Spotlight | Peripera Pure Blushed Velvet Cheek.

Although it was not my intent to buy a new blush during the Lazada 11.11 Sale, my current obsession with cheek color was just way too strong that I found myself adding the Peripera Pure Blushed Velvet Cheek to my shopping cart before the stroke of midnight.

Peripera Pure Blushed Velvet Cheek in Emotional Dry Lilac (top),
 Cozy Creamy Rose (middle), and Appealing Dry Coral (bottom).

Inspired by beautiful autumn petals, this new set of blushers was launched a few weeks back as part of the Peripera 2018 Fall Collection, which the brand fondly calls as their 'Pink Moment' line. The colors were gorgeous in photos, and even more so in actual.

My very own Peripera Pure Blushed Velvet Cheek, delivered four days after the Lazada 11.11 Sale.

I got shade number 8 aka Appealing Dry Coral, a muted burnt orange that's suitable for all skin tones and befitting of the current makeup trend. Apparently, orange blush is the 'in' thing this season, and the shade that I got blends right in. (Pun intended, lol.)

Shade name, batch number, and expiration date printed at the bottom of the pan.

I fell in love with this blush the moment I saw it on the Peripera website, and I loved it even more when I finally got to try the product. This blush has a soft, creamy texture that glides onto skin like velvet. Its texture is quite similar to the Airy Ink Velvet lip stains which is creamy to touch but feels light as air when applied on the skin.

A closer look at the Peripera Pure Blushed Cheek Velvet in Appealing Dry Coral. 

I like how this blush doesn't streak nor look patchy even when worn on top of powder, and it doesn't enhance fine lines and pores the way other cream blushers do. Peripera recommends that you tap the blush on the skin to get that translucent, dewy flush, but if you want a matte finish, you can just rub it on your cheeks or apply it with a sponge.

Swatches under indoor lighting.

Swatches under natural light.

I also love how the blush melts into the skin to give your cheeks a natural, healthy-looking flush, with the color staying put for six to eight hours at the most. This shade is highly pigmented, as you can see, so you only need a swipe or two from the pan to give your cheeks a lovely pop of colour.

Morgan, me, and my orange cheeks. :)

And for ethereal, sun-kissed vibes, you can top it off with shimmery highlight!

Products Used:
FACE: Clio Kill Protection Matte Sun Base,
Nature Republic Botanical Stick Concealer,
Holika Holika x Peko Hard Cover Glow Cushion,
Althea Petal Velvet Powder in #23 Warm Beige.
EYES: Shiseido Eyebrow Pencil in Brown,
Clio Kill Black Waterproof Brush Liner,
Holika Holika Wonder Drawing Skinny Eyeliner in 03 Walnut Brown,
Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes 4-in-1 Mascara.
CHEEKS: Peripera Pure Blushed Velvet Cheek in #8 Appealing Dry Coral.
Sleek Makeup Highlighter (Solstice Palette) in Equinox.
LIPS: Beyond Alice in Glow Oil Tint in 04 Burgundy.

The Peripera Pure Blushed Velvet Cheek retails for Php 450, but I was able to purchase mine at Php 100 off. My only regret is that I did not buy the other two shades while they were on sale, huhu. Had I known these blushers would be so amazing, I would have bought all three in one go. Thankfully, there's a 12.12 Sale coming up - you know what I'm adding to my cart this time! :)

Pucker Up! | Maybelline Super Stay Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick.

When Lazada broke the news of their massive 11.11 Sale and the huge discounts that they'll be offering site-wide, the first brand that crossed my mind was Maybelline. You see, I fell in love with the Super Stay Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick after my friend gave me one, and I've been meaning to buy another shade or two because this is one of those beauty products that you just have to have more than one of.

I ended up buying three new Super Stay Matte Inks from the Lazada 11.11 Sale (among other things) - they're the three tubes from the bottom, while the topmost tube is the one given to me by my friend.

Maybelline Super Stay Matte Ink.

Now if you're keeping tabs with beauty trends, then you've probably heard of the hype surrounding the Super Stay Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick. Maybelline launched this lipstick line around this time last year, and they became an instant hit with lipstick lovers and makeup junkies.

From top to bottom: #65 Seductress, #115 Founder, #130 Self-Starter, #15 Lover.

And why not? These babies claim to be long-wearing for up to 16 hours, and yes, they do just that. This line also has a wide selection of super saturated shades, each with a flawless matte finish. The price point makes it a steal, too. They're priced at Php 299 each, but during the Lazada 11.11 Sale, they were sold for just Php 199 a pop. How awesome is that?!

The Maybelline Super Stay Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick line has 34 shades in total - 10 from the original collection, 10 from the Un-Nudes Collection, and 14 from the recently-launched City Edition. Here are the shades that I have, up close. 

#65 Seductress.

#115 Founder.

Take note that these lipsticks come with a unique, arrow-shaped applicator. The pointed tip allows you to create precise lines and reach for the corners of your lips with ease.

#130 Self-starter.

#15 Lover.

Here's how they look like when swatched. Consistency is a bit thick, yes, and they do take awhile to dry. But once it does, you get intense color with a true matte finish. The color doesn't budge either - it stays on for almost an entire day (like from 8 am until my usual 10pm bedtime) and will get you through lunch and coffee breaks with very little to no touch-ups.

Indoor lighting, from L-R: Lover, Self-Starter, Founder, Seductress.

As for me, I really don't mind the occasional touch-up, because I absolutely love the scent of this product. You'll get a whiff of that yummy vanilla scent as soon as you twist the cap open, and you know that I'm crazy for anything that has a hint of vanilla to it.

Natural light (from L-R): Lover, Self-Starter, Founder, Seductress.

Finally, here's how they look like when worn. Please excuse the visible lines on my lips as I was not able to exfoliate prior to application.

Lover.

Lover is a dusty rose that suits almost all skin tones. No wonder it's a crowd-favorite - and my personal favorite, too!

Self-starter.

Self-starter is a terracotta shade with orange undertones. I'm not a huge fan of orange-y lips, but this shade is making me see orange in a different light!

Seductress.

Seductress is a dusty beige with peachy undertones. It's a versatile MLBB shade that looks quite similar to Maine Mendoza's @mainedcm MAC lipstick.

Founder.

And then there's Founder, a gorgeous shade of raspberry and the color that I'd probably be wearing more often these days. I almost always gear towards plummy and mauve-y shades whenever the colder months kick in, and this shade is just perfect for the season.

With my nephew Morgan,
and with Super Stay Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick
in #65 Seductress on my lips.

Now you're probably wondering how do I remove this long-wearing, transfer-proof lipstick from my lips. I use the Bare Necessity Cleansing Balm from Human Heart Nature, which is tough on waterproof makeup yet gentle on the skin. And like any other matte lipstick, the Super Stay Matte Inks have a tendency to zap the moisture out of your lips when you wear them on a daily basis. I suggest you invest in a good lip scrub and exfoliate once a week (twice at the most) to keep your lips soft, smooth, and matte lipstick-ready.

Products used:
FACE: Clio Kill Protection Matte Sun Base,
Nature Republic Botanical Stick Concealer,
Holika Holika x Peko Hard Cover Glow Cushion,
Althea Petal Velvet Powder in #23 Warm Beige.
EYES: Shiseido Eyebrow Pencil in Brown,
Clio Kill Black Waterproof Brush Liner,
Holika Holika Wonder Drawing Skinny Eyeliner in 03 Walnut Brown,
Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes 4-in-1 Mascara.
CHEEKS: Peripera Pure Blushed Velvet Cheek in #8 Appealing Dry Coral.
Sleek Makeup Highlighter (Solstice Palette) in Equinox.
LIPS: Maybelline Super Stay Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick in #15 Lover.

Have you tried the Maybelline Super Stay Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick before? Which shades are your favorites?

Spotlight | Althea Petal Velvet Sunaway.

As we inch closer towards Christmas, the nights have become longer, the days a tad cooler, and the sunshine is not as scorching as it used to be in this tropical country of ours. But just because the weather has become nippy doesn't mean you can skip on the sunscreen.

It's a golden skincare rule to always, always wear sunscreen, regardless of the weather. So whether it's cloudy, or rainy, or maybe even snowy - for as long you're stepping outside, you need to wear sunscreen to protect your skin from the harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun.

That being said, I could not be more excited to get first dibs on the Petal Velvet Sunaway - Althea's very own sunscreen. This new product came with my second Althea Angels box, which also contained a cute hologram pouch and all three of the Althea Petal Velvet Powders.

My second Althea Angels box, as seen on my Instagram. Thank you, Althea! :)

The Althea Petal Velvet Sunaway is an ultra lightweight, invisible sunscreen formulated with Damask rose extracts (yes, it's the same ingredient found in the Mamonde Rose Water Toner) to soothe and moisturize the skin and make it look plump and healthy-looking. It also contains Geranium oil which not only heals troubled skin, but also gives it a radiant boost.

Althea Petal Velvet Sunaway.

This product also contains titanium oxide and zinc oxide which offer sun protection. Both ingredients are compliant to cosmetics standards, non-carcinogenic, and safe to use even on sensitive skin.

Nothing much to read here, as the text is mostly written in Hangul.

The Althea Petal Velvet Sunaway comes in a handy 55 mL plastic bottle. The packaging is sleek and handy, and the size is compliant with carry-on restrictions. (The wanderlust in me is just dying to add that last part, lol.) The bottle has a pointy nozzle which allows you to control the amount of product that you wish to squeeze out. 

SPF 50+ PA++++.

Take note of the instructions - shake well before usage.
Otherwise, this sunscreen will be watery when you squeeze it out.

The pointy nozzle.

This sunscreen has a milky texture which easily blends into the skin and gives it a nice, velvety finish. It does not leave a white cast despite the high sun protection factor, and it dries down matte which makes it good enough to be used as a makeup base. (I still wear a primer on top of it, though, before applying my foundation/cushion.)

A swatch of the Petal Velvet Sunaway on the back of my hand.

One particular thing that I love about this sunscreen is its hypoallergenic formula. Sunscreens with high SPF usually make my skin itch, and I'm so relieved that this one did not break my skin out nor gave me allergies.

Left, without sunscreen. Right, with sunscreen.

I also like its lovely rose fragrance (it's made with roses, after all), though I found it a bit too overwhelming when I first used this product. I eventually got used to it after almost two weeks of constant wear, lol. On that note, if your nose is a bit too sensitive, then the scent might be a bit of a turn-off.

Althea Petal Velvet Sunaway on my face. :)

The Petal Velvet Sunaway is exclusively available at the Althea website, and is currently sold at a special introductory price of Php 480 - that's 10% off its regular price. You can also purchase it as a set with any of the Petal Velvet Powders to get 20% off the regular retail price.

I'll be doing a separate review of the Petal Velvet Powders so please look forward to it! :)

Spotlight | Holika Holika x Peko Collection.

After months of sitting in my dresser drawer, I've finally opened these two items from the Holika Holika x Peko Collection - the Hard Cover Glow Cushion and the Water Drop Tint Bomb. Bought these at one of the Holika Holika stores in Myeongdong during my last trip to Seoul, but it took me awhile to open them because I wanted to use up all of my 'previously opened' cushions before moving on to another one.

My mini haul from Holika Holika. :)
Hard Cover Glow Cushion, 20000 won,
Water Drop Tint Bomb, 8500 won.

And now that I've pretty hit the pan with most of my cushions, it's time to unbox and finally use my Holika Holika x Peko Hard Cover Glow Cushion - yay! The cushion is housed in a super cute milk carton. It's a shame that I have to 'desecrate' it just so I can get the products inside.

English text on one side of the carton. The other side has text written in Hangul.

Contents include the red cushion case with a picture of Peko, a cushion puff also designed with Peko's picture, and the cushion itself. The last two items are sealed inside the red plastic packaging, as seen on the photo below.

Unboxing my Holika Holika x Peko Hard Cover Glow Cushion.
(Tint balm bought separately.)

Here's a closer look at the cushion puff.

Peko Air Cushion Puff.

This one is the 'beige type', which soaks up a good amount of product and gives the cushion a nice satin finish.

Peko Air Cushion Puff.

Now here's the cushion itself. It's embossed with tiny floral prints, which I find pretty cute, and has a subtle, soapy scent which I find quite nice.

The cushion, still sealed.

Holika Holika describes this product as 'a cushion with brightening benefits and a dewy moisturizing finish'. Made with aloe leaf water and enriched with double moist serum, 'this cushion leaves the skin moisturized and glowing'. And with the help of Holika Holika's Full Barrier™ technology, the skin 'gets SPF50 protection from fine dust and free radical damage, and ensures that the skin's barrier stays intact.'

The cushion, with tiny flower prints.

The Holika Holika x Peko Hard Cover Glow Cushion comes in four different shades. I got number 03 Honey, which was the shade nearest to my skin tone. (I usually go for shade number 23 with other cushion brands.)

Shade #03 Honey.

I like how the cushion is super soaked from the get-go. You get a good amount of product with just a light tap on the cushion. I also like its light and sheer formula, though I find it a bit sticky if worn without a primer. It's a good thing that I decided to use this cushion now that the temperature has gradually become cooler and less humid.

Bare face.

With the Holika Holika x Peko Hard Cover Glow Cushion.

This cushion also has good, buildable coverage - a solid medium at the most - enough to even out my skin tone and cover the fine lines on my face. It gives my skin a nice, dewy finish, which is what I usually look for in a cushion. Wear time is quite good, too. It stays on for five to six hours before it starts to crease on the corners of my eyes and the sides of my nose.

Moving on to the Water Drop Tint Bomb, Holika Holika describes this product as 'a lip tint which adheres to lips lightly to create moisturizing luster without stickiness. Creates juicy lips with vivid color.'

Holika Holika x Peko Water Drop Tint Bomb.

It comes in an adorable tube packaging, also with a photo of Peko-chan.

And here's the other side of the tube.

There are five different shades in the Holika Holika x Peko Water Drop Tint Bomb line, and I chose number 04, a muted shade of cherry red. Later on, I discovered that its shade name is actually 'Cherry Coke'.

04 Cherry Coke.

This Water Drop Tint Bomb is one of, if not the quirkiest lip products I have ever tried. Aside from the product's teardrop shape (which is actually great since it helps in applying the product more precisely on the lips), this tint bomb has a tingling, cooling sensation and feels wet upon application. It glides on smoothly on the lips, feels soft and light at first swipe, then dries down to a velvety, matte finish.

Teardrop shaped Tint Bomb.

Surprisingly, this product is highly-pigmented and has a transfer-proof formula. Color stays on the lips for at least five hours with a bit of eating, and no, it doesn't leave stains on your coffee cup or eating utensils.

Swatched, indoor lighting.

However, this Tint Bomb is not as moisturizing as I expected them to be, and it tends to emphasize the lines on my lips the longer I wear it. I still love this product nonetheless; I just make sure that my lips have been exfoliated prior to application.

Swatched, under natural light.

Overall, I'm glad I was lured by the adorable packaging of this collaboration collection (because you know I'm a sucker for such things), and was able to discover some really good products from Holika Holika in the process. Prior to this, the only Holika Holika product I owned was the Aloe Soothing Gel, which my Mum and my siblings absolutely love. Now, I'm keeping tabs on the brand's new product releases and I'm actually looking forward to their next collaboration collection. I hope they'll be just as eye-catching as the Peko collection!

Products used:
FACE: Innisfree Cushion Primer,
Nature Republic Botanical Stick Concealer,
Holika Holika x Peko Hard Cover Glow Cushion.
EYES: Shiseido Eyebrow Pencil in Brown,
Clio Kill Black Waterproof Brush Liner,
Nature Republic Pure Shine Mascara.
CHEEKS: Sleek Makeup Blush in Mirrored Pink.
LIPS: Holika Holika Water Drop Tint Bomb in 04 Cherry Coke.