Pucker Up! | Wet n Wild MEGA SLICKS™ Lip Gloss.

There are days when I'm too lazy to do my makeup, and last week was one of those.

You see, mornings have become awfully colder and a lot more difficult to wake up to. Lately I find myself waking up prying myself away from my bed at half past six - which should not be the case since the little man's class starts at 8! Imagine how pressed I am for time every single morning. I no longer have the luxury of doing my makeup in full, let alone have breakfast!

The least I could do is apply some BB cream, powder my face a bit, line my eyebrows, curl my lashes, give my cheek a bit of color, and dab some lip gloss. Funny how I used to stay away from lip gloss; now I've become very dependent on them.

One of my favorites thus far is the Wet n Wild MEGA SLICKS™ Lip Gloss, which I received as a gift from Tita Mac (SmartShopper). This is one of the reasons why I love buying stuff from her Goody Boxes, and her online store in general. I always receive a little token together with my purchases, hee! :)

This one is the Candy Apple variant, also known as 569A.

It comes in a handy 5.4 gram tube with a doe-foot applicator.

It's sheer red in color, with a hint of pink to it. It has multi-colored shimmers (think tiny specks of gold) that are hardly visible.

Color payoff is good, although I can't say much with its staying power - the product rubs off each time you eat or drink. However, I like the fact that it's non-sticky, it feels light on the lips, it has a nice, subtly sweet scent, and it glides on your lips like a dream.

It's a good lip gloss for makeup rookies, and considering its price of $1.99, it's pretty affordable even for teens and tweens!

What I love:

- Good color payoff

- Non-sticky

- Lightweight

- Gives the lips a nice, healthy shine

- No funky scent

- Easy to apply

- Affordable

- Cruelty-free (yes!)

What you might not like:

- Wears off each time you eat or drink

Wet n Wild MEGA SLICKS™ Lip Gloss can be bought at DrugStore.com for $1.99 each.

Yes, you can buy one too even if you're in the Philippines! Smart Shopper makes shopping at US online stores possible, at affordable prices to boot! Message Tita Mac for orders and price quotations here!

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

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Today's Look | Green Eyes and Plum.

Green was never my favorite color, so I have to admit - buying this product was like taking a shot in the dark. But considering its price of Php 175, I thought 'what the heck, let's give this a try for the sake of beauty blogging'.

Almay Intense i-Color Trio for Greens.

I'm glad I didn't let myself be intimated by that dark green shade in the middle. Because this palette turned out to be very interesting and fun to work with, given the proper mixing and matching of colors, plus a good set of makeup brushes.

Photo credit: Smart Shopper

These are my tools, in case you're wondering. Personally recommended by Tita Mac (she uses a similar set), these unbranded brushes have really soft bristles that feel gentle once they come in contact with your skin. They don't have this weird smell which is the common downside of cheap(er) makeup tools. And they're pretty easy to clean, too.

As I have mentioned in my previous post, these greens can create a smokey eye look. They turned out to be a great variation from the traditional blacks and grays. I love how Almay eyeshadows are long-lasting (they last for more than eight hours on me since I don't have oily skin), and they tend to set better on your face the longer you wear it.

Greens and plum experiment - success!

I chanced upon some  Ever Bilena products while at Watson's the other day (these beelines at Watson's will eventually cause a dent in my wallet, I tell you). I've read good reviews about their products, so I decided to give their Perfect Eye Concealer a try. I need to explore more concealer brands because my eyebags are beginning to be a hopeless case. Coupled with my already deep-set eyes, an incurable insomnia, and my addiction to Kdramas, they make a pretty lethal combination - detrimental to my vanity. LOL!

Zooming in for a closer look.
Plum on the lower lid, dark green for highlighting, light green  swept all the way to the browbone.

What I liked about the Ever Bilena concealer is it's finish - basically flat and one-dimensional. It doesn't reflect light whatsoever, so when taking pictures, you'll have none of those odd-looking white swatches on your face.

It's a bit tricky to apply though, because of its gel-like consistency plus the fact that I'm not using a primer (must get one soon). Don't even think of using a brush to spread the concealer underneath your eyes. It wouldn't work. You have to gingerly use your fingers instead. 

The shade is a tad unusual, too. I got the CO1 Light, which is the lightest of the three shades available, but I still find it to be a bit dark for my light skin. I made the necessary adjustment by topping it with a few dots and feathery strokes of my Avon concealer. In the end I still had to use my old concealer, blah. Or perhaps I expected too much from something worth Php 100.

My Avon concealer in Almond vis a vis Ever Bilena in Light.

The final look.

Smoked! :)

I was very pleased with how this experiment turned out. It's not something I'll wear everyday (I mean, hello? This face while lining up in the supermarket? Har!), but steering away from my conventional colors was definitely a commendable first. Being bold and daring sure has its perks.

And now for the rundown:

Avon Healthy Makeup BB Cream in Light
Avon Ideal Shade Concealer Stick in Almond
Ever Bilena Advance Perfect Eye Concealer in Light
Avon Ideal Luminous Dual Powder Foundation in Shell
Almay Intense iColor in Trio for Greens
Ever Bilena Eyebrow Liner in Brown
Avon Extralasting Liquid Eyeliner in Black
Kohl Royal Selections Eyeliner in Charcoal Gray
Avon Super Curlacious Waterproof Mascara in Black
Human Nature Love Minerals in Pink Quartz
Avon Ultra Moisture Rich Lipstick in Barely There
MAC Clear Color Gloss

Why not try to do a similar experiment? Play with some loud, dark colors or shades that you don't normally use. You might be surprised with how great they look on you. :)

Sharing the purple lovin' on

Today's Look, and Drugstore Beauty Products You'll Also Love.

Drugstore makeup are often prejudiced to be substandard and ineffective. As a fan of drugstore makeup, I beg to disagree. Just because they're low-priced and affordable doesn't necessarily mean their quality is cheap as well. While there may be some beauty products that can't hold a candle against their high-end counterparts, there are a lot of budget-friendly brands out there that truly deliver.

Don't get me wrong. I like high-end makeup, too. I have some of them in my traincase, and I usually wear them during special occasions, say, a wedding or a cocktail party. But for makeup junkie moms like me, even my vanity has to step aside for my son's needs. Between an Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette and my little man's vaccine (they're pretty much within the same price range), the latter would have to come first. But between a counterfeit version of high-end makeup (yes, they're out there!) and authentic drugstore makeup, I'd rather have the latter - hands down.

And when it comes to drugstore makeup, there are brands that I love not just for the price, but because of their product values as well. Coincidentally, two of my favorite brands were also last week's haul.

Clockwise from L-R: Montagne Jeunesse Muds in Flower Zen and Chocolate, Almay Intense i-Color Trio for Hazels, Bath and Body Works PocketBac in Peanut Butter and Jelly, Almay Intense i-Color Trio for Greens.

The Montagne Jeunesse muds were a steal at Php 72. That's Php 72 for both! I chanced upon them at the Watson's section of SM Department Store. I love how these mud packs smell really good (the Chocolate one, in particular) and how they work wonders for your tired and worked up skin. Best of all, Montagne Jeunesse uses naturally derived ingredients; their goods are free from harmful chemicals and are not tested on animals. The company also takes pride in keeping their products green and eco-friendly. (I'll feature the muds on a separate post later.)

The Almays, on the other hand, I got from Tita Mac of Smartshopper. It was actually her who introduced me to the brand. She had a smokey eye trio on sale last year, and I bought them out of my penchant for the smokeys. I was so delighted with the product that I asked Tita Mac if she could possibly sell other Almay eyeshadow colors as well. When these two trios went on sale at her site for just Php 175 each, they practically had my name written all over 'em. And when she sent them to me the other day, she threw in the Pocketbac as a freebie. (Thanks, Tita Mac!)

Almay, from the makers of Revlon, is actually the first hypoallergenic cosmetics brand. They're also the first to create 100% fragrance-free products, and the first to formulate for contact lens wearers. I wear my contacts on a daily basis, and there had been instances when my eyes would get irritated from wearing eyeshadows. I've never experienced that with Almay, which is why I'm very fond of this brand. They stay on my face for long hours, too. To think I'm not even using a primer of any kind.

I was so excited with the Trio for Hazels, so I gave them a try when I attended my goddaughter's birthday party last Saturday.

Light Hazel, Dark Hazel, and Pink.

It's an afternoon event (with mostly kids in attendance) so dark eyes wouldn't be too appropriate. 

Strawberry-choco fudge sundae look! :)

These hazels were just right for a children's party.

Wearing a pink top to match! :)

The paraphernalia I used were pretty much the same as the ones I wore with this look. I just used a different shade of blush and lipstick, and added a wee bit of shimmer in my undereyes using another eyeliner. And now the rundown:

Can you spot the Pig Rabbit? :D

Avon Ideal Shade Concealer Stick in Almond

Avon Healthy Makeup BB Cream in Light

Avon Ideal Luminous Dual Powder Foundation in Shell

Almay Intense iColor in Trio for Hazels

Ever Bilena Eyebrow Liner in Brown

Avon Extralasting Liquid Eyeliner in Black

Kohl Royal Selections Eyeliner in Charcoal Gray

Kohl Royal Selections Eyeliner in Arctic Frost 

Avon Super Curlacious Waterproof Mascara in Black

Avon Smooth Minerals Blush in Blushed

Jordana Double Length Lip Liner in Rose

Avon Ultra Color Rich Mega Impact Lipstick in Fuchsia Fun

I'll save the Trio for Greens for another post, as they're still unopened. The way I see it, I can play with the colors to come up with another smokey eye look. Let's see how it works next time. :)

Smart Shopper, and the Start of Something Smokin'.

I said I love makeup, right? But here's the thing. While I've been wearing makeup for the longest time (I was already using mascara and lipgloss back in high school), I never really paid much attention to how makeup should be worn. Back then, I was content with just pressed powder, concealer, lipstick, and using just one shade of eyeshadow. No more, no less. That is, until this baby came along.

It's a Profusion Eye Glaze set, which I got as a present from Tita Mac of SmartShopper. I ordered a pair of Onitsuka Tigers from her last year, and this makeup was sent as a freebie. 

I almost always receive makeup items as freebies each time I buy something from her. Tita Mac is pretty much aware how much of a kikay I am, because she's seen my vanity plastered all over my Facebook page. LOL.

Seeing the shades in this palette, I knew it was meant for the 'smokey eye' look. I was never fond of dark makeup before, thinking that it does not suit me. But then again, you'll never really know unless you give it a try. 

So I Googled smokey eye, read makeup blogs, watched makeup demo videos, and experimented with the stuff I have at home. The next thing I knew, I was putting on BB cream, lining my eyebrows, wearing liquid eyeliner - all those stuff that were not part of my usual makeup routine. And as it turns out, smokey eyes suit me, after all. 

I love the transition from dark to light, and the drama that goes with it. Plus the fact that attention is drawn to my eyebrow ridge and not my (dark) undereyes. Haha!

With that, I now take makeup matters seriously - which also means an extra thirty minutes has been added to my already one hour prep time. I've already gotten complaints from my son (Mommy, ang tagal mo naman magbihis! Gusto ko na umalis ng bahay!) and my Mum (Jusko anak, saan ba ang shooting mo? Aabay ka ba ngayon?), but my husband has only praises for it. So I guess it's all good.

Quick tip: Opposites together. 

Dark eyeshadow + light lipstick. Light eyeshadow + dark lipstick. 

Never match dark with dark unless you're acting in a stage play. :)

Great makeup finds? Items from US websites? Check out Smart Shopper now! :)