Old Fave: Redken Diamond Oil Shatterproof Shine Intense

Why: I came across this during the product launch, and was using it until the brand exited Singapore. The best thing about this leave-in oil treatment was its flexibility – besides using it on its own, you could also mix it in hair masks. While some hair oils could feel heavy in our humid weather, this was very lightweight, and its effects were long-lasting.

New Love: Nook Magic Arganoil Secret Absolute Oil.

Why: While it’s not as versatile, it ticks the same boxes in terms of shine and lightweight texture. Also, it’s organic and hence gentler on skin and hair.

Old Fave: Stila Eyelash Primer

Why: I chanced upon it at a Sephora event as it was one of the products given in the media pack. My lashes are quite short and straight, which makes them quite hard to curl. Also, mascara always smudges under my eyes. With this lash primer, I could use any brand of mascara on top, and my lashes would stay curled all day with no smudging.

New Love: Lancome Hypnose Doll Eyes Waterproof Mascara and Heroine Make Mascara

Why: Both are able to hold up my lashes and do not smudge. With them, I don’t need to apply a primer, and that saves a step from my makeup routine.

Old Fave: Illamasqua Gel Sculpt in Silhouette

Why: The brand has pulled out of Singapore, though this product is still available online. It is a neutral sheer brown shade that appears as a shadow when used for contouring. I discovered it when I saw Alex Box, who was the brand’s creative director, use it to wonderful effect. I love how it created sheer shadows that didn’t look like the harsh, obvious contouring lines you see in social media photos.

New Love: Fenty Beauty Cheeks Out Freestyle Cream Bronzer in Amber (for fair skin), Macchiato (for medium skin) and Teddy (for olive skin)

Why: These three shades are vital items in my makeup kit. They are user-friendly and I can control their intensity, from translucent to medium, for a more obvious sculpting effect.

Old Fave: Lancome Vernis In Love nail polish in Plunge Pool

Why: I loved Lancome Vernis In Love nail polish in Plunge Pool, which is a stunning cerulean blue that is different from the usual pastels and muted shades. Cerulean also represents the sky or the heavens, so it was a uniquely meaningful shade for me. I received many compliments while wearing it.

New Love: I haven’t been able to find the exact shade of blue since, but LVX in Cerulean does come pretty close.

Old Fave: Urban Decay

Why: A beauty brand that I loved, but which has since exited the local market, is Urban Decay. I’m particularly fond of the Eyeshadow Primer Potion and Naked eyeshadow palettes. I’m not a big makeup user, but I found that applying a bit of the Eyeshadow Primer Potion on my lids before eyeshadow made blending much easier, and the colours more vivid. The Naked palettes were really easy to use for creating basic, everyday looks because the colours they contained were neutral shades that were very complimenting.

New Love: For now, I’ve switched to using the Shadow Insurance eyeshadow primer from Too Faced.

Text: Her World/Goh Yee Huay

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