely fab on my nails. All you do is stick it on the nail and file away the excess.

I received a manicure set as a gift with purchase. The tweezers are good, the scissors are sharp and the nail-cutter is precise. I love the case!

What's in my travel make-up bag?

What's in my travel make-up bag?

Travel Cosmetopia Digest   Sunday, March 10, 2013

I'm weird. Here's proof. No one else carries such a mad variety of stuff while travelling (please tell me you do, too, someone, and keep me sane).
My trusty Gillette bag busted after 15 years' service. I had filched the bag when my dad received a Gillette set as a Christmas present. Now I went around, found the cheapest and largest possible bag and proceeded to fill it up with randomness. I stuff it into my suitcase or backpack, which almost busts as well with all the other things I carry, and I'm all set for a week-long break.
I can't be bothered to carry different bags for toileteries, make-up, hair/bath/body and so on, so everything except medicines/first-aid goes into one giant bag. I've used this bag for the first time now and it's so crammed, I give it a survival period of three trips.

Here's what the front zipper holds:
Two toothbrushes (after the time I misplaced my solitary toothbrush and had to go OUT to buy one without brushing my teeth).
A Nivea chapstick and a Vaseline lip salve.
A shower cap.
A pair of tweezers and a cuticle remover.
A tiny tube of toothpaste for "emergencies" (read below).
The Body Shop cuticle oil.
A Maybelline lip liner which I don't like.


Inside the bag are:
A quarter of a tube of toothpaste (remember what I said above about "emergencies"? Further proof of weirdness).
Make-up brushes (in foldable purse).
Nine eyeliners (pencil, liquid and one gel). Yes, nine.
A Bourjois blush, the smallest I could find.
Bourjois neutral eyeshadow palette, Rimmel Glam' Eyes quad in Smoky Noir, Max Factor and The Body Shop eyeshadows.
A detangling comb (which reminds me - there's a hairbrush in my handbag).
My HG Shiseido Sheer Mattifying Compact Foundation and a back-up (L'Oreal La Poudre).
Origins lip gloss in Wild Flower and Max Factor clear lip gloss.
Two mascaras (one revolving) and a hair clip.
Lancome Genefique deluxe sample and Lancome Genefique Yeux deluxe sample (love both).
Maybelline make-up remover deluxe sample and Dior Capture Totale sample (eye cream).
Garnier eye roll-on (light) and Chambor concealer (I use both as eye concealers).
A four-way nail buff and Benzoyl Peroxide 5% for acne
Vaseline hand cream, Colgate dental floss and a razor.
Estee Lauder Nutritious Vita-Mineral Foundation deluxe sample (I use the Shiseido compact mostly).
Laura Mercier Shine Control translucent setting powder (HG! I keep this in my handbag for touch-ups).
Sunblock (I pour Shiseido into a tiny case of a sunblock brand I picked up in Singapore).
Estee Lauder Double-Wear Stay in Place Lip Duo in Mega Mauve.
Estee Lauder sample bottles of Day Moisturiser Lotion and Matte Effect Primer (refilled when depleted).
Travel-bottles (some purchased, some sample bottles and some from hotels) filled with:
Foot cream, sulphate-free shampoo (TBS), conditioner (Herbal Essences), hair serum, hair oil, pore refiner (EL), body lotion (TBS), my Brevoxyl face wash, shower gel and a sample vial of perfume (Estee Lauder Private Collection Tuberose Gardenia)

I forgot to pack the foot scrub, the foot file, the face scrub and the face mask... next time!

Now bring on the brickbats!

February empties and March wishlist

February empties and March wishlist

Wishlist Cosmetopia Digest   Sunday, March 03, 2013

I'm on a spending ban for now, but once it ends, here's what I want this month (giveaway will take place post-ban, before my birthday in mid-April):

1. L'Oreal nail art sticker in python: Love this pattern.
2. The Body Shop sleep mist: I'm a restless and tense sleeper, so let's try this out.
3. YSL Vernis Pur glossy stain: I love the packaging and badly want it, in a shade that suits me. Let's see - I plan to visit YSL later this month (my mum wants one, too).
4. Lush Ro's Argan Body Conditioner: I really hope they still produce this. It's on my list when I go Lush-hauling to mark the completion of my spending ban.
5. Caviar microbeads: From MUA or wherever. Doesn't matter. I've wanted to try this effect out, but I'll have to go easy, because the  beads don't last for days and you can't reuse them. Maybe a birthday mani?
6. Burt's Bees lip balm: A regular favourite.
7. L'Oreal primer: I tried a tester and found it quite silicone-y. If it is a good enough alternative to Porefessional, why not?
8. Shiseido Lacquer Rouge
9. Maybelline Rocket mascara: Blame Hannah for the presence of this on this list!
10. The Body Shop Peppermint pumice foot scrub
11. Lush Buffy Bar: Or any body butter bar, and a couple of massage bars, really.
12.  China Glaze Scattered and Tattered: I don't see myself buying this anytime soon, but if divine forces, if any, are reading this....
13. O.P.I. Polka.com: As above.
14. Shiseido Camellia Compact: This is more of a wish to swatch it and see if it's fab. If not, Benefit Fine One One?
15. Shiseido Shimmering Rouge: It'll be either this or the lacquer rouge mentioned above, depending on which one has greater staying power.
16. Rimmel Waterproof Liquid Liner: A couple of my liquid liners are nearing the end of the bottle, especially deep blue and brown, so....
17. China Glaze Transitions, in any shade, really.
18. L'Occitane hand cream
19. Lancome Tresor Midnight Rose Eau de Parfum: I've finished a sample and I know I'm buying this soon :)

Now for my empties this month:

Lush Blousey Banana shampoo: Loved this - the smell, the feel, everything! Contains ALS, though.
Olay Body Wash: Whew, took forever for that to get over.
Lush Whoosh Shower Jelly: Bought this only in January, but I was rushing through it to get five empties!
The Body Shop Satsuma Body Lotion: A February favourite. Loved the smell and the soft feel it gave my skin.
Lush Curly Wurly shampoo: While it is a non-drying yet cleansing shampoo, the coconut bits kept clogging my drain.
Shiseido Sun Protection Compact Foundation: I've had this for a while - very little is enough, and no white residue/shine. Besides, this is great for those days you're too lazy to wear SPF.
Max Factor Lipfinity 180: They changed the formula so that Lipfinity is now quite flaky and sticky. This is pre-change. I saved it for a long time because I love the shade and finally decided to finish it off.