NEW LOVES: Too Faced La Creme Lipsticks

These lipsticks did not disappoint. This is my first time trying out any products from Too Faced and the minute I put these on, they're an instant favorite. Love!

Too Faced describes this as a creamy, color drenched lipstick that is hydrating, soothing, and conditioning. It is vegan friendly and Paraben free.

I noticed that there's a trend now for gold tube lippies. I like the matte finish on the La Creme packaging because you wouldn't have to worry about it getting scratches, specially when you're carrying it around your purse. One thing I'm most pleased about is that the cap closes off tightly so it's really travel (and purse) friendly. It has a nice weight to it, like a YSL lipstick; it feels really luxe.

The colors I chose were more on the everyday type because I needed such in my arsenal. To non makeup addicts these may look pretty much the same but to me it just gave my lipstick collection a lot of variety. And it seemed like the perfect formulation for everyday wear because it felt really moisturizing. It feels very comfortable on my lips specially during application. Speaking of application, it glided on so smoothly like butter. It was love at first swipe! It delivered an even coat with one swipe and the pigmentation is great for a moisturizing lipstick. Usually with such formulation you'll find the shades too sheer but the La Creme's pigmentation was actually good.

Too Faced doesn't claim this as long-wearing and I do note that it got completely wiped off after eating. Also it has a tendency to settle on the fine lines of your lips though it's not that noticeable.

I know, I know.. It all looks the same. These are the types of shades that I love!

NAUGHTY NUDE

Naughty Nude is a chestnut shade. I noticed it slips and slides on my lips. And since it's a light color, it is quite noticeable. I suggest not pressing your lips too much to avoid color migration. When I first saw this on the store, I was certain it won't look good on me; it looked too ashy for me. But I'm glad I took the risk. I finally found the perfect nude for my skin tone. This didn't wash me out.

SPICE SPICE BABY

Spice Spice Baby is a pinky brown lipstick. This shade is the perfect color for my pigmented lips. It's definitely my MLBB ("my lips but better") lipstick. My lips are this shade naturally and wearing this lipstick did not look like I was wearing anything at all. It does not emphasize dry patches on the lips, which, by the way is consistent across the four shades I own.

CINNAMON KISS

Cinnamon Kiss is a spiced brown shade. It looks very similar with Sweet Maple on the photos. The latter is actually darker in person. Cinammon Kiss has more mauvish pink tones in it.

SWEET MAPLE

Sweet Maple is a plum brown shade. And the plum tones are more apparent if you look at the lippy in actual. It is the darkest of the four shades I have but it's not overpowering when you wear it. It still looks natural and wearable.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

I think everyone will find a shade that will suit them. These are one of the best lipstick formulations I've ever tried and I wouldn't think twice of getting all the shades. Ehem. That's the hoarder in me talking. It was so soothing on the lips even after swiping and removing it for the purpose of this review. I really love them and I can't wait to get more!

xx,

Thea

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My thoughts: Benefit Gimme Brow and a Comparison with MAC Brow Set

Benefit Gimme Brow

I am a brow conscious freak and I have a nasty habit of over plucking my brows. Some days I find myself looking into a magnifying mirror, plucking away stray hairs thinking ooh, this looks so much better. And then I pull out from the mirror and realize how crappy it looks. I know all of us had horror stories like this.

My brows are that one thing that really frustrates me. Up until now I still haven't found that routine to perfect the shape and look of it.

Benefit Gimme Brow

Benefit says this product is water resistant, long-wearing, natural-looking, and buildable. It is a brush on fiber gel for the brows. Basically this will help in grooming your brows, making the hair stay in place, and giving it a tint. It comes in only 2 shades which I thought was very limiting.

Benefit Gimme Brow

I got mine in light/medium. The other shade was obviously too dark for me, specially because I had my hair colored to a lighter shade. I wish Benefit would come up with a broader color range. Brow gels are kinda tricky because you have to take into consideration your hair color. I like how light the shade is but it turned out looking ashy on my brows.

Besides the color range, I love everything about this product. The itsy bitsy brush head is perfect and makes it really easy for me to go back and forth, coating all the strands. I'm usually apprehensive with brow gels because of my experience with the MAC brow sets but this one wasn't intimidating to use. It applied evenly and left my brows tamed but not flat. Many have claimed it as volumizing but I haven't really noticed that.

MAC Brow Set vs. Benefit Gimme Brow

MAC Brow Set and Benefit Giime Brow

My first brow gel was the MAC brow set. Size wise, MAC takes the cake. I wish the Gimme Brow was this big. The two are very different not just in the amount of product. The brush head shape and size differences are very notable, as well as the color range.

For me, I like Benefit's brush better compared to MAC's. In my experience, the tapered brush makes it easier to get to the inner part of the brows and easier to coat the tiny hairs. Application of the Brow Set was quite difficult for me. It always looked uneven and patchy. The brush packed on too much product which makes it feel thick on my brows. I know you can just rub the excess off on a paper towel but isn't it just a waste? 

However, what I do love about MAC's brow set is that the shade makes the brows look multidimensional because of the flecks of shimmer. Whereas the Gimme Brow is just matte.

Final Thoughts:

Benefit was on point when they described this product. It looked natural, and lasted all day on my brows even when I was sweating. Applying it was really fuss free and easy. Even though it deposited an extra amount of product on the wand, it applied evenly thus eliminating product wastage. It held my brow hairs in place and made it look really neat. What I'd love to see is more color variety and more than just 3.0g of product.

xx,

Thea

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FIRST IMPRESSION: YSL Palette Parisian Nite in Rue De Babylone Radiant Blush

YSL Palette Parisian Nite in Rue De Babylone

It's so beautiful!! And it's Asia exclusive for YSL's Holiday 2013 Collection. <3

Where do I begin?! Okay okay. Let me calm down for a bit..

YSL Palette Parisian Nite in Rue De Babylon

This limited edition blush palette features two shades that are cool toned; one is matte, and the inner part (heart) is satin, I believe. While I was engaging a stare down contest with this beauty, the pink heart seemed like an overspray. I'm not ready to dig it up yet, I'll guess I'll find out after a few uses of this. It smells like a dainty perfume, not at all irritating for those of you who are quite sensitive to scents. It is beautifully encased in YSL's signature gold packaging with it's logo imprinted all over the cover. The top part feels like a rubbery sticker. Surprisingly, and quite disappointingly, it didn't come with a black velvet-ish pouch.

YSL Parisian Nite in Rue De Babylone

When I first saw this in Singapore, I was hesitant to get it mainly because of the cool toned blush. But after 2 sleepless nights, I caved. I realized I couldn't pass it up, specially because it's a LE. I'm a sucker.

Don't let the undertone of this blush fool you. It suits my skin well. I have warm undertones and I'm not exactly fair, I'm morena (tanned), but it looks good against my skin and it showed up pretty well. The texture is so fine and felt smooth, easily blends and is buildable.

Blush when worn under natural lighting

Blush when worn under artificial lighting

It looks quite natural on the skin. As I looked at it under a 12x magnifying mirror, you could see specks of shimmer which probably comes from the pink heart. But when looking at it on a normal mirror, you could barely see it, it looks more matte. On the pan, the pink heart looks a bit shimmery. When swatched, it appeared like it's a satin finish.

Left: Inner blush, Right: Outer blush

For longevity, I've yet to test that out. As I'm writing this post, it's been about 3.5 hours since I applied it and I'd say 85% of it is still on. I guess this is where it will fail me.

It's my first time trying out YSL's blush and I've completely fallen in love. I hope such formulation translates throughout their permanent blush line. Though I was hesitant about the shade, I think it was worth the jump (and the splurge). It gave my cheeks a certain glow; it is sweet and girly. Not exactly my type but after seeing it against my skin, I'm starting to like cotton candy pink blushes. I'm so glad I came back for this, and that it was still in stock when I got there. These things usually sell out like pancakes.

YSL Palette Parisian Nite in Rue De Babylone

YSL Palette Parisian Nite in Rue De Babylone

I'm so glad I had the time to put this first impression out before December comes in. I hope this helps you out in deciding whether it's worth it or not. This is me telling you, BUY IT.

xx,

Thea

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REVIEW: Dr. Jart Water Fuse BB (Beauty Balm) SPF 25

Price: $34.00, 50mL
          Php1,975.00 at Marionnaud Mall of Asia
Bought at: www.Sephora.com

Dr. Jart Water Fuse Beauty Balm SPF 25

The Dr. Jart BB range has become one of the most popular brands in Asia, specially in Korea. It is said to be a one-step skin perfecting balm that minimizes the need for foundation or concealer. It features a unique water bead formula which helps hydrate the skin, leaving tiny droplets of water once it's applied. It is then absorbed, leaving the skin moisturized and looking dewy. It is oil-free and has SPF 25. Like most BB creams, it comes in only one universal shade.

Dr. Jart beauty balms has lots of variants; they have CC balms and BB's that are targeted towards skin renewal. I chose the Water Fuse BB because it claims to be made of 50% water. Water is always good, right? It has actually been in the market for a while but I haven't noticed it getting a lot of hype in the Philippines. Although I bought this at an international online site, it has been made available to the Philippines about 2 years ago.

Dr. Jart Water Fuse Beauty Balm SPF 25

Packaging

Dr. Jart Water Fuse BB Balm comes in a simply designed, squeezable tube. Really convenient to carry around and the cap doesn't seem to budge so it would be safe to put inside your purse. My concern about the packaging though is that, like most squeezable tubes, it can be quite hard to get the products out specially if you've used up more than half of it. Nonetheless, the size is just right to fit our kikay kit.

Dr. Jart Water Fuse Beauty Balm SPF 25

Consistency and Color

The consistency is quite thick which is expected as it claims to cover up blemishes. But it was quite ironic too since, as mentioned above, half of it is made of water. So you would think that it can be quite runny. I was worried about the color when I saw it. It looked quite grayish right from the tube. Fair skinned people wouldn't be so apprehensive with this. This is the usual problem with most BB creams; we don't really have a choice. I have quite warm tones to my skin and I admit I was on the fence when I saw it swatched against my hand.

The camera didn't pick up on the grayish tones so you may not notice it in my swatch photo below.

Dr. Jart Water Fuse Beauty Balm SPF 25

Application and Wear

I used a MAC 187 brush to apply the product onto my skin. The reason I used this brush is because I feel like this will help thin out the product upon application. If you're like me who doesn't want a lot of coverage, then this is the way to go. It was a bit stiff to work with. However, using circular motions with the brush will help it blend easily. 

The color blended in with my skin quite surprisingly. It didn't leave a ghastly cast considering it has quite a grayish tint. It covered up redness on my skin and gave it an even finish. What I like is that if felt lightweight and didn't cling to dry skin around my nose. I noticed I was quite shiny on the t-zone a few hours into wear. A shine that is more than the dewy look.

Longevity

The product doesn't claim to be long wearing. I noticed it faded on the areas where I was sweating; like on the top of my upper lip, on the temples, and on my forehead.

Final Recommendations

People with oily skin may suffer from too much shine from this product. Great for people with normal to dry skin. The sun protection feature makes it a great all in one product. I would recommend this for those who are always on the run and wants a fuss free, one-step makeup, as it is a skincare product too.

Before (left) and After (right) using Dr. Jart Water Fuse Beauty Balm SPF 25

xx,

Thea

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Review: The Face Shop False Eyelashes

Price: Php115.00

Bought at: The Face Shop, SM Ecoland

The Face Shop Eyelashes

If I wouldn't be getting weird stares from people, I would be wearing falsies everyday. I just love how it pulls a whole look together; whether you're sporting full on eye makeup, or just a little bit of crease work and a bold lip.

I got these when I was bored and my hands were twitching to buy something. #hoarderproblems. :) I admit I'm the type to steer towards high end beauty brands. But let's be real, buying expensive lashes isn't really practical.

The Face Shop Eyelashes #09

The #09's has a transparent band. This is my favorite style out of the three. From end to end, the length of the lashes were the same. Not having the usual flare at the outer end made it look really natural. Quite sophisticated, no?

The Face Shop Eyelashes #01

The #01's has more length in the middle part which makes the eyes open up a lot. I love how thin the lashes look making it suitable for a simple, everyday makeup look.

The Face Shop Eyelashes #10

Please bear with the unevenness of the application above. It was my first time trying out individual lashes. :) Also, I curled the lashes on the left and I let the lashes on the right just as it is. I noticed it looked better when they're not curled because the left just looks wonky. I wish the #10's had smaller individual lashes rather than all of it being of the same length so that it would look a lot more natural on the inner parts of our eyes.

Judging from the style numbers of the lashes, I know the brand has a variety of lash styles but these were the only ones available at the store I went to. I wanted to get more information as to the type of material they used specially for the hair but surprisingly I couldn't find any information on their international site. Actually, they're lashes weren't even on their product list. Awkward.

The lash band on their lashes is quite thin, making it unnecessary to put on a thick eyeliner as a base. As we have observed, Asian eyes are mostly hooded. Having a lash that has a thick band will only make it more difficult for us to achieve that open eyed look. The lashes felt light weight on the eyes and it looked pretty natural, to my surprise.

Final Recommendations:

The Face Shop did an awesome job designing their lashes to suit most Asian eyes. They're not overly long and not too much volume either. In addition, I did not have to cut too much off of the lash band to make it fit me and not poke myself. I think their lashes will also work well across different eye shapes and sizes.

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Review: Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation SPF15

1 FL.OZ/30 mL
Price: Php 2, 900.00

Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation SPF15

My mom got this for me in her recent trip to Rustan’s. Oh the perks of being spoiled. Kidding. I don’t really wear foundation on a daily basis; in fact, I don’t wear any type of face makeup when I feel like it’s going to be an “ordinary” day. i.e: house – office – house. One of the reasons why is because I easily feel heavy faced (uh? Is there such a term?) or that I easily get uncomfortable when I feel like I have too much product on. But this one didn't make me too conscious with that at all.

Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation SPF15

This foundation comes in a glass container with a pump. Love that. However, when I dispensed the product onto the back of my hand, the foundation got all over my shirt! I was wearing white that day and was about to leave the house. Bummer. I don’t know if I got an odd bottle but the pump spurts. And since it’s a water based foundation, it is quite runny so be careful with that too.

Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation SPF15

I have normal to dry skin. It didn't make me oily at the t-zone even after 5 hours of wear, but, (uh-oh) this has a tendency to cling to dry patches. I was fidgeting all day not to poke at the dry skin around my nose because it looked so annoying whenever I look in the mirror!

Note that I didn't use any primer nor setting powder when I was testing this product.

Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation SPF15 with RT Expert Face Brush

Product application was such a breeze! It easily blended into my skin, didn't leave any streaks, and best of all, it felt really nice. It's as if I wasn't wearing any foundation at all. It would've been perfect if it hadn't emphasized dry patches on my skin. So ladies (and gents), exfoliate if you must.

I used a Real Techniques Expert Face Brush with this. I recommend using a brush rather than a sponge for this type of formulation. Let's not forget it's a water based foundation, so using a sponge will just absorb all of the product in.

Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation SPF15

I noticed I could still see a bit of redness on my cheeks; I'd say it's a light coverage foundation. If you're someone who has a lot of redness or pigmentation on your face and you want to completely neutralize your skin, this foundation is not for you. In the "before and after" picture below, the foundation color is a perfect match for my skin. However, at the end of the day I noticed that this product oxidized, A LOT. My friends kept telling me how I seemed to have gotten darker. Also, when we were taking photos, my face looked really dark. No exaggeration here because those pictures were taken in a studio set-up with all the lights and flash photography; so be on the lookout for that as well.

Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation SPF15

As for longevity, I noticed a bit of fading around the sides of my nose 6 hours into wearing the product; a deviation from what Bobbi Brown claims as "long-wearing". I suggest touching up or using a setting powder.


Final Recommendations:

Out of all the liquid foundations I've been trying out lately, this is my favorite in terms of the feel of it on my skin. I almost forgot I was wearing foundation because of how comfortable and lightweight it felt. Also, it made my skin look fresh, but not for long. My main concern is that it oxidizes and that it emphasized dull areas. I feel that this would work best for those who have little to no blemishes since it has quite a thin formula. But it's definitely ideal for everyday wear.

As for the price point, I know most would find this quite expensive. For a light coverage foundation, it is. I love that it has SPF15, and how natural it looks. But I feel like this product was made for those with almost perfect skin: Non-acidic, close to zero blemishes, no dry patches..etc. But who has that?I wish I could say "me!" xx, Thea.

Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation SPF15

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