Friday, November 4, 2011

SLEEK Blush Review and Swatches

As you probably all know, I am addicted to blushes. So when Wayne Goss of gossmakeupartist (youtube) raved about the Sleek blushes, I just had to get my hands on these babies. According to Wayne, it's dirt cheap and super pigmented. The only catch was it's only available in the UK. I had to ask someone from UK to get these for me and wait a month and a half for these to arrive. Suffice to say, it wasn't easy to get these. Buttttttt.... lucky for you, Sleek MakeUP is now easily accessible! We have local resellers like updatedtrends.multiply.com and digitaltraincase.multiply.com who carry almost the entire line! 

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with the two resellers but I can vouch for them. I have bought from both sites and I can say that they are credible. 

Anyway, enough babbling and on to the review...

TOP ROW (L-R): pixie pink, flamingo, santorini (limited edition)
BOTTOM ROW (L-R): pomegranate, flushed, scandalous

I currently own six shades and I plan to get more. See below why.

Pros:
  • locally available
  • uber affordable at 400php a pop
  • you get a lot of product: 8g
  • super pigmented
  • pretty packaging especially the limited edition ones like santorini
  • does not break me out
  • does not turn patchy on me
Cons:
  • NONE
Swatches:


Shade Description:
Scandalous - bright red orange
Flushed - deep berry
Santorini - bright blue-toned hot pink
Pixie Pink - bright pink
Flamingo - sheen finish bright pink with tinge of salmon tones
Pomegranate - berry pink with slightly purple shimmers

Sorry guys for being MIA! I promise I will be more diligent in doing reviews, etc! I've just been so busy lately. 

Toodles!

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Products I Wish Worked For Me ver.1

I rarely give up on a product. If I find that it does not do what it is supposed to do, I find other ways to make it work. For instance, mineral concealer barely hides my spots so I just use it to set my under eye concealer and it works great!

Below are the products that just did not work for me. No matter how many times I try to make it work, it always winds up disappointing me.

Note: Just know that although these may have not worked for me, it may have different results on others. To each her own. Just sharing my thoughts.   <3,  L.


L-R: YSL Perfect Touch, Estee Lauder Double Wear Light, 
Rimmel Stay Matte, Canmke Concealer Foundation UV,    
Palladio Herbal Liquid Concealer, L'oreal Waterproof Voluminous 

1. YSL Perfect Touch in shade 4


    Pros: 
  • clean refreshing scent, reminds me of cucumbers
    Cons:
  • hella expensive. I think I got this for 2,000php
  • does not cover imperfections: the consistency is thick and goopy but does not cover anything.
  • nifty packaging but very useless: the brush is very streaky and unhygienic.

2. Rimmel Stay Matte in 200 Soft Beige and Estee Lauder Double Wear Light in Intensity 2.0


Pros:
  • honestly, NONE.
Cons:
  • it does NOT cover anything. 

3. Canmake Concealer Foundation UV in shade 02



Pros:
  • covers quite well
Cons:
  • it turns cakey after some time. 
  • emphasizes fine lines, even the ones I never knew existed!
  • breaks me out

4. Palladio Herbal Liquid Concealer in Yellow and Green

I honestly wish I hadn't wasted money on this product. Don't get me wrong, I love Palladio products. I love their stick concealers and I especially love their bronzers (especially ARUBA TAN!!! :D). But this, the liquid concealer, was such a huge let down. Aside from it not covering anything, it slides around, applies streaky THEN disappears after you blend it. SMH. 



Pros:
  • NADA
Cons:
  • covers NOTHING. Please do not call it a concealer if it does not conceal anything.
  • slides around
  • streaky
  • disappears after blending. It does not even leave a tint to color-correct anything.

5. L'oreal Waterproof Voluminous Mascara in Carbon Black


Pros:
  • very pigmented
  • adds volume
Cons:
  • It claims to be waterproof but it is NOT. I have very watery eyes and this smudges giving me raccoon eyes.
  • does not lengthen
That's it for the products that have failed me. Let me know if you have tried any of the products I mentioned and if it worked for you (or did not). 

Would also like to hear your product disappointments! teehee.









Saturday, September 3, 2011

AUGUST FAVORITES 2011

Quick post! I just wanted to share my favorites for the month of August.


1-2. Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation in Medium Ivory + Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place Make Up in Bone

I love this combination.

Alone, neither gives me the finish I want. LM (Laura Mercier) is a tad too dark on me and not as long lasting. EL (Estee Lauder) on the other hand, is way too light for my skintone and feels mask-like. In addition, it dries too quickly making it very hard to blend. However, when I use 3/4 LM + 1/4 EL together, it's the perfect match and finish! Not to mention, lasts quite long too!

3. Femme Couture Mineral Effects Baked Bronzer in Beach Girl

First, I would like to thank the salesperson at Sally Beauty who convinced me to get this bronzer. I typically go for dark bronzers despite my fair skintone but the lady said that since I have fair skin, this would look better on me. I've used this several times this month and received compliments every single time...even on photos! On the pan, this looks like your normal medium-toned face powder. On my skin, it adds warmth to my face that makes me look glowing.

4. Essence Kajal Eye Pencil in All I Want

This has replaced my white eyeliner. This brightens up my eyes and looks more natural on my lower waterline as opposed to the stark white eye pencil. It looks taupe-y on the packaging but applies creamy beige on my waterline. Only con is it does not wear long.

5. Physician's Formula Shimmer Strips Gel Liner for Brown Eyes


I love this gel/cream eyeliner. Budge-proof. Water-proof. Very creamy. Very pigmented. Comes in 3 colors you can play with. Perfect for tightlining. Travel-friendly: stackable pots can be pulled apart.

6. Jane Blushing Cheeks in Blushing Petal

A rediscovery. I've had this blush since college which was eons ago (yeah yeah I use expired makeup. Sue me.).  I remember loving this blush and thought "why not rekindle the flame?" and boy was the flame rekindled. This is my go-to blush for the month. I love the muted pink shade and how wearable it is.

7. Physicians Formula Healthy Wear Powder Foundation in Translucent Medium


I always bring this with me especially when I travel because of its SPF 50. I hate putting on sunscreen in liquid-form as I feel it breaks me out. I also hate that extra step. I just love this multi-tasker: offers sun protection, sets, mattifies and great for touch-ups. My only complaint is runs a bit light. Translucent Medium is a good match for my NC25-30 skintone.

8. Interdental Brush

I would have to thank make-up artist to the stars, Mally Roncal for her tips on applying mascara. This brush is perfect for applying mascara to my lower lashes. You can get this in packs of 5 at Watson's or SM Beauty.

Friday, August 26, 2011

BEST MASCARA EVER

I switch up my mascaras every now and then but I find myself always going back to this masacara:  
        
                               FASIO HYPER-STAY DEEP TRICK-CURL VOLUME

This is the BEST. MASCARA. EVER. I've probably gone through 3-4 bottles of these. This not only lived up to my expectations, it exceeded them! It gives me that "false lash effect" and stays on forever. I even use this as my last coat when I use my crappy mascaras to seal everything in. No wasted product, No budging, No smudging.


Here's how that wand looks like:


Pros:

  • very pigmented
  • lengthens my lashes
  • volumizes and makes my lashes look fuller
  • holds up curl really well
  • water-proof, smudge-proof, flake-proof. Perfect for the beach!!!
  • semi-dry formula
  • can double as a gel eye-liner
  • affordable. got this for 90hkd
Cons:
  • hard to remove. It will only come off when I use oil-based make up removers such as Lancome's Bi-facil and Clinique's Take The Day Off
  • not locally available (paging Rustan's, please bring Fasio back)
  • hard to find. I could not find this line in Singapore. In HK, you can only find this in select Sasa stores. So I guess Japan is your best bet if you want to make pabili. 
  • Some might find the wand a tad too big for the lower lash line but you can always use those interdental brushes as a make-shift lower lashline mascara wand =)
Now for the "Before and After" photos:
*please excuse the bushy eyebrows


without mascara


with mascara

Big diff right?!? This mascara is <3!


Monday, August 22, 2011

CANMAKE CREAM CHEEK REVIEW and SWATCHES

Canmake's cream cheek blushes are probably the best cream blushes I have ever tried. It comes in little round clear plastic containers that is very lightweight. I believe this line has 11 permanent shades and releases LE shades every now and then. So far, the shades I have are: 03 Strawberry Whip, 07 Coral Orange, 08 Marshmallow Pink, 09 Pinky Rose, 11 Heavenly Heart and 12 which I believe in a LE because it is not in the website. Here's how it looks:



Pros:
  • applies cream but dries to a matte finish
  • has slight shimmers on the pan but does not show on my cheeks
  • super blendable; you can use this over powder and it will not cake
  • can be used alone or as a base for a powder blush
  • makes me look innocent / younger
  • multi-use; I’ve used this on my lips for that nude-y lipcolor and topped it with gloss
  • cute simple packaging
  • does not break me out
  • fragrance-free
  • reasonably priced. got this for 68hkd (around 400php)
Cons:
  • not locally available but you can ask someone from SG or HK to get it for you. HK is cheaper fyi.
  • does not indicate its shelf-life
  • does not say in the packaging how much you're getting 
Now for the swatches!!

Do you notice that all of the shades have a "milky" tone to it? If you have medium to dark skintone, this might come across a bit chalky. 

 with flash

 without flash

Now, I have a question for you guys! Which do you prefer, japanese cosmetics or korean cosmetics?

Saturday, August 20, 2011

REPOST FROM MY OLD TUMBLR BLOG


Hey everyone! So I'm reposting blogposts from my tumblr account: aswirlingmassofcontradictions.tumblr.com . Crossing my fingers! I hope this works because I just copy-pasted everything. har har. Here goes!
TOP 10 PRODUCTS UNDER 450 PESOS
Hey everyone! So today I am going to be talking about my top 10 must-have products under 450 pesos (roughly $10). Well I actually have 11 products haha fooled ya! These are the top 11 items that I will be repurchasing over and over again not just because of its affordability, but also because of its quality and convenience.
I will also be posting mini reviews as I talk about the items like what the pros and cons are. No swatches though as I am still figuring out the settings of my camera. Please bear with me :)
So let’s begin!
1. Wet n Wild Color Icon Palette in Lust (#248)
I do not wear eyeshadow on a daily basis but when I need a smokey eye look, I usually reach for this palette. Notice I have not made a dent on any of the colors? That’s because these are so smooth and pigmented except for the topmost shadows (lilac and cream, which I find a bit chalky). A little goes a long way. I’ve used this both during daytime and for clubbing so it’s safe to say that this palette is very versatile. This is a staple in my travel make up kit!
Now on to the pros and cons:
Pros:
  • mix of matte and shimmery shadows (left side: matte ; right side: shimmery)
  • very pigmented and blendable (even without a primer underneath)
  • very cheap! got this via ebay for less than 200php
  • this palette alone can create daytime looks and transition to nighttime dramatic smokey eyes
  • I have slightly oily lids and these did not crease on me
Cons:
  • lilac and cream shades are a bit chalky but still useable 
  • I do not think our local Wet n Wild counters carry this palette
2. Jordana Eyeshadow Singles in French Toast (#108)
It looks yellow on the photo but it’s a champagne-y pinkish beige in actual. I use this for the inner 1/4 of my upper and lower lids.
Pros:
  • uber inexpensive! got this from US Dollar Store for 99php for 3.3g
  • has the mini sponge tip applicator which comes in handy for highlighting the inner corners of my eyes
  • matches my skin tone quite well. I’ve used this to highlight the bridge of my nose and cheekbones
Cons:
  • fall-outs but nothing intolerable
3. Fashion 21 Eyeshadow Singles in #15 (charcoal gray with shimmers)
I absolutely love this shadow! I find that after blending it out, it has brown undertones that omits the need to use a transition/crease color. I use this together with Jordana’s french toast when I’m in a hurry and KABOOM! insta-smokey eyes. 
Pros:
  • available in all SM department stores. I forgot how much I got this for but I’m sure it was less than 150php. 2.2g
  • very handy. I am pretty sure this will fit all make up kits
  • multi-dimensional. like what I said earlier, it cuts out the process of putting a crease color because of the brown tones that shows up post-blending
  • photo-friendly. you know how some shadows turn out different in photos? I’ve had cases wherein my eyes look fine in person but then when I look at the pictures, my eyes look weird. NEVER experienced that with this eye shadow.
Cons: 
  • none
4. E.L.F. Studio Blush in Pink Passion (#10307)
Very very pretty cool-toned pink blush. I love how it suits my NC25-30 skin tone and I love that it is matte <3
Pros:
  • very pigmented
  • cheap! got this at Target for $3 plus tax
  • instantly brightens up my complexion. perfect for daytime looks
  • matte. no hints of shimmer whatsoever. 
  • comes with a mirror
Cons: 
  • not well-pressed
  • Last time I checked, this particular color is not available in our local E.L.F. counters. 
5. Canmake Cream Cheek Blush in Coral Orange (#07)
This is a make up kit staple! Absolutely fool-proof!
I tend to shy away from cream blushes because 1) of its shorter shelf life 2) it tends to feel heavy on the cheeks 3) it makes me look oily. But after reading numerous reviews, I caved in and bought finally bought it. This by far is the best cream blush I’ve tried. It does not feel heavy nor does it make me look oily! Like what the name says, it is a coral with a very slight hint of pink.
Pros:
  • applies cream but dries to a matte finish
  • has slight shimmers on the pan but does not show on my cheeks
  • super blendable; you can use this over powder and it will not cake
  • can be used alone or as a base for a powder blush
  • makes me look younger
  • multi-use; I’ve used this on my lips for that pinky nude lip and topped it with gloss
  • got this for 68hkd (around 400php)
Cons:
  • not locally available but you can ask someone from SG or HK to get it for you. HK is cheaper fyi.
6. Ben Nye Red Neutralizer Concealer in No.2
This is the only concealer I can use both for my eyes and face that is under 450 pesos. 
Pros:
  • got this for 375php via pool order
  • does not break me out
  • definitely neutralizes redness and covers any imperfections
  • does not crease/cake 
  • does not highlight my fine lines 
  • can be layered for a fuller coverage
 Cons:
  • not locally available
7. Saizen/Daiso Nose Shadow
Another make up kit staple.
I have the typical asian nose hence, I need a lot of contouring on that area. MAC’s Blushcreme in Cherche used to do the job in giving my nose a slight noselift but sadly, it’s discontinued. I was browsing by the beauty section of Saizen when this caught my eye and thought Id give it a shot. It has been love ever since. I use my fingers to apply it then just blend, blend, blend. 
Pros:
  • only 85php at Saizen
  • perfect shade of brown on my skin
  • photographs well. I have tried different bronzers and eyeshadows to contour my nose and it always looks weird in photos. this. is. perfect.
  • comes with the matte white highlighter. I personally do not use it as I am not a fan of putting matte white highlighters on the bridge of my nose. I prefer skin-toned highlighters
Cons:
  • none
8. Ever Bilena’s Matte Lipsticks in Mauvey and Off Beat Pink
Mauvey was a recent purchase but I am positive that this will be part of my forever favorite product list. Mauvey is pinkish nude when swatched while Off Beat Pink is a cross between a wearable pink and an in-your-face pink. It is a bit hard to describe but I think Off Beat Pink is a matte, lighter and pinkier version of NYX’s Fig. Did that make sense? hahaha 
Pros:
  • Available at all Ever Bilena counters for only 145php
  • does not leave that disgusting white gunk on my inner lip
  • non-drying considering it is matte
Cons:
  • cheap packaging; the “color indicator” part found on the top part of the lid tends to break off. this happened to both lipsticks
9. Wet n Wild Color Icon Eyeliner in Black Noir (#651)
Maybe I am weird but I layer my eyeliners. This is the first thing I put when doing my FACE make up. I line my upper lash line with this then proceed with concealer, powder etc. I feel it makes my lashes appear fuller without the obvious line. 
Note that I use a different eyeliner when doing my EYE make up i.e. tight-lining, upper lash line (post eye shadow application) and lower lash line/inner lower rim 
Pros:
  • cheap! got this on sale for 70cents + tax at Walgreens. I think our local  WnW counters sell this at 99php a pop
  • applies smoothly
  • good color payoff with just one swipe
Cons:
  • smudges if I do not set it with powder
  • not water proof
10. Johnson & Johnson’s Fresh and Smooth Face Powder in Beige
I think I’ve gone through five of these already! This is one of the best setting powders ever! I just buy the refills cuz I’m cheap like that. 
Pros:
  • available in all department stores. very affordable at 80+ pesos/refill (shown in picture)
  • does not change the color of my make up
  • keeps my face matte for at least 3 hours
  • not messy at all, unlike loose setting powders. perfect for travel!
Cons:
  • none but some people might not like the packaging
and lastly…
11. Milani Sunset Duos in Sunset Beach (#03)
Another travel must have! The fact that this comes with a blusher that’s made to go along with the bronzer makes this perfect for travel! This photographs soooo well too! It makes me look like I have a natural glow.
Pros:
  • got this at ebay for 170php. contains 11.7g. not bad, huh?
  • the glitters on the pan does not show once applied on my face
  • did not break me out
  • I can wear this with any eye look and not look like a clown
  • sturdy packaging; I’ve dropped this a few times and it’s still intact
Cons:
  • not locally available
Whew! Blogging is time consuming! hahaha but FUN. Soo.. that’s it for my top 10 under Php450. Enjoy! 
CHEAP ADVICE #1: MASCARA AS EYELINER

So early this morning, I had to do my make up in the car because I was rushing late to an appointment when I realized my eyeliner was not in my make kit! Quick fix? I used my mascara as eyeliner. Yes. You read it right. Mascara as eyeliner and guess what?? IT WORKED. Here’s a mini tutorial on how I did it:
What you will need:
mascara *note: I’m using L’oreal Waterproof Voluminous for this turorial. I hate this mascara. I just want to use it up as I hate letting products go to waste.
any thin synthetic bristled brush
Step 1: Get a little bit of mascara gunk on your brush
Step 2: Apply like you would a gel liner
                                        
Voila! Defined eyes! Sorry for the crappy quality. I just used my laptop. Anywayyy, you get the picture haha Hope this helped!