"Silky Hair So Long” with Pro Salon Steam Hair Pack Bling Bling

More than ever, my hair seems in need of some intensive hair pampering. I wanted to try something different than a standard crème mask from a tube or jar and chose for a “Pro Salon Steam Hair Pack Bling Bling” instead, a hair covering product-infused cap that reminds me of a shower cap. 

And yes, the "Bling Bling" is really part of the product name, so my expectations for blindingly shiny manes are high. Given the state my hair is in now, I expect at least some results will be gained. If you want to know more about dry, frizzy, dull-looking hair in the tropics and the how’s and why’s of this first world proble, read my previous post here.

As with many Asian products, the translation from (in this case) Korean to English is an entire reason in itself to be fascinated by the product – I mean, who can resist the following adorable product claims:

“One Touch Self Steam Hair Cap”
“Silky Hair So Long” (love this one in particular)
“One Care for 10 minutes”

PUTTING IT TO THE TEST

"One Touch" didn't quite cover the experience though. I followed the directions as described on the pack:
- Wash your hair and make it towel dry
- Put all of your hair inside the cap
- Tight the cap with the sticker and massage gently so that the nutritious ingredients in the formula can be absorbed by the hair
- Leave on cap for around 5-15 minutes and rinse your hair with water.

First hurdle: opening the pack. What came out of it reminded me of some giant lady pad and then, when I opened the mask itself, a giant diaper with some goo in it. I didn't have to stick my nose in it to notice the fragrance; smells really good, very upscale hairdresser-like.

It wasn't easy to put all of my hair neatly inside the cap, as was tightening the cap as the sticker didn't, well, stick. I would have opted for ductape as the solution but couldn't find any at home. Instead I just pressed the cap to my head with my fingers while watching TV.

Ingredient-wise, this Steam Hair Pack contains Keratin Amino Acids (key to hair growth and retention) and the following Herbal Extracts:

• Portulaca Oleracea Extract (Purslane): anti-dandruff and anti-inflammatory, used in treatment of burns, skin pain, itching, eczema
• Hamamelis Virginiana Extract (Witch Hazel): astringent and help deep clean oily hair.
• Chamomilla Recutita Extract (Chamomille): soothes scalp, conditions and softens hair. Adds highlights to fair hair and a sheen to dark hair. Strengthens scalp tissues and promotes healthy hair growth by correcting issues with scalp inflammation.
• Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract (Aloe Vera): makes hair more manageable, smoother, silkier, shinier and healthier. 
• Thymus Serpillum Extract (Wild thyme, Creeping Thyme or Mother-of-Thyme): antiseptic and antifungal properties that cleanse, heal and soothe the scalp. Thyme is often used in deep cleansing shampoos, helps ease dandruff and stimulates hair follicles to help with hair loss.

THE RESULT

When I was rinsing the product out of my hair in the shower it immediately felt very slick and smooth. But so did the tiles of the shower, so watch out when practicing your dance moves in the shower. Good for moonwalking though.

After blow-drying and combing my hair, my hair still feels soft but not shockingly softer (or blingy!) than with other hair masks. And where does the steam come in?! I mean, the product is called “Pro Salon Steam Hair Pack Bling Bling”, but I haven't encountered any steam. Or Bling Bling for that matter. Pro Salon yes, fragrance-wise, as described above.

In conclusion, the mask is a cool gadget if you keep ductape closeby, but a bit too much of a hassle for me personally.

imFace Pro-Salon Steam Hair Pack Bling Bling
Price: 7,90 SGD
Available at Sasa Cosmetics (find stores here)

Bird’s Nest - Asian Beauty Ingredients Discovered

Living in (South-East) Asia, there is no doubt you have come across exotic and mysterious ingredients in cosmetics that, back at home, you wouldn’t never even consider rubbing on your face. Horse Placenta, Snail Slime, Bird’s Nest, to mention some: by our Western frame of reference, the one ingredient sounds even more shocking and horrifying than the other. Apart from some initial disgust, I can’t help to be incredibly curious to what these ingredients do for our beauty according to local Asian believes. What are the promised results? How do these products feel and what do they smell like? Someone’s gotta do the dirty job, so in the coming weeks I'll go down and dirty to test some products non-Asians would otherwise stay far away from. I bet it’s going to be quite a ride…

I’ll start off with Bird’s Nest, reviewing “My Beauty Diary’s Imperial Bird’s Nest Mask", that promises to be “ultra nourishing, firming and hydrating”. I have a bit of bird phobia going on, so coming near anything – let alone my face- associated with these feathered little monsters makes me feel incredibly uncomfortable.  Bird’s Nest’s are commonly called the “Caviar of the East” as they are particularly high prized in Chinese culture, because of their rarity and supposedly high nutritional value, exquisite flavour and healing properties. This conviction goes all the way back to the time of the Chinese Tang emperors (618-907 AD). Nowadays, in Singapore a Bird’s Nest’s retail for as much as 400 SGD per 75 grams at Eu Yan Sang, Singapore’s leading health and wellness company in Traditional Chinese Medicine.

The nests, that are not only found in cosmetics but also used as an ingredient in food (mainly soup), are harvested from South-East Asian Swiftlets, a type of swallows. These birds live in limestone caves around the Indian Ocean, in South and South East Asia, North Australia and the Pacific Islands, and build their nest from strands of saliva that they attach to the vertical walls of caves. The nests are half-moon shaped and the colour depends on the type of bird and the diet of the bird, and can differ in colour from translucent white to dark brown. After harvest, the nests are cleaned (thank god), dried and/or processed before they are sold. The smell should be neutral, which is a relieve to me, although at this point I’m increasingly starting to regret my decision to test this product…

According to widespread belief, the nest’s contain nutrients that helps cell regeneration, increases collagen synthesis, tightens the skin, keeps skin luminous, and improves the complexion and radiance of the skin. Studies have detected Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) activity in swiftlet nests, in particular a study by researchers from the Chinese University of Hong Kong. These EGF proteins are known to stimulate cell regeneration and growth. This process helps to make skin supple, while combating the ageing effects of wrinkles and sagging skin, making it popular as a skin care ingredient in the cosmetics industry (see source). I can definitely combat some starting wrinkles, so bring it on!

THE TEST: "My Beauty Diary" Imperial Bird’s Nest Mask

Easily available at a.o. Watson’s and Guardian, the masks comes in a box of  10 sachets containing 23ml of product each. The dark red and gold of the packaging give the product a very traditional Chinese feeling, and made me feel like I bravely  stepped a outside of my expat bubble, ‘doing as the locals do’. Although  traditional, the product looks kind of cute as well (as opposed to some terrifying die-hard Traditional Chinese Medicine products) which makes me less scared to try it. I took a deep breath and opened one of the sachets…

The mask needs to be applied on the face by means of a pre-shaped tissue layer (that you need to remove from a plastic layer first, which I did not do in my excitement to test the product and which made me look like the killer from the ‘Scream’ movies). Also with just the one translucent mask layer on your face, you look somewhat ridiculous so lock your bathroom to avoid anyone seeing you like this for your own sake. The actual product that the tissue layer is soaked with, has a liquid gel-like texture and smells actually pretty good, very subtle and gratefully does not reminds me of birds or their nests in any way. The product is a bit too liquid to my liking, and kept dropping off my chin on the floor and on my chest. This could also be due to the fact that the pre-shaped form of the mask was somewhat too small and round for my Western oblong-shaped face. I tried the mask therefore twice; one time I kept the tissue mask on for the prescribed 20-30 minutes, and the second time I removed the tissue after 3 minutes making sure I had enough product on my face, which I left on accordingly for 20-30 minutes. As far as I could see, there was no difference between the two methods, based on the way my skin looked and felt afterwards.

Overall the product was pretty OK to use, however I could not get over the ‘bird’ fact and was dying to get the product off my face after 25 minutes. Gruesomely, I then saw the instructions said to massage the remaining essence into my skin instead of washing it off, and apply my other skin care products subsequently as if nothing happened. Aargh!  So in the name of beauty I went where I thought I wouldn’t go; I did not rinse the product off to test the effect on my skin on one half of my face (right side), whereas I used a cotton pad with a bit of water to remove some of the product on the other half (left side) of my face. I then applied a moisturizing cream on both sides of my face. In my opinion both sides of my face felt somewhat firmer and definitely looked more radiant, so removing the remains of the product seems to work just as well. The right side of my face (with all product still there) felt a bit stickier throughout the day however, so if I were to repeat this routine I would definitely go for the option to remove a bit of the product.

CONCLUSION:

Fun experience, as I must say I found it quite an adventure to try this product. My skin did show more radiance after I used the mask, but I didn’t like the way in which the mask must be applied and the fact that the product should not be washed off afterwards. I will definitely try to find some other products that have Bird’s Nest as an ingredient, as I did see some interesting effects, but preferably in another form of product like a wash-off formula in a pump, pot or tube. 

"My Beauty Diary" Imperial Bird's Nest Mask is available in Singapore at a.o. Watson and Guardian drugstores, and retails for around 15 SGD for a pack of 10 masks.

Challenging Stereotypes of Beauty: Singapore will host its first International Plus Size Beauty Pageant!

Cheer with me: for the first time ever, Singapore will host a plus size beauty pageant. Do I care about beauty pageants? Not really. But I do care about challenging stereotypes of beauty, whether it be Western or typical Asian stereotypes. While in the West the discussion on dispelling beauty standards is trending and plus size models emerge, Asia is still coming around to acknowledging the need for body positivity. Plus-sized women in Singapore often face cutting remarks, even from the people closest to them. Luckily, Fiona Tan proves that Asians don’t have to be slim and petite to be considered beautiful…

Lately, an increasing amount of conscious strides have been made in the West in highlighting the vicious, self-perpetuating cycles that hamper body image. A long-awaited discussion on dispelling beauty standards is finally trending and plus size models like Ashley Graham have emerged - and are here to stay, hopefully. Asia however still needs to come around to acknowledge the need for body positivity. Which is why it is such good news that International plus size pageant “Miss Top of the World Plus Size” (Miss TOTW PS) will be held in Singapore this November!

Body authenticity and positivity - here to stay in the West or a temporary trend? 

As an Asian minority in last year’s competition, Fiona Tan, reigning Miss TOTW PS 2019 and director of the Singapore pageant this year, stood out from the line-up of full-figured beauty queens with her charisma and effectively debunked the notion that Asians must be slim and petite to be considered beautiful, sending local and international media into a frenzy. Fiona was crowned both “Miss Top of the World Plus Size 2019” and “Miss Plus Size of the World 2019”, emerging as the first and only Asian and Singaporean woman to win two global beauty pageants. You go girl!

I'm an instant fan of Fiona Tan!

According to the Straits Times, many plus-sized women in Singapore struggle with body image issues alone, as there are no local support groups for them. Apart from having trouble shopping for clothes or finding life partners, plus-sized women often face cutting remarks, even from the people closest to them; the media, ads and even their peers and family members bombard young people daily with the message that only thin people have value. Which is why, at the age of 21, Fiona made a drastic decision to undergo liposuction in Thailand,. This brought her weight down to 72kg, which she soon after regretted as she felt she had lost part of her personality. She now weighs 102kg, and has fully embraced her curves. With the competition this year, Fiona hopes to inspire Asian women of all shapes and sizes to celebrate their bodies, while combating body image issues, eating disorders and body dysmorphia: 

“We are here to defy societal norms and overcome limiting beliefs about what constitutes beauty.” 

Hear hear! The candidates arrive November 8th and will compete in a Grand Finale & Award Ceremony at Legacy Centre on November 12th. Read more about the pageant & contestants here. They are all absolutely beautiful, but my favorites are -surprise- Singapore and The Netherlands. Good luck girls!

2019 © Ms & Mrs Top Of The World

Happy Halloween: Creepy Cool Cosmetics & Spooky Skincare

Not directly related to the tropics but way too fun not to share; the best Halloween beauty products! Judging by the amount of Halloween costumes and gadgets in stores, Singapore seems to be getting ready for Halloween taking this holiday very serious. The following Korean Beauty brands offer great products to add to this weekend’s celebration of horror. Colour your lips deep blood red with Holika Holika’s Bloody Oil Tint as the perfect finishing touch to your Zombie Nurse costume, or bring your skin back to life with Too Cool For School’s Pumpkin Sleeping Pack after a long night of spooky partying…

1.) BERRISOM - BLACK RICE HORROR SKULL MASK 

I absolutely love this – I’m not a big fan of sheet masks (i.e. cotton or fibre sheets which are pre-cut into the shape of your face and soaked in liquid formulas) but this one was too cool to flout.

The sheet that you apply on your face has a spooky skull printed on it, so you can walk around looking even more scary than you already do when wearing a plain sheet mask – the regular white sheet masks freak my husband out big time, and with him many more men I presume. The mask contains black rice extract and collagen, which makes dull and dry skin clear and elastic. I really liked using this mask, apart from the cool skull; good scent, good fit of sheet and no dripping of the product from the mask when you wear it! 

Black Rice Horror Skull Mask 

Price: 4,90 SGD

Available at a.o. Sasa (over 20 stores in Singapore) - Find stores here. 

2.) JUNTENSHI - BLACK WITCH SKIN PACK

The magic of the Black Witch, an ink black peel-off face mask in this case, removes three impurities and moisturizes the skin in seven ways. In which ways? No clue…the brand is Korean and doesn't seem very internationally oriented. The translation on the back of the pack is in a very cute but minimal kind of English and the website is entirely in Korean. From a blogger in Taiwan I understand that the ingredients are a.o. horse oil and salmon, so that in itself seems creepy enough to me!!!

Black Witch Skin Pack, 125 gram

Price: 29 SGD

Availableat BHG Bugis, 200 Victoria Street, #03-11, Bugis Junction Singapore 188021.

3.) TOO COOL FOR SCHOOL - PUMPKIN SLEEPING PACK

Another face mask, however this Pumpkin Sleeping Pack looks anything but spooky. But with pumpkin as ingredient this adorable product cannot be missing from this list. The texture of the mask is somewhat between a gel and a cream and spreads easily over the face. Apply before you go to bed, and while asleep the formula will smooth, nourish and moisturize the skin. Wash off in the morning. Especially suitable when your skin needs some nourishment after the layers of heavy makeup you’ve been wearing that part of your Zombie Nurse / The Joker / Corpse Bride outfit during Halloween.

Pumpkin Sleeping Pack, 100ml

Price: 17 SGD

Available online at Althea Beauty webshop (ships to Singapore).

4.) HOLIKA HOLIKA – PRO:BEAUTY BLOODY OIL LIP TINT

The perfect product to get deep red, bloody lips like a vampire. The Bloody Oil Tints are highly pigmented oils that give your lips strong colouring. The moisturizing formula supplies moist to your lips and forms an oil coating layer, making the colour very long-lasting. Perfect for vampires that have a long nocturnal shift ahead of them…

PRO:BEAUTY Bloody Oil Lip Tint, 4ml (available in 5 colours).

Price: 15 SGD

Available online at Althea Beauty webshop (ships to Singapore).

How to smudge-proof your mascara in the humid tropics

Being blessed with a set of long lashes, my mascara tends to smudge on the skin below and above my eyes somewhat, no matter what climate I find myself in. Heat and humidity unfortunately do make matters worse for me – and many others with me.

Most important thing to realize is that smudging of mascara on your skin isn’t only caused by the mascara you are wearing; it’s actually an interplay between the mascara on your lashes and the condition of the skin around your eyes. In a hot and humid environment, your skin tends to be more oily and/or sweaty, which, when in contact with your mascara, is the perfect recipe for stains. The solution is therefore mostly twofold: besides finding a mascara that works well for you, make sure to take appropriate measures to avoid the skin around your eyes from inviting your mascara to smudge.

In finding a mascara that works well for your lashes and doesn’t smudge so much, many women resort to waterproof mascara’s. Keep in mind however that waterproof doesn’t necessarily mean smudge proof. There’s quite some waterproof mascara’s that still smudge, because it’s the oil in your skin or makeup and not water that comes into contact with the mascara on your lashes.

To keep the oil in your skin from transferring your mascara onto your skin, use a (loose)face  powder on the skin below and above your eyes. Just dap the powder (use a little makeup brush or pad) on the skin and apply where your lashes are most likely to touch your skin. Do this for both bare skin and makeup’ed skin, like when using a highlighter or concealer under your eyes (especially then!). If you use a translucent powder you cannot quickly go wrong with the colour, but when you use a loose or compact powder that has more coverage, always use one tone lighter than your face. This will ‘open’ your look; makeup under the eyes that is too dark will make you look older, less fresh and more tired.

Loose powders that significantly reduce the amount of mascara smudging for me are the following:

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• Chanel - Poudre Universelle Compacte (more translucent than the above)
• MAC – Blot Powder (in particular to control oil!)
• Bobbi Brown – Sheer Finish Loose Powder

When you need a little touch up during the day, a compact powder like Chanel’s Poudre Universelle Compacte or MAC's pressed powder is very convenient to carry with you in your handbag.

Mascara’s that work well for me personally are the following:

• Lancome - Hypnose Drama + Lancome Hypnose Waterproof

I first apply a layer of the normal Hypnose Drama, followed by a second layer of the Hypnose Waterproof mascara – this makes it easier to remove the waterproof mascara and gives the voluminous effect that many WP mascara’s lack…

• Clinique High Impact Curling Mascara

I like the arched wand that scoops and lifts up every last lash. This mascara promises to be "smudge, flake and smear-resistant for up to 24 eye-opening hours" and works pretty well (just minor touch ups needed to fight the smudge). Can be easily removed with warm water. 

• Majolica Majorca – Lash King Film

This has been my ultimate Singapore find so far: Shiseido-owned brand with amazing value for money and amazing mascara’s. Prices around 20 SGD and available at a.o. Watsons

If you’re comfortable using makeup and tend to wear more than just the ‘natural’ basics like a mere hint of mascara and some gloss on the lips, you could try a Makeup Setting Spray as well to ‘set’ your mascara and any other makeup from smudging, transferring and melting. A post on how to use such a product will follow soon, so stay tuned…!

Palm Oil & Haze: How to Choose Your Cosmetics Well-informed

Haze or not, I'm a firm believer of being conscious about the choices we make as consumers. For example, my preference goes out to beauty products that are not tested on animals and whenever possible I pick these product over others. With the ongoing haze I notice people around me getting more conscious about the relationship between our palm oil consumption and the heavily polluted air we are now suffering from in South East Asia.

I will not go into details on haze and the how's and why's around palm oil production; just wanted to share with you this list that might come in handy in case you do want to be more involved in the world around us...

If you like to learn more, check out the Palm Oil Guide "How your daily routine can help the rainforest" here.

Tropically Sun-kissed or Born Bronzed: Where to find the right shade of foundation

Many of our favourite Western makeup brands (a.o. Chanel, Dior, Estée Lauder, Guerlain, YSL, Clinique and Lancôme) don’t carry the same foundation shades in Asia as they do in Europe or the US. Given the multi-racial melting pot that Singapore is, this calls for brands with a wider range of shades, to cater to all of our beauty needs. From the pale-skinned Scandinavian expat with a sun-kissed shade from an afternoon at Tanjong Beach Club to the to-die-for eternally bronzed cheecks of our Brazilian neighbour; finding the right foundation shade is pivotal yet proves to be a challenge in Singapore. If, like me, you need a slightly darker shade than is commonly offered in South East Asia, make sure you check out below brands and discover my foundation beauty hack at the end of this post.

HAPPILY TROPICALLY SUN-KISSED

Having a medium fair skin and dark hair, I tan pretty easily even though I wear an SPF in my skincare on a daily basis. Settling-in upon arriving in Singapore, I went out of the house a lot to discover this exciting new city and the neighbourhood that was now our home. Although I wasn’t exposed to ridiculous amounts of sun and usually wear a moisturizer with an SPF, my skin already darkened to the same amount as a two week holiday on the beach in the South of France usually does – strong stuff, that South East Asian sun! I actually liked my tan as it made me feel like I just returned from Saint Tropez, all rested and relaxed. The foundations that I brought from back home however, now turned out to be way to pale for my tropical sun-kissed complexion. 

Over the years I’ve tried many different foundations, but pretty much stick to the following foundation principle on my makeup shelf: one light coverage foundation for daytime (favourite: Chanel  Vitalumiere Aqua) and one long-lasting medium to full coverage foundation for nights out (Favourite: Estée Lauder DoubleWear). There’s also enough days that I don’t wear any foundation, or that I just mix a bit of foundation through my face cream for a very natural bare skin effect. Long story short, I needed to hit the stores to find my favourite foundations one shade darker to match my tropical new skin tone. Back at home in Europe I would prefer to go to the standalone brand boutiques or shop-in-shop makeup counters of my favourite brands in large department stores. I love the service you get there, and the way they pack your items in the cutest branded bags (I’m very sensitive to the Dior and Chanel logo’s).

SNOW WHITE BEAUTY STANDARD

However, when I visited some department stores in downtown Singapore, it became clear to me how much of the US and European luxury cosmetic brands adhere to the Asian beauty standard of white skin. Beauty advisors at both Chanel's and Estee Lauder's own beauty boutiques (down in Ion Orchard) told me that the range of their foundation shades didn’t go further up than a moderately pale beige! Upon asking some help in finding my new shade, I was constantly advised a foundation in a paler tone than my own skin by the sales advisors. When explaining that I wanted a foundation in a shade that is similar to my own skin tone, the sales girls looked at me in sheer horror. And even worse; announced that darker shades simply aren't available in Singapore.  

Living in South East Asia, it probably won’t be new to you that there is a clear preference here for a pale, snow white skin. Just as in Western society before the 1920s, before Coco Chanel accidentally got sunburned on her holiday in the French Riviera and set a trend to be tanned, a tan in Asia is still associated with the lower classes because of harsh outdoor work and subsequent sun exposure. The lighter and brighter your skin, the higher your economic and social status, whereas in the West the opposite is true today and a radiant sun-kissed complexion reveals your health and wealth. After all, you can afford to visit destinations such as Capri, Marbella or –nowadays- Thailand and the Maldives.

THE QUEST FOR A WIDER RANGE IN SHADES

I was very happy to find some darker shades at the Chanel and Estee Lauder counters in Takashimaya in the end, however this seemed to be the exception for most brands. I haven't found darker shades of the aforementioned brands at any other brand's own beauty boutique in the malls, or at other department stores for that matter. Being medium tanned, I'm pretty save to find the shade(s) I need, but I realized that for many other women with slightly or intensely darker skin tones, it must be very difficult to find the right shade. 

Singapore is a proud multi-cultural melting pot, in which both native Singaporeans and expats contribute to the interesting mix of different cultures - and thus skin tones. It therefore struck me that in such a multi-racial society the ideals of beauty are still seem to favor fairer skin, or at least cater to the paler tones on the palette. So where can we get the largest range of foundation shades, both for occassionally sunkissed Caucasian skin as well as for the beautiful darker skin tones of our Indian, Middle Eastern, South American and African sisters?

BEAUTY ADVICE

As mentioned above, most well-known Western brands such as Chanel, Dior, Estee Lauder and YSL offer somewhat darker tones at Takashimaya than they do in other stores. However they don't go up to ebony or creamy chocolate colors.After some thorough research I did find quite some brands that offer a large range of foundation shades, including darker ones, in Singapore.

These following brands have the widest shade range, from ebony to ivory, and offer many different shades within this range as well:

• Bobbi Brown: prices between 75-85 SGD. Find stores here.
• Make Up Forever: prices 75 SGD. Find Stores here. 
• MAC: prices between 54-62 SGD. Find Stores here. 
• Sephora - own brand: prices between 29-32 SGD. Find Stores here. 

MAC's new Studio Waterweight SPF 30 Foundation is available in 23 shades.

The following brands have a pretty wide shade range but offer slightly less different shades within this range, at least in Singapore:

• Marc Jacobs: prices between 75-85 SGD. 
• Laura Mercier: prices between 75-78 SGD. 
• Nars: prices between 72-75 SGD.  
• Stila: prices between 53-62 SGD. 
• Revlon: price around 30 SGD. 

These four brands can be found at Sephora, find stores here.

Marc Jacobs Foundation shades go up from light to pretty dark

BEAUTY HACK!

If you can’t find the exact right foundation shade, or if your skintone tends to vary substantially over time -which, as explained above, is the case for me- just buy two different shades of the same foundation. You can either mix two shades that are very alike for just that minor customization for your skin, or mix two shades that are very different because your skin is too; e.g. one that matches your skin when it is lightest and one that matches your skin when it is darkest so that you can create your own shade of foundation to cover the entire spectrum of tones that your skin takes on in between these extremes. This principle works great as well if you can't find a foundation with the right undertone, that is if your skin tone is somewhat in between a beige, rose or yellow undertone (some foundations are categorized into ‘warm’ and ‘cold’ tones instead). If your skin is too beige for a rosy undertone, but too rosy for a beige undertone, just take both and them mix up!

To illustrate, I use  Estée Lauder DoubleWear in shades 2W1 Dawn and 3W2 Cashew. These shades are quite far apart from eachother (yet have the same undertone; 'W' for Warm), but for me they tend to cover the entire range of shades that my skintone can take on. When I’m most pale, I use pure 2W1 Dawn. After a 3 week beach holiday, I use pure 3W2 Cashew for my bronzed complexion. After only a beach weekend away, I know ¼ X and ¾ will perfectly match my sun kissed skin tone. Works with any foundation, and you always have a foundation sur mesure!

Try it! Use your hand as a palette and put a drop of the first foundation on the back of your hand. If you need to (slightly) lighten the darkest foundation (i.e. your skin is in the dark end of your skintone spectrum), you start with this foundation; likewise, if you want to add a hint of colour to your lightest foundation, you start with this one first. This way you avoid mixing up too much product on your hand that you won’t be using, as it is easiest to gradually add some colour especially if you’re not sure about the right mixture for your tone.

Estée Lauder DoubleWear in shades 2W1 Dawn (lighter shade) and 3W2 Cashew (darker shade): with just these two shades I can cover the entire spectrum of shades that my skintone can take on throughout the seasons and sun-exposure. And yes, the difference is big!

Add the desired amount (find your perfect colour ratio by simply mixing up different amounts – do remember what ratio you used though!) of the second foundation, blend it with your index finger, middle finger or both (whatever you find convenient) and apply to the face by using your fingers, a sponge or a foundation brush as you like.

And done you are, with the best matching foundation ever – now, but also next week or month, in whatever part of your skin shade spectrum you find yourself!