Product Love: My Holy Grail (Philippine) Drugstore Eyeliner!

Hey gals!

I'm so super excited to share with you a recently discovered product that has firmly established itself as my HG (Holy Grail) drugstore eyeliner!
I know you lovely Filipina gals are going to love this product!
Introducing the Bobbie Cosmetics Eye Love it! Felt tip Liquid Eyeliner! 
*cue angels singing*

Now, before I start this review, I want to say that I have oily, monolid eyelids. That means that non-waterproof eyeliners no matter what type (pencil, gel, liquid) eyeliners tend to smudge and give me panda eyes at the end of the day. 

Given the uber warm and humid weather here in the Philippines, I know a lot of gals have this problem as well.

With this eyeliner, I don't experience ANY smudging at all. None. NADA, 

Here's a closer look at this eyeliner:

Check out that gorgeous metallic pink packaging! It's really cute and really chic! *swoons* 

*Ahem* let's get on with the actual review, shall we?

Applicator

As you can see, this eyeliner has a really sharp pen type applicator. What I really like about this eyeliner is that the tip is sharp but at the same time flexible, making it really really easy to control the application. Even beginners won't have a hard time using this!

Formula

 

The formula itself is really smooth, pigmented, and jet black. 

One swipe of this eyeliner and you're pretty much good to go. If you love doing cat eye wings, you'll really love how reliable this pen is!

The formula has stayed consistent throughout the weeks I've been using it. No matter how many times I use it, it doesn't turn dry, patch, or streaky.

Also, you can see in the picture above how the flexible fine tip of this eyeliner can make different lines depending on the thickness that you want. (yes, that little notch up top is included. I used the very tip of the pen)

(Tip: for a thicker line, use the side of the pen instead of the tip. It makes application much easier too!)

Another thing I love is that the liquid dries pretty quickly. You won't have to sit around waiting for it to dry so you can open your eyes and whatnot. 

Longevity

This eyeliner stays put the whole day on me even through excessive sweating and oily lids (but I typically have primer and eyeshadow on when I use this)

The amazing part is that this eyeliner doesn't even claim to be waterproof but it sort of is! 

What I mean by that is while the formula can easily be removed with only water, it doesn't get affected by sweat or water droplets (if it drizzles and you get caught in the rain, for example)

Price

This eyeliner is super cheapo! I'm not exactly sure how much it is but I'm sure it's only around Php 120-200. Definitely way less than Php 200. It's so so super affordable! 

Where to find it

This product can be found at Bobbie Cosmetics counters or stands at SM Watsons and Watsons branches, so it's super accessible! Keep an eye out for a cute pink counter/stand and that's probably it. Haha. 

Overall rating

This is my new Holy Grail Drugstore Eyeliner. Need I say more? ;)

That's it, gals! I hope this review was helpful! What about you? What is your HG eyeliner? :)

Easy Makeup Look: Taupe eyes and Rosy Lips

Hello, lovelies!

Today I want to share with you a quick makeup look that is pretty quick and easy to do. It's not a no-makeup makeup type of look, but I think this look is great to try out if you want to try wearing deeper colored eye looks and you want to veer away from the typical eyeliner-lipstick-only kind of makeup. 

Taupe and Rose FOTD

Notice how the taupe eyeshadow isn't particularly bold or dramatic. If you want to start wearing darker colors on your eyes, you may want to start with neutral shades first. Taupe is an awesome color to try out since it's universally flattering but it is different enough from brown that it stands out. 

For this look, I used the following products:

Taupe and Rose FOTD face products used

Rimmel Wake Me Up foundation in 130 True Ivory

Real Techniques Expert Face Brush

Hard Candy Fox in a Box Blush in Hot Flash

Elf Eyebrow kit in Medium

Fashion 21 Duo Eye Enhancer in Honey Blonde

Elf Eye Primer and Liner Sealer

Revlon PhotoReady Concealer in 002 Light

Collection Lasting Perfection Ultimate Wear Concealer in 3 Medium

Maybelline White Superfresh Long Lasting Cake Powder in 04 Honey

Loreal Paris Voluminous Original Mascara in Carbon Black

Coastal Scents Revealed Palette

Milani Liquid Eye Eyeliner in Black

Loreal Paris Color Riche Lipcolour in R401 Flirty Berry

The makeup look itself if really quick and easy. Go ahead and apply your face makeup as per usual, do your brows the way you like them, and then all you have to do is sweep on a good amount of taupey eyeshadow on your eyelids below your crease area and blend, blend, and blend like crazy. 

You want to focus most of the taupey shade in your crease area so the shadow looks darker there and it defines your eyes more.

Close up of eyes

Tip: Make sure that you blend your shadow only until the crease area so that it won't turn out too too dramatic and bold. (unless that's the look you're going for) Use a clean, bare brush to blend if you're new to blending. ;)

After putting on your eyeshadow, just line your lids with eyeliner, pop on some blush and mascara and you're good to go. Easy peasy. 

Here's a better look.

That wraps it up, folks! What do you think? Will you try out this makeup look? ;) 

The Best Lip Colors for this Season: Red, Berry, and Vampy Shades

Hi gals!
Now that it's the latter part of the Ber months, it's time to switch from those bright spring and summer lippy shades and go for deeper berries and reds. 
Syempre you can wear whatever lippy you want, but this Halloween/ Christmas season just absolutely calls for deep red and vampy lip shades. ;)
If you're looking for some good red, berry, or vampy shades to try out, here are my top picks!
 

Clockwise from top right: 

Maybelline The Jewels Color Sensational in 631 Red Garnet

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Crush

BYS Matte Lipstick in Rumba

City Color Be Matte Lipstick in Lana

Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate Moss in 04

City Color Creamy Lips in Sweet Sangria

Here are some arm swatches for you!

L-R: Lana, Red Garnet, Crush, Rumba, Sweet Sangria, 04

Here's a closer look at the lippies:

1. Lana, City Color Be Matte Lipstick (Php 300~)

This lipstick is a great warm red color that pulls towards the deeper berry shades a tiny bit. It isn't the deepest, darkest red shade, but it is a great sort off transition color if you're not sure if deep reds would suit you. (In my opinion, deep reds suit everyone)

2. Red Garnet, Maybelline The Jewels Color Sensational (Php 399)

This lippy is really great if you want to go for that deep, dark, bold, vampy red-berry lip. If you want the darkest color payoff from this product, you can apply 2 or more layers. The lip product itself is super creamy and moisturizing on the lips, making it super comfortable to wear. 

This lipstick is pretty dark on me but the color looks much lighter here as I took the photo in natural light and I only applied a sheer layer.

3. Crush, Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain (Php 575)

This lip product is great for those looking for a long-lasting, low-maintenance, no-hassle lippy.

The color itself is a nice deep berry shade that is flattering for all skin tones. The best part is that you can adjust the shade as per your preference. You can put on as much as you want and you can achieve a pretty deep, glossy berry lip if you want to. (No matter how many layers you put on, it feels uber comfortable and nourishing on the lips)

One light layer

4. Rumba, BYS Matte Lipstick (Php 299)

This is a great lip color if you are looking for a deep red that leans a tad bit brown. It's a very striking color that looks great as a bold statement lip that gives amazeballs contrast on light skin and looks very polished and pretty on morena skin.

5. Sweet Sangria, City Color Creamy Lips (Php 300~)

This is a really great, really pigmented liquid lipstick. However, it can be a tad difficult to apply given its creaminess.

The color itself is an amazing deep blood red. If you are looking for a lighter oxblood red type of shade, this is it!

6. 04, Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate Moss 

Last but definitely not the least is this amazing deep violet shade from Rimmel. The lipstick itself is creamy and very, very pigmented. Application is not patchy at all! (note that because it is so creamy, you may want to line your lips first though)

If you're brave enough to try it, definitely give this lippy a go!

I can't quite figure out what this lippy's color is as in some lights, it looks like a purple tinged with grey, while in others, it looks like a red-based purple as seen in the pictures below:

Well, that rounds it up, folks! I hope you had as much fun reading this post as I had making it. ;)

What are your top lippies for this season? :) 

Review: Maybelline Velvet Matte Lip Colors in Mat 6 and Mat 12

Matte lips are all the rage these days, and it seems like every brand is trying to get on the matte liquid lipstick bandwagon.  I, for one, love matte lips so when Maybelline came out with their new Velvet Matte lip colors, I was super excited! The Maybelline Velvet Mattes came out fairly recently, and as soon as they became available in department stores, I quickly went to purchase some.  The whole line offers 9 shades to choose from, but I opted to get only 2 as they were the only shades  that intrigued me.  

Mat 6 and Mat 12

Hand swatches:

Mat 12 and Mat 6

Here are some lip swatches for you guys.

Mat 6 

Pardon the picture quality. :p

Mat 6 is a bright, warm pink color which really pops on the lips. It is great as a bold statement lip color and is especially pretty when worn without too much makeup. (ie. Just do your brows, add a bit of blush, swipe on this color and you're good to go!)

Mat 12

Mat 12 is a very pretty peachy pink nude color. What I love about this color is that it is quite warm so it does not wash me out and make me look like a zombie. It's great to pair with a smokey eye but it is warm and wearable enough that it can be worn paired with a pretty neutral look as well.
Pigmentation: 5/5 This product is really pigmented and application is a breeze. You don't really have to double dip to get good color payoff on your lips.
Application: 4/5
Product This liquid lipstick is a breeze to apply. It has a mousse-y like consistency that makes it easy to spread evenly on the lips. 
It also does not dry too quickly so you can tinker and play with it until you get the look you want without any trouble at all. As an added bonus, it's not sticky and goopy (unlike lip gloss) so it's really comfortable to wear.
I really like that this product is easy to reapply as well. Layering it throughout the day is easy enough and you don't have to worry about it being patchy or weird-feeling.  
Applicator I took a point off because although this product has a tear drop shaped applicator which supposedly makes it easier to apply, its odd shape (i.e. the dent in the middle of the applicator) makes it a bit tricky to distribute the product evenly. 
A lot of the product gets trapped in that dent I find myself having to smoosh the applicator flat on my lips which tends to move the product around too much for my liking. (but I'm just being nitpicky here :p )
Moisture: 4/5 The product isn't really moisturizing per se since it doesn't actually add moisture to the lips. However, unlike other matte lipsticks, it does not suck out all the moisture from your lips either. It's very comfortable to wear.
Longevity: 4/5 This product stays on pretty well and it doesn't budge unless you eat something really oily. However, it does fade a bit over time, and you may want to reapply after 4 hours or so if you want to retain its vibrancy. 
Packaging: 5/5 The packaging is really cute and really sturdy!
Price: 5/5 Each lippy costs 299php right now (It will be sold for 350php in November) which is a pretty great deal for this really amazing product!


Would I recommend this product? Most definitely! ;)  

The Best Nude Shades + Reviews

Hi!
It's been a long, long, looongg time since I last posted on this blog. I can't believe it's been more than 2 years! Haha. Life (aka law school) got in the way, I suppose. I almost forgot I even had a makeup blog! Oh well. 
In any case, I have started feeling the urge to blog again now that I have a lot more free time on my hands. So, let me quit dithering about and let's just get down to it, shall we? ;) 
I have to say that I'm not really a nude-lipstick kind of gal. I prefer bold colors - bubblegum pinks, bright reds, deep berries and purples - these are the kinds of shades that I like wearing. If I'm going to wear lipstick (and I often do), I want to make sure that my lips stand out, no! Haha.
However, I have recently come to find that mellow, nude-y lips are quite nice to sport too. Sometimes. ;) Also, I have found that a pretty good number of nudey shades have wriggled their way into my colorful lippy collection. 
In case you are a nude lippy loving gal, here are some of the best shades that I have found for my NC35 skin and slightly pigmented lips:

Here are some arm swatches:

 Here are the same swatches in dimmer light 

1. Mauvey, Ever Bilena 

Mauvey has been a Filipina cult favorite for a long time, and for good reason. This ultra-nude matte lipstick is made by Ever Bilena, a very affordable brand that can be found even in supermarkets in the Philippines. 

Mauvey is a cool-toned nude shade that is great to pair with smokey or dramatic eye make up. Because it is quite cool-toned, I find that wearing it with "regular" make up looks tends to make me look a bit zombie-ish so I don't really use this shade on an everyday basis.

Pigmentation: 3.5/5    

It's not the most pigmented lipstick and it takes a couple of swipes for true color payoff.

Moisture:  3/5      

It's not the most hydrating lipstick, but it's not too matte to be unwearable, It is pretty comfortable to wear too. 

Longevity: 3/5

The wear time on this is around 3 hours without eating, which is average. I have to note, however, that this lipstick does not lend itself well to reapplication since adding layers can make it a bit cakey-looking.

Packaging: 2/5

The packaging of this lipstick is not too exemplary, but that's to be expected given that it's uber affordable. The tube is plastic and very light, and the colored cap which contains a bit of the lipstick constantly pops out.

Price: 5/5

This lipstick retails for less than Php 200. Definitely a great price for a cheapskate like me. ;)

2. 200 Nude Shell, Maybelline
This is one of the first nude lipsticks that I have ever tried which actually looked good on me and which didn't make me look like a zombie. It's a soft, warm peachy beige color which is light enough to give me that nude-lipstick look, but dark enough to not make me look like all my blood disappeared. 

Unfortunately, this lipstick has been discontinued. :( I'm not sure if you can still find this floating around in online shops or eBay, though. If you can still find it, though, you should definitely go ahead and buy it. 
Pigmentation: 4/5 It's not the most pigmented lipstick per se, but it is pigmented enough that it gives good color. It is just opaque enough to sort of blend with your natural lip color (which makes it such a good nude)

Moisture: 4.5/5

It is definitely a very moisturizing lipstick and it is comfortable to wear and reapply the whole day. It feels like a lip balm almost and it is very similar to Revlon Lip Butters in that aspect.

Longevity: 4/5

This lipstick lasts a surprisingly long time even if it is moisturizing. It reapplies well, too since it wears evenly on the lips throughout the day.

Packaging: 4/5

The packaging on this lipstick is not the most girly, but it is quite sleek. I also like that it seems quite sturdy and I don't have to worry that it will break when I throw it in my bag.

Price: 5/5

I think I got this lipstick on eBay and I'm pretty sure I got it for not more than Php 200 so it was a great deal ;)

3. 24 Pure, Silkygirl

I recently discovered a Silkygirl booth at my local mall (Sta, Lucia East Grand Mall), and when I saw that makeup products were on display, I couldn't help myself. ;) I picked up this shade and another pink one (review soon!) and I think I may have found a great new lipstick line! 

The bonus? It looks pretty indistinguishable from the discontinued Maybelline Nude Shell that I just mentioned in #2. Amazingly, it even feels just as moisturizing! Therefore, I think I have found a pretty spot-on dupe for that Maybelline Nude Shell that I love. :)

Pigmentation: 4.5/5

This lipstick is quite pigmented even with just one swipe! I took off a 0.5, however, since it sometimes can look a teenie tiny streaky when you put on too much.

Moisture: 5/5

This lipstick is definitely moisturizing. It feels pretty much like a lipbalm and it doesn't settle unattractively on the lips.

Longevity: -

I haven't really worn this out a lot so I can't speak for its staying power yet. 

Packaging: 2/5

The one downside of this lipstick is that it has pretty flimsy, light packaging. I don't really care for the silver color of the tube as well.

Price: 5/5

This great lipstick is only Php149. A definite steal! ;)

So, what do you guys think? What are your favorite nude lipsticks? ;)

Watch out for Part 2 where I review some of the best MLBB (my lips but better) lippies I have :)