Posts Tagged ‘Pixi’
20 Days of Lipstick: Week 3
Posted on: August 13, 2014
- In: Musings
- 9 Comments
Welcome to Week 3 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. Last week I was only able to do four lipsticks; let’s see if I met the challenge this week!
Day 1: VMV Hypoallergenics Subtle Shine Lipstick in Girl Next Door
This came from the huge loot I got from The Beauty Junkee, and is one of the very first things I opened (because lipstick!). This is a nude one for me and really leans brown, and is quite matte (which is weird because it says it’s “Subtle Shine“). It’s quite invisible on me, and applies a little patchy. It has that old-lady smell as well, which is a little offputting.
Day 2: Maybelline Color Sensational in Peachy Scene
Ye gods, it’s been a long time since I used this lipstick. I swatched it here before, and I honestly have forgotten I have this. It’s a, well, peach shade, and a very sparkly one at that, which makes it a little hard to use on an everyday basis. I shall strive to use this a little more often before it turns bad!
Day 3: Pixi Shea Butter Lip Balm in Ripe Raspberry
Permit me another cheat day. This is not exactly a lipstick, nor is it something I don’t normally use (because I totally do!). However I really like the lipstick-like pigmentation of this balm, and of course it’s very moisturizing. Unfortunately I think this is the most pigmented of the available shades, so the others will not be as deeply colored as this. I wore it to a press event.
Day 4: Revlon ColorStay Ultimate Suede in Supermodel
This is another attempt at nude. Supermodel appears quite invisible on my lips, tbh, with a little hint of mauve and just a tiny bit of shine. One of the features of this lipstick that I really like is the locking mechanism of the tube. It makes sure that I don’t smear lipstick all over my bag if the cap suddenly falls off (which happens alarmingly often!).
Day 5: Clinique Long Last Lipstick in Party Red
This is the third of the five lipsticks in my Clinique All-in-one Makeup Kit, and this one is the boldest and brightest of them. Party Red turns out to be a super matte red, and it really is super hard to apply because of that. It’s a great red, however, and I chose this on this day because I had an event to attend and this seemed perfect for the theme! It’s a little drying though.
Yay for a complete week 3! I’m really enjoying this challenge (as you can see!) and I’m a little sad that I’m almost at the end of it. Just one more week to go!
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: Vikings Day
Posted on: April 14, 2014
- In: FOTD
- 8 Comments
Last weekend I met with Tellie and Kira for a wonderful lunch at Vikings Megamall. It didn’t really start on the best of feet, having had a miscommunication before we even met, but once it started I had a total blast!
My beautiful lunchmates!
Here is what I wore on my face for that day. I wanted to give the Silk Naturals Mineral Eye Colors another shot, now that I have a new eyeshadow base (Artdeco). Here I only used two, Charmed and Thistle.
Sporting my summer cut
It turns out that Charmed really does go pretty sheer once blended. It still shows a little bit green here, but it’s a lot less sparkly than what the swatch shows.
The green is still there, I swear!
Here’s a sample of shenanigans I fall into when taking selfies.
Derp face
Products used:
Face
Ellana Minerals Let’s Make It Last Liquid Primer
Ellana Minerals Loose Powder Foundation in Caramel Latte
Ever Bilena Blush in Baby Pink
Eyes
Ellana Minerals Eyeshadow/Eyebrow Quad
Artdeco Eyeshadow Base
Silk Naturals Mineral Eye Colors in Charmed and Thistle
Clinique Extreme Lengthening Mascara
Lips
Pixi Tinted Brilliance Balm in Craving Coral
Haul and Swatches: Pixi Cosmetics
Posted on: April 8, 2014
- In: Haul | Swatches
- 4 Comments
Ever since Glamourbox started featuring the brand Pixi on their Boutique, I’ve always wondered if they were any good. I couldn’t really tell just judging from the product shots, and online reviews were pretty inconclusive. What was stopping me was that they seemed a little expensive to just try on a whim. What was pushing me to buy was that I loved the Tinted Brilliance Balm (Magic Tink Tint) they included in the April Glamourbox last year (OMG it’s been a year already!) and I honestly wanted to get more of those. I envy Kira’s collection!
What finally convinced me to take the plunge is 1. Glamourbox had a pretty tempting offer (get their new Pixi Shea Butter Lip Balm free for every 2k purchase of Pixi products) and 2. Iana of The Beauty Bee blogged about her purchase which turned out to be the exact list of things I wanted to get! So here’s what I got:
From left to right I got my freebie Pixi Shea Butter Lip Balm in Ripe Raspberry, the Pixi Mesmerizing Mineral Palette in Copper Peach, and of course I got my second Tinted Brilliance Balm this time in the shade Craving Coral. I wanted to also get the third in Iana’s list, the Brow Duo, but unfortunately at the time of my order it was sold out. I instead got another Tinted Brilliance Balm to give to a bestie.
Let me show you each of these items. First we have the Pixi Mesmerizing Mineral Palette in Copper Peach. It has six neutral but shimmery shades in the palette, and it comes with its own dual ended sponge applicator. The palette itself is a little quirky, as its hinges open at the short side instead of the long side as in the usual palettes. This costs Php620.
Here’s the stuff written on the box. Important to note that this has 5.76 grams of product total.
I’ve designated numbers for each of the shades as there were no shade names included. It will also make it easier to know which shade I am talking about in any future FOTD I may use this in.
And here are the arm swatches. They are all two swipes each, with the top row having no primer and the bottom row has a swipe of primer (Artdeco Eyeshadow Base) underneath. This is a larger than normal photo so you can click on the photo for a bigger version.
As you can see, shade 1 is barely noticeable on my skin. This will probably end up as some sort of highlighter. Shades 2 and 4 are almost indistinguishable, but in person shade 4 is more peach. Shade 3 is a matte brown that looks a lot darker in the pan but is actually pretty soft. Shade 5 is very coppery red, and shade 6 leans metallic brown. I’ve used this in my FOTD last weekend, and I am liking this palette so far.
Next we have Pixi Tinted Brilliance Balm in Craving Coral. I wanted to have something non-red (most of my recent new lippies are reds) and I thought I’d try a coral shade. It comes in this cute box with some information on the sides. I apologize for the blurriness of the ingredient list. This costs Php790.
The tube is the same one as my first Brilliance Balm, but without the Tinkerbell design. Also the cap seems to be sturdier this time around. It has a band of coral around the twist end. It has 3 grams of product. The shade Craving Coral is tamer than I imagined it to be. Almost peach and not a dramatic coral at all. I love it!
Lastly we have the newly released (here, anyway) Pixi Shea Butter Lip Balm, and the shade I received is Ripe Raspberry. The nature of the freebie is that you don’t get to choose what you’ll receive. To me this is quite exciting, and I am so happy with the shade I received! Ripe raspberry is quite a strong red in the tube, and is quite as strong on the lips. The tube itself is a very appealing hot pink-and-mint green combo. It has 4 grams of product. This costs Php420.
And here are the swatches of the two lip balms. The Ripe Raspberry doesn’t look all that red here to be honest. I really like both a lot, although it is the Ripe Raspberry that made it into my bag. I wouldn’t mind getting more shades of these!
Here are some photos of me wearing the lip balms. This is me wearing Ripe Raspberry.
And this is me wearing Craving Coral.
Pixi is available at the Glamourbox Boutique, Ava.ph, some select Snoe branches, and Commonthread at Greenbelt 5. Pixi is cruelty-free.
FOTD: My first shoot
Posted on: April 7, 2014
- In: FOTD
- 3 Comments
Last weekend I was invited by Aries of Erzullie for my first ever photo shoot. Here is what I did to my face for that shoot.
I wanted to look fresh and simple. I stayed with only a bare hint of color on the lips. I kept the eyes neutral. I really wish I could have gotten my brows cleaned somehow, but it’ll have to do.
I got to try my new stuff out! I recently bought a bunch of Ellana products, and also a bit of Pixi cosmetics and my new eye primer from Artdeco!
PS: I also got a haircut! It’s not that evident in the photos as my hair blended into my car seat, haha!
Products used:
Face
Ellana Minerals Let’s Make It Last Liquid Primer
Ellana Minerals Loose Powder Foundation in Caramel Latte
Avon Ideal Luminous Blush in Peach
Eyes
Ellana Minerals Eyeshadow/Eyebrow Quad
Artdeco Eyeshadow Base
Pixi Mesmerizing Mineral Palette in Copper Peach
Clinique Extreme Lengthening Mascara
Lips
Pixi Tinted Brilliance Balm in Craving Coral
Whoa this is pretty late already, but I figured I might as well still post a review. I got this Pixi Glow Magic Tink Tint in Happy Thoughts Pink from the April Glamourbox (2013).
It is a twist-up chubby pencil type of lip gloss with a clear plastic cap, and the shade I received is Happy Thoughts Pink. As you can see below, it has 3 grams of product.
It is also trademarked by Disney for using the Tinkerbell branding. See if you can spot Tinkerbell in the photo below.
I’ve been using this for quite some time, which can be evidenced by the pretty beat up state of my tube. I have some pink stains on the tip of the tube and where the cap ends. The cap itself is cracked in several places, which I fixed with the help of several wraps of scotch tape. I think I shoved the tube into its cap way too vigorously, hence the cracks.
It applies on clear on the lips, but deepens into a nice pinkish glow after a few minutes.
Bare lips
With one layer of Magic Tink Tint
After a few hours, it settles into a nice glossy pinkish red. I love how it doesn’t feel sticky on the lips, and it actually has a faint sweet taste and scent. It keeps my lips moisturized. This can last for a few hours, but will not survive eating and drinking.
Tinted Brilliance Balms like this are Php790 at the Glamourbox Boutique. They have several shades available, and are bringing in more!
Pros: beautiful shade; nonsticky; moisturizing; convenient twist-up pencil
Cons: slightly expensive
Pixi cosmetics can be bought from the Glamourbox Boutique and certain Snoe Beauty stores. Pixi is cruelty-free.
Unboxing the April GlamourBox
Posted on: May 3, 2013
- In: Unboxing
- 4 Comments
It’s finally here! Actually I received this last April 30, but I am only now able to write about it. Without further ado, let’s see what we have for the April Glamourbox!
This April the theme is Green Beauty. “This month, we honor the source of all beauty, Mother Earth! We therefore selected eco-friendly products that offer natural benefits to enhance your beauty. We hope you enjoy these exciting discoveries as much as we do!” A theme close to my heart! I love this month’s theme, I’m always in favor of using eco-friendly products. Let’s see what these are.
Full size 0.10oz – Php735
First up: Pixi Tinted Brilliance Balm Magic Tink Tint in Happy Thoughts Pink (wow what a mouthful!). The welcome card says: “Think happy thoughts as this subtly blooming, super-nourishing gel crayon tints your lips in true Tinker Bell style. With shea butter & lip-plumping hyaluronic acid, it will keep your lips in optimum condition.” A tinted lip balm! This will be my first. I love the packaging, and am quite surprised that this has Tinkerbell branding. I’ve already tried it, and it does have a sheer color to it. I’ll do a swatch and a quick review of this soon. This is full sized, so the item value is Php735.
Full size 0.2oz – Php740
Next we have Mox Botanicals Lip Butter in Coconut Almondine. The card says: “Made with 100% natural ingredients, Mox Botanicals lip butters incorporates the benefits of shea and avocado butter with Jojoba and Meadowfoam Seed Oil to create a truly luxurious lip experience.” Hmm, another lip butter/balm? To be honest I’m not as excited about this as the Pixi tint. I have a lot of lip balms in line for trying, so I’m not really looking for more to try yet. Not to mention, those beads of moisture on the surface does not inspire confidence either. I’m not sure how much this sample contains, but let us assume that this might be the full size so item value should be the full Php740.
Full size 140g – Php250
This one is Mir & Ryvi Banana Soap, for which the card says “Made only from ethically sourced organic banana, acerola extract and cupuacu butter, this Mir & Ryvi soap lightens acne scars and age spots to promote natural skin elasticity and renewal.” Interesting product, as I haven’t seen a lot of beauty products based on banana. Unfortunately I am already trying another facial soap at the moment, so it will probably take some time before I try this one out. On the bright side, I don’t think soap expires, so there should be no rush to try this. (Do correct me if I’m wrong with this.) I estimate this to be about 50g, so item value is around Php90.
Full size 130g – Php94
Next we have Droplets of Nature Beauty and Bright Anti-Ageing Serum Bar. According to the card, “The first wash-off serum bar in the Philippines. It effectively lightens and moisturizes one’s skin. It is loaded with moringa, acai berry, kojic acid, papaya, lemon extracts and lactic acid.” A serum bar! Talk about innovative. I’ve heard a lot of positive things about Droplets of Nature, and this one sure is very intriguing. I’m sure this is the full sized bar, so item value is a full Php94.
Full size 275ml – Php195
This is Hollywood Style Light Summer Lotion, the biggest and heaviest product in the box. The welcome card says, “Replenish skin with an instant burst of hydration! This 100% oil-free lotion is made with cucumber, aloe vera, vitamin E and natural sunscreen ingredients for a cool & fresh daily summertime protection.” I might have mentioned once or twice in this blog that I am a lotion fan, so this one really excited me a lot. This feels like the full 275ml, so item value is Php195.
Full size 50ml – Php395
Lastly we have Regatta Leisure for Men and Leisure for Women fragrance samples as bonus items. I suppose I shouldn’t be too surprised about receiving fragrance samples in my beauty subscriptions, but a girl can hope. Oh well, hopefully I will enjoy the scents. I haven’t tried them out yet as they are sealed. These are probably around 2ml each, so total item value of the samples is about Php32.
I didn’t receive the soap flakes that other subscribers received. That was probably for the quarterly subscribers so I’m not surprised to get one. It’s just a little sad, I guess. Let me also mention that this box did not have any vouchers or gift certificates.
My impressions of the April Glamourbox: I find it quite interesting that this is mostly a skincare box, with only the Pixi tint being the only cosmetic item. In general I like the items (except of course the fragrance and the lip balm) and look forward to trying them all out. Hopefully though, the next box will contain more cosmetics.
Value review: The total value of this box is around Php1890, assuming that the Mox Lip Butter is full sized. The Pixi tint alone covers the price of the box (Php595) so I did get my money back and then some. Most of the items I liked here are the lower-priced ones though (which means I will probably rebuy them if I like their performance).
Becoming Sleek 