Monday, May 29, 2017

Shine Your Most Beautiful with These Sephora Finds

 Hello loves!

Okay. I just had a great week! 

I got compliments about my makeup from officemates and acquaintances literally everyday! What's the difference now from before? Well... I had a bit of help from a few lovely, shiny things...

TADAAA! 
Check out these gorgeous-looking highlighters!


What's with all these highlighters, you ask? 
Why did I suddenly became a fan of these products? 

If you've been following this blog, I might have mentioned a few times how much I stayed away from shimmery, shiny blushes and highlighters because of my oily skin. I didn't want more shine on my face. But one day, I got an email from Sephora asking to collaborate with our blog. They offered to let us try out some of their highlighters. They provided a voucher with a certain amount and gave me the opportunity to select which ones I'd like to use and write about. This made me super excited and went to their website as soon as I could. 

There were several choices to choose from and it made deciding very difficult because I genuinely find so many of them interesting. After writing a pros and cons list, I decided to get three products that even though they are all highlighters, they'll give different effects on my face. 


My first choice was the 
Too Faced Love Light Prismatic Highlighter 
in "You Light Up My Life." 
PhP 1,700.00

Product info from the website:

What it is:
A heart-shaped highlighter with a silky smooth texture that allows for a buildable pearl radiance.

What it does:
Using an exclusive liquid-to-powder formula, Love Light takes the best of powder, liquid, baked, and cream formulas to create unparalleled colour payoff for a pearl radiance and silky smooth texture. It features a luminosity boosting agent and high pearl consistency that instantly brightens. Its radiant pearl finish in universal shades imparts a flattering glow and an eye-catching, metallic shine.

What else you need to know:
This product is formulated without parabens, sulfates, phthalates.

Ingredients: Mica, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, HDI/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Squalane, Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Caprylyl Glycol, Chondrus Crispus Powder, Dicalcium Phosphate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-di-t-butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Polysorbate 20, Silica, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Tin Oxide, Xanthan Gum, Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891).

How to Use
  • For a natural looking highlight, use the Mr. Right Brush to sweep lightly onto skin.
  • For a more intense highlight, use the Flatbuki Brush to apply to targeted areas (tops of cheekbones, browbones).
  • For fair to medium skin tones, try white and rose gold.
  • For medium to deep skin tones, try rose gold and gold.

I won't lie, the biggest reason why I chose this is because of how pretty it is! It reminds me of Sailormoon, one of the animes I watched growing up. 


There are three shades available and I chose the gold one because it's so attractive! And I feel like it will look great on my warm skin. I also think that it suits the current summer season in the Philippines.



The packaging looks GORGEOUS! It looks like a golden pendant. The metallic, heart-shaped compact with an embossed logo of the brand is so striking that it makes a great statement piece on my makeup stash. When you open the compact, you'll see the beautiful gem-like shape of the highlighter. It's like makeup royalty! 

It's equipped with a mirror and I wouldn't say it's bulky since the space it occupies is pretty much the same as other blushes. I, however, do not think I would carry this around my vanity bag just because I don't want to damage it's beauty. Haha!

Check out the swatches! On the left is my swatch on hand, on the right is the product applied on the upper part of my cheekbone.


It's very pigmented for my liking so I try to control the amount of product I put on. It reminds me a lot of an eyeshadow to be honest (I actually use this as eyeshadow). The very warm gold color is buildable so I apply a subtle amount and build it up until I'm satisfied. It looks great on my warm skin tone and it works best when I pair it with peach blushes. I find the consistency a little powdery and some of the shimmers can be chunky, but I think that adds to the charm of it, especially if I'm going for a golden royalty look (because that's the impression I get when I first saw this).

Now, let's go to a cooler shade with this equally beautifully packaged highlighter...

PhP 1,943.00

Info from the website:

What it is:
A creamy, highlighting powder with duo-chrome pigments that capture the light and transform with your every move.

What it does:
Get a prismatic glow in any light with this limited-edition Shimmering Skin Perfector® Pressed Highlighter. It’s enriched with colour-shifting pigments that reflect and refract light for a multi-faceted, holographic effect. Infused with pale gold, violet, and rose pearls, Prismatic Amethyst creates a chic, iridescent sheen that changes as you move. Unlike traditional pressed powders, this one-of-a-kind formula blends pigments with liquids, to create an unparalleled, creamy feel that applies seamlessly, feels silky on the skin, and never cakes.

What else you need to know:
This product is formulated without parabens and sulfates.
Ingredients: Talc, Mica, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Isostearyl Alcohol, Petrolatum, Silica, Boron Nitride, Nylon-12, HDI/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Dimethicone, Magnesium Stearate, Polyethylene, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Paraffin, Cera Microcristallina (Microcrystalline Wax/Cire Microcristalline), Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Polyethylene Terephthalate, Acrylates Copolymer, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Potassium Sorbate, Tetrasodium EDTA, Chlorphenesin, Tin Oxide, CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide), CI 77491 (Iron Oxides), CI 75470 (Carmine).

How to Use
  • Sweep across the high points of your face that would naturally catch the light, like cheekbones, browbones, the Cupid's bow.
  • Top off your favorite gloss for a prismatic lip finish.
  • Use over your favorite eyeshadow for a multi-dimensional look.
  • Use as a liquid eyeliner by dipping a liner brush in water, then the powder.


I just fell in love with the shade. At first I thought it was just a shimmery silver color but as I checked for swatches, it's actually a prismatic pink-purple shade and my thought was, "I MUST HAVE IT!" 

One thing that easily convinced me to get it is how popular the brand BECCA is in terms of their face color makeup. I have use some of their cheek makeup and I love them so much that adding a new product from them is something I look forward to. Since it is limited edition, I quickly grabbed the opportunity and added it into the shopping cart.


The packaging is the usual design of the brand's blushes and highlighters. Liz commented that it reminds her of a U.F.O., and I agree! Haha! It looks sleek and I like the combination of the metallic lilac (or is it lavender?) and the silver with the engraved brand logo. It's also equipped with a mirror.


When you open it, you'll find a beautifully sculpted highlighter. It looks like a gem as well! Like an uncut precious stone. I didn't even want to touch it so that it would not get ruin. But I must so that I could see these beautiful swatches:

I love the soft prismatic light purple color—like amethyst! This is also buildable so you can apply and apply until you get that shine you like. It is also pigmented so be careful how much you apply. I like it subtle when I go to work, but I add a little more when I go out with friends, especially during the evening! 

The contradiction of the cool shade of lavender and pink on my warm skin looks awesome. The color gives me a soft glow. I feel like an ethereal being... like an elf from middle earth! 

I was able to snap a pic somewhere around lunch time. I've been wearing the highlighter after five hours along with the rest of my makeup. The shine still looks gorgeous! 

No wonder BECCA highlighters have been raved by so many bloggers and makeup enthusiasts. It's soft and smooth but can be a bit chalky. At least when applied, it looks very smooth and it can last a long, long time, even the whole day on my oily skin. 

This is the highlighter I used when most of my officemates, even my bosses, complimented my makeup. I was also wearing this when an acquaintance said she loved my look. I guess highlighters with unusual colors really catch the eyes of people in a good way. Good thing I was able to snag this palette from Zoeva because it lets me try more colored highlighters...

PhP 1,500.00

Info from the website:

What it is:
A set of four pearlescent highlighting shades with duo-chrome finishes.

What it does:
ZOEVA Spring Strobe Spectrum Palette envelopes the skin in a vivid burst of sparkling colours like rays of sunlight shimmering through delicate dew drops. The highly blendable, pearlescent highlighting shades come in eye-catching duo chrome finishes—fresh green, bright blue, vigorous pink, and sunny yellow—to illuminate the face with velvety pigment and texture for a crisp, mesmerising glow as pure as a spring morning. The formula is enriched with nourishing vitamin E to encourage a healthy glow from the inside, out.

What else you need to know:
This product is formulated without parabens, mineral oils, phthalates, and fragrance.

Ingredients: Talc, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Mica (Ci 77019), Silica, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cyclopentasiloxane, Magnesium Stearate, Dimethicone, Cera Alba (Beeswax), Phenoxyethanol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Dehydroacetic Acid, Tin Oxide, Pronus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil, [May Contain. +/- CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide)]. // SP030: Mica (Ci 77019), Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Talc, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cyclopentasiloxane, Magnesium Stearate, Dimethicone, Tin Oxide, Cera Alba (Beeswax), Phenoxyethanol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Dehydroacetic Acid, Pronus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil, [May Contain. +/- CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide), CI 77499 (Iron Oxides), CI 77491 (Iron Oxides), CI 77492 (Iron Oxides)]. // SP020, SP040: Mica (Ci 77019), Talc, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cyclopentasiloxane, Magnesium Stearate, Dimethicone, Tin Oxide, Cera Alba (Beeswax), Phenoxyethanol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Dehydroacetic Acid, Pronus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil, [May Contain. +/- CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide)].

How to Use
Pick your shade and use a highlight brush to softly blend over any area of the face that would naturally catch the light, like cheekbones, brow bones, and Cupid's bow.


The packaging looks and feels classy. The texture of the package is velvety and it's matte which adds to the elegant feel along with the engraved gold fonts. It's slim so it's easy to carry around and it doesn't take up much space in the makeup kit.


The truth is, this was the least product I was excited about. It's because I barely know much about Zoeva's makeup products. I know how great their brushes are because my sister owns them, but I haven't had the opportunity to read up on reviews of their makeup. The reason I still chose this is because of the color selections. I got curious what a green highlighter would look on me and among the three palettes from this range, I find the spring one the most unique. 


It has pink, green, yellow, and blue shades. I didn't know if I should be excited or worry if the colors would even suit my skin tone. Haha! But the artist in me loves the bold shades so into the cart it went and now I have the palette to enjoy these amazing colors:

See those beautiful spring colors??? As soon as I swatched them, I fell in LOVE!

Among the products I received, the Zoeva ones are the smoothest and least chalky. The effect was luminous but the pigmentation was bold and on point. What's best is that every single color looks AMAZING! See the photos below.

Here I'm using the pink one

Here's the green one


BLUE! My favorite among the bunch.
I was in a salon to get a haircut and my stylist loved my makeup. :)

And finally, the yellow!

I think the yellow and pink ones are pretty safe while the green and blue are pretty adventurous. The pearlescent finish makes my skin glow beautifully. Whenever I turn or tilt my head, you get to see a pop of color shine on my face. It certainly catches the attention of people around you.


Every color looks great that this palette easily became a favorite in my makeup collection. They are also buildable so you can play with your look however you want. I'm thinking of mixing them up and see how they look. Maybe I'll post an instagram picture when the results are pleasing. :)

I'm so happy with all three products. It's been a while since I was this giddy in trying out new makeup. If I knew how much fun highlighters are, I wouldn't have stayed away from it. Now everyday is shiny and bright because of the beautiful glow that these products give me as it highlights my features and adds more color to my face. I'm glad that Sephora carries all these and makes them readily available for us in a few clicks.


I also got freebies from this order, which makes the purchase even more exciting. 

So do check out these beautiful finds at SephoraPH and try them out yourself. I'm sure you'll love them as much as I did. Maybe you'll discover a different product that's also a must-try from the dozens of highlighters and illuminators you can choose from. 

If you do get to try other products and love them, do give me a heads up because I'm ready for my next adventure with highlighters!


Cheers,
DAWN


Disclaimer: We were provided vouchers for this post, meaning we didn't purchase them using our own money. However, all the thoughts I have on the products included are all honest reviews and were not influenced by other parties.

Wednesday, May 24, 2017

By Terry Baume de Rose Nutri-Couleur in 3 Cherry Bomb

Hello lovely people!

About three weeks ago, I shared a post regarding a product from By Terry (link). For today, I'll share a swatch of the same product in a different shade...

By Terry Baume de Rose Nutri-Couleur in 3 Cherry Bomb


Product info from the the Mecca website:

A lip-loving, skincare-rich balm that also imparts a beautiful tint to the lips.
Featuring lip-softening rose flower essential wax, conditioning shea butter, free-radical fighting Vitamin E and hydrating filling spheres, this skincare-rich balm nourishes and protects whilst imparting a beautiful satin tint to the lips. Available in a range of shades from neutral nudes to eye-catching reds.

Ingredients
Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Tridecyl Trimellitate, Synthetic Wax, Hydroxystrearic/Linolenic/Oleic Polyglycerides, Diisostearyl Malate, Methyl Hydrogenated Rosinate, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Polyethylene, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Stearalkonium Hectorite, C20-40 Acid, Corylus Avellana (Hazelnut) Seed Oil, Parfum / Fragrance, Tocopherol, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Propylene Carbonate, Geraniol, Rosa Centifolia Flower Wax/ Rosa Centifolia Flower Cera, Rosa Damascena Flower Wax/ Rosa Damascena Flower Cera, Trihydroxypalmitamidohydroxypropyl Myristyl Ether, Citronellol, Citric Acid, Linalool, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Benzyl Benzoate, Butylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Citral, Eugenol, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hexylene Glycol, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, +/- [Ci 77891 / Titanium Dioxide, Ci 15985 / Yellow 6 Lake, Ci 15850 / Red 6, Ci 77491 / Iron Oxides, Ci 77492 / Iron Oxides, Ci 42090 / Blue 1 Lake, Ci 15850 / Red 7, Ci 77499 / Iron Oxides, Ci 45410 / Red 28 Lake]. (T0431/C)


Again, this is a gift from my sister. The first one was a soft pink shade, while this one is red.


What I love about this product is that it's a gloss that works as a lip balm... or I guess it's more accurate to call it a lip balm with a glossy finish!

Check out how it looks on my lips:



It's a translucent gloss that gives a slight red tint. It gives a shiny, healthy look to your lips. It's a great everyday balm that keeps my lips hydrated and soft all day long. I also like the smell so it's a thing I carry around my kikay kit anywhere I go!


And that's all for this post! :)


Cheers,
DAWN


Monday, May 22, 2017

StudioMakeup Soft Blend Eye Shadow in Peach Sorbet

Hi dearies!

I've been wearing this eyeshadow often lately...

StudioMakeup Soft Blend Eye Shadow in Peach Sorbet

I was able to get it for only PhP 218.75 from its original price of PhP 625.00 at Beauty Bar.

If it's not obvious yet, I love peach! And that's what attracted me to get this eyeshadow.


Another thing I like is eyeshadows because that's the part of the makeup process that I can get creative. :)

This is my first eyeshadow from the brand and my initial thought were:

The packaging looks great! It's simple yet classy. I like that you can see the shade from the transparent case.


The eyeshadow is a light peach with shimmers. It looks fun and sweet and great for everyday wear. It's like close to being neutral but not really... you know? :P

Here's the swatch

And below are photos when I wear it with my favorite winged liner:




I love the effect because it instantly brightens my eyes. :)

With the right eyeshadow primer, it can last the whole day on my lids.

What do you think of the StudioMakeup Soft Blend Eye Shadow in Peach Sorbet? :)


Cheers,
DAWN

Saturday, May 20, 2017

Becca Afterglow Palette

Hey loves!

Last year, when I visited my sister to attend her graduation, she got me gifts (and of course I got her some gifts for her special day also)! One of the items I received from her is this...

Becca Afterglow Palette

She knew that the brand doesn't have a physical store yet in the Philippines and that I would love to try out a product from Becca. I've been reading a lot of positive reviews on their highlighters even back then so I was really happy to see that I got a whole palette.

It's not all highlighters though. It's a palette consisting of five different shades. I would describe it as a group of highlighters and blushes, although one of them I use as a contour and one as a bronzer.

See below the photos of the box for some info about the product:

More info from beautylish.com

About Afterglow Palette
Choose from five fan-favorite highlighters and blushes to customize your own natural-looking glow. Designed to add light, lift, and a touch of color, this limited-edition palette includes these BECCA bestsellers:
  • Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Moonstone
  • Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Rose Gold
  • Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Topaz
  • Mineral Blush in Wild Honey
  • Mineral Blush in Flowerchild
Why It's Special
Accentuate your favorite features and add a luminous, natural-looking glow with the three highlighter shades Impart a soft flush of color and subtly reflect light onto the apples of the cheeks with the two mineral blushes
How to Use
Sweep the Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed shades over high points of the face, including cheekbones, brow bone, and the bridge of the nose. Blend the Mineral Blush shades from the apples of your cheeks out to your temples.
Other Details
  • Paraben-free
  • Size: 0.057 oz per shade

The highlighters are described from the Becca website as:



The blushes are described from the Becca website as:


The packaging is great! I love the metallic pink compact equipped with a mirror. Both the length and the with are slim, which makes it perfect for travel! The size of each pan is smaller than I'm used to, but I rarely finish a blush before it expires so I guess this is good. Do try not to use a big brush for your blush or highlight so the pigments won't get mixed.

These are the shades and below are the swatches.


They are all pigmented! None of them are chalky and they glide smoothly on skin. What I love about this palette is that I could use all of them! The first two shades, Moonstone and Rose Gold, looks great as highlighters. Topaz on the other hand, is darker than my complexion so I use it as a bronzer (a very warm one because it has a beautiful golden glow). Honey is also too dark for a blush, but it can double as a contour for me. Finally, Flowerchild looks awesome as a blush! It gives a sweet, romantic flush to my cheeks. 

This is my go-to palette when I'm in a rush because it carries all I need to put color on my face (except the lips, of course). It's also a palette that I bring when I travel. 

Honestly, I couldn't see any bad things from this palette... maybe I could hope that they could put more blush colors next? Haha! I just like this palette very much. :P

Any thoughts on the Becca Afterglow Palette?


Cheers,
DAWN