All posts filed under: This or That

Glow vs. Glow

In Glow vs. Glow, I’m pitting two known glow-givers against each other. It all started when I noticed that the Le Métier de Beauté Peau Vierge Anti-Aging Tinted Complexe is THE SAME PRODUCT as the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector—or is it? At first glance, it’s easy to dismiss them both as liquid highlighters, but it’s not quite the end of that story.

A Case for Bases

I may have a problem! Look at all this crap. (Just kidding, cuddles face bases.) See, I never thought I would be the kind of “makeup enthusiast” who had a thing for bases. I was always always distracted by color cosmetics, so this is kind of a weird personal revelation. This is all a restrained effort at acquiring bases, mind you. I regularly clear out my stash, and I’ve also salivated over a number of other bases I’ve chosen to pretend to not exist. All to be mentioned at the end of this post. Ahem. So what is the case for bases? There isn’t really any case for it, other than the fact that I am a fickle person and I like having options. For the record, I like having “natural looking” skin. By this, I mean, I don’t mind if a pimple peeks through or if my eye bags aren’t 100% erased by foundation and concealer (… that’s a whole other story), so most of my foundations are medium coverage, at most. I just …

This or That: Urban Decay Naked Eyeshadow Palettes

With 3-and-a-half eyeshadow palettes, Urban Decay has proven that the neutral world is actually pretty expansive. Like I mentioned in my Naked 3 review, there is a total of 40 shades in the Naked line right now (2 are repeats), so what do you do when you can’t seem to pick which palette is the best one for you? You look for swatches online, of course! And, happily, I am here to oblige, as promised. Luckily, I have all 4 palettes at my disposal, so let’s begin, shall we?

Autumn Blush Picks

I don’t usually discriminate makeup as seasonal only, but from time to time, I get swept up by the vibe of various holidays that my makeup just follows suit. Here are some blushes that I’ve been tending to reach for lately. L-R: Addiction Cheek Stick (Tea Rose), Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush (Exposed), MAC Extra Dimension Blush (Fiery Impact), NARS Blush (Sin), Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush (Blushing Bride), BECCA Beach Tint (Raspberry), Addiction Cheek Stick (Suspicious) I tend to go neutral (to pair with a vampy lip) or with plums and berries if I want to wear a nude or neutral lip. I’ve been laying off the corals and pinks right now, but I can’t say for sure if that’s due to the seasonal changes. What blushes have you reaching for lately? Is it seasonally inspired? Do share!

Favorite Fall Lipsticks: Berries & Reds

Here are some of my favorite fall lipsticks. Whenever I think of autumn & the holidays, my mind reverts to the vampy and the berry shades that I have. These are a bit on the pricier side, but if you don’t want to spring for a darker lip that you don’t know you can wear everyday, I’m sure you can get ideas and search for dupes if you find one that tickles your fancy. 🙂 L-R: MAC Plumful, NARS Vendanges, Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Antigone, Snoe Beauty Plum Crazy, shu uemura x Karl Lagerfeld Luxe Burgundy (LE), Guerlain Rouge G L’Extrait M69 Orgueil, Addiction by Ayako Lady of the Lake, Le Métier de Beauté Hydra-Crème in Signature, Chanel Rouge Allure in Envoutante Here they are on the lips, for a better idea of how they wear: Ol’ Reliables are Orgueil, Vendanges, Lady of the Lake, Signature, and Envoutante. Plumful is also pretty reliable, though I find that I have to be in a certain mood to wear it. Luxe Burgundy pulls too red on …

Open Season: Mascaras in Rotation

Hello, everyone. I hope you’re doing well. While the typhoon, Haiyan/Yolanda, has been on its way out of the Philippines, it has left devastation in its wake. If you feel like you want to help out affected families and regions, click here for the post I made earlier. I’ll be making it a sticky post for about a week or so, for easy access. Buttons for donations to various organizations are on my sidebar as well. Eula, Shari, Eliza, Julia, and Liz also have posts on how to help. Bea has a nice post on the iffiness of blogging during these times, which is helpful to read before passing judgment on others. I hope you don’t think it callous of me to be posting during this tragedy. Most of these posts are pre-planned/pre-written, so I am not writing them on the spot. I have been doing all I can, as of now, to help out. Anyway, thank you for reading this little announcement. Every little bit helps, and we need all the help we can …

In Defense of Eye Palettes, Plus 8 Neutrals You Should Look Into

I love palettes. It’s a pretty good way to “save” some money while getting to try a lot of colors. I think my interest in art and design also manifests itself in this preference for palettes of singles, just because a well put together palette is one of my greatest weaknesses. I accumulated a lot of makeup in a short period of time, and the culprit really seems to be eyeshadow. When a brand releases a palette that puts together colors and shades that work so well with one another, it takes a lot for me to say ‘no’ to it. Eyeshadow palettes are probably the only makeup item that I feel like I ‘collect,’ just because my logic center shuts down in the presence of a gorgeous mishmash of colors and shades. Pretty. I’ve slowly been realizing that I am much more drawn to a beautifully thought-out product than to the option of customizing something on my own. I feel like I am partaking in a story that someone is trying to tell, though …