Stuff that the NYLON team has tried and loved this week.
This Works Sleep Plus Pillow Spray
$52, Sephora from May
I have a relatively small and flat nose, but as irony would have it, my sense of smell is incredibly sharp. And it’s not always a gift — I can smell body odour and bad breath three metres away… and when the seventh month burning comes along, I have to lock myself in an air-tight room with two air purifiers (true story). So when I discover any product that smells divine, I become addicted to it. Like this new pillow spray from “natural beauty” brand, This Works. The key ingredient is Lavender and that’s pretty much the main thing you smell, but it’s blended beautifully with Vetivert, Patchouli, and Ho Wood oils, and the resulting whiff is similar to that of a premium spa. The aroma is relaxing, soothing, and comforting — all the traits necessary to put you to sleep. The brand recommends spraying this directly onto bed linen and that the natural night time movement will release the fragrance as you sleep. I like to spritz this into the air and scent my room (and literally be one with the smell). It’s a god-send when your neighbour decides to fry blachan. — Adele Chan
NUDESTIX Dual-Ended Lip & Cheek Stain in Love/Sin
$34, Sephora
I’m very prone to impulse buys, especially when I’m standing in line at the Sephora counter, buying another beauty item, while being “casually” assaulted by the lure of those pretty travel-sized items in neat rows… You know what I mean. This was one of them. I’ve heard about the fresh-faced makeup philosophy of young founders Ally and Taylor Frankel, and the cult appeal of their makeup crayons, so I was eager to try it out. What I love is how fuss-free this is — this one product can be used to create a nice dewy flush on my cheeks, and to add a natural shade on my lips as well. And this one has two shades in one stick, that I could easily stow in my bag wherever I went. To use it as a blush, you just have to swipe three lines at the side of your face, then blend it out with your fingertips, easy due to its creamy texture. Still, I wouldn’t say it’s an all-day beauty must-have — the lip colour does transfer quite easily compared to lipsticks — but the touch-up is so effortless, and the matte case even comes with a mirror for this, that I don’t mind at all. All this for a barely-there glow that looks completely I-woke-up-like-this, if you ever want to channel Beyonce (who doesn’t?). — Amelia Tan
NARS Velvet Matte Skin Tint
$66, NARS counters from March
Liquid foundations are very much stuck in my daily routine. Women are always being encouraged to let their real skin shine through and all that, and yes I’d like to think my skin is in a pretty good state and I do try to take care of it and keep it as clear as possible – but at the same time, I just like the heavier coverage of a liquid foundation. To the point that I find it almost hard to pick up my BB cream on weekends when I’m just heading out somewhere near.
But I’m also a NARS fangirl, so when they introduced their all-new Velvet Matte Skin Tint, which is kind of like a BB cream, I was intrigued. The premise is, it’s a matte-finish tint but with none of that dry chalkiness that poorer-quality matte products can leave. The finish is more of a velvety one, so it’s matte with a soft-focus finish – all of the shine control, with none of the dryness. I was immediately sold, and since it’s so blendable, I can easily layer it and get the heavier coverage of a foundation as well. — Tami Lai
NYX Butter Lipstick in Moonlit Night
$12, Sephora
NYX is one brand that consistently manages to impress with its quality, despite the super-low prices. And… I’ve found my perfect berry lipstick in the NYX Butter Lipstick in Moonlit Night, because, like its name implies, it goes on smooth like butter. Yet, it’s crazy pigmented with just the right small amount of shine; and most importantly, as the day passes it fades into an even stain.
I’ve found that some other dark lipsticks from luxury brands that cost close to five times the price of NYX don’t fade as evenly, nor are as smooth. Here’s to coming across prize makeup finds at drugstore prices. — Tami Lai
Moonshot Jelly Pot in P06 Bronze Champagne
$34, Sephora
After years of telling everyone I avoid eyeshadow because it’s simply too difficult to navigate applying it on my hooded monolids, I’m finally taking baby steps towards wearing it with confidence, starting with neutral tones like pinks, champagnes and bronzes (I’ll need more time before I can take on a smoky eye). I’ve been dipping into the few eyeshadow palettes I’ve been hoarding for the longest time and most of them are great – shoutout to the M.A.C Eyeshadow x 15 in Warm Neutral for its pigmented and very pretty tones – but recently, I swatched this Moonshot Jelly Pot and was unexpectedly impressed. The Bronze Champagne shade is exactly as its name describes: a bronzy, shimmery colour that goes on rather sheer, i.e. just the right amount of colour. Another thing I like about it is that the jelly consistency makes it incredibly easy to blend and layer. We’ve been told that this Jelly Pot is a real multitasker, as it can be used as colour for the cheeks, lips, and – get this – even on the nails. Definitely a worthy investment. — Tami Lai
