Luv Carat is a Japanese makeup brand that is known for its crystal-encrusted compacts. In Singapore, the line can be found at Sasa stores. Pictured below is the Luv Carat Eyeshadow Palette in Princess Pink which retails for S$39.90 at Sasa.
The lid is all blinged out with clear and pink crystals. According to the product packaging, it is designed in Japan and made in Taiwan.
Given the name and packaging, one would expect intensely shiny eyeshadows but the trio of powder eyeshadows have a soft glimmer and a satiny finish. There are no glitter bits, thankfully. The eyeshadows apply sheer at first but can be layered for greater intensity. The purple shade complements the pink shade very nicely for a sweet, feminine look.
I used the included sponge applicator to apply the white shade over the browbone area down to the inner corners, the pink shade from the upper lashline to the crease, and the purple shade along the upper and lowerlashline.
The eyeshadows lasted well on me over more than 5 hours of wear without fading, oxidising or creasing. (I also used Testimo Bright Up Eye Base as the primer. What I found impressive was that the purple shade lasted very well on my lower lashline without falling into the fine lines, fading or smudging like some other eyeshadows or eyeliner tend to do.
I used Majolica Majorca's Lash Bone Black Fibre In and Lash Enamel Glamour Volume On on my lashes. Again, I encountered the clumping problem which fortunately could be fixed by just gently pressing the excess mascara out using my fingertips. (The pics are taken after I removed the clumps.) My lashes stayed curled without any flaking or smudging over several hours of wear. I'm going to try using Lash Enamel Glamour Volume On by itself without Lash Bone next to see if it reduces the clumping.
Spotted the new Ettusais Melty Touch Rouge and Jelly Gloss at the counter in BHG (Bugis Junction) today. The Melty Touch Rouge (S$30) comes in six limited edition shades. The finish is sheer and glossy.
Do check out Kathi's review over at Lotus Palace!
Majolica Majorca Jeweling Eyes BL711 is a palettes of shimmery pale pastels that would probably work best on fair complexions. The shades are mostly cool-toned with a lovely smooth finish. They apply sheer at first but can be layered for greater intensity.
I used the included sponge applicator to apply the white shade on the browbone area, the pale mint from the upper lashline to the crease, the brown shade along the upper lashline and the light blue shade along the lower lashline and inner corners.
The brown shade is not very intense or dark so if you want greater definition, you will need to use a separate eyeliner. The blue shade applies with a more of an icy tone, and not as blue as it looks in the pan. Overall, this palette would be quite easy for most ladies to wear and apply as the shades are not crazily pigmented or bright. They complement one another quite well for a fresh spring look that livens up the eyes without turning ashy.
The Lash Enamel Glamour Volume On has a double-edge comb applicator for adding volume and length. Unlike the previous version of Lash Enamel Glamour, the new version contains short fat fibres, 'volume up powder', gloss oil and waterproof polymers. As its name suggests, Lash Bone Black Fibre In contains black fibres in a clear base and is to be used as a mascara primer.
Here's a pic of my bare lashes for comparison.
Pic below shows Lash Bone Black Fibre In applied. This felt a bit like applying glue! The applicator tends to deposit a bit too much product at the base of my lashes, which are sparse and thin, but it does add length and helps to hold the curl.
Pic below shows Lash Enamel Glamour Volume On applied. While I like the glossy jet black formula and lengthening effect, the new comb design is tricky to get the hang of as it tends to deposit too much product which leads to clumping. This can probably be easily rectified by wiping the excess product off the wand with tissue first.
Overall, I thought the comb applicator took too much work but I do like the mascara formula as it glides on very smoothly and builds visible length and volume from the very first stroke, unlike some other brands which take several strokes to build up length and volume. My lashes also stayed curled without being weighed down.