Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Random Rant: Brush Cleaning Obsession


One thing that I learned from Pro Makeup Artists...if you really want to save money, I have to invest on good quality brushes and not buy cheap ones. I learned this the hard way...

I've been cleaning this brush forever and I cannot remove the stains. Well, the Pro
MUAs said that cheap brushes 1) shed 2) stains bristles 3) gets damaged easily



Since I got my loot from Luxola, of course I tried using my new brushes...I'm so happy with the Zoeva 104 brush...not only was it fast to clean, it also did not shed...the picture above, the brushes were already used and cleaned...I cannot remove the stains in my other brush :( 

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

I <3 LUXOLA

That was really quick. Finally received the brushes that I ordered from Luxola. Shipment only took a day. They packed my stuff yesterday and it arrived today. I am so giddy with my package.


They also gave me a sample conditioner and a free elastic band with I <3 LUXOLA on it. Pretty neat. 



Here's a sneak peek of what I bought: 


Beauty Blender Pro Editon (black with the solid cleaner). RM 120 = PHP 1,680


Sigma F82 Round Kabuki Brush RM 74.50 = PHP 1,043


Zoeva 104 Buffer Brush RM 57.50 = PHP  805 

Best part about my Luxola haul is that I got a 30% discount on my items because of the Labour Day sale here in Malaysia. It's like I got the Zoeva brush for free. Hihihi :) I'm soooo happy with my order. I'm definitely ordering again from Luxola. 

I will be giving an in depth review of the brushes in my next entry :) 






Sunday, April 27, 2014

I want to be a part of Sample Room's Blogger Circle

As the title goes...this entry is all about my love for Sample Room :)


I've recently discovered Sample Room. I signed up and immediately fell in love with it. What does Sample Room give you exactly? Simple...they let you test out products, most of the time, these products are new and just about to be launched in the market. They give you samples - sometimes they even give a full sized sample. Many people ask me if I get the samples for free. Well, technically it's a yes and a no. Yes, because they give you 100 points for sign up. Those points can get you a lot of samples already. Basically the items have points to them - it's like your cash but point system. I like boosting my points, so what I did, I purchased my VIP points and wow, I earned a lot from it. 


As many of you all know, I am a beauty junkie. I love cosmetics and beauty products. Sample Room was just perfect for me. I've received a lot of samples ranging from Argan Oil to Lipsticks. 


As I write this entry, I am thinking that I want to be chosen as a Sample Room blogger. Why? Why would they choose me? Well, I know there are a lot of qualified bloggers out there but what sets me apart from them is that my entries are straight from the heart. I blog things which I know will be helpful to my fellow makeup enthusiasts. I mean, technically, I am a consumer and for me to buy products in the market - specifically makeup, is from referrals or another basis is a good marketing strategy. I mean, why would I buy a product which costs a lot but from the reviews, the product doesn't perform well...

Well, even if I do not get chosen, my love and patronage for Sample Room would be the same. I love Sample Room and from a makeup junkie like me, I want to say thank you for giving every member the opportunity to try the products. 

Cheers and more power to Sample Room :) 

Perfect Spot-On Brush Cleaner: Cinema Secrets Professional Makeup Brush Cleaner

In the light of finding the best brush cleaner, I stumbled upon a thread online which recommended good spot cleaning solutions. I've been very meticulous when it comes to cleaning my brushes every time I use them. I need a brush cleaner for everyday use just because it is time consuming for my makeup brushes to bathe everyday. I mean, all you makeup junkies know this for a fact. It takes so much time for the brushes to dry when you let them soak in shampoo and water. I cannot afford to wait for a day for them to dry up and then ending up using it again making them dirty. Like what I've said before, I've been vigilant with the cleanliness of my brushes because I saw that my acne problem started from it.

So far, I've used the Parian Spirit and the Sephora brush cleaner. The Parian Spirit was a good cleaner but it gave a very harsh smell that I cannot tolerate plus the bristles of my makeup brushes became stiff. The Sephora brush cleaner was a let down. I do like the smell in all fairness but my bottle was empty after having at least 4 rounds of cleaning. It takes that much liquid to clean brushes meaning it's not an effective brush cleaner for me. 



Some Pro Makeup Artists suggested to use Cinema Secrets Professional Makeup Brush Cleaner. Luckily, I saw a shop here in Malaysia that offers the item.

Here's a breakdown of the product

Brand: Cinema Secrets
What it is: Professional Brush Cleaner
Price: RM 52.00 (when converted to Philippine Peso = PHP 754) / $8.00 plus $10 shipping fee (more or less PHP810 total)
Size: 2 FL. OZ. / 59 ML
What it does: Santizes Makeup Brushes

What I like about the product:
- It breaks down makeup residue immediately. 
- You only need a little amount for your brushes to be clean 
- It doesn't have the annoying smell
- Makeup brushes will smell like powder when dry

What I don't like about the product:
- It's not readily available in Manila. 
- You need to go overseas or order it online and wait for your product.
- A bit pricey. Compared to the Parian Spirit and the Sephora brush cleaner, it costs more.

Will I repurchase this product? Yes! Definitely! Even if it costs more than my other makeup brush cleaners, I think I found my Holy Grail. 


Where to buy this product:
Online:
or

Malaysia:
Nica Professional Makeup
Lot 1-54 & Lot 1-55 Fahrenheit88, 1st Floor, Box No. 1-54, 179 Jalan Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Shopping Trip



Me and my husband went on a shopping trip to Bukit Bintang - the shopping haven of tourists. There are tons of malls in the area. All of the high end brands are in the place. Of course, I went there to shop for makeup. HAHAHA :)) That's no brainer. My husband was there to tag along with me. 



From our house, we needed to take the bus going to Suria. From Suria, we waited at the shed for the free bus ride going to Bukit Bintang. There are two lines you can ride for free in KL. The Green line which goes around KLCC to Bukit Bintang and the Purple line which we haven't tried yet. 

We rode the bus and went down at the Starhill Sephora Gallery but we didn't went inside. I think I already have too much Sephora items and it was time for me to move on with other stuff. I went to a shop inside Farenheit Mall. Which is a few blocks away Pavillion Mall. I searched the internet where to find Kryolan  products and found out that it was available in a MUD shop at Farenheit. We went there to check it out. It was makeup heaven for Pro MUAs...sadly we weren't able to take pictures because it wasn't allowed. There were Ben Nye products, CS products, Kryolan products, Temptu products, OCC lip tars and so much more. We will be going back soon because I'm eyeing to buy a Kryolan foundation palette. I'm still thinking because it's a little too pricey for me. It only has 12 shades compared to the RCMA palette which has 18 shades. RCMA is not available here in Malaysia.

Then we went to Baskin Robbins for an ice cream break. My husband has a sweet tooth. He loves eating chocolates. I, on the other hand, was looking for coffee. Starbucks and Baskin Robbins were just beside each other in the mall but the que in Statbucks was a bit long. We just ate at Baskin Robbins instead. He had chocolate mudpie and I had javamocha.



To make the long story short, we went to Bukit Bintang to window shop for makeup and ended up not buying the things that I was supposed to buy. 

Here's a video clip of our adventure to Bukit Bintang :)




Thursday, April 24, 2014

Hoarding The Balm Products

I've been hoarding a lot of the Balm products. I am so amazed with how the items perform. Quality and quantity wise, I can say I am in love with all of the stuff that I bought.


As you know I bought Bahama Mama and The Frat Boy before. I am so amazed with the pigment pay-off that I bought the other blushes like Cabana Blh and Down Boy. I will swatch and review these products in the coming days. 


I also bought the balm Time Balm primer. I love the texture of this primer. It feels like the Porefessional primer of Benefit. Not to mention it's a lot cheaper than the Porefessional and you get 1 fl. oz. which I think is a lot more than the Porefessional.


I am still thinking if I will be buying some professional makeup stuff from Kryolan and RCMA. I really want to have my own foundation palette for future use because I want to study makeup artistry. It wouldn't hurt if I had those things. I'm just struggling at the moment because I need to choose which items to buy because money doesn't grow on trees. Hahaha :))) I need to save a lot to get all those makeups. 


Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Unboxing my Modbox


Received this in my mail today. My first Beauty Box here in Kuala Lumpur. I've always wanted to try beauty boxes in Manila. When I go back home, I will definitely subscribe to BDJ Box. 

Anyway, Modbox is one of the beauty boxes here in Malaysia. They do things differently here when it comes to boxes. In the Philippines, you subscribe to beauty boxes and you don't know what is instore for you. When you get the box, here, technically you either know or you don't know what is inside because there are two kinds of boxes, the one that you pick the contents and the one that you just subscribe to. 

Modbox lets you pick the contents of your beauty box. There are other box subsriptions like Lilac Box, Bag of Love, and Vanity Trove. I wanted to subscribe to Lilac box but they will be sending out the boxes on May 5. I won't be here anymore on that date. So maybe next time. 

My box contains this:


A welcome note and 3 items that I hand pick. Not bad because I got a full sample of a dry shampoo. Which I am so giddy to try. The box only costs around RM 17 if I am not mistaken. So roughly PHP 230. It's the cheapest beauty box I think.


Inside is the Shaire London Hair Perfume Dry Shampoo


Sample size of the Human Nature Elixir 


And a Dentiste toothpaste sample. 

I am most definitely excited to try the Dry Shampoo. :) 





Sunday, April 20, 2014

Sephora Collection 10 HR Wear Perfection Foundation

This entry is long overdue. I've been using this foundation since last year and I can say this is one of my favorite foundation.



The Sephora Collection 10 HR Wear Perfection Foundation provides medium to full coverage. It is buildable. It hides blemishes and decreases visibility of the pores. It also claims to last for 10 hours. What I like about this foundation is it has 15 shades from light, medium to dark shade.

I am in the color 25 medium beige. I also bought a dark shade in 45 tan for contouring purposes. 

I love this product because of the coverage it gives. It makes my face look flawless and it is actually a photo finish foundation. It makes your face look flawless in HD pictures/videos. I use this usually with a powder to lock in the foundation. You can also use this alone but in humid areas, it won't be advisable. 

I tested the product for 6 hours and here is a video clip of the product testing :


Saturday, April 19, 2014

Colour Collection's Ultimate Wear Lipstick

It took me awhile to post this entry mainly because I want to do justice with the product and thoroughly test them and not just give my first impression.

I received the Colour Collection Ultimate Wear Lipstick from Sample Room last month. Basically, the collection consists of 5 shades which are Headturner, Temptress, Queen Bee, Belissima and Angelic.

I will review the three (Headturner, Queen Bee and Angelic) shades in this post. The other two in another.


From top to bottom: Headturner, Angelic and Queen Bee.

From the description from Sample Room PH, the shades are described as: Headtuner - a show stopping pink color that packs a punch ; Angelic - a soft rosy nude color for everyday wear ; and Queen bee - a bright red shade that spells power




This is Angelic on my lips. The color is pinkish nude. 




Sorry for the messy application on my lips. I was a bit annoyed with removing Angelic on my lips that I just didn't care if I placed Queen Bee correctly or not. Hahaha :) So this is Queen Bee. It's a red shade with a blue undertone. It reminds me of MAC Ruby Woo.




Lastly, this is Headturner, it's an electic pink color. Bright electric pink to be exact. Reminds me of the Urban Decay Electric Palette.

Of the three, the shade that I wore the most was Angelic because I love nude lipsticks. The lipstick is very pigmented and when I say pigmented, it is a b**** to remove it. Literally, even if I applied oil on the tissue, it cannot be removed. The feel of the lipstick is very moisturizing. Although, when you drink water or when you kiss someone, the pigment transfers easily. It lasts for 3 to 4 hours and then you need to go to the bathroom for retouching.

I would say it is quite expensive for a lipstick because you only get 2.4 g of product. The usually amount you get for a lipstick is 3 to 4 g. The price is PHP 350. A little pricey for me. 

Would I purchase it again? Maybe. I like the colors and the pigments but the downside is that it is not readily available in the market. You need to go and contact Tupperwarebrands.ph to get this product.

I am honored that I was given the chance to try the lipsticks. I love the colors and the pigments. I love how it moisturizes my lips. 






Soap and Glory: My latest addiction

Hello ladies, sorry...it took me awhile to do anothe entry. I've been sick lately. I've been having an upset stomach and I wasn't in the mood to write not until today.

My entry today is all about bath products particularly that of Soap and Glory. I've heard so much about Soap and Glory before. I know that this brand is from the UK. Sephora actually has Soap and Glory products so I am luck enough to test some of their goodies.


I bought the Glad Hair Day Shampoo, Hand Food Lotion and the Sugar Crush Body Scrub. I am so in-love with the products most especially the Hand Food.

All of the products above smells terrific. They all have sweet fruity scents. The hand food it kinda smells floral to me. Glad hair day smells a little bit like raspberry and Sugar Crush smells like lime.


Sugar Crush is a body scrub or an exfoliator. This thing is really not new in the market. Actually, bath and body works also has the same item...I forgot the name. This one is a mild version of the bath and body works scrub that I have tested before because that one has a calming-soothing effect. This one simply exfoliates. I like the fact that it is readily available here unlike Bath and Body Works because you need to order it from the US.


Glad Hair Day is also an amazing product. I noticed that my hair is stronger and that I had less breakage when I was using this. It also has a nice raspberry scent. I also noticed that my hair became shiny when I started using this. 


Of the three products, this, I have to say is the best worth for my money. I'm almost half way done with the tube. I love using this on my hands because it makes my hands smooth and soft. I like that it moisturizes my hands. I actually do laundry so this product suits me well. 

Overall, I love the products above and i highly recommend them to you guys. Have you tried Soap and Glory products?  I would be glad to hear from you :) 




Monday, April 14, 2014

Garnier BB Eye Roll-On

I saw this product yesterday while my we were in the Guardian store. Guardian is a counterpart of Watsons in Manila. They sell pharmaceutical products, cosmetics, and bath and body products.

I know that Garnier had under eye roll-on products before but this one in particular is a re-formulation of the product. 


This is the Garnier BB Eye Roll-on. I got the Natural shade to try on. 


The product says this is the first BB eye roll-on that gives you an amazing fresh look with a single gesture and offers you a total solution for a fresh look in a flash.

It says also that it is non-creasing and the  eye area will look:

1. Fairer
2. More Radiant
3. More even-toned 
4. With less dark circles
5. With less dark spots
6. Fresher
7. Smoother
8. Less tired
9. More hydrated
10. Tighten


A video of my first usage of the BB Under Eye Roll-On




I think the product in general is good. If you want a natural looking face then this is a nice product to try on.

What are your thoughts about the product?

Saturday, April 12, 2014

Revlon and BDJ Box Summer Luau

Get ready for BDJ Box and Revlon Summer Luau

Happening on April 26, 2014 at The Borough Podium from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm




Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Benefit Go TropiCoral Set


I was at Sephora the other day and I was choosing between the benefit box sets. I ended up with this one. I wanted to try the blushes from benefit. I think this was the perfect color for me. I've heard a lot of raves from youtubers and bloggers about the coralista blush from benefit so I bought this one.


Okay, so this box contains 4 products from benefit. It costs RM 110. Roughly around PHP 1,500 when converted to Peso. Going back, it contains the cha cha tint ( an orange liquid cheek and lip tint), high beam ( liquid highlighter ) , Coralista blush ( Coral  tone blush ) and the Coralista lip gloss. All of them are smaller than their actual size. 


It also has a travel size brush for the coralista blush. 


The inside of the box also contains tips and tricks on how to use the products inside. 


It also comes with a good size mirror. 

I tried using the products awhile ago. I like the cha cha tint for the cheeks but not for the lips. The high beam was also impressive. Coralista Blush was also good. It has a lot of pigment in it. The lip gloss was okay. It was a typical lipgloss. I know it is premature to say this but it's not fancy and it's something I will not repurchase in the future. It gives that super glossy finish. Kinda like the "lechon lips" as to what my mother says. You get what I mean...😜

Overall, I think I got a good purchase with this one. I will play with the items in the coming days and I will give a review of each. 

Have you tried the products above? What are your thoughts about it? I would love to hear from you 😊






Sephora Brush Cleaner


So the other day, I was at Sephora buying all kinds of beauty products and one of the products I purchased was this Makeup cleaner from Sephora.

I forgot to bring my Makeup Brush cleaner specifically the Parian Spirit brush cleaner. It was bulky and I said to myself I need to put some in a smaller spray container so I can bring it with me for my vacation. To make the long story short, I forgot to bring the cleaner and I ended up buying this one.

First off, the cleaner has a nice scent. It smells better than the Parian Spirit. It has a lighter fruity smell. The Parian Spirit smells tangy and it gets into your nostrils. This one doesn't irritate your nose.

In the instructions, it says that you have to spray 3 to 4 times on your brush and then you sweep it on a cloth so that the makeup brush becomes clean. I followed the instructions. Bigger makeup brushes needs more sprays at least 5 to 6 times. I tried it on my powder brush and my foundation brush and it does not work as well as my Parian Spirit. I'm assuming it is because it doesn't have an oil component to it. The Parian Spirit has a bit of an oil component that's why it easily cleans the makeup brushes. It's also a bit annoying to spray the solution to the brush because a lot of product comes out from the spray nozzle and it doesn't hit the brush entirely. It goes everywhere. 

Sadly, I'm a bit disappointed with this one. Not worth the money I paid for. 

March Favorites

It took me awhile to post this entry because of the unending errands. Anyways, I want to share with you guys my cosmetic favorites for the month of March


1. MAC Studio Fix Powder in C 3.5 - always have and always will be a staple in my makeup bag. I am so in love with this powder and I will forever be using this.

2. BH Cosmetics' That's Heart Palette - I gave a first impression of this palette and I was disappointed at first. Last month, I've been playing with this a lot and it has been a very handy palette for me. It has everything you need. Plus points because it is very compact. I travel a lot and I need things that can be easily placed in my bag. I always use the neutral colors. I also like the contour and the blush powder. 

3. Milani Baked Blsuh in Luminoso - I love this blush. As what I said before, this blush is a dupe for the Benefit Rockateur blush. It has that rose gold pigment in it. I love that you don't need to re-touch when you use this  product

4. Sephora Eye Makeup Remover - I actually use this eye makeup remover as a whole face makeup remover. I like the fact that it is half water and half oil. I don't use oil based makeup removers because it makes me feel so sticky specially with the weather now in the Philippines.

5. MAC Pro Longwear Concealer - I love love love this concealer. It is a bit pricey but it goes a long way. It works well with my MAC Studio Fix powder and I never have to buy another one in maybe a  year because a little goes a long way. This is definitely a staple in my bag.

6 Colour Collection BB Cream - Yes, I love this BB Cream. I've been using this a lot last month. I love the coverage and the feel of this BB Cream. I've been using this as a primer and not as a foundation. I love the scent and the consistency of the product. 

7 E.L.F. Eyebrow Kit in Medium - Ever since I learned how to groom my eyebrows, I've been playing with this brow kit and this is also one of a staple product for me. It is cheap and it gives a nice effect on my brows. 

8 DAISO Eyebrow Pencil - I've also been using this product together with my E.L.F. Eyebrow Kit. I love that it comes with a spoolie on the other end of the pencil. It's also cheap. It's only PHP 88.

9.EOS Strawberry Sorbet - Who wouldn't love EOS? I just love the scent of this lip balm and the moisturizing effect that it gives to my chappy lips. 

10. The Body Shop Lip and Cheek Tint - This was given to me as a gift and I've been using this as an everyday blush. 

Sunday, April 6, 2014

First Impression: The Balm Bahama Mama

Yesterday, my husband and I were strolling around Bukit Bintang and we found out that there's a Sasa Mall at Sungei Wang. My husband said I should look inside. The first thing I asked was of course if they had Bahama Mama...Luckily, they had one last stock.


Of course, I purchased it right away. It wasn't discounted. I bought it for RM 65. I think converted to Peso it is around PHP 850. So it's actually a little bit more expensive than the one in Beauty Bar because I know they sell it for PHP 750.

Anyway, I have been looking for this Bronzer for a long time. I heard a lot of good reviews and I bought the last piece yesterday. 


In the description it says : This matte Bronzer creates the look of beautifully tanned skin without any orange undertones for a fresh-out-the beach glow. Bahama mama also doubles as the perfect contour powder and matte brown eyeshadow.



I actually use bronzers as countour for my face. I like the fact that this Bronzer is matte. It's not shimmery as to other bronzers. It looks natural and it is perfect for my skin tone. 


I like the fact that it has .25 oz amount of product which I think is a lot. Good price for the quantity. Longevity wise I have to play with this first before I can thoroughly give a full blown review.