Lullabies and Lippies

I'll be real with y'all - I've never really given local beauty products a chance. I have always just preferred imported products. I don't know why.

Lately, though, I've been going through a lot of Pinay beauty blogs and have read some pretty amazing reviews on local beauty products, so I decided to give it a go! I have to say - I'm pretty impressed with the quality of these products - super comparable (if not better) to more expensive, imported products. (Of course, there are some misses, but that's a whole different blog entry, isn't it?) Best of all, because they're locally-made, price tag is mega-affordable! And we're all for supporting local products, aren't we. :)

Here are some of my best bets:

1. Fashion 21 lipstick in Dream Girl

Not a huge fan of the packaging on these, but the formula is amazing! If you're familiar with the MAC Cremesheen lipsticks' formula, this one is pretty similar in texture - just as moisturizing with pretty decent pigmentation. The shade Dream Girl is the perfect pinky-rosy-nude MLBB for everyday. This never leaves my purse! And you can get it for well below PHP200.

2. FS Cosmetics single eyeshadow in Glamour Peach

I love putting a shimmery, champagne-y shadow on the inner corners of my eyes. I think it makes a world of a difference and makes me look that much more awake. Not really particular with what shadow I use. When I'm doing my make-up at home, I'll just whip out whatever eye palette I have lying around and use the lightest shade in that. This one, I got because I wanted to have one to stick in my purse. This comes in handy when I just need a little pick-me-up in the middle of the day if I'm looking tired already. I got this on sale for only PHP150.

3. Fashion 21 clear brow gel

I don't believe in expensive brow gels. I think any clear mascara or brow gel you can get at the drugstore works just as well. This one is a staple in my kit. Cheap, keeps my hairs in place, does the job.

This one is unopened because the one I'm currently using looks super dirty and disgusting and I just couldn't bring myself to use that for the photo. Hehe :)

4. Careline oil-control blush-on in Fresh Tomato

This blush - my, oh my - has to be my fave in this list. How it looks in the pan might scare you - I know I was! Looks super red and almost clowny, but the red actually compliments warm Asian or Pinay skintones pretty nicely! On me, it looks like a deep peachy orange, and it makes you look like you've got a natural flush, like you've been out running around. You do have to be super careful when applying this though, because it is so pigmented. I literally just tap my brush in and sweep it over my cheeks. Literally, just one tap for each cheek (maybe even less!) Please note though that I have medium skin, so if you have lighter skin, then I would probably use even less. Just use the tiniest bit, then slowly build it up. Remember, it's easier to add than to take away if you've gone overboard. (Tip: If you feel you've gone overboard with blush, just go over it with a light dusting of powder. That should tone it down! :) ) If you're familiar with cult fave NARS blush in Exhibit A, this gives the same look, only for a lot, lot, LOT less at only PHP85 a pop!

Note: Swatch will be at the bottom part of this entry

5. Nichido eyelash curler

I hate to say this, but I think this performs just as well as my beloved Shu Uemura eyelash curler. (HUHUHU I hate myself for saying that because I love my Shu Uemura curler so much, I've had the same one since I was in high school!!) Of course, being a LOT LOT LOT cheaper, this doesn't feel as nicely-made as the Shu Uemura one, but still very decent! If you don't want to spend the money on the Shu Uemura one, this is a very good alternative. I forgot how much I got it for, I think it only cost around PHP120. Go get you some!

6. Ever Bilena color pencil

The color on this is really nice because it's not too red, not too black - it's a very happy medium. The pencil itself is soft enough that you don't tug and pull at your eyebrows when you're trying to fill them in with this. (Oh, believe me, I've tried some very awful brow pencils at the drugstore!) And at the PHP85 price tag, you just can't beat it!

7. Ever Bilena lip & cheek tint

I used to be a Benetint snob and would use only that. But since I used that everyday, I did go through it pretty quickly (2 bottles/year?) and at PHP1600 per bottle, it wasn't so budget-friendly. So late last year, I decided to try this out. An officemate would use this every morning when she did her make-up at her desk. Guess what? I am never going back to Benetint!! This works just as well. You need the tiniest bit to get a natural-looking, healthy flush, so a tube (and it is a pretty huge one) lasts for ages. The stain stays on all day too! As a bonus, the tint has a pleasant strawberry scent to it, but it doesn't linger on your face or anything - it goes away as soon as you blend it in. A total steal at PHP135! :) (Word on the street is that Ellen Adarna uses this!)

8. Fashion 21 blush stick in #4

I love cream blushes because they look so natural on the skin, make you look healthy, and they stay on far longer than powder blushes. But because I have combination-oily skin, I haven't found a cream blush product that I really like - most of them are too greasy for my liking, and will just slide off my face halfway through the day. This one, however, lasts pretty decently on my skin. The formula is super pigmented, super creamy, super blendable, dries to an almost powder-finish, but still looks dewy and glowy. On days when my skin is extra dry (like if I'm sick or if I'm traveling in a cold country), I will typically reach for a cream blush. The color on this is just the right amount of creamy, peachy-pink (no chunky monkey glitters here!) that looks so, so natural on all skin tones. This color will look good on anyone, especially on Asian/Filipina skintones. The peach tones in this pick up perfectly on warm skin. :) This particular shade is my fave from their blush stick range (they only have a total of four shades in the range) - the others are either too pink or too peach. And at only PHP135 a pop, these are a total steal!

Note: Swatch will be at the bottom part of this entry

9. FS Cosmetics two-way cake in Rajah

I use this as an all-over bronzer to warm up my complexion. This is actually meant as a foundation (which you can use in two ways, dry or wet) which I got in their darkest shade. Because this was meant as a foundation, it does run a bit warmer, so if I really wanted to do some major contouring, I would use something a bit cooler like NYX blush in Taupe. But for an all-over bronze/minor contouring, this one works pretty well. On the daily anyway, I do prefer an all-over bronze rather than definitive contouring. (Wow, I must have said bronze and contour 80 times already by now.)

Note: Swatch is down below! :)

As promised, here are the swatches:

L-R: Fashion 21 blush stick in #4 unblended and blended, FS Cosmetics two-way cake in Rajah unblended and blended, Careline oil-control blush-on in Fresh Tomato unblended and blended

Happy weekend! :)

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I will, in fact, be dedicating an entire blog entry to profess my undying love for the Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze.

I love me a neutral cream shadow. It's the quickest, easiest way to add some color and definition to the eyes. They're great as bases, to prolong the wear of your powdered shadows and to make them more vibrant, but they're also great on their own! Bad to the Bronze is the most beautiful golden-bronze cream shadow that I've ever laid my eyes on. If you don't know how to do a smokey eye, no problem! I don't either. I just use this, dab, dab, dab on my eyes and voila!

But before I go on and on (and on) about how you should run (don't walk, RUN.) to get this now, here are the product claims:

on wear time: Maybelline calls this their longest-wearing cream gel shadow at a wear-time of 24 hours.

on formula: Maybelline promises a smooth application providing vibrant color that does not fade.

Now, I don't know about the whole 24-hour wear-time claim because I've never actually worn this (or any make-up product, for that matter) for 24-hours. The longest I've had this product on is 6 hours, and it certainly wore well with no creasing and no fading that I could see, considering I did not set it with any powder eyeshadow on top. I did use a primer underneath though (I use Too Faced Shadow Insurance) because I wanted to make sure it would hold up against the Manila humidity and heat. I have heard people say that this holds up really well even without a primer, though!

The formula itself was very smooth. As with all cream shadows, I prefer to use just my ring finger to apply. You certainly could use a brush, but I just feel that the warmth from your fingers help to melt the product more on to your skin, making for a smoother, more even application. I did not have any problems with it chunking up on my eyelids during application.

Can we talk about the color now?

It is the most gorgeous bronze color I've ever, ever, ever seen! You know those eyeshadow colors that look differently in different lightings, those that look naturally lighter on your lids, and naturally darker in the crease? (I like to call these multi-dimensional eyeshadows) This is one of those colors!! These types are my favorite shadows to work with, because you can literally just use one color - blend it all over your lids and into the crease - and it looks like you've "made an effort." It looks like you've spent a lot of time blending several shades, when all you really did was slap on a single color. Bad to the Bronze is the perfect shade for both day and night. You can do just a few quick dabs of this to give you a really pretty, but defined daytime look OR build this up for more drama if you're going out at night. This shade of bronze is so universal, I think it would look amazing on just about anyone no matter what your skintone is. (I've seen this on the super fair-skinned, and even those with a darker skintone, and the color looks stunning on both.) This is one of those products to easily take your look from day to night!

If I could have only one eyeshadow for the rest of my life (what a depressing thought), I would pick this in a heartbeat. This is quite the popular product among beauty bloggers and I totally get the hype. The best part? It's mega affordable and accessible at only PHP395 at any Maybelline counters in major department store or Watsons branches nationwide. (Maybelline PH often does 20% or 50% off, so you can get a better deal!)

Go get you some!!

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I was on an Asian beauty kick a while back and I bought this from a friend's Asian beauty supply store after hearing rave reviews on this.

Picture is not mine. Credits go to the rightful owner.

"Enriched with mud & minerals from the Dead Sea, this mineral aqua mud foam detoxifies & moisturizes your skin at the same time. It washes away impurities and excess oils, to leave skin refreshed, nourished & moisturized. Recommended for all skin types." - That's what the label says! The directions also tell you to massage this over wet or dry skin, then rinse it off... yeah, I don't use it for that. (I'm such a rebel. ..NAT)

For the first two weeks, I used it religiously, just how the directions said to, as a facial foam. But I did not see nor feel any difference with it. I don't know, maybe I was just using it wrong. But I didn't feel it was doing anything different nor special from my regular Clean & Clear facial wash. So then, I remembered seeing pictures of people using it as a mask. So, I put on a layer, left it on for about 25 minutes, washed it off, and by golly, my skin felt clean, tightened, yet moisturized. Right until then, I thought then that it would be a nice nighttime face mask, if I wanted to have a spa night of sorts. Come the next morning though, I noticed the little bumps (pimples in their early infant stages, ew) I had on my forehead have flattened, and my pores looked tighter.

So, I tried it a few more times as a spot treatment on pimples just about to sprout out, and I've never looked back. Every time I have a little bump (just about to form into a pimple) anywhere on my face, I put a dab of this on, leave it on for 25 minutes, then wash it off. The next morning, the bump will have flattened and dried already. I love this stuff!!

More than raving about this product though, I think the more important point I'm trying to get at here is that just because a product didn't work out for you the way it's meant to, doesn't mean it won't work for you at all. Try using it in other ways, you might be surprised! :)

Cheers to the weekend!

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I have quite a number of regrets in my life, but (fear not!) I am not about to get deep down and personal here. This tag is about beauty products which I regret buying. I hope this can help some of you, if maybe you're thinking about buying them. :)

Before I start though, I should say that just because these products didn't work for me, doesn't mean they won't work for you too. Skin and preference varies from one person to the next, and products may react differently from person to person. Maybe I'm just using these products wrongly (in which case, I would love it if you could leave me a comment down below telling me how you use it! :) ). These thoughts are my own. Take what you will. :)

1. Coastal Scents 88 Original Eyeshadow Palette

This palette contains 88 dime-sized eyeshadows in different colors. It practically has all the colors you could ever need. Pigmentation and formula is great too. This was all the rage among YouTube beauty gurus back then, which is what made me buy it. In theory, this sounds like the perfect palette for anyone, but I just don't find myself using this anymore. Back when I was just starting my make-up collection, I bought this thinking that this would be a good one to experiment using different colors with. I don't think I ever did actually use the other colors though, I would pull this out only to use the neutral eye shadows. I only really ever wear neutral eye shadows. Now that I have so many other better neutral eye palettes like the UD Naked or the LORAC Pro, I don't ever really reach for this anymore.

2. Revlon Colorstay Foundation (Original) & Revlon Colorstay Whipped Creme Foundation
These are really popular foundations among YouTubers, mainly for the coverage and staying power they provide. Some people compare its coverage with the MAC Studio Fix foundation. People have even said that this worked really well on their very oily skin and stayed on all day. So I bought the Original formula thinking this would be my holy grail foundation, especially since it's so hot and humid here in the Philippines. It did provide nice coverage, and it did stay on pretty well. It just felt too heavy on my face for my liking. I felt like I had a mask on the whole day. The Whipped Creme formula came out much later, and I gave that one I try because I've heard people say that was a much lighter formula. Ech, nothing. Still too heavy for me. (For reference, I don't wear liquid foundations on a daily basis, so maybe that's why I found this too heavy. But if I do have to wear liquid foundation, I prefer ones with a really light formula like the Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua. If you're used to wearing liquid foundation quite often though, you might like this!)

3. Etude House BB Cream

I bought this at the start of the BB cream craze. At that time, there weren't too many options here in the Philippines, and I bought this thinking that since it's a Korean brand, and BB creams were popularized by Korean celebrities, this would be a good choice. Wrong. It made my face mega-oily and turned it into a greaseball within just maybe two hours. I can see this working for drier skin types, though, to provide a nice, dewy finish.

4. MAC lipstick in Creme de Nude
I bought into the YouTube craze over this lipstick as well. If you look on MAC's website, this is one of their bestselling lipsticks, and I can see why - it's a warm, creamy nude with no shimmer. The lipstick formula is a Cremesheen, too, so payoff is great and provides great moisture and a subtle glossy look on your lips. The shade gives you straight-up "concealer lips," though. And I've decided that concealer lips aren't for me.

5. L'Oreal Nutri Shine lipstick in Golden Vanilla

I don't like lipsticks with glitter in them, and this one had chunky glitter all over. The color was a great warm, peachy nude that didn't make me look washed out like MAC Creme de Nude did, but the chunky glitters felt soooo gritty on lips, it was a total deal-breaker.

6. Revlon Lip Butter in Peach Parfait

Same issue as with the L'Oreal Nutri Shine lipstick. And I wanted to like this one soooooo bad. I love the lip butters, they're probably one of my fave lip products of all time. The color is also similar to NARS Orgasm, but in a lip butter form , so it was sooo perfect for every day use. The glitters in this one though were even worse than the L'Oreal Nutri Shine. The glitters in this one were bigger, chunkier, and grittier. (I hope you can tell from the picture below) I did not like the feeling on my lips at all.

7. YSL Touche Eclat
I bought into the hype of this product as well. Every magazine will say that this is THE beauty item to have and that if you could only have one, this is THE ONE to get. It's meant to highlight certain points in your face like under your eyes, on your cheekbones, down the bridge of your nose, etc. But I've found products (like the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles or the MAC Prep and Prime) which have worked just as well, some even better for just a fraction of the price. Because this product was ridiculously expensive, (It was $41. FORTY-ONE. I can't believe I spent $41 on a highlighter.) I did use this one up. This was a total waste of money for me.

8. Revlon Colorstay Eyeshadow in Attitude
I liked the idea of having a matte, neutral eye quad for everyday, but the pigmentation on this quad disappointed me greatly. When you go to swatch it in the store with your fingers, pigmentation is fine, but I can't seem to get that same pigmentation when I use it with actual brushes on my eyes. The formula was chalky, too. I really, really regret buying this one especially because it was quite pricey for a drugstore brand. I'd recommend the Wet N Wild eyeshadow trios/palettes over this one, ANY DAY! And those are really, really affordable.

9. MUFE Camouflage Cream Palette
I bought this at the time I needed to replace my concealer thinking that this would be the best one since it had a light and a darker shade for me to be able to mix to get my perfect shade. On top of that, it also had a green to cancel the redness from my acne (At that time, I was suffering from really bad hormonal acne.), and had a salmony-peach color for the darkness under my eyes. This did work for me, but I just found it too much of a hassle to be mixing and blending one concealer with another for it to look right. I will be keeping this, though, just in case my relatives or my friends ask me to do their make-up.

10. Clinique Chubby Stick Intense in Heftiest Hibiscus

This one, I only regret for the color. This shade of red orange just does not work for me. I've tried to work with this, but it never seemed to look right. The formula is great, though. Not as moisturizing, thin, and balm-y as the regular Chubby Sticks, but still more moisturizing than other regular lipsticks. Pigmentation is great, too. I just feel like the color makes me look like a clown.

Below are swatches of the lip products:

(L-R: 1-Clinique Chubby Stick Intense in Heftiest Hibiscus, 2-Revlon Lip Butter in Peach Parfait, 3-L'Oreal Nutri Shine in Golden Vanilla, 4-MAC Creme de Nude)

If you'd like to try any of the above (except the MUFE Camouflage Cream Palette and the YSL Touche Eclat), I'd be happy to give them to you for just a fraction of the original price I bought them for. Let me know! :)

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YES, PEOPLE. Cleansers to take your make-up off are actually different from just your regular cleanser. So you spend your money on actual make-up to put on your face, and you spend some more just to take it all off! I can still remember the look of confusion (of frustration, I can't really tell) from my brother's face when he came to realize this.

Removing your make-up is important, especially before going to bed. Every woman (and their cats) has probably been told never to go to bed with make-up on. Not only do you get gunk on your sheets, but it can also clogs your pores for far longer than is tolerable. Sleeping with your make-up on is literally begging for a breakout. (Have I scared you enough yet? Hehehe)

Today, I'm taking you through my favorite make-up removers/cleansers/wipes-type of things for use at home, on-the-go, and for nights when you're just too tired and can't be bothered to get yourself to the bathroom to do a proper wash-off :)

These are the steps I take to remove my make-up at home:

1. Use a cleansing oil

2. Do a follow-up wash with my regular facial cleanser OR do a wipe-down with cleansing water

My favorite (EVERRR) cleansing oil is the Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil in Fresh. I have been using this since high school and it has never failed me. Takes all (and I mean, ALL.) your make-up in one go, even the darkest, most stubborn waterproof mascara or eye liners. No tugging, no rubbing, no scratching, nothing! People love waterproof mascaras for their ability to hold a curl, but a lot don't like using waterproof mascara on a daily basis because it's so difficult to take off. If you're one of those people, GET THIS! It will change your life. And being oil-based, the best thing about cleansing oils is that they don't dry you out at all. When you go in to wash it off, it leaves your skin feeling fresh, clean, and soft. I know especially for oily-skinned guys or gals, the prospect of using an oil-based cleanser sounds like a nightmare, but trust me on this, guys. I'm combination-oily, and this has never broken me out. :) Once you've used a cleansing oil to take your make-up off, you really can't go back to anything else! And I don't say that very lightly about any product!

Typically, after using my Shu Uemura cleansing oil, I don't really feel the need to do a follow-up wash or wipe-down. On days though wherein I feel extra icky (like if it's been really hot and humid, or if I've had my make-up on for an entire 8-hour day, or if I've had a full face of make-up on for formal events, etc.), I will do either a follow-up wash with just my regular facial wash or a quick wipe-down using a cotton pad with a cleansing water. The facial wash I'm using is the Clean & Clear Deep Cleansing Foaming Facial Wash (not in picture) and for the cleansing water, I use the Bioderma Sensibio Micelle Solution (????).

The Clean & Clear one is cheap, gets the job done, have been using it since I was in high school as well. Bioderma is very popular among YouTube beauty gurus; it claims to cleanse, remove make-up, and soothe your skin. Some people just use this to take their make-up off and that's it! No rinsing required. For me though, I use this more as a follow-up and will just soak a cotton pad with some Bioderma and do a quick wipe-down of my face, just to get rid of any make-up in spots that I may I have missed (i.e., hairline, near my ears, jaws, neck, etc.). This is also nice to get rid of the icky-residue feeling you sometimes have after having your make-up on the whole day, even after taking it off. I have heard people say though that Bioderma does a really good job of taking your make-up off, even waterproof mascara.

Oh, I love make-up wipes! (Can you tell?) For late nights when I'm too tired and just want to plop into bed, I will just use a wipe to take all my make-up off. The best and my favorite is the Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes (not in picture, because I'm out of it, and I'm trying out other brands). This gets rid of even waterproof mascara, leaves no oily residue, and smells so, so, so good!! I used to have to get someone to buy it for me abroad. Now you can get your hands on them locally at S&R or at BDJBox.com :) Hooray!

I've been trying out other brands though, and the one I'm using right now is the Pond's Wet Cleansing Towelettes. It does get my make-up off, and also leaves your face feeling clean & fresh, but it does not take any of my waterproof mascara off. With regular mascara, it takes it all off with no problem, but waterproof mascara does not budge at all. I got this at S&R too.

Why do I have a boatload of make-up wipes, you ask? I love them so much because they're so convenient! I have a pack everywhere - on my vanity, in my bag, in my gym bag. Currently on my vanity is the Pond's one. In my bag, I just have this little tiny baby pack of wipes from Bench. These are pretty good, they do take off waterproof mascara and they smell and feel really nice, and are mega-afforable at only PHP30 per pack. :) In my gym bag, I have a pack of the Simple Kind to Skin Exfoliating Wipes. I originally bought this for my vanity, and it worked nicely, but (since it was exfoliating) I did feel it was a little harsh on my skin. I'm just being a good girl and using this up. After working out, I would normally wash my face with a facial cleanser, but I keep a pack of wipes with me just in case I'm in a pinch. I really feel this does get all the dirt out of my face after working out (For those who go to the gym, you know how dirty your face or hands can feel sometimes after!)

I do have a back-up pack of The Face Shop Herb Day Cleansing Wipes for my vanity, just in case I run out. I do like this, and I've repurchased this over and over.

Nivea Philippines has recently released its line of make-up wipes and I decided to pick up a pack to try because I've read so many good reviews, particularly on the Gentle Facial Cleansing Wipes. (Marj Sia raved about it here and I super trust her opinion :) ) Could this possibly be a replacement for my beloved Neutrogena wipes? We shall see!

The last item is the Pond's Cold Cream. Before I discovered the wonders of the Shu Uemura cleansing oil, I used this to remove my make-up. This is a thick cream that you put on your face, massage in, then wipe off using tissue. It did work pretty well, but then I discovered the Shu Uemura cleansing oil. Looking back, the entire make-up removing process using this was tideous - it took so much massaging, and wiping with tissue. By the end of it all, you more or less ended up with a mountain of grimy, slimy, tissue on your sink. Ech. I'm telling you again, once you've tried cleansing oils, you will never go back!

This must have been very boring for most of you, so if you've reached this point, CONGRATS! And I love you for it. :)

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