All posts filed under: Reviews

NARS x Andy Warhol Larger Than Life Lipgloss in Viva

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So I’ve come to the end (as of now) of my Holiday 2012 Haul. This is the last product from the new holiday releases that I managed to get. I’ve purchased some items after this one, but I don’t think I got anything from the other holiday releases anymore. (Yet. Hehe.) Anyway! Viva is a NARS lipgloss from their Larger Than Life line, and was also released as part of the Andy Warhol collaboration for Holiday 2012. The Larger Than Life Lipgloss is: Outrageously lustrous color meets high-impact shine. Dramatic, stay-in-place shades glide on smoothly and evenly for lips that are more luminous and voluminous than ever before. High-shine, high-impact finish gives a dramatic effect Long-lasting, stay-in-place wear Infused with ingredients to nourish and fight free radicals while natural lip enhancers pump up volume Shorter-bristle brush delivers the most precise application possible I think it’s a different formula from their normal (?) glosses, but I’m not entirely sure. Anyway, I do love the formulation, especially coming from a place where I detested glosses. It’s a …

Sample Stash Sunday: NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer in Alaska

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For this Sample Stash Sunday, I have chosen to review the NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer in Alaska. I forgot to do this last Sunday, so here ye are! I got it for a purchase of an eyeshadow trio (Ramatuelle) and a Sheer Lipstick (Vendanges), but I thought of using it only recently, when I was going through my samples. I don’t usually use foundation or face things because it breaks my skin out and they don’t really set properly. My face can’t handle compact powders either (though Shu Uemura’s works wonders for my sister). Go figure. For an even base, I only look for the lightest coverage, because I just look like a cake face and then break out afterward. My go-to face product is Ahava’s Light Foundation, topped off with a pore minimiser from The Body Shop’s Tea Tree Oil line. Being the lemming that I am, though, I love trying out new products. The Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer has a light cream consistency and goes on the skin smoothly. I only need …

My First Tube of MAC Viva Glam: Viva Glam V

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I only have one other MAC lipstick other than this recent purchase (a pretty nude-y, creamy one called Jubilee) because I can’t stand the smell of vanilla. Also, MAC seems to be the brand of which people have all sorts of opinion. I rely a lot on reviews, and I can’t go into a MAC store and just swatch things. I have to know what I’m going to try before I go there. It took me eons to decide on Jubilee and I wasn’t about to let that happen again. MAC Viva Glam V was brought to my attention by the Lipstick Bandits, for their “Universally Flattering” edition. Prior to this discovery, I had strangely assumed that all the lipsticks from the Viva Glam line were either red or bold. Viva Glam V is a soft pearly pink with a lustre finish. It’s more glossy (but not lipgloss-levels) than shimmery, which is what I feel like sets it apart from an MLBB find I had, NARS Pago Pago, which is on the very glittery side. …

Clean brushes with J&C!

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Apologies for the haphazard photos, but I had an urge to clean my brushes last night, when I got home from an event. Though cleaning my makeup brushes is usually therapeutic for me, it’s sometimes a real hassle to go through the ritualistic process. Especially late at night. I mean, I just want clean brushes! Is that too much to ask for? I discovered J&C Super Clean Solutions Makeup Brush Cleaner while perusing my favorite local beauty blogs, and decided to get one for myself. At Php 400 per 120ml bottle, it’s cheaper than its MAC ($14/235ml) or Clinique ($14/236ml) counterparts. So, when I got a hankering to clean my brushes, I figured I might as well show you how this works, too. The bottle has a spray nozzle, and a clear cap. For the smaller brushes, I used the cap as a dipping bowl, as was suggested by Liz. The scent—peppermint—is strong, but I quite like it. What I like about this method, is that it’s pretty klutz-proof. I am not good at keeping …

Drugstore Finds: Maybelline Refined Wine Lipstick

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This is going to be a super quick post, as I’m in the middle of a frillion different things, but when my sister brought home this lipstick, I couldn’t not post about it! Last Sunday, she’d been eyeing a rich purple-y lipstick she swatched on herself, but didn’t end up getting it. I guess she was haunted by it because when she got home from getting her tennis racket gutted at the mall, she also came home with this! Refined Wine is part of Maybelline’s limited edition collection, The Jewels by Color Sensational. The Jewels features eight jewel-toned lipsticks that I can’t help but feel are perfect for the holidays. They also have a moisturizing aspect to them, due to the honey nectar in their formulation. She tried it out, loved it, and told me to give it a shot. Neither of us had really ventured out of the reds, pinks, and peaches in terms of lipsticks, so I was glad to oblige. Refined Wine is such a perfect name for this shade, a rich, …

Blush Crush: NARS Sin

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I’ve been a huge fan of NARS ever since I got a pan of Orgasm, arguably their most famous blush. I loved the peach-pink golden shimmer, even though it swatched super sparkly under the weird yellow lights of the NARS counter in Rustans Makati. I thought I didn’t need another blush in my life, but then as beauty nuts know, it’s so easy to switch obsessions on parts of the face. When I started this beauty blog, I couldn’t get enough of eyeshadow palettes. Before that, all I looked at was lipstick. Now, I find myself wandering into the uncharted territory of my face’s middle-regions, aka my cheeks! I got a mineral blush from Revlon (which I’ve yet to review), but it wasn’t enough to sate my rather special needs. I wanted a subtle plum that still warmed my face and brought a pretty glow to it. I didn’t want a harsh blush, but I still wanted the oddly pretty flush of pinched cheeks. I think I’ve met my match with NARS Sin. Like Orgasm, …

theBalm’s Nude ‘Tude Eyeshadow Palette

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A few months ago, I helped fill up a Balikbayan box with Sarie and my brother, Luis. At that point, I was not into makeup a lot, but I had started exploring by then. One of the items that caught my eye was theBalm’s Nude ‘Tude Eyeshadow Palette. I didn’t really bother surveying other palettes, since I didn’t think I would ever venture into the world of shimmery shadows. It’s why I opted for this palette, instead of the beauty nut staple, Urban Decay’s Naked. (You are going to be wrong at least one more time in your life, Carina.) Nude ‘Tude swatches on my arm. I have a bad habit of starting a row in the middle of my arm, leaving no room for the next row of swatches. Nude ‘Tude contains twelve shadows, covering the delicate parts of six pin-up girls. I mentioned before how I liked it when palette colors have individual names. Included in this palette are: Sassy: a frosted white Snobby: a sheer, shimmery yellow Stubborn:a pale shimmery pinkish peach …