Review: Kevyn Aucoin The Etherealist Skin Illuminating Foundation, and The Sensual Skin Enhancer Concealer

Hi guys!

This is going to be a review for 2 Kevyn Aucoin products: The Etherealist Skin Illuminating Foundation, and The Sensual Skin Enhancer Concealer. 

I was mainly looking for a super full coverage concealer since I've been suffering from crazy breakouts recently. When you're a college student and the dining hall serves the most greasy and salty food ever, it's really hard not to break out :( The reason I say the food is causing my acne problem is because I'm handling school pretty well for the most part - I'm not insanely stressed, and I do get a decent amount of sleep. 

Anyway, I'll first be reviewing the foundation, followed by the concealer. 

This is how my skin looks with no makeup and this is pretty much the worst acne I've had in my whole life.

I purchased The Etherealist Skin Illuminating Foundation on Sephora for $58. On the website, it says that it comes with 1 fluid ounce but it actually only comes in 0.95 fluid ounce (28ml). I was a little turned off because I felt lied to. Even though it's not a huge difference, I would like to be accurately informed that what I'm paying for is what I get.

The product recommends that you blend with your fingers and a brush, which are methods I don't really use, and I've found that using my Real Techniques sponge has given me the best look in every foundation. 

It's made in Italy and has an expiry date of 12 months after opening. 

The packaging is very sleek and light and it comes in a plastic bottle instead of glass, which I personally do not mind. However, the lack of a cover on the pump bothers me a little as I put my foundations in a makeup bag and the residue on the pump may leave stains on my bag.

I am in the shade Light EF04, which is described as a light shade with yellow undertones. In case you didn't know, I also have dry skin. 

The shade match is pretty on point for the most part. It also provides pretty decent coverage for a first layer. My skin still looks like skin. 

This is another layer of the foundation. It is definitely layerable while still maintaining a decent skin-like glow and it is a solid medium coverage foundation. However, I do have to set it with powder as it is tacky and after applying powder, my skin tends to look really matte. I like having that dewy look so I will then spray some MAC Fix+ and that reduces the cakey look.

I've noticed that the foundation will start breaking down at the end of the day when I have it on my face for around 8 hours. Hence, I would not necessarily consider this as a long-lasting foundation.

Now, I'm going to review the The Sensual Skin Enhancer Concealer. I've heard about this concealer before I got this. I went to the Sephora store at the Grove and got my color match but they didn't have my color in stock so I ordered this online together with the foundation.

The concealer is made in Japan and has an expiry date of 18 months after opening.

I'm in the shade SX06, which is described as light with golden undertones and I got this for $48.

The concealer comes in a plastic jar. I wished it did not come in a jar though so that bacteria would not be reintroduced back into the jar. Hence, the way I go about using the product is washing my hands really well and dipping one finger onto the product (which usually picks up enough product and I don't have to go back in with another finger again).

The concealer is a tad bit lighter than the foundation, but I feel like after opening the jar, it may have oxidized ever so slightly and is around the same shade as the foundation now. You may want to keep this in mind when purchasing. 

The concealer is extremely creamy and thick and covers EVERYTHING. It is hands down one of the best concealers I have ever used. I previously used the MAC Studio Finish Concealer with SPF35, but it tends to be a little drying and I felt like it sometimes made me breakout. 

All that redness gone.

I also tried concealing my undereyes, but I feel that since this concealer is very heavy, it doesn't look the best. My favorite concealer for my undereyes would still have to be the Makeup Forever Full Cover Concealer. 

Now, I had the opportunity to wear this foundation and concealer to play basketball. I have to say, it definitely does not look great after playing hours of basketball and sweating. My problem area is always my nose so for the most part I've always avoided applying foundation on my nose (since I didn't really need it in the first place anyway). That day, I decided to give it a go and man I'm mistaken to think that nothing bad would happen. The foundation also looks patchy between my brows. It has also started wearing down around my cheeks. Highly would not recommend wearing this if you're doing intense sports. 

Final verdict: Love the concealer, not in love with the foundation.

I think that there's bound to be better foundations out there that suit my skin type better and that provide at least a medium coverage, are long lasting, and does not look patchy at the end of the day/after sports. I have talked about the Koh Gen Do Aqua foundation which you can view here and it definitely does not look weird even when I do sports. It just does not stand out and I don't think the amount is worth its price tag. 

The concealer is so great because it will literally last you forever. A little goes a super long way and I don't think I will ever reach the bottom of the jar. 

Thank you so much for your time and I hope you found this helpful :)

Review: SANA Nameraka Honpo Wrinkle Cream

Hey guys!


I hope life is going well for you!


This is going to be a short review for the SANA Nameraka Honpo Wrinkle Cream since I haven't really seen a lot of reviews for this yet.


Recently, my dad visited Japan and picked up 2 more containers of the SANA Nameraka Wrinkle Cream. My dad actually got one some time ago and I thought it was really moisturizing so I asked him to get 2 more.

It comes with 50mL and is made in Japan. The packaging is very compact and travel-friendly since it is a plastic container.


I think he got this for about 1000Yen which converts to roughly $10USD, so it is pretty affordable given that it tries to tackle wrinkle problems. Obviously wrinkles aren't my major concern right now (acne is) but it's always better to prevent problems than treat problems.

The cream is oil-based and is very dense as you can see from the pictures below. It will not flow out of the container. There is a wrinkle gel from the same brand, and it looks really similar, so you might want to ask the store employees for help since there is no English text on the packaging. You can  also refer to this website here which lists all the SANA products.

Since I have dry skin, I usually use quite a decent amount when I moisturize my skin at night. If you don't have dry skin like I do, a light layer will do. I also don't use this in the day before I apply my makeup because it tends to just sit on my skin and acts like a barrier (which I don't think is necessarily a bad thing). 

Overall I do really like this cream and whenever my dad passes by Japan, I'll ask him to get some for me. 

Thank you so much for reading and I hope you find this short review helpful!

2016 Top 10 Beauty Products

Hey guys!

I can't believe 2016 is coming to an end already! It's crazy how much has happened this year and that's a whole different story for another blog post. Right now, I would like to give a shout out to my top 10 beauty products this year which consist of new ones and ones that I have liked for more than a year. I love talking about my favorites more than hauls just because I feel like they are more helpful. 

I may not have blogged about some of these but I will insert a link for those I have reviewed before since they are pretty detailed. For products I have reviewed before, I inserted pictures I previously took and for those I did not review, I took new photos for them. I also included the price of all the products. This list is in no particular order. 

So without further ado, let's jump right in!

1) SANA Nameraka Honpo Soy Milk Isoflavone Moisturizing Milky Lotion Emulsion 900Y

I'm sure you might have seen this many times on my blog. I love how this lotion is pretty light but moisturizing. It's perfect for the humid tropical weather in Singapore but also moisturizing enough in Los Angeles. I usually get this in Japan, which is why I included the price in Japanese Yen, but I'm pretty sure you can get them on Amazon or Ebay. 

Click here for my review on this product.

2) Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner $22

I've mentioned using this eyeliner a few times but I've never actually written a review on it. This product is really popular on Youtube, and I've tried finding a more inexpensive eyeliner that compares to this, and right now, I still have not found one. I like how the eyeliner goes on the eyes really easily and is extremely dark. Since it is a felt tip instead of a brush tip, the ends do not splay, which makes it easier to apply. Personally, I actually think good liquid eyeliners are easier to apply than pencil eyeliners because most pencil eyeliners I've had do not go on smoothly and leave crooked lines. 

Overall, it's a very trustworthy eyeliner. When I have an important day, I can count on it to last for hours. It lives up to my expectations of what a good liquid eyeliner should be.

3) Isehan Heroine Make Long and Curl Super Waterproof Mascara 1080Y

This is another product from Japan and it is hands down my favorite mascara. There is something about Asian mascaras that I like more than Western mascaras. This does not clump and makes my lashes super long. 

It was recently repackaged; previously it came in a pink tube. However, I don't think there was any change to the formula. Also, it seriously is super waterproof and can literally last through a hurricane. Its waterproof formula helps to hold my curl better too. 

Click here for my review on this product.

4) Make Up Forever Full Cover Concealer $34

Next on my list is my favorite undereye concealer. I have really dark undereye circles even if I sleep extremely early. So far, this is the only concealer I've tried that actually covers them. It also hardly creases into my fine lines as long as I set them with powder, which is what I always do. 

I am in the shade number 6 Ivory, which is more yellow based. A little goes a really long way. This tube looks pretty full and unused because I have not even finished using the very first tube I got. 

I wear this on important days like prom/winter formal/days at work/club meetings because this concealer looks good and lasts all day. I feel like it isn't as talked about compared to concealers like the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer which I've heard mixed reviews on, so I just want to show this concealer my love.

5) Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in 20 Sand Sable $7

For concealing acne or problem areas on my face, I like using this concealer. I believe this is an old packaging now and I am in the shade 20 Sand Sable, which is probably my perfect shade but is slightly darker than my Koh Gen Do Aqua Foundation shade. I've heard that this compares to the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer I previously mentioned. 

I will be using this for quite some time before I find another concealer that matches my foundation shade perfectly. 

6) Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Bow N Arrow $20

2016 is the year of liquid lipsticks. I found my favorite liquid lipstick, which is also pretty popular in the Youtube community. The Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipsticks are extremely pigmented and so far, this is the only lipstick that doesn't settle into my lines. I love nude shades, so Bow N Arrow is right up my alley. It's a really pretty light nude with slightly brownish undertoness. I have Lolita too but I tend to grab Bow N Arrow more often. I definitely think this is worth it.

7) Milani Amore Matte Lip Creme in 10 Adorable $9

If you're looking for a more affordable liquid lipstick, the Milani Amore Matte Lip Cremes are great too. The shade I have is another nude shade, but has more of a pink undertone compared to Bow N Arrow. This does settle into my lines a little more, but my trick is to apply a little vaseline, then a thin layer of the lipstick, pressing my lips together to make it feel almost like a gloss, waiting for it to dry, and then finally apply the lipstick again. 

8) MAC Prep + Prime Transparent Finishing Powder $27

My favorite setting powder of all time is this baby and I talked about this in a previous review. I use this all the time and I can't count how many containers I've gone through. It sets my face really well without ever leaving it cakey and still allows your skin to shine through. 

Click here for my review on this product.

9) theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer $24

I don't think I have ever talked about this highlight on my blog, but this is the one and only highlight I use. I love the golden shimmer and I think a gold highlight looks better on me since I have yellow undertones. I don't think I will be getting more highlights anytime soon just because this highlight can last me for a long time. It has great staying power and brings out my cheeckbones nicely or makes my nose look higher.

You can also use this as an eyeshadow. I've tried it once and it really pops on my eyes. 

10) Koh Gen Do Maifanshi Aqua Foundation $62

Last but not least, one of my best finds this year is the foundation I've been loving. I've tried so many foundations and this is hands down the best one I've had. It is pricey but definitely worth it. I have a detailed review and I'll link it after the pictures.

Click here for my review on this product.

That is all for my 2016 Top 10 Beauty Products and I hope you found this interesting and helpful! I hope 2017 will be a great year for you and hope that all your wishes and goals will be fulfilled. Thank you for always reading my blog and supporting me; I appreciate you so much. 

Happy New Year :)