Current Favorites Part II

Hello everyone! Here is part two of my current favorites post. I already have a lot of products and I don't think I need to be buying more since I already have a lot of favorites among the ones in my stash. So here is part two!

Current favorite finishing powder: Guerlain Meteorites

Yes, it comes at a very steep price, but I'll tell you why I think this product is unique: I've tried a lot of oil-control powders out there and there is seriously NOTHING out there that can control my oily face for more than one and a half hours. Yes, I'm that oily. With Meteorites, however, I still oil up but I look more dewy rather than greasy-oily.

Current favorite makeup remover: Clinique Take the Day Off Makeup Remover

I'm so glad that my mom sent me a bottle of this. It's pricey for a makeup remover, but this one removes waterproof makeup easily without irritating my eyes.

Current favorite lip balm: Human Heart Nature Lip Balm

Okay, this is a picture of the old packaging, but I haven't picked up a new one yet. My gosh, I love this to bits. The best part is that it only costs P65! Who can complain?

Current favorite mascara: Maybelline The Magnum Volum' Express Waterproof

This is my favorite among the Maybelline mascaras I've tried. It's not clumpy and adds a good amount of volume as well. 

There you go for my current favorites for now. I'll be posting individual reviews of my other current favorites in the future so watch out for that.

Product Review: Maybelline the Magnum Volume Express Mascara (Waterproof)

Maybelline mascaras are people's go-to mascaras. Why? It makes sense not to spend so much money on something that has to be thrown out every three months. Maybelline mascaras have good reviews at a price that won't dent your wallet too badly. One of these is the Magnum Volume Express. It's been getting a lot of positive reviews but I haven't had a chance to try it until now.

Before you continue reading, please know that I have very, very oily lids. With the exception of fiber mascaras, I haven't tried a mascara in a long time that didn't smudge on me, even if I stayed in an airconditioned room all day and didn't sweat at all. Most of the time, I still use my Clarins Double Fix Mascara on top, and even then, I still encounter smudges sometimes. Waterproof mascaras haven't seen oily until they meet me :)

After one coat of Magnum mascara, I did get more volume and length, nothing very drastic, but good enough. I only use one coat of mascara on myself because the more I pile on, the uglier it will look when it smudges. And besides, I have long lashes already so I just want to enhance them further.

(Sorry for the messy brows. I always do my brows last)

I find that this mascara is not clumpy, and on a day when I don't sweat, I find that this one doesn't smudge or flake on me. On days that I know I'll be out in the sun or doing some walking, I still use my Clarins Double Fix Mascara as a safety measure (I don't want to take chances). This is definitely the most waterproof Maybelline Mascara I've tried to date. It's not a pain to remove, either.

Will I repurchase? YES!!

Product Review: Blinc Kiss Me Mascara

picture taken from www.sephora.com

Product description:

What it is:
The famous pioneering, tube-technology water-resistant mascara.

What it does:
Blinc Kiss Me Mascara is the original tube-technology mascara. It's invented to form tiny water-resistant "tubes" around your lashes for maximum amplification and hold, rather than painting them like conventional mascaras. Once applied, the tubes bind to your lashes and cannot run, smudge, clump, or flake, even if you cry or rub your eyes.

What else you need to know:
This mascara adds both volume and length, to give you a radiant natural look that lasts all day. Neither water nor pressure alone will remove Kiss Me Mascara. Only the combination of lots of warm water and gentle pressure (no need for harsh makeup removers) will slide the tiny tubes effortlessly off your lashes into your hand. Upon removal, you will actually see the tiny tubes slide into your hand.

Among the nominees in the 2008 Best of Sephora, Blinc Kiss Me Mascara has is clinically tested to be non-irritating, making it ideal for sensitive eyes, contact lens wearers, and active people in search of a mascara whose look, hold, and ease of removal is without compromise.

I finally gave in and purchased this when Beauty and Minerals went on sale! I've been wanting my own tube of Blinc Kiss Me Mascara for a long time, so this was the perfect chance to try it out. So after using it a few times, I'm ready to say what I think about this mascara.

First of all, I love the packaging! It comes in a tube that houses the actual mascara.

Now on to the actual mascara:

PROS

• I truly have the oiliest lids on the planet and no waterproof mascara ever works me. But this mascara, just like other fiber/tube mascara, doesn't smudge on me!
• Lengthens my lashes
• Another pro of fiber/tube mascaras is that it's easy to remove and doesn't take your real lashes with you.
• The long thin wand easily reaches my inner lashes

CONS

• Although it didn't smudge, there was a bit of flaking on my lower eyelid
• clumps my lashes a bit
• It is a wet mascara, which some people might not like. In my experience, since I have long lashes especially on my right eye, I find that while it's drying it actually touches my eyelid and smears a couple of times O.O
• If you are looking for volume, this mascara is not for you.
• A little expensive

Here's a pic of my lashes before and after I used Blinc Kiss Me:

Sorry for my eyebrows. I always do my eyebrows last, you see. Anyway, from the picture, you can see that my lashes became longer, although it clumped a bit.

Conclusion: All-in-all, I consider this to be an everyday mascara, not the type that I would wear for special occasions. I love that it didn't smudge on me, which is very rare for a mascara indeed.

Will I buy again? Maybe, but probably not at regular price. I just don't want to spend too much on mascaras because they have a short lifespan.

Product Review: Maybelline Great Lash Mascara Waterproof

Okay, let me start off this review by saying that I made a big mistake. I actually bought this in brownish black instead of black (from the US). Yep, I bought the wrong shade but luckily this shade was more on the black side than brown, it just wasn't jet black.

I got curious about this mascara since this is THE mascara that started it all, so I bought one.

The wand is just your ordinary mascara wand, nothing special about it.

Here's how my lashes looked like after 2 coats of Great Lash:

On the left is a picture without mascara, and on the right is with mascara. As you can see, although it did add some length, I wouldn't call it a crazy improvement, just right.

Unfortunately, like 80% of mascaras, this failed to pass my oily eyelids test. Even after I coated this with my Clarins Double Fix Mascara, one eye got smudged pretty badly when my eye got a little wet from the dryness I felt from my contact lens :(

This mascara is good for those who want a natural look and don't have extremely oily lids like me, but like most mascaras, this is not waterproof enough for me :(

Unsung Heroes: Brow Mascaras

Around two years ago, my mom bought a brow mascara from Lunasol. And ever since then, I've never looked back. They became even more necessary after I started dyeing my hair. I have yet to commit to bleaching my eyebrows, so brow mascaras are a must for me. My Lunasol brow mascara worked well for a little over a year before it dried out. I didn't repurchase it because it ain't cheap. Then I purchased an ELF Studio brow mascara in medium. Although it took a little longer to apply, I actually didn't mind since it meant that it was harder to overdo it. It dried up in about 6 months, which is okay since it was very affordable anyway.

When I went to Bangkok last November, me and my MUA friend were desperately scouting for a MAC Boy Girl Brow Set, which is always OOS locally. We still scouted around the Watsons there, and ended up testing different brow mascaras: Kate (by Kanebo), Fasio and another brand which I forgot. Kate proved to be the hardest to rub off. Once it dried, it really stayed put! So, we bought one each and our lemming for MAC Boy Girl disappeared.

Brow mascaras don't seem to be getting enough attention. Not only do I use them for people (and myself) who have colored hair, they are also useful to soften a person's overall look. I like to use them on people who have full brows (like mine). Clear mascaras are useful for people who don't need color tweaking and just want their brows to stay in place.

Here's me and my full brows using Kate brow mascara in LB-1. Don't you think it helps soften my look?

Do you use brow mascaras? What do you think?

Product Review: Clarins Double Fix Mascara

Hello everyone! How's the new year treating you so far? Anyway, today I'm going to review Clarins Double Fix Mascara. If you've been following my blog, then you know I included this in my top finds for 2010. Wanna know why?

Like I've said for the nth time, I have the oiliest lids on the planet. None of the so-called waterproof mascaras stood a chance on my lid. Even the most waterproof of the waterproof mascaras smudged on me after two hours. I've tried a few products that are supposed to help make mascaras more smudge-proof but they all failed to work for me. This product was part of my things-to-try list.

Product Description:

An exceptional transparent, fixing gel which guarantees perfect mascara hold in any environment...bathing, traveling, late nights and more. Also ideal for use to groom and shape eyebrows.

Application:

Use alone or over your favorite mascara.

I was finally able to buy this during at Duty Free Bangkok Airport for 880 Baht. It would have been cheaper if I bought it in the US, but I guess this price will have to do. The mascara is more of a top coat that you apply after mascara. If you plan to use this alone it will not give you much lengthening or volume. I dare not use this for brows because this is too expensive to be used as a transparent brow gel when there are cheaper alternatives. 

I've used this several times and I can say that it has changed my life! I no longer have raccoon eyes after two hours, although sometimes it still smudges a bit when it's hot. But seriously, this has made a huge difference for someone who is extremely oily like me!

PROS

• It works!
• Despite its hefty price tag, you can actually use this for a long time since it has a lifespan of 36M. Although, I recommend throwing it out before that. After all, liquid is liquid. 
• This will still come out cheaper than buying an expensive mascara and then throwing it out after three months!  Maybelline mascara + Clarins Double Fix mascara will still be cheaper in the long run.

CONS

• expensive

Conclusion: I'd recommend this to someone who has extremely oily lids that no waterproof mascara is waterproof enough for them. This is one good product for that purpose. Otherwise, you can skip buying this and just stick with your trusty mascara.

My Top Beauty Discoveries for 2010 + My New Gadget

Happy New Year everyone! Finally I'm going to show you my top beauty discoveries for 2010. I know I haven't made individual reviews of a lot of these products yet so stay tuned, guys. I will do my best to do individual reviews for those that I haven't done. Mind you these products have no particular order.

1. Cream Silk Precision Repair Treatment

What can I say? For around P200 for a 250 ml tub, this is a great steal! I use this once or twice a week on my damaged hair and it really does make it soft!

2. Asian Secrets Lulur Whitening Scrub

Another affordable product that can be easily found. Like the previous product, it costs less than P200 for around 200g. I'm not sure about the whitening part, but as a scrub it does the job. It's not too harsh but not too mild either. It has a great scent too!

3. Clarins Double Fix Mascara

If you know me, then you'll know I have the oiliest lids on the planet! I've tried all the so-called "waterproof" mascaras, but they don't stand a chance against my oily lids. Instead, I've had to use fiber mascaras which are great for everyday, but don't really give the extra oomph that I want during night outs. This mascara has solved my problem! I put it on top of my waterproof mascara, and it stays on! It comes with a hefty price tag, but it's worth it for me!

4. Urban Decay Naked Palette

I'm surprised that I haven't seen this in lists so far, considering that this palette has a very high demand and is always sold out on the website. This has become my go-to palette especially for weddings!

5. Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Makeup Foundation

I tried a sample of this and loved this! I'm definitely going to write a more in-depth review about this. For now, let me just say that this has become my skin enhancing foundation. And it's cheaper than foundations from Shu Uemura, Bobbi Brown and MUFE, although you get a little less product.

So there you have it everyone, my top beauty discoveries for 2010.

On a side note, I finally bought a new phone after three years! Meet my new gadget: my HTC Aria! I've been wanting to try an android phone for some time now, since my techie friends are recommending it to me more than an Apple phone. Besides, lets face it, I don't have enough moolah to buy an IPhone 4. Hihi!

I'm really enjoying my new phone!

Watch out guys, I'll be doing a blog sale within the week. I sort of have to make up for the money I spent on my phone!

Product Review: L'oreal Double Extend Beauty Tubes Mascara

With the popularity of mascaras that use tubing, I was really anxious to try one. I loved Blinc Kiss Me Mascara, but it's expensive so I was really thinking twice about buying that since mascaras don't last long. In my search for a good inexpensive mascara, I've tried so many different waterproof mascaras. Unfortunately, it would seem that no waterproof mascara could withstand my uber oily lids. Thankfully, I went to the US and got myself a tube of this for only $8.

The mascara is double-ended. The primer end, coats the lashes with a film of white. I don't really know what it's supposed to do. The other end is the actual mascara end.

So here's how my lashes looked like:

From left to right: lashes curled w/o mascara, one coat of mascara, two coats of mascara

As you can see, there isn't much difference on the first coat, but there is a big difference in length in the second coat. 

How did it fare? I'm so happy to report that this does not smudge the whole day with me! Even for 10 hours. On really hot days, it does flake a little, but I find I can just flick it away. This is so much better than conventional mascaras, when the smudges can only be taken out with makeup remover and putting concealer just makes it worse!

To top it all off, it easily comes off just by pulling the tubes out with wet fingers. No more tedious removal using a makeup remover! And yet, I've never lost an eyelash. Just pull gently :)

As you can see, this mascara is a good product for my needs. Here are the pros and cons:

PROS

• does a good job for lengthening
• no smudges even for long periods of time
• comes off easily with water

CONS

• does not do much for volume
• some people might find the two-step application too much of a hassle
• can flake when it's extremely hot

Conclusion: I find that this is a good everyday mascara especially if you have long lashes already, but you'll need a different one for more va-va-voom lashes.

Will I buy this again? Yes!

TIP: Wait for L'oreal to go on sale, since I find this mascara to be quite expensive for a L'oreal mascara at P800+.

Product Review: Maybelline Volume Express Cat Eyes Mascara

Hello dearies! How is everyone? Today I'm going to be reviewing Maybelline Volume Express Cat Eyes Mascara.


photo taken from www.facebook.com

When I went to Basement Academy, both my teachers had this and loved this! So, I just HAD to try it out.

This mascara doesn't use the normal comb as its applicator. It uses a comb, which in my opinion lessens clumping as compared to a wand.

So here is the rundown of the pros and cons:

PROS
>>affordable!
>>waterproof
>>does add length and volume (although not insanely dramatic)

CONS
>>still clumps a bit but nothing a mascara comb can't fix
>>despite the fact that it's waterproof, it still smudges on me after 5-6 hours because I have really oily lids

Note: this held up well on everyone who tried this except for me. Yes, I'm unbelievably oily.

So to see the effect, here's a picture of my bare lashes curled with my Fanny Serrano eyelash curler:



Here is the effect after one coat of mascara:



Can you see the difference? My lashes definitely became longer and a bit thicker after one coat. I feel that one coat is already enough for me because I really see a big difference!

Will I buy this again? Yes. Because it held up well on everyone except for me, I'll continue using this for other people. But for myself, I have to try another mascara or find a good base/top coat to prevent smudging.

Review: Loreal Clean Telescopic Mascara

I only keep two mascaras at a time because they only last a few months so to be able to make the most out of their short lifespans, I only buy two. So for now, I'm going to review Loreal Clean Telescopic Mascara. I tried it because I've been reading some good reviews about it.

First, let me show you a picture of my bare but curled lashes:

Here is a picture of my lashes with 1 coat of mascara. As you can see there is a some difference, nothing dramatic.

Here is a picture of my lashes after two coats:

As you can see, there is a big difference with the length of my lashes.

You should know that this mascara has a different wand from normal mascaras. The SA said that it was to prevent clumping, and you know what, it works! It doesn't clump and even when it does, it's so easy to remove them with any lash comb.

Take not though that it is not waterproof, but it does claim to be smudge-proof.

So here is the rundown of the pros and cons:

PROS

• Really does lengthen your lashes
• Doesn't clump

CONS

• Does nothing to thicken your lashes
• It smudges on me. I have uber oily lids BTW. 1 coat = minimal smudging. 2 coats = mega smudging!

The combination of a very hot, humid weather plus my really oily lids really beat this mascara.

TIPS: Do not touch your lashes once there is mascara already, or else you'll get spider lashes.

Will I buy this again? No. As much as this was a good everyday mascara, I don't want racoon eyes.

Recent Hauls + Award

Let me show you a picture of my recent hauls. Mind you, I did not buy them all at the same time! I'm not that rich. LOL.

Anyway, since Stila is having some problems and is refinancing, I thought it was best to purchase some items already since I really don't know what will happen to them.

I bought the Stila Contouring Trio, it comes with tiny lights as you can see on the side. I'm sorry I forgot to swatch them, though.

Anyway, I also bought a set of mini Smudgepots. It has the bestselling colors: Black, Bronze and Gray. For me, Stila Smudgepots are better than MAC Fluidlines. However, I didn't expect it to be this small. When it said mini, they really meant it! This is much smaller than the regular Smudgepots (which is big). This is smaller than MAC Fluidline. I purposely didn't swatch it to prolong its lifespan since I still have my MAC Fluidline.

My Lumiere Pre-buy brushes have finally arrived! Thank you Grace (OD from Girltalk) for hosting these! We made our order last January pa and it finally arrived. I ordered the LHK, FO and angled FO. I haven't washed these so I can't say how they are. The LHK is very soft though. They're very well packaged for shipping! I can't wait to join Lumiere's next prebuy to get some more brushes since I regretted not buying the FT.

I also got my loot from EG minerals from an order we placed last January! LOL. It's been with Grace all this time. Thank you for holding this for me.

And here are my recent purchases from Rustan's. A Coffret D'Or liquid pen. This is my 2nd one already. It's not boxed anymore since I started using this already. Gia also informed me that Fasio mascaras are back in stock at Rustan's Gateway (Thank you Gia!) so I bought one when I happened to be in the area since I've been dying to try it for a long time.

I also got this friendship award from Chrissy, Donnarence, Khymm and Soapaholic. Thank you dearies! Mwah mwah mwah!
The rules are:

1. Take your award here

2. Put the logo on your post

3. Link the person who awarded you

4. Nominate at least 7 other bloggers

5. Add the links of those bloggers on yours

6. Leave a message for your nominees

So now, I'm passing this to 7 different bloggers:

1. Nikki

2. Nlng*Star

3. Gale

4. Shasta

5. Aileen

6. Yumeko

7. Blair