Zoeva Cocoa Blend Palette Review

This review has been a long time coming! I purchased this palette back in June as I felt I needed more  variety in my eyeshadows. I had both cools and mattes, but strangely not enough warm colours, which compliment my skin tone very well. After a long period of indecision, I settled on the Zoeva Cocoa Blend Palette, which got a lot of praise with its launch last year.

It's housed in a very slim cardboard palette with a magnetic close, something I thought I wouldn't buy for myself but here we are! I do find that because of its size, its easy to slot in, making it (hold your eye rolls, I know you hear this all the time) "perfect for travel". 

The palette itself contains 10 shades that lean warm. It has a good range of lights and darks, and includes 6 shimmery shades and 4 matte shades. Honestly, I would definitely wear all the shades save for the last two (Infusion and Delicate Acidity) only because I don't know how to incorporate them into a look I would wear daily. The rest however, have already been used numerous times!

As soon as I swatched them, I was blown away by the quality of the shadows. It came out pigmented, buttery, and very even, something not even my best Urban Decay eyeshadows can manage (yep, I said it). Its not overly pigmented that its hard to work with, but you're not constantly building colour just to achieve opacity, either.

I find that there is little fallout on the pan and on the skin, which is a huge plus in my book. I do keep the transparent guard that comes with it which helps keep the palette clean, which might explain why my palette still looks almost unused. I like my things very clean, what can I say?

I find that these last for a good 5-6 hours before they begin to fade, but take note that this is in humidity. I tried these on when I was in Ireland and I found they lasted for about 2 hours more. It creases around the 7 hour mark, which isn't too bad considering my oily eyelids! I do always wear primer, though I'd imagine that this would wear better on drier lids.

This cost me around 1106 PHP when I purchased it at Sephora PH. It retails for 21.80 EUR on the Zoeva website. It may not be available in offline stores but it is widely available online; you would just have to pick the site depending on your location.

This is easily one of the best eyeshadow palette purchases I've made (which is a bold statement considering how much I loved my Naked 2 and Too Faced Natural Matte Palette) and I would highly recommend this to anyone looking for warm eyeshadows on a budget! 

Friday, September 09, 2016

Zoeva Cocoa Blend Palette Review

By Pauline Read More

REVIEW: Innisfree Mineral Single Cream Eyeshadow (04 Romance Burgundy)

I want to apologize for the weird posting schedule lately :( As I mentioned before it is my final year at uni, and the workload and stress is too erratic for me to maintain my weekly Friday posts. I can't say for sure when things will go back to normal, but do know that I sorely miss blogging. ;__;

Anyway, this review has been delayed long enough! I got the Innisfree Mineral Single Cream Shadow when my friends Tari and Leya went to Seoul in May. I really wanted a burgundy eyeshadow after seeing swatches of eyeshadows like the Maybelline Color Tattoo in Pomegranate Punk and MAC Cranberry. I was also interested in trying cream eyeshadows from a Korean brand, as the last time I tried a Korean eyeshadow was far too long ago. 

Packaging

Compared to other cream shadows that I own (Benefit and Maybelline respectively), this feels the lightest and is made of hard plastic rather than glass. The cap is also plastic but shuts tightly, which is essential to prevent any cream shadow from drying out. Not the most luxurious or creative, but it is understandable given its price point. 

Left - Built with two layers | Right - One swipe, sheered out

Texture & Pigmentation

This category is where you can tell if a cream shadow (or even powder eyeshadows, for that matter) is good or not. Some tend to be too mousse-like or too hard; in terms of pigmentation, some tend to be too sheer or way too pigmented. 

This has a semi-soft texture that becomes more pliable once you begin spreading it with your finger. I wouldn't recommend using a brush as you would get uneven, patchy pigmentation that way. I find this the case with most cream eyeshadows, except the Benefit ones. It has good pigmentation but not the best, though it is buildable. I will say that the eyeshadow can clump together if not spread out well, so do take note if this is a deal breaker for you. Other than that, it feels very soft and is easier to work with than those with harder textures (I mean you, Maybelline Color Tattoos). 

You can't see it too well because of my hooded eyes, but the colour is definitely not your usual burgundy! Also, my hair isn't this long anymore. I strangely do not miss it!

Lasting Power

I find that this lasts all day on me, with or without primer, with or without eyeshadow packed on top.  I notice fading only around the 5-6 hour mark, but even then it is only at the edges and without any creasing visible. I consider this to be very good in my book, as some drugstore eyeshadows tend to fade considerably within this time frame. I'd imagine this would last all day with a primer or topped with eyeshadow, though!

Price and Availability

This was purchased for 6000W in Seoul, which translated to roughly 250PHP. This is really inexpensive for an eyeshadow of this quality and colour, which is why I was so interested in purchasing this and acquiring it. It is, however, only available where Innisfree stores are (Seoul, Hong Kong, and Singapore, from my knowledge - feel free to correct me if there are more places!) so it is a little difficult to get if you're from Manila like me. 

Summary:
(+) Pot shuts tightly
(+) Unique colour
(+) Decent pigmentation
(+) Buildable
(+) Easy to work with
(+) Decent lasting power
(+) Very affordable
(-) Clumps
(-) Can be patchy
(-) Hard to find

Recommended for: those who want to start using cream eyeshadows | want a burgundy eyeshadow in their collection

This would be great if you're not too fussy about the clumping and want a burgundy eyeshadow that can be sheered out or amped up depending on the occasion (or mood). Its super pretty and would be lovely to use for upcoming Christmas parties.

Have you guys tried this eyeshadow, or something similar? Have any other cream eyeshadow recommendations? Let me know in the comments section down below! 

Thursday, November 12, 2015

REVIEW: Innisfree Mineral Single Cream Eyeshadow (04 Romance Burgundy)

By Pauline Read More

REVIEW: Too Faced Natural Matte Palette

Probably the biggest splurge I have for this year is this palette. I knew I wanted it as soon as I saw it on Instagram and waited for any of the local online shops to stock it or to be open for pre-orders. It also made me realize that I have a weakness for good quality, warm-toned eyeshadows! They cannot be resisted!

The Too Faced Natural Matte Palette is a new release from Too Faced for 2015. It is really just the matte version of their best-selling Natural Eyes Palette, and a great alternative both for neutral matte eyeshadow lovers or those who would like to diversify their current eyeshadow collection. I said I wouldn't buy a palette after receiving the 1028 Visual Therapy Brownie Eyes Palette but I was lacking in warm matte shades that the Urban Decay Naked 2 just didn't have. 

Packaging

Like all new Too Faced 9-pan palettes, this comes in a metal tin with a magnetic closure. Its only slightly bigger than an iPhone 5s so I find it really travel-friendly and fits in most make-up bags. It feels very sturdy because of the metal casing and not cheap in any way as a cardboard case tends to feel. The pretty lace pattern on the front of the palette make it look very classy and elegant, which reflects the sophistication that comes with matte eyshadows, I think. I saw reviews saying that this was smaller than their previous palettes, and I do not find this to be true. It's the same size as my  mom's Boudoir Eyes Palette in packaging and shadow size.

Texture

I've swatched matte shadows from MAC before and found the ones I was eyeing to be quite hard or chalky. I can say the same for Tease from my Naked 2 Palette. This however has the smoothest texture and is in no way chalky or overly powdery. I find that the darkest shades are the most buttery (Strapless and Chocolate Cookie especially) but you will have no problem with the lighter shades. They are very easy to blend and build up if desired, and do not go patchy on the lids at all. This makes it so easy to use, even for beginners like me.

I will say that there is little fallout in the pan, but only when you swipe with your brush. It's definitely much less than the Boudoir Eyes (which is why I don't borrow it often) but it might annoy some of you who are expecting 0 fall out. Two ways to avoid this: either you use a dense brush or you press your brush on the pan. I find that you get more product with the later, anyway!

Pigmentation

For a matte palette, the eyeshadows are pigmented, especially with the darker colours. With the swatch above, I only had to run my finger through the darker colours once. They are buildable though so if you want more or less pigment, you just have to adjust your application technique accordingly.  I do wear them with an eye primer though so do take note of that. Here are my individual reviews for the eyeshadows:

1st row (Day)
Heaven: Light cream eyeshadow good for evening out the eyelids | Can look powdery if not applied well
Cashmere Bunny: Light slightly taupe brown | Good transition shade or daytime crease colour | Even pigmentation but slightly hard to blend
Sexpresso: Cool dark brown, also the darkest shade in the palette | Evenly pigmented and good for smoking an eye out

2nd row (Classic)**
Lace Teddy: Light peach that's good for warmer skintones as an overall lid shade | Can be slightly powdery and patchy
Strapless: Warm midtone brown with slight red undertones | Best shade out of the entire palette due to even pigmentation, blendability, and lack of fallout
Risqué: Dark brown with purple undertones | Hard texture and slightly hard to blend

3rd row (Fashion)
Nudie: Warmer version of Cashmere Bunny | Good as a transition shade or for subtle crease definition | Has significant amount of fall out | Easy to blend
Honey Butter**: Warmer midtone peach with orange undertones | Slightly patchy | Probably the shade I won't get much use out of
Chocolate Cookie**: Orangey brown version of Strapless | Very blendable and pigmented | Ever so slightly patchy but this rarely happens

** Palette-exclusive shades, the rest are also in the Natural Eyes Palette

I would say thought that I would have loved to have a matte black eyeshadow in this palette, but because it would be so useful. Other than that, I think the colour selection is really good!

Price and Availability

I purchased this for P1500 at Make Up Pro along with three other items. If I add in shipping, this palette costs about P1550, which is not bad for a matte eyeshadow palette of this quality! Too Faced isn't available in the Philippines so you do have to rely on online sellers or relatives going to a Sephora or Ulta to get this palette.

At the Too Faced website, Ulta (where it was first made available) and Sephora, this retails for 36 USD. This means that its readily available for you guys on the other side of the Pacific, so give this a swatch if you can!

Summary:
(+) Sturdy packaging
(+) Travel-friendly
(+) Pigmented shades (Especially darker ones)
(+) Blendable and buildable
(+) Easy to use
(+) Smooth texture
(+) Minimal to no fallout
(+) Reasonably priced
(+/-) Lacks a matte black
(+/-) More warm-toned so might not suit all
(-) Repeated shades from the Natural Eyes Palette
(-) Not available in the Philippines

Recommended for: Anyone lacking or interested in matte eyeshadows!

Overall, I would highly recommend this palette for its quality and shade range! I'm so happy with this palette and have been wearing either on its own or complementary with eyeshadows I already own. I'd recommend to at least give it a swatch if its readily available to you just to see if you like it or not.

What about you guys? Have you tried this palette? Do you have any matte eyeshadow recommendations? Let me know in the comments section below!

Friday, July 03, 2015

REVIEW: Too Faced Natural Matte Palette

By Pauline Read More

2014 Favourites

Hey everyone!

I won't be having a favourites for this month in favour of the ultimate favourites post - my 2014  Favourites! This is a special kind of favourites as it also includes my favourite travel experience from this past year as well. Not going to lie, this was a pretty difficult year for me in terms of everything, but it was easily the most eventful. Restarting this blog was definitely a big part of my year, and I hope to continue being more active and sharing all these experiences and products with all of you!

Fairydrops Candybar BB Cream (Review here)

I've said this before, but this is by far the best BB cream I have ever tried. No grey cast, great colour match, lightweight, light to medium coverage, and photo-friendly! This makes me look like I have healthy, almost flawless skin, which is definitely not the case. The shade range and packaging definitely need some improvement, but I have been so happy with this overall and would highly recommend it!

Innisfree Volcanic Pore Clay Mask (Review here)

I used to use it twice a week when I first got it, but I like it better as a once a week treatment on Sunday nights to clarify my pores after wearing make-up almost the whole week. It also helps calm my acne though I don't use it as a spot treatment anymore. It also reduces the redness on my face, which is always a huge plus for me. It's easy to see why this sells so well!

Real Techniques Shading Brush

This wins as my favourite brush this year as it is the one that I didn't expect to work as well as it did. It works well to pack on colour as well as to blend harsh edges away no matter what type of eyeshadow. It also allows me a lot of control because of its small size. All in all, it's a really great multi-purpose first eyeshadow brush!

Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow (Birthday Suit, My Two Cents)

These two have been my go-to for an easy wash of colour on lazy days, as well as bases to make similar colours sitting on top more vibrant. I also like how you can't find similar colours of these in the famous Maybelline Color Tattoo range, which convinces me to purchase the full-sized versions when I run out...which won't happen soon as I'm not even halfway through the tiny pots!

Laneige Water Bank Essence EX

This is the newest one among all my favourites, but it is the one that has made all the difference to my rough, dehydrated skin. It does exactly as it claimed - to smoothen skin and add moisture. I also like how quickly it absorbs into the skin without leaving an icky oily feeling unlike other moisturizers. I think I found another skin care staple!

Etude House Goodbye Pore Ever Primer Essence (Review here)

I like how this adds enough moisture and has just the right amount of silicone to make the application of whatever base I apply on top smoother without making me feel like I have a film over my face as most primers tend to do. I'm happy with the price tag as well despite its availability (rather, lack of) in most Etude House branches I go to. Highly recommended for people with drier skin!

Too Cool for School Marshmallow Puff (Review here)

I was in denial for a long time on choosing this sponge over my make-up brushes, but this gives the most flawless, skin-like finish, especially when paired with cream products like my NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer! It also helps my base products to separate less when worn for a long time.  This combined with my Fairydrops BB Cream and NARS Concealer make for a (seemingly) good skin day. Another unexpected favourite, and it won't break your bank as much as the original Beauty Blender would!

Best Travel Experience

Singapore

I already consider myself lucky to have traveled overseas more than once this year, but what made my Singapore May 2014 trip better was that I got to visit a friend I hadn't seen in a long time, and experienced planning and paying for a trip all on my own. This was more of a vacation for me than my Seoul trip was, as I didn't have to stress over the itinerary and making sure my parents weren't lost. It was nice to go at your own pace and do what you wanted to do for a change. In a way, it was a semi-independent trip that I won't forget for a lifetime.

And there you have it! Feel free to share with me your own favourites for this year down in the comments below. I'd like to thank everyone who has made this year what it was, especially you guys! Here's to a happier, better 2015!

1. Laneige Water Bank Essence_EX
2. Etude House Goodbye Pore Ever Primer Essence
3. Fairydrops Candybar BB Cream
4. Innisfree Jeju Volcanic Pore Clay Mask
5. Too Cool for School Marshmallow Puff
6. Real Techniques Shading Brush
7. Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow

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Wednesday, December 31, 2014

2014 Favourites

By Pauline Read More

SPOTLIGHT: Benefit, 1028 Visual Therapy, and Urban Decay Eyeshadows

Hey, everyone!

When I was getting into make-up, one of the things I was always very hesitant with wearing was eyeshadow. In my uni, everyone is quite laid-back and majority of the people wear almost minimal to no make-up, moreso eyeshadow. I just thought it might be overboard for an everyday look but then one day, I realized I didn't really care and from then I started wearing some wash of colour on my lids.

2 palettes and 1 eyeshadow kit later, I've fully embraced and now love eyeshadows almost as much as I love bases (and that's saying a lot). I do lean to the neutrals, and I don't think that's going to change anytime soon (or ever). I've compiled a bunch of my favourite eyeshadow colours and combinations that I may have worn consecutively for at least a week because I loved it so much.

                                       

             

Chopper from the Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette

This is a rose gold shade and probably my favourite out of all the colours in the Naked 2 Palette. I used to ogle at this quite a bit and search for tutorials using this particular colour because I found it to be so pretty. This colour is quite uncommon for an eyeshadow (from those that I notice) and impossible to dupe. I make sure to blend this out quite well as it does have a tendency to make my eyes look a bit sick otherwise.

Half Baked from the Urban Decay Naked & Naked 2 Palettes

Gold is quite possibly my favourite colour so my love for this particular colour should be no surprise. I love how this is a neutral gold and has amazing colour pay-off which I look for particularly in gold shades. I remember using this first when I got my Naked 2 and I'll definitely be using it more in the future because of its versatility.

Shade #2 from the 1028 Visual Therapy Brownie Eyes Palette

This is still somewhat neutral but I love how it's pink without making me look like I'm sick. It also has a lovely iridescent quality to it and the most similar shade I know is the NARS Dual-Intensity Eyeshadow in Cassiopeia. I love using this either as a base colour or as an inner corner highlight.

Shade # 5 from the 1028 Visual Therapy Brownie Eyes Palette

Brown eyeshadows are so essential and this one is no exception. Out of all the brown shades I own this is probably the lightest and comes out almost as a darker version of My Two Cents from Benefit (to be mentioned below). I really like blending it in the outer-v of my eye and I've been complimented a few good times for how pretty it comes out.

Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow in Birthday Suit + YDK from the Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette

I talked about this combination previously in my October Favourites. Birthday Suit, an ash taupe with gold shimmer, is already a great colour on it's own and I wear this when I want a wash of colour on my lids. Combined with YDK however, its just a beautiful mix of both silver and gold that changes depending on the lighting. Because it's a powder shadow layered over a cream, it also stays on all day. Overall it's very brightening to the eyes and my favourite combination of the bunch.

Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow in My Two Cents + Shade #3 from the 1028 Visual Therapy Brownie Eyes Palette

This is another cream shadow that's more of a copper with gold shimmer when blended, and a little more bronze when layered. It's my favourite despite it being used least, because of the gorgeous colour. I wear it alone or with a bit of the 3rd shade from by 1028 Visual Therapy Brownie Eyes Palette to make the colour a little more bronze and wearable.

What about you guys? What are your favourite eyeshadows, palettes, or combinations? Do you like wearing eyeshadow? Let me know in the comments below!

Review for the 1028 Visual Therapy Brownie Eyes Palette

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1. Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette
2. 1028 Visual Therapy Brownie Eyes Palette
3. Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow in Birthday Suit & My Two Cents

Friday, December 12, 2014

SPOTLIGHT: Benefit, 1028 Visual Therapy, and Urban Decay Eyeshadows

By Pauline Read More

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: 1028 Visual Therapy Brownie Eyes Palette

Hi, everyone!

I wanted give my first impressions on a gift I received from Agot, one of my friends from uni! I find myself feeling giddy getting eyeshadows (despite my favourite make-up product being bases like primers, BB creams, etc) and this was no exception! I haven't heard anything about Taiwanese make-up but after this, I might check some stuff out if ever I get a chance to go to Taiwan! In a way this is kind of like a review, but I haven't found anything that bad about it except that you can only get it in Taiwan and Singapore. 

This is the 1028 Visual Therapy Brownie Eyes Palette, and it consists of mostly neutrals. The palette itself is made of tin, quite slim, and is about the size of my hand (not like you know how big my hand is but it'll be around that size) which makes it sturdy and quite travel-friendly. There isn't a mirror though but I don't really mind since I have a tiny one of my own in my make-up kit. 

It has six eyeshadow pans, all with satin finishes. Consistency wise, I would say they are definitely on par with the Urban Decay eyeshadows, only with a tiny, tiny bit of fall out (mainly from the darker shadows). They apply easily, and are easy to blend both with a brush and with fingers. They're quite vibrant on their own, but moreso with an eye primer!

The sponge tips are great if you want to add a dark colour to the outer v, which I always have a hard time with. The tiny brush is also very soft, which I didn't expect as most brushes that come with eyeshadow kits are always scratchy. It's not that great at packing on colour, though.

I'm not the best at describing colours, but I'll definitely do the best I can! Feel free to comment below though if you have a better description (that uses less words)!

1st: light creamy peach with slight blue iridescence

2nd: iridescent pale pink

3rd: light copper-gold with silver shimmer

4th: dark brown with gold shimmer

5th: copper-bronze with silver micro glitter

6th: cool brown with gold shimmer

What surprised me the most was the wear time of the eyeshadows. I'm usually in school for more than 8 hours a day and right before I remove my makeup, I can't help but notice how good it still looks. It doesn't crease and the colour stays the same throughout the day. 

There are other varieties of this palette, which are the Toffee Eyes Palette and the Macaron Eyeshadow Palette. The Toffee Palette is similar to this one but looks more shimmery (well, in pictures anyway) while the Macaron Palette is a little more pink. 

Overall, I'm really happy with this palette and I would definitely recommend this to anyone who wants a neutral palette, or wants to try out Taiwanese cosmetics. Like I said, this is available in Taiwan and in Singapore. You can check out their website here!

If you haven't feel free to follow me on Twitter and Instagram, and to check out my other posts here on my blog as well. :)

Friday, September 19, 2014

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: 1028 Visual Therapy Brownie Eyes Palette

By Pauline Read More

August Favourites

Hi, everyone!

August was definitely the quickest but the hardest month for me in terms of uni work, so I'm pretty glad its over! I definitely didn't forget to put new things in my make-up routine as well as use some that have been lost and found, and I wanted to share these with you. I definitely don't have as much favourites as last month, but everything included here has been used on an almost daily basis.

1028 Visual Therapy Brownie Eyes Palette

I got this as a gift from a friend around a month ago and every time I've worn it, I've gotten compliments on how pretty the eyeshadows look! They're excellent quality - almost on par with the eyeshadows from my Naked 2 Palette, easy to blend and work with, and have minimal fall out. Great starting product from Taiwanese make-up for me! Expect a first impressions/review soon.

Lioele Water Drop BB Cream

I bought this in Singapore and I loved it when I used it during my stay, then hated it for a long period of time for reasons including 'Too light of a coverage for my taste', 'Weird consistency', 'Messy application', 'Streaky' but now with less breakouts and more knowledge on how to apply it, I've grown to appreciate it and I've been wearing it more this month than my Fairydrops BB Cream as I find this lasts longer without sinking into my pores when it fades (take note that I wear makeup for at least 8 hours a day because of uni). It can be a tiny bit too white if I apply too much but I can get away with it. Now I get the appeal of lighter coverage with a slightly dewy finish!

Real Techniques Expert Face Brush

I've been using it since I got it, but it has really helped when I used my Lioele BB Cream. It makes everything less streaky and definitely more flawless looking rather than using my fingers alone to apply. I used this to really buff in and blend my BB Cream after dotting it and roughly (meaning in a non-precise manner, not that I tugged on my skin!) spreading it. It also helps blending the BB cream down my neck and my jawline. Can't wait to use this with my future foundation purchases!

It's Skin Baby Face Jelly Tint (01 Tomato Red)

I misplaced this for a good two to three weeks and was so happy when it turned up. I only add a little bit and I find that it makes my lips look less dead by adding a hint of red. You can definitely build it up though I prefer not to, and I've tried it to create the famous lip gradient look and it turned out beautifully! Also it has a very pleasant smell and doesn't taste gross (not that I eat it or anything :p) which is a plus.

Urban Decay Primer Potion

This has been reviewed probably a thousand times but I've grown to really appreciate what it does for my eye make-up! Eyeshadow tends to crease on me because of the fold of my eyelids (if that makes sense) and this has helped to erase that and to make the colour of my eyeshadow more vibrant and long-lasting. Easy to see why this is such a revolutionary product!

And there you have it! I hope you guys have a great September and if you have any favourites from last month, feel free to share them below! Until my next post!

Friday, September 05, 2014

August Favourites

By Pauline Read More