Product Review: Sephora's 01 Always Red Cream Lip Stain

Are you looking for the perfect red lipstick? Look no further, I just may very well have it here in front of me!

If like me, you are dreaming of a true red lipstick that is vibrant, matte and long-wearing, girl, you absolutely need this in your life!

One swipe

Sephora Always Red is a cool red with a matte finish that is limited edition and retails for $14.00 and contains 0.17 oz.
 From www.temptalia.com




Description 

About

Available in an array of rich shades, this high-coverage stain is contains avocado oil for a texture that transforms as you wear it from creamy to silky and lightweight. Lips achieve stunning, high-pigment color and feel soft and comfortable all day.

Benefits

• Enriched with Vitamin E.
• Available in matte and satin finishes.
• Not tested on animals.

HOW TO

• Starting from the center of your upper lip, glide the stain to each corner.
• Repeat the process on the lower lip

Ingredients:

Isododecane, Dimethicone, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Polybutene, Petrolatum, Cyclohexasiloxane, Kaolin, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Cera Alba (Beeswax), Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Aroma (Flavor), Glyceryl Behenate/Eicosadioate, Propylene Carbonate, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Tocopherol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Benzyl Alcohol. May or may not contain (+/-): Mica, CI 15850 (Red 7 Lake), CI 19140 (Yellow 5 Lake), CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide), CI 77491 (Iron Oxides), CI 77492 (Iron Oxides), CI 77499 (Iron Oxides), CI 15850 (Red 6), CI 42090 (Blue 1 Lake), CI 75470 (Carmine).

www.sephora.ph

The first time I saw this on Mimi by Coffeeandsparklesbymimi, I went crazy! It looked soooo good on her! I instantly searched for it and saw it was available on Sephora PH's website for Php 804 (and during this time I started hearing angels sing 😇). I was waiting for the perfect opportunity to order it, as I couldn't bear paying extra for the shipping. So when they announced they had free shipping for Chinese New Year, I quickly submitted my order (it was in my cart for what felt like forever!). The package arrived in good condition a little over a week after placing the order. The packaging with its standard doe foot applicator and tube made of plastic isn't something that's really rave-worthy. It's what's inside that counts...

It reminded me a lot of Ofra's liquid lipsticks and NYX's soft lip creams as it is lightweight, but not runny, and also has a moussey consistency. It didn't feel sticky. In fact, it feels a bit powdery after it sets and most importantly, doesn't dry out my lips. It dries down matte (I don't think you can get any matte-r than this!), has a mild sweet smell and lasts an insanely long time. I can go the entire day without touching up, in fact I can still see traces of it after stepping out of the shower, and that's saying a lot since my facial wash has argan oil. However, with this being such a bold color, I wouldn't dare not to reapply after the 7th hour.

At around the 6th hour, if you have eaten anything oily and, if like me, have been drinking coffee/juice/tea non-stop, you'd start seeing the lip cream stain break down along the portions of where your lips are moist the most (inner and middle parts). You might also see a slight bleeding around the outside/outline (I didn't use a lipliner) of your lips. And if you have flakey/dry lips, some of the little bits may get inside your mouth or on your teeth. But even with those tiny flaws, I still love it as the color vibrancy is still spot on!

I have to say, this has got to be one of the best (and most gorgeous) if not, the best lip creams/liquid lipsticks I've ever tried and I can't recommend this enough! And if you're still undecided whether you should get this or not, let me just leave you with this swatch to torture and haunt you. Lol!

Xoxo 💋,

Missus C

Product Review: Pinkies Collection's Matte Lipstick in Bark

Hiyah, lipstick lovers!

I know I purchased this lipstick weeks ago, but I never found the time to sit down and give you my thoughts about this lippie, from the local brand Pinkies Collections, until today. During my drugstore finds blog, I hauled this baby and I immediately fell in love. It was very matte, which made me fall in love with it even more. This shade, Bark, has been the talk of the town of Pinay beauty bloggers and vloggers alike since 2015. I apologize if I am late to the party and was only able to get it recently.

Pinkies Collections ML14 Bark. Php 199

Pinkies Collections is the urbane girl's favorite cosmetic. With chic and long-lasting makeup lines, Pinkies meets your delightful expectations. 
From Pinkies Collections Facebook Page

It comes in  a cute baby pink square tube (slightly bigger than Maybelline's square lipstick tubes), which I personally find bulky and not so easy to hold (but is not really an issue during application). The cap is secure and clicks shut when covered. It has a mild sweet scent. The ingredients are listed on its side and a sticker at the bottom shows the lipstick shade.

It is such  a pretty mauve brown color (with a tinge of gray/gray undertones) that's perfect for everyday wear. It isn't too loud, and for some this may work as an MLBB shade, so it can be worn in the office, but it's still pretty enough to make heads turn. It wears well for a good 3 hours, with minimal drinking and eating (non-oily food). But during the 4th hour, one can start feeling their lips getting drier by the minute. But with a little lip balm, it makes wearing it less of a chore.

Until one day, whilst applying this, I suddenly had a feeling I've seen and worn this shade before. It looks very similar to something I already have... 

From Top to Bottom (swatches on the left): Pinkies Collections in Bark, Pink Sugar's Xoxo, and Maybelline's Touch of Spice.

Yes, it looked, without a doubt, like my Pink Sugar XOXO lipstick! 😑 And it didn't stop there, I whipped out my Touch of Spice from Maybelline, and lo and behold, I have 3 lipsticks that are almost the same! Arrgh!!! *#/@&^! It just shows how much I love this kind of color.

Now, if you look closely, they still look slightly different. In the swatches, Bark is more brown than pink, it is also more matte. Whereas XOXO has more pink than brown, with the tiniest bit of shine (under their creamy matte line). Touch of Spice has more mauve in it, so one can tell which of the 3 it is right away. But it is essentially under the same shade family.

A word of advice, fellow makeup junkies, if you already have XOXO or Touch of Spice, you might want to pass on this, as on the lips all three, to me, look almost the same (with the exception of their finish).

Until the next post! Enjoy your long weekend. Tata!

Xoxo (will you look at that. Lol!),

Missus C 💋

Product Review: L'Oréal's Infallible 10HR Lipstick in Bold Bordeaux

Lipstick. One of the makeup items I can't get enough of. Not only can it turn one's face from blah to ahh, it also gives one that boost of confidence, making them look more "made up", thus, "presentable". And because of the recently concluded National Lipstick Day, I had one more reason to buy new lippies! Including L'Oréal's Infallible Le Rouge/10HR Lipsticks, which had me at long-wearing.

Product Benefits:

Take your lips to the next level with Infallible 10HR Longwear Lipstick. This revolutionary and innovative formula delivers bold, luscious color that lasts all day long, making it the ultimate beauty indulgence.


Innovations:

Infallible 10HR Longwear Lipstick offers up to 10 hours of vivid, hi-definition colour and shine, while hydrating Vitamin E keeps your lips moist and comfortable. Discover the truest color payoff in a creamy, conditioning base.
From.lorealparis.com.ph

Image from beautymnl.com

CLAIM TO FAME: A moisturizing, long-lasting lipstick with a demi-matte finish

FAST FACTS: Delivers up to 10 hours of vivid, high-definition color; leaves a gorgeous, healthy sheen; formula mattifies when blotted; hydrates lips with Vitamin E for moist, comfortable lips; creamy, conditioning base won’t dry or flake off 

PERFECT FOR: Everyday wear
From beautymnl.com

This line has been around for quite some time, but just like any other lines from other makeup brands, it took a while for it to be released in the Philippines. In the U.S. they refer to the Infallible lipsticks as Le Rouge, whereas in the Philippines, we  just call it Infallible 10HR lipsticks. When it was first launched in the U.S., it came in a slim silver tube, but they soon changed it to a black base with color-coded caps. And with the change, there were claims, the formula and shades/color changed as well. I can't say for sure if that is true, as I don't own any  of the older versions. But most of their old colors are still available and more.

I got the shade Bold Bordeaux, eventhough the reviews I've read about this are hit and miss, because I wanted a dark red wine shade. I guess, since I was under the impression, long-wearing is equivalent to matte, I was expecting this to have a matte finish. Unfortunately, it does not. Although, one can just blot the lips to remove the shine. It applies like a lip gloss and it has tiny shimmers that gives it an almost frost(y) finish.

Two swipes at the top. One swipe at the bottom. List of Ingredients on the right.

It was easy to apply, but I didn't find it creamy. In fact, I immediately felt my lips shrink and dry up like a prune. It felt very tacky and it takes several minutes to set. It has a sweet floral scent during application, but it goes away quickly and is not really bothersome to me. And because I got a dark shade, as with other brands, it could be challenging and tricky to get an even color.

In person, Bold Bordeaux is darker and more wine colored versus what's seen above (pictures taken with flash)

This was no exception, this shade was very streaky, even after trying to layer it. I'm not sure if it was because my lips' original color was not even or becuase they're dry, but I tried different ways to make it work to no avail. I tried exfoliating, applying a lip balm, covering my lips with concealer, but still, it came of streaky and uneven. It also transfers. The only consolation I got was once it wears off, the stain it leaves, is more even. However, what made it really disappointing was it did not live up to its name of being long-wearing. It didn't last 10 hours. It didn't even last 5 hours on me! It was gone after I had a meal, and although it left a stain, the stain only lasted for an hour, even without drinking or eating.

Pros:
- Leaves an even stain
- Sleek packaging
- Gives lips a lipgloss shine effect

Cons:
- Streaky/Patchy color
- Sticky on the lips
- Color transfers
- Not long-wearing as it claims
- Expensive than other drugstore lipsticks

The Final Verdict:

I was hoping to get more wear time from this lipstick as it is one of the more expensive lipsticks I have from the drugstore (original price: Php 500, I got it on sale for Php 300 plus shipping). I will try the other shades I have soon (Forever Frappe and Tender Berry). I'm still looking forward to trying them as the reviews I saw for the other shades are better than Bold Bordeaux's. But if you're looking for a deep wine shade, you'd be better of getting a different lipstick, I suggest, Maybelline's Divine Wine or Wet n' Wild's Spiked with Rum. 💄

See yah on my next post!

Xoxo,
Missus C 💋

Drugstore Finds: From Essence, L'Oréal, and Pinkies Collections

Hey there, makeup junkies!

I have something from the drugstore to share with you, lovelies. By the way, these are not new and some of them may have been around for ages. But I consider them as drugstore discoveries or gems, not because they've just been released, but because they've been raved about by makeup gurus, while some I have tried and tested. Now that we have that out of the way, let me show you the things I recently got.
Note: Items were purchased from SM Makati Department Store/Watson's.

1. L'Oréal Paris True Match Foundation in G4 Gold Beige 

 

The new True Match: The Art of Skin Matching Perfection
New True Match, super blendable foundation.

The new formula contains 3 new shade enhancers for shade matching precision. Skin perfecting pigments and the ultra gloding creamy texture give a homogeneous finish. Even better colour matching, and more luminous and radiant skin than before. Even longer wear and better comfort. All you see is your skin at it's best.
From http://www.loreal-paris.co.uk

The original price of this foundation is Php 650, but since L'Oréal has a 25% discount which started July 1st (until July 31, 2016) on its True Match line, I was able to nab this for Php 450.

Update: 

It’s the LAST WEEK of our True Match Sale! Get 25% off on all True Match products until JULY 31 only. With prices as low as P300, it’s never too late to #FindYourTrueMatch!

True Match offers a wide range of skin-matching products  that precisely suits every skin tone and type. Foundation, powder, concealer, blush, BB, blur cream – everything is on sale, so don’t miss  out!

True Match Concealer, from P400 to P300
True Match BB Cream, from P400 to P300
True Match Blur Cream, from P400 to P300
True Match Two-Way Foundation Refill, from P400 to P300
True Match Powder, from P500 to P375
True Match Crayon Concealer, from P500 to P375
True Match Blush, from P500 to P375
True Match Liquid Foundation, from P600 to P450
True Match Two-Way Foundation, from P600 to P450
True Match Genius 4-in-1 Compact, from P600 to P450
http://gph.is/2a9embm

*Maybelline also has a 25% discount on select items until the end of the month. I suggest you grab one today (although I am  waiting for their Brown Creamy Matte Lipsticks to be released soon).

2. Essence Eyeliner Pen (Waterproof) 01 Deep Black

Back to black: accurate eyeliner styles are easy to achieve with the smudge and waterproof eyeliner pen with a felt tip. Waterproof without a stain effect, your eyeliner can withstand spring showers with ease. For intensive eyeliner looks in urban black. 
From http://www.essence.eu

I've used this in the passed and I really liked it, so I purchased a new one to replace the one I have that has dried up. If you want to see my review of this eyeliner pen, just click this link. This eyeliner pen cost me Php 279.


3. Essence Lash Princess Volume Mascara

Royal! The lash princess mascara with a specially-shaped cobra-head wand covers each individual lash to create dramatic volume and a gorgeous, sweeping look. For intensive fluttering lashes. Just as unique as any princess, the mascara is presented in a beautiful evening gown. 
From http://www.essence.eu

This Lash Princess mascara became very popular last year. People purchased the product because of the cute packaging and because it delivers its promise of volume and more. I bought this for Php 349 and  I'm really excited to try this!


4. Pinkies Collections in ML14 Bark

Pinkies Collections is the urbane girl's favorite cosmetic. With chic and long-lasting makeup lines, Pinkies meets your delightful expectations. 
From Pinkies Collections Facebook Page

I heard when this was launched, they were priced at Php 169 but since people started becoming more familiar with the brand and the demand for their lipsticks became higher, they increased the price to Php 199. I am also looking forward to try this as I see gray/cool undertones on this nude color which I don't have in my collection yet. Let me know if you'd like me to review this first or Essence's Lash Princess Mascara (I'd probably start testing them both tomorrow).

That's all I have for you today, makeup junkies! See yah on my next post! 💋

Xoxo,

Missus C

Makeup Revolution Haul Part 4

Hello again, lovelies... Yes, I have yet again, another Makeup Revolution haul, but, I promise, this will be the last one for a long time. This is because I have finally gotten the palette I have been dreaming about for the last couple of months... the elusive, Naked Chocolate, and I am super excited to show it to you. I also need to put a temporary stop to the hauls as the habit is getting harder to kick out of my system and I find myself looking at their website adding items to my cart right after placing an order. The urge to buy more is getting more and more challenging to resist. Yes, the struggle is real. Anyway, back to the haul...

We Are PASSION
We Are SHADE. For everyone skin tone, and all of the shades!
We Are INCLUSIVE. Anyone and Everyone can join the REVOLUTION.
We Are FAST & INNOVATIVE
We Are NEW PRODUCTS... NEW... NEW... NEW!
We Are PROFESSIONAL
We Are CRUELTY FREE
We Are AFFORDABLE
We Are REVOLUTION
A revolution in offering a comprehensove range of foundation and face products for all skin tones - from fair to dark, from yellow to pink tone - every shade has been covered, there is a shade and formulation for everyone at a price everyone can afford. 
A revolution in offering the VERY latest trends and NEW fast.

From www.makeuprevolutionstore.com

Alright, let's start! I only got 7 products this time. 2 eyeshadow palettes, 2 blushes, 2 lipsticks and a mascara.

First off, the lipsticks:

I got 2 (more) of their Amazing Lipsticks in Treat and Dusky.

Your MUST HAVE lipstick!
From nudes to brights, and mattes to creamy there is something to suit everyone.

You will be amazed at the quality of the lipstick - this is your MUST HAVE lipstick, and better still, amazing value at £1 each so you can collect them all! Over 20 shades of this creamy, long lasting lipstick with high colour payoff. From nudes to brights, and mattes to creamy there is something to suit everyone.

With 2 lipstick Collections too - The Scandalous Collection full of neon and bright colours and The Vamp Collection with your on trend purple and dark shades.

Then, I got 2 of their The Matte Blushes in Nude.

NEW! MATTE BLUSHER
Blends Beautifully for a natural, long lasting matte finish 6 shades to choose from.

Meet your new boyfriend: his name is Matte, and he's here to make you blush.

The ideal Nude shade with a touch of pink and a lot of luxury.


I also got their Amazing Volume Mascara (Black).
Add amazing volume root to tip in just one stroke 

This Amazing Volume mascara magnifies your lashes to give amazing volume effect without any clumping! The revolutionary volume brush allows for full coats separating the lashes root to tip for maximum volume all day!

And the stars of this haul, the I ♡ Makeup Naked Chocolate (which comes with a double sponge applicator).

The Love Affair with Chocolate continues with the stripped back eyeshadow collection in our collectable chocolate bar palettes.
Naked Chocolate is here. Containing 16 stunning eyeshadows for perfect bare to smokey eyes, mixture of shimmer and matte shades. 3D chocolate palette with full size mirror and applicator.

and New-trals vs Neutrals Palette (comes with a dual ended brush)!

New-Trals are the new NEUTRALS
Upgrade your new eye looks with the new generation of natural shades.

This palette, they say, is a dupe for Lime Crime's Venus Palette plus shades identical to Urban Decay's Naked 3 palette (bottom row) and similar shades to Too Faced's Sweet Peach Palette. I found them so pretty I didn't have the heart to swatch them. 😅 I will, however, post a review after testing these babies.

By the way, if you are interested in ordering from their website they have a special: 1/2 the price on selected items until the 25th of May and if you download their app, you can get as much as 20% off of your order if you use their code (until May 31st).

As promised, this may be my last Makeup Revolution haul for a long time as it is getting more and more difficult to "rotate" the makeup I use to make sure I get the chance to play with them at least once a week. I am, however, a very happy camper and I am definitely not complaining!

See yah guys on my next post. 💋

Drugstore Finds: Pink Sugar Creamy Matte Lippies and Essence Lipliners

Don't leave a girl alone to wander down the beauty aisle... You'll never know what she might pick up!

So today, I found myself walking towards the mall to look at makeup with no intentions of buying anything. I remember seeing Essence releasing a new lip product (I think they're called the Velvet Sticks) on Instagram and I was wondering whether they were already available (they're not) in the Philippines and how they'd look swatched in person, when the inevitable happened. I passed by Pink Sugar's counter/booth and saw their new lippies displayed. 👀

Lipstick in Xoxo, lipliners in In the Nude and Satin Mauve

I ended up buying a new lipstick and 2 lipliners I don't really need, lol!

Pink Sugar released 5 new shades for their Creamy Matte (Php 349 each) line.

CLAIM TO FAME: A semi-matte lipstick that delivers long-lasting color

FAST FACTS: Covers lips in gorgeous color with a soft matte finish; highly pigmented formula glides on smoothly; formulated with vitamin E and shea butter to moisturize, nourish, and soften lips during use; comes in 10 bold shades

PERFECT FOR: All day lip lusciousness
From www.beautymnl.com

Their new shades are:

XOXO - a soft brown pink
Hot Mess - a mauve pink
Girl Next Door - a deep toned beige
Hotline Bling - a bright fuschia

Image from Pink Sugar Ph's Instagram account

And while the lipstick I got (XOXO) from Pink Sugar is a new release, the lipliners (Php 99 each) I bought from Essence have been around forever! They just changed the packaging! And from what I remember, the colors are still the same. Hopefully, they didn't make any changes to the formula, as I found it comfortable and not drying on the lips the last time I got a lipliner from them.

I picked up In the Nude and Satin Mauve. I already have their Red Blush, which I liked because it was very pigmented, soft and didn't tug on my lips.

Essence Lip Liner glides on smoothly and precisely to ensure perfect lip contours and endless hours of lipstick fun. The wooden lip liner is ideal for smudge-proof and long-lasting lip makeup.

Image from www.essence.eu

So, eventhough I don't really need these new lip products, I'd have to admit, the colors I got are so pretty, I don't regret buying them. Plus, I can always tell myself it was Mother's Day last week and these can be considered as gifts to myself *wink wink.

Until next time.

Xoxo 💋

Makeup Revolution Haul Part 3

This Philippine weather makes me want to stop moving and just hibernate (or in this case, go through aestivation) until December. 😥 It's a good thing I have a new makeup haul to share with you, hopefully this lets us forget the hot weather 😊.

Last Easter, Makeup Revolution had an offer that allows you to get a mystery bag (full of makeup) worth £25 if you spend £30 (around Php 2000) on their website. And since I had a 20% discount/off for downloading their app to use until the 31st of March, I knew I couldn't pass this up. So I placed an order and waited for almost 3 weeks for my order to arrive. This time, the local post office charged me taxes for my international mail (which was weird as they have never charged me this before), which was around Php110. One of the first things to go inside my cart was the I♡Makeup Naked Chocolate, but unfortunately, on the receipt it says it's out of stock (eventhough up to now on their website it still says it's available)! I was so bummed, I didn't even want to take pictures of the things I purchased. Not only did I not get the palette, which was the reason I ordered in the first place, but since they issued a refund, my total purchase came short of £30 and I ended up not getting the mystery gift! @/#₩^@#*&! 😠😧😭  Oh well, I guess I would have to lift my self-imposed "No makeup buy"/ban. Okay, enough of my rambling and let's start looking at the goods.

I ♡ Makeup I ♡ My Brows

This sleek compact carries 2 brow shadows, 1 brow tint, 1 highlighter, 4 eyeshadows, 1 tweezer and an angled eyebrow brush.


Pro Fix Oil Control Makeup Fixing Spray

STOP the SHINE & MATTE FINISH ALL DAY! NEW OIL CONTROL FIXING SPRAY!
New sister product for our PRO FIX, fixing spray ... Our Oil Control Fixing Spray is a lightweight setting spray that helps deflect surface shine for a natural matte finish. High Tech ingredients keep foundation and eye makeup in place, with NO smudging and NO fading. That 'Just Applied' look for up to 12 hours. 

Rose Gold Lipstick in Chauffeur

Comfortable to wear, high coverage formula with buildable colour.
Chauffeur is our perfect nude, for everyday. Creamy high gloss glide on formula, packaged in a luxurious rose gold tube. Colour can be built up to full intensity or less for a sheen of colour. A great choice for natural every day make up.
A lipstick with beauty.

The Matte Blush - Nude

 Image from www.makeuprevolutionstore.com

New! MATTE BLUSHER
Blends beautifully for a natural, long lasting matte finish 6 shades to choose from.
The ideal Nude shade with a touch of pink and a lot of luxury.

I ♡ Makeup I ♡ Obsession Palette - Pure Cult

 Image from www.makeuprevolutionstore.com

I ♡ Makeup I ♡ Obsession Palette - Born to Die

 Image from www.makeuprevolutionstore.com

I ♡ Makeup NOW has its own palette edition from the MAKEUP OBSESSIVES!
Our OBSESSIVE development of a NEW updated Formulation and continuous OBSESSION with development of NEW products. Launching the first limited edition palettes with dramatic and stunning collections of Brand NEW debuting shades to our eyeshadow ranges. Our Obsession all contains 10 shades, a mixture of shimmer and matte. Introducing as follows:
Our nude and smoked colections of 'PURE CULT' and 'BORN TO DIE'. 
The stunning glamour of 'WEST END GIRLS'.
The romance of of 'PARIS', and the heartbreaking shades of 'WILD IS THE WIND'. 

This was offered at 3 for 2 but being the brilliant me, I failed to check and make sure the third palette was added to my cart before checking out. I tried asking them if I could add it minutes after submitting my order but they said I have to cancel my entire order and reorder everything to which I said no of course!

So, the only consolation I have from this order is: none of the items came broken. I guess Makeup Revolution, listened to their customers' complaints about damaged items (including me), as their items are now individually bubble-wrapped except for the large palettes (which I ended up selling since I have so many similar palettes, hence the lack of pictures) I got. So since I wasn't able to get the Naked Chocolate palette, I can justify placing another order to get it and buy another palette or more makeup to make the shipping fee and taxes worth it, don't you agree? 😉

See yah on my next post!

Missus C 💋

Product Review: Makeup Revolution's I ♡ Chocolate Palette

Like most girls I know, I am drawn to makeup like a moth to a flame. I have seen/watched so many makeup tutorials and videos, I've lost track how many they were. And whenever I watch a makeup guru talk about their top 10 or favorite eyeshadow palettes, I always see Too Faced's Chocolate Bar Palette on their list. But when I googled its price, I quickly lost interest. So when I heard of Makeup Revolution/I ♡ Makeup and how they duped the Chocolate Bar I couldn't resist getting it for myself to see what the hype is about.

I was so excited to get my Makeup Revolution order in the mail, the first thing I zeroed in on is this adorable I ♡ Chocolate palette. I threw away the box because some of the eyeshadows broke, which messed it up. But it didn't really ruin this palette's glorious half melted chocolate design. Isn't it cute? 😍 My son keeps telling me my makeup is pretty whenever he sees this.

This palette cost me Php 571.17 plus shipping. I ordered it from Makeup Revolution's website (http://www.makeuprevolutionstore.com). But since some of the eyeshadows came shattered, they were nice enough to give me a refund.

Aren't the colors lovely? By the way, if you weren't able to see my post about my recent makeup haul, you can check the previous blog.

It also has a subtle cocoa scent to it just like the Chocolate Bar, I'm just not sure how similar they are as I don't own the original one. But this reminds me of Swiss Miss, it smells so good, I could almost eat it! 😅 Here's a sneak peek of the swatches.

Product Description:

Life is a box of….

Pick and mix for your eyes. You will want to try EVERY chocolate in the box!
Mixture of mattes and shimmers.

This palette consists of 16 shades that includes mattes and shimmers. It came with a dual sponge tip applicator which I use for applying my highlight shades. It also has a big mirror I find very handy when applying makeup as that means even with poor eyesight, I don't need to hold a separate mirror near my face. It also came with a plastic sheet with the shadows' names printed on it, but I lost it the same day I got the palette (I might have thrown it away with the box). Below is the list of ingredients.

Alright, let's start swatching!

Here's how the first row looks like.

• You Need Love - This is a beautiful matte ivory/pale cream shade that's bigger or double the size of the others which I find awesome as most people would probably use this a lot as a highlight in the inner corners of their eyes as well as the browbone. At first, I thought I got a dud because I couldn't get it to be opaque enough, but after reading reviews, they all say the same thing about this first shade. It could be better if it were a little more pigmented and has less fallout but it is still creamy and fairly easy to blend.

• Piece Me Together - I was a little disappointed by this color-wise as my favorite Youtuber, Kathleenlights, created a look (which I wanted to recreate) with this color, and on her it was a lovely olive green. So I was expecting an olive shade with gold glitter, but when I swatched it, it looked brown with tiny green shimmers/glitters (eventhough on the pan it looks green). A far cry from what I was expecting. It isn't as pigmented as I want it to be and has a bit of fallout. It's a good thing I'm not that into green shades.

• One More Piece - A very nice mid matte brown colour. It's very easy to blend, feels so smooth and creamy and is a great blending or crease colour! I use this with another shade on my crease for a gradient look. This shade has little-to-no fallout.

• Love Torn - A lovely burgundy/maroon with small gold and pink glitters. The color payoff is fantastic and it goes on really opaque which becomes more red when blended out. It's also very smooth and creamy with a little bit of fallout (because of the shimmer).

• Stolen Chocolate - This is a cool-toned matte brown with slight purple undertones. Feels creamy and smooth. It's not that opaque and doesn't last long on the lids but builds to a very nice color. I like using this on the outer V as it is fairly easy to blend and is great for adding dimension to the looks I create.

Moving on to the next row.

• Thank Friday - This is has got to be my favourite crease shade. It is a matte light warm brown that is orange-toned, this is what I use with One More Piece on my crease. Even though it is not as pigmented as the other shades, I love it because that's what makes it the perfect, subtle crease colour for me and it's very easy to blend. It's just a bit powdery with little-to-no fallout.

• More! - This is an exquisite shimmery warm champagne color. Eventhough it has tiny gold shimmers, it's a lot finer so it doesn't cause any fallouts or difficulties in blending. It's extremely pigmented and I like using this in the center or the inner half of my lids for that pop of color.

• Pleasure Girl - A mid warm chocolate-brown matte that is slightly darker than One More Piece. It also has a creamy texture but is not pigmented as the others. It's also good for blending but be careful lest you overdo it as it pretty much disappears if blended too much.

• Meet Chocolate - A lovely matte pale pink. It doesn't last long and you really have to build it up for the color to show. It's also powdery, almost chalky, and has fallout. I still use this a lot since it's the only light matte shade in the palette (not including You Need Love) especially in the inner part of my lids, I just need to use a primer and pat it on to layer it.

• Unforgivable - A dark purple/violet shade with lilac and pink glitter/shimmer. Quite powdery and not as pigmented as in the pan. Has a bit of fall out and is not so easy to blend.

• Love Divine - A warm mid coppery brown/red brown shimmer shade that's really pretty. It is very smooth and creamy, very easy to apply and has no fallout. Pigment is awesome and easy to blend.

And finally, the last row, which also happens to be my favorite because of how smooth, creamy (almost like butter), and pigmented these shades are.

• Smooth Criminal - A stunning mid brown copper shimmer. The color payoff is superb. It's similar to Love Divine except this is more gold while the other is more of a red brown. Really opaque and blends well with little to no fallout.

• Chocolate Love - An amazing warm rose gold with a shimmer finish. As with most of the shadows in this palette, it's very creamy and easy to blend. It's nice to use in the center of the lids to make dark brown looks more dimensional.

• You Need More - This is a cool-toned bronze or gold mid brown shimmer. Very similar to Smooth Criminal and Love Divine but has a more purple undertone. Another buttery eyeshadow that has strong pigmentation with little fallout.

• What A Way To Go - An intense matte burgundy/dark maroon with really fine shimmer or glitter. Very pigmented. I love using this with Love Torn to make it look gradient and the combination is fantastic! There's a bit of fallout and it is a bit powdery, but is nevertheless, a pretty color.

• Endorphins Ready! - A very pale shimmery cream shade. It is so pigmented it almost looks like a frosty white shimmery eyeshadow. It has a little bit of fallout, but is great as a higlight. And just like the You Need Love pan, it is slightly bigger than the rest.

Here is a look I created using the palette.

Pros:

- Offers very similar or spot on colors as Too Faced's Chocolate Bar Palette
- Majority of the shades are creamy and easy to blend with good color pay-off
- Less expensive than TF's palette
- Most shadows have good staying power
- Smells like cocoa

Cons:

- Not available in the Philippines
- Some of the shades do not have great pigmentation and have fallout
- Not travel friendly because of the size

The Final Verdict: I would say that this is a nice enough palette. I have been using it everyday since I received it, but I end up using the same colors, as there were a few I just don't want to be bothered with using. I read so many good reviews about this palette that it was kind of a let down for me to see that there were some shades that were not really great. I was expecting for this to blow my socks off, but sadly, it didn't. I know that if you get a palette with this many colors, you will get a couple that are not as nice as the others, I guess since MUR was trying so hard to dupe the original one, they focused on getting the color right too much and forgot the quality of the others (especially the mattes). Don't get me wrong, I still love MUR for trying to make safe but affordable versions of higher end makeups and giving us, for the most part, great and rave-worthy products. And if you're someone like me who can't bear the thought of spending over a thousand pesos on one eyeshadow palette, then I think this will still be a great buy. Just be ready to get yourself a primer and not expect the same quality as the original one.

Xoxo 💋,

Missus C