What a great article to write! I've already made it clear in my previous article titled "Your Skin" that my future article will focus on cosmetics. If you're not interested in cosmetics, I beg you to stop reading now…

Many people stereotype ladies who love/wear/buy make-up (MU) as bimbos. You are very wrong! You should definitely change your mindset. Indeed, I admit and agree that if one applies make-up excessively or sloppily, one might risk looking like a drag queen or a made-for-pleasure woman… But, if a lady is able to apply make-up properly, she will definitely look more polished and the world can be a more colorful place. That's my opinion… You might not agree with me..

After reading two articles from me… I think it's only fair that I share some of my quirks with you. I'm not a guy. How can a guy have "PixelFetish" as a nick? LOL! I absolutely love traveling, classical & bossa nova music, books and lots of other stuff. On top that, I love chatting up with people when I'm traveling to find out more about their lives (In Singapore… tak leh chat up any-o-how.. nanti orang ingat kita interested atau GILA!) and I also love to discover, try out and buy stuff that's available in the market. Hahah… Biasalah…. Kita kena support ekononi negara kita yang tercinta… LOL! So, it's not a surprise if buying/reviewing/collecting MU is one of my favorite hobbies. I have to admit that I absolutely love MAC, Chanel, Shu & Stila…. But I do love certain MU items from other brands. Higher-end brands in Singapore include By Terry, NARS, MAC, Chanel, Stila, Bobbi Brown, Shu Uemura, KP, IPSA, Anna Sui and so on.. and lower-end brands include Revlon, Maybelline, Fasio, Wet N Wild and so on.

I'm one of those people who get excited over new collections and/or new product launches…. I swoon over glitter and shimmer… It's a hobby that's turning into a great obsession. Now, some of you ladies prefer to be natural and go out bare-faced and find MU absolutely grotesque. I sincerely respect your opinions… but since this article is about cosmetics, please don't condemn me & the rest of the readers who're into MU… If you criticize me… you're also criticizing the readers… No flaming k.

OK… Apa tunggu lagik… Read on angels! Along the way, you will find me talking about some products and making some comparisons. You will notice that most of these products are reasonably priced (hopefully) and are readily available in Singapore. I don't write slipshod articles! I take great pride in writing.. I give honest opinions and hopefully, you people can benefit from it all. I'm going full-gear baby!!!

Before I start into my topic proper, I have to EMPHASIZE that MU is NOT about applying them HEAVILY or using LOUD & GARISH colors. Aiseyman.. You're not Mimi from The Drew Carey Show rite?!! Remember her sky-blue eyeshadows, dollypink lips… AHAHHAHAH!! But if she's your inspiration, I seriously don't know how to help you. Scary nyerrr! Serious.. very scary! You need to understand that MU is a tool. A tool to enhance your looks. People wear make-up for various reasons i.e. to enhance their beauties, to cover-up their imperfections, to celebrate happiness… and so on.

Make-up to me means 2 things: Colors & Blending!

COLORS!
When I talk about colors… it means that you must be able to choose the correct color tone for your skin. Check to see whether you're a warm-toned or cool-toned person.. Then make sure you buy the correct colors which complement your skin-tone. Tak faham?? Okay, let me give you 2 examples:-

First example:-
If you stand beside Nicole Kidman and find that your skin-tone is similar to hers… don't be a smart-aleck and buy a foundation that looks like it's made for Will Smith…

Second example:-
Blue eyeshadow. Many people are afraid of wearing blue eyeshadow… pasal NOBODY wants to look like Mimi! Again…. It's all about the colors… If you don't want to wear sky-blue, fret not… You need patience and time… Maybe sky-blue eyeshadow might not work for you… but if you look around long enuff, you might discover that you will look quite nice and sweet in turquoise colors. Geddit.

BLENDING!
Now, let's talk about blending. This is very important. You wouldn't want to look like a badut (cheeks that are too red!) or zebra crossing rite (muka putih, leher HITAM!! eeeeee)?! How to blend? Now, if you are wearing the proper colors, then you need to invest in good brushes. I love brushes from Shu Uemura, Bobbi Brown & MAC. Brushes from Shu are expensive but they last a long time. If you don't want to fork out so much money, then you can buy cheaper brushes from Sasa, Watsons, Mustafa Centre (hahah!!!), Inuovi, Ros & Roy.. Gi survey okay. Last of all, you need to be patient and practice! Once you get the hang of it, blending colors becomes second nature to you. Cheerios!

MU SCHTUFF!
I've patiently divided them into different categories. I've tried a lot of schuff… but in this article, I will only list down a few brands for your comparison. Remember, if a particular product works for me.. it doesn't mean that the product will work for you… and vice versa. So, go EXPLORE! :)

CONCEALOR!
Concealors are most commonly used to cover-up eyerings, eyebags, pimple spots and other spots yang sewaktu denganyer.

Shu Uemura Pro Spots
Boy… I really wanted to love this but… too bad… This product was way too drying for my skin.. and it's very difficult to blend. I don't have a lot of time in my hands.. so I need a product that's easy to blend. So, this is definitely out. And this product caked when I apply it underneath my eyes! EEEEE!!

MAC Studio Finish
I love MAC products… but Studio Finish doesn't suit me one bit. The texture is too thick and opaque and it always makes me feel that I got a "mask-thing" going on…. Of course, this product caked on me…. I also suffered breakouts after using this product for a few days… Out!!

Cle De Peau
InStyle magazine rated CDP as the BEST eye concealor! CDP is also highly raved in many fashion and MU magazines. Celebrities swear by them.. so naturally, I had to try it… In my opinion, this stuff is just horrible! It cakes big time… didn't really cover well and it settles into the fine lines underneath my eyes. I gave this product a lil' more time.. and tried it for another 2 weeks… I finally decided that I don't like this product at all and it's damn pricey ($100 plus siak)!!! No way I'll buy this ever again!! Mari kita BOO same dierrr!! BOO!

Bobbi Brown Blemish Stick
AHAHAH!!! Excellent! This covers the nastiest blemishes/marks and almost everything! Creamy and very easy to blend… and looks natural. I totally love this! I never experience any break-outs with this item. I'm always working hard and sleeping late and thus, my BB stick is very much loved. EXCELLENT stuff, this one. It's so good… it should be made illegal! Hah! Love you, BB!

FOUNDATION!
Okay… Again, there are many types of foundation in the market… Liquid, Cake, Cream.. ahhh… terlalu banyak!! Now, you all mesti tercegang… Nak beli yang mana? Again, it ultimately depends on you. Personally, I love liquid foundation as it gives me the lightest coverage. In Singapore, I don't think anyone should apply thick foundation… The weather is too humid. This is the reason why I prefer liquid foundation over thick/cream foundations. I haven't venture to the cream/cake foundation (I apologise) and thus, I can't give you readers honest reviews on them. So sorry.

The Natural Source Tinted Moisturiser
I LOVE this one to bits. I don't like thick foundation. I prefer something light that will cover my imperfections lightly… so this product is tops on my list. Costs $30 plus.. don't buy them at retail price… wait for their sale as this product will only be about $20 during the sale.

Loreal Sheer Cashmere
Cashmere… I was fooled by this word. I tried a sample… This stuff smells horrible, feel so oily and … entah… I can't put a finger to this foundation. I just don't really like it. This foundation feels so heavy on my skin and L'oreal nyer foundation always breaks me out…

Revlon ColorStay
Compared to L'Oreal Cashmere, this product by Revlon is sooo much better. I've tried a couple of times and I must say that it's quite all-right for its price. Quite long lasting, kept oil at bay for a few hours… An overall good performer… I noticed that this product gives my skin a lil' bit of glow and I like that. I love cheap thrills. Haha!

BeneFit Non-Fiction
I got a sample (Volume 2). Quite impressed. It's light, imparts a healthy glow, has a natural finish and does not feel heavy at all. I don't really like the smell, though.

Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation
A couple of my friends love LSF… so I had to test out the product to see whether it's really good… I got a sample and was really excited about the whole thing.. then… BOOM! I realized that my excitement was all for nothing. My skin felt awful and I don't look luminous… I don't look silky.. I look weird… So weird… This product also feels so cakey. Eeeee! My face looks very unnatural and my pores were magnified twice their sizes. Not GOOD! Out! Luminous, my foot lah!

Becca Luminous Skin Color
I remembered buying a bottle from a Becca counter at Bugis Junction AGES ago. I love this better than the bloody LSF above. I felt that this product is more of a tinted moisturizer.. It gives a very natural look complete with the dewiness and radiance. I like it. But good things don't last very long… My face felt sticky and totally greasy at the end of the day. Sigh. I don't think LSC work well in our humid weather. I gave LSC another chance when I was holidaying in Japan. My skin looks so perfect with this there. Maybe it's the weather… It was autumn at that time in Tokyo.

POWDER!
There are two types of powders.. loose and pressed. I finish off my make-up with a light brush of loose powder… and I carry a MAC Blot Powder along with me when I'm outside for easy touch-ups. I have to admit that loose powders are messy and I wouldn't recommend a lady to carry a tub of loose powder outside. Pressed powders are the way to go, chicas!! More convenient. If you're a cheapo, go for Wet & Wild. If you got cash to spare like me (LOL!), go for MAC or Bobbi Brown!

EYESHADOW!
For some people, applying eyeshadows must be one of the most daunting tasks! I noticed that some ladies only use 1 color on their entire eyelids… WHITE. So weird. Really weird. Just WHITE on their entire eyelids. What gives… I wonder. Anyway, it's not difficult to apply eyeshadows… All of you are capable of applying eyeshadow like a pro… All you need is practice & more practice and good brushes. Next, if you're a klutz or a newbie, I suggest you start with neutral colors.. neutral colors are also the safest colors.. plus they don't make you look so made-up! I love wearing browns and beiges when I'm off to work. Once you're a bit terror, do EXPERIMENT with COLORS! Remember, when I recommend you to go for colors, I'm not asking you to look like that lady in the Drew Carrey Show! Go subtle and make sure you blend the colors! Goshh.. I sound like a broken record!

MAC
One of my favourites. Fairly cheap…Only $20 plus. You can go crazy at a MAC counter. You have the power to buy the most neutral colors to the wildest and boldest colors. Easy to blend and last long too. Plus, MAC always introduces new collections to keep my lil' toes excited! I love you MAC!

Bourjois
I only love 1 product from this French line. Their Effet Lumiere Trios. Do you know that Bourjois is actually quite expensive in Europe (Weird, I know) but they're very affordable here in Singapore. I normally like to buy them when there's a 20% discount on their items. I got Les Verts (green), Les Naturel (neutral), Les Argents (blacks/greys) & Les Roses (pink). Easy to apply, nice shimmery colors & decent staying power.

Stila
I have to admit that I hate their cardboard packaging.. Tacky to the MAX!! The girlish illustrations might work for some people… but they definitely don't work for me. But, look beyond the packaging.. the colors are indeed very flirtatious and pigmented. Some of my fav Stila eyeshadows are Moonlight, Starlight, Twig, Kitten, Wheat, Jezabel, Sun, Oasis, Kiwi, Kahlo, Jade, Sage, Chime, Guava, Cassatt and lots more! So many lah!

MASCARA!
Some people swear by mascara. Indeed, mascara can "open up" ones' eyes… When applying mascara, make sure your mascara don't CLUMP! This is biggest mistake in mascara-land! You want your lashes to look thicker, blacker and longer… You wouldn't want your lashes to look like tarantula's legs rite… eeee!! I've tried tons of mascara.. but will list down some for your pleasurable read.

L'Oreal Voluminous
This mascara clumps a lot… I don't like it.

Maybelline Full 'N Soft
I love this mascara to bits! Doesn't clump, does not weigh my lashes down. An overall great performer! Sadly, this mascara has been discontinued and can no longer be found in Singapore. Boring seh… Whenever I like a certain product, they will always discontinue it… Grrr. If you have access to this, drop me a note!

Maybelline Great Lash
Most MU professionals swear by this mascara! Bullshit lah. This mascara is too watery…. My lashes looked so clumpy after 1 coat… and after a few hours, it started to flake! Yucks!!

The Face Shop
I discovered this shop when I was walking around in Bugis Junction. I don't think many Malay ladies venture into this shop coz it looks like it's catered for the Chinese. I heck care.. The shop looks interesting and I was very attracted to the clean layout…I masuk.. and I bought a Hair Essence and 1 mascara! I say man… I love their mascara (Ultra Curling)! Doesn't clump my lashes… doesn't smudge… Happening betoi! Only $14.90 jer! My new-found love! They got a nice-looking guy as their cashier too.. and their service is great.

EYELINER!
AHhhhhh!! The Arabs tak boleh lepas ngan eyeliner… in other words "celak". But in Singapore… nobody applies eyeliner like the Arabs… Menyeramkan jer.. Anyway, the correct and nicest way to apply eyeliner is to draw a thin, straight (bukan zig-zag tau!!) line over our eyelids. Preferably, the line should be drawn as close as possible to the eyelashes. A perfectly drawn line over your eyelids gives the illusion that you got big eyes…. Macam ni.. O.O! LOL!

Bobbi Brown Gel Eyeliner
Budge-proof! Waterproof! Hot! Dramatic! I bought 1 (Sephia) and I was really impressed. I seldom use this gel liner coz I'm such a sucker for ease of application. These babies come in lil' glass pots and you have to apply them with a pointed hard tip brush to ensure that you can draw a steady and fine line. Such a hassle but they're indeed one of the best! About $30 plus for a pot. I think one pot can last forever!

MAC Fluidline
After BB Gel Eyeliner appeared in the MU scene, I was expecting MAC to follow suit with a similar product. Viola! They did… and introduced the Fluidline. I got hold of 3 colors - Sweet Sage, Shade and Blue Peep. I'm blown away. The colors are vivid… budge-proof… as good as the ones from BB! I love them! I love you MAC!

Mark On the Edge Hook-Up
I seldom wear eyeliner… coz I'm always rushing for time… If you're like me, you will love this liquid eyeliner! You can't get them in Singapore… A friend from the states sent me some coz I love them so much. They're average in performance (last about 6 hours) but I love the packaging. Comes in very cute and portable tubes. I love these 2 colors… Cleo (jet black) and Nefertiti (dark glittery green).

Maybelline Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner
Now… if you're looking for a basic black/dark brown eyeliner that doesn't cost a bomb… here's what you should buy! It comes with a felt-tip applicator… and it's really easy to apply. Staying power is so-so (The last time I wore this, the line came off in lil' black flakes after 3-4 hours. Hehe). The range of colors is NOT exciting at all (only got black and brown!) … but it's cheap and quite all-rite. Maybelline's always on sale… Don't buy them at retail price. HeeHee!

BLUSH!
This is must one of the greatest inventions! When applied properly, it makes you look like you're glowing from within…. And if applied way too generously, I can guarantee that you will get second looks on the streets coz you will look like an old getai singer. There's no hard & fast rule for blushes… but if you're clueless about colors… follow this simple rule. Dark-skinned ladies, go for browns, deep reds and dark peaches. These colors will make your cheeks more contoured. Ladies with neither fair-nor-dark skins, you can go crazy and try all colors. For fair-skinned ladies, avoid brown and dark colors.. These colors will make your cheeks look bruised. You can opt for peach, pink, orange…. Lovely, I must say. Remember to always apply blush with a light hand (meaning… I believe in the motto of "Less is More". Blushes are not meant to be "piled" on your cheeks…!). I usually use a slanted blush brush and swipe the color lightly across my cheeks twice.. and that's it. Many brands to choose from…

NARS
One shouldn't buy NARS in Singapore. They're so expensive! Buy NARS when you're in the states… They're much cheaper over there. I only got 2 colors from NARS… Orgasm (a shimmery, pretty peach color) and Torrid (a shimmery coral with pink undertones). I prefer Torrid over Orgasm… as Orgasm is quite light on my skin whereas Torrid gives me a very nice glow… I love them both though. I have to warn you that NARS blushes are super-pigmented and MUST be applied with a VERY LIGHT hand. A lil' mistake and you can end up looking like a clown!

Bourjois
I cannot help but admire the shimmers on Bourjois' blushes whenever I'm out shopping. So amazed by the shimmers. I always told myself that I don't need all that shimmers on my skin…. But they look so pretty, ey…. So I bought the prettiest one - Rose D'or. EEEEEEEEEE. I don't like it at all. It's WAY TOO SHIMMERY and the color doesn't last long on my cheeks. After an hour, there's no color on my cheeks… only yucky and gritty sparkles. Yucks. I might give this brand another chance… but not anytime soon.

Shu Uemura Glow On
I love Shu blushes! I swear by them. I can name you some of my favourites. They're M Amber 84, P Peach 40, M Pink 33e… I can go on and on… Shu's blushes are not expensive (only $30 plus)…and they're soooo pigmented and pretty. Shu blushes are extremely easy to blend and make you look like you're glowing from within. Love love love!

MAC
Another favourite of mine. But, if I have to choose between MAC and Shu, I will choose Shu in a heartbeat. MAC, as usual, has a wide variety in the rouge department… they got Blushcremes, Powder Blushes & Cheekhues. If you got dry skin, I would recommend you to try out their Blushcremes and Cheekhues. I've tried a lot from MAC and I love them…. No joke. My favourite powder blushes are Melba (pretty matte apricot), Dollymix (the pink give me the perfect flushed look) and Peachykeen (sheer yet shimmery mix of peach and pink with hints of gold… gorgeous) … and my favourite Cheekhues are Da Da Delight (innocent soft pink with some shimmers) & Factory (lovely rose but looks very natural… makes me look rosey and alive! Haha).

L'Oreal Blush Delice
Cheap and to be frank… kick ass! Everytime I pick up a color from the Blush Delice range, I've never been disappointed. Recently, I bought Apricot Rose… Very nice peach with pink undertones. Quite shimmery… but not as shimmery as Bourjois. L'Oreal is not expensive in Singapore but try to buy them when Watson's got a 20% sale going on. I must add that a lil' pimple always pop out the next day whenever I apply L'Oreal Blush Delice. I realized that my skin doesn't agree with a couple of ingredients in this blush.. But I tend to be a bit forgiving.. as the pimple is usually very small and only last a day. :)

Stila Rouge Pots
I love the packaging of Stila Rouge Pots… so vintage and feminine… I've only tried Sweet Pea (light pink flush) and Water Lily (brownish peach.. ala natural glow) so far… No complaints whatsoever. Light flirty colors, last long (about 6 hours) and are a dream to apply (make sure you got short fingernails whenever you're using them).

LIPLINER!
Using a lipliner before applying lipstick/lipgloss ensures that the colors don't bleed. Thousands of lipliners in the market. My advise, get a neutral-colored lipliner so you can use that color everytime. I love buying lipliners from Wet N Wild/MAC/Jordana. Fuss-free and always great! :)

LIPSTICK!
I'm not much of a lipstick person coz I prefer glosses. Anyway, I look for creamy lipsticks whenever I'm out shopping for lipsticks. I don't like those lipsticks which supposedly stay on your lips for hours… Those types of lipsticks are normally very dry.. Yucks… Who's gonna kiss my lips if they look so dry and cracked…?? Eeeee!

MAC
As usual, MAC has different types of finishes for lipsticks. Amplified Crème, Satin, Frost, Matte, Sheer and so on.. I only like lipsticks from the Amplified Crème and Satin series. They're creamier and less drying… Feels more comfy on my lips. I love colors.. so I got no problems wearing pink, red or brown colors on my lips… But not too loud colors lah… I don't want people to see my bright lips from 10 feet away. Scary kan?!

Shu Uemura
I must be really unlucky… I got about 5 lipsticks from Shu.. and all of them are very drying.. Their lipsticks also have this weird smell… plastic smell. I don't like. I might give them a chance in the future tho...coz I'm always a bit partial to Japanese brands. Even tho I'm a hard-core addict for minimalist packaging, Shu lipsticks come in cheap looking plastic tubes. Yucks.

Maybelline & Revlon
Okay lah. I have to admit, I don't really buy lipsticks from these 2 brands. Entah kenapa.. so I can't give a review.

Stila
In my honest opinion, Stila lipsticks are all crap. They are wayyyy over-rated! Their packaging is tacky (you should know, by now) and the lipsticks' formula are the pits! So dry and guess what… I bought a couple of lipsticks from Stila and after seven months, they smelt bad… Out sama dia!!!

Clinique
I don't normally like this brand. Their skincare products sucks.. their packaging sucks… and everything looks so clinical.. hence the brand-name. But, don't be fooled! Their lipsticks are surprisingly very moisturizing and creamy. Very shiooook on the lips. Some of my favourites from Clinique are Bamboo Pink, Creamy Nude, Sweet Mocha and Perfect Beige. I love them, serious!

LIPGLOSS!
I love lipgloss. Firstly, they shine… secondly, they moisturize your lips and lastly, they're fun and sometimes come in different flavours! Kan best! I can write a whole book about lipglosses. But, let's not even go there. Here's some of my reviews in brief!

MAC Lipglass
My ultimate fav! As usual, MAC got a wide range… but I love their Lipglasses the most. They have a slight vanilla taste/smell.. but I can live with that. My all-time favourite colors are Prrr & Nymphette. Nude colors but kick-ass!

Stila Lip Pot
I won't talk about their lipglazes coz I've never tried them. I prefer to buy their lip pots. Like their rouge pots, their lip pots look so vintage in glass pots… I have Amande, Pecan, Poire, Baie, Cerise & Fraise and I love them all! Great colors, moisturizing and look damn pretty! One hassle, since they come in pots, you need a lipbrush whenever you want to apply the color… but I can live with that…! LOL!

Chanel Glossimer
Another kick-ass schtuff! I highly recommend you! Not overly sticky like cheap, tacky lipglosses, great colors, excellent consistency, classy packaging and great staying power! I got loads of glossimers… but I love these colors the most: Praline, Giggle, Naturel, Soda & Petunia… I can go on and on. Oh, check out their new Cristalle range. I love Melon & Pink Candy… Fuuh!!! Shiny!

Revlon Super Lustrous
Their packaging looks a lot like the glossimers. I saw their range in Guardian Pharmacy and got curious and bought 1 color… Nude Lustre.. Indeed, I was quite impressed. Not bad at all. I got one complaint… the smell.. I hate the plasticky smell in MU products… But for the price and the performance, I say that this is quite a good buy! I might want to get Pink Afterglow. Looks interesting too & dirt cheap. :)

Bobbi Brown
Excellent! I like! My favourites are Rose Sugar, Pink Sugar, Petal, & Cocoa Sugar. I don't really care for the rest as they are either too dark or too deep and I don't like wearing dark/deep colors on my lips… Make them look bengkak gitu.

Well, I hope you enjoyed reading this article.. as much as I've enjoyed preparing it… Errr…. Mak kau!!! I realized my article dah macam novel lah!! Maafkan kami… teng tengketeng… Maafkan kami… teng tengketeng… LOL!

Next article: Life's idiosyncrasies.