So here's my version of the $20 Makeup Challenge, that I am so happy with because these products are all good ones that I do normally use, and not simply plonked in there just because I want to do this tag.
My first reaction when this $20 Tag appeared was that, this is so down my alley, and I am sure I can do it! This is because I went for three long years without a single makeup brush, and I have learned to use sponge tip applicators well enough to like them. But I thought back to how I got my first loose powder at S$7, first Maybelline Intense XXL mascara at S$19.90, and my beginner makeup kit at more than S$100, then I started to get really worried that I will never make it at under US$20/ S$28.
Not to be daunted by the high costs of living I am facing, I went ahead to attempt this challenge.
These are the items I know I have in my stash, and decided to use again for this look.
Top left to right, and clockwise: Kameria Baby Face Anti-acne Pore Tightening BB Cream Travel Size ($4.90), Rhomlon Brow Pencil in Brown ($1.90), ArtCollection Volume Mascara ($2), La pense Jewellery Eyeliner ($2), Crobi Colors Blush Brush ($2), GOSH Velvet Touch Lipstick in 82 Exotic ($10.24), Flower Cheek in 02 ($2), Rhomlon Eye Shadow ($2), e.l.f Compact Perfection Powder ($4.79 on ebay).
So you see, I am so right when predicting my failure, and I failed this by about S$3.83. But I thought my total of S$31.83 is still really great for Singapore, which ranked 8th in the worldwide cost of living 2011, compared to New York City at 32nd (the highest ranking US city on the list). And I really want to share this with my readers as budget beauty was the motivation when I started this blog, and still is.
Point to note:
I am taking it as US$20 (S$28) since the tag probably started in US or UK, USD1 = SGD1.4 (approx.), and GBP1 = SGD2 (approx.), which is actually still not exactly fair to people in Singapore, Australia, and perhaps Canada), but it is okay. =) To give you an idea what the exchange rates and cost of living implies, a Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter is US$6.49 (S$9.09) on Target.com, but costs me S$15.90 (US$11.36) in my drugstore. So you see how insanely challenging this challenge is if I want to do it under S$20? haha.
Below, I will do a mini review and a close-up of the products I used.
I have never heard of Kameria BB Cream, but I saw these travel size tubes at Watsons one day, and decided to grab one to try since they were just $4.90. I chose the anti-acne one on purpose because it is the best way to test if a product works.
LOL, now you know... ... I actually bought for testing and review, not for this tag, but it came in handy for this challenge.
LOL, now you know... ... I actually bought for testing and review, not for this tag, but it came in handy for this challenge.
Kameria Baby Face Anti-acne Pore Tightening BB Cream Travel Size ($4.90)
My first time using it was good. Not greasy or sticky at all. Not too bad at concealing my dark circles. And hooray, because it didn't break me out. I am very careful about skin products and took care to only buy this because the ingredients list didn't show much silicone or mineral oil but has Titanium and Zinc Oxide on top.
Next, I got this Rhomlon Eye Shadow quad way back in 2010 I guess, at a hair accessories shop called Chameleon, that is pretty big in Singapore, and very glitzy. You can find almost the full range of Rhomlon products at Sinma (there is one at Tampines), one of those beauty knick-knacks shops. Ta Zhiang (Tampines, Boon Lay MRT, etc) also carries a couple of products. And there is still Aries and May Fashion (West Mall) that may carry Rhomlon.
Some of Rhomlon products are printed with Made in Germany, so I guess they wouldn't be that bad.
This particular quad I have is VERY pigmented, and not powdery, so no fallout at all! Amazing. And I particularly like this quad because the colors in it reminds me of royals.
I have no problem using the sponge tip applicator at all, and in fact, I find that the patting motion automatically blends the eyeshadows. Surprisingly, there was no need for me to blend at all.
Next, I have that Rhomlon Brow Pencil that I bought with my very, very first set of makeup, way back in 2007. You can see that I have sharpened this down quite a bit. Later on, I got my Empro brow pencil, and I alternate them depending on whether I want brown brows or grey brows. Very good, and only $1.90! Highly recommend this. =D
Then I got both the ArtCollection mascara and La pensee Jewellery eyeliner from a little $2 shop in Century Square called Nanairo, which means Seven Colors.
I like the mascara brush, because it is a breeze for me to do my bottom lashes with the way it is pointed. And I also like how fine the eyeliner is. But the main concern about these two is that both are not waterproof. So I will say both are good products as I have no problems using and applying them, but you need to take care not to cry or wash your face or they will smudge and give raccoon eyes.
Haha, I am so proud of myself for snagging that Crobi Colors blush brush! I saw just one of this left at my Daiso 2-3 months ago, and I saw that the brush hander is curvy like the Sonia Kashuk one, so I grabbed it quickly. I am about to review this when this Tag just came along and gave me a perfect opportunity to show it first (and my review will come later).
Then there is that Velvet Touch Gosh Lipstick that I can't stop raving about since I got in August 2010. This is still my Holy Grail lipstick after coming two years. And I am SO immensely glad that it fits into the budget!
I know that I've really splurged on this $10.24 item, but the reason I took up this challenge was really to help whoever is reading with budget beauty. I want you to not only see how pretty all these things are, but I also want you to be able to go out there (in Singapore), and find them. It is not for me to say OH YAY, I did this Tag and I succeeded, and Next Tag Please. Anyway, I didn't succeed, and I told you in the title. =)
And my base concern is always, always, always the health and safety of these products, especially lip products. My point is that I have a couple of $2 lipsticks that would have gone really well in this Tag, but it smells of lead, and lead is poisonous. It is so poisonous that I don't want you to run out and buy it, and I also don't want to put it on and take it off right after photo taking because it's just silly to do so. I can't confirm because there is no ingredients list for me to read, but it seriously smells of lead, like when you grab a 2B pencil and smell it, that's lead.
Lead was added to many lipsticks in the past (10-20 years ago) because it will allow the lipsticks to glide like your 2B pencil does when you write. There is still no proper regulation of beauty products in this day and age, but many countries require all food and beauty products to be properly labeled with ingredients list, so you can check. Most of today's lipsticks don't use lead anymore (if you trust the ingredients list). But yeah, just keep your sense of smell and sight sharp, and don't use stuff that are funny and ring alarm bells.
Okay, so I splurged on the Gosh lipstick, which is the cheapest of cheap lipsticks I have that is already in my stash, and that I personally use.
And then for the blush, I used something from Nanairo (the $2 shop at Century Square), called Flower Cheek in 02, that is a BEAUTIFUL WATERMELON pink!!!!! I LOVE the color. Plus, it is also so pigmented that I took too much and had to sweep a bit of e.l.f powder to play down the color. hahaha, so if you think I look a bit clownish in this FOTD, I did have to agree with you. =PPP
I think if you go to Nanairo, the blush is one of the makeup that you can buy. (Wait for my review... ... I have more makeup from Nanairo). =D I am raving so much because despite owning dozens of blushes, I don't have a single watermelon pink. I like watermelon pink a lot, because it is so sweet and endearing. *See photo above*
Next one is the e.l.f Tone Correcting Powder. If you watch Youtube beauty channels, I think you'll have seen this. I didn't want to use this because I got it off ebay at $4.79, oops, and I just realize that is USD4.79 on the ebay receipt, so it's SGD 6.70, and I bust my S$28 budget even more. T_T It is so expensive for me to get it, and I was sure this will contribute towards busting my budget. But if you're in the US, this should only be USD3 normally (let me know if I am wrong).
But I felt that the BB Cream was a tad sticky, just a tad, and I wanted to set my make up and give it the velvet smooth feeling, probably out of habit (I always use loose powder no matter what and have been on loose powders since 5 years ago when I delved into makeup). So yeah, I had to use it.
Also, I find it pointless to present to you an incomplete look just to get myself successful with this tag. I don't mind failing if it means my readers can make sense of what I use and go get the things, go replicate it properly without complains that it doesn't works in practical. Most people, including myself, will get a little bit oily throughout the day, especially in hot and humid Singapore, so I think it is very important to matte and set no matter how good your BB Cream or foundation is.
Also, I find it pointless to present to you an incomplete look just to get myself successful with this tag. I don't mind failing if it means my readers can make sense of what I use and go get the things, go replicate it properly without complains that it doesn't works in practical. Most people, including myself, will get a little bit oily throughout the day, especially in hot and humid Singapore, so I think it is very important to matte and set no matter how good your BB Cream or foundation is.
Anyway, here is the complete look again, and you can see all those bright beautiful colors when I close my eyes.
Alright, I hope you've found this useful despite me failing the tag's challenge. After reflecting on my splurges, which are the Gosh Lipstick and the e.l.f powder, I tried another look today to see if I can improve, and I did at with only SGD 12! Well below the budget.
I will do a video to show that this can be done using that little sponge tip applicator, and one tiny blush brush. I know right, I can't prove I didn't cheat and use makeup brushes with just photos. But yeah, just to give you a heads up, the Rhomlon quad and brow pencil, and the $2 cheek color are good! (I checked Rhomlon's prices today, and didn't manage to find my quad, but I found other varieties of Rhomlon eyeshadows that are $4.90. In case you want to know a little more about Rhomlon, I have a review of its blush duo here. And I really need to review the Rhomlon brow pencils! haha.
And that's a smile from me. I wish you a happy day! Goodbye!
Are you aware of the $20 Makeup Challenge Tag (going around on Youtube)? Have you tried to do it? Do you have any budget beauty items that will help make this challenge easier?
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