Everything Too Faced

Oh Hey!  It's been a while...let's just start immediately with my thoughts with some Too Faced products...Game Changer if you ask me for a summary.

Too Faced primed Poreless Skin Smoothening Pressed Powder
I don't like wearing foundation because as soon as I set my foot outside, hulas agad - foundation starts to melt and this one solved that problem.  This finely milled pressed powder can be use as a primer or as a setting powder or both.  It's makes the skin soft, smooth and slightly matte.  It also makes me less sweaty - now I'm on drier side of the skin spectrum so I don't know how will this fair with oil control.

Girlies out their  will like the princessy packaging and the size is perfect to carry around (it's slim) and it has a decent mirror too.  I just don't like the sponge that came with it but I like that there's a compartment for it to hide extra money.  Char! Hindi favorite sponge or small brush.

Before They Go: Makeup II - Eyeshadows

I thought that finally, I'll be a makeup junkie when I started blogging and will finally be girly just the way others had hoped for me.  But for me, putting piles of stuff on my face aside from skincare is totally bothersome.  I still enjoyed the time spent playing with makeup and at the same time I can confidently say to other people that the "me" is not really girly and enjoys the simple routine of bb cream, some blush (sometimes highlighter) and a little something something on the lips that is not too loud in color.  I'll definitely stick to the items that will work for me and not the other way around and I don't want to feel that I am only beautiful when I have makeup on.

And so here are some items that I tried, used a couple of time, sits in my drawer and are now expired (I think).

Before They Go: Makeup I

From a crazy idea to a beauty staple, BB cushion conquered and found a steady spot in the beauty world.  Lovers of liquid base makeup can now enjoy their favorite bb/cc cream or foundation in a compact form without the hassle of a bulky packaging, a mirror and a sponge or brush.

I don't touch-up so I do not necessarily need a cushion but I got curious so I got a refill to satisfy my curiosity and it did not disappoint though I have some minor issues with it.

So here's what's inside of the cushion (for those of you who is noob like me), it's a plastic container with a cover that contains a sponge soaked with; in my case, foundation (confusing, I know because of the name but a "BB Cushion" can contain bb/cc cream or foundation which I already mentioned above, sorry paulit ulit lang and if you are feeling adventurous you can actually DIY and customize the content of your very own bb cushion).

I got the IOPE XP Cushion C21 SPF50+/PA+++ because IOPE started it all!  It has a light to medium coverage with a dewy finish which I very much like because it makes me look fresh and younger :) Plus I look artistahin when I wear this although that effect fades in just an hour or two so touch-up is really needed but I can't be bothered so I just let it fade since the fading anyway looks natural - not patchy and there's no creasing involved at all especially when using the specific sponge that should be use with the cushion.

Never Again: EcoTools & Collection Concealer

And the "Never Again" continues, surprisingly the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer is included in this post which saddens me because it's my first concealer and a lot of beauty gurus adore it (that's why I got it, oh the internet just makes me buy stuff that I could live without).

Before the concealer, let's talk a little of the EcoTools Fresh and Flawless Complexion Brush Set.

I like the EcoTools Bamboo 5 Piece Brush Set but my inner masochist just go out when I clean my brushes so the mineral powder and mini kabuki brush shed like crazy and I have throw them.  In replacement, I got another set that I thought has the same size as the bamboo set but I'm wrong (I seem to not have the best luck with it comes to makeup and tools), they are way mini than I expected they only occupy 2/3 of my palms.

The Complexion Blending Brush is just slightly bigger than my thumb that it will take me forever to blend foundation or bb cream that I applied.  I usually use it as a blush brush and maybe in the future as a contour brush since it has a round and dome shape and it fits the hollows of my cheeks.  Same goes with the Precision Foundation Brush (pinkie size) so I only use it when an extra coverage is needed in a small area of my face like the sides of my nose.  I rarely use the Flat and Buffing Concealer Brush, maybe in the future if I can finally find a concealer that suits my skin.  And finally, Full Powder Brush which is perfect as a blush brush (I don't use face powder).  It's soft and tapered, picks just enough amount of blush and it's almost the size of the apples of my cheeks.

Overall, this set is a good travelling companion and is also perfect for those who cannot spare a lot of space for makeup tools.  Plus it's cute and the ferrules are really dainty.

2 More Revlon Lippies

I thought I'm completely a blush girl until I made contact with a "real" lipstick...it change my makeup life.

For years, I lean on different kinds of lip balm: colorless, tinted or those "magic" type that changes color and dries my lips, and I was okay with it since I only use lips balms when I remember that I have them or when my lips are chapped.  And then I bought a legit lipstick but at the back of my head I always say that I'll just use it on special occasions or if I wanted to be not so ordinary which rarely happens.  Until came Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain...

Wait a minute, it's a balm not a lipstick (my whole life is a lie!).  I only know this now because the print on the tube was already erased.  I have the 001 Honey Douche which is a color that I'll never pick because it's a shade of pink but this was just given to me by my sister who thinks that it's more appropriate for me than on her (and she's right).

Yes it's pink but it's not the shouting kind of pink, it's more on the demure and not so girly side (why is this hard for me to explain, makeup reviewers/bloggers out there-HELP ME).  It's also close to my natural lip color so even a newbie like me can apply this without a mirror.  When I wanted to put some color to my tired looking face or spruce my no makeup makeup look, I usually grab this~it's an everyday-looking natural kind of lipstick.

Another lipstick that I got for free (it's from a hair dye) is this Revlon Colorburst  Lip Butter 063 Wild Watermenlon.

Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter is moisturizing and buttery so I'm not surprised that I'm halfway through with Fig Jam (a variant that darkens or adds depth/shadow when I use it on top of my other bright lipsticks).  The Wild Watermelon shade is like a demi lip stain and balm in the sense that it's not as buttery as the blank blank that I have but it is more staining.  I hope the above photo can explain this, I mean just look how liquidy it is compared to the Just Bitten.

I usually wear Wild Watermelon when I wanted to brighten my lips and maybe more often this summer because it's bright red orange (which I usually associate with something perky and colorful).

I'm happy that I have these two in my lipstick stash (I hope that makeup collection (dangerous words) will never occur to me) and even happier because I got them for free!

Shine Bright Baby!

Here are three of my make-ups that can make me shine bright like a diamond in a party (that is if I attend one).

Missha The Style Mono Touch Eyeshadow CBE1
This can be use in the inner corner to brighten the eyes or as a base or just wear it alone if you wanted something beige, creamy and a bit glitzy.  Got this because it has the Get It Beauty seal which means it's one of the best beauty product in Korea.  Unfortunately, I'm not a fan of glitzy or shimmery makeup so I don't use this but maybe this holiday season I can use it as a highlighter.

Clio Gelpresso Mini Bloody Sweet #13
This is a light pink color with a metallic finish that can be use as an eyeliner or as an eyeshadow.  This looks good in photos but I find some chunks of glitter when I apply this on my lids which makes me hate it.  I actually got this by mistake because I wanted a black eyeliner but the translation is just so bad that I got this instead.  Again, if you wanted to add some glitz or shimmer around your eyes, then this is for you.

3W Clinic Powder Transparent Pearl
Also known as Palgantong, this is in my must try list because of all the beautiful reviews plus this is use by a lot of makeup artist to the stars in Korea.  I got the transparent pearl because I only wanted a powder to set my makeup and this is could have been perfect because it is finely milled...but it has this tiny specks of glitters on it.  Seriously, I look like Edward Cullen when I first used this because my face shine like there's diamond on it when I'm under the sun and my niece said "you're so shiny!!!".  This can perfectly act as a highlighter though :)

Shining brightly lately?

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It's Skin Star Cream

I wanted to blog on a regular basis but heck I'm busy daydreaming about my good old job ahahaha.  I know I need to move on but anyway, since I'm not blogging as much like before (that I even share with you some grocery stuff) I've been choosing what to blog and deleting a lot of drafts since I'm just overcrowding not just my blog's space but also my mind but I think this one is a good one to share.

I ordered this It's Skin Star Cream via GMarket when it was release (whoah) because it's on sale and I'm glad that I got it even though I paid a gigantic amount of cash for custom taxes (I also got other stuff, but never again!).  It's cute, it shiny and got stars on it's packaging...what more can a girl ask?  But on the serious note, this is my "go to" face coverage because...

This stuff just do the the right things for my skin:  it has light coverage perfect enough for me to blur the imperfections of my face making it look smoother and it gives this glowy effect because of the "shiny pearl powder" ingredient which when hit by light kind of glisten so it's not proper to go overboard with this product unless you wanted to look like a glistening vampire.  Or if you wanted to highlight some part of your face then go ahead, double apply this cream it pretty much works like a highlighter in cream form.

Two more things that I like about this cream is that it has SPF25 so I don't have to apply a separate cream with spf and it's moisturizing: this one is definitely a makeup and a skincare product in one.

This can also act like a base slash cc cream though your foundation or bb cream shouldn't be too heavy specially those with oily skin since this cream is moisturizing.

See the "brightening" and "glistening" effect at the back of my hand?  Not too obvious so it's perfect because I don't want to be like a walking disco ball!

Despite it's cutesy packaging, this cream is seriously good.  It's like the better version of chin chan su that can work as a base, light bb cream or foundation, highlighter and a day moisturizer.

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My Daily Makeup

I want my everyday makeup to be simple and can be done within 5 minutes with minimal or no tools at all that's why most of the time I use only 3 items which is enough to brighten and give a nice color to my face.  There are times though that I use more when I wanted to layer on products or I'm in the mood to spare some time.  Here are my basic list of my daily/everyday makeup.

Primer
After my skincare routine I usually grab a primer.  My usual primer should already have an spf and a little tint to it so I can skip bb cream or foundation.  Additional feature is the brightening effect and so far It's Skin Star Cream (the one with stars on the lid) tick all my needs.  As of the moment, I also have a balm type of primer from A'pieu which I used when I still have a foundation at hand.

BB Cream/Foundation
When I needed more coverage, I go for bb cream instead of primer or if it's foundation that I'm opting for then a primer is a must since foundations tend to look dry and patchy on my face.  Overall, I only use bb cream/foundation when I'm going for something "heavy looking" makeup or if I wanted to look more put together.

Blushers
A nice color on my cheeks is always welcome since I have dull face.  I usually go for something peachy and sun kissed/orangey type of blush since they compliment my skintone (I found out mine when the makeup artist put something orange on my graduation pictorial).  They say that to know the perfect blush color, pinch your cheeks or jog and whatever is the color of your cheeks at that moment is the best hue to suit your skintone.  I also like to layer my blushers to have that gradiation-more natural-almost blushing effect.

Lip Balm
Be it plain or tinted, lip balm is a must for me to avoid the chaps.  I have naturally dry lips and I sometimes have the habit of licking them which makes my puckers more dry.

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Ellana Icon Lip & Cheek Cream Color

And lastly, the most pigmented and boldest blush that I have - the Ellana Lip & Cheek Cream Color in Strawberry Red.  Like I said in my last post, I'm careful in choosing colors and most of the time choose something safe but one day while on youtube, the vloggers that I subscribed to rave about a certain blush and Estee of essiebutton wear it on one of her videos and showed the Nars Orgasm and I was like WHAT!!!! that is so bright and pigmented but it looks so natural on her.  And that's when it hits me that something loud or bold or pigmented can be naturally beautiful when applied properly and this just proves how little knowledge I have when it comes to make-up.  Anyway, I looked for an alternative-a bit similar to Orgasm and found Strawberry Red of Ellana.

Ellana Icon Lip & Cheek Cream Color in Strawberry Red
"Mini-pots of a sheer wash of long-lasting luminous color, creamy & easily blendable. To use as blush, dot on the apples of your cheeks and blend. To use as lip color, dot on the middle of the lips and blend towards the edges. Highly pigmented, a little goes a long way."

It looks dark pink in the picture but in person it really looks like the strawberry color in paints (almost like what is on this link).  It looks matte but when I apply it on my skin, it actually has a bit of shimmer on it.  It is creamy and blendable but I wouldn't use a brush in applying this if I we're you because it will just get stuck on the bristles.  It's more proper to use clean fingers in blending it and a dot really goes a long way (I made a mistake of swiping my fingers twice on the pan and slapped it on my cheek and it's like those little girls who buy the very red chewing gums and swipe them on their lips and cheeks for color hehehe memories, I use to do it when I was a kid).  Looking at the swatches below, the bottom part is just a light swipe from the pan showing how pigmented it really is and the upper one is just the blended leftover from my finger.

I haven't tried this on my lips and I do not have the intention to wear it on my lips, the shimmer forbids me to do so hahaha, silly but it's the only reason I can think of.  Anyway, I bought it with the pure intention of using it as a blusher.

I love the illustration of Soleil Ignacio in the packaging and that it has a magnet (I keep on opening and closing it for fun, is that crazy?) although the cuts and pasting of the paper and the interior needs a little improvement (I'm very careful not to stain the white interior of the packaging).  A little bit of shimmer is nice but I hope Ellana has a matte-as-in-no-shimmer-at-all version of this one because I really like how creamy and pigmented it is and the color just suits my skintone really well and it last the whole day on my cheeks with minimal fading (and I thank my dry skin for that, dry skin and cream blush go hand in hand) but there are days that I'm just simply not into shimmery things.

If you wanted to meet the rest of my blushers then you can check out my A Touch of Blush post and might as well look into my ELF Color Stick and Studio Blush and Nature Republic Shine Blossom Rose Blusher entries (just click on the names and it will directly lead you to the post).  Thanks!

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ELF Color Stick and Studio Blush

Finally, our internet is back!  I can finally continue with my blushers posts.

The first two blushers that I bought are from Eyes.Lips.Face aka e.l.f.  The Essential All Over Color Stick (the one in white chubby stick) is a cream type of blusher that is perfect for beginners like me because I just lightly tap it on my cheeks and blend it with my clean fingers and voila! my face is flushing with pinkish color, no need for extra tools.

e.l.f. Essential All Over Color Stick
"This 3-in-1 Color Stick adds a beautiful glow to your eyes, lips, or face! Get gorgeous color that illuminates and instantly conditions skin for fresh and natural color all day long. Blend anywhere you would like to highlight and brighten like your cheeks and brow bones."

I got the pink lemonade which according to the SA is the most pigmented among the 5 colors available while the others are more like highlighters rather than blushers.  These color sticks all have shimmer that acts like a highlighter though I haven't tried it as a brow bone highlighter but I tried it as a lipstick and it looks weird, it's like I'm from the future wherein all people wanted everything to have a touch of chrome.  It looked okay though when I top it with a nude lip balm and smack my lips plenty of times.

Overall, I'm okay with it as a blusher which leads me to decide to get an orangey color (because last year,  orange makeup looks really good).

But the color that I'm looking for is not available so the SA suggested another blush this time in powder form and it's the Studio Blush in peachy keen which I fondly call as a demi contour and demi blush because it seems like its contouring and blushing at the same time when I apply it in between the hollows and apples of my cheeks.  Yes, it looks orangey but when worn, it's more like a peachy with a bit of a golden tan color.  This one has a more refine shimmer to it compared with the Essential All Over Color Stick.

e.l.f. Studio Blush
"The soft sheer texture blends into the skin for a silky finish. Designed to be worn alone or layered for more depth. Highlight your complexion with a subtle healthy glow!"

My sister said that the packaging reminds her of the ones from NARS except for the clear plastic part and I already saw a blog post comparing the colors from the two brands.  So far I'm loving what I got from e.l.f. and though they are more pricey here in the Philippines compared in the US, they are budget friendly.

The shimmery effect is most noticeable when under a direct light.  Oh I almost forgot about their longevity,  I think 4 hours is the max...sorry that's my best guess I really don't look at the mirror much and I also don't have the habit of retouching makeup :)

If you wanted to read my intro with my blushers then you can check out my A Touch of Blush post.  Thanks!

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A Touch of Blush

According to Oxford Dictionaries, blush is a reddening of the face as a sign of embarrassment or shame.  But even with this definition, I find myself putting a blusher more often now as it gives a nice color to my cheeks and an overall cheeriness to my pale face (how weird that people find something beautiful/pretty on an awkward situation).

So far I only have 4 blushers and let me tell you, I already think that this number is too much.  I'm a person who normally don't re-apply make-up and always think that before I can hit pan them, they are already expired ready to be thrown.  Also, I'm just starting with make-up and don't want to spend too much money experimenting (in the eye shadow division, I already failed) but I'm happy to report that I'm lucky with blushers and I will be sharing them with you in the coming posts.

I'm not an expert in reviewing make-up but when I think about how I started with skincare products, I also don't know anything and up to now I'm still learning so be patient with me and salute me good-luck :)

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The Baby's of Maybelline

I cannot understand why my photos look "muddy" and extra grainy when I upload them here...anyone experience this too?  It's already bugging me big time and already applied all the solutions that I searched in google but failed!  Anyway, let's talk about the two babies of Maybelline that I have.

Maybelline Baby Skin
Poreless.  Baby Smooth.  Lightweight.  Breathable.
"On contact, translucent gel melts on skin and instantly erase pores, imperfections, lines and creases.  Skin looks instantly transformed into a perfect smooth canvas.  Skin is shine free, even and baby smooth.  No burden to skin.  The secret?  Cherry extracts, known for their antioxidant properties."

The translucent gel does smoothen the skin with velvety texture, however it blurs rather than erase by filling the gaps of the skin making foundation or bb cream easier to apply with evenness.  In my case, this doesn't make my skin shine free.  Just upon application I can see shininess that progresses as the hours go by that after around four hours, my face looks oily without really being oily (I have dry skin) so I suggest to use this sparingly about around half a pea size is enough for the whole face and neck.  More than the said amount, my face will look oily and feels heavy by the time I'm eating lunch.  I love that it doesn't feel sticky though and I'll believe in the words of Maybelline that it doesn't clog pores.

and here's what the baby skin pore eraser looks like

The next baby is the Maybelline Baby Lips in Smoothing Cherry
SPF20.  Instant 8 hour moisture.  Rejuvenated lips in one week.
"The next generation of lip balm is born, from Maybelline New York.  Adult strength care for baby soft lips.  Instant 8 hour moisture-  Shed away rough dryness for supple, smooth, and cushioned lips all day long.  In one week rejuvenated lips- It's proven:  Centella essence increases cell turnover to literally transform your lips, fine lines reduced, elasticity increased, suppleness increased."

I mainly use this now when I'll be under the sun for more than 30 minutes because of it's spf which is the only reason why I'm keeping this lip balm (for now).  Aside from the spf, I semi hate it because it makes my lips sensitive even after the week promise, it's like anytime my lips will bleed.  It does moisturize though when I just freshly apply it and smells like cherry too.

By the way the Baby Skin Pore eraser is said to be a dupe of Benefit's Pore Professional.

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Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter

I think this lip butter is a big leap to my "make-up world" and weirdly, I am raising my hands for that.  Ladies (and gents), the Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Fig Jam.

Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in 030 Fig Jam
Regular Price P525/ more or less $8 outside Philippines
Got it from Bon Marche for P280
Website/Links: Revlon Website/ Revlon Philippines facebook page/ Bon Marche

Lip butter?  My body appreciates me for applying body butter so it would be nice if my lips will shout a thank you too to me for using a lip butter.

Revlon says "SHINY COLOR + BUTTERY BALM 94% of women felt lips were softer smoother and instantly hydrated. Hydrating mango, shea and coconut butter formula boosts lip moisture by 156%. Pampering gel formula provides super charged hydration and glides on lips buttery smooth.  Sheer to medium colour with buttery shine Available in 20 irresistible shades."

And the claims are true:  it's gives an almost lip gloss shine to my lips, it's buttery and instantly makes lips softer, smoother and hydrated.  Going deeper into the effects, the shine will last around an hour, the smoothness will last around 2 hours and the hydration will start to deteriorate after 3 hours and by this time I can feel some bits of grits forming on my lips much like when butter starts to get "cold" on the lips. By the 4 hour mark it's reapplication time because I just probably had my lunch and the lip butter got wiped off of my lips.  Overall, I think it performs well compared to most lip balms. 

Got to admit , I got intimated with the color when I first open it because it looks super dark like chocolate!

the color

See what I mean?  But when worn, it's actually sheer.  It gives this shadow effect that kind of accentuate the natural color of the lips.  Just think of when you eat or drink chocolate or put a very thin layer of melted chocolate on your lips and it seems that your lips look a bit darker but in a good way.  Most of the time, I think that this lip butter "glamorizes" my lips.

swatch, just 1 swipe on my lips

Love the effect, love the color but hated the packaging.  There are some points that are much appreciated with the packaging like the color of the cap represents the color of the lip butter and the top is also transparent so you can see what's inside and I also like how classy the inside packaging looks like (please look at the first picture, agree with me?) but I actually hate the color of the cap, it looks so old and I hate that the bottom part (where the brand name is located) is so thin that I can't get enough grip and I'm having a hard time pulling the cap so when I'm in a hurry, I always drop this lip butter.

I really like the "inside" packaging though.

fig jam in all it's glory!

Not much of a fan of the outer packaging but overall, Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter is a great lip balm butter. Its claims are true and I like how natural and glamorous it looks on my lips.

Thanks for reading. Till then. Bye!

Skin79 Snail Nutrition BB Cream

How I wish that I eat my food just like how I finish a tube of bb cream.  I don't know why others can finish a tube of bb cream or a foundation or a cc cream in just a couple months but not me.  Even a sample sachet of cc cream can last 15 applications to me and that this small tube sample of bb cream from Skin79 has been with me for months.

Skin79 Snail Nutrition BB Cream
got it for around P135 at Hipstyle Online Shop

I don't know why I'm loving lomo-ish/oldish or whatever you call it in a photo but look how lovely the effect is, it looks classy to me!

Okay, so I am supposed to do something that will affect my future (it's actually my resume) but instead I am watching Youtube (so bad of me) and I think we beginners can learn something really important with the below video fromoiseau88 when it comes to applying base makeup so please do watch it.

Going back to the BB Cream, it says in the description that it is enriched with snail secretion filtrate with self protecting properties that maintains the skin natural and healthy.  Skin79 Snail Nutrition BB Cream have 3 functions certifications from KFDA:  Whitening, UV Interception SPF45 PA +++ and Wrinkle improvement.

Other stuff that you might want to know that is in the packaging which by the way needs a lot of clap because it's just a sample tube yet it has all the english description that I needed good job Skin79 on this:

"Triple functions BB cream that contains 45% of the Korean Snail Secretion filtrate, it bestows sleek and lustrous texture to the skin by preventing skin damages, and keeps the skin moist and healthy by forming moist protection layer."

DIRECTIONS:  Use it proper quantity on the area of your face like patting at the last step of skin care.

Lastly which is the main reason why I'm using BB cream and why I got this variant out of the four from Skin79:

"Protecting the skin from both UV A and B, the tri-functional snail BB cream brightens the dark and dull skin tone, and maintains the skin clean and supple with its whitening and wrinkle-improving effects."

sorry about the blurry photo but this is the bb cream looks like

when applied, see how the little freckle/sun spot slightly faded?

I rely on bb cream's sun protection (or primers) and this one has SPF45 PA+++ (don't ask me what's PA+++ all I know is SPF30 and above is great on protecting the skin) which I very much like because I don't want to bother myself putting another layer of product for sun protection plus another trait that I find amusing with this bb cream is that it can brighten (and I bought this when I'm still obsessed in brightening) my dull face.

I'm not really into whitening, I sometimes hate make-up products with whitening promises because it will literally make my face white and thankfully this one; after a few seconds of patting, does not make my face white and it gives my skin a natural looking finish with medium coverage (I can still see my sun spots which I like because if I don't see them it makes me feel fake).

I like to combine this bb cream with either the Etude House Moistful Collagen Cream or the Mizon Snail Recovery Gel for a CC cream look.  But the best combination so far is adding 1 part of this bb cream with 1 part of The Body Shop's Vitamin C Skin Boost as it makes application so much easier and very even (no traces of uneven patches even if I'm in a hurry) plus it gives this matted yet moist, smooth and bright look and it doesn't feel heavy at all. Love it!

and this is the effect
it evens out the skin on my wrist with medium coverage, you can still see my veins but not so greenish and bluish anymore
it's also matted but has this lovely shine, though it cannot be seen in the photo

I'm not sure about the wrinkle improvement, I'm guessing I have to use the full size product to judge whether it can help in that part but anyway I rely on my skincare products in that department.

Okay for the smell because this is made of snail secretion filtrate so I'm worried about it and it actually has a faint smell of snail though my sister said she can't smell it (maybe the floral part smell overpowers the snail scent  part).  It's a good thing that after patting this bb cream for some seconds, the "faint snail scent" goes away.

Overall, I think Skin79 Snail Nutrition BB Cream is a good one and I'm going to try the other 3 variant because I have some sample sachets plus this one didn't break me out and I'm assuming that the rest will have the same effect.  I'm a bit excited with the pink variant because of the good reviews and it made Skin79 in the bb cream limelight.

Thanks for reading.  Bye!

CC Cream and a Little Sample

Before I start, let me send my prayers to those who got affected by the super typhoon Yolanda.  It's the least I can do and maybe donate something like food and clothes, it's not much but I hope it can still somehow help.

Okay, so about 3 weeks ago I finally snatched a sample of a CC Cream.  I know I'm kinda already late in trying out this kind of product but I'm not really a believer of CC Cream until I watched videos from Get It Beauty and Son Dam Bi's Beautiful Days.

First of all CC Cream aka Color Control  or Color Correct is considered as a primer so it will and will never replaced BB cream or foundation.  CC cream I think has been popular because it promises to adopt to the color of skin tone plus it is also advertise to provide enough moisture without doing all the usual skincare routine (like in Son Dam Bi's Beautiful Days video, just a toner and CC Cream already made-up the moisture needed).  Another point for CC Cream is that it brightens the overall appearance of skin.

In short, CC Cream makes me believe that it's a product perfect for those who are always on the go as it provides enough moisture and evens out and brightens the skin without undergoing all the fuss of putting maybe 5 products on the face.  Just remember that CC Cream is not after skin coverage.

Since it sounds like a "perfect match" for my skin (because remember, I have dry and dull skin and sleep is my priority so I don't have time to prepare when going to work) so I asked my sister to buy a sample for me because there's a seller of samples in their building to where she works and bought me the CC Cream from The Face Shop.

TheFaceShop Face it Aura Color Control Cream
Color Control CC Cream

Just look how cute the sample is!

much smaller version of the real thing

There are two variant of the Face it Aura Color Control Cream:  the 01 Radiant Beige and 02 Natural beige and I believe I have the 02.

grrr I can't understand the texts

Since almost everything at the back of the package is in Korean, I have to rely on what I found on ebay about the product.  So Face it Aura Color Control Cream (what a mouthful) is a color control cream that creates a radiant and clear make-up appearance as if the skin is being spotlighted.

And here's a pic of the full size one.  It's in a unique compact wherein you have to push the front button in order for the product to come out.

photo from http://en.koreadepart.com/item/1361424305/
I'm not affiliated with koresdepart but just click the link for more details

And here are the swatches.  I just cropped the photos and did no significant editing for a raw feel.

the CC Cream itself

I thought at first the the color is too beige for me and will turn dark on my skin but it turns out it's too light for my skin and instead of brightening I actually got a whitening effect (as evidence by the with and without picture below) and so I have to allot a little time to blend the CC Cream into my skin.

with and without cc cream

It does make my face glow but there are some parts in my face that the glow looks just so awkward and at the same time it accentuates the not so good side of areas in my face like it makes my dark circles more obvious.  It seems to appear too when I'm wearing this that I have an oily skin type rather than a dry one, I don't know I just don't like the "glow" effect of this one and I've already tried a product that also offers the "glow" effect and I'm okay with it.

when blended

I like it though that it's light and doesn't feel heavy on the face and also I don't need much to "cover-up" my entire face, I mean I have a sample size and I've been using it 8 times now and still have enough for 2 applications.  It already has SPF30 so no need for me to put an additional product on my face when I have this and it makes my skin looking more even but remember the coverage of this one is very light.

In the end, I'm still 50/50 towards CC Cream and maybe if I ran out of this sample I'll just make a DIY of it by mixing Etude House Moistfull collagen cream or the Mizon Snail Gel with a BB Cream.

That's it and hope this post didn't confused you.

Thanks for reading.  Till then.  Bye!

Etude House Sweet Recipe Baby Choux Base

Etude House already releases 2 or 3 collection and yet I haven't shared my thoughts on this pink baby from the Sweet Recipe collection.

Sweet Recipe Baby Choux Base

It's a primer, make-up base, my concealer and corrector even a cc cream- it's so good on me that I fell in love with make-up bases because it's just what I need for my everyday make-up look.

Let's just say that I seldom use any any make-up to prettify my face with this:  it can even out my skin tone, hide my pores and give this almost porcelain dewy effect plus with extra layer it can somehow lighten (by covering of course) the appearance of my dark circles.  I'm a fan natural looking skin or the no make-up make up look so coverage is not a problem to me.

Now I sounded like I'm advertising but I'm not, really.  It's just that it's my first time to encounter this type of make-up base plus I'm new to make-up so I was astounded with the effect it's gives me.

This number 2 Berry Choux gives a little pinkish glow to my dull white face.  It's like it has bits of pearls or something that gives my face an illusion of illumination.

This light and fluffy choux cream-like base creates baby choux skin with it's moist inside and soft smoothness on the outside

I got the one with the glass packaging but there are newer versions of the Baby Choux bases in tubes.  There are three kinds (I know you are already aware of this fact so I'll make it quick):  the mint is for those with troubled skin to tone down the redness, the peach are for those with warmer skin tones to make skin bright and the berry one which is most suitable for those who have dull complexion  to make the skin look more vibrant.

SPF25,PA++ #2 Berry Choux
628 pesos
11000 won for tube type

Well it also has SPF, woot woot for a person who do not like to put another layer of product to protect it's skin from the sun, another point for Baby Choux!.  That's another pro but of course there's also a con to it: while I'm loving the raspberry smell to this make-up base I sometimes smell something off...something foul when I smell it from the container probable from the ingredients responsible for the SPF.

Another thing that I think is a con to this product is that when I apply to much it makes my skin so white that I have to wash my face again but (again) if there's a con to that then a pro is also present that is I can use the product longer since I do not have to use a lot, that's a big savings for me (and for you to!).

small bottle with great product inside

Yep it's light and fluffy and creamy too and can make my skin look moist (outside not inside).  Soft...well a little and yes to smoothness although I feel a little grittiness like tiny bits of pearl but after applying the product evenly, the grittiness disappears making the skin look and feel smooth.  And please forgive me for the redundancy in this post.

Directions for use is pretty basic.  The box says just smooth over the entire face a choux cream-like soft, smooth complexion.  I on the other hand put one pea size each on my cheeks, forehead and chin then spread the product outward then pat face for an even natural looking look.

The pretty bottle only contains 25g but with the right amount of usage can last for a whole year.  I'm using mine for around three months already and it's still 7/8 full (the picture is the evidence).

The frosted bottle and the cap looks elegant by the way, it makes my cube look girly.  The box also looks cute, it's like a miniature cake box.  Overall, packaging is pretty amazing, I just hope Etude House could do something with the description.  I mean "1 spoon of moisture, 2 spoons of soft smoothness"?  I know Etude House is trying to be cute but really what does the statement really means?

ingredients just in case your interested

Nice looking (all in one) product for a nice looking skin.  Thank you Etude House for creating Baby Choux!

Thanks for reading. Till then. Bye!