MAC Lickable [Swatch] ^^

..picked up a couple of things at MAC - ATC a few weeks ago. I was only looking for Pro Longwear Concealer and also the brow set because they were OOS the last time I visited Glorietta. Good thing they opened in Rustan's - ATC, this is much more convenient for me than going to Makati.

..and so of course, I swatched a couple of lippies while my favorite person from MAC - Glorietta, who was transferred to this new MAC ~ I literally "happy-danced" when I saw her! ~, went to find the last piece of concealer in my shade.

MAC Lickable

I fell in love with Lickable ^^ It's a cute shade and it suits my skintone very well ~ I'm NC25, by the way (: It's perfect for everyday use since this is not "in your face" pink and doesn't look weird at all when worn (: As per MAC, this is "bright clean blue pink". Cremesheen, so it's not drying *love*

Lickable is definitely not new and it is not LE, best of all, Lickable is available in the Philippines, but I wasn't looking at pinks the last time I visited them. and I was eyeing the one from NARS then which I hesitated getting as I felt it won't match my skintone and I won't be able to comfortably pull it off.

#toolazytodoanythingtoday.ugh.

Wet 'n' Wild Silk Finish Lipstick Swatches

I spring-cleaned my makeup collection the other day, throwing out old ones and setting aside the ones i barely use as well as the ones I haven't gotten around to using yet - so they'll be ready when someone interested to give them a new home comes by. In order to use everything I have in my collection, I actually do a monthly "makeup rotation". FYI, my makeup collection isn't that big - I'm more of a "skincare" girl and I'm not really into buying makeup these days but I'm happy with what I have FOR NOW ;) 

When I was still testing out shades to know my "best" shades and "safe" shades, Wet N' Wild and NYX were my best pals - and Makeupalley.com. lol :D WnW Silk Finish, in particular, was my favorite line because it is not drying on lips and coverage is usually good. well don't expect them to be long lasting because 1) they are creamy and 2) they are cheap - around $2.50 each :D like I said, they are good for testing out a shade and you can just toss them in the trash if they didn't work, sans guilty conscience ^^ 

My good research skills served me well because these three shades actually worked on me ;)

Wet n' Wild Silk Finish in 521A, 520E and 514A

Just for reference, I am NC25 {MAC}, 520E Hot Paris Pink {pink} and 514A Cherry Frost {red} looked good on me while 521A Fuchsia w/ Blue Pearl {fuchsia}, hmm, not really, but on good days, yes. 520E Hot Paris Pink and similar shades are my everyday go-to pink lipstick shade, they compliment my skintone well :)

521A has blue shimmers while 514A has gold shimmers however no need to be scared wearing these because those shimmers are so tiny - barely noticeable, and look really really good on photos. three swipes to get the kind of intensity as above swatches which only goes to show that these lipsticks are buildable.

These babies are so cheap! 119Php. SM-Watson's carries WnW brand but popular shades are usually OOS. I bought 521A and 520E online for about the same price.

#lunchtime :*

NARS Hot Pink Lipsticks [Swatches]

Please bear with me and my quickie posts. I've been running around like crazy these days because I was stupid enough to accept another part-time work when I already have enough on my plate. Oh well, I shouldn't complain. More work means more $$$ yes? ^^

Anyway, may I entertain you with some NARS hot pink lippie swatches this morning? I'm torn between Schiap and Carthage. What do you think? Funny Face is deeper, leaning towards red, Schiap is a cult favorite and a true hot pink (both are semi-mattes) while Carthage, a pure matte, is quite coral-ly to me which I like. There beside Schiap is a dab of NYX Addis Ababa just for comparison. Is it a dupe? Maybe. But I find NYX soft mattes too drying on lips so I'm not picking NYX up even if the shade is gorgeous.

NYX Addis Ababa, NARS Funny Face, NARS Schiap, NARS Carthage

These are all available in the Philippines. I swatched this at Rustan's Alabang Town Center. NYX Addis Ababa is available at Pop Culture [2nd floor, beside food court] 300Php a piece. NARS pure mattes will set you back 1,450Php while semi-mattes for 1,250Php

#timetogonowbye :*

Mood Matchy Matchy: Fran Wilson Mood Matcher 12 hr Lip Color Review

Fran Wilson Moodmatcher lipstick, you made it worth my mad-dashing to ATC last Monday! lol :D

My BFF is a self-confessed magic lipstick girl while I, I don't know, I just didn't take them seriously maybe because they reminded me of all those Barbie "lipsticks" I tantrum-ed for when I was a kid ~ pretty but useless. lol :D

but you know how endless harping and praising by your BESTFRIEND could get you to, at least, be curious about something right? So when this appeared on my Instagram newsfeed ~ posted by Beauty bar Philippines, I got curious and checked it out on makeupalley (where honest ratings of  makeup-loving ladies go) Whoa! It's 4.7 out of 5. Impressive!   

According to site, its strongest point would be its lasting power, 12 hours as claimed. I think there are 10 different colors to choose from, which are all available at Beauty Bar - ATC! Yey! The most popular ones are red and green. I got orange because according to their website, it turns to *shades of coral*. not on my lips though. it turned magenta-ish on me. lol. not a color spectrum I expected but it was nice. :)

Fran Wilson Mood Matcher 12 hr Lip Color in Orange 195Php

You see, that's the fun part of using magic lippies, you just don't know what you'll be sporting next. One time, I sported a BRIGHT PINK from the same stick. lol :D it was funny. :D

as for the staying power, YES, it stayed on my lips for a long time but definitely not STRONG 12 hours! partly because it's more of a tint (minus the dryness if you use regular tints like Benetint or Tony Moly Cherry tint) than a regular lipstick (say, Revlon lippies?) It feels like gloss on lips but it stains ~ so all good there. Another thing to consider is that it fades on "wetter" areas while the "drier" areas of your lips stay true to its "chosen color of the day". then the faded areas turn to yet another color/shade that it is possible to end with ombre lips if you don't check frequently enough. The plus side though is that it looks really natural on lips so if you end up with ombre lips, people would just assume you have "natural" ombre lips. lol. just kidding :) please do check once in a while. the stick is as fickle minded as me when it comes to color of the day :)

It has a funny smell ~ uhm, "granny lippy" smell? but its tolerable. to take this off, you will need an oil based makeup remover. your plain ol' tissue doesn't stand a chance as it really really REALLY stains the lips. :)

not drying at all which I love, love, love! can withstand eating and drinking. doesn't transfer *hubby approves*

hmm.. what else? ahh, 195Php for a stick. Beauty Bar Philippines has them online and instore. They also come in a box ~ not sure how many inside though ~ which is a little under 1k. Perfect if you are thinking of buying several for friends, etc.

Packaging is a little *bleh*, it looks flimsy but it is sturdy enough to be carried around. and it locks when you put the cap back on so this baby is safe when inside your bag. Careful with the cap as the stick doesn't go all the way down.

Last words? Fun. Natural looking. Cheap. Fun *again* lol :D

#willgetmatchingmoodring.lol :D

Perfect Lippie Project: N.Y.C. New York Color Ultra Last Lip Wear 405B Blue Rose

I think I found my perfect pink. This. Is. The. One. :)

N.Y.C. New York Color Ultra Last Lip Wear 405B Blue Rose is a really nice fuchsia lipstick with blue undertones. The perfect blue-pink lipstick for me! It has the right amount of pink and blue in it that successfully brightened up my face without coming across as obscene - and even without sleep on my part. lol. What sealed the deal for me was the creaminess of the lippie and yet it settles into an almost matte finish once applied. I was amazed how easy it is to apply considering that it is cheap. One could wear it without a lipliner since it doesn't move around like other creamy lippies do. lol.  It glides, it doesn't tug  or drag and it doesn't emphasize the lines on my lips. Coverage is good too. Didn't chap my lips even without balm over or underneath. It fades evenly, not disappear lip area by lip area, which is good :)

Packaging is sturdy enough for me to confidently let it stay inside my bag along with my valuables. Cap stays put as there are locks on its sides.

There are tiny blue shimmers on tube but it barely shows on lips. as I told earlier, it looks almost matte on lips. I honestly think Barbie would approve!

N.Y.C. New York Color Ultra Last Lip Wear 405B Blue Rose

Okay the cons. 

Doesn't retract all the way down so the top is always peeking. If you're not careful when putting back the cap, you'll surely ruin the stick. Also, while it belongs to the ultra last line, I'm not sure about the "long wear" part. I chew my lips absentmindedly so I'm not really expecting lippies to survive but it sure would be nice if they do.

Another thing to consider would be its availability. I ordered mine online and waited 2 long months - gahhh, just imagine the wait!! I paid 260Php for it and yeah, it's worth the wait. :)

Something's telling me this one will stay inside my bag for a long, loooong time :)

#pinkislove.

Revlon Coral Lippies + Careline Lipgloss Swatches

Reds..check. Pinks..check. Blue-reds..check.

Okay, I think it's time for corals naman. or something orangey. I already have an orange tint from Etude House but I want a lippie so I've been swatching like crazy once again. lol :D

Here below are some swatches of coral lippies from Revlon, available locally. Oh and that Careline lipgloss which is orange in tube but almost colorless when applied. ;)

Coral Berry looks lovely, methinks. but it's reddish and I want ORANGE - I'm 80% want it but still contemplating if I should buy it. Siren has tiny sparkles which I don't like and Kiss Me Coral is a little bit too strong for an orange. Tutti Frutti naman could pass as a balm than a lippie. lol :D I was actually looking for Rendezvous balm stain but it's nowhere to be found so I guess I'll be ordering it online :((

Help me decide?

#girldilemmas

Perfect Lippie Project: Wet N Wild Silk Finish Lipstick in 514A Cherry Frost

So who wants juicy lips? 

Here is a lipstick that made my lips look so much juicier and yeah, fuller *methinks*

Wet N Wild Silk Finish Lipstick in 514A Cherry Frost is crazy pigmented, color payoff is really amazing and it is quite true to its tube color. The swatch below is just one swipe, I don't think I'll need more.

Wet N Wild Silk Finish Lipstick in 514A Cherry Frost 

I bought this for 119Php at SM Southmall. I was looking for Wet 'n' Wild #521A Fuschia w/ Blue Pearl but it was OOS so I just picked this up since its swatches looked good. I wasn't expecting it to be THIS red and I kinda like it. It's my kind of red ;)

This is not a long wearing one, but it's a dream to apply and it stains a bit.

Anyway, WHAT I DON'T LIKE about this product is the packaging. This was the last 514A and I didn't like the other colors available so I took and paid for this even if the cap has a tiny crack :( Also the lipstick itself doesn't go all the way down as seen above, top middle photo, which is very hazardous to clumsy ladies like me. lol :D Just be careful when replacing the cap so you won't mess up the lippie, or if you own a lip brush, might as well, depot ;)

Cherry Frost on me :)

#mustlovered.

A "What's in My Makeup Bag" Post

..err, i think that should be "pouch", not bag. Bag sounds too big for my makeup things. lol :D

Anyway, I'm going to do a really short "makeup bag" post just to amuse my friends who constantly raid my bag - that's what girlfriends do right? This is my on-the-go, everyday makeup pouch and I think I'm only missing my eye brushes here - which may have been mistakenly placed in my other makeup BAG - yeah, she deserves to be called as bag since her size justifies it. ^^

Note that I don't usually bring with me stuff that I'd hate to lose. I'm pretty much known for losing my things when I'm out especially when with the baby. So here it is, the things that made it to my "makeup bag":

E.L.F. Eyelash Curler
Tony Moly Backstage gel liner #11 Diva Gray
Beauty Credit Lovely Eye Color in Hot Pink
Kiehl's Marvelous Mineral Mascara
Etude House Line Nuance Duo #3 Miss Coral and Cubic Pink
Etude House Soft Touch Auto Lipliner 4 Real Rose
Ever Bilena Advance Perfect Eye Concealer C01 Light
NYX Matte Lipstick in Merlot
NYX Round Lipstick in Spellbound
Alba Botanica Terra Tint SPF8 in Blaze
Maybelline Clear Smooth Minerals BB Cream
In2It Eyebrow powder
Tony Moly Tony LIP/CHEEK Tint #02 Red Apple

The green mesh pouch, I got as a freebie when I bought Garnier's eye cream (i think?) which unfortunately, didn't work for me. Oh well, at least I got something out of that purchase. lol :D There's an insert in the photo showing how the pouch was able to fit everything perfectly and as fickle-minded as I am, the mesh-part helps a lot when I want to replace a product or two in there.

so there, I hope you enjoyed this post as well. Have a nice day everyone!

#lunch@3pm :(

Perfect Lippie Shade Project: NYX Round Lipstick in Spellbound

I'll make this one short as I still have lots of things to do - as today is Saturday and laundry is already calling my name - and I just want to squeeze in this lippie post before things get too crazy around here. lol ^^

The latest addition to my collection *eep! did I just call it a "collection"? I'm so dead -.-* would be this pink baby below:  NYX Spellbound. I must warn you now, this is a chameleon lipstick ie it changes color from one lip to another. Do a Google search on its swatches and you'll see what I mean; it's a lot redder on other people while on others, it came up pinkish - like it did mine. Anyhoo, I'm loving this shade - pagirl lang ang peg. lol ^^

NYX Round Lipstick in Spellbound

So yeah, as you can see, tube shade looks redder (pink-red maybe?) but on me it's a nice pink :) Spellbound is supposed to be NYX Louisiana's identical twin ie you have to really really get to know both to tell the difference, but as Spellbound yielded a different shade on me, I'm still interested in giving Louisiana a try ;)

same price 150Php, same stall Pop Culture-ATC (I'm on a first name basis with the stall attendant now. lol) I noticed this particular tube doesn't have the signature soapy smell I noted on the other two NYX round lippies that I own.

Oh and, Spellbound is not a frosted shade so another YAY! for that :)

Me, my arte bebe and his papi  ^^

Tell me, what's your favorite NYX lippie shade? :)

#lipstickbrigade!mmmmwwwah! <3

Perfect Lippie Shade Project: Nyx Round Lipstick in Chloe

Please don't hate me for slacking on my blog updates, some crazy things happening in our household prevented me to work on my blog posts. Bad news is, I think these things won't go away real quick. Due to unexpected turn of events, I'll be busy for the rest of the year - which is actually a good news for me, yey! - but I'll try to update as much as I can every week ;) 

Moving on,  here below is NYX round lipstick in Chloe. As you can see, this stick is well-loved by me. For some reason, I like bringing this with me and sneaking a swipe or two when my husband is not looking. I just love that it is purpley and shimmery and a real stand out! Coverage is awesome too, as with any other NYX round lippie - which means if you have crazy dark, pigmented lips, this shade is for you, however please note that this shade is loud enough to scream "LIPSTICK!!!", so technically, this is not for the faint of heart.. It is creamy enough that it glides on the lips so it's a breeze to apply and reapply :) non-drying, as far as my experience with NYX round lippies is concerned. If the color gets overwhelming, I work around by blotting it with a tissue so I don't have to deal with the "shine" anymore. :)

NYX round lipstick in Chloe

NYX round lipsticks, in general, have this soapy smell/taste, which I admit, bothers me sometimes, just because I unconsciously bite my lower lip thus kind-of eating a good portion of the forgotten lipstick on my lips. But for the price and the quality, I'm willing to "unhabit" myself! lol :D

..and after a contouring-highlighting experiment, I was able to make my face appear slimmer on this picture. lol :D I'm wearing Chloe here. Please note that I'm still learning things about make-up so please, any violent/rude reaction that you may have right now, you can keep it to yourself, but I very much welcome tips on how to improve this look.

Bad hair day. sorry :(

oh! and this is not THE perfect shade, btw, I just happen to love wearing Chloe :)

#hubbyiscookingtinola.yey! :)

Perfect Lippie Shade Project: Nyx Round Lipstick in Eucalyptus

I'm not in a very nice mood today. I'm on a forced diet (got my dental braces adjusted yesterday and it hurts like hell to eat today) and I hate it. -.-

Anyway..

In my never ending quest for the perfect raspberry lipstick, I was introduced to the fun, fun world of fuchsia pinks! I get really *kilig* when I get to use this shade since it's a strictly no-no when hubby is around. lol :D

Nyx Round Lipstick in Eucalyptus

I like that it is bold and bright. It is frosted and of course it has shimmers and even if it looks obscene on me, I love wearing it. It's a grab-and-go lippie, something you should wear when out without anything on (doesn't apply when you're in your birthday suit, btw) 

NYX Eucalyptus is a blue-toned, bright pink lippie that settles into a satin finish. It is creamy and very  much pigmented so it's a delight to apply. Stays on for a decent amount of time (2-3 hours) but transfers easily when you start doing things with your mouth - okay, that doesn't sound right, but yeah, this is something you need to reapply after eating/drinking/whatever. Doesn't fade but I think it stains a bit. I would easily give this shade a 5, I bet it's a Zero if you ask my husband. lol :D

NYX rounds sell for 150Php a piece, online and instore.

#NYXisaddicting!kisses! :)

Perfect Lip Shade Project: Nyx Matte in Merlot

Ready for another lippie review for my PLS project?

NYX Matte Lipstick in Merlot

This is my first NYX lippie by the way, and it didn't disappoint. In fact, this very lipstick encouraged me to explore NYX line some more - but I'm still hesitant to buy them online even if they are cheaper, maybe when I get to know more their colors, I would. I bought this from the same hidden stall where I bought my NYX matte lip cream for same price (300Php). I love wearing this, only my hubby doesn't approve. too red for him apparently, so I only get to wear this when I'm out with my friends. lol :D

Note its changing shades taken under different lighting conditions

According to NYX website:

NYX Matte Lipsticks are highly pigmented, richly formulated lipsticks that glide on smoothly, stay put and impart a non-glossy, high-fashion matte finish as they envelop lips in brilliant color. From Pure Red to Nude, Matte Lipstick is available in 22 rich, shades.

I can personally attest to its high pigmentation claim. Above photo of me shows just a swipe of freshly applied Merlot on my lips under super harsh sun (outdoors, around 2pm). It is buildable so you can go as bold as you like (that's probably just two swipes in my book. lol) It glides smoothly yes, as I didn't have to pull/tag it across my lips. Matte, check. Wide color range, check (which explains why swatching took almost two hours, making the hubby really really cranky. lol)

Anyway, I was quite amused when I took photos of this lippie yesterday under different lighting conditions (photos in the middle) The one on top is regular , indoor lighting (solid red) while middle one is outdoors (red-pink-coral). Bottom photo is indoors away from the light which surprisingly turned VIOLET. I now wonder if it also behaves as such on me, only I didn't notice? hmm.. interesting.

Anyway, real tube color, I would have to say, is the one on top. On lips, it is deep raspberry red (think wine red, deep grapey-red, but not plum-red) which really pops out and grabs attention. It's not as drying as NYX matte lip creams so I can safely say that you can skip lip balms on this one however I will not recommend skipping lip balms if your lips are naturally dry to begin with as it is a matte lipstick.

While I'm loving this color, this is too red for what I'm looking for so..

#nextlippieplease?again? :)

Perfect Lippie Shade Project: NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in San Paulo

I must confess, I am turning into some kind of a lipstick addict. Blogging indeed does things to a person. lol :D

If rewarding myself a lipstick every payday is not an addiction, then I don't know what is.

I would like to think that these purchases are part of my so-called "perfect-lippie shade" project. That's what I always tell the hubby and despite some eye-rolling I get from him, it seems to be working. he he ^^

 You see, I'm looking for the perfect raspberry shade. For me, it should be something that is blue-based, pink lippie with the right amount of redness in it. That should be, not too red, not too pink, just something in between. Confusing right? Yeah, it confuses me too. lol :D Just to give you an idea, fuchsia must be the closest color description.

Funny thing about lipsticks is that they, most of the time, react to your body's chemistry aka change color like a mood ring. :D Now, i don't rely on hand/arm swatches as I am acidic which means a perfectly normal lippie color could transform into a clownish, funny shade a couple of minutes after application. As I am still looking for the right shade that will fit me to a T (I would like to have my own signature lippie color), I'm sticking to drugstore brands for now.

Now, unto my PLS project (again, that's Perfect Lippie Shade project)..

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in San Paulo

as this is my first time to do a lippie review, please forgive my amateurish photos and review. I'll try to improve this in the coming days ^^ I bought this from a tiny, hidden stall up 2nd floor at Alabang Town Center for 300Php.Online, it sells for 270-320Php but I don't really mind since I could swatch first before buying anything. 

This is not my first purchase from that stall. Prior to this, I bought NYX Matte in Merlot which is a lovely, lovely red shade. unfortunately, the hubby doesn't dig, so off I went to look for a muted shade. After an hour of swatching, I chose NYX matte lip cream in San Paulo.

Okay, I really like this shade on me and the hubby approves so I can safely wear it whenever we go out. It's a lovely, wearable warm pink shade but nothing really shocking (see below). Liquid when applied but dries off to a matte finish. Once set, it stays for hours which is good since I usually forget to reapply. lol :D I think I got 5 hours straight without it fading on me, drinks and little bites included. However, I didn't risk it on a burgerfest - that's just too risky for me. lol :D Coverage is good, as you can see, my lips are pigmented so coverage is very important to me. It also brightens the face instantly :)

The only downside is, well, this can be drying on lips. To combat this problem, I use a non-petroleum lip balm so it won't affect the staying power of this lip cream prior to application then wait for a couple of minutes to let my lips absorb the lip balm first. Sans lip balm, you are most likely to end up with chapped lips.

bare lips vs one swipe of San Paulo. Me without makeup -.-

That's me without makeup, just a swipe of San Paulo to give you an idea how the color pops out giving you an instant "refreshed" look so forgive the dark undereye circles and barely there eyebrows. lol ^^

Still, this is not the shade I'm aiming for so..

#nextlippieplease?kisses! :)

PS There is nothing purpley about this shade, shade above must be because of poor lighting. San Paulo is coral-pink in shade as sometimes it looks more coral to me. lol :D I'll try to update this post with a proper picture soon :) 

Okay here it is..

There, closer to real-life shade.

 

Note to self: never take lippie photo in front of the computer. lol :D