NATURACTOR CONCEALER

NATURACTOR CONCEALER

Hi!

I've been using this concealer a little over 3 months now.  I think it's sufficient enough to say it's time for a review.  So here it is!

INITIAL THOUGHTS...
Really impressed.  For an extremely inexpensive concealer a little product goes a long way and held up for quite sometime.  Happy Camper indeed...

RESULT:  4/5

The main reason I bought it was to see how well it would cover my Keloid scars.  Keloid scars are raised, dark red scars that can get irritating and itchy and unfortunately, never go away.  I've yet to find anything that will make the scars less noticeable to the point where I can wear a low cut top.  I don't even wear v-neck tops cause I'm quite self conscious of the scars.  Unfortunately, it didn't cover to my liking.  

It's not cause the color doesn't match the skin on my chest (okay for my face though), but because it did look too matte.  The skin on my chest naturally has some shine to it, but this was just way too matte.  Also, because the scars are raised it's still quite noticeable when certain lighting causes the shadows.  However, in my opinion..I think this would cover flat scars quite well as it covers birthmarks well.

On the plus side, I did really like it on my face.  It covers quite well for blemishes.  I only use one layer daily for the amount of coverage I prefer.  I use it to cover under eye circles, small blemishes, and some redness around the nose.  

The result is dewy but then dries pretty matte.  Also, it really brightens up my eyes.  It hasn't caused me to break out and doesn't clog my pores.  For the amount of concealers I've tried (not that many).  This is one of my faves (as of yet).  

One reason especially is because it's oil free.  Prior to purchasing this I went searching for online reviews but came up with so few, cause it was a new item at the time.  However, the reviews were convincing enough for me to want to try and come of with my own verdict.  Also, cause it is so inexpensive!  So to sum it up, I'm quite pleased for using it on my face, but not my scars.

TEXTURE:  4/5

It's actually quite a very light creamy consistency but not suffocating.  I really like how it doesn't feel greasy on the skin.  It blends easily without drying up too quickly.

WEAR:  5/5

Lasts better than your average concealer.  I am fine without touch ups for around 8 hours.  It doesn't crease or cake around the eyes.  It does emphasize drier areas, but with good exfoliation it's fine.

Arty Blossom for Spring 2014

Arty Blossom for Spring 2014

Make Up Forever’s Spring 2014 collection reveals romantic and feminine tones in its newly released limited edition Arty Blossom. Included is a must-have eye shadow palette offering 8 fresh and trendy eye shadows in a variety of soft, iridescent and satiny textures suited to the Spring Season. This limited edition has a new formula of luminous eye shadows that ensures buildable coverage and perfect blendability for a sophisticated bright make up result. 

I'm particularly drawn to limited edition palettes, I think they are collector's items. This one evokes romanticism & femininity with an artsy twist to create a luminous and translucent beauty look for eyes.

The cover of the palette translates the brand's evocative and artistic spirit.

Shades: Gold Plum (Limited Edition Shade), Metallic Copper (Existing Shade), Gold Beige (Limited Edition Shade), Fresh Peach (Limited Edition Shade), Fresh Pink (Limited Edition Shade), Pearly Turquoise (Existing Shade), Gold Green (Limited Edition Shade), Pearly White (Limited Edition Shade) 

The palette comes with 2 exclusive mini eye brushes with new cutting edge synthetic fibers. 

Here are five looks you can create with the Arty Blossom Palette:

Make Up For Ever Arty Blossom Palette is available in SM Aura and SM Megamall Fashion Hall at P2,600.00.

#POREfessional by Benefit Cosmetics

#POREfessional by Benefit Cosmetics

Hello hello. Just wanted to write a quick note to say thanks to everyone who came down to the POREfessional event by Benefit Cosmetics today! I had a blast. Special shout out to my partner-in-crime Andrea and to my two beautiful readers who received a makeover from us, you made the afternoon that much more fun. I’ll do a recap post about it soon, have a great weekend! :)

Shopping Guide: Ocean Avenue by Yellowcard

Shopping Guide: Ocean Avenue by Yellowcard

If you know the song “Ocean Avenue” by Yellowcard, then congrats – you are officially in my good books. And if you remember when it came out, then congrats too – you are indeed very old, and like me, your youth is slowly slipping by… sigh. But seriously – this classic song (and album) came out in 2003, and to celebrate its 10th year of release, Yellowcard has put out an acoustic version of the album, and ugh does the nostalgia hit hard with this song:

So since Ocean Avenue is one of my favorite songs, and it’s the perfect anthem for summer; I thought it would be the perfect inspiration for a little fashion and makeup guide. Here are my picks for an “Ocean Avenue” summer: beaches, parties, being young and having fun.

The perfect summer outfit (in my mind, at least) goes like this: your go-to denim shorts you can throw on, a comfy band tee, a comfortable pair of shoes (Vans are still, and will forever be my favorite), and a perfect leather handbag (my current favorite handbag label is Liebeskind. You can buy the bag shown above on Shopbop). Accessorize with a cool wrap watch (I pretty much love any by La Mer Collections) and a hat.

Beginner Eye Makeup Product Recommendation & Tips

Beginner Eye Makeup Product Recommendation & Tips

Hi Renee! I’m new to the makeup scene and it’s kind of embarrassing to how much I don’t know! I was wondering if you had any tips on makeup for eyes (eyeliner, eyeshadow, mascara) and concealer? And possibly which products are good and how to apply them? I know it’s a lot but I’ve been looking for some advice and you seem to be a really good person to go to! Thanks for your time :) – Anonymous via Tumblr

Don’t be embarrassed! It’s my pleasure. When I started wearing makeup, half the fun would always be buying a new mascara to test out every few months! I tried everything from Maybelline (they make great ones) to Revlon (yuck!) to MAC (no good) to Bourjois (yuck!) to Lancome (amazing). For an inexpensive one, I like the ones by The Body Shop and Maybelline, and for department store ones, I like Clinique and Lancome; although I do not use Lancome or Maybelline anymore as they test on animals. So if that’s a cause you support as well then just go for the other two.

For eyeshadow, your best bet is to get an eyeshadow palette which will allow you to experiment a little more. I LOVE Revlon’s eyeshadow quads, they last super long, has a great range of color choices, and it even has instructions on what to do on the back of it! Other brands that do great eyeshadows are MAC and Bobbi Brown.

Are BB Creams Bad for Your Skin?

Are BB Creams Bad for Your Skin?

Ah, the great BB cream debate! My last post, Are BB Creams Worth the Hype conjured up tons of opinions; and I’ve been asked time and time again about BB creams and your skin: Are BB Creams bad for your skin? Do BB Creams make you break out? Are BB creams bad for acne-prone skin?. So many of you mentioned that you heard it was “very bad” for your skin, and honestly…  I think it must be the foundation companies who started that rumour, ha!

Here’s the thing: BB creams, as much as I love them, in my opinion are just glorified foundations with a little bit of extra skin benefits. I really didn’t think they needed a new name for this product (and don’t get me started on CC creams and now DD creams!). So if you’re wondering if BB creams will be bad for your acne prone skin, the answer is yes and no. If your skin tends to break out from foundation, then yes, your skin would probably not like BB creams – but I think it’s more your skin type that is the problem (or a certain ingredient) rather than BB creams as a whole. If your skin is prone to blemishes and your pores get clogged up easily (and therefore form pimples), then any type of makeup product that is “heavy” on your pores will make you break out. If that’s the case, look for ones that are oil-free and made for acne prone skin.

My Top 5 Picks: Timeproof Makeup

My Top 5 Picks: Timeproof Makeup

Hello ladies! First and foremost, happy new year! Sorry for the late greeting and for the lack of blog entries as my December and January had been fully-booked with weddings and other makeup jobs. But I'm back and I'm introducing a new segment "My Top 5 Picks." Every month, I will be posting my favorite five items on a certain category. Today, it's going to be all about the best long-lasting makeup in the market today. All tried and tested by me.

1. Guerlain Tenue de Perfection Foundation (P3,000.00)

Guerlain, the master of texture, has dreamed up the perfect attire for the complexion: a velvety-soft foundation. Its newest long-lasting foundation promises to blend into the skin for ultimate correction, comfort and sleek matte wear. It was created with absorbent powders and corrective pigments that provide a fresh look and incredible hold while allowing skin to breathe for a full 16 hours. Silica beads capture excess oil to keep the polymer film intact, while the spherical micropowders act like a color stabilizer, ensuring the color does not change or darken during the day. 
Most of the long-lasting foundations I’ve tried have a heavier, drying formula that tend to be unflattering as the day goes except for oily skin types. The texture of this was surprisingly lightweight and the finish, natural. It was buildable to medium coverage; one pump yielded light-medium coverage, a pump and a half more like medium coverage. Two pumps was getting closer to full coverage, but it didn’t feel heavy worn that way. The formula evened out my skin tone and left my skin looking semi-matte. 

Wearing Tenue de Perfection in shade 13 Rose Naturel and Guerlain Meteorites to achieve a natural glow

"Silky-soft and sublime, the complexion has never been so alluring, even after the clock strikes midnight." as the ad says. I can personally testify that they're not lying. The first time I tried this was on a Saturday. I applied it at around 8:00 and went straight to a wedding job. After I did my bride's second look at the reception, I went to two birthday parties that ended at around 10:00pm. I arrived home at 11:00pm and checked out my face before removing all day's makeup and my skin was still silky smooth and pores were barely visible. I was surprised to see that my makeup was still intact even with me skipping blotting the entire day! Almost literally, this foundation really gives a flawless complexion until midnight! 

Available in Guerlain Rustan's Makati and Rustan's Shangri La.

2. Eye of Horus Smokey Eye Goddess Pencil (P990.00)

Want to add definition and intensity to your eyes without the smudge? This is the product for you. The exotic blackest khol effortlessly glides on without tearing even if it's 100% waterproof and smudge proof. Accentuate eyes with one thin layer for daytime and smudge (the pencil comes with a smudger tip) for evening wear. These pencils are uniquely formulated with creamy waxes for smudging, smoking and eye blending. I swear by this liner especially on my clients who request for smokey eyes. I don't need to worry for any smudging once they leave the door for their event. If you're more playful with your makeup, these pencils are also available in other shades such as teal, bronze and charcoal. Check out my review of their other long-wearing products here.

Available online at Glamourbox website and in selected Snoe Beauty stores nationwide.

3. Benefit Longwear Powder Shadow (P1,250.00) 

This silky and soft powder eyeshadow comes in a fabulous long wearing formula in 12 wearable shades and three finishes: matte, satin and sheen. The one I have (photo above) is named Raincheck (smoky amethyst) in a matte finish. Matte finish shadows tend to last longer than the other ones. I skipped my Benefit Stay Don't Stray primer and went ahead to sweeping these on my eyelids and the soft wash of colour didn't travel or fade for a good 6 hours. You can opt to layer for added intensity. If you don't had oily lids and instead suffer from dry lids, try Benefit's Creaseless Cream Shadow in the same product range. 

Available in Benefit boutiques in Greenbelt 5, Rustan's Makati, Rustan's Shangri-La, Trinoma and Mall of Asia. 

4. Ellana Mineral Lip & Cheek Gel (P220.00)

One of the brand's bestsellers, the Lip & Cheek Gel provides a rosy natural glow even after a strenuous workout (tried and tested!). It's perfect for everyday use especially if you're the kind who just wants a sheer no-makeup look. It's an ease to blend as it doesn’t dry quickly, giving you enough time to blend evenly on your cheeks. If you have oily skin that makes powder blush slide off it too easily, this tint is a better alternative for you. I have mine in Ruby, a universally flattering red shade. While the other shade, Amethyst leaves a plummy tint and is best suited for darker skin tones. For my review of some more of their other best-selling mineral makeup, click here.

Available in The Ramp Trinoma, Glorietta, Shangri La Plaza Mall and online atellana.com.ph. 

5. Diorific Lipstick (P2,000.00)

Shade 002, Raspberry Pop

This true to color lipstick dresses lips with a matte texture and soft-metallic finish. The long-wearing formula flaunts a brilliant intensity, with minimal risk of drying the lips. The formula is so pigmented and opaque, I hardly need to reapply even after eating. Compared to other long-wearing lipstick formulas I've tried, this one feathers less. If you're prone to lipstick feathering or 'bleeding', I suggest use a lipliner to seal the colour in. Read about my experience at the Dior PH counter here.
Available in Rustan's Makati, Rustan's Shangri La, Powerplant Mall and Alabang Town Center.
Stay tuned next month for another of my top five picks. You can email me at diorco@gmail.com if you have any requests or suggestions on a product category that I can feature next.