Rimmel London Scandal Eyes Waterproof Kohl Eyeliner Review

Rimmel's Scandaleyes had been on my to-try list ever since British YouTubers started comparing them to higher-end brands such as Stila and Urban decay. I'm not a huge fan of kohl eyeliners, but I thought these might be worth a try given the amount of hype surrounding it.

Rimmel London Scandal Eyes Waterproof Kohl Eyeliner

Long lasting shocking color intensity with kohl Britania High intensity color for an instant color impact Ultra smooth & creamy formula that glides on easily Waterproof, smudge-proof, sweat-proof, heat-proof, humidity-proof and scandal- proof 

Dermatologist & ophthalmologist tested. Safe for sensitive eyes.

Packaging:
This is not one of those twist up pencil eyeliner, hence you've got to sharpen it once it gets low. It doesn't come with a mini sharpener at the end either, so an additional pencil sharpener is needed.

Price: 

$8.75 (ASOS is having a 30% off Rimmel products now, right after I bought it!)

Texture:

Smooth and creamy texture

Swatch:

This thing is highly pigmented. I think it's the most intense, darkest black I've ever seen in a drugstore kohl eyeliner. 

Since it claims to be smudge-proof and waterproof, I thought I had to test it out.

Not too bad. It's not quite as pigmented as before, but at least it didn't move around.

And now, for the water test.

The eyeliner faded quite a bit when in contact with water, so it's as 'waterproof' as it claims.

What's an eyeliner review if I don't try it out on my eyes right?

I used the Scandaleyes on my upper lash line, with just a tiny bit of tight-lining. Totally skipped my entire lower lash line.

This was how I looked after about 30min.

Err...

Seriously?! Panda eyes?!

Major fail. 

If I could give it a rating, this is a 0/5.

What I like:

It's creamy and highly pigmented.

What can be improved:

Everything else. How can I have an eyeliner that smudges everywhere after 30min of application?! I really don't get the hype. I've seen reviews where people were saying that it does not budge and it's absolutely smudge-proof. I don't have oily eyelids, so I really don't understand what could've caused the difference :(

My (Failed) F1 Pit Lane Experience

F1 fever is in Singapore! I managed to get a pair of tickets to the F1 pit lane experience on Thursday, so I invited Raymond along too!

The pit lane pass granted us access to the F1 village in zone one, which was a like a carnival with games, food and performances. For the first time ever, Singaporeans also get to walk on the pit lane and catch a glimpse of the pit garages at the pit building. In past races, only the VIPs and famous people get to visit the pit lane, so I was prettttyyy excited! Actually that's not entirely why I was excited for the event. I knew it's going to be a night event, so I wanted to try out the night mode on my new Panasonic LX7. 

The queue at the entrance was quite long, I didn't know so many people managed to get tickets as well. All along I thought it was an exclusive event-.- 

With my lovely colleagues!

We didn't have to wait for long though, the staff were very efficient! I think it only took us about 10min  to reach the gate and collect all our goodie bags. The bag itself was nothing impressive, just some brochures, a mineral water, chips and cheap collaterals lol.

Immediately after we left the goodie bag tent, we were greeted by a couple of stilt walkers near the entrance. That was the only sort of outdoor 'street' performance at the carnival. I was expecting more of those because that would've kept the crowd excited as we walked around the carnival.

The first thing that caught my attention was the big red tent. The 3 main attractions in the tent were the race simulator, the photo-taking corner and a spray-on tattoo booth. All of them had extremely longggg queues. We didn't bother queueing because we wanted to explore more of the carnival and didn't want to spend so much time waiting in line.

This was in the red tent as well and it's sooo pretty! They projected the galaxy on the ceiling, and it was changing colours and moving around the whole time. Totally don't mind having this in my room.

Then there was a galore of F1 merchandizers as well. I suppose this is where they suck the moolah out of you. Hahaha, TAKE ALL MY MONEY!

For all beer lovers, there was a beer booth selling Irish beer if I'm not wrong.

The village stage! The performances we saw were okay, but not captivating enough I guess. 

There were also a couple of food stores (mainly selling over-priced food). We were absolutely famished because we went straight down to F1 after work, but we weren't too keen on the offering.

It was only around 750pm, close to 8pm when we finished walking around the carnival. We also found out that the actual pit walk starts at 9pm. That means we have got an hour to spare, and an empty tummy to fill :(

The Marina Bay Circuit is extremely ulu, and we figured by the time we manage to get something to eat and rush back, we might not even be allowed into the circuit (they will stop all entry by 9pm).

In the end, we thought, heck it, we're going to eat Tai Hwa Bak Chor Mee and forget about the pit lane. Unfortunately, the mee was sold out, and we ended up having western-.- Double fail.

This was the last thing we saw at F1. 

And that was my (failed) pit lane experience. Took us about 40min to complete the entire carnival- shortest carnival experience EVER. I think there were a couple of interesting attractions, but it's not quite substantial. Also, because of the lack of variety, there were extremely longggg queues at the handful of attractions. Other than that, most people seem like they were just wondering around, waiting for 9pm to come by.

I think they should've let us know the schedule earlier (i.e write it down on the tickets!)because the pit walk is really the main point right! That way, people like us could have their dinner elsewhere before going for the carnival. It's really such a pity to miss the pit lane walk, but we were really too hungry and bored. If we weren't so hungry, I think I might join in the queue at the race simulator and the photo-taking corner! In all honesty, I'm not a big fan of cars and races, so maybe I don't know how to appreciate all the F1 goodness. The above is just my own opinion, I'm sure there are F1 fanatics out there who thoroughly enjoyed the event!

P.S I'm so tempted to blog about my new coral lipstick from Sleek (which I bought tgt with Rimmel's Big Bang), but I didn't want to spam my blog with just lippies, lippies and lippies. 

Rant: Michael Kors Rose Gold Watch Review

I don't usually rant about something because I do my research for almost every single thing that I buy. Even if I just happen to notice something new in Watsons, I'll whip out my phone and google it to see if it's any good. That's also the reason why this blog has more raves than rants.

Unfortunately, I do have a bad review today.

I had waited for more than a year before it finally belongs to me, and I had high hopes because of all the hype surrounding it.

As you can see from the title of this post, I'll be talking about my Michael Kors Rose Gold Watch, MK5430.

Mchael Kors is known for his rose gold watches. Some rose gold watches lean too pink, while others are too gold. MK's rose gold watches are just the perfect shade. It's also a highly coveted item because of it's popularity in the blogosphere and YouTube world. Of course, it's not cheap either. Mine was priced at around S$400-500, and I was lucky enough to receive it as a present.

It is really a very nice watch with a good weight, and I've gotten quite a few compliments from it. However, the quality of the watch is not as impressive.

This is my watch now.

It's only been about 4months since I got it, and I've already noticed the discoloration last month. I understand that it's plated and not real 14k rose gold. But seriously, it's only been a few months. Pretty bad quality for the price :(

I fired an email to Fossil's customer service (Fossil manufactures MK's watch), and about a week later, I received an email with their reply.

Greetings from Fossil Singapore!

I would like to inform you that the management had approved to give you a (one-time) goodwill for the case and bracelet of your MK5430. The estimated ordering time is 3 to 8 weeks. We will contact you once the spare part arrives and the replacement will take about 2 to 3 working days. Alternatively, you may send in the watch while waiting for the sparepart and we will contact you once it is ready for collection.

I am hoping for your kind understanding on the matter. Do let us know should you need further assistance. We are always happy to serve.

The first thought I had was why is it a 'goodwill'? They made it sound as though they're just doing this out of kindness, when in fact, it should be their responsibility to repair of even replace it, since my watch is still covered under the 2 year international warranty.

I was all ready to fire off another email demanding clarification, but I thought I had better check up the warranty terms first.

And guess what, 

(Excerpt from warranty guide)

During the warranty period the watch movement, hands and dial are the only components covered under this warranty . A covered component will be repaired or the watch will be replaced free of repair charges, if it proves to be defective in material or workmanship under normal use .

THIS WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER:

Any defects in materials and workmanship of battery, case, crystal, strap or bracelet. 

WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT'S NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY?! Damn it, big corporate firms sure know how to cover their asses. Siann, fml. I can't even send them an angsty email, so I thought I'll try my luck and ask if I could have the watch repaired again if the same thing happens after the replacement.

Here's their reply. 

Greetings!

We will contact you once the spare part arrives. The case replacement will take about 2 to 3 working days. Moreover, in regard to your enquiry, since the external spare part is not covered by the warranty, the next replacement is already chargeable.  However, if you have any future concern, please let us know and we will check how we can help you best.

Thank you.

Ok lor, what can I do? It's not as if I get to read the warranty terms in detail before I make my purchase. Even if they gave me the warranty terms beforehand, I would never have expected such a thing to happen to a S$400+ watch-.-  

I think the people at Fossil Singapore are quite nice, and I don’t blame them for the crappy warranty terms and the lousy quality. There's nothing much that I can do to prevent the same thing from happening again, but I can definitely write a blog post to share my experience with potential customers. 

End of rant.

Rimmel Show Off Lip Lacquer in Big Bang

British YouTubers have been raving about Rimmel Apocalips for the longgggest time. Unfortunately, it's pretty hard to get hold of Rimmel products in Singapore because they don't stock it at our drugstores. Recently, Rimmel launched the Apocalips in the US, but they rebranded it to Rimmel Show Off Lip Lacquers. You can imagine how excited I was when I discovered shopping-district.net is selling them at a super affordable price!

Rimmel Show Off Lip Lacquers are basically highly highly pigmented liquid lipstick.

Description from the website:

•                For the first time, the intense, richer color of a lipstick is enhanced by a smooth satin shine

•                Ultra-intense, ultra-comfortable – it lasts all day

•                It's neither a lipstick... nor a gloss... it's BIGGER than both

The earth-shattering lip lacquer from Rimmel London combining the intense color of lipstick with a lacquer like shine, Show Off Lip Lacquer is an explosive make-up phenomenon that represents the end of color as you know it.  Packed with pure color pigments, its lusciously creamy, conditioning formula promises a never-before combination of color, shine and comfort that last and last.

Since I'm pretty much obsessed with bold lips now, I decided to get 'Big Bang', which is a bright red colour.

Price:

S$13 at Shopping-district.net! Which is very affordable, considering the quality.

Texture:

It feels very watery and light, and it's not sticky at all. The lip lacquer doesn't dry matte, and it has a slight glossy sheen to it.

Scent:

It has quite a queer chemically-fruity scent?! I can't quite put my finger on it, but the good thing is it doesn't linger for long.

Swatch:

This is a swatch with just 1 layer. Seriously, there is no need to layer on for more coverage because 1 layer pretty much provides a full coverage. Phenomenal pigmentation! Let's just take a moment to look at this gorgeous gorgeous red.

Big Bang is a cool tone bright red. Honestly I feel that it's a little loud for everyday use (but then again, #whybesubtle?), and it's not to everyone's liking. If I'm not in the mood for wild bold lips,  I'll just use a piece of tissue to blot off the excess. 

The 'Before' pictures show the true form of the lip lacquer, whereas the 'After' pictures show the staining effect after blotting.

Mandatory face shot. With any bold lippie, I find that I can't smile with my teeth, or I'll look like I have a very wide smile (血盆大口). Anyone feels the same way? Or am I just being self-conscious?

Packaging:

The lip lacquers are packaged in a plastic tube. Not super glam, but for the price, I can't really complain.

It has a unique doe-foot applicator with a little hole in the middle, which allows it to load on quite a lot of product (unnecessary because the lip lacquer is so pigmented) .

What I like:

• Smooth and even application. This thing applies like water. Literally, it feels as though I'm applying water to my lips. The product just glides on so smoothly and it doesn't feel sticky at all.
• Lovely and intense pigmentation.
• Long lasting. I've tried eating and drinking with the lip lacquer on, and it held up pretty well. I would say it lasts about 3-4hours with eating/drinking. Of course if you're not planning on eating/drinking, then it can probably last for 8 full hours.
• No crack lips! 

What can be improved:

• The doe-foot applicator loads up way too much product. Because the lip lacquer is already highly pigmented, I find that just one thin layer is already enough. Anything more than that is just a waste of product.
• After the glossiness and shine wear off, the lip lacquer does feel slightly drying and tight. So I guess they could probably pump in some hyaluronic acid to enhance the moisturizing element.

Overall, I'm utterly impressed by Rimmel's lip lacquer! It's really worth the hype in my opinion, and I'm quite tempted to get Luna (a peachy coral) and Celestial (a medium pink)! But I. shall. resist. I really can't justify getting more lippies (for now).

P.S Pictures taken by my new baby-Panasonic LX7. First big purchase using my first pay-cheque!

August 2013 Favourites

August 2013 marks a new milestone for me because I started my first full time job!!!

I've decided to start doing a "Favourites" post at the end of each month, where I'll summarize and share what I've been liking for the month. And so, for the month of August...

1) Yingnerthoughts

Due to my work commitments, I am not able to update my blog as often as I wanted to. However, I really want to continue blogging because what started out as just an activity to 'kill time' became my little sharing platform, where I could just rave and rant about my experiences and pen down precious travel memories.

I guess having full autonomy to create content without any sort of guidelines, restrictions, pressure, and being able to give my honest opinion, allow me to feel that I'm in power and in control. A lot of times in life we don't really have the opportunity to fully express ourselves in such a manner, and I'm glad that I have this platform to turn to :)

2) Nude bag from Alescere at *SCAPE Underground

I've been looking for a structured nude bag for awhile now. This one is slightly more studded than what I would usually go for, but I like that the studs are in a rose gold colour (matches my watch)!

3)  Soap & Glory SEXY MOTHER PUCKER™ GLOSS STICK in Fuchsia-Ristic

For the first half of August, I've been using this non-stop because it is so quick and easy! This is perfect for days where I'm in a rush, as I don't even need a mirror to apply it.

Detailed review here!

4) Shu Uemura Face Architect Illuminating Moisture Fluid Foundation

I've been using it for the entire month of August! Now that I'm in an air-con room most of the time, I really appreciate how moisturizing this foundation is. It's also very long-lasting, and perfect for long days.

Detailed review here~

6) Bold lips

I've been a fan of nude lips for the LONGEST TIME, seriously I think since 3 years ago.

But I've slowly ventured into brighter options such as pinks, corals, and eventually, bold red. I find that bold colours just give an impression that you spent a lot more effort doing your make-up when in fact, you simply slapped on a red lipstick. Furthermore, brighter formulas are less streaky than nudes and they last extremely well.

Revlon's kiss me coral is a coral-orange based red. The coral tinge is more obvious in real life. It's pretty moisturizing I would say, didn't cause my lips to be flaky. Izu's lip pencil in chic is more of a red with pink undertones. Glad that I received this in my convocation goodie bag! The two reds look quite similar in picture, but there's definitely a difference in real life!

That's all for August I guess...can't believe it's already September!