Back In The Days "Remix"- Old School Photos by Legendary NY Photographer Jamal Shabazz *Also Rare Shucks One Interview with the Photographer*

Back In The Days "Remix"- Old School Photos by Legendary NY Photographer Jamal Shabazz Out Now!


New Improved Re-issue including:
Introduction by Fab 5 Freddy
Essay by Carlton Usher, Ph.D.
Interview by Jeff Chang
Urban Style
Hardcover
7.25 x 9.75 inches
132 pages
80 four-color and black-and-white photographs
ISBN: 978-1-57687-567-4
$35.00
$41.00 CAD
ON SALE May 21, 2011
PRE-ORDER NOW!


Interview Review with Jamal Shabazz by The Kool Skool's Shucks One for UK Hip-Hop Culture "Undercover Magazine" for "A Time Before Crack"
Click on image to view


Originally featured in "Undercover Magazine" issue 26 2005
Click on image to view


Found on Hurtyoubad

The Kool Skool "Foundation Rocks" T-shirts LIMITED NUMBERS LEFT @ www.sensei.fm

Shucks One ID The Kool Skool "Foundation Rocks" T-shirts


Last few shirts several styles & Colors are exclusively available @ www.sensei.fm/shop

The Universal Zulu Nation UK Documentary Film Screening 2010 HIP-HOP History Month *Update*

(Left to Right) Shucks One The Idiot, Shaka Zulu Sifu Zhi Boa Aleem, TJ Chill (Zulu Nation Rap Show), Iron Braydz, Legendary UK Film Maker Dick Fontaine (Rocking his original Zulu Pendant), Real South African Zulu, Lady Paulette, Zulu King Dapo & friend


The flyer designed by Shucks One ID

On Wed. 24/11/10 2010 MEE & The Village Productions Intl. in association with Universal ZULU NATION UK presented for HIP HOP History Month 2010: FILM & CABARET ON THE BROADWAY. New and Classic documentary films were screened,
Beat This! "A Hip Hop History" the Legendary New-York Hip-Hop film by Dick Fontaine
Stay Sailing - "The Future of Pirate Radio" a new Documentary discovering the world of Pirate Radio in the UK by Furious (Itch FM/Wilderness Pictures
Out 4 Fame a new UK Graffiti Documentary by cansproductions.com.
Live performaces by Iron Braydz, HKB Finn (from Legendary UK Hip-Hop group Katch22), and a Martial Arts display by Sifu Zhi Boa Aleem (Shaka Zulu), entertained the crowd.


Lovely Lady Paulette building from the ground up!


Beat This! "A Hip Hop History" the Legendary New-York Hip-Hop film by Dick Fontaine The Director came to the Film show, screened the film and answered Questions from the audience

Also, U.K. film maker Menelik Shabazz has screened several of his documentary films, and recently "Burning An Illusion" exploring the rise of U.K. Reggae genre - Lovers Rock.

Check out "The Black Film Society" blog here



On a side note, the Flyer was also invited to feature in The Secret Egypt Exhibition at The Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, an Exhibition looking at popular takes on Ancient Egyptian culture.


The flyer in situ within the Exhibition


http://secretegypt.org.uk

Included in the exhibition is a mummy from the Manchester Museum, a never-before displayed portrait of Queen Nefertiti from the Ashmolean and a granite colossus of Ramesses II. The Herbert will also be re-creating a tomb within the exhibition for visitors to walk through and experience a representation of the journey to the after-life.
Secret Egypt: Unravelling Truth From Myth exhibits at the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum between 11 February and 5 June 2011.
For further information and details on our FREE events, exhibitions, talks and activities or to join the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum’s mailing list, visit www.theherbert.org.

Haul-Review / Makeup: Giorgio Armani - Luminous Silk Foundation in #4

Yes yes yes, another conquest for this foundation fiend... After an extensive online research and going through swatches after swatches, I finally took the plunge and got a friend to pick this up when he dropped by Hong Kong for a business trip.

Such a sweet man, I was expecting him to tell me that he wasn't able to find it, or bought the wrong item, since makeup isn't really his forte. But he actually took the effort to visit the boutique and duty-free to help me find it, despite his busy schedule.. *gushes*.. It's just too bad that he doesn't have the hots for me..

Anyway, it's the famed Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation in #4 (HKD430 for 30ml)!!! It comes up to approximately SGD70.00, which is actually cheaper than buying from US direct, RRP is USD59. And nope, they don't sell it here in Singapore.

Product Description from Manufacturer:

As seen in the press, capture the glow of perfect skin with this award-winning foundation. Luminous Silk foundation is an oil-free fluid with exclusive Micro-fil technology. So weightless, it redefines foundation. Its hydrating fluid glides on seamlessly with a silky texture and all-day, buildable coverage. For all skin types.

weightless and luminous oil-free fluid
natural finish
all-day sheer to moderate coverage


Why I bought it:
What can I say, this has been on the foundation IT-List for the longest. I've heard so much raves that I had to try it out.

Packaging:
Housed in a sleek frosted-glass bottle with a pump. Hygienic and fuss-free.

Texture:
Very runny and light consistency. But I feel that NARS Sheer Glow is more runny as compared to LSF though.

Price:
More expensive than my HG foundation. But I just got to try it.

Road Test:
The shade I chose was #4, which was deduced from online swatches and foundation matching matrix. So if you are a Diorskin Nude #20, LSF#4 should match you pretty well, more so if you're on the warm side than neutral.

I was really relieved that the shade did match my skintone. However, I do find that it's still a tad yellowish for my skin.

The foundation dries pretty fast, so be sure to apply with a quick hand, otherwise, it may end up being patchy.

I encountered some problems with trying to build up on the coverage, the top layer don't seemed to be able to blend in with the lower layer. I actually find that this foundation works better if it is stippled in, rather than spreaded. It gives an air-brushed look when stippled with my beauty blender.

Coverage wise I would say sheer to medium, which, is surprising given the runny texture of the product. But it did cover some of my redness.

It dries more to a luminous matt finish rather than the typical luminous dewy finish, which I am more used to. So I skipped finishing powder altogether since I didn't want to look like a mouldy pancake (Yes, I think too much..)

The foundation do last well. I wore it for more than 10hours and it was still intact by the end of the day. I didn't even bothered to blot it during the day.

Verdict:
Definitely a HG potential! However, given the price, I would say that if you 've already found a HG and don't suffer from an OCD like mine, you can skip this foundation altogether. It's good but it doesn't really WOW.

Below are some pictures:

I didn't bother to do a face application since weekends is my skin's off-days and my camera is currently with my sister, who is out of the country.

So, please do bear with my lousy camera phone that do not allow me to take high-def macro shots.

The beauty just out of it's box..

 The inside, with the pump.



The Swatch between 2 foundations

Base Makeup - Foundation Swatches & Lemmings

I have to admit, I'm obsessed with flawless skin and I'm always on the lookout for products that would help me look less ruddy and more polised.

Today is a showcase of the foundations that I own and a short introduction on them. Not a lot and I'm still a long way from building a foundation bible.

I do hope that this can help those who are trying to buy foundations with absolutely nothing to rely on, except for online swatches for comparison.

This idea came about when I realized that there were very little cross foundation swatches to be found on the WWW. Maybe my search parameters wasn't good enough, I don't know.

Anyway, I decided to pull out all the foundations that I currently own and swatch them. For the benefit of others, who like me, don't have the luxury of testing out products in person.

Click Image for larger pic

Lunsol Water Cream Foundation in YO02:
You can read my review on this foundation here.

RMK Liquid Foundation in 101:
I bought this out of impulse when it first re-launched in Singapore. Frankly speaking, I didn't quite use this foundation due to the heavy yellow undertone. Moreover, the coverage was not enough to cover old and blemished skin like mine.

Paul & Joe Liquid Foundation in 010:
The first Japanese foundation that I bought. The color is a tad too light for me but the undertone was perfect. The only drawback is that, it doesn't really provide the coverage that I need.

IPSA Pure Protect Foundation in 100:
You can read my review on this foundation in my last post here.

DiorSkin Nude Liquid Foundation in 020:
What can I say? My perfect HG foundation. Gives the best finishes. You can read about my review here.

NARS Sheer Glow Foundation in Deauville:
One of the latest addition to my makeup collection. Color is a tad light for me but once it oxidizes, it's a perfect finish. You can read about my review here.

As for my lemmings:

Burberry Sheer Luminous Fluid Foundation in Trench 4
Armani Luminouse Silk Foundation in 4
Laura Mercier Moisturizing Foundation in Sunny Beige
NARS Sheer Glow Foundation in Santa Fe
Chantecaille Future Skin Foundation in Chamomile
Chanel Pro Lumiere Foundation in Clair-Cameo


A good resource is the Foundation Matrix on Temptalia. Go take a look if you're interested.

The Kool Skool Interviews South London Writer Dicer TSM Author of New "Steel Canvas" 1987-1995 London Underground Train Graffiti Book

Dicer TSM

The Kool Skool Interviews South London Writer Dicer TSM Author of "Steel Canvas" 1987-1995 London Underground Train Graffiti book

"Steel Canvas" 1987-1995 London Underground Train Graffiti book cover

Dicer is an Old School South London Graffiti Writer, who is still representing the culture, by painting sick Burners, and giving back in the form of his amazing new Self Published "Steel Canvas" 1987-1995 London Underground Train Graffiti book. The book is crammed full of over 250 photographs of rare and unseen Train flicks from the golden era of London Graffiti. Dicer also known for rocking the infamous Battersea/Vauxhall/PatMore London Hall of Fame, took a moment to talk to The Kool Skool about his soon to be Classic Book, and legacy in the London Graffiti Scene.


Dice District Line in 1991


Dicer 2010

Hi Dicer, thanks a lot for coming by, for those not familiar with Dicer, could you tell us a little it about yourself?

Well, I've been writing graffiti since around 1985, the story follows along the usual lines of the American invasion of hip-hop into the uk, and myself starting graffiti. Although, I guess I am somewhat different to other London writers in that I didn't go to school with lots of writers and get into painting that way. Instead I simply went out on my own, racked paint, and did it by myself for my own gratification for many years. In 1987, I chose the name Dice, at the time it was more for convenience as 4 lettered names were popular and easy to write. Although it’s always been a bit difficult to bend and shape the letters too much as there's not much you can do with a D. In the early 90’s I battled for supremacy with my pieces on the District & Circle Lines writing Dicer/Diser, by the mid 90s my crew TSM (The Shag Masterz) were competing with the likes of DDS on the trains, in the late 90s disbanded. I painted a lot with Khans STD in the early 2000’s, Since then Ive been painting “freelance” as it were, with anyone and everyone, I still get a kick out of battling people on walls.


Dicer window down flames

Being that you’re a South Londoner, and traditionally the South is often over looked in its place in Graffiti History. Why is it that people seem to sleep on the South?

I guess it’s because historically there were no big halls of fame in the South to attract attention, but also the Holy Grail of train lines (the met) didn’t run down South, having instead a truly underground subway didn’t help attract writers to the area.


Soge 1994

Who are some of the South London legends and stories you remember?

When writers used to hit the Buses in South London, (84-86 era), there were some very legendary writers, namely Lazy Lady, Pest, Feend 219, and Dust. It’s a shame some of them didn’t graduate on to the train scene, as they probably would have been as big as Fuel and Prime.


Early 90's top to bottom

Why should New Schoolers care about the Old School?

Well, I wouldn’t expect anyone to “care”, but they should at least know as it stops their heads getting too big! People don’t realise half the time the stuff their bragging about doing has been done a hundred times before, and better! People were doing full colour top 2 bottom wholecars in 1986, by 1987 every yard had been slapped.


"Steel Canvas" 1987-1995 London Underground Train Graffiti book inside

What made you put this book together now?

My main motivation for putting “Steel Canvas” together was just to get the photos in print, before they disappear from history. I’d lost a ton of photos from broken hard drives, and actual photos had degraded, been lost, stolen, and given away. I felt like the curator of a graff museum, and it’s my job to restore these photos for future generations. My secondary goal, was to take graffiti back to looking at photo albums and books. The internet is now so saturated with thumbnails of grainy out of focus “old school” photos, the whole meaning has been lost in translation! Having photos of old school graff in a book is a way to bring it to the people and get them talking about it – people tend to huddle around a book, whereas viewing the internet is almost always a solo pursuit.


"Steel Canvas" 1987-1995 London Underground Train Graffiti book inside

That's a really interesting way to think about it. The internet has kind of devalued and even played out the action of looking at graffiti photos, also many writers nowadays have probably never seen a painted train in traffic. I have never seen a lot of the photos in Steel Canvas, whose photos are they, are they all yours?

They are 100% all my own. Any train you see in the book I personally saw running, probably tagged the inside, and occasionally maybe had a piece next to it too! I try to make it clear in the book, that unlike a lot of other publications this is the first time that a single person has made a whole book using (only) their own photos. I think it gives the book a certain authenticity, it would of been so easy to plaster the book full of train photos from my personal archives.


Dyse

For those of the internet generation, can you explain how writers got photos of other artists?

It was a lot different back before the net. A lot of a writers status was based on rumour and reputation, not actual hard evidence. Photos of trains weren’t banded about like they are now, they were very coveted, and secret. Us later generation writers looked up to writers like Fuel, Prime, Drax, Crash, Cazbee, Hate etc. Not because what they had done (the photos didn't emerge until after the year 2000 on the net), but because we had heard stories of whole trains, top to bottoms, yard chases etc. And to us aspiring train writers, they seemed like gods! You would always meet other writers out on the lines if there was something running that day. During the time period that the book covers, I rarely saw any of the old school train photos that seem so familiar now, and are freely available on the net. Writers would arrange to meet up somewhere like Covent Garden and bring photos along and generally they would swap the ones that were bad angle shots or out of focus keeping the good ones for themselves. Unfortunately, this practice has since backfired, as a lot of the only surviving old school train photos are the ones that the writers discarded in swap meetings, due to the originals being destroyed by BTP after house raids. Over the years even these poor angle shots and out of focus shots have become more prized. So they have been color copied and duplicated to the point were the quality has suffered so much, so the piece is just a blurry blob on a bleached out train. Nowadays we are more clued up because of the internet, we can see exactly how many train pieces so and so crew or writer has done back in the day (or so we think), but we must always bare in mind that whatever you see in photos is only ever 40 - 50% of the whole story. So just imagine how big writers like Kast were in his day!


Panels sitting in Parsons early 90s

How important is it for the UK scene to support books like this?

It is important in the sense that it is “your” Subway Art! We’ve never had one, and this is as near to it as there is (at the moment).

How is Steel Canvas selling?

I am happy to say that it has sold surprisingly well. Looking back I was a bit naive to think I would only sell a handful to friends and family, I thought it may get lost in the sea of graff books out there, but people have been very supportive and I thank you all.


"Steel Canvas" 1987-1995 London Underground Train Graffiti book inside

Where can the people get a copy of Steel Canvas?

As it’s a self-published book, the amount of actual books in print are very low. The only place to buy “Steel Canvas” at the moment is from Chrome & Black, otherwise its mail order from the publishers; http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1663511or from the website; http://www.steelcanvas.webs.com/ It retails around £25 - £30.

With the success of Steel Canvas, have you got there any more book in the works?

There are certainly more books in the works, but I can’t tell you exactly what, as I like the element of surprise!

"STEEL CANVAS" - London Underground Graffiti 1987 - 1995
COVER: SOFT BACK
ORIENTATION: LANDSCAPE
DIMENSIONS: 10" X 8"
PAGES: 120 Full Colour pages, with over 250 photographs


Spook Photo courtesy of Imerse ID
The Battersea Hall of Fame was a major illegal Graffiti Hall Of Fame in the dark depths of South London from the early 90's to around 2002,
Battersea/Vauxhall/PatMore London Hall of Fame R.I.P. in depth article, photos and memories by Dicer HERE


Get your copy of the "Steel Canvas" New London Train Graffiti Book while it lasts at London Graffiti Shop Chrome & Black or at the Websites below:

http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1663511

http://www.steelcanvas.webs.com

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dicer87

Review / Makeup: IPSA - Pure Protect Foundation

This is another foundation review that I recently purchased. It's the IPSA Pure Protect Foundation in 100

Item Name: IPSA - Pure Protect Foundation - 100
Size: 30 ml
Price: SGD63.00
Available At: Tang Orchard
Picture Source: klutzbeauty.blogspot.com

Product Description from Manufacturer:

A brightening liquid foundation that evenly covers spots, freckles and pores with single application for a translucent finish. Provides a silky smooth texture and perfect adherence to the skin. Resists perspiration and sebum to prolong the initial beautiful finish. Prevents spots and freckles caused by exposure to the sun while protecting skin from dryness. Contains a highly moisturizing ingredient, hyaluronic acid

Why I bought it:
I've almost been interest in IPSA's products for reasons unknown to me. Maybe it's their packaging, maybe it's their product line.. It seems to be such an underrated brand in Singapore. So, I decided to purchase the foundation during the Tangs Closed Door sale.

I googled the product and wasn't able to find a swatch on these foundations. I had no choice but to go to IPSA's website. From the color chart, I figured that I would lie somewhere in 101.

However, I let the salesgirl sweet talk me into getting 100, which was actually too light for me. Lesson learnt: Always go with your gut instincts.

Packaging:
Housed in a sleek glass bottle with a pump. Which I like.

Texture:
The foundation wasn't as runny as compared to my other foundations. In addition, maybe because of the hyaluronic acid, it has a slight gluey feel to it.

Price:
The RRP is comparably to my HG, and so, I'm not complaining.

Road Test:
The foundation is too light for me, which made me look a little like Geisha. 101 would have made a better choice.

It's wasn't as spreadable as my other foundations. Coverage wise is from sheer to light. Definitely weaker than what NARS and Dior provides. Some of my larger pores and redness still came through even after I've patted in another layer of foundation. It wasn't as buildable as I thought it would be.

The finish is glowy but not shiny like a disco ball. But the finish was kind of patchy, probably due to the wrong shade and my dry skin.

The foundation did last well though and I only had to touch up a little in the late afternoon. But I had this feeling of my pores being suffocated after a long day. I think this foundation is just not meant for the tropics.

Verdict:

Well, I'm having mixed feeling over this foundation. The shade was wrong and it didn't spread well. I had really wanted to like this foundation but I just wasn't able to find a good reason to like it at all. Other than the fact that it's a Japanese foundation. I just don't understand why Japanese skincare works on me but never their makeup.

I'll give it another go again next week. The patchy finish could have been due to my recent skin problems. I was stressed, sleeping late, not having enough liquids and eating trashy food.

I'll update again on this foundation.

Below are some pictures.

Swatches. The below is meant for my next post but I got lazy..

Haul: Metro - DiorSkin Nude 020 Liquid Foundation + DiorSnow White Reveal UV Shield

Metro had their Ladies Night on 19 Nov 2010 and I got Ling's help to stock up on my Dior essential items, which was running low.

I replenished the DiorSnow White Reveal UV Shield (30ml @ SGD79.00) as I totally ran out of the product and had to use my Clarins sunscreen, which I don't exactly fancy. I was desparate enough to snatch my sister's to tide me over while I wait for my own to come in.

As for my DiorSkin Nude Liquid Foundation (30 ml @ SGD66.00). I've been using this foundation almost on a daily basis for months, and I've been feeling perplexed since months ago.

Not matter how much I use, I haven't seen a drop in the water level since opening the bottle. I approached the BA and she advised that it could be due to the nature of the product. There is an ingredient that makes the foundation clinge onto the sides of the bottle, making it difficult to gauge the remaining water level.

So, I decided to stock this item up too. I do not want to wake up one fine morning to find that I ran out of my HG foundation, when I need it. I would probably go into a hissy fit.

That's all for now.. Small stock up haul...

Review / Makeup: NARS - Sheer Glow Foundation

Today, I'm going to review one of my latest foundations buy, the NARS Sheer Glow Foundation in Deauville.

Item Name: NARS - Sheer Glow Foundation @ Deauville
Size: 30 ml
Price: USD42.00 + ~SGD3.00 (Shipping)
Available At: Beauty.com
Picture Source: klutzbeauty.blogspot.com

Product Description from Manufacturer:

A glowing, satin-finish foundation with sheer and buildable coverage. Replete with skincare benefits and the NARS Complexion Brightening Formula, skin is hydrated, more luminous, softer and smoother. Used daily, Sheer Glow Foundation improves skin brightness, radiance and texture. For normal to dry skin types.

* Minimizes visible discoloration

* Brightens and clarifies overall skin tone

* Improves skin luminosity and radiance

* Hydrates for softer and smoother skin

* Dermatologist tested. Non-comedogenic. Fragrance free.

Why I bought it:
I've read raves of this foundation online. Being a foundation fiend, the bug just couldn't rest until I had a go with this foundation. I had to see whether it was as good as the rest made it out to be.

The opportunity came when beauty.com was offering 20% off for their Family Sale, and so, I took the plunge. The total amount came up to SGD47.00 (inclusive shipping), which is comparable to a MAC foundation.

I did a lot of research by using my DiorSkin Nude 020 as reference and decided on Deauville ultimately.

Packaging:
Housed in a sleek glass bottle, with NARS trademark rubberized texture cap. There is actually a smaller screw cap hidden by the bigger cap, to prevent spills I suppose.

The bottle doesn't come with a pump but it can be purchased from NARS website. It didn't occur to me to purchase the pump when I placed my orders.

I guess I can only buy it during my next spree. Anyway, it is definitely not as messy as my Lunasol Cream Foundation. So, it's not a major issue for me.

Texture:
The foundation is actually quite runny and definitely feels lighter than my DiorSkin Nude Foundation.

Price:
The RRP is definitely steep had it not been for the 20% discount. However, given the price of my current HG, I would think that it is comparable.

Road Test:
The first time that I used it, I layered the Ipsa Pore Clear base underneath it and by mid afternoon, I was a melted mess.

The second day, I decided to go only with the RMK makeup base and the foundation stayed throughout the whole day.

The coverage is from sheer to medium. Definitely buildable and works well enough to cover my enlarged pores. It even covered a good part of my redness on the cheeks.

Deauville matched my face but I think it's a tad light and yellowish for my skin. Well, nothing a blush and bronzer can't fix.

The foundation did oxidize a little and made my face look darker but it did not turn me into pumpkin soup.

Verdict:
It's still too early to elevate this to HG status but this foundation certainly have the potential. As of now, my DiorSkin Nude 020 is still my to-go foundation when it comes to special occassions.

Probably it's due to the shade. I find that it's still a little off as compared to DiorSKin Nude 020, which matched me perfectly. I had read somewhere that some of the ladies on NW20/NC20 uses Santa Fe. And the swatches on KarlaSugar does suggest so, when I compared with my DiorSkin Nude 020.

Maybe, I will get the Santa Fe if I have the chance.

The finished look is more of satiny, rather than glowy.

So do I recommend? Yes, if you're a foundation junkie like me or has a NARS counter somewhere to do a match.

No, if you can't be sure of your shade and you don't need a new foundation.

Anyway, next are some scary pictures. *Beware!!!*

Without Makeup - Enlarged pores, wrinkles, spots and redness.

Product distributed on the face and ready for blending.

 End result after first round of blending

I patted on additional foundation on the cheeks where the redness is.

Haul: Tangs - IPSA Pure Protect Foundation + Pore Clear Base

Tangs was having their closed door Christmas Preview Sale on 16 Nov 2010 and I decided to get the Ipsa foundation that I've been lemming for so long now.

The crowd wasn't as bad as I thought when I got there in the evening and I went straight to the counter. I was contemplating between the liquid and cream foundation but I went for the liquid in the end as I liked the texture better.

IPSA Pure Protect Liquid Foundation in 100

SGD63.00 - Available at Tangs Orchard

The BA matched me to 100, the lightest available shade and I was kind of taken aback since I usually sit on the second lightest shade instead of the lightest. However, the BA explained to me that since I'm more inclined towards neutral, 100 suits me the best. She tested on my jawline and I have to agree with her.

I've already opened the bottle to try as I write this post.  And the foundation matched my skintone perfectly! It almost became my dupable HG until it started to melt on me by afternoon. But it does have a lot of potential.Will do a review entry on it when I find time.

IPSA Pore Clear Base

SGD48.00 - Available at Tangs Orchard

I also bought their Pore Clear Base. This is supposed to help fill my pores and cover light freckles. As usual, it's the pores that I'm more concerned about.

IPSA Foundation Sponge

SGD13.00 - Available at Tangs Orchard

Lastly, I got the foundation sponge to top up to SGD150.00 to enjoy a direct 10% off on top of the Tangs 12% rebate.

As usual, the BA stuffed me with lots of their latest Metalbolizer sample to try out.

For those interested in Ipsa products, please note that the one and only one Ipsa counter in the whole of Singapore is located at Tangs Orchard.

Haul: NARS, Smashbox, Urban Decay and Dior

The christmas season is round the corner and with that, comes the flood of Christmas sales! Last week was pure retail extravagence for me.. To the point that I'm feeling a little guilty now for spending so much. But oh well, it's not as if I don't need the items.

In addition, I've been a real good girl this year. So, it doesn't hurt if I materialize a little of my lemmings, I rationalize.. Yes yes, my feeble attempt to justify my purchases. Anyway, the next few posts would be entries on the things I bought and received last week.

This post is a closer look at the items that I bought from Beauty.com and Sephora@Amazon. There was a lot of other things that came with the parcels but those don't belong to me. So, I'll just cover the stuff that belongs to me.

First up is the NARS Sheer Glow Foundation in Deauville (~SGD47; inclusive shipping). I'm a foundation junkie and I'm always on the look out to try new foundations. After reading through all the online reviews, I was really intrigued by this foundation. However, since it's not available in Singapore, I could only stash away my lemmings.

The opportunity came when Beauty.com was offering a 20% FF sale. I took the plunge and purchased. I did an extensive research online by using Diorskin Nude 020 as reference and finally decided on Deauville. I was really apprehensive but to my relief, the tone matched, although it was still a little yellow for me but it was no major concern.

I received the NARS Cleansing Oil sample for the foundation purhase.

Next up is the NARS Powder Blush in Deep Throat (~SGD30; inclusive shipping). I was deciding between NARS or Cargo blush. But decided to get the NARS blush because of it's cult status. I had originally wanted to get Orgasm but decided that Deep Throat may be more suitable for me after looking the swatches and reviews online. It was a little peachy for my liking but I love it still the same!!

Next one is the Smashbox Photo Finish Primer on the Go (~SGD18.00; inclusive shipping). This is actually the smaller sized 15ml. I've heard raves about this product and so, when I saw that they have the smaller trial version, I decided to purchase it to try it out.

Next, is the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Yeyo. This is actually a white eye liner glittery eyeliner and I'm thinking of using it to line my inner eye corners for the pop effect.

Lastly, is the Dior Mascara Duo Set (~SGD28.00). I usually don't like to spend on mascaras, as I don't see the need to spend a bomb on something that covers only a small portion of the face. But ever since I've read raves about Dior's mascaras and their performance, I've been wanting to try it. So, when I saw this set on Sephora@Amazon, I didn't hesitate since this was the perfect chance to try out the mascara without commiting too much money on it.

My thoughts: This purchase was really a rushed and unprepared one, and was kind of haphazard. But I was really glad that my first attempt in an online spree turned out well.Next time, I would defnitely be more prepared.