All posts tagged: cosmetics

Drugstore Finds: Maybelline Color Tattoos

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I’ve been wearing a few Maybelline Color Tattoos for a while now, and I realized that I hadn’t shared them with you guys yet. I have three colors: Audacious Asphalt, Bad to the Bronze, and Tough as Taupe. It’s the kind of product that has been raved about so many times that I can’t say anything new about it anymore, really. I suppose that’s a good thing? These are essentially cream eyeshadows that you can wear on their own or as a base for other eye products. These go on very smoothly and are incredibly waterproof and crease-proof. I seriously went for a swim with Bad to the Bronze on my eyelids and it did not budge. These babies are such a great budget product, though a con I think would be that some of them dry out pretty quickly. If you can see my pot of Tough as Taupe up there, you’d see the product separating from the glass, so that’s not a good thing. It’s still a great thing to try out, though, …

Majolica Majorca Mascara Smackdown: Lash King vs. Lash Expander

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My first foray into mascaras included the Majolica Majorca Lash Expander. Since then, I’ve tried one other Majo Majo mascara, Lash King. They’re two of the mascaras that have worked well on my stubborn Asian eyelashes, but how do they compare against each other? Let’s start with the wand, which is one of the most obvious differences. The Lash Expander has a double-sided comb with teeth that are spaced differently—one side to pack on the mascara and the other to separate the lashes. I don’t find them to be anything special, really. When I use the separator side, my lashes do separate but they become spindly, too. I prefer the wand of Lash King, which looks more like the traditional mascara wands out in the market today. It’s a long, fibrous brush that’s tapered at the end. It can be a challenge to maneuver but nothing that’s exceptionally hard. I like how this coats my lashes more. Lash Expander Frame Plus 12 (Blue) Here is a photo I’m which I use the Lash Expander in …

Bring the Sunlight to Your Face with Addiction Cheek Stick in African Sunset

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What? A highlighter again?! Fear not, dear reader. It is not. It is a blush that looks like there is a bit of highlighter thrown in there. HEH. This is the only cheek stick I have that has shimmer in it. It’s a pretty light golden orange, and it’s just marvelous. It was a bit hard to take a swatch of, so have three: Again, I thought this would be too light for my face, but au contraire, it actually adds depth to my round face. Here it is as a blush. Check it out—so beautiful and warm and summery! Perfect for the gloom and doom and humidity that is Manila weather currently. I say perfect, because boo clouds! (Just kidding, I prefer the gloom and doom, but I like brightening up my face, heh.) And here it is on my eyes: You can see a little bit of the prettiness of the blush right in there, too. 🙂 Anyway, while it looks pretty on the eyes, it settles into the fine lines and creases. …

Two-in-One: Revlon Lip Butter in Wild Watermelon* & Enchanted Shimmer Eye Palette in After Midnight*

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I decided to do these two quick reviews in one post since I got them both in last month’s BDJ Box. I feel like I’m posting too much, but at the same time, I want to get these posts out ASAP. So, here: quick reviews on two out of the three makeup items included in that month’s box. I also have a review up on the too cool for school After School BB Foundation Lunchbox. The Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter is one of my earliest makeup loves, especially the color Sugar Plum. I was excited to try Wild Watermelon, which is one of Revlon’s new releases. I’ve been trying not to buy non-cruelty-free brands, so I’ve stayed away from Revlon for quite a while. DO YOU LIKE THE LIPSTICK CRAGS? Anyway, Wild Watermelon is a gorgeous, juicy red that really brings summer to mind! Doesn’t it make you want to bite into an ice-cold, juicy slice of watermelon? On the lips, it’s a lot more subtle. The pigmentation is sheer, but buildable, and reminds me …

Be Bright: Illamasqua Lipstick in Immodest

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Okay, so I hauled an Illamasqua lipstick a few months ago. It was called Immodest, and it was part of the I’mperfection collection last Spring. It’s a beautiful bright, light pink that looks almost neon and it is definitely not a color I would normally choose. It took a while for me to review because IT BROKE. I was trying to apply an even coat on my lips, and I guess I didn’t notice pressing too hard on the bullet and it snapped clean off! I only was able to fix it recently, being a lazy MacGyver and all. (Just kidding, it’s still broken. I am the WORST MacGyver.) But there, that is evidence of its extreme dryness. It is quite difficult to apply because there is very little slip. I didn’t want to have to resort to a balm underneath because it compromises its matteness, but it was virtually impossible to apply (at least for me) without one, so this lip swatch was made with a glossy neutral balm underneath: I found that it …

Made-Up History: Gustav Klimt’s “Judith I,” 1901.

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Apologies for skipping out on last week’s Made-Up History post! I was working on the last minute details of my latest one-man exhibit, which opened on Wednesday, and couldn’t really play with makeup and do other things. But anyway! Here is a peace offering. If you’re new here, Made-Up History is a series I’ve been doing in which I translate some works of art into makeup looks. 🙂 I’ve already made a bunch, and you can check them out here. For this week’s post, I have Gustav Klimt’s “Judith and the Head of Holofernes,” or “Judith I,” which is one of the first works of art that Klimt infused with gold leaf. He popularized this technique and made a name for himself when he created the much-postered-up work, “The Kiss.” I’ve also always been drawn to the story of Judith and Holofernes, because she is definitely a strong woman in my eyes. She is one of the few brave women in Biblical accounts, though her book is part of the apocryphal texts, which means that …