Spotlight | Vice Cosmetics Gandoll Brow Kit.

After weeks of waiting, I finally got my hands on the Gandoll Brow Kit by Vice Cosmetics. Hooray!

The complete collection was launched (supposed-to-be) nationwide way back in July, but for some unknown reason, the Vice Cosmetics stall inside the department store here at SM San Pablo didn't have them in stock. My friends and I would drop by the stall every so often with hopes of finally seeing the Gandoll Brow Collection on display, but alas, it was a disappointment every time. It wasn't until early September when the brow products finally saw the light of day, and our anticipation eventually came to an end.

Vice Cosmetics Gandoll Brow Kit.

The Vice Cosmetics Gandoll Brow Collection includes two different products with four color choices for each. The shades are Light Brown, Ash Brown, Soft Brown, and Natural Brown. I chose Soft Brown because it's the shade that matches my current hair color and it closely resembles the shade of my perennial favorite brow pencil.

Soft Brown.

The Micro Brow Pencil is a retractable, ultra-slim brow pencil that shapes and defines the brows with ease and precision. This brow pencil has got to be the slimmest brow pencil that I've seen - and tried - so far.

Vice Cosmetics Micro Brow Pencil in Soft Brown, Php 195

Surprisingly, this pencil a tough cookie. It doesn't break easily, and it's quite easy to work with. It has great staying power (lasted for the entire day without touch-ups) and is nicely pigmented, however you won't be able to fully appreciate the color unless you use it on your brows. (Tip: Try the product on your brows if you're purchasing from Vice Cosmetics kiosks/stores.) 

Another impressive feature of this product is its ingredients. The Micro Brow Pencil contains castor oil which promotes hair growth, and vitamin E which nourishes each strand of (brow) hair. Here's hoping that my brows will grow thicker with the help of this product, haha fingers crossed. :)

Vice Cosmetics Volumizing Brow Gel in Soft Brown, Php 195.

The Volumizing Brow Gel, on the other hand, is a tinted brow gel which contains fibers that give volume and shape to your brows. I usually stay away from brow gels because I really have sparse, almost non-existent eyebrows, but I purchased this anyway just to give it try. 

Swatches: Micro Brow Pencil in Soft Brown on the left,
Volumizing Brow Gel in Soft Brown on the right.

This brow gel is nicely pigmented and has a soft, flexible hold on the very few tuffed/stubble hairs that I have on my brows. The gel doesn't feel clumpy when applied, but I wish the spoolie that came with it was thinner for a more precise application. Not everyone is blessed with naturally bushy brows, but those who are could work with just the Volumizing Brow Gel and get great results. Oh, the envy! :)

Drawing lines with the Micro Brow Pencil in Soft Brown.

Adding a bit of the Volumizing Brow Gel + filling in the brows.

Tadaa! Now I have eyebrows! :)

Overall, the Vice Cosmetics Gandoll Brow Collection is quite impressive, considering the quality, price (Php 195 each), and shade selection. Best of all, they're locally and widely available. Now I don't have to ask for friends in Japan or wait for the next Korea trip to buy brow products that work for me. :)

You can purchase the Vice Cosmetics Gandoll Brow Collection at Vice Cosmetics stores and kiosks nationwide, at the Vice Cosmetics official website, or at the Vice Cosmetics flagship stores in Lazada, Shopee, and BeautyMNL.

Spotlight | Clio Kill Brow Auto Hard Brow Pencil.

Clio, one of my favorite Korean makeup brands, had a huge sale event last winter. And by huge, I mean 50% discount on most of its items.

Of course, I wouldn't miss this opportunity to stock up on my Clio favorites so on Christmas Day, while the boys and I were out and about in Myeongdong, I made a beeline for the Clio store nearest to Yoogane so I could do a bit of shopping. It was actually the last day of the sale event, and I'm glad they still had a few Kill Black Waterproof Brush Liner (now my current favorite and HG eyeliner) in stock. Unfortunately, they ran out of the Kill Brow Tinted Tattoo, which I had been wanting to try ever since I fell in love with the brand.

Clio Kill Brow Auto Hard Eyebrow Pencil.

As such, I got the Kill Brow Auto Hard Brow Pencil instead. Originally priced at 16000 won (around Php 700), they were on sale at just 6000 won (around Php 300) each - definitely a steal!

Product description and usage directions at the back.

English and Hangul text.

I like that this product has a little bit of everything. It has a retractable tube so I can simply twist it up to get more of the product, and twist it down once I'm done.

The pencil, uncapped on both ends.

It has a spoolie on the other end, used for blending the color and making the brows look fuller and more natural.

The spoolie.

But unlike the usual triangular shape of most auto eyebrow pencils, the Clio Kill Brow Auto Hard Brow Pencil has a unique 'slimhexagonal' shape which makes outlining the eyebrows and filling it in with color even easier.

Slanted tip.

'Side view' of the pencil tip.

According to the Clio website, this product has been recently reformulated and now has the the 'new hard formula' similar to that of wood-type eyebrow pencils. Now I no longer have to worry about breaking the tip of the pencil (which happened quite often with other auto eyebrow pencil brands that I've tried) whenever I accidentally put on a bit of extra pressure while 'drawing' my brows.

A closer look at the slimhexagonal tip.
Photo credit: Club Clio.

The new formula also allows the product to glide on smoothly and create natural-looking brows.

Kinda looks like a chocolate bar, don't you think?

Surprise! It even comes with a built-in sharpener which you will find when you unscrew the bottom cap.

It has a sharpener, too!

The Clio Kill Brow Auto Hard Brow Pencil comes in two shades - 01 Natural Brown and 02 Light Brown. Mine is the latter, since it's the shade closer to my current hair color.

Swatched once on the left, swatched a few times on the right.

This eyebrow pencil is designed to glide more smoothly over foundation. No wonder it took me awhile to get the color to pop when I was swatching it on the back of my hand. The color is buildable, and the shade bears semblance to Shiseido's Eyebrow Pencil, which I have been using for the longest time. It has great staying power, too - around eight to ten hours with primer on.

When worn.

It took me a few days to draw my arch right with this product. Like I said, I've been using the Shiseido Eyebrow Pencil for years and switching to the auto-type pencil made me feel like a noob again! But you know what they say, practice makes perfect! I finally got it right after a week of practicing!

Products used:
FACE: Innisfree Cushion Primer,
Ever Bilena Liquid Concealer in Light,
Missha x Line Friends Magic Cushion in #23.
EYES: Clio Kill Brow Auto Hard Brow Pencil,
Clio Kill Black Waterproof Brush Liner,
Clio Salon de Cara Back Comb Cara.
CHEEKS: Tony Moly Cristal Blusher in Pleasure Peach.
LIPS: Innisfree Glossy Lip Lacquer in #6 Burgundy Pink.

 Brow game strong, baby! :)

Spotlight | Shiseido Eyebrow Pencil in Brown.

I have really sparse eyebrows, and there are days when I wish I had fuller eyebrows like say, Keira Knightley. That way, I do not have to spend so much time 'drawing' my brows each and every morning.

Yes, they're THAT sparse. So sparse that filling them in just wouldn't do the trick. And that is why I prefer eyebrow pencils over powders or gels.

Now here's an eyebrow pencil that's slowly becoming a favorite of mine - the Shiseido Eyebrow Pencil. Bought this a few months back from OneStephShop, the same online store where I buy my supply of Kabaya Collagen Gummies (will blog about this later).

Shiseido Eyebrow Pencil.

Here's a brief description of the product, which I found online:
Shiseido Eyebrow Pencil glides on the skin smoothly and delicately to precisely draw in individual brows, achieving perfect, defined brows. Shiseido Eyebrow Pencil has natural color and does not contain any fragrances to avoid damaging the skin. The compact size is easy to carry around in cosmetic pouch.

#3 Brown.

This product comes in four shades - #1 Black, #2 Dark Brown, #3 Brown, and #4 Gray. I normally go for light to medium brown when it comes to eyebrow products, hence I chose #3.

Shade reference at the bottom.

Although slightly darker than Ever Bilena's Eyebrow Pencil in Brown (the one that I normally use), this shade still matches my current hair color. The texture is also harder so it's easy to achieve precise lines, and you get a lot of color even with the softest, lightest strokes.

And here's the pencil.

Here are the swatches:

Left, swatched once. Right, swatched twice.

And how it looks like when worn:

Products Used:
FACE: Etude House Correct & Care CC Cream #1 Silky, Missha Under Eye Brightener.
EYES: Shiseido Eyebrow Pencil in Brown, BYS Waterproof Eyeliner,
Forever21 Love & Beauty Eyeliner in Dark Brown, Fairy Drops Volume Burst Mascara.
CHEEKS: Tony Moly Cat Chu Wink Tony Tint in #2 Red.
LIPS: Korres Cherry Lip Gloss in Light Purple.

What I love:

- Easy to use.

- Buildable color.

- Fills in color evenly.

- Just a little goes a long way.

- Waterproof, but nothing a good makeup remover can handle. 

- Four shades to choose from.

- Affordable price. (Got mine for just Php 150!)

What you might not like:

- Not available locally. 

(I think the stores here in the Philippines sell the 'Natural Eyebrow Pencil', 

the one with the brush at the end.)

Have you tried this product before? What's your HG eyebrow product? :)

Beauty Essentials for Valentine's Day

So you've got a date on Valentine's Day. Great!
I hope by now you've visualized your beauty look for the occasion. After all, V-Day is just four days away.

But if you're still in the process of deciding what to wear, how you want to look like, or what you want to do with your hair, allow me to share this list of beauty essentials that'll definitely come in handy come date night. In fact, these products go beyond Valentines Day. They're must-haves for any day, any time of the year!

1) Moisturizer.
The cornerstone of perfect, flawless makeup is great skin. And this is why moisturizers should be part and parcel of your everyday beauty regimen. Moisturizers make the skin healthy, can plump up wrinkles, help combat aging, and soothe stressed skin.

Missha Near Skin Nutritive Cream, Php 1650.

Moisturizing, however, can be a bit tricky so it is important to know what moisturizer to use for which type of skin. For dry skin, go for creams or serums as they are thicker, heavier, and are highly concentrated. For those with oily skin, emulsions and oil-free lotions are recommended as they have a lighter texture and are usually water-based.

2) Primer.
And so they say it's a crime not to prime.
Primers not only prep your face for makeup application, it also makes your makeup last longer. Most important of all, it keeps all sorts of makeup blunders at bay. Think melting foundation, obvious pores, and redness around the nose. All these can be avoided by simply adding one extra step to your usual makeup routine - priming.

Holika Holika Oil Queen Cotton Primer SPF15, Php 485. 

3) Eyebrow Filler.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. But what makes the eyes look even more beautiful are the eyebrows. Properly groomed and neatly-filled brows make the first step to a clean, well-constructed makeup look.

Sephora Arch It Brow Kit, Php 1758.

4) Eyeliner.
Whether it's the liquid, gel, or pencil-type, eyeliners are the sure-fire way to give your peepers a stunning and sexy look.

Wet n Wild Mega Liner Liquid Eyeliner, Php 248.

Here's a quick tip for makeup newbies who might want to try the 'winged' look.
While looking in the mirror, place your elbow on the table to steady your arm. Rest the palm of whatever hand is holding the liner to the bottom part of your face and, with the opposite hand, pull the skin taut on the eye you're about to apply makeup to. Draw a simple line from the inner corner halfway, then finish the line from the outside going inward. To complete the winged look, make a small, upwards "U" at the outer corner of your eyelid and fill it in.

5) Blush.
I know there are women out there who are not too fond of (wearing) makeup. But you have to admit, if there's one makeup item that can give color and life to an otherwise pale face, it's blush.

Holika Holika Love Fantasy Blusher, Php 645.

Blushes come in different colors, so make sure to choose one which complements your skin tone. For fair skin, go for pinks. For medium skin, go for tawny or rosy shades. If your skin has yellow undertones, peaches and corals would suit you nicely; if you have olive undertones, wine and burgundy shades would be your best bet.

6) Lip Balm.
Just like our skin, our lips need its own moisturizer, too. Lip balms instantly hydrate the lips, make them softer and smoother, and make sure that your lipstick (the matte ones, especially) don't settle on the crevices of your lips.

Bare Naturals Vitamin Stix Butter, Php 198.

7) Red lipstick.

Ah yes, the universal classic that never goes out of style. It's the boldest lip color that screams of confidence, and is guaranteed to catch any man's attention. 

Ultraflesh Perfect Reds Mini Lipstick, Php 1568.

Some women, however, assume that they can't pull off this quintessential sexy look, afraid that a bright red pucker would make them look old or gaudy. That is so not true. The key to wearing red lipstick is to find the right shade, and to not go overboard with the rest of your face. Meaning, if you're wearing red on your lips, stay light on the eyes and go soft on the blush.

Now that you know the beauty essentials, I hope you can put them to good use as you doll yourself up for your big day. As for me, I really don't have plans for Valentines Day since the husband is not around. It's gonna be a plain old Friday for me, stuck at home with my little man, tons of blog work, and my favorite Kdramas. And nope, I'm not complaining. :)

Makeup items featured in this post can all be found at Lazada Philippines. 
Get up to 71% off on selected Health and Beauty items, plus a chance to win a Boracay getaway for a minimum purchase of Php 3000.

Spotlight | The Face Shop Lovely ME:EX Design My Eyebrow.

As many of you already know, I have a great obsession with my eyebrows and a penchant for eyebrow products. Today I'll be featuring another eyebrow product from one of my favorite Korean brands, The Face Shop. They've recently opened a branch here in SM San Pablo, making it easier for me to restock on my all-time favorite products such as the Power Perfection BB Cream and Velvet Skin Primer.

Anyhoo, this is the Lovely ME:Ex Design My Eyebrow, which sells for Php 228 (about $5) a pop.

Design My Eyebrow. 

It's an automatic eyebrow pencil that comes in five different shades - Gray Brown, Dark Brown, Black Brown, Brown, and Dark Gray.

#4 Brown.

Mine is the #4 shade, Brown. I reckon it's also the lightest among the five shades.

As per label, this product is good for 24 months upon opening. :)

Now here's how the product looks like.

Slanted tip.

The retractable, slanted tip is perfect for shaping brows and filling it (the eyebrows, I mean) in with color. It has a unique, triangle shape which allows you to create thick lines for the inner eyebrow and thin lines towards the outer part.

Unique, triangle shape.

It also comes with a spoolie, which is an important tool in blending the color and making your brows look natural.

Yay for the spoolie! :)

And now, the swatches.

Thick and thin.

The shade comes off light at first, but it's quite buildable. It has great staying power, too as I was able to wear this for about 12 hours with a primer on. Best of all, the shade is a good match for my current hair color.

What I love:

- Easy to use.

- Unique triangle shape allows you to create precise strokes with varying thickness.

- Buildable color.

- Fills in color evenly.

- Great staying power.

- Comes with a spoolie.

- Five different shades to choose from.

- Affordable price.

What you might not like:

- I broke the tip twice!
Putting extra pressure on the pencil can make the tip snap! :(

Ugh. Pardon the tired eyes. 

Products used:
FACE: The Face Shop Velvet Skin Primer,
Lioele Beyond the Solution BB Cream, Missha Under Eye Brightener,
Hera HD Fix Powder.
EYES: Sleek MakeUp Flick It Eyeliner,
Fairy Drops Volume Burst Mascara,
The Face Shop Lovely ME:EX Design My Eyebrows.
CHEEKS: Human Heart Nature Perfect Glow Mineral Blush.
LIPS: EOS Lip Balm in Sweet Vanilla Nonsense,
NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Antwerp.

This product is now a staple in my makeup kit and has easily become one of my favorites. I recommend this to just about anyone, even to makeup newbies! :)

Spotlight | B&C Browlash EX Water Strong Eyebrow.

I must admit, I am greatly obsessed with my eyebrows. It's that part of my face that I pay the most attention to (and spend the most time on) whenever I do my make-up. I guess this obsession stems from the fact that I have really sparse eyebrows. And that's also the reason why I'm all too happy to receive this product from Beauty Corner PH and try it out for myself.

B&C Browlash EX Water Strong Eyebrow.

At first glance you'd think it's the oh-so-famous K Palette 2-Way Eyebrow Liner (because that's what I originally thought, lol), but this one is actually the Browlash EX Water Strong Eyebrow. It's from the Japanese brand B&C Laboratories, and are sold at Sasa retail stores and counters in Hongkong, Macau, Singapore, Taiwan, and mainland China.

If you can read Hiragana/Katakana, then good for you. :)

Here in the Philippines, this can be bought online via Beauty Corner PH. They sell for Php 650 each (somewhere around $15) and come in three different shades - Light Brown, Natural Brown, and Grey Brown, which is the shade that I currently have.

Pencil at one end and liquid on the other, the B&C Browlash EX has a waterproof formula that resists water and sweat, and lasts all day long. 

Here's how the pencil part looks like:

Pencil.

And here's how the brush on the other end looks like:

Liquid.

The retractable pencil is meant for drawing out thick lines, while the fine-tip brush is for creating softer, fine lines. As illustrated in the packaging (see first photo), the pencil should be used on the inner part of the brows, while the brush is for the outer/ending part of the brows.

Here are swatches of the product:

Two strokes of the brush on the left; two strokes of the pencil on the right.

Personally, I would prefer a lighter shade than this one as I usually match the color of my eyebrows with the color of my hair. Perhaps the Light Brown shade would be a better match for my eye color and my current hair color. But nonetheless, I love how this subtle shade is buildable and how this product doesn't make my brows look too fake or drawn in.

Eyebrows courtesy of the Browlash EX. :)

What I love:

- Easy to use.

- Dual-sided product; can be used in two different ways.

- Waterproof, sweat-proof, smudge-proof.

- Good staying power (at least 12 hours, in my case).

- Three different shades to choose from.

- Doesn't make my brows look too fake.

What you might not like:

- The price. 

It may be a bit too steep for some, but keep in mind that it's from a famous Japanese cosmetic brand. 

And at least, it's cheaper than K Palette. :)