Archive for August 2014
Three Pixy Lipstick Swatches
Posted on: August 31, 2014
- In: Swatches | Unboxing
- 2 Comments
One (well, three) of the things I received during the Pixy launch is a set of three lipsticks, one each of their three lipstick lines. Today I’m here to show you the products and the swatches.
This is going to be very image-heavy, so be warned. Read on for the swatches!
- In: Haul | Musings
- 7 Comments
I recently got some new things and am in the process of trying them out.
Makeup Stuff
Pixy Ultimate Makeup Cake in Peach Beige – I got this from the Pixy Launch event, and is the first time in a long time I’ve gone back to pressed powder foundation. I’ve recently gone back to BB cream when it became rainy, and I used loose powder foundation (Ellana) during the summer months. I’m slowly readjusting myself back to powder foundation with this product.
Pixy Blush On in Brown Tea – Another one from the Pixy Launch, this one is really quite brown and Kira suggested it can be used as contour. What a great way to start learning how to contour! Hopefully I can show you some swatches and trial fotd’s with this as contouring powder.
Happy Skin SS Creme in Natural Beige – I’ve been meaning to try Happy Skin for the longest time. Thanks for my fairy godmother (my awesome awesome MIL) I got to finally dip my toes in the brand. This SS Creme (Silicone Free Foundation) is on top of my wishlist, primarily because I want to see how it fares against my pores. The fact that it’s silicone free is pretty nice because it causes less chances of my sensitive skin flaring up. I got the darker of the two available shades.
Happy Skin Shut Up & Kiss Me Moisturizing Lippie in The Morning After – Another one from my benefactor. And yeah, I finally caved in and admitted that maybe I should look into nude shades for my lipsticks. This one has been on the rave lists of many of the bloggers that I read, and I figured I should give it a shot. So far I’m liking how it feels on my lips! I’ll definitely put up a review of this soon.
K-Palette Real Lasting Eyebrow Mascara in Natural Brown – In my last testing list, I tried out the Maybelline Fashion Brow Mascara. While I like it enough, I have some issues with it’s really big brush head. I wanted a brow mascara that used much tinier brushes, and K-Palette recently released just that. I liked what I saw from the press releases through local blogs, so I availed myself of this as well. I’m a bit afraid this might be too light for my brows though, as my hair is undyed. This is the final item I got from my wonderful MIL’s birthday gift. 😀
Nippon Makeup Remover Lotion – I’m about to run out of my current Bifesta bottle, and I thought that was the perfect time to try out some stuff I have in my stash. This one is part of my gift pack from The Beauty Junkee, This is different from the usual makeup removers I’m used to, because this is actually some sort of lotion (as it says on the product name!). I found that I just need to massage this all over my made up face, wipe it off with some cotton or tissue, and the makeup comes off with it! It doesn’t quite manage to remove stubborn waterproof mascara, but it can remove the rest pretty well.
Inglot Sleeks Platinum Lip Paint – Another one from the TBJ gift pack, I was attracted to this because of the “lip paint” part. I’ve been curious about the lip paints like Limecrime, OCC Lip Tars, and the like, and I’m hoping this is going to be somewhat like that. It has quite a strange sheen to it (the platinum part, I think), but I like the shade so far.
Celeteque Advanced Anti-Aging Cleansing Oil – This is one of the two products recently released and presented during the Celeteque Anniversary Event. It’s a reformulation of the old Cleansing Oil, which I’ve been a faithful user of, since I find that it removes waterproof mascara quite well. [On aside: I just discovered I haven’t reviewed the cleansing oil yet! But the point is moot now that it’s phased out, haha!] This reformulation enables it to be both the old makeup remover, but at the same time it also performs as an emusifying oil cleanser! I’m quite intrigued, and at Php249 per bottle it’s hard to argue!
Non Makeup Stuff
Bio-Oil – This of course came from the Beauties and Babies Glamourbox, and is the very first thing I tried. I’m using this to currently treat my numerous arm scars, and with only three weeks of (non-continuous) use there has been some promising improvement! I hope I don’t forget to document it, so I can show it to you! I’m loving this oil so far, and dread the time I run out of it.
Vitress Instant Relax Cuticle Coat – I have to admit that I’ve always turned my nose up at Vitress, primarily because I didn’t have good experience with hair oils. I’ve always felt that my hair is greasy and weighed down whenever I use hair oils, so I stopped considering it. When I received this at the Vitress event, I thought I’d give it another shot. I’m surprised to find out that it broke all my expectations about hair oil! I think I’m a convert! 😀
Snoe Body Ritual Recipes Honey Bath Syrup in Nectarine Ginger Tea – Another one from the TBJ gift pack. I didn’t really have high hopes for this, because it’s an exfoliant. I’ve had mostly bad experiences with exfoliating washes, because of my sensitive skin. However, I couldn’t resist the scent of this! So yummy smelling it makes me want to take a bath many times!
The Body Shop Chocomania Body Lotion – Lastly, again from the TBJ gift pack, my very first The Body Shop lotion! I’m a huge fan of chocolate, and I couldn’t really resist trying this out, even if I still have a lot of opened lotion bottles to finish. It smells so much like chocolate, I’m afraid I’m going to wake up one day covered in ants! Lovely, but could be a little overwhelming to some.
Have you tried any of these? What is your feedback?
- In: Events
- 4 Comments
As a HUGE Celeteque fan, I’m unutterably pleased and honored to be invited to their 3rd Anniversary celebration! I’m so happy that they continue to make their presence felt whenever I do groceries (Celeteque stocks are always there in many supermarkets), as I would like to see them become a household brand.
The anniversary party was held at an unexpectedly posh place on the second floor of Ziebart along Chino Roces at Makati City. This is Prime 101, a really awesome steak place with really cool interiors. Check this out.
Marcie, PR executive, Tina, Product Manager of Celeteque, and I had fun posing on the bed stationed near the entrance.
The food was divine! This overflowing plate does not seem much, but I was pretty stuffed at the end of it. Every single thing is delicious!
Along with celebrating the anniversary, Celeteque also launched two new releases.
First we have an interesting skincare-makeup hybrid. Celeteque Acne Solutions Line’s newest baby is the Acne-Clearing Concealer. In those days where we have that annoying pimple when we have an important event to attend, this concealer will definitely come in handy. It is designed to protect and treat the pimple before we put on other layers of makeup. It contains Salicylic acid which opens up pores and exfoliates dead skin cells, and Camellia sinensis (tea tree) extract which has soothing and antibacterial properties to treat the pimple.
The other new release is actually a reformulation. Celeteque Advanced Anti-Aging Cleansing Oil previously is my go-to waterproof mascara-remover, as it readily dissolves the stubborn product right off. The new formulation still does the makeup-removing part, but in addition, it is also an emulsifying cleanser. You apply a bit of oil all over the face (even still with makeup!), then splash a bit of water on it. It will turn into a white liquid, which you will then rinse off normally. Makeup will be removed, and at the same time leave your face cleansed and moisturized! The most amazing part of this is the fact that it only costs Php249 for the 50ml bottle!
Aside from hearing first hand about the new releases, I also got to hang out with some old and new blogger friends. Thanks again to Marcie, Tina, and Zei for inviting me to celebrate with you!
Visit Celeteque on their website, Facebook and Twitter, for more product information!
- In: Musings | Random
- 4 Comments
I would just like to briefly announce that some of my blogger friends are holding an Offline Blog Sale, and I’m joining them!
Tellie, Bea, Shari, V, Hazel, Rae, Elaine, and me are in so far, so do check it out! I am planning to sell my subscription box extras that I have not used so much or at all, at very low prices! I might also put up some gently used makeup and clothes. Do drop by, I would love to meet you in person! 🙂
For more details check out Tellie’s sale announcement by clicking on the poster below.
- In: Swatches | Unboxing
- 5 Comments
You probably know by now that I’m an eyeshadow addict, so it’ll be no surprise to find out that this is one of the first things that I tried from the Pixy launch. I got the Duo called Romantic Poem that contains a pink shade and a mauve shade.
It comes in this cute little pink box. The packaging really evokes a dainty and princessy feel that many Japanese brands use.
At the back you will see more information such as the amount of product (2.8 grams) and the company information for Mandom.
The list of ingredients is found on the side. The thing to note here is that it contains squalene (which may or may not have been harvested from shark liver oil).
The actual palette is really very pretty. My photo does not convey just how reflective the surface is, but it’s a really nice shade of metallic pink. The brand is printed also in front, and you can take a peek into the inside from the top.
The bottom of this palette contains much of the same information as the box back. Take note that the manufacturing date is included here (and the box back as well).
Finally, we come to the actual product! It comes in two small pans with an embossing of curves on the corner. The left side is of course the pink shade, a very light one at that and has a little bit of shimmer. The right side is a dark purple, mauve really, with very little shimmer. The palette also comes with a tiny sponge applicator (which I have not used; I prefer brushes) and some sort of mirror underneath the lid.
Here are my arm swatches. As usual I used the Artdeco Eyeshadow Base for the swatches with primer (the second and fourth). The pink shade is a nice lidwash color, and I have been using it as such. It’s also a nice enough pink that goes with shades from other palettes as well. The mauve shade looks really good with a primer, and I have been using it mostly as an outer corner shade. Carina demonstrates a second use of the mauve, as a blush! We learned this from the makeup demo at the Pixy launch.
In this photo I am using this Duo as my eyeshadow as I described above: pink as lidwash and mauve as outer corner shade. Of course my eyeglasses obscure most of it, but the shimmers in the pink makes it stand out even behind my glasses.
Here is a really sucky close up, which looks overexposed unfortunately. I am highly afraid of looking bruised, so I took it very easy on the mauve at the outer corner. One of these days I’m going to go for a smokey eye and go heavy on the mauve.
I feel like I haven’t used this enough to have a full review, so I’m just going to leave you with my first impressions. I really like this palette as it is work-appropriate and very portable. The aesthetics of the design calls to me as well. The product itself seems good especially with a primer.
Pixy Cosmetics is available at Watsons branches, and is distributed by Mandom Philippines Corporation. Like Pixy Cosmetics on Facebook and follow them on Twitter!
Disclaimer: This eyeshadow duo, along with a bunch of other makeup, was provided to me by Pixy Philippines at the brand launch. I was not required to write about it and all opinions are my own.
20 Days of Lipstick: Week 4
Posted on: August 20, 2014
- In: Musings
- 12 Comments
OMG final week! Again as a recap, this challenge requires me to use a different lipstick for five days per week without repetition for the entire challenge. Since I missed one day on Week 2, I’ll see if I can do an extra day this week!
Day 1: Ever Bilena Matte Lipstick in Pink Flame
This is probably one of my oldest lipsticks, and something I occasionally go back to when I feel like going matte. This is a really matte pink, and consequently, it’s pretty hard to apply. It drags soooo much, which can be alleviated by putting on a balm beforehand (but might lose a bit of matte-ness). I’m not sure if this particular shade is still available.
Day 2: Avon Shine Attract Lipstick in Rose Pink
Along with the EB matte lipstick from Day 1, this is also one of my oldest lipsticks. As I knew no Avon lady, I had to use a lot of guts to go into the Avon center along Commonwealth (which I think is really for dealers? I dunno..), run in and grab this, run to the counter to pay, and run out of there! This lipstick uses a balm/lipstick combination where the center is the lipstick part and surrounded by clear balm. It’s actually pretty hard to get the pigment out from the center as it has a tendency to sink into itself, making the balm perpetually longer than the lipstick part.
Day 3: Pixy Semi Matte Lipstick in Red Chili
This of course came from the loot that I got from the Pixy launch, and this is the darkest red of the three lipsticks I received so of course I wanted to try it out right away. As you can see here, it’s actually pretty shiny for a matte lipstick, although that might be due to the lighting. It’s definitely quite a deep vampy red but doesn’t go into the makes-you-look-old category. It’s relatively longwearing, but does not of course survive eating or drinking. I’ll be writing a full review of this and the other two lipsticks soon!
Day 4: Colour Collection Vitamin E Satin Lipstick in Red Wine
This was one of the first Colour Collection items that I tried, from Sampleroom. This one is again a pretty dark color, but unfortunately I think it really does go into that makes-you-look-old category. I’m not sure why this one does, but not Red Chili. Maybe it’s in the subtle shine? Red Wine appears to be more matte, and actually less vampy. [PS: Wow that blue tint is so obvious. Sorry, I didn’t have my usual camera here and had to use an apparently highly inferior substitute.]
Day 5: Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick in Tinted Taupe
This is yet another nude shade, although this one leans now on the brown side. This is probably my brownest lipstick, and I think it doesn’t look too bad. It’s slightly more longwearing than Peachy Scene, and as it has no shimmer, it’s also more office appropriate.
Day 6: Barenaturals Vitaminstix in I Love You This Smooch
This one is not quite lipstick; it says it’s a lip butter. This came from one of my earliest Glamourboxes, and have not actually been getting the love it deserves. It’s actually a nice solid neutral lip color, and quite hydrating. I just got distracted by newer, shinier things, and this one got shelved as a result. I should put it back on rotation as this is really a solid item.
There we have it! I’m in a whirlwind of emotions as I type this. I’m quite happy to have completed a makeup challenge. At the same time I’m sad that it’s done, as it was a lot of fun! I’ve discovered through your feedback that I really should be exploring nudes as well since it does not look as bad on me as I think it does. I’m also quite surprised that it turns out that I have more than 20 different lipsticks! I’m looking forward to my next makeup challenge. Here are the recap of the first three weeks.
I challenge all of you to try this 20 Days of Lipstick makeup challenge! No need for an actual blog; you can just use Instagram or Twitter to share your lipstick of the day. Tag me at @becomingsleek on either platform, I’m interested to see what you have!
- In: Nails | Swatches
- 4 Comments
After a long long time, a nail post! I’ve definitely missed polishing my nails, and I’ve got Caronia Philippines to thank for inspiring me to start again! They sent me their newly released collection, Blue Moon, in this nice little press kit.
Held in this cute reusable bag, the kit contained the three new shades of the Blue Moon collection, as well as a lovely blue scarf that I’ve taken to wearing in the office.
This collection is a collaboration with Ballet Philippines. These colors aim to liven up your nails and keep you prepared for those unexpected and thrilling moments that happen once in a blue moon.
Read on for the swatches!
Event: Vitress Catwalk
Posted on: August 18, 2014
- In: Events
- 2 Comments
Vitress is a brand that I’m familiar with, but have not yet tried before. I see a lot of advertisements for their products, but for some reason I did not think it was a product set for me. It should be though, as I have quite an unruly type of hair, and Vitress has products that fit right into my needs. Luckily enough I got an invite to a Vitress press event which allowed me not only to try the products, but also meet the brand ambassadors.
In this event participants are encouraged to walk the catwalk prior to the start of the program. Three huge electric fans are set up to purposely mess your hair up. At the end of the catwalk, attendants and models will assist you to put on the correct Vitress product to put your hair back into rights. Unfortunately I do not have any photos of myself doing this, but I totally did try it!
There was a selfie station at the end of the catwalk where we are encouraged to take selfies and upload them with the appropriate hashtags for a contest. I tried my best, but my phone isn’t good at taking “real” selfies.
I gave up, and instead asked one of the attendants for help. This is a much better selfie and is the one I actually uploaded. Didn’t win, but was still fun!
The much awaited brand ambassadors finally arrived! I didn’t get to take a photo of the first ambassador, IT Girl Solenn Heussaff, and one of the new ambassadors, fashionista Kim Jones, because there were too many people taking photos! I was able to grab one of star athlete Gretchen Ho.
All three of them did the catwalk, and applied their favorite Vitress product to put their hair back after the wind attack. They then took a turn at the selfie booth, along with the host.
Solenn Heusaff is a very popular model and actress; I see her ads everywhere. She has been the face of Vitress for some time. She uses Vitress Hair Repair Cuticle Coat because she curls and blow dries her hair a lot which resulted in damaged hair. She also co-designed her own product, the Vitress Solenn Cuticle Coat, a product that tames curls and waves for smooth and shiny hair.
Kim Jones, one of the new ambassadors, is a TV host and fashionista. When not on set, she relies on Vitress for her hair needs. She also uses the Vitress Hair Repair Cuticle Coat to keep her hair sleek and in place. She likes the fact that the Vitress bottles are portable!
Gretchen Ho also joins Vitress as ambassador. She is a pro volleyball player known for her humble demeanor and laidback style. She uses Vitress Sun Protect Hair Polish, perfect for her active lifestyle. She also uses Vitress Heat Protect Cuticle Coat for shoots, keeping her hair shiny and healthy even with all the styling it undergoes.
All in all it was a fun event, made more so as I got to hang out with my blogger friends!
Thank you Vitress and Marcie for inviting me to the event! Check back here soon as I give a more in-depth discussion of the different Vitress products.
Find out more about Vitress on their Facebook page, Instagram, and Twitter.
Saturday Shorts Vol. 6
Posted on: August 16, 2014
After a long long hiatus, Saturday Shorts is back! Well actually, that means I’ve finally started to use up enough products to have concrete opinions about them. So, welcome to volume six, bath products!
1. Organix Awapuhi Ginger Repairing Conditioner
This is one that I chose among Eula’s recommendations from Organix. I thought that Awapuhi Ginger smelled the best, and the scent really appealed to me. I use this at most twice a week; I wanted to avoid making my hair too used to it. My hair always smells fresh and lovely right after I take a bath with it. It feels super soft and silky too, but that goes away after a day or two. I’m wondering if I’m using it a little too infrequently. This is available in department stores (I bought mine in Landmark), and probably also in supermarkets as well. It costed me Php499 for the 385ml bottle. This is a huge bottle btw, and I feel like I haven’t made a significant dent yet.
2. Dove Deeply Nourishing Body Wash
Ah Dove, a very classic household name. This body wash though is something I’ve never tried before, but through Sampleroom I was able to get a full sized sample and try it out. I’ve already finished the sample and already bought a few bottles for further use, I’m that satisfied with it. It’s a very gentle cream that I just lather all over my body using only my hands (my derma forbid the use of abrasives like loofas), and I feel very cleansed. My sensitive skin loves this stuff, and has never reacted badly yet. It has become my current mainstay, and my daughter uses it too. This 200ml bottle costs Php90 (very reasonable!), and a bigger version, 400ml, costs Php175.
3. Bare Naturals The Mane Event
Lastly we have this hair mask from one of my previous Glamourboxes. I really like how this performs on my hair; it’s almost as good as the Organix conditioner. This is what I use in between the days I use the Organix one. I like the spatula that comes with it, as well as a built-in tray to hold the spatula, although of course by that time my hands are too wet and slippery that it’s still quite hard to manage. My hair feels nice and soft and smells fantastic after use. Unfortunately my husband does not like the scent of coconut (we didn’t realize that previously! quite the discovery) so I have stopped using this. The full sized version of this (130g) costs Php380.
Review: Artdeco Eyeshadow Base
Posted on: August 14, 2014
- In: Reviews
- 18 Comments
At long last, I finally found the time to review my current HG eye primer. I first heard of Artdeco Eyeshadow Base from Liz of Project Vanity, where she praised its performance. It’s readily available at Beauty Bar branches around the metro, and is quite affordable at Php450.
I bought it way back in early April this year, and it’s been through a lot. Unfortunately I misplaced my photos back then, and am only left with the above through my instagram. I don’t have a photo of how the product itself looks when it was still new.
After five months, this is how the tub looks. Most of the white print is erased. This is how often I’ve used Artdeco Eyeshadow Base (almost everyday!) and is possibly the most used and abused item in my arsenal.
Inside you can see that the product is almost gone. I use my fingers to apply it on my lids; a little unhygenic, yes, but I make sure that my hands are clean before every use. One of the things I really like is the scent. It’s a nice floral scent that disappears once applied on the lids.
Here are some swatches. The leftmost one is the eyeshadow base alone. As you can see it’s barely visible so it blends quite well into the lids. I used two light eyeshadow shades to show how this primer performs.
Sidenote: I swear I didn’t do this on purpose. I just realized what I had done when I was labeling this image! Anyway I used a pink Pixy eyeshadow and a bronzey-yellow Pixi eyeshadow to show that the Artdeco primer really does bring out the pigments. It does not alter the shade, but rather intensifies it. The pink shadow still appears pink, but it’s now more visible against my skin. Same with the yellow one. Here are some more examples of the Artdeco Eyeshadow Base in use.
Pros: very effective eye primer; scent; easily accessible; inexpensive
Cons: nothing!
Artdeco is cruelty-free. The Eyeshadow Base is available at Beauty Bar for Php450. There seems to be a new version that goes for Php550. I haven’t gone to a Beauty Bar lately so I don’t know which one (or if both) is available in-store.
Becoming Sleek 