5.18.2015

Happy Skin All Eyes On Hue Eyeshadow Palette

If you've read my previous posts, this palette was a gift, so I basically received this on March. I don't post  lot of eye shadow palette reviews, mostly due to the fact that I don't have many of them. I think I only have around 4? But lugging around giant palettes like the UD Naked palette would be such a pain right? So a compact everyday neutral shadow palette like this would be great for the girl on the go!


Price: P1299
Availability: Happy Skin Counters Nationwide
Description:

Their "Look Cheat sheets"


from L-R Oatmeal, Biscuit, Hazelnut, Espresso
The palette comes with four shades, three on the shimmery side, one on the matte side. All are very finely milled and velvety to touch but nonetheless pigmented. 

Oatmeal is a shimmery off white which is fine and lovely on its own on the lids as it gives a light sheen and light. Great for the inner corner as well. In fact , this is my most used shade of the bunch if you see it in it's current form.

Biscuit is a matte pink which is not too pigmented, more like a watercolor effect pink. Quite sheer to give just hints of color on the eyes.

Hazelnut is a nice shimmery warm brown perfect for a more defined look on the eyes.

Espresso is a deep shimmery taupe-y violet.good for the lash lines to add extra definition in lieu of eyeliner.

Bare Lids

Tried the Red Carpet look
Excuse my horrendous brows at the moment. On the photo above I tried the runway look, which uses the shades: Oatmeal, Biscuit and Espresso. Oatmeal gives a nice highlight on the brow bone and the inner corner.
Left (Red Carpet), Right (Date Night)
On the photo above I tried the Date night look which uses a gradient of all the shades, if you'd think it would be too much, it is actually a very subtle eye look. For a more stark look Red carpet is definitely your game.
Date night on your Right
Date night is for a more dainty feel for well, date night. As it just gives definition.Nothing over the top.
Red Carpet on Both eyes

Me trying on the Red Carpet look

Overall this palette preformed well in terms of pigment and longevity without primer. But i would have personally preferred two mattes and two shimmery shades for it to be more versatile but I'm not complaining as shimmer shadows are great for on the go as they won't look too bad even when not blended properly. and by the way the shimmer is very fine, not stark chunks of sparkle and I've experienced little to no fall-out on my part too. But a mirror would have been helpful but since the cheat sheet is plastered in, I guess they wouldn't know where to put it. But the lighter colors are so workable I'd think you could get away with applying it sans miroir

Thanks for reading!





5.14.2015

The Balm Instain Blush in Lace and Argyle

I was never a blush girl, but now I find myself lusting after blushes the most these days, these were my first products from The balm, and I was thoroughly satisfied. 

Price: P895
Availability: Beauty Bar stores
Content: 6.5g

A year ago, I wouldn't even touch blush, here I am now building up my blush wishlist. And if you're doing that as well. this is a great addition to your collection, or any shade or blush from The balm for that matter,

A little background on my skin, I have an oily, warm and pale complexion. I need a blush that can withstand oil and can give a lovely flush. What intrigued me about his blush is the fact that it promises 16 hours on skin. And gives meaning to a little goes a long way, just one tap on the brush for that pretty feminine flush. 

The shades that really interested me was a bright cool pink and a natural peachy pink. Because thinking about it on a financial level, a blush that is very pigmented with last for a very long time since it is used sparingly on skin. So you saved money to buy other makeup products (wink wink). 

An interesting thing about the Instain blush is that it has shades specified for skin tones. The other shade I bought, Lace is actually for darker skin tones but who cares really? If you think it works for you, get it. 


As you can see Argyle is a light,warm and peachy pink as Lace is a Pop out Barbie Cool pink.

Argyle (though this was applied generously so you can see the color clearer)
Apologies for the bitchy face here Hahahaha. I was going for that expressionless look. 
Argyle is great for fairer skin tones since it is not too pigmented that you might be mistaken for someone who had an allergy.

Lace
Take note again, both blushes were applied generously for photo clarity, I would never put on this much blush hahaha. It really does have a great contrast on warm skin. The pigment is so strong a singular tap with a blush brush is sufficient for each cheek or sometimes both.

Lace on the Left, Argyle on the Right
And I can vouch for its lasting power but this could also depend on you choice of base. But it does stay for a very long time due to its magic ingredient, Mica, which has oil absorbing properties.The finish is beautiful when it really sinks in you skin an hour after application. All the shades are matte and long lasting. The blush itself is not so finely milled it feels like velvet but pretty good. No scent and I believe, cruelty-free.

What's left to say really? The packaging is cute but I hate the fact that is gets easily dirty since, well it is cardboard, but I also find it adorable and easy to get rid off when I hit pan. Plastic packaging can be a pain to get rid off.

So will you be getting your hands on any of these soon? The price is quite affordable and the product surely outperforms its price. A very great find for blush hoarders and a definite recommend from me.

On Face:
Isehan Sunkiller Base
Naturactor Cover Face in 140
L'Oreal Miss Manga Mascara
Maybelline Brow Mascara
Happy Skin Shut up and Kiss me Lippie in Honeymoon Glow



5.13.2015

Isehan Sunkiller Super Lasting Base SPF50+ PA++++

Forever summer - one of the perks in living in the Philippines or in any tropical country. I once heard that the heat makes people behave more badly. But you know what makes the heat bad? Skin. Literally harmful UV rays on your skin everyday making you prone to skin cancer or melanomas and of course premature aging. Last month I bought two sunscreens since if some of you have read my last post, I am currently working at a hospital 14 km away from me and the commute (through jeepney not taxi) is just scorching. Sure I have it easy if I'm working graveyard but the hot sun on you for an hour is just a no-no. So I have been religiously putting on sunscreen everyday. 




5.10.2015

Current Favorite Look: The Ingenue


Ever since I started my job I have had less chances to put on makeup. This is mostly due to the my schedule, mostly graveyard shifts. And even I don't have the will power or vanity to put on makeup during that time since I might fall asleep and when I get home it is ultimately a pain in the ass to remove, I would usually just drop dead on my mattress and snooze the day away. But this is my current favorite look of the moment which I wear if I go to dinner with friends, shopping or church. Inspired from Charlotte Tilbury's The Ingenue look. Sadly I don't have even one item from that brand (though I am lemming to get the film star bronze and glow kit) I have utilized the products available from my arsenal. Here's what I used to achieve this look.

The Ingenue look is a fresh bambi-eyed, blooming fair maiden feel. Just what I wanted to look like though I rarely get proper sleep and nutrition. It's no fuss as it is a simple bright eye; white shimmering cream shadow and mascara with a touch of liner.


BASE
Four things for base, first I primed using the Etude House blur cream, I literally feel no need to use a filter when I put this on. On top is my usual go-to Ettusais BB Cream. Then concealed with the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Custard. Then set everything with a translucent powder. 

CHEEKS
There was no contouring in the original look, but I personally felt my face need more dimension since it was rounder than the model's face. So I used the Happy Skin Sculptucular kit to add shadows. Then for that lovely blushing look, I used the The balm Instain blush in a bright cool diva pink, Lace.

EYES
Eyebrows are of utmost importance, so I used the Maybelline Fashion brow duo in brown to add shape, but I only used the powder side, and then brushed my brows with the Jazzy France Brow gel, which is a new tube by the way and is outrageously pigmented. 

Eye makeup is a simple dab of the Maybelline Color Tattoo shadows in Beige. It is really a lovely shimmering off white which does not budge through out the day or night. This could also be topped with a shimmering powder eye shadow if you want to intensify the colors. And simple brown liner as close to the lash line as possible. Then I finished with generous amounts of mascara, the one I'm using is the Etude House Waterproof Lash Perm mascara which I honestly hated before but I fully appreciate now.

LIPS
I first used the Happy Skin Lip and Cheek mousse in Swept off my feet but I found it wasn't coming off well in camera. So I put on Mac's Chatterbox lipstick to really have that punch out pink.

Photo courtesy of Charlotte Tilbury Cosmetics
Don't compare me to the beauty of this model (hahaha) as she's way out of my league.
Closer look at the eyes



And that is my current favorite look I'm rocking at the moment or actually for the past month or so. it just makes you look effortlessly fresh and well rested. Thank you for reading and have a wonderful happy Mother's day!



5.03.2015

April Favorites

May already? It only felt like yesterday I was celebrating New year (well actually studying for boards). It still hasn't hit me that we're are nearly half a year done. And here we are with last month's favorites, which I've skipped for a month or two? I have received my first salary and bought some stuff you see here with my own money. It feels surreal. But on to the main dish.


A lot of pinks this month and I have just fallen in love with Preview magazine's April cover! Hot fuchsia pink for a change!