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Beauty, Reviews

Review: Rouge Dior Rose Baiser 361

06/23/2014

8 Comments

I don’t know what I ate in France (too much macarons, croissants, and éclairs, maybe??) because I kept on wanting to try out a bunch of high-end French makeup brands. Living in France for give or take a month made me want to imbibe even a small aspect of their posh and elegant culture. Obviously for a makeup addict like me, the perfect way for me to imbibe a bit of French culture was to try out some pieces from famous French brands such as Dior and Givenchy.

As you all know, I love lippies. I really believe that there is NO SUCH THING as having too much lippies! I’ve heard that Dior has one of the most amazing lipstick formulas which is why it was the first makeup counter I explored when I was in Sephora. When it seemed like I wasn’t ever going to be finished with the major swatchfest that ensued because of the amazing range of shades, I finally settled with a Rouge Dior Rose Baiser 361. I have to say, the packaging is trés chic!

Shade and Texture

Since I already have a bunch of lipsticks (most of them neglected, yikes!), I decided to go with a wearable shade to make sure that one of my most priced lipstick pieces (literally and figuratively) will get the love that it deserves. Rose Baiser 361 is a neutral rosey pink with. When worn, you can detect a hint on brown. It looks brighter than from the tube than when applied. It’s definitely a shade that can be worn easily, especially for daytime.

It also has a creamy texture and beautiful satin finish. I love that its creaminess is perfect in a sense that it’s creamy yet it stays put and it doesn’t slip and slide on the lips. One swipe does the trick but I prefer to do two swipes. Given its creaminess, the lipstick is also incredibly moisturising on my naturally dry lips. My lips can’t help but cry of happiness, seriously.

Longevity and Scent

This lasts about 3-4 hours on my lips without eating. Reapplication would be necessary after eating but I definitely don’t mind. The only thing that bothers me about this is its “granny” scent. The scent was very evident as I applied the lipstick but it wore in within the first hour of wearing it.

Final Thoughts

I adore this lipstick and I have to say that it’s one of the few lipsticks of mine that really sat well on my dry and stubborn lips. The line has a huge selection of shades and the quality is topnotch. It was definitely worth the splurge. I still wouldn’t want to pressure everyone to grab a tube because it IS quite pricey. My lips are just especially picky with lipstick formulas, which is why I really liked the lipstick. However, I would definitely recommend this to those who are searching for a nice lipstick formula for dry lips!

xoxo,

Beauty, Reviews

5 Minute Review: Maybelline the Falsies Volum’ Express Waterproof Mascara

06/08/2014

4 Comments

I’m going to give my 5 minute reviews another try, haha. I know that a lot of my readers don’t have all the time in the world to read my endless babbling about makeup so I’m going to TRY to keep some of my review as short and simple as possible. For those who enjoy my babbling (hopefully, there’s a reader or two who likes reading long rambles haha), don’t worry because I’ll only be doing the 5 minute reviews with products that can be reviewed with the least amount of words possible! Here goes! :)

I’m already a bit late to the party by doing this review because this product has been around for quite a while now. However, I’ve really been enjoying Maybelline’s the Falsies Valum’ Express Mascara because it’s one of the few mascaras that are able to work with my short and straight asian lashes. I can count with my fingers the number of mascaras that have worked out well for me which is why I’m going to put my thoughts in the Maybelline the Falsies Volum’ Express Mascara out there, anyway! :)

Packaging

The mascara comes in Maybelline’s signature chubby tube packaging. The end of the wand is is dense and is shaped uniquely like a spoon in order to catch the lashes thoroughly. The neck of the wand isn’t stiff and allows for minimal bending movement in order to follow the bending motion when you apply mascara.

Formulation

I like that the shade is a true black shade. The formula isn’t too runny nor too dry and it coats my lashes quite well. The formula and the wand combined really does volumize my lashes. It’s frightening actually, the way it’s able to magically make my virtually non-existent lashes appear AND remain curled into place. I also tested if it can withstand water by showering with it. Lo and behold, the mascara did not budge one bit. I love that it’s waterproof because it’s really hot in school and I absolutely CANNOT have panda eyes in the middle of the day. The only downside of the formula is that it has a tendency to clump my lashes lashes and it’s quite difficult to remove.

Right eye: No mascara. Lashes, where art thou?

Left eye: suddenly it’s MAGIC! hehe

Tips and Final Thoughts

To avoid applying too much product, lightly brush off the excess product on a tissue. Apply the product from the roots of your lashes and carefully work your way upwards. Apply a maximum of two coats unless you want spider lashes.

I really love this mascara because it’s magical for my stubborn lashes. I recommend this to those who have short lashes like me. I wouldn’t recommend this to those who have long and luscious lashes because it might just end up clumping your beautiful lashes, haha!

xoxo,

Beauty, Reviews

Review: Sonia Kashuk Arch Alert Brow Kit – 12

06/05/2014

2 Comments

As you all know, I’m really into brow products because BOTH of my parents virtually have non-existent brows and thus my brows are barely visible as well. I think this is one of the biggest nightmares a girl (who’s into makeup and stuff) can ever have. But I thank God every day for allowing humans to discover how to create brow products. I’m always on the search for awesomazing brow products which is why I got so excited when I discovered the Sonia Kashuk Arch Alert Brow Kit. I repurchased this a while back because I loved it so much but my first palette did not run out until recently because I’ve been using a ton of different brow products as well. When I checked online, I found out that they have since repackaged it but I’m assuming that mine is still similar to the new version because the shades still look very similar based on the photos I saw online.

Consistency, Shade and Longevity

The website describes the product to be a cream product but I honestly find it more waxy than creamy. I think that it having a waxy consistency is better than it being too creamy because it might not last as long as it does if it were too creamy. The product is easy to apply when using an angled brush (I use my angled brush from Charm Cosmetics or my angled brush from Sigma). A TINY amount is needed to fill in (or in my case, DRAW IN huhu) the brows. The waxy texture is also helpful when it comes to taming a few unruly brows.

This palette comes in four beautiful shades: brunette, red, light brown, and blonde. I used the upper right shade and the upper left shade for my brows and I think that the shade options of the palette overall is perfect for my coloed hair. I usually stay within similar shade ranges for my hair so I think that this palette won’t be put to waste for me at all. I love how the palette is so versatile in allowing people to mix and match shades to create the shade that would suit them. My only problem with the shade selection is that people with dark hair might not be able to use this because I reckon that even the darkest shade might be too light for them.

swatched clockwise from left

This lasted around 6 hours on me and it’s not waterproof. I really wish it lasted longer because this could very well be one of my favorite brow products yet!

Final Thoughts

I’m already on my second palette which just shows how much I adore this little palette. I highly recommend this to people with colored hair (it’s a bit more difficult to find brow products for people with colored hair in the Philippines). However, those who have black hair or really dark hair may skip on this. :)

Beauty, Reviews

My biggest splurge yet: Tom Ford Indian Rose

06/03/2014

8 Comments

As I was sitting alone on a bench in the Munich airport, I mentally pat myself on the back for being able to resist buying cosmetics on the last leg of our Eastern Europe tour. But damn, when I landed in the Dubai airport with 4 hours to spare, I instinctively walked towards Duty Free’s makeup section half-awake. I groggily browsed a couple of beauty products here and there but when I was prepared to leave, my sleepy eyes landed on the TOM FORD BEAUTY SECTION. My heart immediately stopped. I have been looking for Tom Ford Beauty all over Europe and was without luck the entire time. “Max, you’ve spent too much already. JUST WALK AWAY,” I told myself but alas my dream beauty brand was calling me and thus the calm-and-composed-shopping-banned-Maxie disappeared into thin air. I giddily caressed the smooth black cubes and began to swatch each shade available. One by one, I eliminated the shades that I did not like and finally settled on Indian Rose. I was actually going to go for Spanish Pink because Shari did a fantastic job of making me lust after the shade but I found it a bit too pale in person. However, revisiting her blog entry has awaked my desire for it and I’m beginning to have second thoughts about not getting Spanish Pink. eek!

It took me a good 10 minutes debating with myself whether to buy this hella-craazy-expensive lipstick because it was going to be one of my biggest splurges IN LIFE, EVER. It also did not help that I couldn’t really make sure that I picked the best shade because I was afraid of trying it on my lips due to the virus outbreak in Dubai. In the end, I decided that I wasn’t going to be able to swatch these on my hand myself for a very long time so I prayed HARD to them makeup gods to guide me into choosing the perfect shade for me. Finally, I lost all my capability for reasoning and just bit the damn bullet and purchased it. Ugh, I blame Emirates Airlines for impulsive purchases like these! HAHA.

Packaging

Tom Ford did a fantastic job creating a packaging that in my opinion makes these much coveted lippies so iconic. I can really feel the weight of my purchase with the tube and I really prefer it that way. Just holding it feels expensive! haha The only thing that I don’t like is that the packaging attract fingerprints quite easily.

Shade and Formula

I have to admit, I really took the time to wear the lipstick several times just to make sure I can finalize what I think about these lipsticks. First off, its shade is a beautiful brownish rosy pink. The pink is not too bright and it’s not too brown either. I chose this shade because I thought it was perfect to wear on almost any occasion I’d like. When I first swatched it, I didn’t notice that it had tiny traces of shimmer in them. It’s almost unnoticeable when worn as well. I only noticed the shimmer when I finally erased it from my hand. I tend to stay away from any kind of shimmer when it comes to my lipsticks but I unfortunately discovered the shimmer when I was already back in Manila. Since the shimmer is really almost unnoticeable, I just shrugged it off.

The texture of the lipstick is creamy and it has a light to medium coverage. It feels very light on the lips but it is also able to cover my lips entirely upon first application. It has the right amount of creaminess because the lipstick is able to stay put on the lips without budging. I guess the only thing that I was hesitant to admit to myself was that although the lipstick wasn’t totally drying on the lips, it also wasn’t totally moisturizing as well. I really hoped and expected that a lipstick as expensive as this would have a revolutionary, life-changing formulation but it was just alright for me. I think those with more naturally hydrated lips would find the hydrating quality of this formula perfect, though. It wore on my lips for a good 4-5 hours and I experienced flaking towards the end.

Final Thoughts

To be honest, I wasn’t WOWED by the lipstick overall. If it were a bit cheaper and was in the P1500 range, I would have appreciated it more. However, this lipstick is supposed to be in the big leagues when it comes to lipsticks so my expectations were naturally above and beyond my normal expectations. I loved the shade and the formulation was just ok but please don’t kill me if I say that despite everything I have said, I’m still open to MAYBE trying out one more shade in the far (hopefully) future. Just because these lipsticks are so iconic and I just really hope to find one that will WOW me. I have dreamed big dreams for TOM FORD lippies and ME so I’m not about to give up just yet!

I don’t even want to begin to try to convince you to do anything after saying all this. I cannot bear the responsibility of luring people into buying a P3000 lipstick so I’m just going to let you guys decide for yourself if you want to give these much coveted lippies a try or not.

This has been a long post and that’s it for now, guys! Let me know your thoughts please! :)

xoxo,

Beauty, Reviews

Review: Kiko Sun Lovers Blush 04 Atlantic Camellia

05/29/2014

2 Comments

This post officially begins my love affair with one of my greatest discoveries as a makeup lover. I know, the words that I just said are very big words but my goodness, I spent 1/4 of my pocket money for Europe HOARDING, yes HOARDING goodies from Kiko. I visited Kiko at least five times during my stay in Europe and I paniced every single time I was there because I knew that once I get back to Manila, it’s goodbye Kiko for a very long time. Kiko is actually an Italian brand but I saw it everywhere in France and twice in Spain. I found out about it through my foster sister in France because I asked her for recommendations of nice French brands for cosmetics because I heard that there are tons of amazing French beauty brands. She told me that she and her friends barely purchase products from the famous French brands such as Chanel and the like because she buys her makeup from Kiko. I checked it out on my own right after I skimmed through the prices of the makeup in Sephora (I nearly had a heart attack, oh my gosh, everything was overpriced). Recovering from my nearly mini heart attack from Sephora, I thought I was going to have yet another mini heart attack because Kiko. OH MY GOSH KIKO. Kiko is the epitome of a makeup-lover-on-a-budget’s PARADISE. The brand’s signature packaging wasn’t the most appealing in the market but the quality of the makeup that I was trying out PLUS the reaally affordable prices that came with the products had the makeup hoarder inside my soul me go out of hiding. In a nutshell, a lot of people call the brand Nyx, the poor girl’s MAC. I never really liked NYX because I feel like although they have a few hit products, most of their products rightfully match their prices. I would put Kiko right above Nyx and a little bit below MAC.

They had just launched their summer collection, Life in Rio when I was there so I obviously just had to grab some items from the summer collection. First on my list is the Sun Lovers Blush in 04 Atlantic Camellia. The summer collection immediately stood out from their normal line because of it’s vibrant packaging. The colors were very festive and the packaging really does remind me of Rio. I also love how it comes with a really huge mirror which is very handy. The sun lovers blush came in four different shades but Atlantic Camellia appealed to me the most.

The Sun Lover Blush is a mineral blush an is claimed to be hypoallergenic. Each compact contains a blush duo with a total of three shades. The left side has a muted rosey pink shade swirled with a little bit of blue powder which acts as a highlighter. The right side is composed of a bright rose pink shade. Both blushes contain micro shimmer which I like because I find that it makes my skin look nice under the sun. I would like to state that shimmer is different from chunks of glitter which can be found in other blushes. No one in the right mind would want chunks of glitter in their blush unless it’s NARS super Orgasm (teehee). Both blushes are silky in texture and blends beautifully into the skin for a natural flush. Both shades have light to medium opacity and are opaque enough to show up on my cheeks upon first application. This lasted around 5 hours on my skin under the crazy summer heat. Not bad, in my opinion!

These shades may be used separately or may also be used all together . I would not recommend using a brush and swirl it around the pan because the blush is very delicate and doing so will make you pick up more product than you would want (unless you wanna look like a little girl who went overboard with mommy’s blush). I prefer to gently press my brush onto the first shade then to the other and gently dust the powder onto my cheeks starting from my outer cheek and into the middle of my cheek. Make sure to end at the spot below the edge of your pupil.

After everything that I have said, I think that quality-wise, this blush is an absolute star. It’s nothing revolutionary because blush IS blush but everything about it works for me. Before I end, I would like to share what really blew my mind as I write this review. Out of curiosity, I checked out the content of this blush and oh my gosh. For 14.90eu or around P900, this blush contains about 8 grams worth of product. An average MAC mineralize blush is now sold for $25 or P1500 and each one contains only 3.5g worth of product. I may sound like a cheapskate haha but oh my gosh, knowing this just made this purchase extra sweeter!

I recommend those who are going to Europe to try out products from Kiko! It will change your life because it’s changing mine, one product at a time. For those who aren’t going to Europe any time soon, be resourceful! It’s summer and a lot of people are going there. ;) I’m sorry but it’s not available in the Philippines yet but I just really had to share! Please let me know if you’d like to read more reviews of the products that I got from Kiko. I’d really love to know! :)

love and lipstick,

Beauty, Reviews

Review: Urban Decay Lipstick Revolution

05/23/2014

6 Comments

I’ve always been a MAC girl when it comes to lipsticks and I realized how I haven’t been quite as adventurous as I could be when it comes to lipsticks. Enter Urban Decay’s newest line of lipsticks called the Urban Decay Lipstick Revolution. Their previous line did not really interest me but my gosh when the swatches for their newest line were popping all over the internet, I just new I had to get my hands on them.

It took me forever trying to select two shades from the 22 gorgeous shades available. I had to base my two choices on the swatches online and I finally went with Fiend and Anarchy.

Based on photos online, the packaging of their old lipstick line was edgy but really bulky so I am happy to report that the packaging of their newest line is anything but bulky. The new lipsticks tubes are made up of sleek purple material that looks like metal (or maybe it’s actually metal). My only issue with the packaging is that it’s quite the fingerprint magnet but whatever, I simply cannot contain my newfound love for these lipsticks so I’m just going to continue.

Left: Anarchy; Right: Fiend

Fiend is such a wearable rosey beige. It looks so natural on the lips and I could totally wear this EVERY DAY if only I did not love it so much and I don’t want to used it all up too soon. I can find myself wearing this to school, to a date, to do errands, everywhere! The formulation is impeccable as it is so creamy and it’s also pigmented enough to cover the lips in just one swipe. It’s perfection, really. You’ll have to do a touch up after you eat though. However, I personally do not mind having to do so because I’d rather have a slightly moisturizing lipstick than a drying lipstick that stays on for daaaaaaaaays.

Anarchy is the brightest, boldest, bestest, fuschia pink shade I have in my collection. It’s a suuper bright fuschia with cool undertones. It’s pigmentation is OFF THE CHARTS, my jaw literally dropped when I first swatched it because I didn’t expect it to be even more vibrant on my hand that on the tube. The shade is so intense that I noticed a teeny bit of feathering when I applied it on my lips but heck, I LOVE IT. It’s the perfect pink shade for summer in my opinion. You can easily put on a bare face, fix up your brows, swipe on this killer lipstick, and you are GOOD TO GO. I love how the cool undertone makes my teeth seem whiter! The formulation is also amazing in my opinion because it’s not very drying considering how pigmented it is. I’m not the biggest fan of matte lipsticks so I really liked it’s glossy finish as well. This stays on all day and leaves a slight stain even after wiping it off with makeup remover.

Swatches

Overall

Wew, did you feel my enthusiasm over these lippies? I hope you did! These were love at first swipe and my love for these have grown even deeper as I got to use these more and more. I highly recommend these for everyone to try and I’m sure there’s a shade for everyone because they have a huge selection of shades to offer. I had my grandpa buy these for me from the States because they are not available in the Philippines, unfortunately. Try looking for a relative who lives in the states to buy it for you or check out instagram shops! Good luck! <3

That’s it for now guys!

Much love,

Beauty, Reviews

Review: Sonia Kashul Secret Agenda Concealer Palette – 07

05/20/2014

3 Comments

Hello there, world!

I haven’t been able to post a blog entry in almost two months now because I went on a short vacation in Europe! It was without a doubt one of the best moments of my life and I really wish I could stay there forever but it’s true when they say that home is where the heart is. Despite waking up to gorgeous scenery, having instagram worthy places everywhere, having access to oh-so-drool-worthy-1-euro-gelato, and everything in between, I miss sunny Manila! and blogging, of course! Now I’m back to reality and I have a couple of posts lined up for you. Of course, I’ll be blogging about my beauty finds from Europe too!

Product

So, I still have a ton of makeup that I haven’t been able to blog about and one of them is the Sonia Kashuk Secret Agenda Concealer Palette. I got it from Target a while back. They now carry a repackaged version that looks very similar to the one I have. I really like this concealer which is why I’m still writing about it.

The packaging is made out of sturdy white plastic and it c0mes with a magnetic flap to securely shut the palette. The new version of this palette now comes in black and although the product itself looks similar to the old version, I’m not sure if they made formulation changes to the concealer. Each palette sells for around $10 or P450.

Each palette comes with three shades and a powder. The upper right shade is a salmon shade and is perfect for dark circles. The lower left shade has green tones to it and it can be used to counteract redness on the face. The upper left is a brownish beige shade that can be used after correcting dark circles to brighten them up. Lastly, the lower right shade is a powder that can be used to set the concealer.

The texture of the concealer is on the thick side because it is a cream concealer. It’s also medium to heavy coverage. I love how this concealer easily blends into my skin and how it is able to make my pimples and dark circles disappear.

I also love how it attempts to replicate the idea of Bobbi Brown’s famous corrector, concealer, and powder. I haven’t tried Bobbie Brown’s version so I can’t really compare the two. However, Sonia Kashuk’s Secret Agenda Concealer Palette is a nice and cheaper alternative for those who can’t afford the Bobbi Brown version just yet.

Swatches

with only eyebrow makeup on my face

with the Sonia Kashuk Secret Agenda Concealer on my face

Final Thoughts

The only downside of this product is that I don’t think it has a lot shades to offer. I think they only offer two shade ranges which is light and medium. Nevertheless, I love how one is able to do so much in one palette for a price that won’t break the bank. I love love love this concealer and i recommend it to those who have access to this product.

That is it for now guys! Thanks for reading, and I would love to hear your thoughts and comments below! :)

xoxo,

Beauty, Reviews

My favorite MLBB: MAC Hug Me

03/24/2014

2 Comments

People often think that a nude lipstick shade is the same thing as a my-lips-but-better lipstick shade. A nude lipstick shade is not what someone would want to get unless that person wants to look like he/she applied concealer on his/her lips. A nude lipstick shade will more often than not make someone look washed out and just blahhh. The right way to get a “nude” lipstick shade is to get a my-lip-but-better shade. It should be a shade that is similar to you lip color and it should be able to enhance your natural lip color, not make your lips look pale.

Having said all this, I’m proud to say that I have found the perfect my-lips-but-better shade for myself and I have been using it for more than three years now! It goes by the name hug me by MAC Cosmetics. It’s a lustre finish and I surprisingly never thought to check what finish MAC Hug Me is until recently.

Product

Mac Hug Me doesn’t particularly looks nice from the tube. It’s a shade a normal girl would have easily overlooked. It doesn’t look attractive as it looks like a brownish pink directly form the tube. Since it’s a luster finish, It also doesn’t swatch attractively. I like my lipsticks opaque so I tend to gravitate towards colors that swatches beautifully. It’s probably the sheerest lipstick I have in my lipstick army but it’s one of my favorites, still. I honestly cannot remember how I started my love affair with this lippie but I’m so glad I picked it up and gave it a try.

Now, I already said that it doesn’t look attractive from the tube and that it doesn’t swatch beautifully. So really, what is all the fuss about this lippie? It may look like an unattractive pinkish brown from the tube but it applies a like a luscious caramel-browny-pink on my lips. It doesn’t have a hint of shimmer or frost (YAY) but it makes my lipstick look soft and luscious with its shiny-in-a-nice-way finish. My dry and chapped rejoice over the amount of moisture this lipstick has. It goes well with ANY makeup look and is my go-to lipstick on days when I don’t know what shade to pick.

Since it’s a luster finish, it doesn’t last very long on the lips. You may need to reapply (I don’t mind reapplying at all).

Final Thoughts

This lipstick has got to be the most constant thing in my life and I love love love it! I didn’t get to blog about it sooner because my old tube didn’t look attractive anymore (</3) and I waited until I got a second tube to blog about it! For the record, this is the only lipstick shade that I have repurchased twice in my life! It’s really glorious. I think it would suit a lot of different skin tones but those who have really pigmented lips might not get the same results as me because the shade isn’t very opaque.

For those who think this shade might not work for them, don’t worry! Just find a liopstick shade that’s similar to the color of your lips and you’ll have your perfect mlbb in no time!

Already found your MLBB? Let me know by commenting below because I’d love to try new MLBB shades!

xoxo,