Review: Sephora Collection Eye Mask and Sleeping Mask

My latest mask acquisitions are from the Sephora Collection: the Marine Algae Eye Mask, Green Tea Sleeping Mask, and Lotus Sleeping Mask. While this can now be ordered online from Sephora PH (this used to be Luxola.com, I think?), I got mine from Singapore at roughly the same price, cheaper by around 2 pesos.

So what is this sorcery?! Here's a quick rundown:

The Marine Algae Eye Mask promises to "enhance skin hydration from within and nourishes skin for deeply plumped, supple and balanced skin".

The Lotus Sleeping Mask is a moisturizing and soothing rich cream-gel textured sleeping mask that "locks in water and reduces signs of fatigue for the appearance of plumper, more rested skin".

The Green Tea Sleeping Mask is a mattifying and anti-blemish cream-gel textured sleeping mask for a matte, clean complexion.

*My Sephora mask experience*

Marine Algae Eye Mask
One pack contains two sheets - one for each undereye contour. It is soaked in the marine algae formula upon opening. Hay nako, don't be like me and wear the protective sheet instead of the actual mask. LOL. The mask is the soft white sheet while the protective sheet looks translucent when put on the skin. Watch the video below and see my booboo! LOL. XD

A video posted by Jen Tan (@missjenausten.ph) on Feb 7, 2016 at 6:04pm PST

The mask is cooling and refreshing on the undereye area and this is coming from someone who regularly lacks sleep. The formula feels so light and was easily absorbed by my skin - no sticky residue! Since I only used this once, I wasn't really expecting any drastic change. I did notice though that my undereye area looked plumper like whenever I get to have a good night's rest.


Lotus Sleeping Mask

Though small at 0.27 oz, I was able to use the Sephora Lotus Sleeping Mask twice. I reckon it can even be stretched up to three uses. The mask comes in a pink gel cream formula which is easy to apply on the face. There's an instant cooling effect on the skin upon application. It really helped in hydrating my skin and similar to the Marine Algae Eye Mask, my skin looked plumper and more rested the morning after.

Green Tea Sleeping Mask

Like the Lotus Sleeping Mask, the Green Tea mask is also cooling to the skin. The mask comes in a green gel cream formula. I don't have as much love, though, for this one since it kind of dried up my skin. Maybe it got too mattifying? Anyhow, this might be good for those with very oily skin.

All in all, I like both the eye and sleeping masks. On a stressful Friday night, putting on this would be a good way to unwind and get a much-deserved relaxation.

15 Hits of 2015 (Part 3 of 3)

The final installment of my 15 Hits of 2015...let's talk about one of my favorite topics - makeup!! *insert kilig girly scream*

Ok so I cheated a bit in this post. Normally, I would have just 5 products but I'm including the "runner-ups" in this post as well. Too many nice discoveries, too little space to talk about everything. Lol.

For the last 5 of my 15 Hits of 2015, *drumroll please*

...1) MAC Lightful Powder Foundation
I'll be the first to admit that I'm not the biggest fan of MAC powders. Its Studio Fix variant broke me out in the past although it's just fair to say it has amazing coverage. So trying out the MAC Lightful powder foundation was a huge risk for me. I was sold when the lovely MAC MUA, Isabelle, tried this on me. The powder is finely milled and gives the skin a nice glow, it's neither flat matte nor overly glowy, so I'd say this is good for oily skin. Best part? It doesn't break me out! Woohoo! If you're due for a new powder foundation, I highly recommend going to a MAC store and trying this on. You just might have found your next buy. :)

...2) Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask

We all went cray with face masks and now we even have hand and foot masks. So why not take care of our lips too, which is by the way very sensitive to weather changes. I got this as a free sample. It's a teeny pot but since you won't need a lot of product, I feel like this will last me for quite some time. It has a pleasant scent and glides smoothly like lip butter on the lips. This one really helped moisturize my lips and even get rid of dead skin even with just one application. Bye-bye flaking skin, hello soft lips! 

...3) Make Up For Ever Full Cover Concealer
LOVE love love this one! Full coverage, matte finish, and waterproof. What's not to love?!❤️ Best of all for me, it didn't break me out. Yay. So I'm completely sold. 'Nuff said. Take my money! Lol.

...4) Mary Kay Concealer
I have a confession to make: undereye concealing used to be one of my frustrations. I really found it difficult to conceal my eyebags even with the best brands. WHYYYYY. Until I stumbled into the Mary Kay concealer. I bought it months ago intending to use it on blemishes but never really liked it because it irritated my pimples and so it went to the back of my makeup drawer. Fast forward to several months after and a super destash session, I picked this up and swatched it. For a shade that's named Ivory, I thought the color looked a little too yellow. I had the crazy idea of trying it on my undereye area and, boom, I found the perfect match for my eyebags! They don't completely disappear but I love how just a small amount of the concealer brightens it and makes me look so much more well-rested. It's very blendable too!

...5) Innisfree Skinny Microcara
This stuff is Holy Grail Material. When I first tried it, I went "Holy, what is this sorcery?!". Your Asian lower lashes (code for short and sparse) will definitely love this. The skinny brush (they're not kidding when they said skinny) is able to coat my lashes without transferring mascara to my undereye area. Yay! It doesn't smear also throughout the day so double win. The only downside for me is that it's not available locally (boohoo), I picked this up in Bangkok and I can only wish now that I got more tubes for backup. Huhu. Oh well, I'll be stocking up on this the next time I get to an Innisfree store.

And the runner-ups...

...1) Happy Skin Feeling Sculptacular Face Contour Kit

Once you contour, it's gonna be so hard to go without it. Taas kamay ng mga nakaka-relate!😂 I recommend the Happy Skin Contour Kit for those days when you have little time and need something fool-proof. It has soft tones so this will be nice for heavy-handed users and it lasts throughout the day. 

...2) Heavy Rotation Powder Eyebrow and Nose Shadow
This is my go-to powder eyeshadow kit to match my colored hair. It's easy to apply, pigmented just the way I want it to be, and can also double as contour powder for the noseline and crease. For gals with colored hair (light brown shades), I recommend to pair this up with Heavy Rotation's eyebrow mascara. Sobrang plakado ng kilay.

...3) MAC Pro Longwear Concealer
It took me long to try this as I haven't had the best skin experience with MAC. My previous experience with it years ago left me with unfortunate breakouts. So I was a little skeptical when I sat down in the MAC makeup chair and had Isabelle (RP Manila branch, she's really good!) work her MAC magic on me. The coverage is good, matte in finish, and stays throughout the day. Sounds like MUFE, no? The only difference for me would be the texture - this one is more liquid. Thankfully, this one didn't break me out! 

...4) Eden's Paradise Lip Majikku
This is my quick-pick-me-up for my lips, providing moisture and a cooling sensation. It has Sakura extracts, Vitamins A, C, and E as ingredients. These skin-loving ingredients leave my lips soft and pinkish, perfect for tamad no-makeup days. I ordered mine in Instagram, check out @edensparadiseloyola.

...5) Dermacol Make-Up Cover
For full heavy coverage, I certainly recommend the Dermacol Make-Up Cover. Plakadong-plakado ang coverage! A little certainly goes a VERY long way. For days when you need good coverage and with very little time on your hands, this is a good option. Although, I don't really recommend this to oily-skinned gals because of its very creamy texture. Should you really want to try it, make sure to set with a good setting/mattifying powder.

...6) Happy Skin Shut Up and Kiss Me lippie in Pop the Question

Shut up, kiss me, and just pop the da*n question! Lol, don't you just wish you could say that sometime to the torpe guy who always does the sweetest things for you but ca never seem to find the guts to ask you out?😂 On a more serious note, this is another Happy Skin winner in my books (I have quite a few!) because of its soft pink shade which is completely wearable (sobrang nakaka-fresh), smooth texture, and moisturizing properties. 

15 Hits of 2015 (Part 2 of 3)

Hola, bellas! To continue my post on my 15 Hits of 2015.....

 I am a product junkie, truth be told. I love trying out new products; although I have become more selective now since my skin is really waaayyy too sensitive (madaming feelings eh! LOL) and I have come to know its needs better.

I bring to you my top 5 skincare hits in 2015 (not counting the MAC Lightful Vibrancy Eye Cream), which is basically what makes up my current regimen. This one has worked the best for me so far.

Clinique Liquid Facial Soap Oily Skin Formula 

Don't let its transparency and liquid texture fool you. It's a cooling cleanser masquerading as water in a green bottle. This provides me the cool clean feeling I want after washing. At the end of the day, I think every girl just wants to take off makeup and relax. This allows me just that minus the tight feeling that most harsh cleansers leave.

Murad Acne and Wrinkle Reducer

Adult acne + fine lines + wrinkles = every 20-something's nightmare. It's even scarier than weight gain because you know you can lose fats but those lines look like they're about ready to settle in nicely. Yikes! Apart from drinking lots of water and praying for extra grace to smile even when stressed, the Murad Acne and Wrinkle Reducer is my go-to for decent skin. It has a medical smell, probably due to its Salicylic Acid content, that is tolerable. Don't worry about it being greasy because it's neither gel nor serum type but this is absorbed quickly by the skin and does not exacerbate oiliness.

Shu Uemura Tsuya Youthful Crystal Transparency Lotion

Another wonderful product masquerading as water in an iridescent purple bottle! This is a little more of an indulgence, not really a must-have, but it adds something extra to my regimen. I find that my skin absorbs moisturizer better when I apply this beforehand. I once stopped using this but found myself reaching for it after a week since my skin turned dull.

Laneige Water Bank Gel Cream_EX

Ever feel like your skin can use a tall glass of cold water? That's what the Laneige moisturizer is to my skin. I love its gel texture which makes it easily absorbed by the skin. No more greasy face! It also has a faint smell, like fragrant water (seriously, what?!), which is pleasant and non-irritating. Best part that I like is how it leaves a cooling sensation when applied, just what I need at the end of a long day after I take off all makeup and get ready for some zzzzz's. 

Laneige Water Sleeping Mask

Masks can be great and common knowledge has always told us to use it once a week. I haven't had good luck though with the many sheet masks I've tried. Most have irritated my skin or caused breakouts. Even clay masks can sometimes be harsh on my skin. This is why I've shied away from masks for a long time. Despite the unpleasant experiences, my penchant for trying new products almost always wins and led me to try the Laneige Water Sleeping. Now, this IS the bomb. Seriously. 

If I' not mistaken, sleeping masks are an innovation of the Koreans (who have the best skin, I suppose). The Laneige SA suggested that I partner this with the Water Bank Gel Cream for optimum results. Now, this one is recommended to be used twice a week but I cheat because I actually use it every night! Loving it, though. I sleep better with it since it also cools the skin. Daily use has resulted to more moisturized skin. I wake up to healthier and plumper skin. 

My skin is still far from the ideal state I want for it; I have my hormones my thank (not!). But these products have made the journey less "excruciating" (lol). I wonder how my 2016 skin journey will be. In the last part of 15 Hits 2015, we come to my most favorite part, makeup! Gasp! :)

15 Hits of 2015 (Part 1 of 3)

Happy new year, everyone! I'm typing this in between laundry time, yup I'm trying to be more productive and squeeze in more writing time this year! *fingers crossed* I wanted to start 2016 by taking a look back at my 15 hits among the many misses of 2015. Buying cosmetics is really a matter of trial and error. And you know what they say, you'll never really until you try. So as not to bore everyone, I'm dividing this into 3 posts. Today let me tell you about the products I repurchased within the year (yes, it means I fell in love with it!).

(In no particular order)

Yay for repurchases!

Nippon Pro Blend Sponge Cleaner

The OC in me brought out my diligent once a week habit of cleaning my sponges and brushes this year and I've met my match in the Nippon sponge cleaner! It's a basic liquid cleaner with, I believe, antibacterial properties. I just squeeze a generous amount on the sponge, massage and squish it up to get the foundation residue out, then rinse. I repeat this for usually twice more just to be sure I'm getting everything out. Voila, my Beauty Blender and wedge sponges get all cleaned up in a few minutes!  I cannot emphasize the importance of keeping tools clean and this is my perfect partner for it. 

Accra Kappa Eau de Cologne White Moss

I chanced on Acca Kappa when I went gift shopping in Rustans. I was attracted to its minimalist packaging and fell in love at first sniff (haha) when I spritzed it. It had a really clean and fresh smell, like you just got out of the shower. It's like nothing can change how fresh you will smell throughout the day, haha. I won't exactly wear this on a special occasion (that would call for another perfume for another post) but this is my go-to scent for regular days in the office or casual dates. 

Growing up, I've never worn too much perfume. I actually shied away from it since my father is allergic to most scents (particularly strong ones) and we usually refrained from wearing perfumes in consideration. And so my perfume journey started a little bit late just this year when I realized a good perfume, just like the perfect pair of shoes or a tube of lipstick, can complete an outfit. Hey no harm in being a late bloomer, lol!

Celeteque Acne-Clearing Concealer 

Before I discovered my current favorite and HG concealer, Celeteque's concealer was the bomb for me. So much so that I repurchased it quite several times, I probably bought around 20 pieces of this! It's easy to use - the pointed tip makes it ideal even for small blemishes. Just dab on the spot and pat to blend with either fingers or a sponge then set with powder. I believe this has salicylic acid, which can also help in drying up the pimple. 

Make Up For Ever Step 1 Redness Correcting Primer 

The most random trips can sometimes yield the best discoveries and such is the case with MUFE's Redness Corrcting Primer, which I discovered in a random and impulsive trip to MUFE in Greenbelt. True to who I am, I walked in without any plans of buying and walked out with several items, this included. Lol. A sheer amount of this "green stuff" is incredibly effective in taming the redness of my pimples; concealer just isn't maximized without the aid of correctors. Redness minimized, longevity of concealer maximized. Win!

Nivea In-Shower Skin Conditioner 

Now this is my probably my best discovery for 2015. Perfect for girls who are just too lazy to put on lotion but suffer from dry skin. Hallelujah to this product that moisturizers just as well minus the hassle of waiting for the lotion to dry! It doesn't have a strong scent so you won't have to worry about it clashing with your signature perfume. I just slather it on after body wash and rinse in the shower then I am done with my moisturizing duties for the day. After using it for almost the whole year, my skin has never been softer and healthier. 

I'm excited which products I will discover and love this new year. May we never tire of trying out new stuff and finding wonder in each new discovery.❤️ 

⭐️Happy beautiful new year!⭐️ 

Review: Pixi Endless Silky Eye Pen in Bronzebeam

Eyeliners are just the thing of Asian ladies although I pretty much shied away from it because of my puffy undereye which tends to get dark once the eyeliner starts smearing. Ack, raccoon eyes alert! It doesn't help too that my oily lids just won't stop letting go of what I put on it (hehe!). My makeup journey, however, has showed me never to underestimate the power of a well-drawn line especially for Asian eyes. Sometimes it can make just the difference you need to complete a look! Enter my first Pixi product: the Endless Silky Eye Pen in Bronzebeam.

Though what I've said above is true, I must admit that the main reason why I bought the Pixi Endless Silky Eye Pen is because I saw it on one of my favorite beauty bloggers, Julia of Bless My Bag, and she totally rocked the smoky eye look using just the Eye Pen! Gasp! I was mesmerized by her photo and thought, 'I gotta get my hands on that pen!' After some dilly-dallying, I took the plunge and ordered it through Beauty MNL (see my previous post for my Beauty MNL experience).

Now, what can I say about it? LOVE it! And that's not just me being OA. ;-)

The Pixi Promise:

Waterproof, super-long-wear, no-smudge, no-budge eye liners. They glide on like seamless silk, and in a single sweep motion create a flawless, solid jewel-toned line. No retouching required all day - or night! Gentle on eyes, yet intensely coloured and super-silky. Waterproof. Paraben-free. Mineral oil-free. Preservative-free. Hypoallergenic.

The Verdict:

1. Waterproof? Long-wearing? No-smudge? No-budge? Solid YES to all of that! I wore this once for 10 hours straight (a wedding with a good number of tears, outdoor picture taking in a hilly location, Mcdonalds stopover before the reception and finally, a few more tears during the reception; you get the picture) and it stayed with me until the end when I finally had to wipe it off. Yeah, did I mention it also survived a rainy day with matching zipline adventure. \m/

2. It starts creamy and blendable for a good number of minutes before it finally sets and refuses to budge. I actually tried to copy Julia's look but ended up only semi-successful. :p

3. If there's any con I'll have to point is that you'll have to sharpen this at some point. I'm just being lazy, I know! Haha. I've already sharpened mine and though I haven't exactly achieved its original sharpness, it performs just as well on my lids. :-)

4. Even though it's described as a 'true bronze', you can control the intensity of the color by the pressure with which you apply it. I was initially put off by its satin-y finish but it's not actually very noticeable from a distance. It actually looks less harsh than matte liners but flattering all the same.

Swatching the Pixy Endless Silky Eye Pen in Bronzebeam

If the other shades perform just as well as the Bronzebeam, I just might end up getting a black one. Heehee! :)

I just realized that I have no decent photo wearing this. Hehe. So please make do with what I currently have. I'll try to update this post later with a nicer photo.:D

Wore it in a wedding

At Graphika Manila 2015

 And lastly, for the curious one, what's in the Endless Silky Eye Pen?

Ingredients List

BDJ Box Exclusive: Kawaii Must-Haves

Super cute exclusive box from BDJ! One look at the cover and I sort of fell in love with this month's beauty box. <3 

Together with the products is a magazine featuring various Japanese cosmetics and a bunch of makeup tips. Helpful stuff! I particularly love the guide in eyeliner styles (I'm such a noob). 

So what's inside?

1. Bifesta Cleansing Lotion Age Care 

No question about Bifesta's superb performance as a makeup remover; I've finished quite a number of this by now. It's affordable and works well. I've always used the Brightening variant so the Age Care variant will be a welcome change in my routine.😸

2. Lucido-L Styling Milk Airy

I am excited for this leave on treatment! My hair is quite limp these days as I use conditioner everyday (my hair becomes too unamanageable if I don't) so let's see how well it will fare with my hair. 

3. Lucido-L Treatment Oil Perm

No idea who can test this one for me. Hmmm, will have to rack my brain who among my friends have permed and colored hair. 

4. Pixy Eye Shadow

This one looks very promising as well! The colors look very wearable although I have yet to feel its texture. 

5. Pixy Blush On 

Sorry but my first impression of this is a little meh. I'm seeing not chunky but definitely not super fine glitter. :| I got the shade Passion Roses which looks a little dark in the pan but who knows, I'm guessing the curious cat in me will still try this one out. 

6. Pixy Two Way Cake Perfect Fit in Ivory

Love its BIG mirror.❤️ Perfect when you're applying makeup or just retouching. Biggest turn-off, however, is its strong scent. The smell actually reminds me of Kokuryu foundations, I don't know why, hehe. Despite the name, it looks dark in the pan although I'll be double checking this later under better lighting. 

7. Pixy Coverlast Compact Powder in Ivory

This one is scented too but is more pleasant to the nose than the two way cake. Same comment on the shade and yes, I will check one more time under better light. :)

8. Sunkiller Perfect Strong Plus

Non-oily, waterproof and sweatproof. Whew! Big promises. I may be able to use this come summer season. :)

Everything is full sized and total value comes to about 2500 pesos. Good value, if you ask me, considering that a BDJ Box only costs 500+ per box. Then again, I'm a makeup junkie of some sort so I'm thoroughly satisfied with this box. :D And last but not the least, love the sticker for this box!

Rock it and own it, lady!

My 2015 Beauty Resolutions

So here we are again with a brand new year and me with my own list of resolutions. I'm sure you have yours as well and we also both have our prayers for the grace to accomplish all our resolutions. :p

They say effective resolution-making includes making oneself more accountable. One way of doing is to publicize one's resolutions for the whole world to know! Yep, dyahe if you don't go through with it when a lot of people have read it already, right?

For this year, I have pretty simple habits/commitments that I want to build.

#GOAL: A healthier lifestyle for a better quality of life.

1. Apply SUNBLOCK regularly.

As someone lazy to apply lotion everyday, I've also avoided sunblock until several glycolic stuff forced me to put on sunblock everyday. I'm hoping to continue this for the rest of my life (haha!) as I know I will be thanking my past self at some point for taking the time to slather on sun protection. It would be a nightmare to look at premature aging and sun spots later on and know that you could have prevented it with a little effort.

I tried this moisturizer with Broad Spectrum SPF 30 by Mario Badescu and have grown to like it. It doesn't make my skin oilier and has a very subdued scent. Smells like sunblock but nothing too extreme for the nostils.







2. Drink up!

Yes, I say yes to more glasses of water in a day! The water dispenser in my current office is not in a very accessible area and this really discourages me at times to refill my water bottle. But nope, I can't let myself be set back by it. I've seen the benefits of water, particularly lemon water, to my body and it would be such a shame to let laziness take over me. It did such good for me as it flushed out the toxins in my body.

Lemon water didn't completely clear up my skin but it did make it more decent. And of course, the flatter stomach doesn't hurt. :p

3. Exfoliate and (gently) exfoliate some more.

Some people shy away from exfoliating in the belief that the pressure on skin can do more harm than good. But sometimes not exfoliating at all can lead to clogged pores. At least, that's how I understand it.

Always pick a gentle exfoliant and resist the urge to go crazy and overdo it! The Apha-H Micro Cleanse is a glycolic product which really leaves my skin baby soft and smooth after use. See, there goes your temptation to exfoliate everyday but by all means, resist it for the sake of your skin. ;)







4. Just Floss It!

Poor dental hygience can lead to heart attack and various other complications.

photo credit: pattyanne:made via photopin

Since I am more prone to gingivitis than the average person, I should really start taking regular flossing more seriously. I hope I can turn this into a habit until the time when it becomes almost automatic for me.

And there you have my 4 simple habits to be made in 2015. I believe resolutions don't always have to be grand; they can be simple and still meaningful as long as it achieves one's end goal.

What are your resolutions for this year? :-)

Color Correction with the Graftobian Corrector/Neutralizer Wheel

...and how it changed my life. LOL. Drama much.

First off, pardon the camera phone-quality photos. I have been dilly-dallying with registering my Adobe Lightroom (boo, the 30-day trial has ended!), which has tremendously spoiled me in post processing. For the meantime, I'm using my Snapseed to edit.

My skin has been breaking out extra badly in the past weeks. :-( I can tell it's hormonal because it's mostly cystic acne. Anyways, many people would say to stop wearing makeup for the skin to get better. I've tried it before but it didn't work for me so I wear makeup anyway. Mehehe. :-) What I've learned, though, is to steer clear of silicone-rich primers, foundations and concealers.

Excuse the bare face an  see how bad my skin has been lately. :-(

My consolation in this ordeal is that I get to practice color correction although I still struggle with color theory. Hehe. I've been using the Graftobian Corrector/Neutralizer Wheel (purchased from Pro Tools Cebu) for a few months already and it's proven to be effective and reliable.

Photo credit: beautyboutique-qatar.com

About the Graftobian Corrector/Neutralizer Wheel:

"contain 10% more pigment than Graftobian's Hi-Def Glamour Cremes to effectively color correct hyperpigmentation, redness, dark circles and blemishes to create an even, workable canvas on your client."

The wheel contains 6 shades (in counter-clockwise order) - muted green, yellow hi-lite, extra hi-lite, soft orange (which looks brown-ish), orange and pink hi-lite (middle of the wheel).

Wait! What's Color Correction?

Quite simply, color correction in makeup is when we neutralize something we want to conceal before actually putting concealer on it. The color theory is used as a guiding principle in this. Green cancels out red; both colors are diagonally opposite each other in the color wheel. A more useful and in-depth explanation can be read in Kevin James Bennett's blog post.

When do we color correct? Take for instance when you have a big pimple. The reflex is to pile on your heaviest-duty and thickest concealer on it to conceal. While this may prove to be effective to some, often a good amount of redness stubbornly peeks through. (Don't you just hate that?) Color correction neutralizes first the redness which decreases it and therefore makes the job of the concealer easier.

How I use the Graftobian Corrector/Neutralizer Wheel in my daily makeup routine:
1) I tap the pointed end of a blending sponge on the muted green corrector then spot-neutralize pimples with a stippling motion.

2) Using the same end of the sponge, I spot-apply a combination of the extra hi-lite and soft orange.

Next photo shows how my face looks like after Steps 1 and 2.

3) For undereye circles, I use a combination of the soft orange, pink hi-lite and extra hi-lite and pat it on my undereye area similar to how regular concealer will be applied. See the last photo for reference.

4) I go over the stubborn pimples with yellow hi-lite and that usually does the trick.

As you can see in the last photo, I wasn't able to perfectly conceal everything. A sheer layer of foundation usually seals the deal for me and gives me the coverage I want. :-)


I'm currently researching and practicing my color theory knowledge. I know I'll be learning much more along the way and hopefully be able to make more use of my trusty Graftobian Corrector/Neutralizer Wheel.

Be blessed always!

FOTD featuring MAC All Fired Up!

I've been cramming the past days for a presentation so here I am cheating my way through a quick FOTD post with micro reviews! :p 

Base

• Skindinavia Makeup Primer Spray = silicone-free, thank the heavens! 
• Clinique Even Better City Block Anti-Pollution = perfect for commuting gals like me :-)
• Happy Skin Second Skin Creme Silicone Free Foundation in 01 Soft Beige= read my Happy Skin story here!
• Graftobian Theatrical Creme Wheel = super loving the green corrector
• Ben Nye Tattoo Cover-All Wheel = creamy texture is perfect for undereye circles
• Shiseido Sheer Eye Zone Corrector = from no sleep to well-slept in a swipe!

Eyes

•  In2it Eyebrow Kit = used it wet for the first time and love the results!
• Graftobian Theatrical Creme Wheel = to highlight above the brows
• Lorac Pro Palette: Taupe for base, Espresso to define the Outer V, Light Bronze for the lids and Nude to define the inner corner of the eyes
• Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner in Sepia Ink
• Fairy Drops Platinum Macara = fast becoming my favorite go-to mascara! 

Cheeks

• RCMA Highlight and Contour Palette = used the light brown for contour and the yellow to highlight the cheekbones
• MAC Margin
• Inglot blush

Lips

• BYS nude lipliner
• MAC All Fired Up = luv, luv, luv! Definitely matte (can be a bit drying!) but the color is just too nice. Applied a sheer layer with a lip brush then applied the lipstick directly for a richer finish. 

Finish

• Ben Nye Banana Powder
• Ben Nye Translucent Powder 

No clever closing statement except for this beautiful reminder which I came across in my Twitter feed,

"God is in control. 

And we are never too far from His grace."

REVIEW: CATRICE COSMETICS Ultimate Nail Lacquer

Next to makeup, another considerable collection of mine is nail polish. My nails have always been brittle and short - a consequence of my young nail-biting days - but I've always enjoyed trying on different colors on my tips. Call it color therapy, I guess. ;-)

Well, guess what I came home with when I visited the Catrice counter in SM Manila. Heehee. :-)

Ultimate Nail Lacquer

The Promise:

Thanks to the new Gloss Booster technology, the next generation of Ultimate Nail Lacquers is extremely convincing with a high-shine finish, perfect coverage and ultra-long durability. With the innovative reservoir brush, you can colour your nails with just one stroke. Free of formaldehyde, toluene or phthalates.
Tested and loved: 9 out of 10 women love* the perfect COVERAGE, ultimate SHINE and long DURABILITY.
* Consumer test with 100 women, 2013

Does it deliver?

• High-shine finish - I won't exactly call it high-shine; my personal preference is still to place top coat for extra shine
• Perfect coverage - As with other brands, opacity really depends on the shade itself. Bloody Mary to Go (red) and Genius in A Bottle (chameleon green) are opaque on the first coat while The Effect Maker (a multi-dimensional nude shade) took me 3 coats for a decent finish. I think it's best to use a white base for the last shade.
• Ultra-long durability - I LOVE the lasting power of the Ultimate Nail Lacquer! With its name, I think this is a step up from your regular nail polish. Bloody Mary to Go lasted me a whole week; I think it would have lasted me longer if I hadn't have to do the weekly laundry. Genius in A Bottle lasted me about 5 days before minimal chipping. 
• Color nail with just one stroke - I really wouldn't say that all it took is one stroke. It still took me the usual three strokes to spread the color evenly. 

As with other polishes, it is highly recommended to use a good base coat and top coat. I also apply another layer of top coat on the second night of wear for good measure and for extra shine. 

Swatches (please excuse the poor state of my cuticles):

Bloody Mary to Go

See how Genius in A Bottle looks different under different lighting.
Top is taken at night under fluorescent light; bottom is taken in natural light

The Effect Maker worn

I so love the Ultimate Nail Lacquer that I regret passing up on a beautiful chocolate brown shade that they had. Oh well, it can only mean another trip to the Catrice counter is bound to happen in the future! LOL. 

To see other shades, you can check out the Catrice Colour Finder.

So tell me, what's your favorite polish brand and color? 

Be blessed always!

REVIEW: Estee Lauder Pure Color Envy Shine Sculpting Lipstick in 210 Graceful

I must confess. Estee Lauder isn’t my typical brand; I grew up seeing it in older women’s vanity tables. The luxe feel of the brand has always put it beyond the reach of my student budget (then) and made me shy away from it.

All that said, I don't know what got into me when I found myself trying out lipstick at the Estee Lauder counter in MOA a few months ago. Must be their pretty model with pouty lips? Heh. I After much hemming and hawing at the counter, I gave in and got my first tube! Now I feel more grown-up. Chos! Let's talk about the one I got, the Pure Color Envy Shine Sculpting Lipstick in Graceful described as a sheer nude-pink. It was the most logical choice at that time since this is perfect for daily use in the office but now I'm actually considering other shades because of this lipstick's great qualities. 

How is this kid going to fit in with my messy lipstick collection of mostly drugstore brands??

What made me buy it aside from me being an impulsive (reformed, ehem) shopper? 

Here are the YAYs:

Luxurious packaging. The body is solid and has a certain heft when held. It’s very elegant and yet understated; something you won’t mind whipping out in a hotel restroom. ;) I have a tendency to play with its magnetic cap, heehee. 

Comfortable wear. The best description that comes to mind is that the lipstick hugs my lips when I wear it. It doesn’t dry my lips. No white flakes left either after several hours of wear. Pure joy to wear. *hands up*

Smooth application. It applies so smoothly. I call it love at first swipe. *hearts*

Sculpting? The lipstick gives off a shine that gives the lips a nice lift. Nothing too dramatic, though. The effect is very natural which is fine by me. 

Yup, this is MLBB material!

Estee Lauder in Graceful when worn by yours truly

You may notice I did not put any cons. Well, I just don't have any beef with it! I love it a lot! 

If you want something perfect for everyday use - wearable and comfortable - I daresay this is a good investment to have. No unsightly chapped lips! :-) 

I'd love to hear about your favorite MLBB lipsticks and your 'investment' lipsticks!

Be blessed always.

REVIEW: Revlon Colorstay Ultimate Suede Lipstick in Backstage

The word 'backstage' brings to mind images of stage hands in black clothes, the need to stay invisible and and blend in the background like a chameleon. Well, this lipstick is anything but that. 

The Revlon Colorstay Ultimate Suede lipstick in Backstage will put you on the stoplight with its deep rich shade that lends instant sophistication to any look. It’s like a good pair of pumps or handbag that gives that much needed extra ooomph. I remember seeing Emma Stone's ad on this and just drooling over how nice and elegant it looked on her. 

The YAYs:

- Lovely shade of deep berry red

- Sturdy packaging (and the lipstick bullet doesn’t nick the cap! I’m looking at you Wet ‘n Wild)

The Swatch

The NAYs:

- SUPER drying (I thought suede was all about a smooth texture?). It starts really smooth on the lips then eventually dries uncomfortable. 

- Fades unevenly (need to retouch every so often)

- You'll need a quite a few swipes to build up the beautiful rich color. (some people see this as a pro since the color is sheer at first and yet buildable)

- Lasting power is so-so. Starts to fade after 3 hours.

The color looks beautiful, right? :) And that's the only reason why I'll still be wearing this even if it's drying. Just load up on the lip balm and...keep smiling! Hehe.

Be blessed always!

REVIEW: Catrice Cosmetics Photo Finish 18H Liquid Foundation in 010 Sand Beige

CATRICE COSMETICS is the new kid on the makeup block. It just got here in the Philippines, its two stalls right now at SM Manila and SM Mall of Asia department stores. Ever the curious cat, I decided to check it out and was pleasantly surprised with its affordable prices. Its most expensive product, foundation, which is made in Germany and 30 ml in content is affordably priced at 499 pesos.

Swatch has been blended

The Promise:

- make-up with fresh and light formulation and light-reflecting pigments

- evens out skin perfections

- perfectly matches your skin tone

- soft-focus effect for a naturally glowing complexion without mask effect

- lasts up to 18h

- oil-free, skin compatibility dermatologically approved

- for a flawless and radiant complexion, as perfect as a retouched photo

I saw 4 shades in the counter:

Sand Beige (which I got), Rosy Beige (pink-toned), Caramel Beige (warmer and tanner

than  Sand Beige) and another darker shadewhich I wasn’t able to get the name of.

The department store lights were a bit off and so I couldn’t get a clear view of the

swatches. Sand Beige turned out to be slightly pink-toned more than I want it to be. It was a tad too white as well for me.

Top: Foundation freshly applied and taken without flash
Middle: Taken without flash and set with Shiseido powder foundation
Bottom: taken with flash; no setting powder; the pinkness is very visible in this shot

The YAYs:

-Packaging. The glass bottle looks very sturdy with engraved text so no eventual fading. It was also sealed so yay for that! It comes with a pump which makes for convenient and controlled dispensing. The shade name is also on the bottle cap which makes it easy to spot in my kit.

- Coverage is actually nice. There’s no shimmer yet it gives off a fresh finish. It’s neither too matte nor too dewy. Check out the soft focus finish it had on my skin!

- Light on the skin. It’s blendable and doesn’t feel heavy on the skin. It doesn’t feel like it will clog your pores at the end of the day.

- Oil control. I am so impressed that I only had to blot once during the day and it the sheet was barely soaked as it usually would be. And that’s after enduring a morning commute in Manila!

Top and Bottom photos: After 9 hours of wear with one blotting; you can see the redness peeking through already

The NAYs:

- Fragrance. This has a floral scent. I’m not really a fan of fragrances in makeup

except for lipsticks and I know that some ladies feel the same way. Hey, we’re all

scared of nasty irritations.

-Limited shade choices. I wish they had more shades to choose from.

Over all, I think this is worth a try given the affordable price and the flawless finish it gives as long as you can get over the fragrance factor.

I applied mine using the technique Kevin James Bennett demonstrated in applying RCMA foundations. I squeezed one pump on the back of my hand, applied sparingly using my fingers and spread using my Shiseido flat top brush spritzed with Skindinavia Finishing Spray. It’s easy and quick! I think it contributed as well to the lasting power of the foundation. 

So let's review whether it lived up to its promises:

✓ - make-up with fresh and light formulation and light-reflecting pigments

✓ - evens out skin perfections (I do complement it with corrector and concealer)

X - perfectly matches your skin tone (you saw how it was a bit pinky on my skin)

✓ - soft-focus effect for a naturally glowing complexion without mask effect

X - lasts up to 18h (redness peeking through after 9 hours of wear)

✓ - oil-free, skin compatibility dermatologically approved (did not experience a major breakout so that's a good sign)

X - for a flawless and radiant complexion, as perfect as a retouched photo (feeling ambivalent about this but then again, I do not have perfect skin to start with)

4 out 7 isn't so bad. Do check this out the next time; I think this is something worth trying. Are you almost out of foundation? What are you planning to get next?

Be blessed always.