September is prime time for a seasonal refresh within the beauty industry. This month, we saw many skincare launches as brands tailored their formulas to be more hydrating for the cooler autumn temperatures, marking an ideal time to pamper our skin with the nourishing ingredients.

The copper tones of summer have also shifted to bold pops of colour by way of an anticipated eyeshadow palette, along with a few long-lasting liquid lipsticks for fall.

So to help you keep up to date with the latest beauty launches and to know which ones are worth splashing your paycheck on, I tried and reviewed these newly released products.

1. Huda Beauty

Price: Huda Beauty Desert Dusk Eyeshadow Palette (S$100), Huda Beauty Liquid Matte (S$40)
Where To Buy: Sephora

I had high expectations for Huda Beauty because of its stellar report card—they’re the most-followed beauty Instagram account and have had multiple record-breaking launches globally. But after trying a couple of products, I wouldn’t give their products straight As.

The Desert Dusk Eyeshadow Palette comes out top because I love the wide selection of pigmented shades in varying finishes. I liked how their Liquid Matte lipsticks were lightweight and transfer-proof, but I wasn’t impressed by the staying power or cloyingly sweet scent of vanilla.

Most liquid lipsticks oxidise and darken, but the matte lippie’s watery formula took a long time to set and dried duller than I expected.

It’s an A for packaging though.

2. Shu Uemura Anti/Oxi+ Clarifying Gentle Cleansing Oil in Water

Price: S$70
Where To Buy: Shu Uemura counters

The new Anti/Oxi+ Cleansing Oil in Water is a novel formulation for Shu Uemura, targeted at city dwellers concerned with how air pollutants can cause skin dullness.

A mixture of papaya, moringa, green tea extract, and a blend of four botanical origin oils, the cleanser left my skin feeling fresh and soft sans a greasy residue. More importantly, it did a great job at removing my waterproof makeup.

3. Beautyblender Sapphire, Blender Defender, Power Pocket Puff, and Instaclean

Price: S$32 for Beautyblender Sapphire, S$26 for Instaclean, S$20 for Blender Defender, S24 for Power Pocket Puff
Where To Buy: Sephora

The iconic Beautyblender now comes in a stunning sapphire shade, along with a new case, spray cleanser for the sponge, and powder puff.

The Instaclean Waterless Cleansing Spray intrigued me most. Touted as the Beautyblender’s version of dry shampoo for sponges, it works like a spot cleaner. The spray does the job, but it’s pretty oily and has a strong lavender scent.

However, before you wash your sponge and brushes with it, test the product on a small area of skin first. The lavender oil could potentially trigger sensitive skin.

4. Supergoop Smooth + Poreless 100% Mineral Matte Screen Broad Spectrum Sunscreen

Price: S$56
Where To Buy: Sephora

Supergoop’s newest addition is a cross between a tinted sunscreen and a primer. On the tube, it claims to have a matte finish, but this has more of a satin finish.

I was initially disappointed by the formula because I could barely see it on application. But upon closer examination in the mirror, I realised the subtle tint gave my skin a healthy colour, and a smooth, near poreless finish.

5. Boscia Matcha Magic Super Antioxidant Mask

Price: S$38
Where To Buy: Sephora

I’ve got no complains about this superfood making it to our skincare in the form of this yummy face mask. Matcha is an antioxidant powerhouse which reduces free radical damage caused by environmental aggressors.

After leaving it on for about 15 minutes, the mask did a fantastic job at smoothening, brightening, and reducing any redness on my skin. It’s especially useful at calming inflamed zits.

6. First Aid Beauty Hello FAB Micellar Makeup Melter

The full-size product comes in a pump bottle.

Price: S$40 for 160ml
Where To Buy: Sephora

Most First Aid Beauty products I’ve tried work amazing for me, but this one fell short. It didn’t do a good job at ‘melting’ my makeup; removing my waterproof mascara was a frustrating process.

But it does have an incredibly gentle formula, so I’d recommend this to those who wear light makeup.

7. Herbivore Jasmine Green Tea Balancing Toner

Price: S$59
Where to buy: Sephora

If you’re looking for a natural product that fights acne, this toner checks all the boxes. Green tea helps to balance sebum production, so it’s best suited for those with combination to oily skin.

It comes in a convenient spray bottle, so I can mist my face midday to keep my makeup fresh and give my combination skin the hydration it needs. The product doesn’t smell bad, but it has a strong botanical scent which some may not like.

Payday Pick September 2018: Supergoop Smooth + Poreless 100% Mineral Matte Screen Broad Spectrum Sunscreen

If it wasn’t obvious before, let me proclaim that I’m in love with this sunscreen. As someone who doesn’t like heavy foundations and prefers the natural ‘no makeup’ makeup look, this sunscreen’s sheer formula works for me.

Though I adore my usual cushion foundations, the Supergoop sunscreen has become my daily go-to base as it makes my bare face glow. All I need to achieve flawless skin is some spot concealing.

Also, it’s broad spectrum which means it targets both UVA and UVB rays and protects my skin from the blue light emitted by our phones. And a big plus point is it doesn’t leave a white cast, unlike most sunscreens, so I can take flash pictures without worrying my face will look a shade lighter than the rest of my body.

With that, these are my thoughts on this month’s launches. Now it’s your turn to take your pick!

Also read:

The post Beauty Launches (September 2018): I Found A Tinted Sunscreen That Erased All My Pores appeared first on ZULA.sg.

Oh, what a time to be alive. With so many new beauty products launched in Singapore every month, it can get a wee bit overwhelming for the average shopper.

So to rep all my fellow beauty junkies out there, Payday Picks is where I, ZULA’s beauty writer-host, sift through every month’s latest beauty launches to give you my recommendations as a fellow consumer.

This July, here’s my verdict for what’s worth splashing our paychecks on. Scroll to the bottom if you want to know which holy grail item I would pick if I only had money to get one product.

1. Urban Decay Born To Run Collection

Price: S$76 for the eyeshadow palette, S$31 for the Vice Lipstick, S$33 for the 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil.
Where to buy: Urban Decay boutiques, Sephora

Urban Decay’s newest Born To Run collection includes a 21-shade eyeshadow palette, three new limited edition Vice Lipsticks (a bright rose sparkle, a rich mauve-nude, and a dark berry), and new 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil shades (metallic deep green and dark copper).

The eyeshadow palette is a glorious amalgamation of colours; from matte, shimmer to metallic shades, so you can easily switch between a neutral, everyday eye look or have fun with colour.

2. Mamonde Creamy Tint Squeeze Lip + Creamy Tint Colour Balm

Price: S$18 for the Mamonde Creamy Tint Squeeze Lip, S$16 for the Mamonde Creamy Tint Colour Balm
Where to buy: Mamonde boutiques, Lazada, Tangs

Their newest launches include the new Creamy Tint Squeeze Lip and new MLBB (my-lips-but-better) shades from their Creamy Tint Colour Balm range.

Of the two, the Creamy Tint Squeeze Lip stood out because of its unique plastic applicator (pictured above). Compared to traditional doe-foot applicators, the plastic pen-like nib was more adept at filling in the fine lines on my lips with product. The result: a smooth, semi-matte, hydrating, pigmented punch of colour.

With that said, the squeezable Creamy Tint Squeeze Lip could be tricky to apply without a mirror. For an easier, precise application on the go, their Creamy Tint Colour Balm would be the better option.

P.S: Mamonde’s currently running a couple of exclusive deals and sets on their Lazada store until 3 July 2018, with products going up to 50% off.

Also read:

3. MINON Amino Moist Skincare Range

Price: S$28.90 for the Moist Charge Milk, S$18.90 for the Moist Essential Mask
Where to buy: Watsons, Don Don Donki, Tokyu Hands, Welcia-BHG, BHG

MINON Amino Moist may be relatively new in Singapore, but the No.1 facial sheet mask in Japan already has a solid fan base, especially with users who have sensitive skin.

Of the five products I tried, my favourites are the Moist Charge Milk and the Moist Essential Mask. I used the Moist Charge Milk as a daytime moisturiser and I love how the formula is lightweight and absorbs quickly into my skin.

The Moist Essential Mask also impressed me when I saw how much brighter my complexion was right after peeling the mask off. The next day, I noticed my makeup went on smoother than usual, and my skin felt softer to touch.

4. Etude House Any Cushion Aqua Touch

Price: S$32
Where to buy: Etude House boutiques

This matte cushion indeed honours its claim of a 24-hour wear. ZULA’s video producer, Leah (she has combination skin), went for a dance class after work (i.e.: heavy perspiration) and her foundation was still intact by the end of the day.

Matte cushion formulas tend to be drying but the Etude House Any Cushion Aqua Touch didn’t leave my skin feeling parched. However, this matte cushion may not flatter those with dry skin as the finish may highlight trickier areas, such as the skin around the nose and the undereye area, as it doesn’t give your skin that silky-smooth look.

5. Maybelline Superstay Eraser Lip Colour Remover

Price: S$14.90
Where to buy: Watsons, Guardian

The Maybelline Superstay Eraser Lip Colour Remover promises to remove even the most stubborn matte liquid lippies with less scrubbing. The remover got the ZULA team wondering: does it really work?

I decided to use the kiss-proof Superstay Matte Ink Unnudes Liquid Lipstick as the test. And here’s the result:

Although Julia still had to wipe her lips a couple of times for the colour to come off thoroughly (left), she felt no tugging on her lips at all. The colour slid off pretty easily.

Interestingly, Vaseline was able to achieve the same effect, but with more mess. So for girls who are looking for a fuss-free alternative to cleansers, this Superstay Eraser’s probably still the wiser choice to bring with you on the go.

6. YSL Volupté Liquid Colour Balm

Price: S$52
Where to buy: YSL boutiques, TANGS,

YSL’s newest lip product has got both form and function down pat—it’s a hydrating lip balm and a pigmented lip colour all in one sleek tube.

I tend to have lip colour on for more than 12 hours on a workday, so I liked how the natural coconut water and antioxidant-rich pomegranate in the formula kept my lips hydrated.

The YSL Volupté Liquid Colour Balm also has a dewy finish, giving my lips a voluptuous, healthy glow, making it the perfect glossy lips comeback item to have this 2018.

Payday Pick July 2018

Among all the products I tried this July, I would blow my money on Urban Decay’s Born To Run eyeshadow palette. I love how it isn’t an iteration of their iconic Naked palettes, but a spanking new one.

The magic of this palette lies in its versatility. The shades can take you from an office meeting with Stranded (a shimmery pale rose gold) to a girl’s night out by layering Ignite (a rose gold metallic) + Drift (a metallic deep gray with lavender undertones).

You could also easily create a sunset eye while on a tropical vacay with Baja (a burnt orange matte) + Accelerate (reddish copper metallic) + Hell Ride (deep fuchsia matte). And with its sleek and sturdy case, the Born to Run palette is the only eyeshadow palette you need to pack.

With a whopping 21 gorgeous, buttery-smooth and highly pigmented shades, this Urban Decay eyeshadow palette definitely gives you more bang for your buck.

Now it’s your turn to take your pick!

Also read:

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