M.A.C. Russian Red

I would say Lancome Juicy Tubes was my first "grown-up" cosmetics, but receiving a MAC Paints eyeshadow (now discontinued) for my 17th birthday was the bomb that kick-started my passion for makeup. It is for this reason that most of my makeup firsts were from MAC - blushes, eyeliners, powders, eyeshadows, lipsticks, brushes, strangely, but never any of their famous foundations. However, as I delved deeper into makeup, I have since abandoned the brand except for its range of brushes, which to me are one of the best in the market. I have only a few MAC items left in my vanity, and one of them is this lipstick in Russian Red. 

I got it through the Back2MAC program. It is one of the famous reds under MAC's matte formula. Even though I have only worn this shade out once, I love everything about it.

Russian Red leans on the cooler side of reds (perhaps of the cold winters in Russia?). In all honesty, this shade is hard to pull off without fault on my yellow-based skin. However, it reminds me so much of the "Red" shade in my childhood Crayola set - a dark, vibrant red. When I look at this MAC tube, I see my red crayon and I truly like the interpretation. 

It is a household name among makeup devotees for the long time it has been in MAC's permanent collection. For those who love reds, this classic will do you no wrong. 

Naruko Narcissus Total Defense BB Cream Essence

Naruko is a Taiwanese brand created by Niu-er, a beauty guru famous in East Asia. This brand focuses on Niu-er's personal involvement in formulating the products, making use of natural ingredients together with cutting-edge research and technology, while taking efforts to care for the environment.

The brand features a wide range of products catering to different needs. Among the many different types of series such as Niaouli & Tea Tree for controlling oil; Magnolia to brighten and firm; Rose & Snow Fungus for hydration, Marjoram & Lavender for brightening; Job's Tears for whitening and cooling; Apple Seed & Tranexamic Acid to soothe and minimize pores; the Narcissus range for all skin types stood out to me because of its "Total Defense" system which does all of the above while delaying aging at the same time. 

Perhaps the most frequent complaints I read about the Narcissus Total Defense BB Cream Essence are its sheer finish and lack of SPF. Surprisingly, these are the attributes that make the Narcissus BB the best BB cream I have tried for my oily, sensitive, dehydrated, rosacea-ic skin. It does not settle into or clog my pores because of its light formula. I suspect because it does not contain too many chemicals but rather a lot of plant extracts that it has been so skin-friendly. I also always use a separate sunscreen whether my makeup has SPF or not. On the one hand, Naruko has released a new version of this with SPF 50.  

It is lighter in color and more pink-based compared to the more traditional ashy Korean BB creams. One problem I had with Korean BB creams was they almost always caused my skin to breakout or form spots after use. This cream does not cover pimples or pimple scars because the finish is very light. However, it does unify and brighten the complexion in a subtle way, and that makes a lot of difference if you know what I am saying. The best thing about this BB cream for me is it's not occlusive. I can still feel my skin breathe with this product on. 

Here is the box inside-out. There are instructions inside on how to make this but it is fairly easy. Just follow the lines and cut. I wish I took pictures of the ingredients on the outer portion, but in my excitement, it was instantly "recycled." Try to catch some of the ingredients:

Naruko is currently sold online in Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, US, and Sasa.com. It is also found in Colourmix Hong Kong, where I got my Naruko products. Aside from Naruko, Niu-er has created a skincare line under the am pm brand, and a basic line under Naruko BASIC.