Evolution of Smooth Lip Balm Review.

Chapped Lips 101.
With the winter season fast approaching, you may be concerned about the welfare of your lips. You're likely mentally preparing for cracked, dry lips during the cold weather, but the good news is this can be prevented if you start using the right product now. Forget all the brands you once knew and loved, such as Chapstick or Blistex. Those companies are packed with chemicals, smell awful and can be costly. EOS, or Evolution of Smooth is a brand of lip balm that not only works wonderfully, but comes in a variety of flavors at a friendly cost. You will absolutely love what EOS has to offer.

eos Alice in Wonderland. :)

Meet Evolution of Smooth.
EOS is a natural product that includes various ingredients that are beneficial to the health of your lips. You will find super moisturizing shea butter, vitamins B and E, along with natural conditioning oils and antioxidants. These ingredients will help to ensure smooth, soft lips in no time at all. What could possibly be better than using an all natural product in aiding your cracked, dry lips? Well, the cost, of course! These little spherical lip balms cost only three dollars on average, which is less than most medicated ones from other brands. You can find Evolution of Smooth products at many different stores including, Target, Wal-Mart and Ulta. You can find them online at retailers like Amazon as well. Finding these little spheres of effective balm is easy and affordable!

The Many Faces Of EOS.
Evolution of Smooth comes in a huge variety of different flavors. Though all are delicious in there own way, it's nice to have so many options. For example, they have passion fruit, strawberry sorbet and blueberry acai. Those are just a few of their most popular lip balms. But, be on the lookout during holidays throughout the year for special edition flavors such as winter berry, during the Christmas season. The variety of flavors is a great step up from other lip products, as you won't find such a selection with them.

Why You Should Choose EOS.
Choosing Evolution of Smooth lip products is a no-brainer! Not only are the products dermatologist tested and gluten free, but they are animal cruelty free and hypoallergenic. These lip balms are suitable for anyone and everyone! You will be thrilled to know that EOS has expanded their collection to add shaving cream, hand lotion and body lotion as well. All of their products are natural, everyday products that you will absolutely fall in love with the moment you try them!

Spotlight | Beyond Alice in Blooming Skin Tone Sun Base.

When you live in a tropical country such as the Philippines, it feels like summer all year round. Today's weather, for instance, was unbelievably hot and humid (31 degrees, but it felt more like a scorching 39 outside) - to think it's already the rainy season.

Beyond Alice in Blooming Skin Tone Sun Base.

And this is exactly the reason why I bought this Alice in Blooming Skin Tone Sun Base when I visited Korea last spring. This sun base, which sells for 17000 won (around Php 700 or $14), is part of Beyond Cosmetics' and Disney's Alice in Wonderland collaboration collection.

Lovely illustration on the side panel.

Now I'm all for primers with SPF for three good reasons. Primers, for one, keep your makeup intact and last for an entire day at the most. With the added sun protection factor, you don't have to apply another sunblock to your face. And since I can skip wearing sunblock, I don't have to worry about break-outs or allergies (hello, sensitive skin) or that heavy, greasy feel on my face all throughout the day.

And pretty prints on the other side.

Aside from the sun protection factor - a whopping SPF 50 PA+++ - the packaging is another reason why I purchased this product. Just look at the pretty details! Even the tube itself is pretty, with its frosted pink cap and gold details that give this sun base a very elegant vibe.

The 50 mL tube.

It comes with a screw cap for easy use, and a small nozzle which allows sufficient control on the amount of product being dispensed.

Screw-off cap.

However, both the box and the tube hardly have English text written on it. Save for the name of the product, everything else is written in Hangul.

Back of the box.

Back of the tube.

Now let's take a look at the product itself. 

Just the right amount of the sun base...

The Alice in Blooming Skin Tone Sun Base is a lightly-tinted primer that evens out the skin tone as it moisturizes and preps your skin for makeup. It also functions as a sunblock to protect the skin from harmful UV rays.  

... and how it looks like when applied.

This sun base contains red algae extracts known for its antioxidant properties and its ability to neutralize free radicals that can cause damage to the skin in the form of fine lines and wrinkles. It also contains True Eco Complex, which hydrates and brightens the skin.

Left without sun base, right with sun base.

This product has a slightly thicker consistency, similar to that of regular sunblock but without the sticky, greasy feel. I love its lightweight, easy-to-blend formula and its subtle floral scent.

Bare face.

Once applied, it makes the skin look a bit shiny which eventually turns into a nice, glowing finish as it blends into the skin.

With the Alice in Blooming Skin Tone Sun Base.

I love how this sun base preps my skin for makeup application. You know those soft focus filters work on photo editing apps?  This product sort of does the same thing, only in real life. And with sun protection, at that!

And all dolled-up! :)
Products used:
FACE: Beyond Alice in Blooming Skin Tone Sun Base,
Missha Wrinkle Filler BB Cream,
Ever Bilena Liquid Concealer in Light,
Peripera Snow White Pride Up Pact.
EYES: Etude House Tint My Eyebrows,
Clio Kill Black Pen Liner,
Tony Moly Simply Style Slim Curling Mascara.
CHEEKS: Ever Bilena Cheek Blush in Raisin.
LIPS: Beyond Rich Color Tint Balm in Tok Wine.

Sneak Peek | Beyond x Alice in Wonderland Collection Season 2!

In my previous blog post, I gave you a glimpse of the Alice in Wonderland collection from Korean cosmetics brand Beyond. The limited edition collection was a big hit last year, and now the brand just outdid itself by launching a second edition of the very popular Alice in Wonderland collection!

Aptly named 'Alice in Blooming', this season's collection has a more feminine vibe with vibrant hues and floral prints. The products are practically screaming 'Spring is here'!

Beyond x Alice in Wonderland Season 2!

Let's go down the rabbit hole and take a look at what's in store!
Sneak peek after the jump! :)

Pucker Up! | Beyond Alice in Glow Oil Tint.

Prior to my trip to Myeongdong, I had no idea Beyond Cosmetics launched a makeup collaboration with Disney. I was not aware either that it was a makeup line dedicated to Alice in Wonderland, one of my favorite childhood novels. And so I had the surprise of my life when I entered the Beyond shop and saw the complete Alice in Wonderland makeup line on display.

Alice in Wonderland! :)

I was so happy with my discovery, I had to restrain myself from shrieking AND buying everything from the collection. Haha! I settled with the Cheek Color, which I gave to my sister (who's also a huge Alice fan), and the Oil Tints, which I also shared with her.

Alice in Glow Oil Tints.

The Oil Tints are contained in a cardboard box with an illustration of The Knave of Hearts, one of the characters from the novel. The same illustration appear on the bottles, each containing 4.5 grams of lip tint.

The back of the box...

The bottles are made of sturdy plastic, and come with an easy-to-use doe foot applicator. The applicator has a hole in the middle, similar to the ones from YSL and the Frozen Magic Glam Tints by Peripera.

And the side panel. Yes to cruelty-free brands like Beyond!

There are five different shades of the Alice in Glow Oil Tints, and I bought shades #04 (Burgundy) and #05 (Violet). I chose them as per recommendation of the store attendant, who claimed that these were the most popular shades in the collection.

Shade reference on the top of the box.

#04 Burgundy is more of a cherry pink shade, while #05 Violet is a sheer shade of lilac. The deep blue color on the applicator made me think that #05 Violet would be the darker shade among the two, but when swatched, it turned out otherwise.

Shade number indicated on the bottom of the bottle.

The tints have an oil-based formula, and contain Royal Black Tea which moisturizes the lips and improves its elasticity. I love that the tints feel very smooth and moisturizing on the lips, and do not feel heavy or sticky despite the formulation. They smell quite nice, too - fruity, yet very subtle.

#04 Burgundy on the left, #05 Violet on the right.

When applied, the tints appear to have very little color - almost clear, actually. But the color starts to pop after a few minutes, and tends to intensify if you reapply after a few hours.

Swatched - #04 Burgundy on the left, #05 Violet on the right.

Wear-time is pretty decent, around 3-4 hours before the shine fades off and wears away into a lovely, rosy pink stain on the lips.

#04 Burgundy on the lips.

#04 Burgundy after a few hours. 

#05 Violet on the lips.

#05 Violet after a few hours.

What I love:

- Super cute packaging.

- Easy to apply.

- Does not feel heavy or sticky on the lips.

- Non-drying.

- Subtle, fruity scent.

- Decent wear time.

- Affordable price (retails for 10000 won each).

What you might not like:

- #05 Violet might be a bit too sheer for your liking,

because honestly, I was expecting it to be the darkest out of all five shades.

- Not available locally. (But you can purchase it online, here.)

Products Used:
FACE: Innisfree No Sebum Primer,
Tony Moly Luminous Goddess Aura BB Cream,
Benefit Erase Paste in Medium,
Peripera Snow White Pride Up! Pact.
EYES: Shiseido Eyebrow Pencil in Brown,
The Face Shop Ink Graffi Pen Liner,
Tony Moly Simply Style Slim Curling Mascara.
CHEEKS: Ever Bilena Cheek Blush in Raisin.
LIPS: Beyond Alice in Glow Oil Tint in Violet.

Seoul Searching | Mad about Myeongdong.

Ahhh, Myeongdong - Seoul's shopping haven, the mecca of makeup lovers, and now one of my favorite places in the world. I went to Myeongdong twice during my two-week stay in South Korea, unaccompanied on both instances.

Walking along the streets of Myeongdong - my favorite exercise. Lol!

On my first shopping trip, I came home with seven (or was that eight?) shopping bags, much to the horror of my husband. On my second shopping trip, my husband was practically begging our son to accompany me because 'delikado iwanan si Mommy sa Myeongdong, ang daming binibili pag nag-iisa,' he said. (It's big trouble if Mommy goes to Myeongdong alone because she spends a lot!) But Yue just wouldn't budge. The odds were in my favor. Haha!

Anyway, allow me to walk you through the streets of Myeongdong and let me show you what to see, buy, and eat while you're there. :)

Let the shopping begin!

Myeongdong, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways!

Pucker Up! | EOS Alice in Wonderland Lip Balm Collection.

Whoa. It's been weeks since I last posted a decent product review in this blog. Three weeks, to be exact. I've been experiencing blogging burn-out lately, and although I have tons of makeup and skincare products stashed at home, waiting to be tested and reviewed, I've been too lazy and too uninspired to write.

But now that the little man is on semestral break, I have more time to sit in front of my laptop and try do this as much writing as I can. Take note of the key word 'try', haha. :)

And now that the days are colder, the nights are longer, and chapped lips are imminent, I'll be sharing with you my favorite lip balm brand - Evolution of Smooth, more popularly known as 'eos'.

Inspired by Alice in Wonderland.

This is the Alice in Wonderland Collection, a limited edition set which was released Fall of last year. I got mine from Target.com, which I ordered through my friend Jaimee, who owns the personal shopping site Byzmo. I can't remember the exact price of this in dollars when I bought it, but I remember paying Php 625 (a little over $13) for this set, shipping from the US included.

Back of the box. :)

As you can see, there are three spheres included in this pack - each with different flavors. The blue one is Blueberry Potion, the pink one is Watermelon Wonderland, and the cream one is Sweet Vanilla Nonsense.

Little Alices all in a row. :)

This set comes in a very cute packaging. The side panels are adorned with tiny Alice prints, and inside it gets even cuter. It's a mini-diorama of the Mad Hatter, with the quote 'Very few things indeed, were really impossible'. How's that for today's word of wisdom? :)

Very few things indeed, were really impossible.

Now let's talk about the lip balms. They come in the ever-so-popular spheres, but in lieu of the little indentation on the side, these lip balms have Mickey ears instead. Even my little man recognized the design right away. 

Mickey ears on the side.

eos logo on top.

Twist off the top, and voila! You get these solid, egg-shaped balms that you simply smooth on to your lips.

Twist off top. Pucker up. Smooth on. Smile. :)

These lip balms glide on like a dream, and they don't feel heavy or greasy on the lips. They are scented, yes, but the scent is mild and not overpowering. Best of all, they moisturize the lips, leaving it soft, smooth, and supple. No more chapping or cracking!

Definitely my HG lip balms. 

What I love:

- Super cute packaging.

- The product does as it claims - moisturizes, softens, heals chapped lips.

- Yummy scent/s that's not overpowering.

- Non-sticky, non-greasy.

- 100% natural, 95% organic.

- Paraben and petrolatum free.

- Not tested on animals. 

What you might not like:

- Not available locally.

- It's a limited edition release, (plus it came out Fall of 2012) 

so it's a bit difficult to find this set now.

- The spheres are a bit too bulky (but they're cute nonetheless, haha).

Have you tried these lip balms, or other EOS products? Which one is your favorite? :)