Posts Tagged ‘Ofra’
Review: Ofra Lipstick #205
Posted on: November 7, 2014
- In: Reviews | Swatches
- 4 Comments
One of my recent makeup kit mainstays is Ofra Lipstick #205. This is the other option to receive from the Beauty SOS Glamourbox last year. I got my #202 (red) from that, and this #205 I bought from Shayne.
It is what I would describe as orchid pink, although it leans a lot more violet on the tube. There is a small window on the bottom that lets you see the shade.
As I said, on the tube it looks a lot like purplish pink.
Here is the arm swatch. See what I mean about orchid pink? It’s actually quite dainty and lighter than what the color in the tube looks like.
One of the things I really like about this lipstick is that it looks different depending on whether you blotted the lipstick or not. Check out the lip swatches here.
Here’s a face shot with the non-blotted version. You can really see the sheen of the lipstick here.
And here is another shot, this time blotted. The sheen is now much more muted, and it looks almost matte.
I really like that I can choose to go either matte or shiny with this lipstick. It also smells like vanilla, which I really like. It lasts relatively long, about 4 hours, without drinking or eating. Unfortunately it has a tendency to transfer, so be careful about that. This looks like a standard 4g or 3.5g lipstick, and costs Php650.
Ofra is cruelty-free.
Pros: beautiful orchid pink shade; relatively long lasting; cruelty-free
Cons: price; transfers
Ofra Lipstick #205 is available through the Glamourbox Boutique, as well as selected Snoe outlets and Glamourbox stalls.
- In: Swatches
- 14 Comments
Quite an almost-alliteration! Ofra Long Lasting Liquid Lipstick in Laguna Beach is unabashedly my favorite in the Flawless Beauty Glamourbox that was recently released. I love Ofra lipsticks and have always lemmed for the liquid lipsticks available at Glamourbox Boutique. You won’t believe just how excited I was when I saw this inside the subbie box (there was some squealing involved)!
The lipstick came in a black box with a little window to show you the shade, and the actual tube is a transparent one with a black cap. The shade name is clearly written on the tube.
The wand itself is just a doe foot applicator. It’s adequate enough to apply the lipstick onto the lips, but is not a very good one for defining the cupid’s bow. For better application, I would recommend using a lip brush. [Pardon this shot. For some reason the macro setting focused on the tube instead of the wand.]
Here again is the arm swatch. From this and the product color on the wand we can see that Laguna Beach is some sort of peachy pink/plum sort of shade.
Let’s move on to the lip swatches! Here is a comparison of bare lips and one with Laguna Beach.
It looks a lot muted here than what the arm swatch suggests. Here’s a closer look at the lips.
Upon closer inspection, Laguna Beach is actually a pretty pale pink. As it is a liquid lipstick, there needs to be a little bit of wait time for the lipstick to dry and settle. It dries matte, but unfortunately has a tendency to emphasize the lip lines. To test the longevity of it, I took another photo after four hours and a meal (Brightest Bulb in a Box‘s lipstick longevity test).
It’s still somewhat there but a little faded, and is a lot more evident on the outer edges of my lips. I would say that this is fairly long lasting, as long as you don’t eat or drink so much. It is still a pretty interesting lipstick for me (my second liquid one, but my most used so far!). Did I mention it smells so good? It has a very appealing vanilla pastry scent that makes me want to buy cupcakes. This costs a pretty steep Php950, but it has 8 grams of product (usual lipstick tubes contain 3.5-4 grams). Ofra Cosmetics is a cruelty-free company.
Disclaimer: I buy Glamourboxes with my own money. I am not required to write this post.
- In: Unboxing
- 15 Comments
Hot on the heels of the Beauties and Babies box, Glamourbox releases a new box with the theme Flawless Beauty! I am pretty excited to receive that box honestly because I was expecting a particular brand to be featured due to the theme. Let’s see what’s inside, shall we?
As mentioned, the theme is Flawless Beauty. This box aims to provide us with flaw-fixers and restore us to our natural beauty.
Read on to find out what’s inside!
20 Days of Lipstick: Week 2
Posted on: August 4, 2014
- In: Musings
- 13 Comments
Welcome to Week 2 of my 20 Days of Lipstick beauty dare! Just a short recap, this challenge requires me to use a different lipstick for five days per week without repetition for the entire challenge. This week I continue to explore the options I have in my stash.
Day 1: Clinique Long Last Lipstick in Creamy Nude
I feel like I’m cheating because there are five lipsticks in this Clinique makeup kit, but rest assured that I actually barely use any of these (primarily because I have to use a brush to use any of these). This day I decided I want to try a nude lip, and I always prefer Creamy Nude (leftmost) over Blushing Nude (middle) because, well, it’s creamy! I like this also because it doesn’t make my lips look washed out or blend into the rest of my face.
Day 2: Ofra Lipstick #205
This is the second lipstick I purchased from Shayne, and this is the other shade sent out in the September 2013 Glamourbox (Beauty SOS). I got the red one (Ofra #202) and I wanted to try out this one so badly. Thankfully Shayne sold hers at a very generous price, and I snapped it up right away! This of course is a pretty bright shade of pink, and looks initially matte upon application. It kind of glistens up after a while, but like #202 it’s a little bit drying.
Day 3: Ever Bilena Shine Lipstick in Flaring Cranberry
One of my lower end lipsticks. I like this one particularly because of its scent. It’s not your usual old-lady smell, but rather like a sweet candy scent. This comes out as kind of a shiny or metallic pinkish red (but it appears much darker here!) and because of its moisturizing center, it is not drying at all. It doesn’t stay on long though, and a reapplication is necessary especially after eating.
Day 4: Colour Collection Ultimate Wear Lipstick in Head Turner
I’ve swatched this before here. This is one of my brightest and glossiest pinks. I like how girly it still looks even if it’s bright and in-your-face. It has average longetivity, but nondrying.
Yes, I only was able to do four this week. I forgot to take pictures of the first day actually, and I can’t even remember what I used! I also didn’t like the fact that the pictures occur in different places. Hopefully I’ll have it better for the next week.
Maleficent in my Stash
Posted on: June 12, 2014
- In: Swatches
- 8 Comments
Have you watched Maleficent and fell in love with Angelina Jolie? No? I respectfully suggest you go now and do so. You will not regret it.
Image credit: http://www.mouseonthemind.com/
But this post isn’t really about the movie (which is great ofc!), but about the Maleficent makeup. Isn’t it just divine? I still can’t get over that razor-sharp contouring, and that stunningly red lip. In fact, I’m so taken by that red lip that I decided to go and see if I have anything similar in my stash. Here’s what I found, my reds collection.
From left to right: Pixi Shea Butter Lip Balm in Ripe Raspberry, Avon Vitaluscious Lipstick in Reviving Red, Colour Collection Ultimate Wear Lipstick in Bellissima, Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm in Standout (top of tub), Colour Collection Ultimate Wear Lipstick in Queen Bee (bottom of tub), Ever Bilena Lipstick in Flaring Cranberry, and Ofra Lipstick #202.
I wore each of them to check how Maleficent-ish they are. I also just wanted to swatch some lipsticks. Ahem. For reference, above is my lipstick-less state. Let’s start with Colour Collection Ultimate Wear Lipstick in Bellissima.
As you can see, Bellissima leans somewhat pinkish, and comes out pretty glossy. The red is also quite a lot lighter compared to Maleficent’s. I’ll rate this as 75% Maleficent (according to Pat’s Totally Arbitrary Scale of Lipstick Comparison).
Let’s move on to Colour Collection Ultimate Wear Lipstick in Queen Bee.
Ignoring some twinges of pain when looking at that tub, I’m glad to see that Queen Bee comes out as a deeper red compared to Bellissima. It’s also still a bit glossy, so I’d put this at a slightly higher 82% Maleficent.
Let’s move on to Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm in Standout (in another of those tubs).
Oooh well look at that! This one came out pretty matte (well it should!) which brings it closer to Maleficent in terms of texture. It’s still quite bright though, while we are actually looking for something rather brickish. I’ll say this is 88% Maleficent.
Next we have Avon Vitaluscious Lipstick in Reviving Red.
This one seems closer now in terms of shade, rather than texture. It seems to lean more brick compared to the first few ones, but it’s quite glossy. I’ll place it the same with Revlon, 88% Maleficent.
Now we come to Ofra Lipstick #202.
I really like how strikingly bold this is. It does feel like Maleficent, but unfortunately it doesn’t look quite like Maleficent. It is quite matte, but it’s too bright to be called brick red. I’ll go with 85% Maleficent, because it feels closer to the target compared to Queen Bee, but less so than Standout or Reviving Red.
Next we have Ever Bilena Lipstick in Flaring Cranberry.
I know this would turn out quite on the pink side, but I wanted to see how it looked compared to the others. It’s quite bold, yes, but it’s totally not the right color. I’ll rate it 50% Maleficent.
Last but not the least, Pixi Shea Butter Lip Balm in Ripe Raspberry.
It’s definitely not a lipstick, but I thought it is red enough to be included here. Unfortunately, while it is quite pigmented as a lip balm, it is not of course as pigmented as the lipsticks. Compared to them it really is quite sheer, although the red is pretty evident. Since this is red and not pink, I can put this at 60% Maleficent.
In conclusion, I didn’t really come that close to Maleficent-level of lipstick. The closest I got is Revlon Matte Balm in Standout and Avon Vitaluscious Lipstick in Reviving Red, both at 88%. It made me realize that I barely have any dark or brick reds, and I have too many bright reds of the same “level”.
FOTD: Mega Taray Office Look
Posted on: January 11, 2014
- In: FOTD
- 4 Comments
Makeup is such a versatile tool and can really change a girl’s look if done correctly. I was able to use this to good effect when I needed a severe office look to help me face one of my toughest challenges as a manager. I wanted a “mega taray” look because I wanted to project a certain image.
Red lipstick is the centerpiece, a shade I don’t normally wear to the office and something I would usually associate with the word “taray”. I supported it with a light blush, dark brows, and some pinkish-red eyeshadows.
Products used:
Face
Barenaturals Face Primer
Colour Collection Age Defying BB Cream
Avon Ideal Luminous Blush in Peach
Essence Mattifying Finishing Powder
Eyes
In2It Eyebrow Powder in Eyebrowns
Essence I Love Stage Eyeshadow Base
Ellefar Princess Chifon Eyeshadow Palette in Twilight (upper right)
Nichido Naturally Beautiful Palette (third from the right)
Fairydrops Platinum Mascara
Lips
Ofra Lipstick #202
Avon Ultra Glazewear Lip Gloss in Fiery Red
I would love to hear your thoughts about this look!
Favorites: October 2013
Posted on: November 9, 2013
- In: Favorites
- 2 Comments
Here are my favorites for the month of October.
1. [Skincare] Avon Anew Genics Gen-Protect SPF15 Treatment
When I unboxed this last month (Glamourbox Beauty SOS) I didn’t really give this a big deal. Fortunately it turned out to be a really good day cream! I have been using this since I received this and I love this to bits! It has made my skin quite manageable and it definitely did not make it react negatively. As a bonus, it has SPF15 so theoretically you can go out with just this on your face (and I have!). I love the luxe glass bottle with pump as one pump gives out the exact amount of product for the whole face. This would definitely be a mainstay in my routine even at Php1299 a pop, but unfortunately Avon is not cruelty-free.
2. [Lips] Ofra Lipstick #202
Glamourbox has a double-whammy for me this month! My favorite lip product is the Ofra Lipstick #202, from the same Beauty SOS box. It is perhaps my best red in my collection so far. I love how it feels on the lips, and it looks quite good with my skin tone.
3. [Face] Etude House Baby Choux Base in Mint Choux
My favorite face base this month is my newly acquired primer/facebase, the Etude House Baby Choux Base in Mint Choux. I’ve recently just reviewed it. The factor that made it my favorite this month is the versatility of this product. I mostly use it as a substitute for BB cream/foundation, but this performs really well too as a primer and face base. It’s not a very expensive one at that too!
4. [Body] Godiva LicoWhite Whitening Lotion
I was lucky to get a sample of this from Sampleroom, and the one pictured above is the last of the sachets. I really like how this feels on the skin, and I like how it smells too. I can’t quite comment on the whitening part since I’ve only been using it for about three weeks, but I wouldn’t mind buying a full sized bottle to see how it performs in the long term.
5. [Nails/Tools] BK Nails Dotting Tools
These dotting tools helped me create my most recent nail arts, and I really like how they perform. I would love to feature more dots on my nails, and these will definitely be used a lot. I bought these separately, but both are found in Landmark Trinoma.
Review: Ofra Lipstick #202
Posted on: October 11, 2013
- In: Reviews | Swatches
- 8 Comments
One of my most favorite items in the Beauty SOS Glamourbox is the only makeup item in it: the Ofra Lipstick in #202.
It’s supposedly rich in antioxidants and vitamin E, as well as being both a natural sunscreen for the lips and a moisturizer to boot! Talk about multitasking! That’s not even talking about the lipstick aspect of it.
It comes in a nice matte black plastic tube, with a preview of the color at the bottom and the shade number at the top. It also has the brand emblazoned in the middle.
It applies matte on the lips as well. One has to be really careful in application and make sure that the lips are well exfoliated prior to putting on the lipstick. Check out the lip swatch. The top is the bare lip, middle is one layer of lipstick, bottom is blotted.
It lasts for quite some time (about 4 hours) without eating or drinking. It’s non drying at all, and feels wonderful on the lips. I would love to try other shades of this!
You can buy this lipstick (other shades available!) from the Glamourbox Boutique for Php650. Ofra is cruelty free (Thanks to the Nailinator for the update!) I have no information on Ofra’s animal testing policies.
Pros: wonderful matte red; nondrying; long lasting
Cons: slightly expensive; available online only
- In: Unboxing
- 8 Comments
As one last hurrah for September, Glamourbox sent the much awaited Beauty SOS box last week. This box contains products that aim to address specific skin troubles such as zits, dull skin, and sparse lashes. Let’s take a look at what’s inside.
Warning: Photo-intensive post ahead! [You can click on each photo for a bigger size.]
The usual sturdy box greets us, along with the welcome card bearing the theme, and underneath is a glimpse of what’s to come. I will present these in the order stated in the welcome card.
The first product is called Rejuvalash Eyelash Growth Serum. I’ve never been a believer of lash serums, thinking that the lashes you are born with are the lashes you will have until death. Maybe this one will change my mind, I think I’ll give this a chance. Goodness knows I don’t have full lashes (but my daughter does! lucky her!) so I can use some growth. I will report back on how this performs for me. The ingredients for this are: Enzyme EPM containing 10 amino acids, Vitamin E, Vitamin C, and sterilized moisture. This is probably a full sized product, 5ml, which costs Php2860 (wow).
The second one is Kanebo Impress Advanced CT Essence, an anti-aging serum containing carnitine to repair all skin damage. A pretty big boast, to be honest. I am all for anti-aging, since I’m already at the age where I should start investing in it, so I shall give this a try. Unfortunately we are provided only two tiny sachets of 0.4ml each, so hopefully that is enough to give us a good impression. The full 40ml bottle costs a whopping Php12000! The sachets therefore costs Php120 each (whoa).
Next we have Avon Genics Gen-Protect SPF15 Treatment. It is a facial lotion with SPF, and has a bit of anti-aging properties as well. It claims to undo 10 years off the skin in just 8 weeks. Thankfully we received a full bottle so we can try this out properly. It’s meant to be used in the morning after cleansing. The 30-ml bottle costs Php1299.
Next is my favorite in the box. It is VMV Hypoallergenics Id Monolaurin Gel. This is meant to address acne and prevents over-sweating. It can be used for both face and body. I’ve always been a fan of VMV as it is one of the friendliest to sensitive skin. The full size, 120ml, costs Php710. We’ve been given a trial sample of 50ml (generous!) so this costs about Php295.
The next item is my second favorite, and is the only makeup product in the box. It is an Ofra Lipstick in #202 (red). I was super excited about this because Glamourbox teased us with a photo, and I fell in love with it. The tube is smaller than the usual lipstick tubes, but it contains the standard 4g of product. I am starting to love red lippies, and this one seems like a good one to start with. This costs Php650.
Last on the list of regular items is Saforelle Gentle Cleansing Care, which is actually a gentle intimate wash. I’m not really into intimate washes (I just use water!) so I’m a little unexcited about this product. This is a full 100ml bottle which costs Php159.75.
Luckily enough I was one of the first 150 subscribers to the Beauty SOS box and thus qualified to receive the bonus item. It is Mustela Stelatopia Emollient Cream, a cream cleanser for dry, atopic skin. It can be used on the face and body to nourish the skin and alleviate itching. It’s supposed to be great for sensitive skin! The full size, 200ml, costs Php1190 (Mustela isn’t cheap), so this 10ml sampler costs Php59.50.
There is also a good amount of vouchers included in this box. Going clockwise from the top we have: 1. 10% off voucher for Anma Lifestyle travel accessories (FB store) valid until December 2013; 2. This isn’t really a voucher, but Saforelle gives you a chance to win free products in exchange for feedback; 3. 500 peso discount voucher for Soleo Swimwear (FB store) for a minimum purchase of Php1350; 4. Vouchers for VMV products (25% off on select products, or free shipping plus 2 deluxe minis for a Php2000 purchase) valid until December 31, 2013, applicable only on the online store; 5. Free bikini waxing service from Lay Bare Waxing Salon, valid until November 30, 2013; 6. Complimentary Nail Art (Caviar, Velvet, and Foil) from PoshNails Marikina branch valid until November 30, 2013.
These are pretty significant vouchers! I will probably try to maximize these and use up as much of it as I can.
My impression of the Beauty SOS September Glamourbox: I love this box! Firstly it introduces a lot of unfamiliar (to me) brands. I enjoy checking out brands I’ve never heard of before, which is really the main point of subscription boxes tbh. Secondly most of the items in this box are usable, and may in fact be needed since my skin needs a little bit more pampering lately. Thirdly wow at all those vouchers! I am starting to change my mind about vouchers, and I love the fact that Glamourbox treats these as pure bonuses (ie, not included in their welcome card). This is such a sulit box!
Value review: The total value of this box is about Php5500, including the bonus item but excluding the voucher values. This is almost ten times (!!!) the value of the subscription, holy smokes! To be fair, more than half of that is just in the eyelash serum. On the other hand most of the products are full sized, and the voucher values are just amazing.
Becoming Sleek 