HAUL/SWATCHES : NYX cosmetics

my package!! totally made my day!


unwrapping is FUN!


my haul!


NYX jumbo eye pencils


aren't they beautiful??


NYX round lipsticks


i think thalia is my fave new lipstick!


NYX cream blush in glow


how gorgeous is that???

i'll make a review once i try out the products!! i hope you lovelies enjoyed my haul =)

review: kerastase oleo relax ( anti-frizz serum)

LIKES:
-yummy smell
-never too greasy or weighed down
-untangles the knots easily
-makes my hair soft, silky and shiny
-the light floral scent is heavenly
-the packaging is really practical, the pump does not give out too much product
-i've received flattering compliments on my hair with this


DISLIKES:
-it's pricey at P1,500 ( $30-$31) for 4.2 ounces
-the serum is kinda watery

OVERALL:
LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE. definitely my HG

i didn't think my fine hair could handle a serum but i was amazed at this stuff. my hair looks smooth and shiny all throughout the day. NEVER GREASY. my sister who has coarser and frizzier hair also uses this and it works just as good for her. that's why i would recommend this to everyone, and for all hair types!

so tell me, what hair serum do you use??

RATING:

/5

review: lush shower cream wash in " YUMMY YUMMY YUMMY"

LIKES:
-smells fabulous like real strawberries
-skin feels amazing after using
-lathers up real nice
-can double as a shampoo
-no animal testing
-it has almond oil so it moisturizes my skin well
cleans thoroughly

DISLIKES:
-it's incredibly runny. it goes right through my loofah!
-smell can smell too sweet if you're not into that kind of scent
-pricey for a shower gel
-scent stays on you

OVERALL:
i really like this shower gel, despite the runny formula, it smells divine and cleanses my skin well and the scent lingers hours after i've shower =) i've read on MUA that this YYY is drying but my skin always feels silky smooth after a shower. i also love the fact that i can use it on my hair! i haven't done that, but i will when i'm feeling lazy!

WILL I PURCHASE AGAIN maybe, as much as i love YYY, i'm unsure if i will repurchase, i just find it too pricey for a shower gel.

RATING: /5

review: stila illuminating powder in "gold"

LIKES:

- with .32oz/9g of product, this is huge and will probably last me forever
- the packaging is beautiful
- glitter/shimmer is subtle ( in my opinion) enough to look natural
- product is hard so i don't really worry about it crumbing

DISLIKES:

- the product popped out of the pan when i first got it. thank god it was in one piece so i just super glued it together.
- at P1,500 ( $32) it's quite pricey for a highlighter

- it's difficult to get the product onto a brush because it's such a hard product. ( unlike mac blushes / highlighters which comes in a creamier formulation)

- if you don't care for glitter you might be turned off by this product.

OVERALL:

i think this product is amazing, eventhough it has chunky glitter, it does not come across as cheap and disco-ball like. it's very subtle and sheer. i wish they made this with a different formulation though, the product is just so damn hard! i feel like i have to scape it with a brush!

WOULD I BUY AGAIN? yes


RATING: /5

collective haul

it's been a while since i did one of these so here goes!!



1.cetaphil
2.mac brush cleaner
3.kerastase oleo relax serum
4.desert essence pure jojoba oil
5.sunsilk shampoo
6.benefit high beam
7.benefit benetint
8.mac blush "well dressed"
9.maybelline volum' express mascara in "very black"
10. loew-cornell 3/8 maxine's mop

i will be doing reviews for all the items shown here so watch out for my future posts!!

we don't have benefit here in manila, so i asked my relatives from hong kong to get it from me =) loew- cornell brushes are available here : http://digitaltraincase.multiply.com/photos

other products were bought in watsons, mac counters, & healthy options =)

demo: de-potting your udpp

i know this has been shown like a bazillion times and everyone here already knows how to do it, but i wanted to post it anyways ( also because i took pictures and i didn't want it to go to waste =))




you will need the following: a knife, a towel, a small travel jar, a small plastic spatula and of course your udpp



(step one) take your knife and place on the fattest area of the tube and slice that baby open. if you're clumsy or impatient( like me) be really careful. wouldn't want your fingers to get chopped off.



(step two) stand back and watch in AWE on how much udpp is STILL left in the bottle. i swear using the wand you would think there was nothing left. you really have to depot it.



(step three) take a plastic spatula and scoop everything out.



(step four) transfer everything into a travel size plastic jar. make sure you disinfect the jars with some alcohol.

this filled up almost half the jar!! urban decay is totally ripping us off!!

review: revlon matte eyeshadow in "vintage lace"

PROS:
*affordable since it's a drugstore brand
*creamy texture ( not unlike mac e/s)
*very pigmented
*true matte finish
*very neutral and perfect as a highlight color
*highly available ( i got mine in watsons)

CONS:
*the plastic pan is excruciatingly cheap
*the sponge tip applicator is even more so
*there's only a smatter of color to chose from

i didn't get all the colors because i can't seem to work with matte finishes, but i picked this up because i think vintage lace is the perfect highlight color. it's always wise to go for matte colors when highlighting the browbone, especially when using shimmery shadows on the lid.

review: OPI nail polish in " you don't know jacques!"

PROS: this color is incredible. it's very unique with it's creamy medium to dark grey taupe. it's classy AND edgy and looks great with a lot of outfit. you'll definitely be the different one when you wear this and i mean that in a good way! =)

CONS: the formulation is kinda runny and it took 3 coats to get a more opaque finish. also mine came with a jacked up brush. professional application is a must because it can look gross when it gets on your cuticles or smudges around..let's just say ..avoid sloppy application at all cost!!

overall i'm pleased with this color. it's fun to stand out amidst the sea of reds and blacks! i will definitely repurchase!

review: burt's bees beeswax lip balm

PROS: i like the consistency of this lip balm because unlike chapstick or blistex it doesn't feel waxy on my lips. it's silky against my lips and it moisturizes for hours and hours. i once had this on for 5 hours and i didn't have to reapply. the cooling sensation feels awesome and the minty taste isn't too overpowering because it's smells/taste a bit sweet.

CONS: compared to other drugstore brands, this is a tad bit more expensive. but i think this has better ingredients and (personally) it works better so i think it's well worth the extra money =)

i'd totally repurchase this =)

LUSH: honey i washed the kids

i've seen and walked past LUSH stores for years and everytime i do, i cover my nose and walk a little bit faster because i couldn't stand the strong smell ( if you ever walked by one, you know what i mean !).

i've never even stepped inside until one day i was on youtube and watched a bunch of videos with gurus talking about LUSH massage bars and since i've been on a skincare overhaul i decided to give it a try. ( holding my breath in while i was at it!)

since there was a sample for the massage bars i decided to try it out first before purchasing because it's pretty pricey for lotion/moisturizers. and it's a good thing i did because 1 hour after i left the store the places i used the massage bar on left me with rashes. =( so disappointing. i really liked the one i tried too! it's smelled like crushed strawberries and cream. AHHHHH!!

anyways, i did pick up a bar of soap though. it's called HONEY, I WASHED THE KIDS and ladies and gentlemen, it is fabulous!! i smells absolutely divine. sweet, fresh and delicious! after my shower i lie around sniffing my arm because i seriously can't get enough of it!!! i'm so glad i gave LUSH a chance because i will seriously be repurchasing!!




it looks good enough to eat!!! MMMMmmm

october favorites

okay, so i know it's november, but i never got around to post this last month so here it is now! i've been on a makeup hiatus for a while now, but now it's come back full force! i'm lemming so much things especially brushes! i officially have a goal to collect all the mac brushes! hahaha


mac studio fix powder in NC 30 and #116 brush


this powder foundation gives skin a smooth, flawless, all-matte, full-coverage finish


too faced shadow insurance i still can't decide whether this or UDPP is my holy grail eyeshadow primer!


mac eyeshadow in CORK. great color for the crease, it's a medium brown that looks natural on my skintone


everyday minerals semi matte finish in LIGHT & flat top brush. i use this foundation when i want a natural day look.


mac eye kohl in SMOLDER. this goes on smoothly but delivers a rich and intense color


mac lipstick in CHERISH. it's the perfect nude, this doesn't make my lips look dead, it makes them look peachy.


neutrogena oil free makeup remover. my new holy grail makeup remover. this beats clinique's take the day off and that was great stuff!


my cute new lipstick holder! it's clear acrylic and it's amazing!

i hope every had a fun and safe halloween weekend!