Product Review: The Body Shop Tailored Cheek Tint

This card keeps me coming back to a The Body Shop store:

I guess it is a good form of marketing strategy. Anyhow, during my hiatus days, I have bought good and not so good things. Unfortunately, when my blogging mode started to kick in again, I have completely forgotten about them. But tonight, as I was looking for my lip balm, I spotted this little tube in side my kikay kit and have thought of spending some more minutes in the internet and talk about it. This little tube is Body Shop's cheek tint.

I bought this during those times when I am obsessed to practical make ups and this one just fits the purpose. I wanted to shy away from any powder forms or any texture that would produce undesired flakes on my office wears and those make ups that I need not to take out my brush set whenever I am applying them. Yes, I usually do my make up on my way to the office so it really requires that my stuff are "flake-free".

So back to this product, I love it because it is not a space-eater in my kikay kit. The tube is easily cleaned when dirt is embracing it. These two factors make it a winner for the packaging feature. And oh, white and pink just look so clean together!

The tip is like a "feathery" type just the same as the one for the lip gloss. It is soft so I need not to worry that it might hurt my face. With the right pulse in squeezing it, you'll get the right amount of tint that you need. But unlike the lip gloss with this type of tip, it cannot be used alone, especially when you already have to spread them in your face. The tip is perfect for applying a lip thingie, not on the cheeks. So I end up using my fingertips to lather them in my face (which I think is not hygienic). I have dirty hands you know. :p

I like the pink shade of this product. It is for me a good reference to a "pa-girly" effect. It is not a screaming pink but at the same time it gives you a blush shade that you need in an ordinary day. Another winner factor is that it is not greasy when applied - both to the face and to the hand.

See the pink thing on the photo above? That was it when I wiped off the product on my hand. It stays, really.

So there it is. It is something that I wan to see on my kikay kit especially if I needed an instant doll up. By the way, I got this for like Php 250 when they had their sale. :)

Product Review: NYX Make Up Box

Last Friday, I was depressed when I lost some of my make up toys along with my other stuff. I have scribbled those that I have lost in my other blog. Anyway, on a positive note, I may have lost some of my favorite items but God was so good - He blessed me with another toy! Thank you, too, CareFreeShopper!

On NYX's website, you can find the following description of this make up box:

" All-in-one convenience case for easy and beautiful make-up application whether at home or jet-setting accrosss the world! 16 eyeshadows, 3 blushers, 4 lip colors. Comes with applicators and mirrors."

*All-in-one convenience case

The case got the basics but of course this is not a true-blue all in one kit (you still need your foundation, mascaram eyeliners, etc, right?). The compact feature makes it a very convenient kit and thus it is so portable for the people on the go!

*16 eyeshadows

The eyeshadow collection is the flagship for me. Sixteen different shades and colors just make the eyeshadow application more exciting. Upon opening the kit, you can easily choose what to mix and match and the combination pattern is less hassle. The shadows are also a good combination of light, dark, shimmery, and dull colors. All of them are wearable, too!

The pigmentation is also commendable and it just put a right amount in your eyes when you sweep them naturally. They also easily blend with each other making your mix and match workable.

*3 blushers

The blushers are wearable also. The set is a healthy mix of shade a barely there, bronze, and hot pink. I use the barely there to tone down my heavy eyeshadow and hot pink if I have a simple overall look. I'm thinking of using the bronze if I decide to get a smokey look Would it match? Hmmm, that I do not know.

swatches of the blushers

*4 lip colors

One thing I noticed about the lip colors is that they have a more decent staying power compared to the NYX RLs. This alone is a winner for me! I tried doing swatches of them but they all look the same. So I guess the the photo below could give more justice to the lippies. It's an equal combination of a safe and wild shade. :)

*Applicators

The applicators are the downside for me as they are very mediocre. I do not use the blusher brush as it is too small and flat. I still use my Ellana brush in applying the blush. The eyeshadow applicator is a normal one. It does serve its purpose but there is really nothing outstanding about it. The lip color applicator is actually a question for me since the design of which is that it is pointer and stiff. This led me to ask if the lip colors above are for lip liner alone or serve as a real lipstick?! Anyhow, I seldom use it and would rather use my fingers when applying the lip colors.

Overall Comments:

The kit is a wise buy for only 850 php! It is best to use if you don't have a particular look in mind and later on play with the combination. It is great for everyday use considering the low key price. After all, that is what NYX is all about!

Product Review: Ellana Mineral Make Ups

Ellana mineral make-ups. I personally think the owner behind this product has a revolutionary mind. I love the idea that she comes head to head with foreign brands with three most distinct winner factors: affordability, quality, and very good customer service. These factors make up a promising business venture.

Let me get down to their products and services. Ellana offers a FREE sample for each individual who are interested to try out their products! You can get it from here.

Ellana encourages that their clients to go to their office so that they can take a look at your skin undertone. One make up tip that I learned from them is that in order to know the best foundation shade for us, one should look into our undertones.  There are warm, cool, and olive undertones. Each has a corresponding foundation shade.

I have warm undertone so my Ellana make up artist recommended the hazelnut latte. Matched with Ellana Foundation brush, the loose mineral foundation glides smoothly on my face. The effect was so natural looking and it was just very flawless. I love how it finishes in my face! The good thing about this one is that you can buy them for as little as 100 php! Yes, 100 php for a mineral make up - how cool is that? :)

Just like the other mineral make ups, I just find it less efficient in applying them because of the very reason that they are loose. The tiny powder forming on your clothes just makes it more time-consuming whenever you apply them. So I do use this if I have ample time to play around. But if I am so tight up, I use my VMV compact powder since I can easily apply it even if I am inside a car.

Dainty is a pale reddish brown frost

Inspiration is more of golden beige frost

Next stop are the multi-purpose mineral powder. Why multi-purpose? It is because you can use them as an eyeshadow, a blush, and can even be blended on your lip glosses! Now, this is much, much cooler! What I like about these two shades are basically the effect they give on your eyes and lips. I have used Dainty as a blush but I can't seem to picture out Inspiration as a blush. For me, it is a bit brighter to be used as such. Both give you a very natural look and just shimmers at the right amount. It is best to wear the shades during daytime.

Just like Liz, I also find it hard to get the right amount of lip gloss during my furst few tries with this tube. The worse feeling is when they gush out of the tube giving you a total mess. I learned then that rotating it twice at 360 degrees would give you the right amoun of gloss that you need. Lush lip gloss is now my lip's found friend. The minty feeling makes it distinctive of the other glosses. Lush is best combined with Dainty powder. The duo exudes a sexier lips even on a day time.

The verdict:

The same Ellana Make Up Brush Set, I highly recommend the products to the beauties who seek for an affordable yet very high quality products and gearing for a less harmful type of make up!

Product Review: Urban Decay Face Case

When I first laid my eyes on the photo exhibited on CareFreeShopper, I instantly fell in love with this violet case. It took me ages to resist this but having a dear friend as the seller, you can't help but simultaneously utter the words, "yay" and "nay"! Yay as Armie brought this make-up set on top of what I ordered from her (knowing that I badly want it!) and nay since I can't let it off my hands the moment she handed it to me - it means, I am shedding another 1200 php off my pocket. LOL! Bottomline of it is equals to SOLD.

But it seems like it's not yet time for me and UD Face Case to be partners in crime. When I went back to Manila after my normal weekend Bacolod escape, I realized that I haven't got any make up for my other friend Ermalyn. Since she was asking me to get a blush and eyeshadows for her, the closest that I can hand to her is my new-found love. Another yay-and-nay moment for me!

Nevertheless, I wanted to make a review of this one at least on how I see and feel about it. 

I always believe that the silent salesman of a product is the packaging. And for make ups, I have that biased feeling that every time I see neat and classy packages, I feel that they are good ones. After all, who would want to put their very good products in cheap cases or tubes? :p This UD Face Case is packed in a violet suede texture which puts you in make-up mood whenever it rests in your palm. I love it!

A sneak peek! The rest of the case contains the exciting shades and colors of eyeshadows, blush, and lip glosses. But before we get into the real deal, take a look into the small brush. One this that is good about it is that it is a two-end brush. At first I thought it is solely for the eye shadows but when I checked on it again, the two brushes are not exactly of the same size, length, and thickness. So I supposed, these are for eye shadows and lip gloss. Personally, I would not prefer having the same brush for my different lipstick shades. It's just messy. On the other side, I thought this might be for the inner lid and the crease. Either way, you can use them as a brush - in whatever manner you want to use it. :)

The Face Case's pride! Three shadows, three lip glosses, and a blush just makes it the most compact case I've seen. This is best for the beauties on the go! It is getting rid of bringing all your vanities in your bag especially if you don't know what to wear on your face or if you have two separate events with different mood to go into for a day. 

And.. that's me beaming! Hehe.I am dying to share the swatches of these shades but I will leave it to the hands of the new owner. :D Rest assured I will post it here once I get one.