Review: Etude House Aloha V-Line Slim Maker

Aloha beautiful readers!

Today I shall be reviewing a bronzer-highlighter tandem.

Bronzers and highlighters have been some of my favorite makeup products... I actually love them more than blushes! Why? Because I have a large, square-shaped face. Applying these products would make my face look slimmer and less angular.

I've tried quite a number of these bronzer-highlighter duo products such as from MAC and Dollface. This time I will be using and reviewing Etude House's Aloha V-Line Slim Maker.

Etude House Aloha V-Line Slim Maker 01

 This is actually bought by my sister, Trace, more than a month ago.

Here's the product. It actually comes in another shade.

The product's shades I got are Wood Brown and Sun Gold.

The packaging and the design of the product itself is really cute! Fits very well with the incoming summer season, don't you agree?

 The product is worth around Php650.00

 Information, directions and precautionary advice:

 It also comes with a brush applicator.

It's kind of soft but I still prefer using one of my brushes than this one.

Here's a swatch on my wrist:

The Wood Brown is a matte, caramel-chocolate brown. Very warm and looks natural on my skin. It doesn't have the brick tone that I see in most bronzers.

Sun Gold is more pigmented. It is shimmery and is also warm on the skin. It really does make you glow when applied correctly. But I prefer matte highlighters since I have oily skin. I don't like "extra" shine on my face after some time. :P
The product has a sweet scent. It's not annoying at all. I really like how it smells. :)

Here's a demonstration printed at the box of the product:

 I guess their ideal face shape is a V-shape. 

Image Source: http://www.colorfulcircle.com/face-make-up/455--etudehouse-aloha-v-line-slim-maker-12g.html

 Here's a more detailed instruction on how to apply the product on the face.

I apply the bronzer below the cheekbones and the jaw line. I also put some of this at the sides of my nose to make it slimmer as well. :P

I apply the highlighter on the nose bridge, above the cheekbones, forehead and a little on the chin.

Here are shots of my sis' cheek when she used the product.

1st picture - cheek with only foundation on

2nd - when the bronzer was applied

3rd - when highlighter was added

The product is long-lasting. I was in school the whole day and I still see the contours on my face. It stayed longer than the blush I used that day! Yay!

Overall, I really like the product. It has a natural finish. Great to have especially since summer is coming soon! And I'm a fan of the cuteness of the packaging!! :D

Cheers,

DAWN

NOTD : Black, Purple and Nail Stamp

Hey everyone!

Just a really short entry today. :P

A few days ago, I got a Pre-loved Non-Konad Nail Stamp from GirlTalk.

I was very curious to try those out and after a long series of trial and error (On Liz's nails), here's what I was able to create on my nails.

It was really hard to get a good result. I noticed that cheaper nail polishes don't look as good compared to the results when I use Zoya or China Glaze nail polishes. :P

Anyway, here are more pictures:

Without flash

With flash

What do you think?

Anyway, tomorrow will be the last day to enter my giveaway! Join, join, join! :)

Cheers,

DAWN

Review: Benefit Erase Paste

Ciao belle signorine,

Dawn recently got me hooked on online shopping for make-up products.

I've only made two purchases so far, and one of them is the Benefit Erase Paste. I wasn't planning on buying it but I heard Benefit and the price and I said "BUY IT!"

This would be my first high-end concealer. I've recently realized I'd only need a good concealer and powder whenever I'm on the go (which happens almost 3 times in a week), so I've been looking out to try other brands. I've used concealers from Sonia Kashuk, San San, Body Shop and Elf. 

REVIEW:

 

As I would expect of any Benefit product (mostly those I've seen on the net and in Dawn's stuff) the packaging looked so pretty, it made me giggle like an infatuated teenager. :)

A few precautionary advice on the box.

What the product says and instructions. 

I forgot to bring the small pamphlet about this one so there are no shots of it... sorry. Maybe I would add that in one my next posts.

Other details of the product.

I like that there's a spatula included and another cover inside. I'm a neat freak in some stuffs so I'm glad that they had these.

Also the spatula would be a great help to ensure that you get every last bit of the product especially those on the sides of the bottle.

This is a pre-loved product by the way and it still had 90% in it. :)

One dip and you get a lot of the product already.

When applied, it goes on quite strong so you really just need a small amount every time you use it. It also feels a little sticky for my liking but it does spread quite well.

Some tips from the website:

Run your fingertips under warm water to heat them up before blending erase paste. Mix erase paste with ooh la lift if you have dark circles and want a little brightening. Apply powderflage over erase paste to help your concealer last longer and really stay put!

Get your make up artist diploma with Guide to Career Education.

I've asked Dawn to use it on her since it's a little whiter than I am and I need powder to even it out.

Here is a before and after, no prior foundation and no primers as well.

 As you can see, it's great for under the eyes and conceals well. I find it very useful in covering up  spots on my forehead and cheeks as it gives a really good coverage. 

I haven't used it for longer than 4 - 5 hours because I have less classes to attend to these days, so I can't comment on whether it lasts longer than that. 

If I could, I'd use it as a foundation, but it's too expensive for that purpose and I'd need to be fairer than I am now.

What I like:

1. Packaging is super pretty.

2. Spatula included.

3. It conceals really well.

4. A little of it goes a long way.

5. Instructions included

6. Feels light on skin

What I don't like:

1. Feels sticky when applied.

2. Although it's locally available, the branch (@ Greenbelt 5) is quite far from the house.

3. Hard to find another cheap one. Regular price is quite expensive for me.

Will I buy again?

Of course, if I have the money for the original price.

Or we find a another deal online. :)

I still use the San San and Sonia Kashuk concealers that I have with me and reserve this baby for when I pull all nighters.

So have you tried this before? Any comments on it? Any other concealers you can recommend? 

Cheers,

LIZ

The Body Shop White Musk Libertine Eau De Parfum

Hi everyone!!

Last Christmas, The Body Shop gave me a bottle of their White Musk Libertine Eau De Parfum.

If you've smelled the classic The Body Shop White Musk, this one is lighter and more sweeter. I guess it's more floral too.

I really like the scent but Liz doesn't like it at all. She finds it too sweet and candy-ish. While my sis likes the smell on me but not on her. She finds it too strong for her taste.

I'm not very particular with the perfumes I use. As long as I like the scent (usually floral or vanilla-ish) and that it stays long on me, then I'll use it. And I find that this product does both on me.

More about the product:

A bold new twist on musk, this sensual eau de parfum features a heady blend of cruelty-free musks at its top, heart and base, with sweet notes of Turkish delight, baby orchid and Chantilly cream.

The product weighs 30ml and is worth Php 1,595.00.

Instructions:

Spritz onto neck and pulse points. 

I'm already halfway with my first bottle.

It stays on me for almost the whole day and it's not sticky on the skin. I don't get irritations when I spray it directly on my skin (I get this from some perfumes I have used).

I also get a lot of compliments from my classmates and friends.

Would I buy it? Maybe. I'm undecided. I don't really buy my own perfume... yet. Usually, I ask my relatives who are outside of the country (since perfumes are more affordable there). Or sometimes I ask for the perfumes that were given to my mom by her friends. Haha! She doesn't use them anyway and she gets a lot of 'em each year. :P

Cheers,

DAWN

Chanel Lipsticks in Magnolia, Insolente and Adorable

 Hey girls!

Have you ever had the urge to just buy high-end products just so you can have some?

I have. I've bought quite a few recently in the past few months. 

Some of these are these Chanel Lipsticks and here's a swatch post about them.

I know I could have bought like 4 or more NYX lipsticks for the price of one of these lipsticks. But I just can't help it. I really want to try these out. I was curious to know how they perform and they just look so pretty!

 Just look how beautiful their packaging are! Very classy!

The first time I tried one of these lipsticks, I fell in-love with it! 

The lipsticks smell so good -- very rosy which is one of my favorite scents!

So here are some swatches for each lipstick:

Chanel Rouge Coco Lipstick in Magnolia

Chanel Rouge Allure Lipstick in Insolente

 Chanel Rouge Allure Lipstick in Adorable

 Lovely, aren't they? ♥

The staying power of the lippies depends on the colors -- the darker the color, the longer it stays.

Although some of my more affordable lipsticks stay longer... I don't mind reapplying it... It's nice to carry around an expensive lipstick. Haha! Makes me feel extra special. :P

So what do you think of Chanel Lipsticks?

Cheers,

DAWN

Review : NYX HD Eye Shadow Base

Hello lovelies,

Since I love playing with eye shadows, it became important for me to find a good eye primer to bring out the best in the products I use.

I did a review last time on Etude House Proof 10 Eye Primer. Since then I've gone out to try other ones. One of these is the NYX HD Eye Shadow Base

What the product says:

I don't like the packaging because it chips off easily.

The brush is also a doe foot applicator like the other ones I've used.

The NYX HD's staying power is the same as the other ones. 

It was annoying at first because it's sticky when applied unlike the other ones that I have but dries quickly enough. 

And here's the look I did without and with the primer on.

So what do I like about the product?

• The pigments stick perfectly
• Makes my eye shadows more long-lasting and vibrant
• affordable at around Php330 (on Digital Traincase)
• Creamy, easy to apply and spread
• Dries in a considerable amount of time

What I don't like about the product :

• The packaging
• It's sticky when applied
• Not locally available (I bought mine online)

The NYX HD Eye Shadow Base is a good eye primer. Although I still prefer my UDPP and Kryolan eye primers. :P

What do you think of NYX HD Eye Shadow Base? Have you tried it yet?


Cheers,
DAWN

FOTD: Bright Pinks and Yellows

Hey, everyone! Dawn here for an FOTD post.

I wanted to share this post because my classmate is super fond of this look.

I named this look Bright Pinks and yellows for obvious reasons.

The name reminded me of the time my sis, Trace, and I were so obsessed with the series "Power Rangers" and I keep saying I'm pink ranger and she's yellow.

So anyway, I just really wanted to try neons on my face. Good thing it works on me... :P

MAKEUP USED:

FACE:

Revlon Colorstay Liquid Foundation in Sand Beige

Fanny Serrano 2 Way Cake Foundation in Chino

Ever Bilena Mousse Concealer in Pure Beige

EYES:

NYX HD Eye Shadow Base

Etude House Drawing Eye Brow in Brown 

Etude House Color My Brows in 3
Coastal Scents Mica Powder in Cellini Yellow

Dollface Cosmetics 88 pcs Eye Shadow Palette

Ever Bilena Black Dip Liner

Max Factor False Lash Effect Mascara

 

CHEEKS:

Etude House My Wish Cheek in Celebrity Peach

MAC DSquared Sculp and Shape Powder in Bone Beige Emphasize

LIPS:

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Addis Ababa

The lighting when I took the picture is too bright. My skin is not that fair... But the colors of my makeup are still bold as ever! :P

Anyway, for the next couple of days, I will be bonding with my close friends in college and do creative shoots. We will be doing famous looks and celebrities. The makeup will be done by yours truly.

I'm already practicing. Here's one of the looks I'm planning to recreate... Twiggy's famous Mod Look. That's my eyes in the picture but I will apply this on one of my classmates. I will post more about it soon. Hope you can watch out for it!

Cheers,

DAWN

Review: L'Oreal Bare Naturale Gentle Mineral Powder

Ciao ladies,

I'm here for another review. It's nice when people just give you make-up stuff randomly for Christmas and this was one of the those things that I got for Christmas, The L'Oreal Bare Naturale Gentle Mineral Powder.

I like the packaging of this one cause it looks really clean when viewed like this

Plus the back end can double as a mirror so it's convenient enough.

The placing of the brush though was a bit troublesome because it makes marks on the powder whenever you open it. So it becomes frustrating at times. See... upon opening it, it marks... anyway, we got rid of the separator.

I don't recommend using the brush. I much prefer using my powder brushes than the one included. It's kind of soft, but I don't think you'd be able to spread the thing evenly on your face nor will it get enough powder for you to spread.

It is convenient though.

Here's the powder/foundation itself. See the dent from the brush separator?

With one swipe of my finger. The powder is very smooth and silky.

Here's the swatch on my arm.

Here is the before and after. I didn't put any concealer underneath. As you can see, it offers some amount of coverage. So it can hide small blemishes so it's good enough for the people with almost blemish free and truly blemish free skin.

Here are pictures of me with the powder/foundation. That day UST had it's Velada Day Celebration hence the costume. Everyone was supposed to wear Filipiniana clothes or costumes during the 1600's  but since I did not have any, I dressed up as some other nationality and tried to use the fan to "blend in". :)

For this one the make-up stayed on for a good 6 hours... cause I had to wash my face and go to sleep... without my face oiling, but we did put primer on that time so I don't know how long it'll last without it. I haven't really used it as my foundation because the color is lighter than my actual color so I use it more as a highlighter than a foundation.

I didn't really buy this product so if you're interested, just Google it. :)

What I like:

1. Packaging looked nice and clean.

2. Offers some amount of coverage.

3. Got it for free (Christmas gift)

4. Lasting power is good enough for half a day trip (I guess)

5. It's an ok substitute for a highlighter (in my case)

What I don't like:

1. The brush.

2. I'm not sure if you can buy it in the Philippines.

Will I buy one?

Probably not.

So there you have it. Hope it's helpful. I do want to get my hands on another mineral foundation probably the one I had before from Neutrogena. If I do get my hands on one again I'll give a review on that as well so arrivederci bellas!

Cheers,

LIZ