All posts filed under: Reviews

A Spectrum of Flush: Illamasqua Blusher Duo in Lover/Hussy

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A few weeks ago, I went on an ASOS Illamasqua binge because I couldn’t get my hands on the Speckled Nail Varnish, since they are hard to send over, cross country for some reason (I wanted Freckle or Scarce). “I just want my nails to look like Easter eggs, dammit!” I thought. In a fit of rage and a whirlwind of poor decisions, I ended up ordering a couple of things of Illamasqua, one of them being this powder duo blusher in Lover/Hussy. (You can see the rest of the haul here.) I kind of already reviewed it there already, but I wanted to be a little bit more in-depth because this powder blusher duo honestly deserves a few more words of praise. To recap, I thought it was huge. As you can see, it is. This duo is what I wanted to bring on the trip to Japan, since I could have two blushers in one. Alas, the packaging was a huge (literally) deterrent. The Illamasqua Powder Blusher Duo I got came with Lover, …

Quickie: A Love Affair with shu uemura Eyeshadow in ME medium brown 885

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Okay. Where do I begin? I’m sure this appears to be just an unassuming shimmery, medium brown eyeshadow, but of course, it is actually pretty magical. I bought this while looking for things to check out in Japan. Glossed in Translation featured a look that had this gorgeous color on her eyes. I bought it right away because I am impulsive and you can’t really go wrong with browns/neutrals anyway. I waited about a week before I popped this baby open (because I needed to take a pristine~ picture before using it) and holy cow, is it buttery. I find that shu uemura eyeshadows have the rare ability to make me roll my eyes up in pleasure when I touch them. It’s quite disgusting to think about and is really quite sad, but they are truly marvelous things. Swatch: shu uemura eyeshadow in ME medium brown 885 “ME” refers to the finish, which is metallic, which I don’t normally like or gravitate towards, but this is a beautiful exception. As you can see, it has …

Addiction by Ayako Lipstick in Lady of the Lake

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The last lipstick I got from Addiction is one that nearly got away. It’s called Lady of the Lake, and it’s from the “C” or Color range. I managed to get one per line (sheer, pearl & color), by happy accident, so I can’t wait to use them more and make comparisons as to their longevity, etc. This was going to be “the lipstick that got away.” I already had my eye on Gold Fish and Super Woman, but the lady at the counter saw me swatching the darker shades (that were apparently in the sheer range) and suggested this shade. I asked if I could try this on because I was on the fence about it, and let me tell ya—it was a long process. I think the Japanese have such a high regard for hygiene. They sat me down in front of a mirror, and scraped a bit of lipstick on a spatula. Then, she prepped my lips (which I wish I had gotten) and carefully drew on the super creamy, super pigmented …

Addiction by Ayako Lipstick in Super Woman

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Next up from Addiction is another lipstick (as you can see, I reused the packaging picture I took of Gold Fish’s) called Super Woman. This is part of their “S” or sheer range. Super Woman looks like a scary, intimidating red in the tube. I am shit at determining whether a red is blue-toned or yellow-toned. I used to think I could but there have been way too many times where I go “that’s obviously a blue-toned red” and then some (more learned) jerk says it’s actually yellow-toned. But there. It’s red. That much I know. This is a very heavy swatch of Super Woman. As can be expected from a sheer lipstick, this goes on quite lightly but can be built up to the color that you see on this swatch. When I swatched this at the Addiction counter, my eyes grew wide in delight and I knew I had to get it. I don’t find very many wearable reds, and they usually lean towards purple or plum, so this was sort of a …

Big in Japan: Drugstore Finds, Part II (Tools)

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This is the second installment of my Japanese drugstore makeup exploration. It’s not the most exciting one, because it’s about tools! I’ve “divided” my other purchases into drafts and there are two more coming up so I hope you watch out for those. 🙂 On to the post! MUJI Face Lotion Sheets It took all of my strength (not really) to not buy these here and wait until I was in Japan, where Japanese products are way cheaper. These little capsule things are compressed absorbent sheets of paper that fold out into a scary face mask when you drown them in some sort of solution such as a moisturizer. I don’t have a facial lotion, so I tried one of these out with my MUJI Toning Water, and holy cow! It made such a difference with how moisturized my face felt! Compared with how I usually use my Toning water—just a soaked cotton pad wiped all over my face—this method made my face feel softer and more moisturized. A++++ for me. Majolica Majorca Eye Reset …

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 …

Addiction by Ayako Lipstick in Gold Fish

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I did not mean to buy lipstick from Addiction. I was on the look out for their Cheek Sticks and Lip Crayons. On the last day of Japan, though, I somehow wandered to their counter while waiting for Barby and Isa, and picked up this shade and then I had to have it… and two other shades. (But more on those later.) Addiction’s lipsticks are housed in a shiny black plastic and angular tube. You can see the NARS influence even here. Though the iconic rubber packaging is absent, the thin minimalist type is an obvious influence. For now, let me express my love for Gold Fish, a pinky-gold color. If you’ve been reading for a while, you’d know how much I get suckered in by names. Slap a clever, pretty name on a product and there is a 50% chance that I will buy it. Luckily, Gold Fish lives up to its cute name. Gold Fish has a sweet, salmon pink base and almost imperceptible gold flecks. At least, on the tube. Swatched, though, …