PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: NYX CONCEALER IN A JAR MEDIUM

Here's an initial review on NYX CONCEALER IN A JAR MEDIUM

PRICE: AROUND $3 (?)

PLACE BOUGHT: MSCUPPYCAKES ONLINE

OTHER LOCATIONS: DIRECT SELLERS IN MULTIPLY

THE VERDICT:

This product scored 4.2 in makeupalley's score board

A lot actually swears by this product because it offers a great effect at such a cheap price.

It's in a small glass jar that's lightweight. I actually like that it looks expensive so the packaging gets 10 points for me. I can also reuse the packaging to store some powder samples or foundation samples as well.

Now let's go to the actual product. Notice that the consistency is creamy. I like that my concealer brush gets a good amount of the concealer in the jar. My fingers also work well with this in terms of blending. It's also lightweight, therefore, making it blending- friendly. It's quite pigmented, thus making it's concealing ability fantastic. Refer to its concealing power on the pictures ahead.

The shade I got is medium, which is good for morenas like me. I also like that their concealer has a lot of shades to choose from from natural to correcting colors.

Medium is much like MAC's NW30 for me. It has a beige undertone, as opposed to my MAC studio finish NC30's yellow undertone. 

So here's my right eye without anything on it. Notice that my dark under eyes are very obvious.

Here's my right eye after applying Nyx's concealer in a jar. Notice that it filled in the fine lines and it did offer good coverage for my dark under eyes to be concealed.

Here's a comparison of my eyes with and without the Nyx concealer. My right under eye has the concealer on while the left doesn't have any (Analyze this in my point of view (the left and right))

So here are my under eyes with Nyx concealer in a jar in medium. Notice that my eyes look fresher without looking too white. It just concealed naturally and I like that it made my under eyes' color even with the rest of my facial skin tone. 

At least I have something to be happy about with my mscupypycakes package. This concealer didn't disappoint me. It's long- wearing and it doesn't streak nor cake. I've been wearing it for hours and a little dab of powder makes this fresh- looking again. I would definitely repurchase this only if this is available locally. A little goes a long way so this'll probably last me a year or two. 

At last, I've found a concealer that's cheap yet a certified HG material. I just hope NYX will someday open a retail store here because some dayum direct sellers sell this at a crazy price! :p

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: NYX ROUND LIPSTICKS IN CHLOE AND NARCISSUS

Here's an initial review on NYX ROUND LIPSTICKS IN NARCISSUS AND CHLOE

PRICE: AROUND A DOLLAR (?)

PLACE BOUGHT: MSCUPPYCAKES.COM

OTHER LOCATIONS: DIRECT RESELLERS IN MULTIPLY

L- R: Chloe and Narcissus

THE VERDICT:

So here are my two much- awaited lipstick packages from mscuppycakes online.

Narcissus on my lips.

It's a milky pink lipstick with a slight hint of silver frosting. It's saint germain- ish, but not totally, It's like in between. I don't like this because it just makes my teeth look garish and I might look like a floating frosted pink lip out in the dark so I decided to let it go. Thank you sis Khymm for adopting my Narcissus.

Chloe on my skin

It's a pink lipstick with a strong violet undertone with a slight hint of blue frosting. Overall, it's nice. This will work pretty well with fair- skinned ladies, especially for special occasions. Apply it lightly then it will work as a pretty pink- violet hue on your lips for daywear.

Swatch on my lips

Overall, I'm quite disappointed with my lipstick orders. These lipsticks that I ordered are everything that I hate in a lipstick. They make my teeth look garish, they have a ridiculous shimmer and the formula emphasizes my lip lines and chapped lips.

I should've gone for the Thalia and B52. But Chloe is nice. It's just that I have too much pink lipsticks, esp. hot pink ones.

But if you like frosted variants, they're nice and budget- friendly. It's just that I TOTALLY hate frosted lipsticks so these didn't do it for me.

**BTW, YOU GUYS MIGHT BE INTERESTED. THE NYX ROUND LIPSTICK IN CHLOE IS UP FOR SALE AT 80PHP. LEAVE A COMMENT HERE IF YOU ARE INTERESTED. :) IT'S GOOD AS NEW AND ONLY USED FOR THE SAKE OF THIS ENTRY. :)

PAUL AND JOE LIGHT CREAM FOUNDATION N (50)

Here's my initial review on PAUL AND JOE LIGHT CREAM FOUNDATION N (50)

PRICE: 1875PHP

PLACE BOUGHT: RUSTAN'S, MAKATI

OTHER LOCATIONS: ?

SITE DESCRIPTION: Soft texture & instantly melts onto skin Contains rich moisturizing properties Ensures a dewy, sensuous skin Makes skin feel fresh & comfortable Leaves you a beautiful appearance

THE VERDICT:

This foundation has scored 4.5 in Makeupalley's scoreboard and is a much- loved product by one of the most popular beauty bloggers, Fuzkittie. 

Due to the hype, I decided to try it myself.

I got the shade 50, because it's the shade perfect for morenas and medium- dark skinned ladies. For reference, I'm a MAC NC42 and I could assure you that this perfectly goes well with my facial and neck skin tone. This is the second to the darkest shade, which is 60.

Swatch on my hand

Indeed, the product is contained in a gorgeous bottle that will look absolutely beautiful as a display on your dresser. It's in a glass bottle that is obviously French Style- inspired. The bottle cap is also cute. However, it slightly heavy (but not disturbingly heavy) so expect this to add a bit of weight on your bag.

What sucks is it doesn't have any applicator or even a spatula. The only way to get this foundation out of the bottle is to actually pour it on the palms of your hands which can be quite messy. Be careful also because this can cause a major waste once you accidentally push it off from a table top!

So here's the foundation when I applied it on my skin. Again, for reference, I have oily skin, and this foundation has some oil in it so look at my face after I applied it on. It looks disgustingly shiny and it really feels oily to touch. But of course, I haven't set it with powder yet. I applied a mattifying primer and a moisturizer underneath.

The foundation consistency is a semi- thick liquid that goes well on your skin once applied. It doesn't run- off like water, thanks to it's semi- thick consistency. I also suggest that you use your fingers when blending because this way, you can control the coverage, whether you want it sheer or dramatic. Also, once it is blended well, it just disappeared into my skin, which makes the statement "just like your second skin" promise true to its users.

You can also use a sponge if you don't want the product to stain your hands.

The coverage of this foundation can go from sheer to dramatic because it gives a medium- heavy coverage.

The reason behind the oil- like feel and look of this foundation is because it aims to give your face a "Dewy look", rather than making it look matte and solid, which is the aim of the improvement of this formula, the Light Cream Foundation S, which is contained in a white bottle with a small hole at the tip, which makes foundation application more convenient.

However, Since I have combination skin, this has the tendency to feel and look oily on your skin so make sure you prep your skin properly before applying this foundation.

After setting it with powder, I noticed that it still has a bit of sheen (not shine) which seems to me, is the "dewy" promise of the foundation. Well, all I could say is it looks good! It's a fresh take on my make- up look. I always prefer my face matte that's why I'm lovin' MUFE'S HD Foundation. So the "Dewy face look" is rather a fresh and interesting effect for me.

So here's my face after 5 hours. It still looks dewy on the picture. I didn't retouch my powder after 5 hours. The reason is I was home during this time, so I would be washing my face afterwards. But, my face feels a bit oily, but not "BAD OILY". Here's the thing, it feels oily after touching my forehead, but when I looked at my face on the mirror, it looks dewy. Well, that's better rather than looking oily. I also love that it still offers good coverage. My skin still looked flawless and better after 5 hours. 

One con of this product is, since my face persists on producing shine, it can run off a bit if you try wiping your face with a tissue, cloth or your fingers. All I could suggest to remedy this is to always keep a powder in hand so that your face will still look fresh. But don't worry, this foundation can last up to 4-5 hours before you retouch again.

The sheen may look like "oil" if you take a closer look at your face but if you're looking at your face from a farther view, your face will look dewy. Well, maybe the shine factor is the actual oil my face excretes.

Will I buy this again? No. Oil- based skin foundations kinda' works well on my skin but I want to try the water- based ones for experimentation. Also, I'm not liking that it feels oily. Although I'm lovin' the dewy look it gives, a bit of oil from my face can give a slight different effect on the foundation. This may work well on dry skin because the oil can give nourishment to dry patches and would work absolutely well on normal skin.

I should've bought the Light Cream Foundation S, the mattifying one.

But nevertheless, this is a good product, but not HG material for me.

But don't blame the product, it can be great, ya know? It's just that my face is a small oil mine. :)

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: LOLA LIPSTICK LIP CREME IN PARIS

Here's an initial review on LOLA COSMETICS LIPSTICK LIP CREME IN PARIS

PRICE: 1000PHP

PLACE BOUGHT: MARIONNAUD, SM MALL OF ASIA

OTHER LOCATIONS: SM CUBAO 

THE VERDICT:

This lipstick line by Lola Cosmetics scored a whopping 4.7 in the Makeupalley score board. Apparently, girls of every age seem to love their lipstick line so I really had to try one to see what the hype is all about.

This is truly the surprise for me. It comes with a cute mirror that pops up when you pull the part that holds the product out. It comes so much in handy for those quick touch- ups. It just made me more excited in acquiring more Lola lipsticks! (Brokeland, here I come! :D)

Check out the lovely packaging! I like the black diamond detail in the middle. :D

It looks like a teracotta shade but it isn't in actual. It's a lovely deep rose shade.

It might look reddish here, as I swatched it heavily but in actual, this is a deep rose shade. It's like a fusion of brown, rose and mauve. But it doesn't appear reddish on my lips at all! I apologize because I almost emptied my battery just to get a great picture that captures the exact color but my attempts were a failure so I suggest, you check the shade out yourself. It's really lovely in actual, promise.

But I'll try getting a better picture during daytime then I'll post it here. :D

Swatch on  my lips. Notice that it's hell different than my heavy hand swatch. I think this is the closest to the actual color.

Excellent pigmentation, great staying power and a lovely smell that is not overpowering. It's like a sheer floral scent that just goes away. Perfect. It's another MLBB shade. Build if you want to intensify the color. Also, the creamy formulation prevents my lips from chapping and cracking so this is just PERFECT. Period. :D

Love the creamy formulation! I also love the color! I don't know if it's just me but I hope you could already kinda' grasp from this picture that it is a deep rose- colored lipstick.  :D

This is a must- try brand, when it comes to lipsticks. I have to admit that it's quite pricey but it's almost the same price as Bobbi Brown. Not to mention, the packaging is exquisite and so is the product so you'll really get your 1000php's worth. So for a breath of fresh air, Imma try some Lola cosmetics. And Petunia and Penelope or Dahlia are the next lippies on my list! :D

PRODUCT REVIEW: NARS SHEER LIPSTICK IN DOLCE VITA

Here's an initial review on NARS SHEER LIPSTICK IN DOLCE VITA

PRICE: 1250PHP

PLACE BOUGHT: ESSENCES, RUSTAN'S, MAKATI CITY

OTHER LOCATIONS: ALABANG TOWN CENTER; SHANGRI- LA MALL

THE VERDICT:

This has scored 4.1 out of 5 in Makeupalley's score board. It has been tagged as a "universally flattering shade" and as the "Perfect MLBB" lipstick for those would want to wear but would want invisible coverage.

This lipstick is very creamy and it doesn't give your lips that nasty gloss- like shine. It just gives a lovely sheen on your lips. This was used by a theatre friend, who is hell fair- skinned, as in porcelain skinned by the way and it really looked immaculate on her which goes to show that this could really go well with any skin tone. I had lunch with her one afternoon last week and I can't help but look at her lips and asked what lipstick she was wearing then I found out about Dolce Vita. She told me that she has already emptied 8 tubes of this shade! I told myself "Wow, it must be a really nice color." I was also sold with the reviews in Makeupalley so I got myself one.

It looks heck scary as it appears dark on the tube but once used, the melting shine just comes off the lipstick and it's sheer so don't be afraid of going overboard!

Swatch on my skin

It is indeed, a sheer lipstick. But apply 3- 4 layers to build the colors. I applied 5 on each because I have brownish- pink smoker's lips so the colors are having quite a hard time showing up.

Nars Dolce Vita on my lips

Here's me wearing Dolce Vita. It pays off as a sheer dusty rose lipstick with a slight pink undertone that REALLY looks natural.

Overall, this is a good product. It is INDEED, the PERFECT MLBB color. I ust love how it eradicated my brownish- pink lips due to smoking! It just gave that nice color that looks very natural. Even hubby told me, "Your lips look beautiful with just that hint of shine." Hihi. He doesn't know that I'm wearing lipstick. :D

*HOW ABOUT YOU GUYS? WOULD YOU LIKE TO TRY THIS LIPSTICK?

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: MAKE UP FOR EVER HD FOUNDATION IN 160

Here's an initial review on MAKE UP FOR EVER HD FOUNDATION IN 160

PRICE: 2250PHP

PLACE BOUGHT: MAKE UP FOR EVER BOUTIQUE, THE FORT HIGH STREET, FORT BONIFACIO, TAGUIG CITY

OTHER LOCATIONS: MAKE UP FOR EVER BOUTIQUE, SHANGRI- LA MALL, ORTIGAS, PASIG CITY

ON THE SITE: HD Invisible Cover Foundation: An oil-free medium-to-full-coverage liquid foundation that covers skin imperfections flawlessly while remaining invisible on-screen and in real life. Creates a soft-focus effect, designed to meet the coverage concerns of those in the spotlight. It creates a complexion that looks flawless, even in bright or harsh lighting.           

The shade 160 is my perfect match, meaning it balanced the color of my neck and face. I literally spent 30 minutes finding the right shade in this foundation because I can't afford to get a wrong shade since this is hell expensive. 

160 is a shade named Golden Beige. It best suits dark skins with beige pink undertones. I've always believed that I have yellow undertones but this shade somehow is a perfect match for my skin. Maybe because I have a bit of Italian and Spanish blood so I have a bit of that pink- beige undertone which is maybe around 25% only of my total undertone percentage.

THE VERDICT:

This is probably one of the must- try products of MUFE, as what some beauty bloggers say But I'm quite surprised that it got a so- so review in Makeupalley. Well, reviews are subjective so there's no better way to test a product but to actually try it.

I chose this over Mat Velvet because I am not liking the squeeze bottle and the kind SA, Monica told me that it gives heavy and full coverage, which makes it perfect for the theatre, yet not recommended for everyday use. I want something that I can use for everyday and for the theatre.

My shade

I like the plastic glass bottle. It's lighter, in terms of weight, as compared to their face and body foundation.

The foundation has a pump dispenser. The pump is great because it's much convenient to use than spilling the foundation on your hands and spreading it on your face. It's also mess- free and effortlessly usable.

The only con of this product is it dispenses too much foundation. I also hate that I pumped out a lot of the product for just the swatch photo you'll see ahead. This is expensive so I'd like to use it for a long time. It's also quite hard to give the head a push. But two pumps can already give your facial skin good coverage.

So here's the actual product. In actual, it has a bit of pink undertones but you could still see that it has some yellow undertones lingering on it. It may be just me or MUFE's having a weird shade description, which can be a hassle because there are a lot of bloggers namely pammy and brigitte who got theirs in a wrong shade. The colors are actually tricky. You really have to take a look at your face on a big mirror and apply foundation all over your face (if you want) to get a better view of the shade, or spreading it from the jawline until the middle part of your neck, rather than spreading it on your jawline then just a bit down to the neck. That way, you'll get your right shade and you'll spare yourself from heartache knowing that you wasted 2250php.

THE FOUNDATION ON MY FACE

I love that it's a perfect match with my skin! It's not too white nor too dark. My time spent in the store was all worth it! :D I was spared from getting the wrong foundation shade! :D

So here's my face with the HD foundation up- close. Notice that it's uber flawless. For reference, I have smooth skin, but I'm not spared from the large pores and slight appearance of veins and nasty whiteheads and blackheads. But as you can see, my face is immaculate in this picture! No sight of pores nor any bumps! It truly does make your face picture- perfect!

Here's a shot that gives you a good view of my neck and face. See that my face and neck are even in terms of skin tone. 

Overall, I love this because I love that it flatters my facial skin so much by giving it a very good coverage without looking too thick or cakey, which goes to show that the Invisible Coverage is truly a promise. Also, in harsh lighting, my face still looked flawless and softly matte, but not too matte, which sometimes makes a face look too made- up. It also gave my face that lovely radiance which made the overall look of the foundation on my skin look natural. After hours of wear, I noticed that it also controlled my oilies, which makes this perfect for everyday and for the theatre, where retouching is less- needed because we need more time to prepare before entering a scene.

It's long- wearing, so you don't have to worry about this disappearing after a few hours. I've been wearing this for 5 hours now and I still have no sight of oil on my skin and my face literally feels smooth and it still looks softly matte. :D

I've also read reviews that this appears too cakey and heavy on the skin. In my opinion, it's like wearing nothing at all! It all depends on the amount you put on your face. It can go from medium to full coverage by building the foundation on your face. But a little goes a long way. For everyday, I'll apply a sheer amount and for the theatre, I'll apply twice the amount on my facial skin.

I would definitely repurchase this. But I'm sure that this bottle will last me long because a little amount goes a long way. :D I'm on the verge of not trying Bobbi Brown's Skin Foundation anymore because I think I've found my HG foundation. :D

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: MAKE UP FOR EVER AQUA EYES WATERPROOF PENCIL EYELINER IN 1L (GRAY) AND 10 (BLACK)

Here's an initial review on MAKE UP FOR EVER AQUA EYES WATERPROOF PENCIL EYELINER IN 1L (GRAY) AND BLACK (10)

PRICE: 950PHP EA.

PLACE BOUGHT: MAKE UP FOR EVER BOUTIQUE, THE FORT HIGH STREET, FORT BONIFACIO, TAGUIG

OTHER LOCATIONS: SHANGRI- LA MALL, ORTIGAS, PASIG CITY

THE VERDICT:

This is actually an unplanned purchase. Since I'm in dire need of a waterproof eyeliner, I decided to give it a try. At least it's cheaper than Chanel's waterproof retractable eyeliner.

A LOOK AT THE ACTUAL PRODUCTS

MUFE AQUA EYES IN 1L (GRAY)

This color is perfect for the brows since the color's softer than black. 

MUFE AQUA EYES IN 10 (BLACK)

This one is for my theatre performances. It intensifies the brow colors by truly defining them and this is also perfect in making my eyes look deeper and it also creates a thicker lash effect.

SWATCHES ON MY SKIN 

MUFE AQUA EYES 10 SWATCH

MUFE AQUA EYES 1L

**The color pay- off is excellent. It's quite pigmented and I love the soft and creamy consistency of the eyeliner. It's like a gel liner in stick form. It's easy to apply and if you make a slight mistake, the excess is easy to wipe off. Make sure you wipe it off quickly because it might dry on your lids and you will need water or oil to remove the excess because this baby is waterproof.

Here's MUFE Aqua Eyes in 10 on my lids. Check out the great pigmentation and how it gave my lash line more definition.

SO CHECK THE SWATCHES OUT AFTER I PUT MY HAND UNDER RUNNING WATER...

AQUA EYES 1L

AQUA EYES 10

**Check that both are persistent in staying on my skin. It took me a good rubbing of both swatches with soap and water before I almost removed every trace of the swatches on my skin, which goes to show that the waterproof promise has promise. Also, when I tried rubbing both off with just my dry hands, both stayed like permanent markers on my skin!

Overall, I found a cheaper alternative for my Chanel Waterproof Eyeliner. Chanel's waterproof promise is truly impressive but the actual eyeliner pencil is quite short so I used it up quickly, so there goes my 1350php. At least this just costs 950php. I also read that this really lasts long. 

But 950php is still quite expensive so this better perform good.

I'll post a follow up review of this after I put this on a road test. Let's see if it'll withstand sweat, my oily lids and the humid weather. :D