The ArcticStar's December Christmas GIVEAWAYs

So, it IS December 2014 any my favorite time of the year.... hence I am doing a Christmas Giveaway. No joke, no gimmick - just see the 8 items below, select the ones you like, and drop an email to cloverleaf.wish@gmail.com with the subject "Christmas Giveaway 2014".

Please note that all items are brand new and normal shipping is free of charge. These giveaways only applies to Singaporean readers, and TheArcticStar is merely doing the gifting and not responsible in the event of any user's allergies to any products herein, thanks.


Here goes the list:-

Item 001 - Balance Me (A natural and science-led British skincare brand) - Shine On Tinted Lip Salve, in Nude tone, 10ml.

Item 002 - Cosme Decorte by Kose (a Japanese brand that needs no introduction) - AQMW Repletion Essence, 6ml.

Item 003 -  Crabtree & Evelyn (another UK brand that requires no introduction) - Evelyn Rose Hand Cream, 25 grams.

Item 004 - Dr. Hauschka (a German brand offering organic and natural skincare products) - Hand Cream, 10 grams.

Item 005 - The Face Shop (everybody knows this Korean skincare brand, right?) - Green Tea Hand Cream, 30 ml.

Item 006 - Lancome (famous French skincare brand) - Mat Miracle, long wear and comfort satin light creator - 24 hours liquid foundation, 5 ml in Shade 01.

Item 007 - Lancome - UV Expert XL Shield, 12 hours active beauty shield (against the sun), 5 ml.

Item 008 - Laneige (another well loved Korean skincare brand) - BB Cushion REFILL (complete with sponge and all) in Shade 21 Natural Beige, 15 grams.

All the best and Merry Christmas 2014 in Advance!

Review on Laneige BB Cushion

Having heard many good things about Laneige's BB Cushion before, I decided to give it a shot. It claims to have 6 effects with just one product alone - whitening, moisturising, water resistant, sunblock, soothing and makeup coverage, hence I was intrigued.

Determined to test if it is really as good as it proposes to be, I decided to get one to try. At SGD$59.90, the box comes with one compact and an extra refill, so it is rather affordable.

I got Shade #23, Natural Beige. Actually it was exciting to see how this magic "cushion" form BB foundation works.

So it was just a taut sponge with a dark blue face, which we would use to dab against the moist cushion, so we get some of the BB foundation transformed to the sponge.

Apply the tainted side of the sponge to the face - amazingly, there is a cooling sensation when the BB-stained sponge comes into contact with the skin. A couple more dabs of the BB foundation and sweep over the face, and it was complete-  it was a smooth and easy application.

This is how it looks like after brushing on some loose powder - smooth, soft and radiant. However, the BB foundation turns oily very quickly, within a matter of couple of hours. One may require touching up or some very matted loose powder / setting powder to keep it from shining.

Review: Laneige Water Supreme Primer Base

Having been accustomed to another brand of minerals makeup base for years, I finally broke away and tried the Laneige Water Supreme Primer Base - a gift from a friend who visited Korea recently. I think it costs around SGD$55.00 in stores.

It is 35ml in volume, and comes in a lovely reflective silvery box. The primer base I have is in a pale green shade (No. 60) - for correcting redness. From my understanding, this range has the lilac and pink shades as well.

For easy application, the creamy primer base comes in a pump-form.

After applying my usual skincare routine and moisturizer, the next step would be to press a tiny amount onto the fingers and smoothen over skin before piling on the foundation / makeup.

The primer base is smooth and creamy, but not overly rich. There is no greasy feel, and upon application over the skin, the redness is visibly toned, and the skin feels smoothened out, all ready for the foundation to glide on. There is a light sheen of dewy brightness - not oily shine or extreme matte, so it makes the skin look more radiant too.

I am happy with Laneige's Water Supreme Primer Base, and so far has no complaints with it. I like how it prepares my face for makeup and also offers a little protection against the harmful rays of the sun.  It also comes with a sweet, pleasant scent by the way.