Quite recently, I caught my mom leafing through an Avon catalog, and when I saw how cheap some of the makeup was, I jumped at the chance! I’d been buying a lot of pretty higher-end products, so the price drop was pretty refreshing and the products looked promising on paper. They didn’t have stocks of some items that I wanted, but these were the ones I got.

True Color Eyeshadow Quad in Sandy Colors
This is just Php 399, but I got it even cheaper because it was on one of those Avon sales. Quad quality is decent, though they have less-than-stellar color payoff, especially when applied to lids. Overall, it doesn’t offer much contrast, but I’m happy to report that they all work together! So, it’s a great quad to carry for when you’re traveling or out and about. I don’t see it working for a night look, but I have to play around with it some more.

It comes with a decent mirror and a double-ended sponge applicator.

AGH. THIS IS MY “JUST WOKE UP” LOOK. Apologies! Anyway, back to the quad. It’s a cheap enough quad for everyday neutral looks (or look, as the case seems to be). Don’t expect any exceptional magic from it, though.

Because the Avon catalog was on a SUPER sale, I managed to score 4 lipsticks. Three are from the Ultra Moisture Rich collection and are satin shades. There’s conflicting information online about the regular price (Php 299 and Php 375 are both advertised as such), but I got it for much cheaper. One shade is from their 24K White Gold Collection which is, if I remember correctly, a bit pricier.

Here are the swatches:

L-R: Platinum Pink, Juicy Pomegranate, Spicy, Sun Coral

Ultra Rich Moisture Lipstick (24K White Gold series) in Platinum Pink Among all of the ones I got, I loved the color of this the most. Platinum Pink is a pretty, pretty pale pink that looks so nice for the daytime. However, it had SO MUCH glitter. I wiped the swatches off my arm, and while the color came off pretty easily, I felt like Edward-freaking-Cullen when I walked under our fluorescent lights. I thought my lips were safe from the glitter, upon removing the lipstick. Alas, they were not. Très sparkly! There’s something like a distracting frostiness to it.

Le sigh. I love the color so much, though. Maybe I can wear it sometimes? When I get over all the sparkle, eventually.

Ultra Rich Moisture Lipstick in Juicy Pomegranate This is actually the shade I was most afraid of. Imagine how adventurous I felt, ordering a bright, playful pink lipstick! On my lips, though, Juicy Pomegranate is super wearable and I can see myself using this for casual days or for those times I need my face to brighten up.

Ultra Rich Moisture Lipstick in Spicy I personally have trouble wearing red lipstick. I know that the undertones (blue vs. warm) create different effects, depending on what you use. I’ve always felt that red lipstick made my skin look even yellower, so I couldn’t really ever figure out how to wear them.

Honestly, Spicy also looked a bit more brown on the catalog, which is why I got it. Nice color, but I wish it was a bit more true-to-catalog (LOL) since it’s quite similar to the other shade I got. It applied quite smoothly, and has a creamier consistency than Juicy Pomegranate.

Ultra Rich Moisture Lipstick in Sun Coral Sun Coral is similar to Spicy, though it’s a bit more orange-red. I don’t normally wear bright lips. I think it’s because I have pretty big lips that people don’t normally notice, but with a bright lipstick they kind of draw a bit of attention that I’m not used to. I could get used to this, though. It’s quite pretty. The consistency is the same as Spicy’s, both of which are a bit tricky to apply since they are so pigmented. It’s hard to stay within the lines, but it’s quite possible if you do it carefully.

All of the lipsticks have a weird fruity-flowery smell that’s a bit synthetic and artificial. I am not a fan, but it’s something I can get used to. I won’t like it, but it won’t put me off of wearing the colors if I want to wear them. The casing for each is a bit fussy, like the parts don’t seem to align very smoothly, though they work. Good lipsticks, though, for how cheap I got them.

So, that’s my Avon haul! I haven’t bought from them in maybe six years or so, but I like my recent purchases enough. I’ll be on the lookout for the next sale, for sure!