My Top 5 Most Used Products of 2017

Welcome back fellow makeup lovers!

Today, I wanted to share my top 5 most used products for the year 2017. I have tried so many products this past year that I was able to reach VIB Rouge status at Sephora in 10 months! And that's not counting the drugstore products that I accumulated too since I live near a Superstore (so bad for my wallet LOL 😄). Anyway, these contain mini reviews, but if you wanted swatches or in-depth reviews for any of these, feel free to comment below and I will be more than happy to do so. 

#5 Pixi Glow Tonic

This Glycolic Acid toner helped my skin so much over the past year. It helped me with my breakouts especially during summer and it kept my skin feeling smoother over time. Although this toner is very expensive for something from the drugstore (around $40 CAD!), even with everyday use a bottle will still last you 8 months to a year plus it is effective. Now I know why this is a cult favorite or so many years. 

#4 Koh Gen Do Aqua Foundation

This is my go-to foundation since I got this in late 2016 as a gift from my sis when she went to Japan. I could use this on any season (summer to winter) and it will still perform the same. I just need to change my primer depending on what my skin condition is. This is very lightweight (you could hardly feel this on your face!), doesn't break me out even if I use it frequently and it gives the perfect light-medium coverage for everyday use. This also has SPF 25 PA++ which is nice especially since I use Vitamin C on my skincare routine. Shade 213 is perfect for me too which is a bonus since this foundation has a very limited shade range. I don't know what I would do when this run out because it is not available here in Canada.  

 #3 The Balm In The Balm Of Your Hand Vol. I Palette

I know this specific palette is limited edition and that there's a Vol. II now, but all of the items in this palette are in their permanent line so you can get them individually if you want to. This is one of the 3 palettes that I brought with me when I moved here in Canada. I know that I won't be able to bring my whole makeup collection and I knew this would be the best choice because everything I need to create a look is in here. The only item I wasn't able to use much are the lip products and the eyeshadows Lead Zeppelin & Insane Jane. The rest are used on a daily basis even when I have already built a new makeup collection here. These powder products got pigment, staying power and blendability. Consistent good quality performance every time. 

#2 Wet n Wild Megaslick Balm Stains

As you can see in the picture, these are well loved. I have used these lip stains for 3 years now and I keep on repurchasing. They are long lasting, non-drying and very affordable. What more could you ask for, right? If you really wanted a no fuss lip color that you can wear and forget about for a couple of hours, this is meant for you. I never worried about feathering or transferring on my teeth or fading unevenly. That is why this is my go-to lip product if I know I don't have enough time to re-touch and look in the mirror frequently.   

*My fave color is Made You Pink for everyday

#1 Marcelle Micellar Water

I can't count anymore how many bottles I've used up since I came here. This is the best makeup remover I've used! It is so gentle that it doesn't sting my eyes but it is so heavy duty that it can remove even waterproof mascaras. It doesn't irritate my skin or strip it with moisture, no breakouts too. Although this is not cheap compared to other micellar water available at the drugstore (around $20 CAD) but this the only cruelty free brand I can find here and it is so effective that I don't mind paying the price. I just wait for sales and hoard as many bottles I can get haha I never ran out of backups. Love the dispenser too, it makes getting just the right amount of product on the cotton pad faster.

Thank you so much for dropping by today! My next posts would be about my thoughts on the 2017 Holiday Collection/Limited edition releases. I know some of them are already out of stock but there are some that are still being sold at Sephora and on lower pricing too. Please watch out for that, and I will try to upload those in the following days. 😊  

XOXO,

Product Review: Urban Decay Primer Potion

Hello everyone! I hope all of you had a great week. =)

Today, I will review the very popular Urban Decay Primer Potion eyeshadow base. I was able to get a deluxe sample together with my Urban Decay Smoked palette when I purchased it last year. I was so excited because the only time I was able to try it was when one of my friends gave me some on a pot but that didn't end up well so I thought it might be because it was already exposed to the air. So now that I have one in its proper container then I would definitely be able to test it out. 


Now, I have oily skin & my eyes are hooded plus I live in a country that is always humid so I really need a good eyeshadow primer that will help my eyeshadow to stay put & not crease on me. I am always for a lookout for the best one whether it is high-end or drugstore.

*photo credits to owner .. I don't have my own photo because I threw out my tube when it broke.

According to Urban Decay website:
"Eyeshadow Primer Potion is coveted by makeup artists and makeup junkies alike because it guarantees more vibrant eyeshadow that lasts for 24 hours and NEVER CREASES! Once you experience its powers (plus how smoothly it glides on – an added bonus) you'll never want to live without it."
  

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT IT:

- Makes eyeshadows stay longer on my oily lids without creasing.

- Makes eyeshadows more vibrant compared to if you don't use any base.

- Dries translucent so it won't affect the color of your eyeshadows.

- Texture is good for making pigments cling to your lids.

- No drying time needed before you apply your eyeshadows.

- I think the price is okay if this will work for you. It is pricey but I think you will get a lot of good use for it since you don't need to use a lot for every use.

- It now comes in a squeeze tube. Very easy to squeeze out product & you have good control on the amount you want to dispense.



WHAT I DON'T LIKE:

- This clumps so bad on me. I really can't have a smooth surface especially on the outer edge of my eyes. It looks like dead skin cells and I can't blend it out & just looks worst when I try.

- This is not good for dry & mature skin. This clings to dry patches & wrinkles. 

- I can't use this on my lower lashline under my concealer as it clumps together.

- Very hard to spread out. I always end up tugging my eyelids whenever I apply this.

- My tube broke around the tip area after a couple of months. I'm not sure if the quality of the packaging is poor because this is only a sample or if the full size is still like this.



OVER-ALL RATING: 3/5

This is an average quality product for me. I like my Etude House Proof 10 eyeshadow primer over this & that's like half the price. If only this spreads better & doesn't clump I would have loved this and give it a 4/5 as it did make my eyeshadow more vibrant and increases the longevity of my eye looks. I guess this is better for those that doesn't have any dry patches around their eyes.

WILL I PURCHASE THIS AGAIN? Nope. This is the same issue I had when I tried it years ago. I rarely reach for it because of my struggle to smooth it out all over my lids. I would prefer not to use any primer at all and that's saying something. I'm just lucky that I didn't get the full size coz that would be a waste of money.

I know this is a cult favorite and you might like it. I also don't know if I just got a bad batch. Nevertheless,  we'll all have different opinions about certain products because of different conditions. I would suggest if you haven't tried this yet, go ahead & buy coz it might work for you. But if you are on a budget & doesn't want to spend too much, I really believe the one from Etude House is really comparable and it spreads a lot better too.


What are your favorite eyeshadow primers? Please let me know so that I can try them out. =)


Until next time. Thank you for dropping by!

Review: NARS All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation

Hello everyone! Happy Hearts Day to all of you! :)

Today, I am going to review one of NARS foundation. This is the 1st NARS foundation that I have tried so I don't have anything to compare it to. I have been testing this for a couple of months now, I use it every weekend when I go out. I haven't been wearing any makeup on a daily basis for 6 months now because I work night shift & I usually prefer to sleep in than wake up early to get ready haha. Anyway, I was able to avail a 5ml sample of the NARS All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation in Ceylan late last year. Someone was selling 5ml sample sizes of her high end foundations for less than Php500 so I decided to grab the chance & try this foundation since I have been curious with it for so long. I just can't get myself to spend more than 2k for a bottle of foundation that I'm not sure if it will work for me as this has a lot of mixed reviews online. 

 This 5ml bottle costs Php 450

Per NARS website: 

"Full, natural-looking coverage with unexpectedly weightless, 16-hour wear. Highly pigmented and perfectly balanced, this breakthrough formula builds and blends effortlessly with just one drop—the result of exclusive innovation uniquely designed to deliver long-wearing full coverage, weightlessly. Shake, pump and blend in sections for complete coverage that's completely natural looking."

This has 20 shades available.

Comes in a 1oz bottle with a pump.

WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THIS FOUNDATION:

- Buildable medium to full coverage that still keeps it lightweight feel. Even if I build it up to full coverage, it doesn't feel heavy on my skin. I usually forget I was wearing anything on my face because my skin feels it can still "breathe"

- I love the consistency. A small drop can cover my whole face & it will give medium coverage too. This 5ml bottle still has a lot of usage left since I just need to use a small amount each time.

- Doesn't irritate my sensitive skin. I didn't itch & break out. Although I'm not sure if that's because I didn't use it everyday, but still it didn't cause me to have any acne right after use which sometimes happens to me when I use heavy foundations.

- It doesn't smell like paint. This has a very light scent to it & it doesn't bother me.

- Hygienic. If you buy the full size bottle, it has a pump! We all know NARS foundations don't come with pumps and you need to buy a separate one. But this one already has one & it disperses half a drop so that you have control on the amount of product to use.

- This looks very natural on me because the finish is demi-matte, it still looks like my skin but better specially if under natural lighting.

 1 layer of the foundation

- It doesn't control my oils especially on my T-zone (I do get oily after the 3hrs mark) but luckily it just looks dewy looking and does not make me look like a grease-ball

- NARS is a cruelty free brand even though it has a parent company that is not. This is a personal preference so do bear in mind that personally it is okay with me as long as it is proven that the brand itself doesn't test on animals.

Here's some shots in natural lighting with full face of makeup:

Foundation is set with Ben Nye Banana powder for added oil control.


WHAT I DON'T LIKE:

- This clings to dry patches like no other. I have combination oily skin & this tends to cling to the dry skin on my cheeks, on the sides of my nose & in between my eyebrows. It doesn't look good.

- This also settles on my crater-like acne scars & fine lines around the eyes making them more obvious.

- This doesn't have a great oil control which I really need since I work for long hours and I live in a place where it has humid weather most of the time.

- This oxidizes on me! Ceylan is a shade or 2 lighter than my skin tone upon application but this gets darker as the day goes on. I usually look a shade or 2 darker after 8-10 hours which made me look "dirty" and uneven since my neck is lighter than my face.

- Sometimes give a masked effect on flash photography even though it doesn't have any SPF. I look too white like a geisha :(

Low lighting with flash photography from cellphone

-This foundation slides around on my face especially on my nose area whenever I am wearing my glasses which is 98% of the time.

- this is expensive.


OVERALL VERDICT:  3.5/5

I do love it because it is very lightweight & my skin feels comfortable when wearing it plus it doesn't make me breakout. I will definitely wear this foundation if I'm just going out for a short time & I am not getting photographed on low light situations like inside a bar. This is definitely for people with normal skin type & wants a natural looking foundation.


WILL I BUY THIS AGAIN? No. I don't think I am willing to spend that much money on a foundation that only looks great for a few hours. I tend to be out around 10-12 hours per day & I want my makeup looking fresh  until I need to remove it at the end of the day. My BB creams tend to last & wear better than this one. Also, this oxidizes badly on me. I don't think this is great in humid weather since it melts quite easily.


What about you? Have you tried this foundation yet? What are your favorite cruelty free foundations that is good for oily skin & summer? Please share them with me on the comment section below ^_^


Thank you so much for dropping by!

Review: LA Girl Pro Conceal HD Concealer

Happy Tuesday! 

Today I will review the last item on my LA Girl Haul. I have been testing this for almost 2 months now and I'm ready to share my two cents on the LA Girl Pro Conceal HD Concealer.

BRAND: LA Girl
RANGE: High Definition 
SHADE: Creamy Beige
NET WT: 0.25 oz / 8 g 
PRICE: P299
INGREDIENTS:

SWATCHES:

MY REVIEW:

YAY!!!

- I love the packaging. It comes in a squeeze tube with brush tip which makes it easy to dispense and apply the product. It doesn't squirt too much which is great since a small amount can go a long way.

- Creamy Beige is perfect for my skin tone. It has a yellow-light peach undertone so it's great on both undereyes and acne blemishes.

- Texture is perfect -- Mousse texture that dries to powder. It's not sticky at all. Easy to blend too!

- Very opaque so it's easy to cover scars with this product. This will last me a long time since I only need to use a small amount each time.  

- I also can use this as eyeshadow base because it doesn't crease on my oily eyelids.

- Can be layered without caking as long as you apply a small amount for every layer.

- Lasts a long time on my undereyes-- around 8 hours.

- It brightens my undereye area really well.

- Cruelty free

- Affordable and easily available locally.


NAY!!!

- Nada! I can't think of a con yet :)


OVER-ALL RATING: 5/5

I love everything about this product! This is the best concealer I have tried as of date. It does't crease, covers well, and brightens my undereyes. This looks pretty natural too which is a plus. I can just apply this to my undereye area and put some powder and I'm ready to go :)


What's your favorite concealer? :)


Thanks for dropping by!

Review: LA Girl Matte Lipstick in Foxy Red

Happy Wednesday! 

Pardon me for not posting this last week as promised.. I was not feeling well emotionally these last few days so I didn't want to do anything or I'll just whine them to you and that's not fun hehe. Anyway, here's my review on the other LA Girl lipstick that I hauled last month ^_^ 

BRAND: LA Girl U.S.A
FINISH: Matte Lipsticks
SHADE: Foxy Red LIPM310

*It contains Vitamin E and Aloe Vera

PRICE: Php99 (I got it on sale and I don't know the original price..probably around Php125 since this costs $1 in the US)

SWATCHES: 

*This is a true red color

 Indoors:

Outdoors:

HERE ARE MY THOUGHTS:

YAY!!

- I love the color. It is the perfect red for me, in my opinion. It is not too bright that it looks gaudy.
- I love the scent. It has vanilla notes and it's not overpowering 

- The texture is so good on the lips. It applies smoothly and is very blendable.

- Not drying on the lips. I think the Vitamin E and Aloe Vera content helps in the moisture department.

- It doesn't 

- Even though it says it's matte, I think it's more of a satin finish which I prefer.

- Very pigmented. I can also sheer this out to make it more wearable for work.

- This fades nicely because it still leaves a pinkish tint on the lips even after eating.

- This doesn't bleed as much as the Creme version which is a huge plus!

- No allergic reactions.

- Very affordable for $1, I believe this costs around Php125 only. I got mine on sale!

- Cruelty free ^_^ 


NAY!!

- The packaging sucks! It's a cheap looking design and is made up from poor quality plastic. It got damaged quite easily so I'm worried that it will open whenever I put it on my makeup pouch.


OVER-ALL RATING: 4.5/5

I don't have complaints with this lipstick aside from the packaging. This is really a steal especially if you get it during a sale. I will definitely get more shades from this line next month because SM North is having a sale hehe :) 


Thanks for dropping by!

Review: LA Girl Creme Lipstick in Soul Mate

Happy Friday everyone! 

Remember my LA Girl haul last month? Well, this is gonna be the first item there that I'll be reviewing..It's LA Girl Creme Lipstick in Soul Mate. This is my first ever true red lipstick. I got it because I was looking for a red that looks like what Anne Curtis usually wears but cheaper hehe I know I won't be using it everyday so it's better if it's not expensive :)

INGREDIENTS:

SWATCH:

The camera didn't gave it justice. I think the lighting washed out the color too. This is a mid-tone red with blue undertones.

NET WT: 0.12oz/ 3.5g

PRICE: Php 299 at SM Department Store

MY REVIEW:

YAY!!!

- It is really pigmented. One swipe is enough to cover my already pigmented lips. I usually sheer it out using my finger so that I can wear it more for everyday, just like a lip tint.

- This is a great red lipstick shade for my skintone because it is not too bright but not too dark also. I also liked the fact that it looks classic without any hint of orange.

- Affordable. This is sold for $3-4 in the US so the P299 price here is okay for me.

- LA Girl is a cruelty free brand :)

- Very creamy. It applies like a lip butter.

- Not drying to the lips. I can apply this without any lipbalm underneath.

NAY!

- My major gripe for this product is the scent. It has a very strong floral scent/flavor that reminds me of calachuchi (yeah, the white and yellow flower mostly seen in cemeteries). It is the main reason why after a few uses, I kept it hidden away together with unwanted products at the back of my drawer. I can't stand the smell and I can taste it too.

- This bleeds like crazy. It is too creamy so you really need a lipliner underneath it to keep it from straying. 

- Once it's faded, the red coloring settles on the lines of my lips which looks really bad so I got paranoid of always checking myself out.

- The packaging looks cheap. It is made up of poor quality plastic case and even the design is not good :(

OVERALL RATING: 3/5

I love the color, texture and price but the scent is too strong that I don't think it's worth the money even though it's cheap.

Do come back later today and I will upload my review for the next item from my LA Girl Haul :)

Thanks for dropping by!

 

Review: Yves Rocher Mascara - Extra Volume

Happy Monday! How's everyone's weekend? I hope all of you had a great time! I really enjoyed the cold weather these past week especially in the early morning wherein you really can feel the bit of the cold air. I really really like for this kind of weather to be permanent haha :)

Today, I'm gonna review the Extra Volume mascara of Yves Rocher. I got a sample size one as a gift from my bf's sister last year and it took me a long time before I tried using it because I was using up another mascara at the time. So, I have used this everyday for a while now and I am ready to share my thoughts.

 Made in France

Here's the wand:

SHADE: 01 Noir


YAY!!!

- Gives a very natural finish and nobody can tell I have mascara on my lashes. 
They are still flexible and it doesn't feel like I have mascara on so that's a plus. 

Here's a before and after shot of my lashes:

- Can be easily removed with eye makeup remover. I used cleansing oil.

- Volumizes very well but not over the top that it looks fake. Perfect for everyday use.

- Once you re-curled your lashes after applying the mascara, you can expect your curls to still be there even after 8 hours :)

- Doesn't clump.

- Doesn't smudge even if there's no "waterproof" written on the tube.

- Can be found on any mall that have Yves Rocher stores.


NAY!!!

- This weighs down the curls of your lashes once applied so you need to re-curl your lashes after the mascara dried.

- This is not a cruelty-free product.


OVER-ALL RATING: 4/5

I really liked this product! I just hope it is a hassle-free mascara though. When I am on a rush, I don't have time to re-curl my lashes and it won't look good that way. Also, I hope this is a cruelty-free band so I can repurchase when my sample is done.


What's your favorite mascara? Share them on the comment section below :)


Thank you for dropping by!
 

Review: Hada Labo BB Whitening Cream

Happy Tuesday! I am now ready to share my thoughts on the Hada Labo BB Whitening Cream. I have been testing this out since the first week of December 2012 and I have tried a lot of ways on applying it. I have also used it in both cold and hot weather just to compare :)

BRAND: Hada Labo
PRODUCT: BB Whitening Cream
SHADE: #1 
EXTRAS: sun protection (SPF 32 PA+++), whitening, moisturizing
NET WT: 45g
PRICE: sorry, I have no idea because this is a gift

I have decided to try this BB Cream because Hada Labo is a very famous Japanese brand for skin care. They are known for being gentle on the skin and basic on their ingredients. I am currently using 2 of their skin care products and this BB Cream, but for now, I will focus on the makeup first.


YAY!!

- This didn't broke me out or cause any allergies. Very mild to the skin :)

- Very light. You can hardly feel anything on your skin even if you applied a couple of layers.

- Buildable upto a light-medium coverage. Although if you have some acne scars, this won't be able to cover it. I tried it with my scarring and even if I apply a lot of layers, they still peeps through hehe.

- Blendable. I can easily blend this on my face using my fingers or a brush so you just need to use small amounts per layer.


- This have SPF 32 PA+++! Good sun protection for every day.

- Shade 1 is an exact match on me (I'm around NC 20-25 in MAC) because it has a slight yellow undertone.

- Doesn't make me oilier. I have naturally oily skin and this doesn't control it but at least it doesn't make me oilier at the end of the day.

- Even though this have a high SPF, it doesn't give me whitish cast on pictures.

- I love the squeeze tube packaging. It is so sanitary and gives me control in dispensing product.


NAY!!

- Like with the Tarte Smooth Operator TM, this oxidizes on me too. It gets 2-3 shades darker after a couple of hours so I can't really wear this alone if I plan to stay out a long time. I just mix it with my Tarte TM (1:1) for better oil control and apply a lighter shade of setting powder on top to counter act with the darkening that may occur.

- This is not brightening even though it has a whitening content. I love Korean BB Creams because they give a brightness to my face even though it's temporary but this don't do it for me.


OVER-ALL RATING: 3.5/5

I'm quite disappointed, to tell you guys honestly. I was hoping to be wowed as this is a well raved product and it is quite affordable so if I loved it I can easily buy another tube. But, I think I need to move on and find something new.

I'm not sure if it's just my skin acting up or the products itself, but even my Tarte TM that I have loved oxidizes badly on me now. I can become darker after 30 mins! Can you believe that? So if anyone of you have acidic skin and have found your HG foundation that doesn't oxidizes, please share them with me. I really need to wear full face makeup in my work so I need help asap. Thank you so much!


XOXO,