You know that girl who looks like a ‘0’ when she steps out of the house and a ‘100’ by the time pulls up at the workplace? Yes, that girl is me (well, maybe not a ‘100’ but you get it) because I’m always in a hurry to get out of the house. Naturally, doing makeup during the morning commute is a part of my morning routine. And if that girl is you too, this palette will be a part of your monthly faves as well. With four eyeshadows, a highlighter and a bronzer, this limited-edition face palette from Nars is my go-to these days because it’s got practically got everything I need to complete my face beat.
Is it just me or are we always excited about the next Naked eyeshadow palette? Just when we thought that we’ve got enough 12-pan Naked eyeshadow action, we’re always going to cave when the new iteration is released. Not sure about you, but my month of September was made a little sweeter with the Honey version. The palette holds matte and shimmery honey-toned hues, neutral browns and warm-toned ambers. Even though the shadows are undoubtedly popping (quite literally and metaphorically) when it comes to colour payoff, the underdog that really surprised me was the brush that comes with the palette. Shocking, I know. But there’s just something about the way this brush was built – the hairs of the brush were just of the right softness and hardness – that blends out shadows oh-so beautifully. The fact that it wasn’t just an afterthought makes this palette a hell lot better.
If you’ve tried Hera’s Black Foundation, you would know that the brand isn’t messing around with the coverage – it covers the dark spots, blemishes and possibly even every embarrassing moment that’s happened to me. Likewise, this concealer’s no different. Instead of the usual doe-foot applicator, this concealer has a special 3mm micro metal tip that allows for targeted spot-concealing. Pro tip: go half a shade lighter when you’re shade-matching yourself to the right concealer so that it draws less attention to the blemished area.
This has been amongst my favourite foundations to apply since I first tried it sometime in July. Why? It’s part foundation and part skincare. It covers each and every unwanted pimple that’s sitting on my face without making my skin look flat, and it’s got Rose de Granville micro-nutrients and rose micro-pearls that’s enriched with gold to revive tired skin. Plus, the rose scent that it’s got really locks in how bougie you’ll feel applying this on your face.
Of course, the secret behind a flawless layer of foundation really lies largely in the method that you’re using to apply and blend it out with. Some may prefer a beauty sponge, but my weapon of choice has still got to be a trusty ol’ face brush – the right one doesn’t absorb too much product aka non-compromised coverage. And more recently, this petal brush from Shu Uemura has been killing it for me. Firstly, its ergonomic pentagon shape makes it easy to grip and makes it sit perfectly upright on my vanity without rolling off. I also love how the narrow end makes it perfect to reach the small corners like the sides of my nose and blends out foundation without looking streaky.
This brush just checks off so many boxes for me – super soft bristles, doesn’t soak up product, leaves a beautiful airbrushed finish and its smart shape fits snugly in the palm of my hand, thanks to the finger grooves. All in all, a must-have. It’s also a dream to wash since it doesn’t trap much foundation in its fibres.
There’s just so much to love when it comes to this lippie. From its whipped, nourishing finish to its pleasant flowery scent and to how comfortable it sits on this lip in a dewy-matte finish, you’d best believe this has been travelling with me everywhere in my makeup pouch. It’s just so easy to reapply on the go and it gives me that covetable Korean blotted lip look when I gently dab it past my lipline. The fact that it has camelina and sweet almond oils combined with shea butter also means that I can safely skip the extra step of a lip balm before applying this, without having crusty puckers.
The hallmark of a good lip gloss? One that doesn’t leave an overly tacky feeling on your lips after application. Bolder and darker colours can also be especially tricky to nail without looking streaky, but this vampy, burgundy colour has got no complaints from me. It’s full pigment, sultry glossy shine on one swipe with this. It’s also really moisturising thanks to the hyaluronic acid in it.
When I had the chance to speak with the CEO of the niche fragrance brand about a month back, she had presented me with this bottle of juice. And as someone who prefers conventionally “male” scents that tend to be spicier and more woodsy, this one struck all the right chords for me. With notes of bergamot, vetiver, black pepper and crisp amber, this smells exactly like walking through a forest just after the rain. There’s something about how this smells that makes me feel like a strong, independent woman who doesn’t need a man.
But that doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate a good light, floral fragrance. For the times that I want something much more fun and flirty, I’ve found myself gravitating towards Chloe’s L’Eau. Notes of lychee, grapefruit, magnolia and the brand’s iconic Damescena rose absolute makes it smell fresh, beautiful and just like a great date night scent.