You never forget your first.
Your first lipstick, your first mascara, even your first real skincare product. In the years since that first dip of your toes into the wide, wide ocean that is beauty, things have probably changed lots: product options have increased alongside your spending power, changes in beauty trends have altered your preferences, and in general, the sheer number of beauty products that are launched every month has completely changed your skincare and makeup regime, as compared to, say, five years ago.
This week, the NYLON team challenged ourselves to do a little bit of a throwback: think about the beauty products that used to be so near and dear to us, but we’ve since forgotten about, due to all the distractions that came along. Unfortunate, because the very reason why we liked these products in those early days was because they worked well, yet didn’t strain our shoestring student budgets. These will always be great reasons to bring back an old-school product into our regimes – so now you know what will be making return appearances in our lives in the coming months.
Maybelline Eyestudio Hypersharp 0.01mm Liner
$21.90, available at major Watsons, Guardian, Sasa, Fairprice and department stores
Three years ago, we were tasked to compile a list of our favourite beauty items, and without a doubt, this was one of the first things that made it: my trusty Maybelline liquid liner, one of my first forays into makeup. “Dark, doesn’t smudge easily, precise tip – hasn’t failed, really,” I said.
Today, I’ll admit that I’ve since traded it in for newer formulas such as Kat Von D’s cult Tattoo Liner – hey, part of the job’s trying new things after all – but the drugstore staple will always be a favourite of mine. I still have one in my bag. And one by my dresser, because seriously, just look at that price point!
There’s quality too; the 0.01mm soft brush tip makes it easy to draw precise lines and it glides on smoothly. Also, I’m so used to how the pen feels between my fingers, which makes for a quick and steady swish even in perilous car situations, that it’s my benchmark for every eyeliner that comes after. Tough to beat huh.
– Amelia Tan, Associate Editor
KATE Tokyo Designing Eyebrow N
$20.50, available at selected Watsons.
My mother bought this for me around the time I first started wearing makeup – yes, I was so inexperienced that my mother had to buy my makeup for me – she chose this because in her line of work, she meets a lot of makeup artists, and they recommended this to her at that time.
At that age, not that I was the best person to decide whether or not a brow product, or even any makeup product, was good or not, but I just felt like this eyebrow powder worked. The handy double-ended mini brush was easy to figure out even for a complete newbie, and the powder, when put on my skin, managed to look natural. Not too light that I had to keep piling it on, and not to dark that my lack of makeup application skills would make me look like Crayon Shin-chan.
The brand says that these colours can even be used to contour the sides of your nose, but I obviously didn’t even dare to attempt this at that point in time. But I would know how to now! So although I’ve moved on to much more advanced brow formulas today, this powder will always be worth bringing back.
– Tami Lai, Associate Editor
The Body Shop Moringa Beautifying Oil
$22.90, available at The Body Shop stores.
Though the composition of this body oil isn’t 100% natural or organic, it’s probably the very first beauty item that prompted me to explore the greener side of beauty. It goes on light and absorbs relatively quickly to keep my skin soft, so I never had to deal with an uncomfortable slick of oil while I was out battling the sun. Its fragrance is also something that surprised me. I’m not a fan of floral scents, but The Body Shop’s Moringa lineup smells much creamier than most of the white florals that have assaulted my olfactory organs in the past. It’s actually a pleasant, feminine scent, and the formula didn’t irritate my sensitive skin even though the artificial fragrance is quite high up the ingredients list. Something I’d definitely pick up again if I feel the need to take a break from my perfume.
– Jade Yeo, Writer
NARS Stick Concealer in Honey
$40, available at the NARS store and counters, and Sephora
Thanks to this week’s team picks, I’m reunited with my NARS concealer stick. That “Oh. My. God. I totally forgot I had this!” moment was real. I remember deliberating in the NARS store for a very long time trying to decide if I should get this very small but expensive concealer stick while my friend (who already knew I was going to get it in the end) had to deal with my indecisiveness.
Anyway, though the price is less than ideal, this concealer stick is seriously good. I use it to conceal blemishes, acne scars and any redness around the nose and lip area. Sometimes I apply it even without foundation for a light coverage when I’m heading out to run errands, and it matches with my skin tone so well. It glides on easily and blends well too. Somehow, the NARS stick concealer got buried under a pile of makeup, when I decided to try out the Maybelline Fit Me concealer. Not because it wasn’t good, but probably because I was too lazy to switch back to it. Now that I’m reminded of it though, I guess it’s time I start using it again.
– Phyllis Guo, Editorial Assistant
M.A.C Lipstick in Velvet Teddy
$36, available at M.A.C stores and counters.
I can’t remember how many years it’s been since I caved in to M.A.C’s Velvet Teddy, alongside their lip liner in Spice. It must have been around two to three years back, since the combination is courtesy of my lipstick icon, Kylie Jenner. For some reason, back then the raging nude lip hype from the States hadn’t caught on in Singapore, and because I loved the look so much, I promptly bought my first nude lipstick from M.A.C. It was an impulse buy, yes, but definitely one of my best purchases ever, hands down.
Velvet Teddy is a classic warm rosy beige in a creamy matte finish; the kind of colour that’s foolproof for literally any occasion. Before the liquid lipstick fad came along I was using this one shade every single day, and I’m proud to report that it’s the one lipstick that I’ve ever come close to finishing (I only have one third of product left, just so you know). In fact, I dug it out again just for this entry and am using it today — all while falling in love all over again.
– Chelsea Tang, Editorial Assistant
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