Spotlight | Nature Republic Pure Shine Mascara.

 I have a lot of catching up to do in terms of blog posts (way too many backlogs and pending product reviews), and I am so glad we're finally on a school break. I now have the time to sit in front of my laptop and finally write! Yay! I'll try to finish as many product reviews as I can over the holidays; we don't have travel plans as of the moment and we'll probably be stuck at home because the weather is absolutely crazy these days.

Moving on, I'll be doing a quick review of this mascara which I bought on a whim last spring - the Pure Shine Mascara - Volume from Nature Republic.

Nature Republic Pure Shine Mascara.

I chanced upon a 1+1 Sale event in one of the Nature Republic stores in Myeongdong and this mascara was among the (many) makeup products that were on sale during my visit. They were tagged at 5900 won (around Php 300 or $6) for 2 mascaras. I bought a few wands of this (because you know I get a little crazy whenever I see/hear the word 'sale', lol), along with several other items which I will also be blogging about in the coming days.

The 01 indicates that this is the 'Volume' variant. (02 is 'Curling'.)

The Pure Shine Mascara doesn't come in a box and there's hardly any English text on the tube, so you really can't get much information about the product from its packaging alone. I guess the only pertinent information you'll get is the '01' on the seal, which indicates that this is the 'Volume' type. ('02' is for the 'Curling' type.)

Mostly Hangul text printed on the tube.

I looked it up on the brand's official website and Nature Republic describes this product as an 'instant volumizing mascara which lifts and thickens every single lash without weighing it down'.

The mascara wand and tube.

It comes with a pretty basic wand with a normal-looking brush applicator. The website, however, describes this as a 'chubby volume brush which gives the eyelash volume up'. I beg to disagree because the brush applicator is rather slender with thin and fine bristles. It also has a slim tip which makes it easy to apply mascara on the bottom lashes and on the lashes on the corners of the eye.

A closer look at the brush applicator.

Now here's the mascara in action.

Swatch, indoor lighting.

Swatch, natural light. 

While I do have naturally long lashes (thank you parents for bestowing them unto me), I like how they appear even longer with just a coat or two of the Pure Shine Mascara. 

Without mascara.

With Nature Republic Pure Shine Mascara.

Its formula is lightweight and quick-drying, which neither clumps nor flakes. The product also lives up to its name as it gave my lashes a bit of shine. It can also hold up a nice curl, which I wasn't really expecting - after all, this isn't the 'Curling' variant.

Without mascara.

With Nature Republic Pure Shine Mascara.

This mascara, however, isn't waterproof so I might have issues with this product when the weather becomes hot and humid. On the bright side, you won't be needing a separate mascara remover for this product. Just the usual water and cleansing foam/gel will do.

Products used:
FACE: Beyond Alice in Blooming Skin Tone Sun Base,
Nature Republic Botanical Stick Concealer,
The Cellin Essence Cushion.
EYES: Shiseido Eyebrow Pencil in Brown,
Clio Kill Black Waterproof Brush Liner,
Nature Republic Pure Shine Mascara - Volume.
CHEEKS: SkinFood Sugar Cookie Blush in Bebe Pink.
LIPS: Nature Republic Pure Shine Melting Tint in 03 Hot Pink.

All in all, this impulse buy is one that I certainly do not regret. The extra wands that I bought will make great stocking stuffers for Christmas, too! :)

Spotlight | Clio Kill Black Waterproof Brush Liner + Salon de Cara Backcomb Cara Mini.

Earlier this year, I wrote about the gem that is the Clio Kill Black Waterproof Pen Liner. I was so impressed with its 12-hour wear time and its ease of use that I bought another Clio Kill Black liner during my previous trip to South Korea.

Clio Kill Black Waterproof Brush Liner + Salon de Cara Back Comb Mini.

I chanced upon this set while I was shopping in Apgujeong. They were on sale for just 12800 won (around Php 520 or $12) - a pretty good deal considering that the Clio Kill Black Waterproof Brush Liner, on its own, retails for 15000 won. And it's like I got the mascara, albeit in mini size, for free!

Product description at the back of the box.

The Clio Kill Black Waterproof Brush Liner boasts of a 1 centimeter brush that tapers to a very fine tip. Its bristles are quite flexible, which allows you to draw sharp, immaculate lines without much difficulty.

Signature black pen with gold lettering.

I love how the brush can draw highly pigmented 'carbon black' lines with just one stroke. If you prefer thicker, bolder, more dramatic lines, you can easily build up color with this brush liner without having to worry about putting too much pressure or tugging too much against your eyelids.

Super fine brush.

The brush is velvety soft, glides on smoothly when applied, and feels light on the skin. You can hardly feel the nib as compared to Clio's Pen Liner.

Left, swatched once. Right, swatched twice.

Now here's the Salon de Cara Backcomb Cara, in a smaller 4mL tube. Its full-sized version comes in an 8 mL tube and retails for 12600 won (around Php 520 or $11).

Clio Salon de Cara Backcomb Cara.

I find this mascara very quirky because of its brush. As you can see, one side of the mascara brush is long, while the other is flat.

Clio Salon de Cara Backcomb Cara.

Turns out, this mascara is patterned after a backcomb brush similar to the ones you see at salons, and often used for styling hair with lift and volume.

Inspired by the backcomb brush.

This unique, double-sided brush has microfibers that attaches to each lash for luscious length (using the longer comb side) and intense volume and definition (using the shorter round end).

A closer look at the microfiber brush.;

I love its waterproof, smudge-proof formula, and how it really does add length and volume to your lashes. However, I find this mascara a bit difficult to remove.

Long & curl fix.

For the most part, a makeup remover would suffice in taking away all the gunk off my face. But this mascara seems to be a tad too resilient, as I still feel traces of it on my lashes even after using a makeup remover and facial cleanser. Seems like I will be needing a mascara remover for this particular product.

Anyway, here's the eyeliner and mascara in action.

Bare face.

With eyeliner + mascara.

Much like the pen liner, I was blown away by the wear time of both the brush liner and the mascara. Similarly, I used both products for the first time on the day we flew back to Seoul.

5:30 am, Manila.

My winged eyeliner was on fleek for more than 13 hours - how awesome is that?! My mascara stayed put and held the curl for about the same period of time too, despite the power nap that I took during our flight.

5 pm, Seoul.

And because Clio never fails to amaze me with their eye makeup, I will most likely be buying more of their products the next time I go shopping. I am leaning towards the Kill Brow Tinted Tattoo, because as you know, my eyebrows mean everything to me. Haha!

Spotlight | Missha x Line Friends 4D Mascara.

Earlier this year, Korean beauty brand Missha teamed up with popular messaging service Line and launched the limited edition Missha x Line Friends makeup line. Their first makeup collaboration, released in January, hit all the right notes and was well-received by consumers. This popularity paved the way for a sequel, and the second season of Missha x Line Friends was launched last March.

Being a sucker for makeup collaborations and a fan of these adorable Line Friends characters, I made it a point to shop for these Missha x Line Friends makeup while I was in Seoul. I got myself a tube of the Flower Bouquet Cleansing Foam, the Magic Cushion (will blog about this later), and this 4D Mascara. 

Missha x Line Friends 4D Mascara.

While I had no problems in getting the first two items, purchasing this mascara proved to be a challenge. The Missha counter at the nearby eMart no longer had this mascara in stock, and so did three of the Missha stores in Myeongdong. Thankfully, one Missha store in the area still had this and the 3D Mascara on display. I bought one of each, and sent the 3D Mascara to my Mum.

Sally 3D Mascara and Brown 4D Mascara.

The 3D Mascara represents Sally the Duck (hence, yellow), while the 4D Mascara represents Brown the Bear. Their packaging is super cute from the get-go, and really, I'd buy this product for the packaging alone. Haha!

Mostly Hangul text written on the tube.

So what's the difference between the two mascaras, you might ask. The 3D Mascara, in case you're wondering, is formulated to lengthen the lashes; the 4D Mascara, on the other hand, has a volumizing effect.

Take note of the 6-month shelf life once you open your tube of mascara.

Printed in black is the mascara's manufacturing date.

Their applicators are shaped differently too, as seen in this illustration. The 3D Mascara has a triangular-shaped applicator, while the 4D Mascara is a square.

3D Mascara vs 4D Mascara.

Here's a closer look at the 4D Mascara's brush and wand.

The wand...

And the brush.

The brush has thick and dense bristles which bolsters and thickens the lashes for more volume.

A closer look at the brush.

Now here's the mascara in action.

Excuse the bare face.

And the even barren eyebrows, lol.

I do have naturally long lashes, and I thank my parents for that, but it certainly wouldn't hurt to add a little more volume to these peepers. :)

With the Missha x Line Friends 4D Mascara.

This mascara does it job, alright. With just one coat, my eyelashes look thicker and fuller, and a tad longer too. I love how this mascara is highly-pigmented, has no funky, chemical smell, and defines the lashes naturally. It doesn't clump or flake, and can hold up a curl. (Tip from www.eyelash-growth.com: Apply a thicker coat of mascara at the root of your lashes and a lighter one towards the ends. This way, you can keep your lashes curled longer throughout the day). 

Hello, thicker lashes! :)

I also love that it's smudge-proof and waterproof, and can pretty much withstand all that sweating in this hot and humid weather. Oh, and this mascara is reasonably-priced, too. (Or should I say 'was' because this collection has already been discontinued?) I bought mine for just 3300 a won (around Php 140) a pop. Surprisingly cheap, considering that it's a product by Missha. :)

Spotlight | Tony Moly Simply Style Slim Curling Mascara.

Just when I thought I was able to buy all my makeup and skincare needs from Myeongdong, I realized not too long ago that I forgot one important makeup item - a mascara. Good thing I have an extra wand hidden in my makeup stash! (And by hidden, I actually mean that I bought/got it, stored it in my makeup box, and completely forgot about it. Lol!)

Tony Moly Simply Style Slim Mascara (Curling).

This is the Simply Style Slim Mascara from Tony Moly, which sells at Php 199 each. Designed to make eyelashes look naturally longer and thicker, the Simply Style Slim Mascara line comes in two variants - Volume and Curling. Mine is the latter, as you can see.

Hangul text on the tube.

It doesn't come with a box, unlike some of the other mascaras that I have used. So yeah, the mascara tube is the packaging itself. There's Hangul text written on the tube, which I reckon is the list of ingredients. Unfortunately, my knowledge of Hangul is limited to the spoken language.

The wand and the tube.

The mascara comes in a slender black tube with a normal looking wand. But take a closer look at the brush applicator and you will see that the bristles are fine and thin. The slim tip is great for applying mascara on the bottom lashes, as well the lashes on the corners of your eye.

A closer look at the brush applicator.

The mascara does not clump, which makes it easy to apply. At the same time, the wand is easy to maneuver, which allows you to apply the mascara evenly on your lashes. Now some reviewers of Latisse (a popular lash growth serum) post about side effects such as itching and iris color change.

Now here's the mascara in action. As you can see, my lashes are naturally long.

Bare face.

 But after two or three coats of the Simply Style Slim Curling Mascara, my lashes appear longer, with a bit of curl, too. Looks like I can actually skip the curlash with this mascara. Volume is okay, though I was not expecting much. After all there is a 'Volume' variant, and this one is the 'Curling' variant. 

Lashes with the Simply Style Slim Curling Mascara.

Do note, however, that this mascara is not waterproof. Expect the occasional flaking especially if you're wearing it in this hot and humid Philippine weather. On a more positive note, at least it can be washed off easily with just water and soap/facial wash. :)

Products used:
FACE: Innisfree No Sebum Blur Primer,
Benefit Erase Paste in Medium,
Tony Moly Luminous Aura BB Cream,
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: Colour Pop Ultra Matte Lip in Limbo.

What I love:

- Sleek and handy packaging.

- Lengthens and curls the lashes.

- Lightweight and quick-drying formula.

- Doesn't clump. 

- Curl holds up for hours.

- No weird, chemical smell.

- Non-irritating, safe for sensitive eyes.

- Easy to remove; washes off easily.

- Affordable price.

What you might not like:

- It's not waterproof.

Overall, this mascara is a good buy, considering its very affordable price. Not bad for Php 199 since it lives up to its name of 'Curling' mascara. :)