Review: Elizabeth Arden Flawless Start Instant Perfecting Primer

Having posted so many blog entries in relation to food, it’s fair enough to have a change in the scenery. Instead of blogging about food today, I shall do a review on Elizabeth Arden Flawless Start Instant Perfecting Primer. This is the precedent product for Elizabeth Arden Visible Difference Good Morning Retexturing Primer as the latter has been discontinued.

I had stocked up quite a bit of the Good Morning Retexturing Primer from Andrea during their warehouse clearance sale in September. When I tried out the sample of their Instant Perfecting Primer, I was sold. I liked the texture and consistency so much better. But thankfully, I got the Good Morning Retexturing at a cheap deal at two for S$30 only.

Elizabeth Arden Flawless Start Instant Perfecting Primer

Elizabeth Arden Visible Difference Good Morning Retexturing Primer has been one of my holy grail products since years ago. When I was first introduced to this product, I didn’t really like it. However, that was because I didn’t get the dose right and my face ended up looking all greasy and shiny. I reduced the dose and the amount worked well. I liked the matte finishing that my skin felt after application and I had been using the said product for years.

The improved version however is a bit different compared to the previous one, both in terms of texture and finishing. The texture of Flawless Start Instant Perfecting Primer is more on the powdery side and in skin color. It works quite like a BB Cream but without SPF coverage and drier in texture.

I liked that the product gives a smooth, natural and velvety finishing. Despite that the product comes in skin color, it doesn’t leave your skin looking as if it had been heavily made up. The product has no fragrance hence making it suitable for those who doesn’t like heavily scented makeup product.

Some may wonder how to use this product. I am no makeup junkie but as much as I know, primer is supposed to go on your face before you slap your makeup products onto your skin. This one however is to be used as your last step of makeup. I use it as my last step of my morning skincare routine as I don’t use makeup.

So, here’s what I think of Elizabeth Arden Flawless Start Instant Perfecting Primer in a nutshell:

Pros:
1. Fragrance free.
2. Leaves a smooth, natural and velvety finishing on the skin after application.
3. Comes in skin color for a natural look finishing.
4. Doesn’t break out on my skin.

Cons:
None that I could think of.

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5

Price: B$60

Repurchase? Definitely! As a matter of fact, I had stocked up on my second.

Skincare Buys #15

As mentioned in my previous blog entry, I redeemed a B$50 worth of Hua Ho voucher yesterday. I intended to use the voucher for my hairdryer but it turned out that the hairdryer which I wanted is only selling for B$29.90. So, I didn’t get to use the voucher yesterday but I managed to use it on my skincare products’ purchases today!

I received a text message from Shet Fui yesterday afternoon that Elizabeth Arden is currently on 20% + 10% discount promotion for their regular priced items. However, the said promotion is not applicable for special offer items. So, I decided to seize the opportunity to check out if there is any item worth stocking up on.

Elizabeth Arden Flawless Start Instant Perfecting Primer | B$60

This is the improved version of Elizabeth Arden Visible Difference Good Morning Retexturing Primer. The said product has been discontinued and replaced with this. The difference between this and the discontinued version is that the former comes with foundation shade and it has an extremely powdery finishing.

Laneige Perfect Pore Cleansing Oil | B$49.90

I had been wanting to buy this since it was launched couple of years ago but never gotten round to as I always stock up on cheaper cleansing oils nowadays. Having tried Laneige Fresh Brightening Cleansing Oil, I was impressed with the performance so I am hoping the same thing from this.

I scored quite a bit of samples this time round. What I love about Laneige is that they are always generous with giving away samples. Susan from Laneige gave me samples for Laneige Clear C Serum but I told her that I’m using the product at the moment. So, she gave me Laneige Mini Pore Double Clearing Cleansing Foam instead.

Laneige Mini Pore Double Clearing Cleansing Foam

Elizabeth Arden Anti-Aging Daily Serum

Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Youth Restoring Essence

According to Shet Fui, this is Elizabeth Arden’s version of SK-II Facial Treatment Essence. She gave me a small sample bottle to try as I didn’t quite like it when I tested it over the counter. My first impression of the product is that the liquid smelled strong of alcohol.

Evening Skincare Routine 2017

Evening skincare routine is my most anticipated skincare routine of the day especially when I feel my skin being oily and sticky after a long day. On the day when I had my first makeover for a wedding of a good friend at the end of last month, I was literally anticipating the moment I could remove all makeup even when I was still at the wedding dinner banquet.

The moment when I got my makeup all removed, the feeling was pure blissful. You may think that I am fully exaggerating. But for someone who pretty much has never had full make up on her face, makeup removal is probably her most joyous moment of the day. LOL! My first makeover experience was indeed a delightful one but I am just not used to having so much makeup on my face.

Instead of sticking to the same evening skincare products, I alternate them once in a while depending on my skin condition at the time. For example, I have three makeup removers and two facial cleansers in my bathroom at the moment. Despite that I have some holy grail skincare products, I love to try out different brands of makeup removers.

Before we start, I would like to insert a little bit of disclaimer here. As mentioned in my previous morning skincare routine blog entry, what works on my skin may not necessarily works the same on yours and likewise. Without further ado, let’s get started!

Shiseido SENKA Perfect Gel | RM18.90

The reason why I bought this was that I was intrigued to try out all versions of makeup removers from Shiseido SENKA and this turned out to be one of the disappointing ones in my opinion. It was the texture which I didn’t like and it leaves a grease-like layer after rinsing. I remembered having Shiseido SENKA Perfect Liquid previously and it didn’t live up to my expectation either. However, Perfect Gel is better than Perfect Liquid in my opinion.

Shiseido SENKA Perfect Watery Oil | RM29.80

This is one of my current favorite makeup remover as it comes in a floral scent which I love. It can be heavily perfumed for those of you who like mildly scented or non-fragrant makeup remover. I have yet tested this product with makeup but it removes sunscreen, dirt and grimes off my skin very well. Best of all, it leaves my skin feeling all soft and supple after rinsing.

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water | B$12.60

This is my go-to makeup remover whenever I am feeling rather lazy after a long day of work. To be honest, I went through a phase whereby I am being totally obsessive over micellar water to the extent that I bought quite a few of them all at once. Speaking of which, I think I have at least four or five bottles of them unused.

Just so you know, I don’t use all three of them at the same time in my evening skincare routine. I choose one to use depending on my skin condition at the time. Like I mentioned earlier on, I have three bottles of makeup removers which I alternate the usages.

Shiseido SENKA Perfect White Clay | RM15.30

Kose Sekkisei Medicated Lotion | S$83

Need I say more? This is my holy grail toner which I never fail to stock up whenever I depart from Singapore Changi Airport. I like it even more that it comes in a dispenser bottle. It is convenient as you do not need to lift the bottle and uncap to pour the desired amount.

Lancôme Advanced Génifique Eye Cream | RM233

I am not being very specific with my eye cream. However, I do wonder if I should get a much potent one for night use. I had been following a YouTuber recently and she highly recommends innisfree Orchid Eye Cream. Perhaps I should get one of it and make this Lancôme eye cream for night use? Have anyone of you tried the eye cream from innisfree and what’s your take of the said product?

Laneige Clear C Peeling Serum | B$44.90

I bought this product about five months ago and I had been using it for approximately four months now. I used to use serum twice a day, both day and night. However, I had been using this once in a day since I started. Four months into using this serum, I still have at least half a bottle left. I can see that my skin has been improving  and my skin complexion looks much clearer nowadays.

Elizabeth Arden Flawless Future Powered by Ceramide™ Night Cream | RM253

I find that my skin is more moisturized and hydrated using this at night before bed. I tried using Laneige Water Bank Gel Cream as my nighttime moisturizer before and I can see my skin peels a bit around the nose area. This is my second pot at the moment and I have a third one stocking up in my skincare drawer.

So, this summed up my current nighttime skincare routine. Do stay tune for more updates as I will have some skincare product reviews coming up shortly.

Morning Skincare Routine 2017

I used to blog quite often in relation to skincare products but it gets lesser and lesser nowadays. I am sort of running out of topic to blog about. So, I thought what about a blog entry regarding my current skincare products? It may sound boring to some but at least it makes up for a blog entry, right? LOL!

I will be doing two blog entries for this – morning and evening. Both my skincare regimes vary as I use different products during the day and night. My daytime skincare products are much lighter in texture than my evening skincare products. I tend to use heavier texture ones so that it keeps my skin moisturized throughout the night.

Here’s a bit of disclaimer before we start. The following skincare products work well on my skin but it doesn’t necessarily produce the same outcome on other skin types. What works for me may not necessarily for you and vice versa.

Without further ado, let’s get started!

Shiseido SENKA Perfect White Clay | RM15.30

This is my current daytime facial cleanser which I bought from Watsons, Miri two months ago. I like that it leaves my skin feeling and looking so clean after wash but it leaves my skin feeling tight after each wash. Despite so, it doesn’t give me any breakout to date but occasional ones when my time of the month is napproaching.

Kose Medicated Sekkisei Lotion | S$83

This never failed to be my holy grail toner of all time. I do switch to other brands of toners occasionally but they never lived up to my expectation as much as this one does. I don’t remember how I got to try this toner but I was sold and hooked once I did.

I had been using this toner for more than four years and counting. I usually stock this up from Singapore Changi Airport as it is unavailable in Malaysia as a regular product. I was informed by the BA that this size comes as a limited edition and they only have it like twice a year during sales? However, this piece of news was four years old. Do let me know if this size is now selling as a regular item at Kose in Malaysia.

Lancôme Advanced Génifique Eye Cream | RM233

I bought this from Parkson when I was in Miri for the wedding of a good friend. My eye cream at the time – The Body Shop Oils Of Life Intensely Revitalising Eye Cream-Gel was hitting bottom. I looked for reviews and got myself this since the price tag wasn’t too steep for my budget. Mom thought that skincare products would be cheaper in Singapore than in Malaysia. Well, it is indeed true for some brands but Lancôme is surprisingly cheaper in Malaysia.

EDEEM Beauty Cream | RM132

EDEEM Beauty Cream is a product which my colleague highly recommended. It works like a beauty concealer or foundation. The consistency of the product is almost paste alike but smooth. You only need a small amount for the entire face. On my first usage, I went overboard with the dosage and it made my face looking all pale. Once I get the hang of it, it makes my skin looking quite naturally flawless as it manages to cover up my pores.

Laneige Water Bank Gel Cream | RM155

My all time favorite for gel based moisturizer used to be Clinique Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief. However, I prefer Laneige Water Bank Gel Cream over Clinique’s once I started using it. I am currently on my second and I had stocked up my third on my last departure from Singapore Changi Airport.

I like that the consistency is good on my skin. The consistency is light and it gets absorbed onto my skin quickly, leaving a dewy effect look. This moisturizer works best as my daytime moisturizer but not moisturized enough as a nighttime moisturizer. I had used it as my nighttime moisturizer on a few occasions and I find it drying as I can see my skin peeling around my nose area the next day.

Shiseido Perfect UV Protector SPF50+ PA++++ Wet Force | ¥244 

I had tried multiple brands of sunscreens but my personal favorite is always the ones from Shiseido. I liked the consistency of Shiseido’s sunscreens as well as the finishing look after application. Most of the sunscreens from the other brands break out on my skin and they usually leaves my skin an oily look finishing after application. For those of you who had tried Shiseido’s sunscreens, I’m pretty sure that you would agree with me that their sunscreens are one of the best.

Elizabeth Arden Visible Difference Good Morning Retexturing Primer | B$67

I had stopped using this product few months ago when I was being informed of being discontinued. I thought it was discontinued worldwide but it turned out to be only discontinued in Malaysia. I bought this from a clearance sales at a steal price. It was retailed at S$67 per piece in Singapore but I got two for S$30 only!.

Some had been asking me what’s so good about this product that I have never stopped purchasing it. The product is marketed as a makeup primer but I use this as a finishing product after the application of my daytime skincare products. I like that it leaves a matte finishing and all you need is a red bean size per application. I recommended this product to a colleague of mine and she liked it too.

So, this basically summed up my morning skincare routine. Evening skincare routine will come shortly.

Skincare Buys #10

It has been quite some time since I last did a skincare haul blog entry. So, here comes one for the time being. If you are wondering, I did not buy them all at the same time. They were bought separately at different times over the past few months. A few of them were purchased recently in a few days time as part of my retail therapy due to stress.

Without further ado, let’s get this blog entry started! I will be posting them in chronological order, first in first out. LOL!

L’Oreal Micellar Water | B$14.40

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water | B$12.60

I bought the above two bottles of micellar cleansing water from Hua Ho, Kiulap some time last month if my memory serves me well enough. However, both Hua Ho and Guardian outlets are currently doing a price reduction for Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water for about B$8.90 if I am not wrong.

Elizabeth Arden Flawless Future Powered by Ceramide Night™ Cream | RM253

I bought myself this as I am running short of night cream. This is my second tub of the product and I got it with 20% off, courtesy to the aunt of my colleague.

Senka Perfect Watery Oil | RM29.80

Laneige Clear C Peeling Serum | B$44.90

Laneige Vitamin Brightening Cleansing Water | B$33.90

Laneige Water Bank Gel Cream | RM155

I purchased this from Parkson, Bintang Megamall yesterday as my usual day moisturizer of Clinique Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief is running extremely low at the moment and I do not think I could wait for Sister to bring back another tub when flying home at the end of this month.

The Body Shop Oils Of Life Intensely Revitalising Eye Cream-Gel | B$59.90

I purchased myself a bottle of eye cream as my current Artistry Youth Xtend Enriching Eye Cream is running low at the moment. I had actually planned on making a trip down to Amway while in Miri yesterday but gave it a miss due to time constraint.

I was at Times Square this afternoon and I decided to give The Body Shop a shot. This was how I ended up buying an eye cream from The Body Shop. I was being given a sample of their Drops Of Youth™ Youth Cream and I quite like the texture after having tried it this evening. Perhaps I should consider getting it next time? Price is steep though.