Makeup Revolution Haul Part 2

Here's another Makeup Revolution haul for you makeup junkies/enthusiasts! After my first successful purchase, I couldn't help but look at Makeup Revolution's website and lust after their eyeshadow palettes. I have been eyeing their infamous chocolate palettes and I figured why not get the dupe of Kathleenlights' favorite eyeshadow palette of all time, the Too Faced Chocolate Bar? And since the shipping fee is quiet expensive, I decided to throw in a couple more 😉 items in my cart. So, if you'd like to see what I got this time, keep on reading/scrolling.

Since I already kind of hinted at getting the dupe of Too Faced's Chocolate Bar Palette, let's start with that one, the I ♡ Chocolate. And yes, it was damaged during shipping, I apologize for its less than perfect appearance, I did my best. 😂 By the way, some of the items I got are from I♡Makeup, which is a line (or maybe a sister company, not entirely sure) under Makeup Revolution. They were all ordered from MUR's website.

The shades You Need Love, More!, and Smooth Criminal shattered into a million pieces so they look weird on the pan (I tried Michelle Phan's hack and fix them with a bit of alcohol) and the colors are slightly off (since they kinda mixed with the other broken shades).

They smell like cocoa and it sort of reminds of Swiss Miss (Yummy, I know!). This palette has 16 shades. 6 of which are matte, 3 shimmers with small gold glitters and 7 satin shades.

Next, I got one of their Redemption Palettes in Iconic Elements which was not in as sad state as the previous palette because the eyeshadows were still intact, but the lid was smashed. I just glued it together so it would still cover the shadows 😢.

They say this is a dupe of Urban Decay's Naked Basics 1 & 2. This palette contains twelve neutral shades ranging from light to dark and includes cool and warm tones. Perfect for everyday use.

The next item I got is, their I am in Love palette (I♡Makeup) which comes with 6 eyeshadows and a lipstick. They also have I am Sexy, I am Powerful and I am Naked.

Yes, I tried fixing one of the shadows in here as well... 😣

Perfect for ladies on the go. The colors are reminiscent of Urban Decay's Naked 3 Palette. This handbag hero includes 2 mattes, 2 satins, 2 shimmer eyeshadows and 1 creamy satin lipstick which are color coordinated (pink hues) for the perfect sweet and romantic look.

I also got one of the Ultra Blush Palettes in Hot Spice. (Let's all take a moment to appreciate this beautiful palette 😍).

It comes with 8 blushes (unfortunately 2 of them broke). 2 baked, 3 mattes, and 3 with tiny golden shimmers/glitters.

Our ULTRA Blush & Contour palette is perfect for the professional application desired by all of us. Perfect for highlighting and contouring too.

Professional and highly pigmented, yet easy to blend, these contain 8 shades consisting of shimmer and matte blushers, merged baked blusher, and merged baked highlighter powder. The ULTIMATE blush palette offering you 8 shades in 1 to suit any occasion!

And lastly, their lipsticks! I got 3 (Crime, Dusky, and Mystify) of their Amazing Lipsticks - Your MUST HAVE lipstick!

From nudes to brights, and mattes to creamy there is something to suit everyone. And 1 Iconic Pro Lipstick - Be Bold. Be Iconic. Be Revolutionary. ICONIC Lips are here. Makeup Revolution brings you an outstanding collection of the most desired lipstick shades Super-Intensive coverage and comfortable to wear. Our contemporary packaging is now lacquered to give you the ammunition you need all the time. Be Bold. Be Iconic. Be Revolutionary. There are 20 shades to choose from. - in Looking Ahead.

To be honest, I wasn't as happy with this purchase as I was the last time, eventhough, I got more palettes from this order, they were all damaged or broken and I had to fix them to make them look presentable. I already mentioned this during my last haul, and I still feel the same way, customers pay a lot for shipping, the least MUR could do is to make sure it gets to their customers in 1 piece. It's a good thing they responded to me quickly after I e-mailed them. Hopefully, they do something about it and ensure my next orders (or most of them at least) arrive intact.

Update: They gave me a refund for the palettes that were damaged during shipping. I'm impressed by how they handled my issue and how quick they were able to address it. Now, I won't be as worried to order more stuff from them knowing how good their customer service is.

Till next time. Xoxo 💋

Product Review: Essence's Waterproof Eyeliner Pen

Here's another review for you. This time from a European drugstore brand, that launched in the Philippines a couple of years ago, Essence.

Essence cosmetics gives you easy access to great products that inspire you to express who you are with style, confidence and fun. We say NO to animal testing and YES to quality with prices affordable enough to try a fabulous new look whenever you want. With a full range of breakthrough beauty products and the season's hottest colors and formulas, you'll look great and your skin will feel great too! Express yourself with essence - europe's no. 1 cosmetic brand!* - source: Euromonitor International, 2013 - from Essence's website.

Essence claims:

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.

Image: Screenshot from Tati's Favorite Drugstore Liners video

For quite some time now, I have been on the look out for the best eyeliner. My ideal eyeliner has got to be an intense matte black, waterproof, smudgeproof, long-lasting, and of course, cheap! I know it's too much to ask, but a girl can always hope. After watching Tati rave about this eyeliner, I knew in my heart of hearts (lol!), I would one day, be holding this in my hand.

I was so excited to try this liner out that as soon as I saw the Essence counter in SM Makati (279Php), I immediately grabbed an eyeliner and a couple of their lipliners and rushed to pay for them without realizing I took the wrong eyeliner. I ended up just giving it to my sister-in-law because I wasn't too fond of its finish. I learned my lesson since and made sure to get the waterproof one with the blue writing as Tati instructed the next time.

This waterproof version also came in a pen form with a felt tip, similar to the first liner I got, but I noticed the tip is thicker and stiffer, which wasn't really a big deal for me as it was still easy for me to draw a wing. The only complaint I have is, since the tip is stiff, it sometimes skips when I try to draw a straight line because it drags the skin more. However, I figured with frequent use, it would eventually lose its stiffness and be 'just right'.

Initial Application

I love how black this liner is, it was made even more perfect since it dries matte! As for its staying power, it lasted the entire day! And I mean, the WHOLE day, it even survived my 6-year old's nighttime shower (which consists of my son trying to spray water everywhere, including me)! Not only did this liner last all day on my combination normal-oily skin, it also survived water being splashed on my face without running and minimal to no smudging or fading at all.

8 hours after application

12 hours after application

As for removal one must use cleansing oil or makeup remover to completely remove since it doesn't come off completely with just a regular facial cleanser.

Pros:

-Dries to a matte black
-Intense color
-Waterproof
-Long-lasting
-Did not irritate my eyes

Cons:

-Hard to remove
-Not smudgeproof
-Pen may dry out easily (after a month or 2)
-Stiff applicator tip that skips and drags the skin

The Final Verdict: I love Tati, and if she says this is the best drugstore eyeliner there is, then I believe her. This is a great purchase, as it is not as expensive as the other "imported" eyeliners available in the drugstore and it delivers its promise of intense color pay off, waterproof, and easy to control and use tip.

Ingredients:

AQUA (WATER), STYRENE/ACRYLATES COPOLYMER, ALCOHOL DENAT., METHYLPROPANEDIOL, CETEARETH-25, SORBITOL, SODIUM CARBONATE, LACTOBACILLUS FERMENT, PANTHENOL, GELLAN GUM, XYLITYLGLUCOSIDE, ANHYDROXYLITOL, XYLITOL, ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL, SIMETHICONE, PHENOXYETHANOL, METHYLPARABEN, CI 77266 (BLACK 2).

What about you, what's your favorite eyeliner from the drugstore?

Xoxo

Product Review: Maybelline's Color Sensational Creamy Matte Lipstick in Touch of Spice

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I am back with another lipstick review and this time it is for Maybelline's Color Sensational Creamy Matte Lip in Touch of Spice. This line has been around for ages but this just recently arrived in the Philippines and I am stoked I was able to nab one of their more popular shades (because of its similarities to Kylie Jenner 's frequently worn lipstick shades).

Maybelline's claim:

Now, lips slip into our creamiest matte
New mattifying cream pure pigments.

Why You'll Love It- The Creamy Mattes by Color Sensational deliver a burst of color and a surge of creamy texture for the creamiest matte in 20 make-a-statement shades (10 in the Philippines).

For Best Results - Apply in the center of your upper lip to the outer edges, following the contours of your mouth. Then glide across the entire bottom lip. Can be worn under lip color.

They have 9 other shades available in the Philippines: Divine Wine, Siren in Scarlet, Craving Coral, All Fired Up, Rich Ruby, Ravishing Rose, Faint for Fuchsia, and Mesmerizing Magenta.

Image from BeautyMNL

Similar to their Bold Mattes and their other lines under Color Sensational, the packaging is a translucent/transparent plastic cap that snaps into place over a  shiny silver tube except the cap is matte and mauve instead of beige or pink. I was able to get this from Watson's during their 3-day promotional/introductory sale for Php 199 (regular price: Php 299).

Note: Images on the left were taken with flash.

One swipe of Maybelline's Color Sensational Creamy Matte Lip in Touch of Spice.

Touch of spice is a muted, mauvey brown/medium-dark rosy plum color with a matte almost satin finish. It has a really opaque pigmentation and goes on evenly and smoothly. And just like what the name suggests, it is super creamy and buttery, it applied so well on my lips it made them look smoother and softer without drying them out or tugging at them which is rare for a matte lipstick.

From www.maybelline.com

It wore well for about five hours and I didn't have any issues with the color bleeding or pulling into the lip lines. It did transfer but not as much as my other lipsticks. It also has a subtle scent to it similar to Play-Doh which wasn't really bothersome to me.


Pros:

-Creamy and soft on the lips
-Not drying as other matte lipsticks
-Affordable
-Applies opaque, evenly and smoothly
-Lasts up to 5 hours


Cons:

-Not all shades are locally available and Touch of Spice is sold out in some of the stores I visited
-Transfers a little and is not really budge-proof
-Not a true matte


The Final Verdict: Even with the cons, I still love it simply because of the color and texture. It also didn't hurt that I got it on sale, so it was a steal for me. In fact I'm thinking of getting more shades like Divine Wine which is a nice marsala color or if they release new shades, the nude ones  (Daringly Nude) I saw on their international website.

Till next time. Cheers! 💋

Makeup Revolution Haul

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After weeks of waiting, my Makeup Revolution order has finally arrived! I ordered it a couple of weeks ago (maybe three) and I honestly didn't expect it to arrive until the end of February as their website says it may take up to 35 days for orders to be shipped to Asia. Imagine how my heart skipped a beat (yes, I am that in love with makeup! Lol) when I saw my package with the word international stamped on it!

For those who have not heard of Makeup Revolution, it is considered "drugstore makeup" in Europe and is popular for making dupes of more expensive makeup brands.

"Makeup Revolution launched in London in March 2014 delivering revolutionary performance and quality, in every product atrevolutionary prices. Made with the finest ingredients, the range starts at an amazing £1.00, with a range of professional and must have products with limited edition collections – you can finally afford them all!

Born of passion… watch out makeup world… The Makeup Revolution has begun." - (taken from Makeup Revolution's website)

Here are the products I ordered:

Redemption Palette in Romantic Smoked - THE ultimate palettes with ultra high payoff.

A perfect mix of pearl, shimmer and matte shades. Totally collectable and a pure sellout.

Update: This is said to be a dupe of Laura Mercier's Eye Art Artist's Palette released at Sephora's last year.

Ingredients: Mica, Talc, Magnesium Stearate, Paraffinum liquidum , Ethylhexyl palmitate, Polybutene, Dimethicone, Methylparaben, Propylparaben

5 Baked Eyeshadows in Bang bang and Pure & Innocent

5 silky and blendable baked eyeshadows in 1 which glide on with easy application and can be built up to the desired colour.

Baked in our ovens for hours to perfection. The high pigmentation can also be used with a wet brush for an even more intense look.

And yes, my heart broke a little when I saw that one of the eyeshadows got damaged during shipping.

I ♡ Makeup Lip Geek - Love the Confidence

Serious LIP Colours in a Super Pigmented shades.
We are LIP GEEK, so we do the shades in a very obsessed way. Available in 24 shades.

Salvation Velvet Lip Lacquer What I Believe

Your salvation to get perfect matte lips that are touch proof.
A long lasting lip gloss that goes on as a liquid and dries to a highly pigmented, bold matte finish which stays in place for hours! Easy to apply with the applicator to completely cover the lips. Completely touch proof!

Revolution tip: Even lasts all night when you are eating and drinking

Ingredient: Cyclopentasiloxane, PPG-17/IPDI/DMPA Copolymer, Polybutene, Paraffin, Ozokerite, Isododecane, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax, Cetearyl Alcohol, Silica, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin

I ♡ Makeup The WOW Stick - Maria

Super Intense Cream Matte shades
Waterproof
Easy to apply
8 shades NOW ! Just say WOW !!

Focus & Fix Eye Primer Brighten

Fix your shadows in place all day! Comprehensively covering all needs - ORIGINAL, MATTE - perfect for matte eyeshadows and BRIGHTEN - perfect for metallic eyeshadows.

Powder Blush Sugar

Intense colour for the cheeks for just £1 each. The colour blends easily and creates a natural glow and will last all day

And finally, the Highlighter Radiant Lights Palette Radiance which is a dupe of Hourglass' Ambient Lighting Powder.

Our RADIANCE palette is here! ‘Take Instant RADIANCE Everywhere You Go"
Containing our unbelievable Radiant Light Illuminators. So soft and natural, to bring instant illumination to your complexion.
Breathe , Exhale, & Glow sophisticated palette with full-size mirror.

I also ordered I ♡ Makeup I am Naked but they cancelled it because it was out of stock.

I loved everything I ordered, I just wish they bubble wrapped/packaged it better to make sure the products do not get ruined during delivery especially since they charge an arm and a leg for shipping. But on the bright side, I am ecstatic my radiance palette is here! Can't wait to glow. 😄 💋

Product Review: E.L.F. Waterproof Eyeliner Pen

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Notice anything different? Yes, I changed my blog name and blog address, an ode (although not exactly a poem) to my makeup madness! And for my first post...a product review!

I have been purchasing and using Eyes, Lips, Face products since my college days. They are inexpensive and mostly okay which were my deciding factors in purchasing makeup then, being a student and all. They've had hits and misses but due to its affordability, one cannot really go wrong with E.L.F. So when I saw an E.L.F sale online, I went berserk (lol)!

This Waterproof Eyeliner Pen is not a new product, it has been around for ages. In fact, E.L.F. has offered different kinds of eyeliners in the past, I think they even have a black version of this (I'm not exactly sure how different it is from this white pen. I guess this comes from their essentials line while the black one is from their studio line). This costs Php 150 to Php 200 (Php 199.75 at the malls), one of the cheapest liquid eyeliner pens you'll find.

Just like what I mentioned in my last post, since this comes in a pen form, I found it easy to use, especially when I have to create a winged look or a cat eye flick.

During initial use, it went on really dark and even. I couldn't really tell it was brown (Coffee) since it looked almost black.

But after several uses, and lately, when I get to my second eye, I find it less saturated and the color not as intense or dark as it was before (especially if I'm putting it on top of eyeshadow).

As for its wear time and waterproof claim, it lasted longer than 8 hours and it stayed put without smudging.

Don't mind the eyebrows, I'm trying to grow them out so I can have them groomed and shaped. I wore it the whole day running errands and at work and it did not budge!

Ingredients:

Aqua(water), Styrene/Acrylates/Ammonium Methacrylate Copolymer, SD Alcohol 40 (Alcohol Denat), Butylene Glycol, Sodium Laureth-12 Sulfate, Benzyl Alcohol, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone. May Contain: Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Maganese Violet (CI 77742), Ultramarines (CI 77007), Chromium Hydroxide Green (CI 77289), Yellow No. 5 Lake (CI 19140), Ferric Ferrocyanide (CI 77510), Blue No.1 Lake (CI 42090)

This eyeliner really delivers! It lasted the entire day and looked as awesome when I first applied it! The only downside is, it dries up really quickly even if I follow their storage tips. Too bad... I'm giving it a month before it dries up on me completely. My final verdict, if you're looking for a good waterproof and smudge proof eyeliner, then this is a great product, but, be prepared to buy a new one after several weeks since it will not last long. I will definitely be giving this another go, I probably will get the black one next time after I finish this one off.

Till next time! Teehee. 💋

E.L.F. Haul and Swatches

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After more than a month of waiting, my E.L.F. (eyes, lips, face) order has finally arrived! I've almost lost hope as I was not receiving any response from the online seller I bought this from, fortunately, I was eventually able to get one, and after a day, my package arrived. These were supposed to be Christmas gifts but since the holidays have come and gone, I guess I'll just put them to good use. Alright, alright, I'll stop with the ranting and move on with the "unveiling". :)

I got these for Php168/each (except for the eyeliner which was a gift from my sister) from smoochesphilippines.com.

First stop, their HD blushes.

I got 2 of their shades Superstar and Headliner (15ml). They have a total of five but the others (Diva, Encore, and Showstopper), are more suitable and made for darker skin so I didn't get those.

E.L.F.'s claims : These blushes naturally scuplt and highlight for a soft focus effect that is great for everyday use. Their Vitamin E enriched formula conditions and hydrates the skin for a healthy glow. The velvety soft, lightweight and highly pigmented color creates a long-lasting result for all day wear.

Superstar (coral pink) on the left and Headliner (baby pink) on the right. The image below is taken with flash.

These are cream blushes and they come in a pump (notice their similarities to Makeup Forever's HD blushes? *wink *wink). Just like what E.L.F. promised, they are very pigmented (a little goes a long way) and since they set and dry quickly, one must work fast to spread the product evenly using a stipple brush or fingers on the cheeks (some also use these on their lips). I suggest using this beneath powder products (preferrably after moisturizer) to avoid caking. They last a long time (6-8 hours almost like a stain) and if done correctly (use a very tiny amount, like, half a pump) can look really natural.

Next, would be their Baked Blushes (which they say is a dupe for MAC's Mineralized Blushes). I got Pinktastic last month (check out last post to see my review) and I loved it so much I got 2 more shades, Passion Pink and Peachy Cheeky (I'm just missing Rich Rose)!

E.L.F.'s claims : These Baked Blushes have a long-lasting formula that provides a gorgeous, smooth, and even application. Infused with active key ingredients Jojoba, Rose, Sunflower, Apricot, and Grape to nourish and hydrate the skin. The soft and shimmering color creates a natural healthy glow.

The (dry) swatch at the top is Peachy Cheeky while the bottom one is Passion Pink.

They can be used wet as well, by using a damp brush for a more vibrant color. I love how these blushes give you a sheen, without the chunky glitters, that makes you glow. The only downside is, it doesn't last on me very long (3-4 hours without primer) and I find myself needing to reapply it in the middle of the day. But I can't really complain since it contains a decent amount of product (5.2g) at a very affordable price.

Third in our list is their Eyebrow Kit (3.7g) which contains their eyebrow gel and powder. It also includes a mirror and a dual brush applicator.

I got mine in Medium. And I have to be honest, I haven't tried really tried this since I still have my Revlon and BYS eyebrow pencil and pen so I didn't want to open and use this just yet.

E.L.F.'s claims : Creates brows that are fuller, thicker, and more defined. Shapes and sets your eyebrows. Gives lasting color definition for a beatufil natural look.

And lastly, their Waterproof Eyeliner Pen (1.4g).

E.L.F.'s claims : This smudge-free, budge-free eyeliner lasts for hours for fabulous and fresh precision. The smooth pen applicator easily glides on color for very fine to bold lines. To use: Hold applicator at a slight angle and apply to the base of lashes. Use a light touch for thin lines or a firmer touch for thicker lines (???). Best stored tip down for ultimate color saturation.

This is in the color Coffee. It swatched beautifully, it went on really dark and even with just one swipe. Since it is in pen form, it was very easy to use and control. I'm not so sure about its long-wear and waterproof claim as I haven't gotten around to using it, but I plan to do a review after playing with this for a couple of weeks.

And that wraps up this post/haul.

Can you tell how much I love E.L.F.? They have quite a lot of great gems and the awesome part is they are very affordable! See y'all on my next post.

Xoxo,

Missus C

Product Review: Elf's Baked Blush in Pinktastic

Hooray for my first post of the year!

I'm super excited to share with you a product I got to test and use over the holidays, the raved about Baked Blush from Elf, which is mostly used by beauty gurus as a highlight, Pinktastic! I know it has been released for more than a couple of years, but I was only able to grab it recently. This blush/highlight costs Php 200-250 in the malls, however, I was able to order it for Php 168 online (before delivery charge) from smoochesphilippines.com (they have a 168 peso-pay day sale which gives you up to 35% off of selected products). Now, without further ado, let's take a look at this beauty...

Elf packaged this product as a blush but because of it's golden-pink/champagney color, fair and darker skinned girls alike use it as a highlighter. Just look at that gold with pink swirls... 😍

Ingredients:

Mica, Talc, Nylon-12, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Paraffinum Liquidum (mineral oil), Dimethicone, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Rosa Canina (Rose Hip) Fruit Oil, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben. May Contain: Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491 , CI 77492 , CI 77499), Ultramarine Violet (CI 77077), Manganese Violet (CI 77742), Ferric Ferrocyanide (CI 77510), Tin Oxide (CI 77861), Yellow No.5 Lake (CI 19140), Red No.40 Lake (CI 16035), Red No.7 Lake (CI 15850), Blue No.1 Lake (CI 42090).

It gives such a nice glow to the skin! Although it only lasts 2-3 hours, one can just use a primer and setting spray to prolong wear up to 5 hours (on combination skin/normal to oily skin). The glitters are so fine, it just gives you the most beautiful sheen on the areas where you apply it. I loved it so much when I first tried it, I wanted to put it everywhere! Lol! The swatches below speak for themselves:

The one on the left is swatched dry while the one on the right is swatched wet.

Although it was a bit difficult to pick up the product using a brush (dry), you can still build the color up without it looking powdery or chalky. I ended up using my fingers to apply it on the high points of my face like my cheek and brow bones, the tip of my nose, and my cupid's bow. I mean, for 168 pesos, I can't really complain.

Now before rushing off to the nearest mall, I must warn you, if you have unsightly, big pores you may want to run the other direction and stay as far away as possible from this product as it would emphasize them, big time! Aside from that, although the packaging looks sturdy enough, just like any other Elf product, it is made of plastic, so you have to be extra careful while lugging this around your makeup  kit.

But other than that, I'd say this is a really great purchase!

With that, I will leave you with another picture of Pinkstastic to admire and drool on... 'til the next purchase/blog, toodles!