Mario Badescu - Drying Lotion

I am sure many of you have heard of Mario Badescu's Drying lotion, a favorite and a "life-saving" product for so many. It helps to keep breakouts at bay and zaps those bumps before turning into a full blown pimple.

My skin has tendencies to be problematic at times so I decided to purchase this after reading so many raves about it.

Ingredients: Isopropyl alcohol, Aqua, calamine, Camphor,
colloidal sulfur, salicylic acid, glycerin, talc, zinc oxide, titanium dioxide

You're supposed to wait for the pink substance to settle in the bottom of the bottle, get a q-tip and dip. Apply the pink substance on your blemishes and leave it on. I did this nightly, because well I dont want to look like a dalmatian.

For a week, I did this. Applied on little bumps here and there...And what did I get out of it? I broke out!! I kid you not, it made my skin much worse. It was not like other creams where it made the area where I applied it extremely dry, but I noticed I ended up with more bumps on areas where I applied the drying lotion.

Mind you, this isnt exactly cheap. It costs 1,095 pesos and you get about half a bottle worth of the pink substance. I couldve gone with panoxyl instead! haha. A friend told me, to give it more time so I did and uhhhh it isn't working at all!! What a waste!


So there you go...Just because you read on someones blog that something worked for them, it does not mean that it will work for you!

Traincase: Update

I cannot believe that my last post was from December! It's already half of 2011 and its only now that I am typing a blog post. Currently, there is a typhoon in the Philippines and 2 of my shoots scheduled today were canceled.


Anyway, just posting an update regarding my traincase on things I learned just recently. HAHA. It is 100% waterproof, I couldnt be more happier to find that it was. I was so worried that my kit would be swimming inside while I trudged along wet roads. ugh.

If you want to read about the post I made when I had purchased my traincase, follow this link: http://suushh.blogspot.com/2010/11/finally.html


Lights were working perfectly even though it was completely drenched. Also, no need to worry about the exterior getting ruined because its made of (some sort of) metal. So happy with my purchase, though I have to warn anyone who has this traincase to make sure that all the makeup is placed level before closing it. I have broke the mirror on mine :/


Im not updated on how much this is now, last I heard they were selling it in quiapo for 9,000! Unbelievable! Suesh also has it now, in white though and for P11,000. I wouldnt be surprised if it costs the same now in Quiapo so you can save yourself the trouble and just buy it from Suesh. To check it out, follow this LINK

Photo from Suesh.com

Pretty Little Things

There's nothing like new makeup to make any girl grin from ear to ear. My recent acquisitions are some cute makeup items from Paul and Joe's 2010. These items are part of their 2010 Autumn line, Clair de Lune.

My favorite is the line of lipstick they came out with. I have the shade "over the moon" which is a sheer lipsitck with a hint of orange. Though sheer, it contains a variety of champagne gold frost which gives off a translucent sparkle.

Isnt it so cute? I super love the cat print that I use this with a lip brush and get some product off the back of the tube haha. I like my lipstick with more color and rarely use sheer ones, I sometimes apply a thin layer of concealer on my lips before applying this lipstick to make the shade pop more.


Other available shades (cant wait to get my hands on these too!)

"Moon Shadow"
Exotic red with a hint of pearl

"Clair de Lune"
Soft Pink

Another new item in my kit is Paul and Joe's Face Color. Its a highlighter in pressed powder form which has 2 shades which can be mixed and worn together. Its high shine shimmer powder is perfect to highlight your cheekbones! Whats unique about it is its formula. It's formulated to absorb excess sebum and to adhere to the skin - because you dont need to be oily and luminous at the same time haha.

Here is the one I have =)

"Luna"

Other available shades:

"Harvest Moon" and "Pagan"
(I have my eyes on Pagan, looks so pretty! )

Dont forget to drop by Paul and Joe this weekend, and finish off that christmas list! 25% off on all items =)

Primed and Poreless

About a month ago mi hermano flew to San Francisco for a quick vacation, since I couldnt tag along you bet I made a list of things I neeed him to buy me haha. After much consideration, I narrowed it down to just the essentials which was pretty tough. But when he arrived, a whole bag of goodies including the ones I asked him to buy and so much more greeted me haha. Thanks to my mom who is ever supportive of my makeup adiction.


One of the things she got me that was not in my list was Too Faced Primed and Poreless. I didnt think much of it since I also asked them to get me Benefit's The Porefessional. I also dont really use any other loose powder aside from my trusty ol RCMA or Kryolan loose powder.


However, switching to a bigger case has proved to be more difficult in terms of keeping track of what I have and what I dont. And during one stressful week I forgot to replace the Kryolan loose powder inside and had no other choice but to use the Too Faced Primed and Poreless.

Photo borrowed from: Sephora

Too Faced - Primed and Poreless Powder - $28 (o.16 oz)

What it says:

A silky, translucent finishing veil that adjusts to any skintone while minimizing the appearance of pores and fine lines.

Primed and Poreless Powder contains a high-resolution, reflective powder technology that transforms skin by visually minimizing pores, fine lines, and imperfections for an airbrushed-looking finish. Our weightless powder can be worn alone, or under and over foundation to prep skin, lockdown makeup, and control shine for a complexion-smoothing, flawless finish.

Why you should buy it:

- This powder has a velvety feel to it. Much like the regular primers were used to.
- Instant mattifier and helps control oil.
- Great for quick touch ups and retouches through out the day.
- Will not make your makeup look cakey after several applications (i've used this on a wedding gig and the bride remained flawless from start to finish! )
- Does give the illusion of slightly smoother skin and pores look a little less more noticeable
- Blends with your complexion. Initially leaves a sligh cast, the powder is sort of very light yellow. But within minutes of application, it blends with your skin tone or foundation.
- The packaging is just too darn cute, much like any ther products from Too Faced.




What you should consider:

- $28 dollars is a bit steep for a 0.16 oz loose powder, imho
- I wouldnt use this as base for makeup unless I was just going to put powder foundation. For regular liquid/cream i'd stick with smashbox, benefit, etc.
- Needs constant re application. While it does not make your makeup look cakey, it doesnt give you that flawless finish all day unless you re apply every now and then.
- I love love it but I wouldnt say that its comparable to RCMA and the kryolan loose powders.
- I hate loose powder containers just because it always makes a mess.


Would I repurchase?

Probably not anytime soon. I can get the same effect with my trusted loose powders without costing me $28. Put that money into good use and just get a regular primer. Its a nice product to have but not necessarily something you need.

Kryolan Blush Palette

I recently got the Kryolan blush palette after looking around for a replacement for the blush palette I was using. I decided to get this because the shades were all matte and it had a good range of colors. All the shades are very pigmented.After using it for about a month here is a short review. =)




What I like about it:
- Shades are vibrant, good color payoff, not chalky
- The color range in the palette is good. You have a soft pink, darker pinks a red-ish shade and a peach shade
- Palettes are handy to have instead of bringing a lot of singles.


What you should consider:

- It has a tendency to streak when not applied carefully. I now use a fan brush to apply it to avoid uneven streaks. Even with a very light hand, it has a tendency to deposit unevenly on the cheeks.
- I also found that its not very long wearing, much to my surprise! You might need to re apply after a while, also has a tendecny to fade unevenly which I find weird.

Here is photo of the Blush palette (Photo from Cabyness' blog haha )

Brow Stylist

Aside from august being my birth month, ive been blessed with wonderful work opportunities as a makeup artist so I havent had time to update my blog as much as I would like to. And so, after a long hiatus from blogging, im back with a product review =)


I've been in constant search for a good eyebrow pencil. Ive finally found one that i've lked about a year ago, M.A.C. Lingering! Found it to be the perfect shade I wanted, the right consistency? (I dont like overly waxy ones) and it doesnt make your eyebrows look like they were fom the 1920's - nobody likes obviously drawn in eyebrows. The thing about the MAC lingering pencil though is, it only lasts me about a month (or less) and thats for persoal use only. It also is quite expensive if I keep on buying 1-2 every month. So I was bent on looking for a cheaper alternative. I've heard of L'oreal's Brow Stylist a few motnhs back, but unfortunately when I had gone to check it they didnt have any stock. But a few days ago Caby and I were going around Landmark, and I decided to go look at the L'oreal Counter and surprise, surprise..

L'oreal Brow Stylist in 501 light brown

(both ends hads caps btw, I just uhm misplaced the other cap haha)

The brow Stylist has 2 shades, the lighter one is taupe and the other one is a medium brown. I swatched both, and out of impulse bought the lighter taupe brow pencil. I woulsnt exactly say its inexpensive, but its a lot more affordable than the M.A.C Lingering pencil. It costs Php 695 ( I think, a few pesos short of 700)


What I like about te brow stylist was #1 it wasnt overly waxy, meaning it doesnt overpower my naturally thin eyebrow hair. #2 the shade looked natural, thoug you wouldnt think it would based on the actual color of the pencil. #3 It being an actual pencil, rather than the mechanical? type of pencil, it would last longer and #4 it allows you to build the color. Unlike the other pencils, it doesn' t shade like a Sharpie! haha




I've been using it on myself a lot lately, especially hen im in a hurry. I do like using brow powders, but it takes me quite a while to even out my nasty baldspots. With the brow stylist, i simply fill in the spots and it just looks like I naturally have nice even brows hehe.

Here is the swatch!


Top: swatched heavier ; Bottom: swatched lighter
As you can see, the light brown has a hint of gray which is perect for eyebrows



I'll post a mughsot of myself using it on my next post =)

Paris and Madison

I'm probably the last person to purchase the styli style liners haha. Decided to get them after getting to try a few at Beauty Bar where they are sold for around 400 I think. But of course I ordered on ebay where it's sold for 50-100 pesos. hehe.

I ordered 9 I think, I cant remember since I still dont have all of it. But for now heres a swatch of the 2 that I already have, Paris and Madison.



Right-click on images to view in full size :D

Paris & Madison


I thought it was weird to have frosted violet lipliner
until I saw the marks at the back (eye for eyeliner and lips for lipliner, doh'! haha)


Left: Paris; Right: Madison
The lipliner (Madison) is creamier in texture as compared to Paris

Top: Madison; Bottom: Paris


Better photo of the swatches

Tip:

- If you can, drop by Beauty Bar and check them out. Swatches on site are usually not accurate. I got Paris which I thought was like a pink lipliner shade and as it turns out its actually a purple eyeliner haha.

- There are different kinds as well. Flat liner pencils, flat liner etc. Also different finishes, make sure you check or ask the seller what kind of liner it is to be sure
- Make sure to get the styli style sharpener which is 150 (I think) the flat liner pencils cant be sharpened by regular sharpeners.


Will post the rest of my Styli-style haul when it finally arrives! :)

At first glance: L'oreal Telescopic Explosion Mascara

I dont really splurge on mascaras. I think out of all makeup products, I hate buying mascaras the most because I find them so disposable. A mascaras shelf life is around 2- 3 months. I never get to finish one tube by the time I have to dispose them.

I usually go for Lancome Mascaras though because they work so well, theyre lengthening and volumizing as they claim to be. However, I got curious to try a new one. The Telescopic Explosion Mascara, I really like the wand cause its so cute haha. And it looks like it would make mascara application on other people a lot easier.

See, doesnt it look like a medieval weapon up close? haha



A few years ago, I got to try the first (I think?) Telescopic mascara it came in that gold tube and had a slightly curved wand. I loved how it lengthened my lashes but personally I needed a more volumizing mascara.








A bit of product sticks on the wand






No mascara vs. Curled lashes with Telescopic Mascara





Curled lashes, no mascara VS. Curled lashed with Telescopic Mascara

Initial Review

What I like about it:
- Honestly, I really just like the cute wand haha
- The wand grabs just the right amount of product to prevent clumping
- Allows you to brush on the lashes much easier than regular mascara wands
- Stays put. Ive washed my face and there was minimal smudging. You really need a makeup remover to get rid of it though with just a few swipes of makeup remover its completely gone.

What you should consider:
- I have to bring up my letter to Loreal again, haha. This isnt locally available, booo!
- Though the wand prevents clumping, quite a bit of product gets stuck to the stick of the wand. If you dont apply the mascara at the right angle, you'll end up with clumped lashes
- Im not particularly impressed with the formula, I dont find it lengthening or volumizing.


I'll post an update on this after i've road tested it for quite some time. Overall, its a good mascara to use especially if use false lashes. If you need more volume and lengthening though, this isnt for you.

Brushes: M.A.C 212

My new favorite brush! This is something I can't live without! Got to try this, when a friend left hers with me. I didnt like it at first, but needed to use this after my other brush retired. It takes some getting used to, but once you get a hang of using it nothing can compare to it!

M.A.C. 212
Flat Definer Brush

Info from the M.A.C. website:
Lines and define the eye with colour. Firmly bristled, flat of shape; applies colour in a stroke to provide instant definition. Use with powder, liquid or cream products. Synthetic.

What I like about it:
- Its firm, I hate brushes like these that are too soft and flimsy. You need a brush that's firm when youre lining or making lines.
- It allows you to make precise and clean lines


What I dont like about it:
- Its a bit wide (about half an inch?) which makes it hard when youre drawing or making curved lines. This is why this brush takes some time to get used to.

The Damage: 1,500 Php or $21

Worth it?: Imo, yes. I cant live without this brush and use it daily. Although, as ive said over and over again it takes some time before you get used to it. Id suggest playing around with it at a counter before purchasing =)

4u2 Gemtone Quad: Moonstone

As promised in my previous post, im going to do a review on the 4u2 quad I used for the semi smokey i did for my finals. 4u2 is a brand of makeup that can be found in SM Department stores or at Watsons. Ive always noticed the stalls, because of the colors, but ive never taken a closer look at the products. One day, I was strolling around the mall looking for things I needed for school, I chanced upon a stall and decided to swatch some of the eye shadows, since I saw some of my classmates with a few eyeshadows from U2. I immediately was drawn to this palette!

4u2 Gemtone Quad in Moonstone



It broke :/ I dont know how that happened



Swatches!! (Left to right: top 2 and bottom 2)



Rich, yummy colors!

I was drawn to the colors. Yes I know I have a ton of neutrals, but the colors looked so rich and vibrant I couldnt say no. The pictures do not give it justice! All the shades have a hint of pink to it making it extra extra warm haha. It just had my name written all over it!


Why you should buy it:
- It's available locally (Philippines)
- It's relatively cheap compared to high end brands. Im not quite sure how much I got this for, I think its around 300-400 pesos. (4 shades for half the price of a MAC eyeshadow!)
- The colors are rich and beautiful! And great color payoff! Hardly any fall out
- The shades are to die for (I know ive said that already but it really is pretty haha).
- Theyre all shimmers which is new, I rarely like anything thats shimmery. But despite it being shimmery the color payoff is good no need to use a matte base if youre using this as a lid color.


What you should consider:
- Im very careful with my things. If youve seen my traincase, you will know that the bottom compartment even has bubble wrap haha. I have dropped my traincase once, and nothing broke thank goodness! this palette, however, broke, for no apprent reason. I dont know how that happened, I just opened it and saw one of the e/s broken. My friend had already told me that this particular brand tends to crack or break easily.
- If you avoid makeup with parabens and talc, this isnt for you!
- The expiration date irks me, I bought this not more than a month ago. And the expiration date is on 041010 (April 10, 2010?) thats a few days from now! I didnt see that when I purchased it. Make sure you check the expiration date before you purchase!


Overall, I really love this quad. Wil definitely go back and check the other shades that they have. They have a ton! I just liked the quads better than the eyeshadow duos, saves space on my already cramp traincase.


Happy Easter! =)

Its Christmas!

Because of my long break from the internet (the move) before the year ended, I didn't have the chance to post Christmas Hauls - well presents. I didn't really get to shop during the Christmas season because I wanted to avoid the big crowds and when the holidays were over, guess what? I lost money. Not a month after that my cat, Bob is now confined at the vet. Hurrah! I honestly cant wait for January to be over, maybe February will be better haha.

Bob, a few days before he got sick. I hope I can get him
tomorrow. He's been at the vet for almost a week :/

Anyhoo, here are some of the things I got for Christmas from my Mom :)

Benefit Silky Powder Eye Shadow in Low Profile
Lip Gloss in Zone out and Friends in High Places

I've always loved Benefit products because of their packaging, but after purchasing Realness of Concealness Set and getting disappointed I stopped buying anything from them. I always do get tempted because of the cool packaging haha. These 2 products are suprisingly good though =)

Benefit Silky Powder Eye Shadow in Low Profile

Why you Should buy it:
- As it is called (Silky Powder), the texture is amazing. Not only is it not chalky, every swipe is very pigmented and applies and blends softly into the skin
- Id say its very similar to M.A.C. Vanilla which is a good highlighter.

What you Should Consider;
- It comes in a screw top container. I dont know how to depot this haha. I prefer having shadows in palettes instead of carrying millions of pots.

Lip Gloss in Zone out and Friends in High Places

Why you should buy it:
- I love the smell. I cant really tell what it its, but it has a faint fresh smell.
- The shades are gorgeous
- The glitters are not overpowering, they just add a bit more shine.
- Its almost comparable to M.A.C.'s lipglass in terms of texture and consistency (a bit thick and sticky - which I oddly like)

What you should consider:
- I think mine came as a GWP (Gift with purchase) or something, you cant get the duos and have to buy them individually
- At $18 a pop, its a little too expensive for my current financial state haha