Barbara Sturm Molecular Cosmetics now on Net-a-Porter.com

German luxury skincare line Dr Barbara Sturm is now available to Asian consumers via NET-A-PORTER.com. Sturm, an aesthetics doctor, roots her line around the idea that world-class skincare should protect, strengthen and detoxify without overburdening the skin, and that it should yield maximum results with a minimum number of products.

And for those who have overflowing cabinets, stressed skin, busy lifestyles, and a thirst for skin-pampering products that cut through the Marketing mambo-jumbo and do just what they say, this is a line to look into.

To allow skincare aficionados in Singapore a chance to sample her line, NET-A-PORTER is collaborating with The Landing Point at Fullerton Bay Hotel to offer a thematic Afternoon Tea experience. For SGD 48++, guests will enjoy a gourmet tearoom experience overlooking the panoramic Marina Bay waterfront, as well as receive a luxe gift set of Dr Barbara Sturm travel-size products worth SGD188 from NET-A-PORTER.

(For reservations and enquiries, call Dining Reservations at +65 6877 8911 / 8912)

I have been trying out a few of their products and I'll say they put their money where their mouth is. They don't skimp on active ingredients, minimize usage of cheap fillers and bulking agents, and also quietly throw in skin-nurturing "extras" that are not immediately obvious when looking at the product names.

The one word of warning is don't expect pretty fragrances and masking agents. These products are completely unscented and hence a great option to explore for those with more sensitive skins, but many will smell of raw ingredients. For me, as long as it works well, I can forget how it smells.

Sixteen92 Perfumes

A reader recommended that I check out Sixteen92.com if I loved Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab perfume oils, so I did - and I ended up purchasing quite a number of items from them. And I'm not disappointed!

The collection is not huge. 

They have a General Catalogue of 15 permanent scents, all of which can be purchased in 4 sizes - 2ml sample vials, 6ml vials, 10ml roll-ons in the oil form, and 30ml parfum sprays in alcohol base. And then they have seasonal limited edition collections, which are online while stocks last. They also sell body products and wax melts which I have not tried. 

Summer 2016 scents inspired by the 90s Riot Grrrl movement and rock chicks

Prices are also very reasonable despite the fact that these are mostly, if not all, made with - as far as I can tell - natural essences and absolutes instead of cheaper synthetics. US$20-22 for 10ml roll-ons which, if you are used to paying $17.50-30 for BPALs which are half the size, is very good. 

I buy most of these in 10ml roll-ons even though I actually like the look of the 6ml vials more - just because I am excessive and I don't like to worry about running out too soon. And 10ml will last a long time since you don't need a whole lot to get good scent at all. The fact that they come in black roll-on tubes also means your scents are better protected from light, which can degrade scent molecules.

I've tried quite a number of scents - all in the oil form because I just love those so much better than sprays in general. 

• They sit closer to the skin, 
• have a more consistent scent strength throughout the day, and 
• last longer than many alcohol-based scents, which are either too strong in the beginning, or fade too quickly over the day.

I will say if you are used to BPALs (and the 600+ strong catalogue with as many scent ingredients as the day is long), you might find Sixteen92's smaller range lacks variety. There are recurring notes in many scents, which is completely understandable. Natural absolutes can be shockingly expensive if you've ever studied natural perfumery or purchased ingredients, so it seems reasonable that a new business not start with an inventory of hundreds of different essences.

To their credit, the scents don't smell alike. I think they are all unique and different from one another, and run the gamut from likeably-pretty sweet or floral scents, to more quirky green, woody, smoky, or dark ones.

From the General Catalogue, here are the scents I've tried, which I will review briefly below since they are available permanently.

BLACK SUGAR - Spun brown sugar, red berries, vanilla and tonka bean absolute dance with a sprinkle of dirt, a swirl of cauldron smoke, and a drop of bittersweet cocao absolute.

My thoughts: One of my favorites; try this if you love sweet foody scents or the idea of Aquolina's Pink Sugar. This is Pink Sugar's caramel cotton candy with a sexy, dark, soft smokiness, and without that burnt chemical undertone (I can smell that licorice note in PS and I don't like it). I admit that because I am crazy, I adulterate my vial of Black Sugar with a few extra drops of cacao absolute for an extra bitter chocolate kick. Lasts hours and hours.

GRIMM - Cocao absolute, Tonka bean, tobacco, immortelle, wet forest moss & leaves

My thoughts: Tobacco, tobacco, tobacco with lots of earthy wet vegetation, and a back-note of bitter cocoa. Very masculine, pungent, and dark on first sniff, but this warms up and rounds out on the skin, and the creamier, sweeter cocoa and tonka aspect comes out a little more. Not for the faint of heart. I disliked this at first but found myself going back again and again to sniff it. This is like that abrasive, intriguing bad boy you can't get along with, who ends up charming you in spite of yourself.

HELLEBORE - Tuberose absolute, Sambac Jasmine, oakmoss, tobacco, chilled earth, cocao, black musk

My thoughts: Strange earthy floral. When I saw the name I thought this would be a rose scent. Turns out it is tuberose. With jasmine. Both indolic florals with a pungent, dirty, almost decayed undertone. And I don't mean that in a bad way. I love tuberose and jasmine. I'm just not always sure about tobacco notes. I think it overpowers most blends, and with Grimm, it works with the dark earthy cocoa, immortelle and oakmoss. Here, the whole composition reminds me of flower petals decaying on damp forest floor. That might actually be pretty interesting, but it's not immediately appealing to me, and I need to test it further to see how it develops.

LA LLORONA - Bulgarian and Egyptian rose absolute, pink and white pepper, pink grapefruit, wisteria, cashmere wood, pale amber

My thoughts: I could almost swear I smelt neroli or orange blossom in here, but it's probably just the bright pink grapefruit blended with soft clean flower. This is one of the lighter, "whiter" scents in the Sixteen92 catalogue and one I do reach for once in awhile when I crave something clean but not detergent-like. Very classy but not a heavy, shoulder-pads and Chanel bag floral. Not the longest-lasting scent, which is expected of a soft floral.

LOLITA - Crisp apple skins, tart peach candies, rose absolute, sugared violet

My thoughts: This is Sixteen92's bestseller, and I was extremely excited, but it turned out to not be one of my favorites, simply because peach and rose always tend to blend into a note that makes me think of bubblegum. (How two natural notes can combine and turn into artificially flavoring I'll never know.) But that's just me. On it's own, this is a sweet, girly scent that is neither overtly floral nor overtly fruity. Everything meshes into - bright candy. Not for me, but probably fun and yummy for a lot of people.

MELLIFERA - Wildflower honey accord (not vegan), violet, sambac jasmine, vanilla infused sugar, sandalwood

My thoughts: One of my favorites. I don't like eating honey, but I LOVE honey and beeswax notes in perfumery. Mellifera has the linear simplicity you'd expect of a honey scent, but it's also got the complexity of wildflower honey. It is sweet, but also a hint of leathery animalic tones, and beautiful woodland notes of flowers and trees. If you don't like the smell of honey you might not like this one. If you are a BPAL fan and you like O but wish it was less musky or syrupy, try Mellifera.

PAPER MOON - Soft vanilla musk, benzoin, oakmoss, trailing ivy, peach blossom, rose

My thoughts: Vegetal, green, with an underpinning of sweetness that peeps out from beneath the carpet of green vines. This is very unique, and was previously a limited edition scent which was so popular that it made it into the permanent catalogue. Not one I reach for all the time, but definitely one that is very unique and that I go back to once in while.

SOUTHERN GOTHIC - Mandarin, apple, natural coconut pulp, magnolia grandiflora, sambac jasmine, sweet balsam, white sandalwood

My thoughts: Languid, sleepy, sunny white florals with a tropical bend. It's not a sticky piña colada scent; more a hot-weather bloom which is quite refined and non-sugary. Interesting play-off between clean florals and fruits with a gamey thick coconut pulp. This coconut note is not like refreshing coconut water. It's creamier and heavier, like thick coconut milk used often in Asian cooking. Despite this, the scent doesn't go over into foody territory.

WICKED - Three vanillas, aged patchouli, almond buttercream 

My thoughts: Another one I disliked at first, but slowly started to crave  in no time. Just because they say three vanillas does not mean there is three times the amount of vanilla as patchouli. If you expect a creamy, gourmand scent, you will be very surprised. And if you are not used to patchouli, this aged stuff might be shocking to your nose. It is deep, earthy, musky and pungent. The almond buttercream is not noticeable on its own, and just adds some body to the vanilla, which is also quite dark. More like smoky resinous vanilla absolute than ice-cream vanilla.

Overall, I'm pretty impressed with what I have. If you want generic scents, there are not that many. Most of these have a lot of personality and may appeal more to adventurous noses. Often, despite the listing of common notes like vanilla, jasmine, cocoa, they do not smell anything like mainstream fragrances containing those notes. This is mainly because natural essences are a LOT more complex than synthetics, and there is also variation between batches depending on harvest. But that's part of the fun for me. You never know exactly what you're going to get.

Service is relatively quick and Claire the owner is very responsive. I've requested to combine multiple orders to save on shipping and she's done it and refunded me the excess money without questions asked. If I have to have a complaint, it would be that the black paper labels on the 10ml roll on vials have a tendency to lift up at the edges, and presentation-wise, it just does not look as great as the 6ml sticker labels.

To see more, have a look at their scent catalogue. I am waiting for an order of a few more of their Summer 2016 scents and will try to review those soon! 

Gorgeous “Anyday” Gifts for Mom from The Shilla Duty Free at iShopChangi.com

I remember sneaking into my mom's makeup drawer CONSTANTLY as a child. It felt as if the magical tubes and pots could somehow transform me from gawky tomboy with thick glasses and a questionable haircut into a beautiful woman like her.

Mom has always been a glamorous figure to me. I remember when she came to pick me up in school, my classmates gathered around to ask “Why is your mom so pretty?”

For someone I associate with glamour and poise, it still surprises me how much of a minimalist she is. Then again, she grew up in poverty as a child, left home to supplement the family income at 6, and to this day will think twice about spending $10 on a meal or purchasing a drugstore lipstick.

Today, I still raid her drawers. But I do it to clear out those $2 pencils, $5 lipsticks, old sponges, and 2-year old mascaras she can’t bear to throw. I keep her skincare drawer stocked, her LANEIGE cushion compacts filled, her favourite YSL lipstick shade available, and her Lancome mascara fresh. I cluck my tongue when she says she can’t bear to use the Dior loose powder I gave her.

It should never be about waiting for Mother’s Day to show mom appreciation. But sometimes we need Mother’s Day to come around as a reminder that it’s not always their job to put everyone else ahead of themselves.

If you’re looking for some last minute tokens of appreciation here, you are not too late. Below are 10 beauty gifts, broken down by personality types for easy reference (and a bit of fun). If you or someone you know is traveling soon, there is an exclusive iShopChangi promo at the bottom of this post, valid now ‘til 31 June 2016.

 (Also, don’t miss your shot at winning a SG$200 The Shilla beauty hamper! Make sure you go to the supplementary post here) - after reading this one.

Click to expand

The Millennial

She likes things organic, eco-friendly, modern and effective without too much fuss and frippery. She thinks it’s what’s inside that counts, and believes in the power of nature to heal and restore.

1. FRESH BLACK TEA SKINCARE AGE-DELAY ESSENTIALS (SG$158)

This minimalist set includes cleanser, toner, cream, and balm for daily use – plus the wonderful Black Tea Instant Perfecting Mask – to help treat, soothe, hydrate, and neutralise skin-aging pollutants.

2. FRESH SEABERRY NOURISHING HAND CREAM ($33)

Fans of Fresh’s Seaberry Oils (like me) will enjoy the simple luxury of a tube of buttery, smoothing antioxidant treatment for dry hands and cuticles.

The Lady

She’s feminine, well-mannered, polished, and has a girlish streak. Her beauty regime is surprisingly pared down and usually focuses around just one or two favourite star products that she has used for years.

Shoppers in Singapore - get free shopping and online exclusives on Clarins.com!

I can't say how happy I am that more and more brands and retailers are now offering their products on e-stores locally. Took a long while before they finally realized they were losing more and more consumers to foreign retailers. Honestly, I'd rather pay a little bit more to the brand locally if it means not having to pay international postage to shipping companies and waiting weeks to get my products.

The latest to set up their online store for Singapore is Clarins; I placed an order for Santal Face Treatment Oil and Extra-Comfort Anti-Pollution Cleansing Cream (cos I'm on a major cleansing cream kick this year, and - I've pretty much been on a face oil kick for years...)

Here's why I like the web store so much.

• I have a few staples in my skincare routine that I keep repurchasing whenever I am running low; now I click and it arrives at my door.
• You get free delivery with SG$100 purchase - which, trust me, is not hard to reach when you buy French luxury skincare. But as a launch promotion, from now until 20 March, there is free delivery on all purchases.
• If you're a Clarins member, you get points for shopping online as well as offline.
• There are online exclusives, offers and freebies when you spend above specific tiers. They also have an opening promotion where the first 500 online customers get an extra 10ml White Plus Serum vial.
• You can pick 3 samples of your choice.
• The entire store is nicely structured and easy to navigate. No confusing sections and unclear instructions.

And that's all there is to it. 

I do need to show you guys this SUPER-cute Barbie-sized Clarins shopping cart that the team sent as a promotional gift. It's extremely detailed and fully functional too; 4 spinning wheels, a collapsible toddler seat, and 3 Clarins goodie boxes. Totally made me laugh when I saw it.

Just to put things in perspective, here is V.V. sitting with it. And she's not a big cat by any means. 

Happy shopping!

Get your Beauty Fix 24/7 on Sephora.sg!

Popular beauty e-destination Luxola has been rebranded to Sephora Singapore, and beauty addicts can now get their fix of cult skincare and makeup products anywhere, anytime, online on Sephora.sg.

Luxola has always been the place I go to for This Works and Becca products, which are not available offline in Sephora stores. It’s also a place to test out niche lines like Mirenesse, Alpha-H and LAQA, which might otherwise be hard to get hold of in Singapore.

But honestly, it’s just convenient if you’re busy (or feeling a bit lazy). 

Where else can you get hold of Marc Jacobs Beauty, Ren, Alpha-H and Becca at the same time, with free delivery over SG$40? Plus – you now get to choose whether to use your Sephora member loyalty discounts offline or online. And if you’re an existing customer of Luxola, your points automatically get transferred and combined with your Sephora points. Just go online, log in with your Luxola account and then register your Sephora card number. To find out more detailed information, check out the Loyalty section on the their FAQ page.

If you’re ready to start shopping but are still new to all this, here are a few things you can check out:

1. Marc Jacobs Beauty – some popular palettes and products from the line get sold out quickly in stores or just aren't available offline – like the gorgeous Style Eye-con No. 7 Palette in 220 The Lover. Grab it online if you see it.
2. ZOEVA – you know I keep going on about this niche brush brand because they have gorgeous, high-quality brushes at extremely reasonable prices; they’ve recently branched out into makeup as well but I’m a die-hard fan of their brushes first and foremost. Check out the 126 Luxe Cheek Finish brush and their 232 Luxe Classic Shader for eyeshadows.
3. Becca Cosmetics – This is a no-brainer for me. If you want to strobe like a boss, this is the brand to get you there. I use and love all their champagne toned highlighters, from the classics Opal and Moonstone, to the runaway hit, Champagne Pop. Or if you can’t decide, grab an Afterglow palette, which contains 3 shades of Shimmering Skin Perfector and 2 blushes in one neat little palette.
4. Butter London makeup – You can get the fantastic nail polishes in store (try the Patent Shine 10x Lacquers), but online is the place to get hold of their very-cool Shadow Clutch palette, Lippy Liquid Lipsticks and Bloody Brilliant Lip Crayons.
5. This Works In Transit Camera Close Up – Victoria Beckham and makeup legend Val Garland are both huge fans of this pre-makeup priming balm. It smooths and plumps dry or mature skin, reduces signs of fatigue and dehydration, and prepares it for makeup.

Well you can spend months exploring all the brands and products on Sephora.sg and not be done since they keep adding new things, but this is a start.

I’m personally still in the midst of trying new products of course, and next on my list is this Sephora 83 PRO Ultra-Liquid Foundation brush with the concave buffing head. SO interesting. Watch out for a review soon.

Extra tip!

While you’re browsing the site, don’t forget to also check out the “Monthly Specials” in the Quick Links section on the top left section. This page is regularly updated with new coupon codes and deals so you can try out samples (like a mini Burberry Kisses lipstick or an Erno Laszlo Phormula 3-9 skincare cream for example). This is a great way to check out new brands without a hefty investment. Or just score some free loot with your purchase.

Happy shopping!

3 Reasons To Get The Too Faced Eye Shadow Insurance Policy Collection from beflurt.com

Who says splurges need to cost an arm and a leg?

This is by no means a new product or collection. It's a staple in Too Faced's range, and for good reason. If you get it from beflurt.com, I can't describe it as anything other than a REALLY good deal, and if you need me to spell it out for you, here's why.

1. You get 6 high-quality, high-impact shadow shades spanning a pretty good color spectrum. 

If you're just building up your color collection and want a little of everything, this palette gives you 2 of each family; from neutrals like Glamazon (sparkly ash-beige) and Full Frontal (rich chocolate), to warm tones like Boy Toy (candy-pink) and Socialite (coppery-russet), and cool/deep tones like Lucky Charms (deep emerald green) and Skinny Dip (satiny navy).

I've been a long-time fan of Too Faced shadows because they are finely-grained and very pigmented so you don't need to really load it onto your brush to get good color pay-off. This means you use less. At the same time, they aren't so soft and crumbly that you need to worry about tons of fallout on your cheeks.

The only thing is that these do not come in any matte shades so if you don't like metallic/pearl finishes, this will not be for you.

• Shade-wise, I love Glamazon and Socialite.
• Lucky Charms is a dupe of the much-coveted and long-discontinued MAC Pigment "Green".
• Skinny Dip is the least pigmented of the bunch but pretty nonetheless.

2. It comes with a full-size Eye Shadow Insurance, which retails for US$18.

This is one of the most popular eye primers in the world, so if you're in the market to invest in a good quality product that doesn't change the texture or color of your shadows, and can help them to go on stronger and stay on longer, you'll be happy to know it's included in this set.

3. It's incredible value for money. 

A MAC shadow costs $15 for 1.5g of product. Too Faced Single shadows cost $16 each.

In this palette, it might not look like it, but you're actually getting 6 full-sized pans of shadow (1.8g of each shade; more than a MAC pan) PLUS a full-size primer for $38, which works out to about $5.40 per product. 

Throw in the beflurt discount on top of that, and you just got 6 full-sized high-end shadows and primer for under $3.90 each.

That's for products that cost $16-18 individually.

P.S. You get an additional 10% off when you enter MAKEUPBOX in the coupon code box during checkout. Whether you're looking for a birthday gift or just a splurge for yourself, you don't need to look further.

Need I say more?

Note: Too Faced products are "tested on celebrities, not animals".