All posts filed under: First Impressions

My MAC Haul Swatch-fest: Part I

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Hello everyone! Today, I come bearing most of the swatches from my MAC haul, which caused quite a stir. I hope you all know that I am posting these items as a means to be informative and as a way to connect with other makeup-lovers. I don’t do it to brag or anything gross like that. Just saying! Here are some swatches. I’ve used most of what I got a few times, and I’m quite happy with what I’ve had a chance to use. If I’ve used a particular shade, I’ll note it down below, but if you were thinking of getting these shades, I hope my quick, little reviews can help you out. I’ll start with eyeshadows. These are the lighter neutrals in my palette. In the first row, we have Cork (muted golden brown, Satin), Quarry (soft muted plum-brown, Matte), and Malt (soft pinkish beige, Matte). These are fairly light, so I use them as a lid color, and sometimes I use Malt as a highlight. It’s also good for evening out the …

Unboxing: BDJ Box Elite* (May 2013)

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Hello! It’s time once again for a BDJ Box post. If you’re not familiar with it, it’s a subscription service in the Philippines. This month, they sent out limited edition “BDJ Box Elite” boxes, which I am verver excited about. This box contains a lot of full-size products, as well as generous samples. None of that sachet nonsense! (JK I am mean, but really, small tubes rock.) The theme is “Summer Indulgence,” and for once I do think it fits the products inside. Instead of the folded-up card that usually comes with the box, the BDJ Elite Box has a collection of small cards that highlight a certain offering they have that month. They’re kind of like playing cards. 🙂 The nifty thing about these new cards is that they show you the original size and price, and the sample size they give and the calculated cost. That way, I don’t have to do any math! Ahava Essential Day Moisturizer — This is supposed to kind of bring out the skin’s natural moisture, and allow …

Unboxing: April BDJ Box*

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For April, BDJ nixed the brand exclusives trend it was on (with Shiseido and L’Oreal) and gave its subscribers a mixed bag of stuff. Right off the bat, I have to say that the box had some heft to it, which sometimes translates to a good box. But, Heavy = Full-Size Products ≠ Good, so let’s see how well BDJ’s April box fared. I’ll list the products as they appear on my box card. This month’s theme is Oh, So Fresh! aimed at getting us psyched for “one super summer.” A bulk of the items will help you keep fresh in the summer months, and the rest are just fun bonuses. Sorry if I don’t have a photography~ set-up. I don’t even have a vanity table, so you get my work desk! 1. Bifesta Age Care Cleansing Lotion — Touted as Japan’s first water-based makeup remover, this mimics the effects of cleansing oils, minus the oil. The enclosed sample is not full-sized, but it’s priced at Php 419 for a 300ml bottle. I’m very excited …

The Cat’s Meow: Paul and Joe Small Haul

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I bought these a few weeks ago, pre-ban, on eBay. (Now you understand why I pretty much had to go on a ban.) These were from their 2012 Spring Creation called Meow!. I’ve been eyeing these for quite a while now, and I figured I’d just get a few items and be done with it. I told you, I have low EQ and a poor sense of logic. But I do know a thing or two about beautiful things, and these are absolutely gorgeous. From that collection, I have the Face and Eye Color CS in 077 Kittycat (purple & pink) and the Lipstick C in 076 Meow! (cloudy pink). These come in different packaging, and I didn’t intend on getting the items in the same cardboard casing, but it is what it is. Though cute in itself, the magic lies inside. Let’s take a look! First up is the Face and Eye Color in Kittycat. I don’t know how these can be Face and Eye Color, since the colors are beside each other, so …

Unboxing: BDJ Box for March 2013*

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I was out yesterday and came home to the BDJ Box for March! Exciting. I wasn’t sent last month’s Shiseido bonanza, but BDJ Box has a lot of L’Oreal goodies this month that I’m sure a lot of subscribers would enjoy. OK, a head’s up: this month’s box is hefty. It was so heavy! I put two and two together and figured that they included full size hair products, and I was right! Here are full sizes of the Fall Repair Hair Shampoo (Php 110 for 180ml) and the Full Repair Hair Conditioner (Php 119 for 180ml), which are meant to nourish your hair and make them less fragile. I’m not too picky about hair products, and my hair “rejects” very few variants (the old Dove shampoo, par example), so these were OK things for me to get. Hair fall isn’t really a major problem for me. It was, but I fixed it with the red-capped L’Oreal shampoo. I’ve been using products from their new range—the Ever Strong shampoo and conditioner—which I love. It’s a …

Make Up Store: In which I tried to resist but couldn’t

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I had no real desire to go into Make Up Store (That’s the name. Really.) when we first saw it being erected in The Podium, but I changed my mind when I learned it was from Sweden. I clicked around their website once and got interested in their Microshadows (eyeshadows, basically). And if you follow my other blog, I made a promise to myself not to buy anything that was not of the 4 items listed on the post. Obviously, I failed… but I’m just going to try again soon. 🙂 Maybe I should save it for another post, but I have cut out one habit that I feel makes me buy more stuff. This habit is: browsing makeup counters. I am now actively trying to only look at makeup in a physical store with an intention to buy something (a product I read about, want to try, etc.), and not to browse and end up buying 15 things by “just looking.” But there, that is not a part of this post. Anyway, I finally …

Quickie: Put on a Fancy Face with Tom Ford’s Lipstick in Flamingo

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Every once in a while, I like to splurge on a single piece of makeup that I’ve been lemming, through reading blogs and watching videos. This particular case was special because I wanted both a blush and a lipstick by Tom Ford. I’ve heard so much about how good they are but can’t try them from where I am because Manila sucks. (Jk, Manila, I love you. Most of the time.) Anyway, I found a seller called Make Up Pro. They have two branches and also take online orders, in case you were wondering. The shade I picked for the lipstick is Flamingo, which has been a pretty celebrated color. It’s a weird combination of muted but bright and wearable pink. It reminds me of the darkest pink on a flamingo’s feathers. I read someone’s blog and she said it was the perfect bright lipstick because it was so easy to wear. Since I am such a sheep sometimes, I got it, swiped it on and loved it. (!) Which is a good thing because …