All posts filed under: Reviews

Drugstore Finds: NYX Powder Blush Collection

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I’ve never been a blush fiend. I never got it to show up on my face the way I envisioned a certain color to. However, I’d been bitten by a blush bug quite recently and I’ve acquired quite the spectrum. If you’re a bit hesitant to build your blush collection (since some are so pricey), you could start with NYX! Here is my NYX Powder Blush Collection, so far. I have the ff. shades: Bourgeois Pig Desert Rose Cocoa Raisin Taupe I have my reasons for picking up each shade. Bourgeois Pig, just because it felt so defiantly un-me that I had to try it. I got Desert Rose because I’m a sucker for rose in general and it seemed like a nice, wearable and safe option. The last three, Cocoa, Raisin, and Taupe, I wanted to try contouring with. I know. Crazy, right? Here are some swatches on my hand: In terms of pigmentation, the pinks have the power. Cocoa was a bit too red to contour with. I didn’t expect Raisin to be …

REVIEW: Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow Liquid Foundation

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The people have asked, and now I am answering. If you recall my Skin Care Routine video, I mentioned not wearing foundation, face bases, etc. anymore as they tend to break me out. However, I couldn’t get rid of the scare of no SPF on my face. And so the hunt for a light foundation began. I like my foundation the same way that I like most things—uncomplicated. Here’s a mental checklist that I’ve devised for myself: Light to Medium Coverage — I don’t really have breakouts (just minor spots here and there) or patchy coloring (occasional redness) so I don’t need a super thick foundation Yellow-toned, not pink-toned — obviously Doesn’t require a lot of tools/can be applied with fingers Has SPF Pretty easy, if I do say so myself. So, I scoured the internet for the perfect match and I stumbled upon the Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow Liquid Foundation. Let’s start with Benefit’s claims: Hello…it’s flawless time! Our new oil-free brightening liquid foundation builds from light to medium coverage for a natural …

This or That: YSL Glossy Stain vs. L’Oreal Shine Caresse

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Introducing This or That, a new series in which I make beauty products contend with each other, after which I will declare a winner. They’re not necessarily going to be drugstore vs. high end, but this first one is. I’m obviously not the first one to bring up the comparisons between both products, but I thought I’d experiment and compare on my own as well. Today, I’ll be comparing the YSL Rouge Pur Couture Vernis à Lèvres Glossy Stain and the L’Oreal Shine Caresse. I have exactly one shade of each (they are fairly different shades), so it won’t be a “dupe” comparison. I’ll be reviewing the formulation, the smell, et al. So, let’s get started. YSL Rouge Pur Couture Vernis à Lèvres Glossy Stain in N° 24 (Fuschia Intemporel) “A revolutionary new lip product! Rouge Pur Couture Vernis à Lèvres Glossy Stain combines the texture and shine of a gloss with the long-wear of a stain for a truly innovative lip product. A lightweight texture that immediately melts onto lips. Rouge Pur Couture Vernis …

YSL Rouge Volupté Shine in N° 17 Rose in Tension

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I’ve been seeing this strangely attractive ornate tube all around the beauty beauty blogosphere, so I decided to go get myself one of the shades for myself. Taylor of My Lucite Dreams loves these, and I trust her taste in cosmetics so I took the plunge. I got N° 17, Rose in Tension, which is a pretty old rose, mauve-y color. At least from what I could tell in press photos and in the bullet. It’s a tad warmer on the lips than I anticipated. Here’s a heavy swatch for you, though it’s pretty pigmented, even with just one layer. Don’t mind my eye makeup! I don’t know where I was going with this, but let’s pretend that it was a good place. I’ll start with what I didn’t like about the product. First of all, it smells like artificial mangoes. Being that I like the smell of real mangoes and also that we have the best mangoes here in the Philippines, I am not a fan of the scent. Actually, that’s my main qualm …

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 …

Quickie: Chanel Joues Contraste in Frivole

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I can wax poetic about this beautiful peach apricot blush by Chanel, but I won’t. I’ll spare ya. What I will tell you, though, is that infuses a beautiful glow on your face. Prepare for a smattering of warmth, when you put it on. It’s a subtle kind of warmth; the kind that seems like it’s spreading across your cheeks from that special place in your heart. The Chanel Joues Contraste in Frivole ($43) is the kind of thing that I knew I wanted to have the minute I saw it in Spring 2013 promo pictures. It’s just a beautiful orange blush that looks mega-bright on the pan but is actually a) subtle on the cheeks/skin, and b) fairly buildable. Frivole comes with a full-size compact mirror and a slightly stiff and rough brush, as well as a little velvet pouch to keep it scratch-free when you throw place it gently into your bag. When you open it, the air begins to smell strongly like “roses” but it really reminds me of what a lola …

ASOS Haul Part 2 + Quick Reviews (Illamasqua I’mperfection Spring 2013)

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Incidentally, the second part of my ASOS Haul (first part here) was comprised of Illamasqua products, two of which are part of their newest collection I’mperfection. I’ll talk about them first. The first thing I got was the Illamasqua Blusher Duo in Lover and Hussy (£26), a soft apricot and a candy pink. First impression: this thing is huge and also, I am a blush psycho person. I tried Hussy (candy pink) today, and it was great! It went well with my skin tone and wasn’t overpowering or glaring at all. I kind of wish I got the new Illamasqua blush brush, but my super soft Marionnaud slanted angle blush brush does the trick. I didn’t notice much fading, as most blushes are wont to do, so I am deeply impressed. The next item I got from their I’mperfection collection is the Lipstick in Immodest (£16). Now, I don’t normally wear pinks, but I saw it on Estée (here) and fell in love. I had to have it. Unfortunately, I don’t read properly and failed …