Review on Dolly Wink Cream Eyeshadow

Hey everyone!!! I am posting this because I want to share this divine cream eye shadow right before you attend your New Year's Eve Parties because: THIS IS TRULY EPIC! 

This is THE eye shadow that is meant for the New Year's Eve or for whatever glam event you are going to attend. Just look at that photo and you can tell (even if it is still inside the box) just how sparkling your eyes can be in one swipe!

I tried my best to stay away from this product, thinking I don't need it. I have lots of Urban Decay singles that will do the same trick, only in powder form, but well, I gave in eventually when I found out I can get a 10% off with my SM Advantage Card.

I am talking about the Dolly Wink Cream Eyeshadow single in the shade 01 Gold which is sold for only PhP 549.75 at SM Beauty Section. I got mine in November 2015 when SM Advantage card launched a 10% off any cosmetics promo for the entire month I think. If you hurry, it is currently on sale at beautymnl.com for only PhP 413.00 (click the direct link HERE).

This Japanese product is the perfect topper to pat on any of your matte eyeshadows or any time you want an instant pop or highlighted effect in the middle of your eye lids. You can also use this alone if you do not wish to add a different color. And to get the idea of how it looks like without any help from other eyeshadows, below are some swatches:

See? It is such a divine shade! I mean it is tacky but it won't be annoying to apply, I promise. I also tried using this during daytime, and I liked how it gave some life to my lids. I would totally use this even at the office, but if you are someone who is more into neutral shades when doing your makeup for the work week at the office, I suggest you reserve this for when you are having a dinner after work. It adds a lot of sparkle that is buildable and your daytime look will surely transition into a nighttime makeup by just adding this product. See photos below showing how it looks on the pan:

The box instructs that you can use it on both your lids and lower lash line, I guess that would be so glam. However for me I have limited to using this along  the inner corners and my eyelids.

This is the look I rocked during Christmas Eve where I patted some of that Dolly Wink on my lids and inner corners:

I really think this is a must have especially this New Year's Eve! You can swatch it at the store and see for yourself!

Review on Colourpop Ultra Matte Lip

Merry Christmas to you!!!! My Christmas blog is all about this wonderful wonderful liquid lipstick called Colourpop Ultra Matte Lip that has been taking the whole of US and Asia by storm!!! 

I have been watching youtubers like Kathleen Lights , Young Wild and Polished, and Emily Noel and they have been using and talking about this product nonstop, even the other lip and eye color products. So I went ahead and purchased some online and where else to purchase this easily but through my girls at Calyxta! Shout out to Gina Cruz of Calyxta for awesome customer service. She has been giving me professional feedback about my orders and their availability.

Anyways going back to Colourpop, OMG this liquid lip is the bomb! I am not kidding. It is the absolute liquid lipstick that dries matte. It does not transfer but it is not soul-sucking type of dry. They are also long-lasting because I can eat and it won't look like I lost all the lipstick away, but it is also not the kind that would be so hard to remove.

The first time I tried it on, I was so impressed with how it goes on flat on my lips without giving me the feeling that my lips are about to crack once it dries. It is not creamy or moussey. It is thicker than a lip tint but it dries like how your Mac Matte lipsticks would look like. And for PhP450 per tube, I mean, sold ! :) Overall, I never felt annoyed with it, because even if it is of liquid form, it is not tacky, not at all! You can actually put it on top of a moist lipstick or a lip gloss and it still dries matte on top. Just in case you are wondering why I had to put it on top of lip gloss (see I am not trying to defeat the purpose of a matte lip product, there is a valid reason), it was because I wanted to check if it can last long even if I add some moisture on my lips. Guess what? It did last long for about 5 hours.

I have only used one color which is the shade Solow but that's only because I have  yet to receive the shade Tulle from Calyxta. I was rooting for Lax and Bumble but both were out of stock.

You can never go wrong with this product, just use the shade that will not be too light for your skintone. But the darker ones are I think the best ones for this formula since we all know that we hate transfers when we are rockin the bold lippies! Have you ever used a red lipstick that turns you into Joker lips (from Batman) after drinking from a glass? Hahahhahahaha I have had that. Not cool! Funny but not cool! Hahahaha

Wearing the shade Solow in this photo

Verdict: Will definitely recommend and repurchase. Colourpop is also available through instagram seller: death_by_lipstick. You may check out this instagram account and purchase the other colors that are not available through Calyxta.

death_by_lipstick pools together the orders and it can take longer for the items to arrive on your doorstep but at least you can pretty much get more color varieties by connecting with them.

If ever I don't get to update you on how the shade Tulle goes, don't worry, you can watch youtubers that I have linked above for the swatches. Hover on their names, watch their amazing videos, and please don't forget to tell them I sent you :)

XOXO's and have a wonderful wonderful Christmas!!!!

Review on Sleek Matte Me

Hey guyssssssssssss it's the 23rd of December!!! It's almost Christmas Eve!!! My work hasn't slowed down, not one bit, but at least I was able to catch up on some writing and so far been able to give you 3 reviews on Maybelline's Crazy Sale. Do check out my recent reviews which were about:
1. Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse Foundation
2. Maybelline Dream Satin Skin Foundation
3. Maybelline Velvet Matte Lipstick

In connection with item number 3, allow me to give you a review of Sleek Matte Me, which is of a similar consistency to Maybelline Velvet Matte Lipstick. This is described by Sleek MakeUp as their Ultra Smooth Matte Lip Cream. I do believe it is ultra smooth, it is indeed Matte like more matte than anything I have ever used, and it is indeed a cream to matte finish.

Super thumbs up with the color! I got the Fandango Purple 431. It is the best plum color ever! I don't have anything else like it. However, other than this color shade which I absolutely love, there is nothing else that can redeem this product for me.

First, it is super matte that it dries my lips. It is that soul-sucking type of matte that is too dry and you can try rubbing your lips together and it is as if you are rubbing paper. No kidding!

Second it is too tacky! Press your lips together and it will feather away, or flake, or come off in patches. And it is funny because it is dry but it is also at the same time very tacky. I don't know what happened , Sleek!

Third it only has a lifetime of 2 hours. After that, everything sinks along the creases of your lips and if you as much as smile, it will break. It is that dry that it cracks!

Fourth, oh how it bleeds and smudges... It takes forever to get that really clean dark matte lip on point!

I tried using it as a tint and it works but it won't give you the beauty of full matte lips that are perfectly lined. I also tried combining it with lip glosses that are not tacky at all, and it goes on well, but of course, the Fandango Purple is not that intense anymore. Well at least the dryness and tackiness were decreased as well.

I was really heartbroken with this product and as such, will not purchase the other colors for fear of getting the same formula. I was so sad since this is the first product I bought from their store here in the Philippines, which they sell for PhP450 per tube at SM Makati Beauty Section.

Let me know your thoughts on Sleek Matte Me, and if you have positive reviews about it, please share it in the comments section below. I would love to hear how it works for you :)

Review on Maybelline Velvet Matte Lip Color

This has been tempting me for a looooong time! You know, anything that has the word matte just draws me like crazy! It is just that magic word that gets me each time! So one day, when I accidentally left my makeup purse, I finally had the excuse to purchase one more lipstick. Yay!!!

As usual, not a lot of color shades are available on stock in every Maybelline kiosk, but luckily, they have this strong pink shade called MAT 10. I instantly grabbed it and never thought twice. During the Maybelline Crazy Sale, this was sold for only PhP299.

It is not a full-on matte. It is creamy, a bit moussey, and glides on really well – one because of its formula, and two because of its amazing applicator which is not doe foot. The applicator tip resembles the shape of a petal or a leaf, with some short felt hairs sticking into different directions. These felt hairs pick up just enough product and glides with more area coverage than the usual doe foot tip (which is thinner).

The finish is creamy but semi-matte. It does not dry at all, it can actually transfer when touched, but I like the fact that it does not give me a soul-sucking dry feeling, well of course because it is not a real matte. There is a little shine on this formula, and it registers a bit lighter in photos. But in person, MAT 10 is of a slightly darker pink shade, at least on my skin color (I'm a medium warm skin tone). If you want, you can use it as a lip and cheek tint too. That was my plan when I bought it: Just put a few dabs on your cheek and blend ASAP. What you get is a cheek tint that exactly matches your lip color. Don’t worry about using it as a cheek tint because it does not feel sticky once you blend it.

A friend of mine does not like these kinds of formulas. Some people want a dry matte just when it is described as matte. As for me, I like it. It may have some transfer just like any ordinary lipstick would, but because I got it on sale, plus the color and pigmentation are good, the formula dose not smudge on the sides, then I am okay with it. I have their other lipstick in similar tube and dispenser but with a different formula called the lip polish and it is nothing special, just like an ordinary lip gloss. Over that, I much prefer these cream-to-matte formulas.

Will I repurchase this formula? Yes if Maybelline keeps on creating unique colors. The usual ones are just not enough to cut it for me. So the reds and the usual washed out nudes are too common, I can find that in other brands with more matte than velvety finish. 

So there guys, I wouldn't say this product is to die for, but it is not bad at all. Purchase it on sale and you got yourself a great deal! 

Review on Maybelline Dream Satin Skin Foundation

This product promised an airbrush finish with its air-whipped formula. It is called Dream Satin Skin because the expected finish is glowy, not matte.

I bought this product during the Maybelline Crazy Sale for only PhP350 coming from PhP499. It comes in a nice pump bottle which I like for being hygienic. You probably can finish a tub type packaging until up to the last bits but I still prefer a pump which can ensure that a fresh, uncontaminated product is used every time.

The formula is super blendable and light - thumbs up on that! It does not have full coverage though, but you can build it up. I do think that if you have more blemishes than usual (which happens to me sometimes), you may have to use a lot more than just one or 2 layers, or use a concealer before or after this product to target the dark spots. This foundation is a good enhancer to already good skin – meaning this works best with those who only need/want minimal coverage, or those who are willing to wear just light foundations.

Thumbs up for not looking cakey even beyond 4 hours! It also looks very natural, almost as if you just used a bb cream. I really like it and it works in good tandem with your primer of choice, with bb cream, or with bb cream and primer – any which way, the finish looks good. The only decision you have to make is if you want it to stay on for longer, then use it after a primer. If you want the added skincare effects of bb cream, then use it after bb cream.

I did not particularly notice it as a long-wear product, but it does not look drenched or patchy even after 6 hours plus after gym time. I like it, and although I love my L’oreal True Match more, this product is an option for repurchasing especially while it is still on sale. 

This does not break me out so that's a huge plus! Actually, I have not had any break outs with any Maybelline products. 

Heads up: It has SPF24 so you may not want to use this at night especially with flash photography, otherwise, you may get some bad photos no matter how great the night was. That would be a shame.

My medium and warm skin tone goes best with the shade B2. As usual, Maybelline does not keep a lot of shade options in any of their stores, but I must say, I picked just the right shade for myself :)

Review on Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse Foundation

I bought this mousse foundation during the Maybelline Crazy Sale for only Php250. Can you imagine? That’s 50% off! The moment I showed it to my sister, she told me I had been using this before, back when I was still in college, and that my review of it was bleh. I can only vaguely remember that I used a similar mousse foundation from Maybelline so I decided to put this to a road test :)

I really like the product’s texture: very smooth and easy to blend on the skin. It goes on truly moussey and creamy and spreads easily using your fingers. I usually do not need to bother with my foundation brush, but I would recommend buffing it after spreading it evenly, because with its moussey texture, you will find some remnants on your skin that have not yet been spread out flat on your face, like small round bits that will not be very noticeable at first but when you look closely along the jaw line or the sides of your nose, believe me they might probably be there. So buff, buff, and buff after spreading out.

I tried using this on top of bb cream, on top of bbcream+primer, and on top of just primer. I used the Canmake BB Cream and the Canmake Smooth Skin Primer for these tests. The result? Great finish, I mean really matte and good coverage. I like how it looks from the get go!

Regretfully though, I bought a shade darker than I expected. I have a medium and warm skin tone and based on the choices I have available in the counter, I took the Light Beige Medium 0. So if you have a similar skin tone as me, either you combine it with a lighter shade of foundation or purchase one shade lighter than this. In my experience, the color range on stock for every Maybelline store is always very limiting (Hint to step up on the stocking, Maybelline PH!)

I also noticed that this product, although matte, can be very cakey after 4 hours, maximum. It does not hold up very well, and for a matte product, that is disappointing. Although there is not so much separation going on, it is just that kind of product that appears very obvious on the skin after a couple of hours. I am not very sad considering I bought it for half off, but was really hoping it would have been better since it is an affordable matte foundation. Take note: For an oily-skinned person like me, mattes are something to look forward to. Anything with Matte in its name just tempts me like crazy. And if products are good, the tendency for me is to repurchase them.

The verdict: Just okay. Will require retouching after a maximum of 4 hours even with a good primer. Might as well not use a primer and use it for short periods only like a quick run to the grocery store or a quick and simple dinner out. This does not break me out so that's a huge plus! Actually, I have not had any break outs with any of Maybelline products. So if it is any consolation, I do appreciate that over the course of testing this product, I have not had even a tiny pimple.

My Coachella Inspired Makeup

Our company Christmas Party's theme for 2015 was Coachella. Shoutout to Melrae for the makeup inspiration! You may go to her blog by clicking this LINK. Her look is shown below and this is what I have come up with:

If you are interested to know the products I used, scroll down some more. I also linked the reviews I have previously made with some products, so hover over and click the links on the product names!

Primer
Lorac POREfection Matifying Face Primer

Foundation
Combination of L'Oreal True Match in Fresh Beige W4.5 and Za True White Liquid Foundation in OC10

Eyebrows
Etude Proof10 eye primer
Catrice eyebrow pencil in Date with Ashton
Tony Moly Easy Touch Coloring Browcara in Light Brown

Eyes
Etude Proof10 eye primer
Inner corners and Middle Lid - Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Cherry
Lower lash line - Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Kiddie Pool (this is the bluish color underneath my eyes)
Outer corners - Etude Look At My Eyes in BR403 and Sariayu Martha Tilaar mini palette using only the black and orangey bronze shades
Eyeliner - Dolly Wink Black Liquid Eyeliner

Lips
Maybelline Pink Alert ColorSensational in POW1

Highlighter
Mica mineral makeup in Earth

Blush
Urban Decay powder blush in Quickie

Bronzer and Contour
Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess

Concealer and under eye brightener
Collection Work the Colour Lasting Perfection Concealer

Powder
Canmake Marshmallow Finish Powder

Lashes
Elise CX1313 Lashes Php 238 - sold by Nichido
Separate lash glue is PhP60 also by Elise, sold by Nichido

Flash Tattoos bought from:
Silver and Gold from Factorie PhP550
Colorful flash tattoos from Justice for only PhP145 (on sale this December 2015! Original price is around PhP450)

Oversized yellow flowers from Forever21 PhP100 (on sale)

My hot pink romper was a gift, brand is Asos.

If you have some Coachella-inspired makeup too, leave the link in the comments section below so I can see what you have come up with :) Let's share makeup inspo's :)

My Bali Itinerary

In July 2015, I went to Bali, Indonesia. It was my first time in Indonesia and I must say I really fell in love with Bali.

How do you know if Bali is the next place you should visit? In my opinion, Bali is for you if:

1. You are willing to have a feel of the country life

2. You love having healthy and organic food

3. You crave for a little laid back, nature appreciation trip mixed with a lot of history and culture

Bali is very open to their tourism activities that you can hire a car with driver for affordable prices, approximately 600,000 Indonesian Rupiah (IDR) per day. This is a huge plus considering that driving is the best way to go around Bali. You can have your own bikes or drive the car yourself, but you need to check your driver's license with Bali authorities first to avoid being apprehended. In our case, it was our kind of laid back trip so we really wanted a hassle-free, relaxing tour.

My Bali Trip, to give you the brief rundown:

Day 1: Tanah Lot Sunset Tour 

Day 2: Volcano, Ubud, Spa Tour

Day 3: Snorkel Tour

Because my friend and I were in a hurry, we just booked tours for days 2 and 3. Day 1 was the only trip that we customized.

Now for the deets!

Day 1

4AM Flight from Manila to Ngurah Rai International Airport

9-11 AM Breakfast at Airport: BangiKopitiam Cafe Bandara Ngurah Rai.

11.00 AM Pick up from Airport through our hired car with driver named Pak, arranged by my friend since previous tours around Bali.

15.00 Arrive at Taman Ayun Temple

16.00 Arrive at Bedugul Danau Bratan

17.30 Arrive at Tanah Lot before sunset. This is a must see!!!

1930 Dinner outside Tanah Lot area

Just walk outside Tanah Lot and you will see lots of restaurants. We had Nasi Campur, the best Chicken Satay, and Soto Ayam 

I had an early flight to Bali, and was sleepy after dinner, so we decided to just sleep as soon as we arrived at our place in Villa Kuta. I have a separate blog on where we stayed which you can click HERE.

Day 2:
Early morning, we were picked up from our hotel. I think it was around 6am and here below is our Day 2 itinerary....

Traditional Market - we had a quick shopping for purses, shirts, and fridge magnets for 30 minutes here.

Coffee plantation - Santi Agro Wisata to be exact. I got a lot of flack for posting a photo of me tasting kopi luwak for the first time. Some people find offensive as if I supported animal cruelty which I did not get at first because Santi Agro Wisata assured us that the civets are free roaming and they have designated harvesters for the coffee beans after the civets excrete the coffee beans.

You get to taste all the coffee variants which is inclusive in the tour, but you pay extra for testing the luwak coffee, 50 IDR per cup. This coffee tasting event was a real treat for a coffee lover like me! So if you are one, make sure to include this in your own itinerary!!

I bought coffee beans and chocolates from the plantation, but to be honest, I still love the Kopi Bali brand which you can buy at any Circle K convenience stores all around Bali. The chocolates are just okay, I did not find it too fantastic, but they do take pride in using coconut milk instead of dairy milk.

We then went to Kintamani Village for great views of the volcano and Lake Batur - guys, the photos will never ever do this place any justice. You have to see this for yourself!

It's even colder up here so bring at least a hoodie!!

On the way to our lunch destination, we passed by this orange and marigold plantation. It is very common in Ubud and it is such a nice view so I asked our tour guide to pull over so we can take photos!

We had lunch at Boni Bali Restaurant in Ubud, again, no need to pay because the lunch is part of the tour.

After our hearty lunch (burp!!!!), we proceeded to Pura Tirtha Empul Holy Water Temple which is in Tampaksiring, Bali, Indonesia

Phone +971 50 797 9328

Now back to Ubud to have some Spa!!

OMG I super love the end part of this tour. It is such the cherry on top! Ubud Traditional Spa (UTS) was only 4 months old then when we visited and it is soooooooooo nice. I was very impressed because in Manila, you will pay so much to have this kind of spa. The space is huge! The amenities are not limited. And they make their own essential oils which I bought for gifting. Prior to your massage of choice, UTS will make you choose which oil you prefer. All these come in different ingredients and scents, it was truly a nice experience!

This tour was made for us by Bali Traditional Tours (BTT, I linked their website on the name which you may hover ad click). Our tour guide and driver was not only very knowledgeable, he is also very nice and accommodating. The only problem we had was that the car smells of gasoline so we opted to not use airconditioning since Ubud has a lovely warm weather.

The total price including pick up from our hotel in Kuta was $140 US Dollars (USD) - for 2 people. The price is 900 IDR per person. This included a private return air-conditioned Avanza Toyota car (just for the two of us), all admission fees, a la carte lunch with a soft drink, and a one-hour massage treatment! BTT accepts IDR and USD. So when my friend was paying in IDR and I in USD, it was not a problem with them. Way to go! BTT also responds promptly to all your emails so this site gets my thumbs up!!

As usual, we were so tired  so we opted to just buy some microwave food at Circle K convenience store and eat at our room in Villa Kuta.

Day 3: Snorkeling!

Our half day snorkel tour was arranged with Blue Season Bali (BSB).

Details from their site for the Blue Lagoon tour which we chose state: 

Typical pick up time 6.30 – 7.00 am, returning to the Sanur dive school at 3.30pm. Travelling time by bus is around 50 minutes each way before taking a local boat or Jukung.

Price: USD 59 per person

All of  BSB's trips include:

Hotel pickup/drop off service (Sanur, Kuta/Legian, Seminyak, Jimbaran and Nusa Dua/Tanjung Benoa)

Full snorkeling equipment

Lunch & Bottled water

Towels

Guide​

Insurance

BSB provided me with swimming fins for my feet and it was particularly useful! In the Philippines, the snorkeling spots I have been to do not have strong waves so I can snorkel without fins. But in Blue Lagoon Bali, oh no. Suggest you bring your own or accept the fins they will lend you which is part of the tour. The water is cold for the likes of me, around 26-27 Celsius, so the wetsuit they lent me was extremely helpful.

Too bad I did not have a camera for underwater. Schools of fish may be found just near the shore and they were very friendly! They also come in a myriad of colors per fish. I think when I counted, I even saw a fish with 7 different colors in its body!

After our snorkel trip, we had late lunch at around 1PM in the restaurant called  Manggala Warung, near the shore. We were given our own food choices, and a drink, which were part of the paid tour. I paid for extra beer and dessert.

I liked the tour but we did wait for more than an hour in the morning before we can drive towards Blue Lagoon. We were on time but BSB had late comer guests so.... yeah, that was a bit annoying.

That night, I prepared for a trip to Beach Walk Mall. The owner of the place where we stayed was gracious enough to bring me there and even toured me around the mall!

The following day, I left for the airport at around 5AM the next day. The owner of the villa offered to bring me there. Mr. Abraham is such a kind man!

I enjoyed my Bali trip and would recommend you to try it. It is such an endearing place that is full of history, culture, nice people and the tourism projects and activities are truly in place. You will never run out of things to do! Truth be told, you would have done more if you stayed a little longer than I did. It is such a highly recommended place to rest and unwind and free yourself from the noise of the city life.