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FOTD: Peaches & Dream

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Sorry for a fairly boring post, but here’s an FOTD in which I used ColourPop’s Fetch, Please! for my eye makeup.

FOTD - Fetch Please 1
IDK what is up with my eyebrows, lol. I was too lazy to get my regular eyebrow stuff, so I ended up using an old brow product (The Body Shop eyebrow powder duo, I forgot what it’s called) that I guess I wasn’t used to using anymore? It looked better IRL, I suppose. Like, I was out for a fair bit and no one looked at me funny or anything like that.

Eyes: ColourPop Just a Sip all over the lid, with a bit of ColourPop Hunger applied on the very, very outer area, very, very lightly. Eyeliner is Dollywink Liquid Liner, I think, and eye primer was Wet n Wild x Fergie. 🙂

My eyeshadow is actually more saturated in real life! Behold, my shitty phone pics, for a more accurate picture of the eyeshadow brightness:
fotdfetchpleasetwitter

FOTD - Fetch Please 2

Base/Cheeks/Face: BECCA Resurfacing Primer, Ellis Faas Skin Veil*, Ellis Faas Concealer*, NYX Powder Blush in Taupe, Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Exposed, Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Mood Light.

Lips: MAC Lipstick in Mehr.

FOTD - Fetch Please 3

I’m getting back into being excited by makeup lately and I’m happy about that. 🙂 Mostly because I’ve hoarded a fair bit of makeup, and it would be so sad if like… all of it went to trash, haha. I mean, I have been wearing makeup, but it’s not until recently that I’ve felt the usual stirrings of happiness and excitement again. So, that’s nice, I think. 🙂

I hope you’re all having fun and doing well, etc. x

* Items marked with an asterisk are PR Samples.

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Gone Forever: ColourPop Fetch, Please!

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As you have probably surmised from the number of items on this post, I’ve failed my 12-item purchase limit for 2015. Now, I pretty much cut it down to 80% of what I probably would’ve bought had I not imposed my limit, so I’m not too bothered by it. Anyway, the title of this series is “Gone Forever” which basically means that I’ve decided to be an asshat and post about items that are… gone forever.

The item in question for this post is ColourPop Fetch, Please! which is one of their earliest collections, a collaboration with actress Isabelle Fuhrman. It’s nowhere to be found on their website, but here’s an interview about the collection.

ColourPop - Fetch Please

Fetch, Please! is comprised of 6 items: 2 split-pan pots (one’s pressed pigments, the other’s regular eyeshadow), a Super Shock Shadow, and 3 matte Lippie Stix (this name needs to die). To be honest, I bought this set just because it was on sale and I was buying a thing—more on this later—and wanted to save on shipping.

I’ve already tried the eyeshadows (reviewed here) and the matte lip stuff (reviewed here), so I suppose I’ll just say that they are pretty much the consistent with my ColourPop experience so far.

The three matte Lippie Stix are called Precocious (pale muted nude), Squeeze (soft mauve pink), and Paramour (deep dark blackberry). I’m a little scared of Precocious, but it seems like a good “mixer” color to tone down other lip shades or provide a base, maybe? Both Squeeze and Paramour are right up my alley. ColourPop Matte Lippie Stix aren’t true mattes. They do have a bit of a shine, though it’s easily dabbed away. I don’t experience any drying with them, but I know other people have.

ColourPop - Fetch Please - Swatches1
Swatched, L-R: ColourPop Lippie Stix in Precocious, Squeeze, Paramour; ColourPop Super Shock Shadows in Just a Sip, Lovey Dovey/Hunger; ColourPop Pressed Pigment in Squint/Liaison

I feel a bit lukewarm about this set, when taken as a whole. And I don’t understand why, because I’m pretty in love with every single bit of it (except Precocious, oops!). Just a Sip is a beautiful peachy-neutral which looks a bit standard at first but then you realize that there’s just something more about it. I can’t explain it. It’s described as a “warm dusty peach” and was inspired by Marc Jacobs’ 2012 Spring Louis Vuitton collection looks.

MJxLVspring2012

I know it’s not going to look as cute and poppy and nuanced on me, but it’s still a pretty shade to have.

ColourPop - Fetch Please - Swatches2
Swatched, L-R: ColourPop Lippie Stix in Precocious, Squeeze, Paramour; ColourPop Super Shock Shadows in Just a Sip, Lovey Dovey/Hunger; ColourPop Pressed Pigment in Squint/Liaison

I love the Lovey Dovey/Hunger duo. I’ve worn Hunger, a deep maroon, a little bit on my lower lashline for Halloween and I was definitely feeling it. It’s pretty much unlike any color I have already, so there’s that. I’m not on good terms with grey eyeshadow yet, so it remains to be seen just how well I get on with Lovey Dovey, a true midtone grey, though let it be said that I do quite like it.

Like, in theory.

Squint/Liaison is a cute duo to have. It’s classified as a “pressed pigment,” I assume because of the neon pigments. Much like the Urban Decay Electric Palette—also classified as “pressed pigments”—these are technically eyeshadows that use neon coloring that’s not FDA-approved for use around the immediate eye area. You could; it’s approved in other countries, though I suppose they just want to cover all their bases.

Isabelle-Fuhrman-1
(source)

Anyway, Squint is described as a neon orange red, and it’s rather pretty. Liaison is a “vivid violet-blue” that I’m kind of really in love with. I think this is actually a pretty well-rounded set where you’ve got enough space to play around with different types of looks, but also have a nice neutral option, that’s still fun to play around with. (That was an awful sentence.)

In any case, the good thing about ColourPop is that they have tons of different, budget-friendly shades to choose from (Look at their pressed pigments!), recently expanding into eyeliner territory.

I’m going to be posting looks~ soon. I’ve been rushing out of the house to make it to the office so I haven’t really been able to take good FOTDs… but I’m going to try. Haha. No promises, though wish me luck!

* Items marked with an asterisk are PR Samples.

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K-Palette Essence in ShadowLiner*

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As you all know (if you’ve been reading my lil ol’ blog for a while), I’m a total slave for K-Palette eyebrow/eyeliner products. Imagine my glee when I received this package—an eyeshadow/eyeliner hybrid called the K-Palette Essence in ShadowLiner*—right before I left for a trip.

It’s similar to the dual-ended eyebrow markers that K-Palette makes with a brush-tip on one end and a powder product on the other end. In this case, it’s eyeliner instead of brow marker opposite eyeshadow and a sponge-tip applicator coupled with a spring mechanism.

K-Palette Essence in ShadowLiner-Tip1
Brush pen liner tip.

K-Palette Essence in ShadowLiner-Tip2
Eyeshadow/powder sponge tip.

I received four colors: the eyeliner in black and varying depths of brown, and shimmery neutral eyeshadow shades.

K-Palette Essence in ShadowLiner-Swatches,01 02 03 04

01 black x brown | 02 brown black x camel brown | 03 deep brown x nude beige | 04 pink brown x nude pink

I tried them out on my eyes, sans primer and eyebrow anything. Sorry for the horror. Anyway, look:

K-Palette Essence in ShadowLiner-Eye 04

K-Palette Essence in ShadowLiner-Eye 01

If you’re low maintenance, these are amazing products to bring on for trips. I brought 01 and 02 with me to Taiwan, but I’m a little picky with eye makeup, so I never really used just the pens. They’re useful little multi-taskers for those who aren’t as fussy as me, though.

I’m also not a fan of how the shadow is dispensed, so take care when applying and watch out for fallout!

The thinking behind these products is pretty interesting, to me. See, you have 4 very specific types of shades and how they’ve designated each is pretty utilitarian as they have their own purpose:

  • 01 black x brown with deep pearl — “deep eye definition” and “accentuate the eyes”
  • 02 brown black x camel brown with vivid pearl — “soft eye definition” and “glamorous look for the eyes”
  • 03 deep brown x nude beige with soft pearl — “natural makeup” and “sheer highlight”
  • 04 pink brown x nude pink with shiny pearl — “feminine makeup” and “shimmering finish”

K-Palette Essence in ShadowLiner-1

It’s ultra useful if you’re just starting out with makeup and you just need one go-to look. It doesn’t work in that way for me, but I do love the shades of liquid liner in my favorite formula.

The K-Palette Essence in ShadowLiner retails for Php 950 each, exclusively available at Rustan’s (Shangri-la, Makati, Alabang Town Center), BeautyBar, and SM’s Beauty Section (Megamall, Mall of Asia, Makati, Aura).

* Items marked with an asterisk are PR Samples.

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MAC Viva Glam Rihanna 2

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Hey ho! I have a short review on this lipstick I got a few months ago that I don’t think I’ve properly worn out for the sole reason that it makes me feel uncomfortable. For some reason, I put myself on this mad hunt for the MAC Viva Glam Rihanna 2 lipstick, which is a selection that’s completely out of character for me, since I tend to really, really loathe frost finishes. I do have someone to blame for this purchase, and that’s Liz, because look at how beautiful it is on her!

MAC Viva Glam Rihanna 2 - Bullet

I mean, look at the frost on this mother. It’s described as a “cool mauve,” but to my eyes, it’s just pretty fucking bronze, to be honest. But anyway. It’s kind of a warm, frosty gunmetal type of color that, again, isn’t really my usual style. I’m pretty adventurous when it comes to eye makeup, but I really, really, really shy away from overly bright/weird lip colors for some reason. And right now, I’ve yet to decide if Viva Glam Rihanna 2 falls under “I’M GONNA FEEL WEIRD THE ENTIRE DAY WITH THIS ON MY LIPS” or “HELL YEAH I FEEL LIKE A BAMF.” Who even knows.

MAC Viva Glam Rihanna II - Face Swatches
The face of a wuss.

(Products used: BECCA Resurfacing Primer, Ellis Faas Skin Veil*, NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer, Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Dim Light and Radiant Light, MAKE Matte Eye Colour in Khaki*, Urban Decay Primer Potion, NARS Eyeshadow in Madrague, Fez, Kevyn Aucoin Sculpting Powder in Medium)

In any case, I do like it enough to keep trying… I think I just need to figure out what type of event or occasion I want to rock this. Probably not at the office, though.

* Items marked with an asterisk are PR Samples.

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Softly Sometimes and the Holy Grail: October 2015 Update

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It’s been a while since my last Holy Grail post (July 2013). Although the point of a Holy Grail list is finding the best products for you—which means there shouldn’t be another Holy Grail list—I think I’ve found and whittled down my own list to reflect my very best finds.

There are some categories that lack a product, but that just means that I a) like to play around when it comes to that part of my makeup, b) don’t wear it all that much (e.g. mascara), c) have many favorites, but no ULTIMATE.

SoftlySometimesHolyGrail-2

About Base

  • Primer — always and forever the Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer. I’ve tried a shit ton and while I enjoy them all, this is my favorite, go-to, most reliable one.
  • Bases — for foundation, my favorite is the Ellis Faas Skin Veil* which I have in S104L. I think it makes me skin look great, but I rarely wear it to the office because I prefer a lighter base for stress-heavy days. That’s where the Glossier Perfecting Skin Tint comes in. I honestly didn’t expect much from this, but it improves my skin’s appearance without seemingly doing much. I have it in Medium, though they’ve expanded the range to 5 shades, I think.
  • Concealer — I’ve got two favorites: the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer (I use Ginger, but it sometimes feels to pink/orange) with which I have a love-hate relationship though I think I’ve tamed the beast, and Ellis Faas Concealer* which is less pigmented, though is easier to manage.

SoftlySometimesHolyGrail-3

Other Face Stuff

  • Powder — my favorite is the Le Métier de Beauté Peau Vierge Anti-Aging Pressed Powder—my go-to for setting + touch-ups—though lately, I’ve been mainly using the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder. I use Dim Light everyday to set my concealer + sunscreen and Radiant Light as a bronzer for my cheeks. My favorite is still Mood Light, but this palette is most convenient for everyday, on-the-go use.
  • Blush — Favorite Blush is the Kjaer Weis Cream Blush in Abundance. I wish I had more but I’m not made of money. This is the perfect shade for me, though, thank God.
  • Sculpt — Okay, so I gave an eh review of the Kevyn Aucoin Sculpting Powder in Medium but spending time away from it and coming back to it made me realize just how great of a product it is. So now, I’m like, over the moon and shit. It’s true love, basically.

Eyes and Lips

  • Brows — For brows, I’m like the K-Palette evangelist, but I mainly use the powder part of the 2Way pens (pictured, my fave shade: K-Palette 24H Real Lasting 2Way Eyebrow Pencil in 103*). Alternately, I also like using the MAKE Eyeshadow in Khaki* with an angled brush, if I want a more defined brow.
  • Eye Primer — Urban Decay Primer Potion in Original forever, but other options are the Wet n Wild x Fergie primer, the Nature Republic Botanic Eye Primer, and the NARS Pro-Prime Smudgeproof Eye Base (good, not my fave)
  • Eyeshadow — I’m a hoe for eyeshadow, so I can’t really properly answer this, but if I’m in a hurry and I want an eye look that I know will be good, I reach for the NARS And God Created the Woman palette. Mainly for Alhambra and Galapagos.
  • Eyeliner — K-Palette 24H Real Lasting Eyeliner* usually in black, but I’ve recently been loving their BB001/brown black variant.
  • Lips — I have so many favorites, but this is just a very reliable shade and formula: NARS Pure Matte Lipstick in Tonkin.

Again, if it’s not here, I’m probably not too fussed about it (e.g. sunscreen, lip balm… you know) or I love way too many to pick beyond these basic ones (e.g. eyeshadow). Also might have omitted stuff I don’t use everyday/often enough to have a Holy Grail for it (e.g. powder foundation, lip primers).

If you have any questions about stuff I didn’t mention or elaborate on here (i.e. tools, specific makeup formulas—like favorite matte lipstick, etc.), please feel free to ask! I might do an updated starter kit in the next few days, now that I have a better understanding of makeup and am living out of a makeup bag, ha.

* Items marked with an asterisk are PR Samples.

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The Gang’s All Here: Recent Staples

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Like I mentioned a few posts ago, I recently took on a full-time job (the hours are flexible, but I kind of have been always working if I’m not sleeping) and I usually leave for work very early in the morning since traffic here is kind of ridiculous. I end up having to put my makeup on in the car—a skill that I feel very much proud of.

I usually take along two bags: one with all the base stuff to leave in the car and one with all the things I want to keep with me for emergency touch-ups, though I’m usually too lazy to touch up at all, to be honest.

Boring, Basic Stuff

Sept2015Staples2
Sun protection comes in the form of the Bioré Aqua Rich Whitening Essence* which I love to pieces. I usually already moisturize before leaving the house so that I don’t have to bring around a bottle of oil or anything extra along with me.

For my base, I definitely always use a primer always, my favorite being the Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer. I sometimes go for the Glossier Perfecting Skin Tint (Medium), but if I’m too lazy, I just go in with the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer (Ginger). Eye primer is Urban Decay Primer Potion, which is still my holy grail, and lips are often prepped with the Glossier Balm Dot Com (I know, I want to let that name die, too) though I find that it makes my lips too shiny, so I have to wipe it off, usually if I want to wear a matte lip or something.

Oooh, fun stuff

Sept2015Staples
I’ve been playing around with lip colors lately, since that’s the easiest, so I’ve been almost exclusively been using the NARS And God Created the Woman palette—most especially Alhambra all over the lids, buffed out with Galapagos in the outer corner.

Sometimes I use the soft brown/beige color and the warm brown in the shu uemura x Karl Lagerfeld palette (Prestigious Bordeaux is what it’s called, if I’m not mistaken?) but I usually just stick with the NARS palette. It’s not pictured but aside from a handful of times, I mainly use a K-Palette liquid liner.

Cheeks, I mainly use the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Radiant Light, but if I’m feeling cheeky like putting in a bit more effort, I also like using the Le Métier de Beauté Blushing Bronze Duet (Romeo and Juliet) or the Kjaer Weis Cream Blush in Abundance.

Makeup (concealer, face stuff) is set with the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Dim Light, and if I’m feeling like I want to glow a little bit, I use a tiny bit of the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Incandescent Light on the tops of my cheekbones.

…And that’s mostly it! The lip color I find that I gravitate towards the most is the NARS Pure Matte Lipstick in Tonkin. It’s just an easy color. I’ve been wearing tons of other shades, though. MAKE’s Silk Cream Lipstick in Deep Flesh (which I have in the Aether Palette*) is a particularly nice rediscovery.

Hope you are all having a wonderful year so far. x

* Items marked with an asterisk are PR Samples.

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K-Palette 24H Real Lasting Eyeliner in BB001*

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I received this super cute K-Palette package a little over a month ago, which was essentially one of their newer eyeliner colors packaged like a Pantone series, complete with a swatch booklet. This isn’t exactly an official Pantone collab; the folks over at BeautyBox Corp. were just being cute. 🙂

If you’ve been a reader for a while, you probably know that my favorite eyeliner and eyebrow products are by K-Palette. I’ve mainly used the black liquid liner, but I also own the “deep brown” shade. This time, I was sent the K-Palette 24H Real Lasting Eyeliner in BB001*, which is described as “brown black.”

K-Palette - Liquid Liner - Swatches - SB001, BB001, DB001
Swatched, top to bottom: SB001 (super black), BB001 (brown black), DB001 (deep brown)

People typically say that if you find that black eyeliner is too harsh, you can use brown instead. I find that this works with pencil liners, but prior to BB001/brown black, a brown liquid liner felt stark, too, but in a different way. Brown black is a nice middle ground between the two too-noticeable shades.

K-Palette Pantone BB001 Eyeliner - portrait

This is absolutely a favorite, a strong second contender for eyeliner when I don’t feel like wearing black for the day. If you were wondering about the K-Palette liquid liners in general, here is a short review I wrote in 2013. I started using it in December 2012, and although I’ve tried other liquid liners, I still go back to this one.

* Items marked with an asterisk are PR Samples.

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