Coastal Scents 26 Color Shadow Blush Combo Palette review + look

This was part of my Coastal Scents Haul and I must say this is my favorite of the bunch. This has a nice mix of neutrals and earth-toned shades, and a variety of finishes- matte, shimmer, and pearlescent shadows.

 

 

Pigmentation: 4/5 The shadows are great, but some blushes need several applications before the colors show up

Texture: 3/5 They apply well, but there are some that aren't easy to blend, especially if you've used primer. There are some shades though, like the gold one at the top, that go on sort of creamy. My only complaint is that some of the powders are too soft, they practically crumble if you're a bit heavy-handed in picking up color from the pan with the brush. I just have to be extra careful to prevent this from happening.

Lasting Power: 5/5 when used with primer (sorry girls haven't tried this yet without the primer)

Fall out: From my experience, no fall outs during application, but some colors tend to leave a mess on the pan when I swipe my brush across it

Where to Get: I got mine off the Coastal Scents website, but if you hate waiting and you want one now na, there are a lot of online shops that sell this palette.

You will like this if:

• You like neutrals, peaches, corals, and plums
• You like a variety of finishes
• You like doing classic makeup looks
• You want a palette that carries both eyeshadows and blushes
• You don't mind that it comes in a big container
• You're on a budget

You won't like this if:

• You like working with color (this has no blues, greens, or bright colors)
• You prefer single shadows/duos/trios/quads that come in smaller packaging
• You want a good highlight shade, which this palette sorely lacks!
• You can't stand the messy fallouts

For my Eye of the Day, I used 3 colors for the eyes (plum for the outer V and crease, gold and the peachy gold for the lid color and lower lashline) and for my cheeks, the plum blush.

 

 

Orange Love: in2it Moisture Intense Lipstick in Juice

Got this on sale 2 months ago at Watson's, and I am loving it! This is the my 2nd orange lipstick; the first one I had was more on the conservative, peachy side; while this one is loud, pigmented, and just so out-there. Here's my review and lip swatch:

Shade: Juice (orange-red color)

Pigmentation: 4/5 (you need at least 2 coats to get a nice, opaque finish)

Moisturizing Effect: 5/5

Staying Power: 3/5 (comes off after a meal), intensity fades a bit after 3-4 hours of wear

Finish: Slightly glossy

Packaging: 5/5 Looks nice, plus product is securely held inside 

Price: Php 375

Where to Get: Watsons/department stores

You'll like this if:

• You like moisturizing formulas
• You want a slightly glossy finish
• You don't mind wearing attention-grabbing shades
• You like products with sleek packaging

You won't like this if:

• You're looking for a matte finish
• You prefer neutral shades
• You like products that come in girly/cutesy packaging

Have you tried other In2it lipsticks too? What other shades would you recommend? :)

The Face Shop Power Perfection BB Cream in Natural Beige

Lately, I've been trying out sample sizes of different bb cream brands because mom went away on a month-long trip and she took my Maybelline BB cream (she liked it so much) with her. So being bb cream-less means I have the option to scout around for a replacement without feeling guilty for not using up the previous one! Haha..

Sample sizes are great because you don't want to waste money on stuff that leave you looking like a ghost. If you're still trying to figure out what kind or which brand works best for you, try getting samples first and see if you like it, before committing to a full sized bottle (which could set you back somewhere between Php 700-1000).

Good thing that I found this online shop by Miss Loren, who sells a variety of BB cream brands; from samples to full sized ones. She was having a 3 for 100 deal last month and after checking out the goods I decided on getting bb creams from Korean brands Etude House, The Face Shop, and Skin Food. I've already tried all three, and I must say there are some hits and misses.

I also came up with the following considerations before going full size:

1. High SPF, at least 30, since I'm out in the sun very often
2. Has neutral undertones as much as possible (some have gray/pink undertones that make me look like a corpse in real life and in pictures)
3. Very minimal white cast-pretty difficult to find, since a lot of BB creams leave a white cast which is noticeable in flash photography
4. Easy to spread, because I don't like pulling and tugging on my face

I'll be making separate reviews for each, starting with The Face Shop's Power Perfection BB Cream in Natural Beige

Product Description: 

• A ‘3-in-1’ BB cream (anti-wrinkle, whitening, sun protection) with perfect coverage 
• Total Skin Treatment BB cream(Special ingredients for rejuvenating skin): actively addresses all skin problems such as loss of firmness, dry skin, uneven skin texture and dull complexion 
• Better makeup results (flawless coverage + good adherence + long lasting): 
• Marvelous airy-touch texture: 
• A light-as-air texture that smoothly melts into the skin upon application making skin comfortable and able to breathe. 
• Clinically tested. (Clinical trials to test firmness, moisturization, coverage, and long lasting ability) 

My Review:

Texture: A bit difficult to spread on its own, will require some pulling and tugging to blend it out evenly. To fix this problem I mix in just a drop of argan oil before applying it to my face to make it more blendable. It's lightweight and not heavy at all on the face.

with flash

without flash

Coverage/Finish: On the heavier side of medium. It's buildable, so if you find it too sheer you can add more product to parts that need concealing. I didn't use any concealer at all after using this because my dark circles kind of disappeared already. A little goes a long way with this product; you don't need a lot of it to achieve good coverage. It has a nice finish as well, somewhere in between matte and dewy; it's like your skin, only better.

Scent: Very mild powdery scent

Staying Power and Oil Control: Lasts in the heat, doesn't melt off. Last me a good 10 hours without feathering/flaking off (which happens with Maybelline sometimes). I tried it several times without using powder on top, and after working for 8 hours I didn't look like I dipped my face in a frying pan. My skin looked just slightly dewy, but not oily at all.

 

Overall, I like it. Good coverage and lasting power. No white cast! And it makes my skin look healthy and glowing from within. Sounds exag but true.Candidate for purchase :)

Have you tried this one from Face Shop? Does it show improvement on skin (as they claim) when used long-term? Let me know! :)

Etude House VIP Girl lipstick in PK007

One word- LOVE!!!! I super love this color (even though I don't exactly look great in it haha). There's just something about cool-toned pinks that I really like. Maybe it's because they're not exactly everyday colors? Unless you're Gaga or Nicki that is...

Consistency and Staying Power:
Creamy, hydrating, easy to apply. Comes off after a meal.

Color: 
It's a very pale, cool-toned pink. Pretty much a whitish lilac with a hint of pink. Really close to the hand swatch and how it looks like in the tube, except for the finish- it looks matte in the tube but it's creamy when applied.

Packaging: 
Comes in a girly-girl hot pink case.

Scent:
Has a very faint sweet bubblegum scent; but don't worry, it isn't irritating to the nose.

A few looks on me... Not exactly my best color, but I still love it!

You'll like this if:

• You like pale shades
• You want something a little bit "different"
• You like cutesy product packaging
• You don't mind looking a bit washed out 
• You love Lady Gaga/Nicki Minaj (ehem, me)

You won't like this if:

• You prefer more "traditional" shades of pink
• You prefer minimalist product packaging

Where to Get:

Etude House, for Php 428. Or shop their online site here http://www.etudehouse.ph/.

Etude House Dear My Blooming Lips in PK 001

And so the search for the replacement HG pink lipstick continues. This is from Etude House, from the Dear My Blooming Lips line. Shade PK 001

Love this cute heart embossed on the lipstick itself

lip swatch

What I Like:

Cute packaging! It almost looks like a toy

I love the color, it's a creamy Barbie-pink

Great color pay-off

Very moisturizing

Decent staying power (5 hours, without eating)

What I don't Like:

Nothing :)

How I Wore:

Wore it with a bare face (courtesy of Etude House Precious Minerals All Day Strong BB Cream #1) and light brows (Etude House Color My Brows in #2)

Would I repurchase?

Yes!

Where to Get: 

Etude House stores, for Php 378

Myra E Vitasmooth Shine-Free Face Powder with SPF15

Last week, I accidentally dropped my Johnson and Johnson's powder compact and broke it into a million pieces. I would usually rotate between J&J and Maybelline face powders, so this time I thought about trying something I haven't used before.

When it comes to face powders, I just want it to be super basic- mild, non-comedogenic, translucent, no heavy coverage. With or without SPF is fine, because I always use a moisturizing SPF before heading out. Face powder is something I use on a daily basis so I don't like anything heavy to avoid clogging my pores.

After a few minutes of scouring Watsons' aisles, I got Myra E's Vitasmooth Shine-Free Face Powder with SPF 15 in Light.

Swatched on fingertip

The Claim:

Myra VitaSmooth Shine-Free Face Powder is a light face powder that covers blemishes for a naturally flawless and shine-free look.  

It is enriched with Vitamin E that nourishes skin and SPF 15 that protects you from the sun's UV rays.

Directions for use:  Apply gently and evenly on face. 

What I like:

• Small, compact packaging
• Vitamin E-enriched
• Hypo-allergenic
• For those who like multitasking products, this one already has an SPF of 15
• Nice, even coverage
• Not heavy/cakey. The shade light doesn't make me look like I dipped my face into a bowl of flour
• It didn't break me out
• Does a very good job of keeping the oilies at bay- sometimes I don't even have to retouch at all

What I don't like:

None

The Verdict:

I super like this product! It has good coverage and evens out my skin tone. It covers up like Maybelline's powder foundation but it's not as heavy. I patted some product on my undereye area and it brightened up a bit, so I didn't even have to wear concealer. And the thing that amazes me the most is that during the one week that I've used this, 4 out of 7 days I didn't even have to retouch at mid-day! (Note: I have combination skin, with my T-zone oilier than the rest of the face; and my work involves a lot of walking and sun exposure). And the days that I did retouch, I only did so once. 

Would I repurchase?

Yes!

Where to get and how much:

Watsons, Department Stores, Php 130 for 10g

ELF Brightening Eye Color Quads Review

ELF eye breightening shadow quads make the most perfect travel companions! Bringing huge make up pallettes when travelling can be such a pain (in the shoulder) and you won't even get to use all those colors anyway.


I have tried 3 of their quads- Drama, Ivy, and Pretty in Pink. Since I have different reviews for each of them, I'll discuss them by color.

1. DRAMA- basic smokey eye pallette; with a white shadow, gunmetal gray, black, and silver
The good: Great for nights out, will fit perfectly in a small purse. Blends easily too. Get great smokey eyes in less than 5 minutes with this.
The bad: The gunmetal gray causes a lot of fall out, but that can easily be remedied with some loose powder and a fan brush. Also, the black isn't very pigmented if used just by itself. Try misting your brush with water when using the black shadow.

Left: Drama without primer

Right: Used the black with primer to make the color pop

2. IVY- earth toned greens; contains a light mint green, olive green, forest green and golden brown.
The good: Nice for everyday work/school looks. The darkest color, forest green, is very pigmented. Goes on the eyelids as it looks in the pan. I didn't need to use primer when I used this quad.
The bad: None!

Left: Ivy without primer

Right: Ivy with primer

Pretty much looks the same, right? :)

3. PRETTY IN PINK- contains a white shadow, cotton candy pink, a mauvy pink, and a baby pink
The good: Also works for daily use, very pretty colors
The bad: Not very pigmented. I was very disappointed with this quad. I thought I would be able to easily create a nice Barbie look with it, but the colors don't show up that well unless I use an eyeshadow primer and use a wet brush for application.

Left: Pretty in Pink without primer

Right: Pretty in Pink with Primer

My two cents: Fall outs and poor pigmentation have their solutions, so I will continue purchasing these. The price and the size are winners!

Get them at SM Department Stores and Watson's Outlets at only Php129 per quad.

Lip Loving

A girl can never have too many lipsticks, so goes the saying. Or was it shoes? Anyway, my little lip color obsession took over today and I ended up with 4 new products- two lipsticks, a lipliner, and a lipgloss. I bought all of these at two different Christmas bazaars running now (Metro Christmas Bazaar @ PNB and another one at Plazuela). At only Php 150 each, I really couldn't resist. So here's what  got:

1. Wet n Wild Lipsticks in 519A and 521A

Left: 519A, Right: 521A

The good: Before this purchase, I've already been a fan of Wet n Wild lipsticks because I really like how pigmented they are. What you see in the tube is what you get when you put it on your lips. These lipsticks aren't matte, and are just a teeny bit glossy. I like how it doesn't dry out my lips. Staying power is pretty good too, I managed to get through a meal and leave the restaurant with red-stained lips sans retouching.


I am so in love with the 519A! It's such a beautful, true red with blue undertones (my first true red, since most of the reds I own are deep, dark ones). The 521A, on the other hand, is fuschia with blue pearl. It's a nice, fun color and kind of 80's-ish.


The bad: Smudges when not used with lipliner


Conclusion: I love these! Great steals at such a low price. Just make sure you have lipliner (either one in the same shade as the lipstick or a neutral liner).Would definitely repurchase.

2. Maybelline Line Stylist Lipliner in Red 510

The Good: It's not like the usual pencil liner. It comes in a tube, and you have to twist it in order for the product to come up. It's a really pretty red shade, and the liner is very thin, reducing your chances of messing up a perfect line.


The bad: It's not retractable! Once you twist the pencil, you can't twist it counterclockwise to make it retract into the tube. So if you get one, DO NOT play with it and make the liner go all the way up, because it will stay like that.


Conclusion: I'm 50/50 on this one.Color and staying power are great, but I really don't like that it's non-retractable. And the very thin tip of the pencil makes it difficult to line the entire lip area. And since the product packaging is opaque plastic, I really don't know if there's still a lot of product left.


3. NYX Brush On Gloss in Copper Penny

The good: Copper penny is like an old rose shade, with hints of shimmer (but not too glittery). It's also pigmented, unlike some lip glosses that look really pretty in the tube but when you wear it just looks really sheer or barely-there. It's perfect for everyday wear or those days when you can't be bothered about what to paint on your face. Pretty much goes with anything.


The bad: None


Conclusion: I like this. Would repurchase



Left top: Nyx Brush on Gloss in Copper Penny

Left bottom: Maybelline Line Stylist in Red

Right Top: Wet n Wild 521A

Right bottom: Wet n Wild 519 A

If you want to get these products, go visit the UC booth at the PNB Metro Christmas Bazaar (running until Dec.17) and the Plazuela Bazaar (I'm sorry, I failed to get the name of the booth or the seller but I was sure it was beside Pomelo Clothing's booth). Happy shopping!