Author: Carina

New Loves: 2016

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Hey everyone, I’m alive. I just wanted to take a bit of time to write about some (admittedly kind of boring, but still amazing) things that I’ve been enjoying during the year so far. To be honest, I haven’t been that adventurous with makeup in a while. I’ve been working part-time and I usually have to throw on a quick lewk before dashing out the door. In any case, what I’ve got here are just essentials, really, to my routine lately. I tried to pick the items I haven’t really spoken about at length here before. Just a disclaimer: most of this post is made up of items that are gifted by friends and family or sent by PR teams, as that’s the only time I’ve been able to really test new stuff out. I’ve cut down on my spending (on makeup, at least) a lot as I’m saving up for trips later on in the year. Lucas’ Pawpaw Ointment One of my mom’s brothers has been based in Australia for a while with his …

Sephora Says Hello!

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Good news, girls and boys—Sephora has come to Philippine shores! The Sephora team kindly sent me some of the products they carry on their website, and honestly, it felt a little bit like Christmas to me. If you shop online a lot and the list of brands seems familiar to you, it’s because Luxola (which I’ve mentioned here and here) has rebranded to Sephora.ph. They’re rolling out more brands soon, and I tried to poke around to see which ones, but they wanted stuff to be a surprise (understandably!), so I guess my fingers are crossed for some of my favorite Sephora staples to cross over. What’s great about Sephora.ph, too, is that there is a pretty varied selection. Here are just 3 cruelty-free brands that they carry: Nudestix Eyebrow Stylus Pencil and Waterproof Setting Gel in Dirty Blonde* I didn’t think this was going to work out for me because of the color, but it was so easy to use and the shade matched me strangely well! I love the soft definition it gives …

MAC Marge’s Extra Ingredients Quad

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Aside from the 3 blush pans, Laura also sent me an LE MAC quad from the Simpsons collection from a while back. She received it gratis, which explains the lack of special packaging, and said she thought it would be fun for me to try out. This one’s called Marge’s Extra Ingredients and has four colors: Harpooned Heart, Sexy PB & J, Beehive Blue, Vivacious Vacuum Cleaner Bag. Harpooned Heart: light baby pink (Lustre) Sexy PB & J: mid-tone bright violet (Veluxe pearl) Beehive Blue: mid-tone bright blue (Veluxe Pearl) Vivacious Vacuum Cleaner Bag: deep navy (Frost) FYR: lustre (smoothly pearlized; intensely frosted with deluxe ultrafine ‘conditioned’ finish), veluxe pearl (vibrantly toned. Velvety soft. Shimmeringly metallic. Veluxe eyeshadow, now overlaid with high-shine pearl), frost (an iridescent shine that adds a highlight to any color). Swatched, L-R: Harpooned Heart, Sexy PB and J, Beehive Blue, Vivacious Vacuum Cleaner Bag When I started getting into makeup, I was really drawn to purples (especially when it comes to eyeshadow), but I don’t wear that color that much anymore …

Sample Stash Sunday No. 1

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I’ve been doing Sample Stash Sundays for a few years on this blog, and the feature comes and goes, and actually focuses on specific samples at a time. Well, in an effort to destash my samples and keep them from wasting away, I made a dedicated attempt at using them up. But, I’m going to be posting the little reviews in groups. So, we’re going to start back at “No. 1.” Because I said so. Here’s a look at my first batch of samples, some of which were tried from late last year. Burt’s Bees Intense Hydration Treatment Mask* This was honestly a great moisturizing mask, but I am just really averse to creams you wipe away from your face. I just don’t like that sensation. This was very effective in moisturizing my face, though, especially taking care of the dry patches around my mouth area, which regular moisturizers tend to leave dry. Recommend if you don’t mind wiping off product from your face. GLAMGLOW POWERMUD™ Dualcleanse Treatment Mask This stung the shit out of …

MAC Blush Palette 2016 Update

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About two years and a few odd months ago, I hauled a sizable MAC purchase, which was kindly arranged for me by my friend Laura, who works there. I purchased the large/double palette with eyeshadow and blush inserts, along with three powder blushes that I never got around to adding to. Over the holidays, Laura sent me three more—out of the goodness of her heart—and it made me want to do a MAC Blush Palette update. Here’s what she picked out for me! MAC Powder Blush in Peachykeen, Breath of Plum & Breezy Swatched, L-R: Peachykeen, Breath of Plum, Breezy Peachykeen is a “very baby peach” sheertone shimmer blush. Breath of Plum is a “light plum” sheertone blush. Breezy is a “plum with pearl” sheertone shimmer blush. Not an expert on MAC blushes, but here’s a helpful guide I found at Nordstrom: FROST (F): Iridescent, lightly shimmering color. Adds highlights: provides a frosted ‘bloom’ to the cheeks. MATTE (M): Flat matte finish. Goes on lightly. Builds well. Blends with the skin. SATIN (S): Light-refractive sheen-style …

ColourPop Ultra Matte Lip

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I know I look like I’ve been on a little bit of a ColourPop streak, but I literally placed only 2 orders towards the end of last year and have divvied up the items so that they don’t get too overwhelming. 🙂 Right now, I’m going to talk a bit about the ColourPop Ultra Matte Lip, which is a new product to me. They’re pretty much the same as the matte liquid lipsticks that have been popping up all over the place lately: a lipstick with a pigmented, opaque gloss-like consistency that dries matte. I do, however, really like this formula way more than the other ones I’ve tried thus far. I’ve seen a lot of other liquid lipsticks I wanted to try, but one major aspect of me picking ColourPop was the price point and their “no animal testing policy.” There’s still a hint of seediness to this whole out-of-nowhere, overly-hip weird operation, in my opinion, but nothing that strikes me as overly sinister. But anyway. I got 3 shades, (from top to bottom): …

New Discoveries from Indie Lee

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The Indie Lee Blemish Lotion and Calendula Eye Balm aren’t necessarily new items, but they are new to me. I was wrestling with a weirdly relentless bout of acne and was a little desperate for a spot treatment, so in the bin the Blemish Lotion went. I was also looking for a replacement for my current eye cream, which is by One Love Organics. It was okay, as far as moisture went, but I was also in the mood to try something else. The Blemish Lotion ($26; shop here) is a talc-free spot treatment, where you let a 100% natural solution of colloidal sulfur, zinc oxide, salicylic acid, magnesium aluminum silicate, camphor, and iron oxide settle onto the bottom of a bottle of water and isopropyl alcohol. You dip a cotton swab in the settled sediment and apply to spots, over a few hours or overnight. I swear, this has been a game changer for me. I tend to get really persistent spots around my nose area, but this calmed them down after just one …