SM Beauty Buys

Don't you love it when Metro Manila is like a laid back city in a far away province? Staying put here during this whole long weekend is such a bliss because heavy traffic does not exist! Hoooray! But yes, I will miss your hustle bustle crazy world in the next few days. Remember, it is your "chaotic" atmosphere that drove me here! So Metro Manila, just chill out as you'd be working round the clock especially this Christmas season!

So this long weekend, I tagged along with Levy's family. Last Thursday was a "feast day" with lechon de leche, bulalo from Tagaytay, meaty rellenong bangus, buttered crabs, garlic shrimps, and Banaple's to-die-for cake (I miss out the name,sorry!) for our lunch. Ah, goodbye diet!!! We also booked for a last full show of Skyfall so we drained our time going for window shopping from SM Makati to Greenbelt 5!

I spared myself from buying clothes as I just recently stuffed my closet from Forever 21. This time, I "relaxed" by stepping into the spacious and very well lit area of the SM beauty section. The place is such a sweet harbor to beauty and wellness enthusiasts! Just by plain digging up on random products from various shelves already gives my body a different kind of energy. True that, the power of vanity!

There's really no critical level on my vanity kit now so what I purchased were small, nice-to-have stuff. Here are they:

I. E.l.f.Contouring Blush and Bronzing Powder

When you hit the search button of Youtube with "NARS Orgasm dupe" in it, you will see that this product comes first in the list. I remembered this while scrolling through the shelf. At Php 249.75, I think it's not a bad buy even though it won't give me that NARS effect. We'll see.

II. Marionaud N38 Slanted Eyeline and Eyeshadow Double Sided Brush

I am currently into my quest for a perfect eyebrow shape and arch (thus the endless Youtub-ing)
 and I saw in the videos that this type of brush helps much. We'll see again. :)

III. Tony Moly Cats Wink Mascara

 
I am so disappointed with my E.l.f. mascara purchase last time that I decided to get another one from other brands and here this is what caught my eye. The fierce cat face, that is. Classic example of buying because of packaging!

OK random though. I just remembered now from watching Showtime last time that one banana is called "a finger of banana" and five bananas are called "a hand of banana". I just knew it now. Coolness!

I'm kind of excited to try out these products and give my take on them in the coming weeks. :)

Maybelline Crayon Liner

I’m too stressed at work and I ended up giving in to the itchiness of my system to blog. I wanted to blog since last Thursday but work just eats up most of my time. Boo. Anyway, I attended to some of my toiletry buying yesterday and managed to sneak out this Maybelline Eyestudio Crayon Liner.

I remember that my first ever entry on this blog is about eyeliner. It was Stila’s gel liner which was the first expensive make up I’ve bought. I loved that product until its little brush turned out like a used broom, with the hairs exploding all over. It became too difficult to use and eventually, I forgot about those pots which sitted in my boyfriend’s car for several months. I checked them last time and they were now dried up.

Honestly, I really don’t regard an eyeliner as a must in my make up routine. I find too much effort in applying it and with my daily schedule of almost beating the clock on my way to office, I really don’t have that luxury of time to patiently apply them. But when I look into the pretty faces in magazines, somehow I see that eyeliners give an extra appeal to the eyes. It is something that defines your eyes.

And so when I accidentally saw this Maybelline eyeliner hanging in one of the shelves, I found myself taking a look at it and grabbing them for a price of Php 149! The price is relatively cheap so if I will let it sleep on my kit, it is not much of a wallet damage. =) Aside from the price, the product’s three claims contributed to my decision to buy it. These are: waterproof, smudgeproof, and long lasting - three most important features for an eyeliner!

I applied them today and my initial comments are:
     a. As a pencil liner, I find it too easy to apply because I can control it

     b. It glides smoothly on my lid and the end point is very slim making it very manageable to use

     c. Easy to blend which is very important especially if you put too much of it

I don’t have any negative vibes to this product as of the moment only that I worry that if it became dull and I need to sharpen it, I could not achieve the end point that it has now. Other than this, I think I am good with my new pencil liner!

EDIT: This is quite hard to wash off. I wash my face at least twice when I use this.

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: Nichido Eye Pencil

It was during my last formal make up activity when I realized that there are still good products amidst the downgrade image local brands such as Nichido, Ever Bilena, and Careline. It was also when I read Lauren's blog that my trust on these make up line were strengthened.

During my last visit to Robinsons, I dropped by their department store and look at those modest shelves carrying the lines mentioned above. My eyes were caught by the sleek pencils beaming on the side of the shelf and I remembered Lauren telling her readers how great the pigmentation of this eye toy. The pencils themselves are already interesting to look at, and so I did not hesitate to haul five different shades. Each is priced at 80 php so it was not a big risk if it will turn out that this purchase is a fiasco.

Lauren was right, they are very pigmented (for darker shades) considering that they are really cheap. The dark colors are really dark, and the light ones are really light.

 

nice gal, smoke green, deep plum, metal blue, pink diamond

The two ends of the pencil come in the eyeliner form and the other is for smudge purpose if you intend to use the pencil as an eyeshadow and not as an eyeliner. Generally, it is a bit sharp and pointed so you have to be careful when you glide them on your eyelids. The best way is to apply it in a slant position if you intend to use it as an eyeshadow. In this way, you have a wider application and it is easier to smudge. The smudging part is also a pain for the eyes so do it gently and smoothly.

After several glide on the eyes (even in one make up session), the pencils though become dull and you should sharpen it so as to get a better surface for further application.

Why I like it:

• Readily available in department stores
• Cheap!
• For darker shades, it has a strong pigmentation
• Flexible (eyeliner, eyeshadow, eye accent)
• Wide variety of colors

Why I do not like it:

• It gets easily dull, you need to have a readily available sharpener
• The lighter shades (nice gal and pink diamond) has an unreasonable type of lightness
• The smudge foam could have been more friendly to the eyes
• Staying power is not reliable

Will I buy it again?

It's nice to have these pencils on your treasure chest but for me they are best worn as eyeliner and as an added accent to the eyeshadow but not as the primary eyeshadow. If you are in the mood to play along with eyeliners aside from doning your neutral ones, then these pencils are for you. But if you think of having them as your eyeshadows, I guess it is not a wise investment.   

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: Ellana Make Up Brushes

I never believed that one should invest on those make up brushes. I thought they are just a waste of money and once the make up product is good, it will definitely be good onto your face. My theory was proven wrong when I had the opportunity to go to Ellana Store at Quezon City. They had that so-called "make-over" thing and that was the time I experienced make-up brush that loves my face. And so without any thought, I grabbed a set of their make-up brushes along with my other purchases (to be reviewed on my next entry!).

These five sticks made up the brush set I got from Ellana. Boy, they are just so gorgeous! Priced at 850 php, it is already very reasonable to get these stuff. The unbelievably soft and gentle glide on your face makes it a run-away winner. And yes, these are not animal hairs (it's a gross revelation for me to know that some are animal hairs! nyay!). I am not an animal lover so it's just gross for me to know that there can be other brushes made of animal hairs!

First stop is the buffer brush which is specially used to apply your foundation. It is a dome-shaped brush making it easier to distribute the loose powder in your face and getting a flawless and well-polished finish. It is also easy to tap off excess powder so as not to make your face like a star in a ghost film. :D

The next brush is the "blush brush". I only knew that you need an angled brush in order to get a smooth and nicely tapped blush on your cheeks. This will definitely save you from a someone-punch-you-with-a-strawberry-jam blush-on look. Because of its seemingly diagonal shape, it distributes evenly the blush powder down to your cheek bone.

On the left is the eyeshadow brush and honestly, I am not sure if the one on the right is the eye contour or the concealer brush! Apologies, I was too excited to buy the set so I forgot to ask them what was it. :D Anyhow, the eyeshadow brush is serving its purpose too well. Because it is relatively small and the hairs are fine with a gradient effect making it easier to apply the eyeshadow thinly and without messing up with the eye liner and the crease area.

I am more convince that the other brush is the eye contour brush as I am using this to apply a different shade on my crease area. It is fuller and wider as compared to the eyeshadow brush understandably because we have wider crease area than the eye lid. I love how the crease shade combines smoothly with my eye lid shade. :)

One drawback of these two is that the hairs are not secured tightly on the handle which gives an irritating feeling everytime you glide them over on your eyes. Some hair strands would loosen out that you need to push them back from time to time. Worse, sometimes you have no choice but to take them out.

I have not much to say about the last member of the set as there is nothing special about it. It's the tool to actually tame your brows and I seldom grip this tool in my hand.

The verdict:
I am a renewed believer of the importance of make up brushes. Invest into it for a more meaningful and enjoyable experience with your make ups! Ellana make up brush set is a good buy except for the drawbacks I mentioned above. Personally, I should have not bought the last member as I find it rather useless, unless there is really a special purpose to it that I don't know. Pardon me for my ignorance. :D But in totality, this is a good buy for me!

For more Ellana brushes, check out their site.

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.