New year, new looks. There are always new products on the market, so to save you some time, here's what the YP team thought of some of the latest skincare and make-up goodies out there
1 Revlon ColorStay ShadowLinks (HK$39 citywide)
These little eyeshadows are excellent. I love how they link together for easy mixing and matching, and throwing into an on-the-go make-up kit. They blend nicely and even the dark colours go on very light, so use a heavier hand for more of a pop.
Ariel Conant
2 Color Bucket Lip Flash Jam (HK$66 citywide)
It's messy, clumpy, sticky - and doesn't stay on your lips. You're supposed to mix it with lip balms or other products, but don't do it on the back of your hand, because while it may not stay on your lips it will NEVER come off of your hand. The colours are very bold, and it smells like bubblegum. It's like kiddy play make-up.
Ariel Conant
3 CK One All Day Perfection Face Makeup (HK$330 at Beauty Avenue Langham Place)
One pump buffed out with a damp, dense kabuki brush is enough for a flawless finish. This medium coverage foundation looks like my skin, only better. It doesn't oxidize, and with a primer it stays on relatively well even after a long day that ends with an hour of Muay Thai!
Heidi Yeung
4 Hada Labo Retinol 3D Mask (HK$79 citywide)
Absolutely dripping in essence, the mask tricky is to unfold and put onto your face. Its slight chemical smell gets less noticeable, but it's probably not suitable for sensitive skin - you can definitely feel something working as you wait. Skin seems to glows after you remove the mask, but the residue remains unpleasantly sticky.
Karly Cox
5 My Beauty Diary Ultra Cleansing Water (HK$89 citywide)
Cleansing waters are an easy way to wash your face without the hassle of foamy cleansers and water going everywhere (but maybe not everyone is as clumsy as I am …) This lifts the grime of the day and even light make-up, leaving skin feeling refreshed. Plus it's in a huge bottle that lasts ages.
Karly Cox
6 Curel Moisture Lip Care Cream (HK$75 at SaSa)
Much like its plain white packaging, this colourless and flavourless lip balm doesn't exactly wow you. But it gets the job done as it keeps your lips moisturised, not oily. One application lasts for several hours. So if you're not looking for anything flashy in your lip balm, this is the one for you.
Leon Lee
7 Glam-it! Universal BB Balm (HK$120 at Harvey Nichols)
This is a good lip balm, because it smells nice and is really moisturising, but the tiny pot means it isn't very practical if you want to use it on places like elbows. It's also good at smoothing flyaway hairs, although I was reluctant to slap too much on my hair for fear of it looking greasy.
Lucy Christie
8 Gatsby Hair Jam Smart Nuance (HK$49 citywide)
I usually hate hair gel because it makes my hair too shiny and greasy, and I don't like that "Slick Rick" look. This is different - it just makes your hair stiffer and thicker, allowing it to hold shape without coating it with that clear plastic shell.
Sam Gusway
9 Biotherm Aquasource Cocoon (HK$385 at Biotherm)
I like the lightweight gel texture and the subtly sweet scent, but that's about it. It's doesn't absorb easily, and the stickiness bothers me. In terms of hydration, it does an okay job. Nothing to complain about, but nothing to rave about either.
Young Wang