2016 Make-Up Favourites

Slightly delayed, but as they say, better late than never!

I acquired a lot of make-up in 2016 and discovered a few old favourites as well, so this is all a good mix of old and new. I'm pretty proud to say that I've become a lot more comfortable with how I do my make-up and I can say that I can get the look that I really want without too much fiddling.

Hopefully this means less disappointing and unnecessary purchases in 2017? Not sure about unnecessary, because I do have a tendency to shop when I'm sad, but we can always try. 

I did a lot of streamlining to have one product per category as much as possible, be proud!

Primer

The Hourglass Mineral Veil is easily the best primer I've tried by far. I get compliments on my skin every time I wear this, no joke! Half a pump or less is all I need to get that smooth, poreless-looking base that makes all the other products I put on top last for hours longer. It's expensive and my heart broke when I paid for it, but the results are well-worth it! I'd imagine this bottle would last me a good two years!

Foundation

I've dreamed of the Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation for years, and I'm so happy to call this my top favourite! I love the Serum version for colder weather, but for everyday use in this hot, humid country, the regular formula is amazing! Blended with a brush, I get a medium coverage that's even, light on the skin, and stays for a good six hours before fading. I haven't found a base I've loved this much since the Fairydrops BB Cream!

Concealer

I know that highlighting concealers are more of an extra step, but wow do they make a difference! The L'oreal Lumi Magique in particular is an affordable but very effective concealer that does well in cancelling (moderate) dark circles while really brightening the under eye area. I also really like it underneath contour to make it more prominent.

Powder

I think out of all the products in my Europe Beauty Haul, the Bourjois Healthy Balance Powder has to be my favourite. It's compact, blends into the skin well, controls oil, and can be used for flash photography. Easily the best compact powder I've used, knocking my old favourite (the NARS Translucent Crystal Setting Powder) out of the water. I just wish it was more readily available!

Eyeshadow Palette

I knew I would love the Zoeva Cocoa Blend Palette as soon as I saw it, but I underestimated how much. I've pretty much ignored all my other palettes in favour of this and would gladly take it anywhere with me as it can create so many looks that I love. The shadows are so pigmented and vibrant that it makes Urban Decay look quite sad, if I'm honest! Now I know why everyone has professed their long lasting love to this!

Single Eyeshadow

I knew that Makeup Geek Cosmopolitan was beautiful but damn! Every time I put it on I'm so surprised with how unique and yet so well formulated this eyeshadow is. I wore this non-stop during those stressful thesis months that I was away from the blog and its usually my first recommendation to anyone who wants to try Makeup Geek. 

Eyeliner

Well, isn't this embarrassing. I usually keep my makeup in as near to mint condition as possible, but it goes to show just how much I still love the Clio Kill Brown Brush Liner. This has been my favourite for a good three years now because its still the most pigmented, long-lasting eyeliner (both on the eyes and usage-wise) I've tried.

Mascara

Honestly, why did I even bother to stray from the Fairydrops Platinum Waterproof Mascara? It holds a curl, lengthens my lashes like no other, separates beautifully while providing a bit of thickening and doesn't flake or smudge. It's been the only mascara that truly makes me happy, and while it is difficult to find (only in Sasa HK it seems!), I am still more than willing to get it.

Also thank you as always to Alex for getting this when I ask. <3

Blush

I've reached for the Milani Rose Blush in Romantic Rose 9 out of 10 times that I do my makeup. It's brightening without being too loud, and neutral enough that it goes with most of the looks that I wear. It's also not overly pigmented that you'll get clown cheeks, and the design is still so. pretty. My only qualm is the scent, but for what it gives me, it can be easily overlooked!

Contour

While I loved my Too Cool for School Contour Powder, I found that cream contours like the L'oreal Infallible Sculpt works infinitely better for me. The shade of this contour in particular is a bit cooler, so it appears more like a shadow on my face than anything else. I love that it's a cream as well and is pigmented enough while being buildable. Great affordable option that I reach for always!

Everyday Lipstick

Honestly...this was the hardest for me because I loved a lot of lipsticks in 2016. From the Charlotte Tilbury Hot Lips in Secret Salma, to the Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet, to the Etude House Chiffon Lipstick. Really difficult time. I'm becoming a lipstick hoarder.

But usage-wise, the Chanel Rouge Coco in Mademoiselle wins by a long shot, so much so that the Chanel engraving has been used! This has been my dream lipstick for as long as I can remember, and whenever I need a classy but elegant lipstick, this is always my go to. The formula is also very good to the lips as its non-drying and feels so comfortable. If I had to get rid of all my lipsticks and keep this one, I would still be very happy.

Red Lipstick

You might be calling 'cheater!' at this point but wait! Late 2016 was the time that I finally, finally had the balls to wear red lips out without feeling overly self-conscious. While I do love all the reds I own, the Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet in La Fascinante is such a beautiful, versatile red. It's that red lipstick you can always rely on as the shade works for both casual and more formal situations. I also find it quite comfortable for something marketed as a matte.

And there you have it! If you reached this point, thank you for joining me in my excitement for my favourites and for being with me the entire 2016. Hopefully this 2017 we can make more memories and reach greater heights!

What about you - what were your favourites for 2016?

Sunday, January 15, 2017

2016 Make-Up Favourites

By Pauline Read More

‘Tis the Season to be SEPHORA Glammin’

The holidays are finally upon us, and I'm sure by this time you're set to attend Christmas party or two, may it be with a group of friends you haven't seen for a long time, or with people at the office. Imo, these parties are a great way to experiment and try out bolder, more done-up make-up looks versus the easy, everyday base-mascara-lip balm combo. 

I've finally started wearing my red lipsticks outside the house so I'm more than happy to share a look that I would actually wear out without feeling too self-conscious. It features a warm, golden eye and your signature festive red lip. You can never go wrong with this combination as its classy, elegant, but definitely do-able! 

This is actually very similar to the look I wore last Saturday when I saw my friends. We ate Korean BBQ to our hearts content - this is our only requirement to have fun, really (maybe Soju). 

Here's a complete collage of all the products I want for this look. More than a year ago this would have been impossible, but with Sephora PH its finally a possibility to get great quality makeup easily!

Base 

I wanted the base to be very skin-like but in a more perfected way. Its how I normally wear my base and I honestly like that it isn't overly perfect that it screams 'caked makeup!'. There is never a season for that!

This calls for primer with a certain amount of silicone to allow foundation to glide on better and to make the skin look smoother. I opted for the Benefit Porefessional mixed with a bit of my moisturizer, but for drier skins I'd recommend the Becca Backlight Primer.

I used one of my older favourites, the Koh Gen Do Aqua Foundation (Shade 123) to get a skin-like finish. It lasts well on my oily skin but its definitely luminous enough for anyone with slightly drier skin to mine. I find that it also doesn't give any flashback, making it great for photos which you'll surely have a lot of for your parties!

Pair with a high coverage concealer to cover any spots, an illuminating, light-reflective concealer for any darkness around the eyes and face, and finish with powder if needed to make the base last through the day or night! Feel free to also use a setting spray to make the base almost indelible.

Eyes

Eye primer is essential for this look to have your eye make-up last all day. Its also very humid here in the Philippines even during December, so primer cannot be skipped. I used my ever-reliable Too Faced Shadow Insurance (don't mind the older packaging of mine in the picture above!).

To the star of the show - the Zoeva Cocoa Blends Palette. Ever since I ordered this in June from Sephora PH, I've used this for 98% of my eye looks (2% trying to wean myself off the palette didn't work in the slightest). I did a gold eye with a hint of cranberry at the outer corners (featuring Pure Ganache, Substitute for Love, Freshly Toasted, Beans are White, and Warm Notes), which is still festive without looking too predictable. Don't forget to add an inner corner highlight!

Its insane how long my lashes look in this shot. Also, I really went skinny with this liner!

Go as minimal or as bold with the eyeliner as you please! I opted for a thin line as I find this more flattering on my eye shape. It also allows the eyeshadow to stand out more without forgetting to define the eyes. Good example for this would be the Eyeko Skinny Liquid Liner, which will let you modify the thinness or thickness of the line depending on your preference. Don't forget a waterproof mascara to keep your eyes fallout and smudge-free!

Cheeks and Lips

The eyes are on the warmer side so any warm neutral blush would do. A little peachy-ness wouldn't hurt, so a shade like the Too Faced Love Flush in Baby Love would do nicely, as the shade brings a lot of life to the face without competing with the eyes and lips, which are the main focal points of this look. 

Go overboard with the highlighter, I'm serious! Now and New Year's Eve might be the only time during the year that you can do so. I personally skip highlighter due to my oily skin producing its own sheen for me, but something the like famous Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector would be ideal.

If you're seeking a bit of definition, don't forget to contour! I personally just used a taupe matte eyeshadow, but I have been very curious about the Cover FX Contour Kit for a while now. Maybe you'll see it here in the future as a gift to myself? Teehee!

And finally for the lips, any red lipstick will do! You can go as orangey red, classic red, or dark red, whatever your heart desires. There are no set rules for the holidays! A great holiday red in my humble opinion would be the cult classic Sephora Cream Lip Stain in 01 Always Red. You can never go wrong with a shade like this!

Tools

Never forget that great make-up can also be achieved with good tools! I love using the BeautyBlender but you can use a buffing brush like the one from Real Techniques in their Core Collection as well. I also love my Zoeva Brushes (namely the Luxe Sheer Cheek and the Luxe Petit Crease brush) that I got in my Sephora PH haul as they are not only amazing quality, but apply product and blend quickly.

And that's it for me! I hope you enjoyed this post and the rare pictures of my face. Portrait shots are a lot of work for me, especially with the sudden onslaught of gloomy weather. Hope it (the weather, not my self-portraits, haha!) doesn't ruin your holiday parties!

What are you wearing to your holiday parties? I'd love to see pictures down in the comments section!

Shop more make-up products on Sephora PH here!

Wednesday, December 14, 2016

‘Tis the Season to be SEPHORA Glammin’

By Pauline Read More

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

Whats in My Travel Makeup Bag (Ireland/England Edition)

As I write this, I am currently fighting jet lag and waiting for dinner in Ireland. As it is the summer for most of the northern hemisphere, I thought it would be helpful for you all to see what I brought to Ireland with me on this month-long trip. It's the longest I've been away from home and I knew that makeup-wise, I had to bring products that I knew I could rely on and were multi-purpose.

I'm pretty good at packing the essentials (clothes-wise) so I had a bit more room for beauty products such as skin care, hair care, and make-up. I separated the items as follows: face, eyes, and lips. I've written my lists over and over again until I finally cut it down to a more or less acceptable number for each category. It may seem either too few or too excessive, but I find that I'm neither restricted nor overwhelmed with what I brought.

Face

Gasp! One primer, one foundation, and one powder? I was strictest with these items because I was going to buy tons while I was here. I also tend to bring too much whenever I travel, so I wanted something I was sure would work no matter what climate. 

The Etude House Good Bye Pore Ever Primer Essence has been a long time favourite of mine and is something I always come back to. It also pairs beautifully with the Jouer Matte Moisture Tint as it provides a layer of hydration and makes the tinted moisturizer look even more seamless and skin-like. The Maybelline Master Conceal while lacking in high coverage, makes up for it by blending beautifully and easily into the skin. Finally, the NARS Translucent Crystal Light Reflecting Pressed Setting Powder won't run out! I do prefer it as its finely milled but doesn't take the dimension away from the face when applied. It's also much easier to travel with a compact powder versus a loose powder, so definitely no spills with this! Lastly, I wanted to test how well the Skindinavia Makeup Setting Spray (Oil Control) fared in cooler climates. It'll also be useful when I'm going around for the whole day as I need to worry less about my makeup melting.

I only took one blush and my contour powder, since I was planning to buy a cream blush anyway (more on that later). The NYX Powder Blush in Pinched is perfect for the summer because of its coral and pink tones, which also works well with nearly all of the lipsticks that I bought. I decided to bring the Too Cool for School Createur du Contour as my face tends to bloat a lot whenever I travel. It's something I've noticed in all the pictures of me from past trips, and I'm determined not to look like a ball this time around!

Eyes

I was a little more lenient with eyes because most items are very small and compact. Of course I brought the Zoeva Cocoa Blend Palette because I want to test its versatility in creating multiple looks. I also brought a single Makeup Geek Eyeshadow in Cosmopolitan because I am obsessed with the colour and I knew it would pair well with the other eyeshadows in the Cocoa Blend palette. I also brought along the Maybelline Color Tattoo in Creamy Beige in case I won't have time to do anything fancy. The Urban Decay Primer Potion is of course a must, because I do want my eyeshadows to last all day and not crease (something that still happens even when I'm in cold countries). 

I find that eyeliner makes such a big difference whenever I wear it, so I brought both the K-Palette Real Lasting Eyeliner Micro and the Clio Kill Brown Brush Liner for variety and ease of use. The Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara (Waterproof) still hasn't gone bad on me, though if it does, I'm definitely going to pick up a new mascara while I'm here.

Lips

I remember asking Alex from The Red Eyeliner on the acceptable amount of lip products to bring while traveling, and she answered four including lip balm. Not going to lie, surprising answer considering how much she likes her lipsticks! I managed 5 lip products including lip balm (not featured due to embarrassingly beat-up packaging), though I did pick up the Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment during my layover in Singapore (oops). 

I brought along the Golden Rose 2000 Lipstick for a nice red in case needed, along with the Etude House Play 101 Pencil in 21 as they pair well together. The MAC Lustre Lipstick in See Sheer goes everywhere with me now because it goes beautifully with warm eyeshadows, and isn't too stark like most corals. Finally, the Chanel Rouge Coco in Mademoiselle is my go-to lipstick on lazy days, or for when I want to look a little more presentable. 

And that's it for me! I hope you all enjoyed this monster of a post. What about you guys - what do you usually bring on trips? Is there anything I should have brought that you recommend?

Friday, July 01, 2016

Whats in My Travel Makeup Bag (Ireland/England Edition)

By Pauline Read More

Sephora Philippines & Make Up Pro Mini Haul and First Impressions

Yes I know, I clearly need to get my makeup hoarding tendencies in control.

It does mean more posts for the blog, though! I was initially going to get an eyeshadow palette, but as  things usually go, you can rarely ever escape online shopping or even offline shopping by buying only one thing. Also have to mention that the Sephora Philippines website is awesome - ordered last Monday and my package arrived Thursday the same week. Yay hassle-free online shopping!

The reason for this haul is really the Zoeva Cocoa Blend Palette. I'm going to be out for almost the whole month of July, and I wanted to take a palette that was warm toned with a diverse colour range and finish. This not only fit the bill, but it was at such a good price. I just swatched and played around for now, but I have to say that the quality of these shadows is fantastic - buttery, smooth, and minimal fall-out. More on this in a review in the future!

Since Sephora PH was offering double points for my birth month, I took advantage by purchasing a few more bits. I've grown increasingly dissatisfied with my Happy Skin Blush Brush (soft, but applies blush patchily no matter what brand I use), which led me to pick up the Zoeva 127 Luxe Sheer Cheek Brush. 

I have to say immediately that the brush handle is so beautiful. I've never been an avid fan of the rose gold thing, but I can appreciate it now with this brush (copper however, is a very different story). The brush hairs are soft and not as dense as my Happy Skin brush, and it is incredibly easy to clean. It also applies blush evenly but sheer (hence the name) which is what I prefer anyway. 

Final item from my Sephora haul was the Zoeva 231 Luxe Petit Crease Brush. I've heard raves of this brush for years from bloggers like Zoella, and it seemed perfect to add to my brush collection considering I do have a petit crease. For someone with slightly hooded lids, it makes the placement of crease colours so easy. Same as the cheek brush, it is soft and washes easily.

My beloved Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge is starting to show signs of wear and tear, so I figured an upgrade was in order. It was time to try the sponge that started it all - the Beauty Blender. The Make Up Pro store in Makati (an online store I've mentioned here and here) only had the Royal version in stock which is fine, since the colour is beautiful anyway. Not only is the sponge incredibly soft (no violent face punching with a sponge here) but it applies foundation seamlessly. In terms of visibility on the skin, the BB blends foundation a bit better so that you can't see it on your skin. So far so good, will keep you all updated!

That is all from me! Have you guys bought anything new recently? Any new favourites you'd like to share? Let me know down in the comments section below!

Friday, June 17, 2016

Sephora Philippines & Make Up Pro Mini Haul and First Impressions

By Pauline Read More