Burberry Beauty in Singapore

After a series of unconfirmed dates, Burberry Beauty finally arrived on our shores late last year…several months after it was presented to the local press. Given the conflicting information, I wasn’t sure if it would ever arrive and had wondered about its eventual launch, what with the waning hype attributed to the passing of time.

As I’d expected, its launch at Tangs was somewhat subdued but one befitting the quiet elegance of the brand.

The unmistakable classiness of Burberry is reflected both in the products and their packaging – soft tones with occasional flashes of strong colours are encased in sleek compacts/bottles/tubes, all adorned with the signature Burberry check. The angular packaging is suitably heavy – albeit a tad impractical for the everyday makeup user – exemplifying the luxurious touch the brand seeks to connote.

Here’s a look at the Burberry Festive Look, the Burberry Beauty Holiday 2011 collection that was specially created for the Christmas season but are just as appropriate for the Lunar New Year festive period.

Inspired by the classic Burberry trench coat colour palette are three new Lip Glow (lipgloss) shades:

  • Nude Gold No.15
  • Ruby No. 16
  • Bright Plum No. 17

They swatch beautifully and are pigmented with a lustrous glide.

The soft colours of Light Glow Natural Blush in No. 8 Misty (S$61) and the quintet of Sheer Eyeshadows (S$46) are extremely easy to wear and will appeal to women who are leery of strong makeup and prefer understated, elegant looks. There’s a reason the words ‘sheer’ and ‘glow’ are in their names. ;)

Also new to the Burberry Beauty collection is Fresh Glow (S$70), a moisturising luminous fluid base that contains wild rose extract.

Soon to hit our shores is Burberry Beauty Spring/Summer 2012 which comprises a nice mix of soft and bright colours.


The focus of the collection is Sheer Eyeshadow in No. 22 Pale Barley, a unique neutral that’s the colour of the Burberry trench coats, according to online sources. I can’t wait to see this in person.

I left the counter with Lip Cover in No. 15 Bright Plum, a present for my mother-in-law. I love its concentrated hue and how smoothly it swatched on my inner wrist.

I also couldn’t resist the magnetic lipstick case whose heft puts the product in a luxe class of its own, while the chic hetchmarks just sealed the deal! This Burberry Lips video says it all.

In Singapore, Burberry makeup is exclusively available at Tangs Orchard, where the Burberry Beauty counter is located next to Escentials and opposite Shu Uemura.

Image source: Burberry Beauty

Review | DHC Mild Touch Cleansing Oil

For the past few weeks, I’ve been almost exclusively using DHC Mild Touch Cleansing Oil. One of the latest additions to the DHC family of skincare products, I enjoy using this to remove everyday light makeup (all that I can muster up these days, what with two school-going boys!).

A pump or two of this translucent – almost gel-like – liquid removes simple looks in seconds; once emulsified with water, makeup debris washes off easily. I always follow this with a facial wash, so I can’t comment on how it works when used alone. Interestingly, the brand claims that it can be used wet. According to DHC, this ‘shower-friendly makeup remover…utilizes moisturizing amino-acid based emollients to gently wash away cosmetics, dirt and environmental pollutants.’

This claim is somewhat true – I’ve removed water-resistant sunscreen with this cleanser using wet hands, without the awkward skipping and resistance of other cleansing oils with this method. I do prefer the dry method as this removes makeup more thoroughly.

With this oil, heavy makeup days require one or two more pumps and a touch more rubbing but it does the trick eventually. Surprisingly, it can also remove some waterproof makeup, despite the word ‘mild’ in its name. Then again, the word is also found in Fancl Mild Cleansing Oil which removes makeup well but has a tendency to smell sour. I do need a bit more work with stubborn mascaras, sometimes having to resort to a stronger oil cleanser or a bi-phase one like Nature Republic Herblier Mascara Remover (a moment of silence, please, for the exit of this excellent makeup brand~!).

It might have difficulty with waterproof mascaras but MTCO effortlessly removes waterproof liners and shadows. I suppose mascara clings to lashes, while the latter two forms of makeup rest on skin which produces oil that aids removal. Nonetheless, I prefer MAC Cleanse Off Oil for heavy makeup.

MTCO has a soft lavender scent that’s somewhat pleasant but isn’t as sweet-smelling as Sana Natural Resource Cleansing Oil. It’s also runnier and cleans off makeup more quickly than DHC Deep Cleansing Oil which feels denser/thicker, offering up a bit more resistance on the skin.

cetyl ethylhexanoate, ethylhexyl palmitate, polyglyceryl-10 dioleate, water/aqua/eau, isononyl isononanoate, polyglyceryl-2 sesquicaprylate, glyceryl behenate/eicosadioate, dextrin palmitate/ethylhexanoate, phytosteryl/octyldodecyl lauroyl glutamate, phenoxyethanol, sodium dilauramidoglutamide lysine, moringa pterygosperma seed oil, caprylic/capric triglyceride, lavandula angustifolia (lavender) oil, tocopherol, dequalinium chloride, epigallocatechin gallate, linalool

Unfortunately, the ingredient list reveals comedogenic ingredients in this product (See the fatty acids like ethyl palmitate? Good as emollients/moisturisers but bad for acne-prone skin). I am careful to remove all traces of makeup+oil to prevent pore-clogging.

Retailing at S$37.50 for 150 ml, this makeup remover can be found at Watsons stores where DHC products are exclusively available.

Watsons Vanity Box

If you’ve been to Watsons lately, you might have noticed the Vanity Box display wall, a beauty section for cult brands that don’t yet have a proper presence in Singapore. It’s a taster, really and the brands featured will change regularly over the months. According to Watsons, the store will continue to carry the more popular products.

Here’s a selection of the brands and products currently available at Vanity Box:

Violent Lips – These vegan Temporary Lip Tattoo Appliqués come in a host of vivid prints. With their eye-catching colours and designs, these statement-making stickers for the puckers are perfect for costume parties and the like.

Paperself – Inspired by Chinese paper cutting (ah, I’m suddenly reminded of TVB’s War & Beauty in which two characters make beautiful 剪纸), these delicate paper eyelashes with their intricate designs are gorgeous works of paper art.

They are made from Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified paper and are – surprisingly – reuseable.

China Glaze Nail Polish – I have a clutch of China Glaze polishes and love them for their interesting colours and brilliant sparkles.

They are quite pricey at VB, though I’m not sure why. I don’t remember paying more than S$10 for them when I ordered them online or purchased them at the BeautyAsia trade fair.

Dr. Lipp – The singular item from this brand is the Dr. Lipp Original Nipple Balm for Lips. I ought to be familiar with lanolin since I’ve nursed for more than a decade but I’ve never used it before.

A pure lanolin-based balm, this product was developed for sore/cracked nipples but can be used for dry skin, rashes, split ends and callouses…even fine lines under the eyes, apparently!

Star Lash – Hand-made from synthetic fibre, the regular ones fit me comfortably. I bought a pair before the Redken/Shu Uemura Audi Fashion Fest show so as to match my eye makeup/retro-geometric maternity dress – they wore so well throughout the entire day that I was extremely impressed!

Also available are fashion lashes that mimick Shu Uemura’s fabuluscious ones.

For more photos of/information on the Vanity Box products, do read what Iris and Shirleen have to say about them.

As I’ve mentioned, this display will not remain stagnant but will serve as a fluid platform for a host of other interesting brands, so do keep a lookout for new offerings. I’m hoping to see Cover Girl, Gosh Cosmetics (the full range), Komenuka Bijin, Kosé Visée, Lavshuca, Max Factor, Physicians Formula, Sleek and Zoya on these shelves one day, if not on full display stands. ;)

You can find Vanity Box at Watsons stores located at Bugis Junction, Holland Village, IMM Building, Jurong Point and Ngee Ann City. The photo above was taken very recently; as you can see, the store is currently offering a 20% discount on the Vanity Box products. Happy shopping!

Image source: Kas, who kindly took the photos on my behalf with her phone. :)

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