Wordless Wednesday #28 | The Perennial Photobomber.

Project BB Cream | Nature Republic By Flower BB Cream.

Yay, another BB Cream post! See? I'm keeping my promise of writing about BB Creams more often. This time, I'm giving my two cents' worth on Nature Republic's By Flower BB Cream.

By Flower.

I can't recall exactly how this tester ended up in my stash, but I reckon this was sent to me as freebie from my favorite eBay store.

Lost in translation, lol.

Unless you're well-versed with Hangul, there really isn't much to see (nor understand) at the back. But at least I know that it's SPF35 PA++; its sun protection factor is pretty much mid-range, which sounds good to me. Anything beyond SPF30 PA++ is actually good enough, at least for my skin. Also, there's a number '2' written, which indicates that this shade is in 02 Natural Beige. The other shade, just so you know, is 01 Pink Beige.

Cornflower extracts, commonly used in cosmetic products, can be found in the By Flower BB Cream. Hence, this product has antioxidant properties, and can soothe and whiten the skin at the same time. Here's how the product looks like:

02 Natural Beige.
I think I may have dabbed a little too much, haha.

Its thick and creamy consistency reminds me of the Power Perfection BB Cream from The Face Shop, though this one doesn't dry as quickly as the other. Coverage is pretty good too - buildable, from medium to full and can cover light scars and imperfections on the face. Just don't overdo it like the way I did on the back of my hand, as this BB Cream has a slightly grayish cast, which can wash out your face if you use too much. As for the staying power, it can last for at least six to eight hours when worn with a primer.

Left, without BB Cream. Right, with BB Cream.
Yeah, I did squeeze out a tad too much. Mianhe. 

Personally, I love its mild, floral scent and its dewy finish. The price is pretty reasonable, too. A full-sized 35mL tube costs Php 445 at Lazada, so I'm thinking it's the same price (or even less) when purchased at Nature Republic stores. In Korea, this BB Cream sells for only 6000 Korean won (approximately Php 229 when converted)!

By Flower on my face. :)

What I love:

Light, floral scent

Lightweight, buildable coverage

A little goes a long way

Dewy finish

No allergic reactions whatsoever

SPF 35 PA++

Affordable price

What you might not like:

Slightly grayish cast

Finally, here's the customary FOTD photo. I'm using less makeup these days because I'm trying to keep up with this season's makeup trend - strong versus subtle. It's keeping your face bare (well, almost) while highlighting your best feature with a dash of color. 

Products used:
FACE: The Face Shop Face It Velvet Skin Primer, Benefit Erase Paste in Medium,
Nature Republic By Flower BB Cream.

EYES: elf Liquid Eyeliner in Black, Fairy Drops Volume Burst Mascara, 

Avon Ultra Luxury Brow Liner in Dark Brown.

LIPS: Maybelline Baby Lips in AntiOxidant Berry, Sleek MakeUp Lipstick in O.M.G!

Notice how I didn't use an eyeshadow or a blusher in this look? :)

Project BB Cream | SkinFood Good Afternoon Honey Black Tea BB.

Last year, I made a resolve to try as many BB creams as possible and share the experience here in my blog. I managed to go through and write about a few brands, though I wish I could have done more in terms of product review quantity. If it's any consolation, at least my top three favorite BB creams and their corresponding reviews continue to be the most popular posts in The Rebel Sweetheart. (See 'Top Stories' on my right sidebar.)

I promise to do more BB cream features and reviews this year. More so now that I have blog followers who actually ask for my opinion when it comes to BB creams and Korean cosmetics. (Thank you, my dear readers! I am truly honored!) I even placed this stash of BB cream testers on top of my dresser as a constant reminder of my BB cream project.

The goal: Review all these within the next six weeks (at least).

Today I gave the SkinFood Honey Black Tea BB Cream a try. This is the second variant I'm trying from SkinFood's Good Afternoon product line, the first being the Rose Lemon BB Cream.

Honey Black!

As per the SkinFood website, the Honey Black Tea moisturizes and brightens the skin and makes it look soft and supple. This is exactly what this BB Cream did for me. Its slightly dewy finish gave my face a nice, subtle, and healthy-looking glow. I especially like the scent, too. It smells just like the SkinFood Royal Honey Eye Cream, which I'm still using by the way.

01 Light Beige.

The formulation is lightweight and very easy to blend, though I find it a tad runny. Watery even, as compared to the Rose Lemon Tea's formulation. Also, when you swatch the BB creams side by side (both are in 01 Light Beige), the Honey Black Tea looks much lighter. So light that the shade doesn't seem to match my skin at all.

Left: Rose Lemon Tea / Right: Honey Black Tea.

But once it settles on the skin, the Honey Black Tea adjusts to your natural skintone. You won't even be able to tell that the shade match initially missed the mark.

Left: Rose Lemon Tea / Right: Honey Black Tea.

However, the coverage is light - much like the Rose Lemon's. It's great for days when I'm too lazy to do my makeup and all I need is an even skintone. But for days when my skin is blotchy or when my eyebags are horrendous, this BB Cream wouldn't be able to give the coverage that I need. 

Coverage? What coverage? :))

Staying power is so-so. It stayed nicely on my face for at least six hours. But that's on a blustery day, with a primer on. I reckon it'd fade away in half the time during the summer months.

Left: Rose Lemon Tea / Right: Honey Black Tea.

So I guess I won't go for full size anytime soon. The full size, by the way, comes in 30g tubes for all BB Creams from the Good Afternoon line. They're priced at 8000 won in Korea (Php 300+ when converted), while in the Philippines, they're sold within the Php 400 - Php 450 price range. Not bad considering how ridiculously expensive SkinFood products are in this country.

What I love: 

The scent 

Lightweight, easy to blend

Shade adjusts to your skintone

Slightly dewy finish

Moisturizes and brightens

Safe for sensitive skin

Affordable, as compared to other SkinFood products

What you might not like:

Light coverage

Watery consistency

SPF20/PA++ only

And as always, here's the FOTD. The first for 2013. Pardon the eyebags. :) 

Products used:
FACE: The Face Shop Face It Velvet Skin Primer, Benefit Erase Paste in Medium,
SkinFood Good Afternoon Honey Black Tea BB.
EYES: Urban Decay Ammo Eyeshadow Palette, elf Liquid Eyeliner in Black,
Avon Ultra Luxury Brow Liner in Dark Brown, Missha Viewer 270 HD Curl Mascara in Black.
CHEEKS: Tony Moly Cheek Tint in Cherry Pink.
LIPS: Etude House Shini Star (Taemin) Lip Balm, Miners Matte Factor Lip Paint in Warm Red.

Project BB Cream | The Face Shop Power Perfection BB Cream.

On Christmas morning, I woke up with a bad case of sniffles, a blotchy face, and a nose as red as Rudolph's. Of all the days that my allergic rhinitis chose to be at its worst, it had to be on Christmas Day. Oh, the irony!

Luckily for me, I have The Face Shop's Power Perfection BB Cream to save the day, and my face. This BB Cream, if you can remember, was sent to me by my husband some two months ago. Marketed as a 'total solution BB cream', the Power Perfection BB Cream is designed to address most skin problems (i.e. roughness, dryness, uneven skin tone) while giving the face a natural, flawless coverage.

Power Perfection BB Cream.

My Power Perfection comes in a pretty 40 gram bottle. And I say pretty because it's in my favorite color, purple. For those who prefer a smaller size, there are 20 gram bottles available, too.

Purple is love!

If you've been following my blog for quite some time, then by now you already know my preference for pump bottles. This one is just to my liking - easy to control, and you get just the right amount of BB cream with every pump. Plastic cap is sturdy and secure, too.

Pump, check. 

Like most TFS products, the Power Perfection's box has literature in both English and Hangul.

Yay, English!

Goal for 2013: Formally learn Hangul.

Now here's how the BB cream looks like. Take note that this is the 02 Natural Beige variant. (The other variant being the 01 Light Beige, for those with even fairer skin.)

I'd say it matches my skintone perfectly.

Although the Power Perfection BB cream has a thicker consistency than most of the BB creams I've tried, it's very easy to blend, and just a little amount goes a long way. My only gripe is that it dries very quickly, so you have to work on spreading it as fast as you can.

Coverage is pretty good - medium to full, depending on how you'd like to wear it. It has a semi-matte, slightly dewy finish, with a texture that's very lightweight and not icky on the skin.

Left without BB cream, right with BB cream.

It has impressive staying power, too - a good ten hours and the BB cream is still sitting pretty on my face. I reckon this BB cream would suit even those with oily skin. And for those with sensitive skin like me, you'd be glad to know that this BB cream gave me no allergies whatsoever.

Where's Rudolph? Haha!

In Korea, the Power Perfection BB Cream retails for 22900 Won. That's more or less Php 900 when converted. Here in the Philippines, it's priced around Php 1500 (correct me if I'm wrong), which seems pretty fair considering Philippine taxes and shipping from Korea. It's a tad more expensive than Etude House, but still way cheaper than Missha's. And that's a fact. :)

What I love:

Pretty (purple) and sturdy packaging

Excellent shade match

Medium, buildable coverage

Non-sticky, lightweight

A little goes a long way

Light, powdery scent

Semi-matte, slightly dewy finish

Stays on for ten hours at the very least

Safe for sensitive skin

SPF 37/PA++

What you might not like:

Dries quickly

It looks like this will be my last post for the year, so please allow me to indulge in a little self-love. Haha! Here's my last Face of the Day for 2012. 

Products used:
FACE: The Face Shop Face It Velvet Skin Primer, Benefit Erase Paste in Medium,
The Face Shop Power Perfection BB Cream in Natural Beige
EYES: Urban Decay Ammo Eyeshadow Palette, elf Liquid Eyeliner in Black,
Avon Ultra Luxury Brow Liner in Dark Brown, Missha Viewer 270 HD Curl Mascara in Black
CHEEKS: Tony Moly Cheek Tint in Cherry Pink
LIPS: Jordana Lip Liner in Rose, Etude House Shini Star (Taemin) Lip Balm,
NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in  Addis Ababa

It's been a crazy, beautiful year for me, and I couldn't thank you enough for staying with me for the past 12 months. I am looking forward to yet another wild and wonderful year with all of you. 

Happy New Year everyone! 

Ever onward to 2013!

Pucker Up! | NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Addis Ababa.

It seems like every beauty blogger I know has given these NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams a try. Everyone except me, that is. Boo hoo. And so when I did some shopping at Skye Avenue a few weeks ago, I made it a point to include one of these Lip Creams in my shopping cart.

NYX ♥

Choosing which shade to try was easy. I went for the most popular (as far as the reviews that I've read are concerned) in the bunch - Addis Ababa.

Addis Ababa ♥

Bright fuchsia with blue undertones, Addis Ababa has become known as the 'Barbie pink' shade among NYX fans and lip cream lovers. I love how this shade of (hot) pink screams OF femininity and screams FOR attention.

Barbie pink!

It comes with a doe-foot applicator, which I find very convenient when it comes to building color on my lips. Addis Ababa has a great, buildable color, and highly-pigmented at that.

Gorgeous, just gorgeous. :)

This product glides on your lips like a dream and dries into a gorgeous matte finish. It's feels neither sticky nor heavy, and it lasts on your lips for hours even after eating or drinking. It also has that distinct caramel cheesecake scent (similar to Miners Matte Factor Lip Paint) which I'm really crazy about.

Now here's the thing about these Lip Creams. They can make your lips look really dry, especially when you're wearing them thick. Nothing to worry about, since a good lip balm does the trick. Maybelline Baby Lips is a good choice, but in this nippy weather, I prefer EOS, my all-time favorite lip balm. Remember to apply the lip balm BEFORE you apply the Lip Cream! You won't get the 'matte effect' if you do it otherwise.

What I love:
- Gorgeous shade
- Highly-pigmented
- Buildable color
- Nice scent
- Stays on your lips for hours
- Kiss-proof
- Affordable price
- Cruelty-free (not tested on animals)

What you might not like:
- Has a tendency to dry out the lips (nothing a good lip balm can't handle, though).

After Addis Ababa, I can now say that I'm a fan of matte lippies. I've actually professed my love for this product on Instagram, where most of my recent selcas feature this product. Check out the hot pink kisser, haha!

Follow me on Instagram via rebelsweethrt :)

NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams are available at Skye Avenue for only Php 250 each. Purchase via the Multiply Shopping Cart and have your orders delivered free of charge.

Like Skye Avenue on Facebook and follow Ms. Dee on Twitter to get first dibs on new products and ongoing promos! :)

Today's Look | Smokey Eyes ala T.O.P!

It's been awhile since my last 'face-of-the-day' post, so today I'll be sharing the look that I wore to the Big Bang concert. I originally thought of recreating G-Dragon's look from the 'Monster' MV, but I realized his eye makeup is a tad too bold for my taste.

So just to play safe, I went back to good ol' TOP's smoking hot look in the 'Fantastic Baby' MV. This time, instead of using the Smoke and Mirrors palette for the eyes, I made use of my Urban Decay Ammo Eyeshadow Palette.

On my eyes: Smog, Last Call, and Grifter.

I've become so attached to this palette - I love the transition of colors, and the versatility of the shades in general. You'll surely be able to create and recreate looks for different occasions as the pigments vary from light to dark, bold to nude.

Ammo is amazing! :)

It's actually the palette that made me forget my lust for Naked 2. Haha!

Keep calm and Boom shakalaka :)

Products used:

The Face Shop Velvet Skin Primer
Benefit Erase Paste in Medium
Missha Signature Wrinkle Filler BB Cream #21
Urban Decay Ammo Eyeshadow Palette
 Avon Ultra Luxury Brow Liner in Dark Brown
elf Liquid Eyeliner in Black
Missha Viewer 270 HD Curl Mascara in Black
Sleek Makeup Pomegranate Blush
Avon Ultra Luxury Liner in Baby Pink
Avon Ultra Moisture Rich Lipstick in Barely There

Where to shop for makeup?
Stuff in Style | Sleek MakeUp PH | Hip Style | elf Cosmetics

PS... I want pink and blue hair like G-Dragon's!

Spotlight | NYC Color Wheel Mosaic Eye Powder in Beyond the Sea.

If I were to sort my makeup stash and arrange them from cheapest to the most expensive, then this baby would be at the head of the pack.

The NYC Color Wheel Mosaic Eye Powder in Beyond the Sea, which I got from Tita Mac of Smart Shopper, is a steal for just Php 100! This is what I love the most about Tita Mac's 'Goody Boxes' - there's always drugstore makeup included in every shipment, at a price that you just could not resist.

Brush not included! :)

With four different colors in one pan, these finely-milled powder can be blended into one sensational shade, or can be used separately. Just so you know, I prefer to do the latter. :)

Although I'm not really into blue eyeshadow, I liked how the teal looked so pretty with the browns in this mosaic. The teal looks kinda pale, but the color is pretty buildable - whether you'd wear it lighter or darker is entirely up to you.

From L-R: Shade #1, Shade #2, Shade #3, Shade #4.

 The powders are soft and pack on my eyeshadow brush nicely, with almost no fall-out. Color pay-off and staying power is pretty impressive, too, considering its price. This product is pretty versatile, and you can create a 'coffee to cocktails' look with it.

Too bad it only comes in one size - a mere 0.09 oz. It would have been nice if they will have a bigger size available, which I doubt since I couldn't even find this item on the NYC site.

And because I've been missing out on my 'face of the day' posts, here you go! 

Products used:
L'Oreal Base Magique Primer
Skin Food Good Afternoon BB Cream in Rose Lemon Tea
Missha The Style Undereye Brightener
Human Heart Nature Perfect Coverage Mineral Foundation in Honey
NYC Color Wheel Eye Powder in Beyond the Sea
Avon Mega Impact Gel Eyeliner in Blackberry
Avon Ultra Luxury Brow Liner in Dark Brown
Missha Viewer 270 HD Curl Mascara in Black
Sleek MakeUp Blush in Pomegranate
Avon Ultra Luxury Lip Liner in Baby Pink
Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter in Sweet Tart

Add Smart Shopper on Multiply, Twitter, and Facebook! They have you covered when it comes to ordering from US websites!

My Love Affair with Human Heart Nature's Perfect Coverage Mineral Foundation.

If you're a regular reader of my blog (or my makeup posts, at least), then you've seen me try all sorts of BB creams, work with different eyeshadow palettes, and wear different lipstick brands from time to time. But have you noticed that I'm pretty much 'stick-to-one' when it comes to foundations?

I've been using Avon's Ideal Luminous Dual Powder Foundation in Shell for as long as I can remember. And the only time I used another foundation was when I received a pot of Krave Luxurious Perfection for review. Other than that, it has always been just one brand/variant for me.

However, I have always been looking forward to the day when Human Heart Nature would include foundations in their makeup line. My wishful thinking came to reality when they finally released the Perfect Coverage Mineral Foundation last May 5. It was love at first sight, at first touch, at first contact with my skin. I love the product for so many different reasons, which I have enumerated below.

1) It comes in a pink stationery box that screams of cuteness. The compact comes in purple, which just so happens to be my favorite color.

2) It compliments you with all honesty. Haha! How many foundations are there in the market that call you 'gorgeous'? I bet this is the only one.

3) It's all-natural and chemical-free - which is of course, what Human Heart Nature is all about.

4) It's also the first 100% natural powder foundation tailor-made for the Filipina skin. It understands the complexity and uniqueness of the Filipina complexion, which is neither yellowish like most of our Asian counterparts, nor pinkish like most of the women from Western countries.

The Perfect Coverage Mineral Foundation comes in four shades: Vanilla (light skin), Honey (fair skin),  Caramel (medium skin), Toffee (morena skin).
I'm a 'Honey'. :)

Medium to full coverage but barely there! I love! :)

5) Best of all, it works well with all of my favorite BB creams! (You know how much I love BB creams and how I never leave home without 'em.) I've tried it with my favorite variants from Etude, Missha, Skin Food, and The Face Shop and they've all blended harmoniously with the Perfect Coverage Mineral Foundation.

Human Heart Nature's Perfect Coverage Mineral Foundation is currently being sold at an introductory price of Php 475. You can order it online, or purchase it at Human Heart Nature branches near you.

Now I'm squeezing in these FOTD photos just because. :)

Products used:

L'Oreal Base Magique Primer
Etude House Precious Minerals All Day Strong BB Cream #3
Human Heart Nature Perfect Coverage Mineral Foundation in Honey
Avon Ideal Luminous Concealer Stick in Almond
NYC Color Wheel Eye Powder in Beyond the Sea
Avon Extralasting Liquid Eyeliner in Black
Kohl Royal Selections Eyeliner in Charcoal Gray
Ever Bilena Eyebrow Liner in Brown
Avon Super Curlacious Waterproof Mascara in Black
Sleek MakeUp Blush in Pomegranate
Jordana Double Length Lip Liner in Rose
Miners Matte Factor Lip Paint in Warm Red
Wet n Wild MegaSlicks Lip Gloss in Candy Apple

Sharing with i Heart Macro, Blue Monday, and Green Monday!