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,

My fave MLBB combo + review

Hello everyone! I know a lot of Filipinos are getting concerned about the Cyber Crime law that was passed. I am also concerned but I have decided to just live like nothing happened so I will still blog without thinking about that weird law. I love my freedom of speech, thank you very much ^_^

Anyway, I wanted to share with you guys my favorite combination for my lips for almost 3 or 4 months now. I am so in love with it because it looks like "my lips but better."

PRODUCTS:
Watsons tinted lip balm in Cherry 
HnM lipgloss in Cherry

Here's a swatch at the back of my hands:

And here's a swatch wherein I applied one layer of the products on my lips:

FOTD using this combination. It really looks natural, right? :)

MY THOUGHTS on:

1) WATSONS TINTED LIPBALM in CHERRY

(+)
- Gives a natural reddish flush on my already pigmented lips.

- The intensity of the color can be layered. The more product you apply, the redder your lips get.

- I prefer this rather than the liquid ones (like TBS cheek&lip tint) because this spreads evenly on my lips and I can blend it quite easily. 

- Staying power is okay. I do need to reapply after eating or drinking to maintain the intensity of the color.

- Fades quite nicely. It's not blotchy at all which is perfect if you are out and don't have time to retouch asap.

- It is small enough to fit inside your pockets for touch-ups.

- Doesn't dried out my lips like other liptints (maybe because this is meant to be a lip balm)

- Available locally and it costs I think around Php100 only.


(-)
- Cannot be used as a lip balm because it is not moisturizing enough.

- Unsanitary packaging since it is in a pot.

- I don't like the scent that much coz I am not fond of synthetic cherry flavors.

- I just learned that Watsons does sell in China which means it tests on animals =(

RATING: 4.5/5 - Although I liked the product, I won't be repurchasing this because it does test on animals.

2) HnM LIPGLOSS in CHERRY

(+)
- Moisturizing enough for my dry lips. No need for a lipbalm underneath my lipstick if I am using this.

- Gives enough shine without me looking like I ate Lechon :)

- Very cute packaging! I love that it looks like a cherry.

- Not sticky so my hair doesn't stick to it that much.

- Can be used alone coz this have a slight pinkish tint to it and it looks pretty on bare lips.


(-)
- Unsanitary packaging because it is in a pot and you need to dip your fingers to get some products.

- Not available locally so I can't repurchase this.

RATING: 5/5 - Will definitely repurchase if I can :)

 What's your favorite MLBB shade? :)


Thank you for dropping by!

Review: Covergirl Outlast All-day Lipcolor

Good morning! Oh my, I'm having a hard time starting this post hehe.. I don't know what to say to introduce the product so I'll just go ahead and start with review.

My mom received this as a gift last Christmas and she didn't like it so she gave it to me. I tried it for a couple of times to see how it performs and here's my view on the product.

COVERGIRL OUTLAST ALL-DAY LIPCOLOR in shade 575 CORAL

The package comes with 2 products inside the box. It consists of a lipstain (all-day colorcoat) and a lipbalm (moisturizing topcoat).

According to the box:

"It gives you beautiful color that lasts up to 16 hours - through breakfast, lunch and dinner!"

1. Apply color to clean lips.

2. Don't press lips together. Let it dry for 60 seconds.

3. Apply moisturizing topcoat for shine and comfort.

During the day, use it as a lip balm to refresh your look and feel.

LIPSTAIN ONLY

WITH TOPCOAT

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THIS:

- Very pigmented.

- Long lasting. It doesn't easily rub off on the lips and I usually don't need to reapply the lip color during the day.

Here's my experiment. I applied it on the back of my hand and let it dry.

After rubbing it under running water and scrubbing it with dishwashing liquid, it became like this...

You can see that it still leaves a stain on my skin even though I have rubbed it vigorously. And of course, we won't do that to our lips so this proves that as long as you let it dry it will last a long time.

- The topcoat is a good one. It gives shine and moisture without the sticky/waxy effect of some lipbalm or lipglosses. It is also colorless and sheer so it doesn't alter the shade of your lipstain.

WHAT I DON'T LIKE ABOUT THIS:

- It dries up my lips so bad! As soon as I applied it and the product dried, my lips already become dehydrated. It feels tight and uncomfortable.

- YOu need to reapply the topcoat every 5-10 mins in order to ease the drying discomfort on your lips.

- It's very hard to remove so you need to use a good eyes & lips makeup remover for this.

- I'm not really in love with the gold shimmer on the lipstain. It looks tacky for me.

- Hard to blend in the lips. It tends to settle on lines and also rub off if it's not yet dry.

OVER-ALL RATING: 1/5 - I hate this product. The only good thing about this product is the staying power.

WOULD I REPURCHASE? Definitely not! I already have dry lips and I don't want to exacerbate the condition. I'm so happy that we did not spent a cent for this.

TIPS:

- Moisturize your lips very well and always bring a good lipbalm with you.

- Use a lip brush instead of the doe-foot applicator so that you can have an even lipcolor on your lips.

- This dries very fast so correct any mistakes you made very quickly before it dries.

- Have a good makeup remover with you because removing this product from your lips is a nightmare.

I will not recommend this to anyone who have dry lips like me..Definitely a bad idea as this sucks all the moisture from my lips the moment it dries.

I hope this review helps. Thank you for dropping by! Bye ^_^

My Best Products for 2010 + mini reviews

Hello! I'm back! How's everyone? I hope 2011 will be better for all of us..It already started getting better for me so I'm really looking forward to the rest of the year ^_^

So, I decided to start my 2011 with a year-end list of the best products I used throughout 2010. These are products that I discovered in 2010 and loved and also products that I am still loving despite the years that have passed.

In no particular order...

*ELLANA SHEER VELVET POWDER PRIMER

- You all probably know that I love this to bits because I use this a lot on my FOTDS. It really helps control my oil and it also makes my skin appear smoother especially on pictures. This is really the cheaper version of MUFE HD Powder, IMO. I started using this 2 years ago and I'm still loving it until now. I think me and my sis used up around 2-3 pcs of this already coz we use it almost everyday hehe :)

*ELLANA UNDEREYE CONCEALER in CHEER (Peachy shade)

-For a years, I loved using yellow undertone concealers (Mary kay concealer, Ellana Awake, Monave Buttercup, etc) to brighten up my eyes, but this year, I learned that peachy concealers can cover dark undereye circles better so I tried this one.. I loved this because it doesn't give me the reverse racoon look wherein your undereye area is just too bright for it to look natural especially in pictures. This product can make your eyes look awake and brighter too but not excessively. Great to use alone if you don't need too much coverage or you can apply it on top of a peach undereye concealer on days where you have dark dark circles due to lack of sleep.
TIP:
-moisturize undereye area first to prevent the product from setting in the lines.
-Use a fluffy brush in applying on top of a creamy concealer to prevent caking.
-Use concealer brush if you want a heavier coverage



*TIANUO LIP OIL & LIP ICE SHEER COLOR
-I love these two because I can blend these easily on my lips for some color with added benefit of moisture. Both are non drying and long lasting. They give off a different shade of pink as you can see in the swatches below so I just switch them up everyday.
For me, Tianuo lasts longer on the lips and gives off a more vivid shade of pink than Lip Ice, so if you want a bolder lip look, go for Tianuo.
Although I usually carry Lip Ice with me for touch-ups during the day because it's in a stick form and won't stain your kikay kit. I also love that it just gives me a just-bitten look everytime. Really a YLBB lippie.

*BRUSHES

- Here are my favorite brushes of all time. I think I can live with just this set.

My must have brushes.

ELLANA BUFFFER BRUSH - One of the softest brush I own. I have tried a lot of face brushes and this is the best for me. I love MMU so I usually have powder foundations and setting powders and this brush delivers for the on-the-go girl like me. Since it's big, I can do my whole face in less than a minute with even coverage and smooth finish. I also did not experience any shedding, deforming or even having scratchy hairs even after a year of frequent washing (Unlike with natural hair brushes). And since it's synthetic, it's cruelty free.

ETUDE HOUSE DUO FIBRE BRUSH - I just love the size of this brush. Perfect for the whole face for applying liquid foundation or for your cheeks for applying blushes. I just love how soft and compact the hairs are which helps in creating that flawless finish. It's also quick drying so you can wash it as freqent as you want. I did experience a little bluish stain on the white hairs but I don't really mind coz it ddoesn't really transfer on my face. I love this way better than my MAC 187 SE because this doesn't shed.

LUMIERE DUO FIBRE BRUSH - I got this 2 years ago and it's still the same as when I got it brand new. Really good quality brush. Doesn't shed and bleed. It's also very soft and easy to clean. Perfect size for appplying blushes and highlighters. Although it says "powder" on the brush handle, it's too small for that function.

MAC 217 E/S BRUSH - This is already more than 2 years old and I'm very glad that it's still white haha. I love how it is very multi-functional (blending eye makeup, putting colors on lid, applying highlighters and concealers) and very easy to dry. I would love this brush to bits if only it's not scratchy. I really hated it when after a couple of washes, it became scratchy. I need to wash this after every 2-3 uses just to condition the hairs so that it won't irritate my eye area that much. But nevertheless, I still give this 4/5 because it delivers.

LOEW CORNELL 3/8 mop brush - a very affordable alternative to MAC 239 shading brush. Delivers well and very cheap. I'm very happy to be able to get this last year through Sol. It packs color on the lid very well and I can also use it for blending harsh lines. I can really recommend this as a good buy.

CHARM CONCEALER & EYELINER BRUSH - These two brushes are included in the first ever batch of Charm brushes produced (Is it 4 years ago? not sure). Although I'm pretty sure Chram brushes now are a lot better in quality than before, I'm still not in need of getting a replacement because they still function well even though I've used them thousands of time already. Look how old the handles look now haha but I still love them to bits. Good job on these ones Sophie!

*SHISEIDO EYELASH CURLER

- This curler is already going 4 years old and it still looks brand new. I just replace the rubber every now and then but the curler itslef is good as new. Very sturdy and reliable. It did not get rusty, bended whatsoever. I don't even buy Shiseido rubber, just Fanny Serrano refills but it still works the same as when I use the original one. Really a good investment to buy good quality products that you know you will use frequently for a long time. It really pays-off.

MAKE UP FOREVER STAR POWDER No. 902 & MAC COCOMOTION PIGMENT

- This combination is my go to night time eye makeup. My eyes look so pretty and put together whenever I use this combo. Both eyeshadows are very pigmented and lasts very long so they are perfect for my oily lids. I've been using these eyeshadows for 2 years and I have used a lot of them already. I'm still debating whether to buy a full pot of MAC cocomotion or I'll just get another sample online so I can save some money and buy another product hehe...anyways, I am still in love with them so I included these two in my best products list :)

*ETUDE HOUSE PROOF 10 EYELINERS

- I discovered this late last year and I fell in love with them right away. I just love how easy and simple it is to use compared to using gel liners. This is a pencil, so you have control in applying your liner unlike with liquid liner that it's so hard to create a straight line. This also have a sharpener at the end if you want a pointed one to create a finer line or a wing. Etude House carry different types of liners but I have only tried Proof 10 ones because they are the waterproof ones. I really have oily lids and even with a base, my liners smudges after 5 hours, but with this one, that doesn't happen. I really love how long lasting it is on my lids. Although I can't say the same if you use it on the waterline coz I haven't tried that. I just apply liner on my upper lashline to have an illusion of a fuller lashes haha.

The blue one is under the Jewelry line which has shimmers/glitters while the black one is from the regular line. Both are waterproof :)

Isn't it vibrant? I'll do an in-depth review on these liners next time so I can discuss it more with lots of pictures too :)

*BASIC BEAUTY 2-Way powder
-I came across this brand in Landmark Trinoma. It is a hypo-allergenic brand like Clinique and VMV. I don't know if this is a local brand or imported but it is really affordable. This powder is just around Php280. I've been using this everyday since I got it last month. I even showed it to my derma so she can check the ingredients for any irritating substance and she gave me a thumbs up (yay!) . I have not experienced any kind of allergic reaction from this powder. No itchiness, pimples, redness whatsoever (even on very humid days). It also controls oilies very well. I usually get oily within 30 mins after washing my face but this powder can keep me shine free for around 5 hours! For a very affordable product, it really delivers!

The packaging is a little unusual because the mirror is at the bottom of the pan and the label in at the top but it looks cute.
I will also do a separate review for this since I want to share a lot about this product. All I can say for now is, this is my HG powder at present :)

*DERMA ROLLER
- Last but not the least, my savior, derma roller. I really really am grateful for this product because it salvaged my skin. I am now acne free, yay! I have finished my 6th session and I am still planning on finishing the last 4 to totally remove my acne marks.



Please watch out for my next post because I will do an update on my Derma Rolling experience.. I will show you guys how improved my skin is now :)
Sorry for a very long post. I think I missed blogging so much that's why I can't stop typing haha...Till my next post! bye!

FOTD @ MC 15th Anniversary Party

Hello! How's everyone? I hope all are doing good :)

It's been a long time since my last FOTD...I even can't remember the last time I dolled up haha ^_^

Anyways, I had the opportunity to do so yesterday because my fave Filipino author and friend Ms. Martha Cecilia celebrated her 15th year anniversary as a romance novel writer. I really had a blast at last night's event and I'm so happy that my makeup and hair cooperated throughout the evening. As expected of a big event, we had a lot of photo taking and those photos will be uploaded at Facebook and our fans club's forum (eirycat.proboards50.com) so you should always be ready to have your picture taken anytime. Can i just say it's a success? yup! It is a success! Kudos to the organizers because everything was perfect: from the venue to the food.. Till our next event Eirycats! ^_^


My OOTD/OOTN:


Here's my FOTD/FOTN:
NOTE: I used my camera's BEAUTY SHOT mode for majority of my photos and I forgot to take a regular shot before I left the house hehe :)

FACE:

- Ellana Minerals Sheer Velvet (as primer and finishing powder)
- Ellana Minerals Pure Blend foundation in French Vanilla
- The Body Shop Shimmer Waves in 02 (Rose)
- Skin Food Salmon concealer in 02 (for spot concealing)

LIPS:

- Tianuo Lip Oil/Tint
- Lancome Lipstick base (Clear gloss)

*beauty shot w/ flash*

*regular shot w/ flash*

After 7 Hours without retouching

*beauty shot*

EYES:

- MAC Paintpot in painterly

- Skinfood Salmon Undereye concealer in 02

- Ellana Minerals Conceler in Cheer
- MAC Cocomotion pigment (all over lids)

- Artdeco eyeshadow in Shade#20 (Crease and outer V)

- Makeup Forever Star Powder in Shade#902 (inner V and 1/3 of lid)

- Stila Smudgepot in Black (Upper lashline)

- Coastal Scents 88 Palette - White (highlight), Black (to set eyeliner)

- Ellana Minerals concealer in Cheer (undereye)

- Maybelline Volume Express Hypercurl waterproof mascara

- Avon Clear mascara for brows

- EO flexware contact lens in Hazel ???

I really, really , really love the beatuy shot mode of my digital camera! haha it makes my skin looks so flawless ^_^

Till my next post! I hope you guys liked my FOTD even though I have nmo practice for a long time ^_^

Review: TiaNuo Lip Oil/Tint

Hello! I hope everyone will have a great week...Take care of your health...I'm actually sick right now...I had an asthma attack after I cleaned my room last Saturday...arrg! I really hate the dust :(
Anyway, here is a product that I have re-newed my love with. I have used this when I was still in college but stopped using it (I don't really know why). I even get compliments from guys when I use this haha it makes my lips look like I have naturally reddish lips :)

TIANUO LIP OIL/TINT

I LIKE THIS BECAUSE:

- It gives off a very natural tint to my lips. Really a MLBB color.

- Buildable intensity. The more product you apply, the brighter the your lips look.

-The stain lasts long. Maybe 4 hours without re-applying. And even after eating, there's still some tint left on the lips.

- Moisturizing on the lips (That's why it's called lip oil). Girls with dry lips like me that can't use lipsticks coz they cause chapping, should try this. It works great :)

- The product can lasts months even with daily use and frequent reapplying.

- Very affordable. I think it only cost Php20 hehe

- Easy availability. Can be bought at any 7/11 stores nationwide or at Divisoria for bulk purchasing :)

*I think the flash wiped out the color. It's a lot brighter in person*

I don't like this because:

- I don't like the container itself. It's a roll-on type and it kind of leaks at the side so I need to wrap it up with tissue or else my kikay kit will be stained pink!

Other than that, I can't think of any negative comment about it :) I love this product!

NOTE: For those who don't like Chinese products, this is made in China. (I think...based on the name)

Rating: 4.5/5 - I'll give this a 5 star if only the packaging doesn't leak.

Will I re-purchase? Yes! This is my favorite liptint as of the moment :)

This product proves that you can also see treasures in items marked as "cheap" or "drugstore" products :)

Untill my next review! Bye!

Review: Ellana Lip & Cheek Tint in Ruby

As you all know, my sister Mei is a re-seller of Ellana Minerals and she has many testers too so I can easily test some products before I buy them hehe nice advantage right? Well, my sis got herself a lip and cheek tint in Ruby because it is a best seller and we are curious about it. We are used to using blushes in loose powder form so we are quite intrigued on this item. Here's my take on this product. Take note that I'm not in anyway an expert in applying gel or liquid blushes so I had a hard time applying this.

PACKAGING - This product comes in a cleat pump container so it is very sanitary plus it has a lock to help prevent accidental expelling of product. I like the fact that you can easily control the amount of product to pump.


Here's a swatch of the product. It is very red right?

This is how it looks like after spreading it at the back of my hand. It doesn't dry too fast so you definitely have time to blend it unlike other cheek tints that you need to work fast. With Ellana, you can work at your own pace without the worry of having streaks because you don't have time to blend.

Here's what a blended one looks like..I swatched it like this so that the shade can be seen in the picture :)

My FOTD using Ellana Lip and Cheek Tint in Ruby. I applied it both on my cheeks and lips. I used it on top of my Skin79 BB cream (hot pink) then I applied Ellana Sheer Velvet all over my face to help with the oiliness.

I like how it gave me a natural flush that is long lasting. This is a great product and you can definitely get your money's worth. This costs Php180 only (around $3.6) for a 30ml bottle that is full of products.

The only thing I don't like about this product is, as with other cheek tints, it stains my fingers. I feel like if I use any kind of cream or gel or liquid blush, 50% of the product will ust go on the fingers you used in applying haha..look how stained my finger was..

..but aside from that, everything is okay. Oh before I forgot, this will also takes practice to make both your cheeks even since you need to re-apply and re-apply.

So if you are a cheek tint type of girl, then go ahead and buy it but if you are like me who hates getting stained fingers or the extra work of cleaning yourself up, then I suggest you stick with powder blushes since all tints stains ^_^

You can get this or any Ellana products in www.itzmei.multiply.com

Thank you for dropping by! till nect time! ^_^