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Elizabeth Phillips

The Big 3 Cleansing Oils: A Totally Biased Face-Off

(a.k.a. Shu Uemura vs. Bobbi Brown vs. MAC 💧) Tried all three. Loved all three. But here’s how they fight to the death in my bathroom: 🧽 Cleansing power Shu wins hands down. Melts full beat like it’s nothing. Bobbi: solid backup. MAC: fine for daily makeup, but needs help with waterproof stuff. 💦 Skin feel MAC glides like a dream. Bobbi’s nice too. Shu? Slightly more… efficient than luxurious. 👃 Scent MAC has the yummiest smell. Bobbi smells like… not much. Shu smells like competence. 🧼 Bonus round: Blackhead clearing Only Shu puts in the overtime on my nose. Respect. 💸 Value for money? MAC’s the budget queen. She gets the job done and keeps your wallet alive. #beauty #makeup #foundation

The Big 3 Cleansing Oils: A Totally Biased Face-Off
slittle

Conference Makeup That Commands Respect

Just finished presenting at NCA, small award in hand, flight home tomorrow. While packing, I'm looking at the makeup that got me through three days of academic performance anxiety. I brought exactly what I needed and nothing more. Tom Ford 31 for morning sessions—matte browns that whisper "I know what I'm talking about" without trying too hard. The formula is unforgiving but worth it when you nail the blend. Charlotte Tilbury Exagger-Eyes saved dinner presentations; sometimes you need that flash of shimmer to remind everyone you're human, not just a research machine. Two NARS blushes came with me. Impassioned for the soft credibility of a put-together academic. Mata Hari—that bruised purple shade everyone avoids—for when I needed to look alive after five hours of conference coffee. It's deceptively wearable, like academic confidence itself. Three lipsticks: MAC See Sheer for "approachable expert," MAC Business Casual for "take me seriously," and YSL 83 layered on top when I needed to feel powerful during Q&A. Chanel base and powder because some things shouldn't be experiments when you're already performing. What's your go-to makeup when you need to feel professionally untouchable? #beauty #makeup #academiclife

Conference Makeup That Commands Respect
Elizabeth Phillips

First Impressions: Phytosurgence — Canadian Indie Makeup

Just tried Phytosurgence for the first time—this small Canadian indie brand has been on my radar. Picked up four products: 🌿 Cream Bronzer (Shade 2 Rosy Daybreak) My favorite. A light rose-toned bronzer that’s super easy to blend, perfect for beginners. It’s sheer enough to use over a large area as blush or contour without looking heavy. They recommend using a brush for best results, and I totally agree. 🌿 Cream Blush (Limited Edition Kindle from ’23) A warm, smoky terracotta shade. Highly pigmented—go easy and build it slowly. Perfect for cozy fall and winter vibes. 🌿 Tinted Lip Balms (Two shades from ’24 limited run) Distant Depth is a soft brown that barely shows on darker lips—great for evening out lip tone. Crash Cadence has a subtle rose tint and is more pigmented. Both are lightweight, comfy, and easy to swipe on anytime—nothing dramatic, but nice for everyday. Heads up—these are handmade and only sold on their website. Packaging and finish won’t match high-end brands; expect some air bubbles or mold marks in the cream products (especially the blush and bronzer). If you’re picky about perfect packaging, maybe skip these. Overall, I’m really happy with my haul. Eye cream shadows are next on my list! Ever tried a handmade makeup brand? What was your experience? #beauty #makeup #indiebrandlove

First Impressions: Phytosurgence — Canadian Indie Makeup
Evonne

My Honest Take on the New Hauslabs Launch

I’ve tried almost everything from the original Hauslabs drop. The lip gloss and liquid eyeshadow were my faves. But that eyeliner? Total fail. Over $15 and not even waterproof—sweat? Bye-bye. Since Gaga stopped selling on Amazon and moved to Sephora, I hadn’t picked up anything—until recently, when I bought a few things at a concert. Price tag felt a bit steeper—$177 SGD for three items. Foundation: Really good. I’m cool olive, pretty fair—similar to beauty YouTuber Water Egg’s shade. I tried shade 30 at Sephora, half-face swatch matched perfectly. At first, it brightened a bit; after a few hours it blended seamlessly with my skin tone. Fine powder texture, no melting or patchiness even after a sweaty commute. Big thumbs up. Blush Stick: Okay, I totally misunderstood this product at first. It’s blush + a subtle dewy glow. Works well over powder, gives a nice radiance all day. Applied alone, it doesn’t blend as well; with powder, the color softens a lot. I ended up layering a deeper blush on top for more dimension. Two shades are really wearable; others are quite bold. Honestly, it’s fine but not a must-have—similar to many liquid/cream blushes I’ve tried. Packaging feels cheap, and there’s not much product inside. Value-wise, I don’t see it beating drugstore options. Lip Gloss: Picked a safe, everyday shade. More comfortable than Sephora’s glosses—no sting, and some subtle plumping. Less sticky than the OG black-tube version, which was stringy and annoying. Would repurchase but price is a little high for what it is. Glow Stick: Didn’t buy, but tested at the counter. Feels oily and likely to break down foundation—no clue how to use this properly. Powder Blush: All colors too intense for me. Not really my vibe. Highlighter Powder: Skipped buying. Touched it—texture’s too chunky and not smooth at all. Tried anything from Hauslabs lately? What’s your holy grail? #beauty #makeup #honestreview

My Honest Take on the New Hauslabs Launch
Hannah Phillips

Flawless Base Duo I’m Obsessed With

New base combo just dropped—and I’m calling it: soft-focus skin in under 5 minutes. 🧴 Omise Whitening Sunscreen (Peach Pink) It’s a tone-up sunscreen with skincare benefits. The peach tint subtly brightens my skin without looking chalky. I loved the original version, but this new pink one? Chef’s kiss for dull mornings. 🎨 Decorté Cream Foundation #401 Okay, this stuff is hard to find—I picked mine up in Osaka. But when applied right, it gives the silkiest, real-skin finish. How to make it work: Apply it over a slightly tacky base (like the Omise sunscreen) and press it in with your fingers or a puff. Use the tiniest amount—you’ll thank me later. ✨ Final step: translucent powder. Done. The result? Blurred, glowy skin that looks expensive. #Beauty #Makeup #GlowStarterKit

Flawless Base Duo I’m Obsessed With
Evonne

I Thought Concealer Wasn’t for Me

I used to skip concealer altogether. It either felt too dry, too thick, or made things worse. But two finds changed that. The Decorté 00 palette surprised me most. It’s thinner and more moisturizing than IPSA, but still holds through summer humidity. The right salmon shade cancels out darkness under my eyes, the light shade brightens around my nose, and the deeper tone covers blemishes—no mixing needed. Lazy but efficient. And yes, it smells faintly floral. Then there’s the old Visee duo—designed just for dark circles. Tap the peach shade under your eyes, then layer the skin tone over it. It looks like nothing, but works like magic. Both have that dewy, creamy finish I used to think was impossible. Maybe I didn’t hate concealer. Maybe I just hadn’t found the right ones. #Beauty#Makeup#JapaneseBeauty

I Thought Concealer Wasn’t for Me
Evonne

Velvet Skin & Sunset Cheeks: A Retro Sporty Glow

Today’s mood? Retro athletic beauty with a soft glam twist. Inspired by Romey’s timeless glow—here’s how to get the look: 1. Base: Start with NARS Tinted Moisturizer (L0) for a sheer, breathable base. No powdery finish—just a smooth, velvet-matte skin that feels like your own. 2. Blush Duo: Layer for dimension: • Dior 004 gives a coral pop to the inner cheeks for a lifted, youthful effect. • Then sweep Kaleidos P04 from cheekbones inward—this sunburnt bronze blush sculpts and adds warmth, mimicking a sun-chased flush. 3. Highlight: Tap on Girls Crush Champagne Highlighter over the high points. Use a light hand—this glow builds like dewy glass. The result? Retro tennis-core meets modern elegance. Game on. 🎾 #beauty #makeup #RetroGlow

Velvet Skin & Sunset Cheeks: A Retro Sporty Glow