Make-up products go through gruelling tests to test out their lasting power.

CURL GIRL THE ACTIVITIES: A 90-minute session of Dancesport THE PRODUCTS: Shu Uemura Painting Liner in Midnight Blue ($34), Shu Uemura pressed eyeshadow in M Y-Green 431 ($35), Maybelline Volum’ Express Cat Eyes mascara in black ($18.90), L’oreal Paris Infallible Longwear Lip Duo compact in Blush Obsession 102 ($23.90) THE VERDICT: Doing two 45-minute sessions of continuous dance, from the cha-cha to the waltz – and in a room filled with bright studio lights – has your make-up running in 10 minutes flat. So, what held up? In the end, the ones that could go the distance were the mascara and the eyeliner. The mascara is a gem for typical Asian lashes that point downwards and which refuse to curl. The comb applicator made my lashes look defined and gave great volume, with curl that stayed all day (no eyelash curling action necessary). The Painting Liner came in gel form and was relatively easy to use. It glided on with ease and stayed on without smudging or running. The eyeshadow (the green was a lovely shade) did the job of not creasing or discolouring throughout the day, but didn’t stand up to the sweat test. Sadly, the lip duo did not impress. The lipstick was drying and became patchy as the day wore on. Even the accompanying lip balm could not keep the lip colour from flaking off. WHERE TO BUY: Shu Umera is available at Isetan Orchard, Takashimaya and Tangs at VivoCity. Maybelline and L’Oreal Paris are available at Watsons – CHERYL CHIA
MASCARA CHAMP THE ACTIVITIES: An eight-hour day at work, followed by a 90-minute Muay Thai Class THE PRODUCTS: ZA Two Way Foundation ($24.50), Majolica Majorca Neo Automatic Liner in BK999 ($20.90), Majolica Majorca Lash Beautifying Mascara Frame Plus in BK999 ($25.90), Majolica Majorca Jeweling Eyes in VI782 ($27.50) THE VERDICT: Muay Thai training is a gruelling experience, exacerbated by the fact that my gym is non-airconditioned, which usually results in me looking like I’ve taken part in some Native American sweat bath ritual. The ZA Two Way Foundation felt light, and lasted throughout the day with no oxidation and I had to blot only once. However, once I hit Muay Thai class, it was game over, surviving only my 20-minute warm-up. The eyeshadow (in lovely shades of purple) didn’t fade – until I hit Muay Thai, that is. All that was left by the end of my session were a few sad sparkles. Now, perhaps being smacked in the face throughout the training session was a bit much for the eyeshadow and foundation to take. But two champions emerged out of this testing round – the eyeliner, which was a joy to apply with its fine tip; and the mascara. For the latter, lashes were dramatically long and really dark, and it breezed through the entire Muay Thai session. Only one caveat – if you accidentally smudge the mascara on your lids during application, you must wipe it off immediately. Once it sets, it would take both the grace of God and possibly a chisel to get it off. Just make sure you use an oil-based make-up remover to get it off or you’ll be wearing it for the next couple of days. WHERE TO BUY: Watsons stores – JEAN TAN
LIP SERVICE THE ACTIVITIES: Two hours of Ultimate Frisbee. THE PRODUCTS: Estee Lauder Double Wear Light Stay-in-Place Makeup ($53), Double Wear Stay-in-Place Dual Effect Powder Makeup ($56 for the powder, $20 for the empty compact), Double Wear Zero-Smudge Liquid Eyeliner ($38), Double Wear Lipstick ($34) and Stay-in-Place Lip Pencil ($31) THE VERDICT: In what might be the ultimate threat to nice doll-like make-up, frisbee players run their legs off on a soccer field-sized pitch – sweat guaranteed. And mud is par for the course after a few desperate dives for the disc. True to its name, Estee’s Double Wear foundation had a light, matte finish with decent oil control. (Great for those who don’t need heavy coverage for their foundation.) Two hours and much perspiration later, the liquid foundation was still visible, though badly in need of a touch-up, with slight oxidation. The powder, however, barely survived my 10-minute warm-up session. The Zero-Smudge liquid eyeliner lasted barely half an hour through the first game, leaving me with half-outlined eyes. A tad disappointing, as it was touted not to flake in hot, humid weather. The real survivors of the afternoon were the lip pencil and lipstick combo (in a rich shade of pink). The fade-resistant lipstick stayed on through water breaks, mad sweat-wiping, and even a short downpour, without a touch-up. Unfortunately, you have to wait to get your hands on these two gems as they will be available only in August. A tip – lip gloss is a must for those with drier lips. WHERE TO BUY: Tangs Orchard, Isetan Scotts and Takashimaya – DAWN TAY
LINER NOTES THE ACTIVITIES: A day of horse-riding, jet-skiing, swimming THE PRODUCTS: Mac gel blush in Just A Pinch ($36), Paint Pot eyeshadow in Rubenesque ($33), Splashproof Lash Mascara in Blacksplash ($22), Lipstick in Brave ($28), Liquidlast eyeliner in Inkspill ($33), Fix+ ($25) THE VERDICT: On a recent holiday, I embarked on an afternoon of riding (galloping up and down a beach, actually, on a horse that really loved to run), jet-skiing, and swimming. All that worked up a most unlady-like sweat. I applied all products over moisturiser and sun screen, then spritzed on the finishing spray, Fix+. The eyeliner (Inkspill, above, is a beautiful jungle inspired deep green) is the star product. It has staying power that a pop group these days would be keen to emulate. But be careful when applying – any mistake is near-impossible to rub off. To remove, splash a generous portion of eye make-up remover onto fingers, and gently rub over eyes. Eyeshadow (Rubenesque is a gorgeous golden shade that goes on wet, then dries to powder) is the next star player – it retained its sheen, even though it ran a tiny bit by the end of my day. The blush gives a sun-kissed glow but couldn’t stand up to a full day of sweat and water sports. The mascara is way more than splash-proof, but doesn’t score points for lengthening or volumising. Lipstick had to be retouched, but only after two hours. All in all, if these can survive a day out in the sun and waves, they can survive anything in urban life. WHERE TO BUY: Isetan Scotts, Ngee Ann City B1-36, Robinsons Raffles City, Tangs Orchard and Tangs VivoCity – JILL ALPHONSO
BLUSH RUSH THE ACTIVITIES: A 90-minute session of Bikram yoga (hot yoga), followed by a five-hour shopping trip THE PRODUCTS: Pot Rouge in Calypso ($41), Long-Wear Cream Eye Shadow in Sand Dollar ($36), Gel Eyeliner in Cobalt ink ($40), No Smudge Mascara in Black ($40) THE VERDICT: A Bikram’s session means doing 26 Hatha yoga postures in a room heated to between 40 and 42 deg C. That means that by the time you’ve done a breathing exercise, you’re drenched in sweat. For this test, a shower was had in between Bikram’s and walking around town (just in case you were wondering). Bobbi Brown’s star products turned out to be the eyeshadow and rouge. The eyeshadow (Sand Dollar is a shiny khaki shade great for night or day) lasted well, staying dry on the eyes despite the sweating, as well as through poses that saw my face pressed firmly against my legs. And the rouge gave my cheeks that perfect rosy glow that lasted through the day with minimal fading. The rouge in particular gets high marks for its dual function – it can go on lips as well. The eyeliner is a little more comfortable to wear than Mac’s (which shrinks a bit against the skin as it dries), and stayed on throughout the day. The only hitch is that I’ve been warned by a Bobbi Brown consultant at one of its counters that though it’s amazingly waterproof, it will smudge on oily eyelids. No Smudge Mascara separates lashes nicely, but doesn’t add volume. Still, it suffered only a little flaking by the end of the yoga session. WHERE TO BUY: Isetan Scotts, Robinsons at The Centrepoint and Raffles City Shopping Centre, and Tangs VivoCity – JILL ALPHONSO

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