Review : Holika Holika Wonder Drawing 1 Sec. Finish Browcara

Hey everyone!

The sun is starting to shine again! Haha! I don't know if I'll be happy since I actually like it when it's raining. Staying at home in a rainy day with a hot cup of tea and a bowl of spicy ramen while watching a marathon of my current favorite series is THE LIFE! Hahaha! 

OR

I could just blog a product review... Like what I'll be sharing with you now! :P

Holika Holika Wonder Drawing 1 Sec. Finish Browcara

The shade I bought is 04 Dark Brown. One tube is PhP 325.00.

Product info from the Holika Holika (CA) website:

• Perfect match the eyebrow color with hair color
• Close adhering.  Quick dry formula that does not clump
• Two-way brush for an intricate expression
• 
  

01 Natural Brown - Recommend Hair: Natural/Ash Brown

02 Light Brown - Recommend Hair: Orange/Gold Brown

03 Red Brown - Recommend Hair: Red Wine/Cherry Brown

04 Dark Brown - Recommend Hair: Chocolate/Deep Brown

Volume: 4.5g

How to Use:  Apply a proper amount to your eyebrow, brushing softly in the opposite direction of eyebrow texture. After that, brush again in normal direction of eyebrow texture

Ingredients:  

01 Natural Brown:Water, Methyl Trimethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane, Talc, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77492), Nylon-12, Acrylates/Stearyl Acrylate/Dimethicone Methacrylate Copolymer, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Iron Oxides (CI 77499), Butylene Glycol, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Iron Oxides (CI 77491), Disteardimonium Hectorite, Magnesium Sulfate, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA, Panthenol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate

02 Light Brown:Water, Methyl Trimethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane, Talc, Iron Oxides (CI 77492), Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Nylon-12, Acrylates/Stearyl Acrylate/Dimethicone Methacrylate Copolymer, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Butylene Glycol, Iron Oxides (CI 77491), Iron Oxides (CI 77499), Disteardimonium Hectorite, Magnesium Sulfate, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA, Panthenol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate

03 Red Brown:Water, Methyl Trimethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane, Talc, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491), Nylon-12, Acrylates/Stearyl Acrylate/Dimethicone Methacrylate Copolymer, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Iron Oxides (CI 77499), Butylene Glycol, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Magnesium Sulfate, Iron Oxides (CI 77492), Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA, Panthenol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate

​04 Dark Brown:Water, Methyl Trimethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane, Talc, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Iron Oxides (CI 77492), Iron Oxides (CI 77499), Nylon-12, Acrylates/Stearyl Acrylate/Dimethicone Methacrylate Copolymer, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Butylene Glycol, Iron Oxides (CI 77491), Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Magnesium Sulfate, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA, Panthenol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate

My hair is colored cherry brown (although the around 5-6 inches from the roots are already black and sort of look like an ombre style). It's a dark brown warm shade but pairing it with my naturally dark brows (BLACK!) doesn't look that nice. That is why I always buy a browcara whenever I have my hair colored. I'm happy that I still have this browcara in my stash when my hair grew out and the color looks subtler since my natural hair color is noticeable now that I didn't retouch the color and it's 1/3 of my current hair.

I remembered the moments before I bought this product, I was searching for a browcara that would make my dark brows look subtler to emphasize my eyes more. I wanted something that's still close to my natural hair color (since I don't really color my hair light, I just go for reddish brown or dark brown) but is pigmented enough to cover the whole thickness of brow strand. When I saw this, I like that it's matte and I also like the Dark Brown shade. I also like the thought that its quite affordable!

I also like the small wand and how there's a long side and a short side. The longer ones can reach the longer, thicker strands of brow hair while the shorter one can be used on the arch area up to the outer tip of the brows.

Here is the swatch. As you can see, the formula is matte—something I prefer since there are quite a number of browcaras who have metallic or shimmery finish. The consistency is slightly creamy and scent is barely there.


Below are pictures to show you how the product performs with my eyebrow:

My bare brows

As you can see, my brow hair is quite thick and and a bit difficult to groom since most of them point downwards. A brow mascara is usually necessary to keep the strands in place.

This is what my brow looks like with the browcara alone. The product was able to coat the entire brows evenly which I like because I have experienced from a different product that there is difficulty coating the really dark ones located at the inner area of the brow. I also didn't get any clumping so the finish is actually close to looking like my brows are naturally brown in color. Haha!

Just to make a clean arch, I usually pair the browcara with a good brow pencil. In the photo above, I usually line my brows first with a pencil then coat the brow hair with the browcara to keep the strands in place and change the color of the hair.

The staying power is quite good as well. I don't normally scratch or touch my face so the usual cause when my brows get ruined is sweat or too oily skin. This product can tolerate those problems because whenever I go to work, I do sweat and my face do get oily a lot and it can still last the whole day! 

To summarize:

What I LIKE:

- Matte finish

- Coats the brow hair evenly

- No clumping

- Applicator is easy to work with

- Affordable

- Locally available

- Long-lasting

- Available in four shades

What I DON'T LIKE:

- I can't think of anything!

Would I recommend it? YES! Would I repurchase? YES!

I think the last two questions and its answers says how satisfied I am with this product. It's very effective with coating the dark strands of my brows and it's very affordable too. So if you're thinking of trying out a browcara, do consider this one. ;)

And that's my review! Hope this helps. 

Cheers,
DAWN

Wet n Wild MegaLast Lipstick in Just Peachy

Hello beauties!

The weather's been gloomy the whole week but my makeup has been just peachy! Haha! I've been wearing mostly peach makeup to brighten my look in a gloomy day. I'm using this lippie from Wet n Wild, which I'll share a swatch of on this post.

Wet n Wild MegaLast Lipstick in Just Peachy

I bought this from BeautyMNL for Php 269.00 (orig. price was Php 299.00).

I love peach. In fact, my favorite color, Salmon pink, is pretty close to peach so I own so many peach stuff, especially makeup. I bought this because I wanted a matte peach lippie and this is just that!

Product info from the website:

- 4-hour longwearing lip colors leave a semi-matte cream finish

- Hyaluronic Microspheres adhere to lips to make them long-lasting

- An exclusive polymer complex make your lips cushiony and plump

- Natural marine plant extracts coenzyme Q10 and vitamins A & E help smooth lips

This is basically our Magnum Opus of lipstick—it’s the one thing we absolutely MUST put on when we’ve got a cocktail party or black tie event. This 4-hour, longwearing lip color leaves a semi-matte cream finish in one stroke. Glides on easily with rich, velvety color that doesn’t cake, feather, or bleed. Made with hydrating skin-care ingredients: Hyaluronic Microspheres provide extraordinary adhesion to lips, an exclusive polymer complex offers cushion-like feel and texture, and natural marine plant extracts coenzyme Q10 and vitamins A & E help smooth lips.

Ingredients:

Ozokerite, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Propylheptyl Caprylate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Mineral Oil/Huile minérale, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Myristyl Lactate, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Trimethylpentanediol/Adipic Acid/Glycerin Crosspolymer, Microcrystalline Wax/Cire microcristalline, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, VP/Eicosene Copolymer, Myristyl Myristate, Neopentyl Glycol Diethylhexanoate, Silica, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Bis-Behenyl/Isostearyl/Phytosteryl Dimer Dilinoleyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Butylene/Ethylene/Styrene Copolymer, Ethylene/Propylene/Styrene Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Sorbic Acid, Myristyl Laurate, Phytosteryl Hydroxystearate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopherol, Allantoin, Squalane, Ubiquinone, Sodium Hyaluronate, [+/- (MAY CONTAIN/PEUT CONTENIR): Blue 1 Lake/CI 42090, Iron Oxides/CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499, Red 6/CI 15850, Red 7 Lake/CI 15850, Red 28 Lake/CI 45410, Red 30 Lake/CI 73360, Titanium Dioxide/CI 77891, Yellow 5 Lake/CI 19140, Yellow 6 Lake/CI 15985]

The tube of the lipstick is very simple. I appreciate that the cap is clear so you can see the shade of the lipstick, but I have to say that this is toooo simple for me. :P

The MegaLast lipstick range from the brand is not new to me since I had owned a different shade (Mauve Outta Here) before.

Just Peachy is, as what its name states, just peachy. See swatches below:

on hand

on lips

It looks warm but with fluorescent lighting, the shade seems cooler. I think the shade is really good, especially for day makeup. The finish is not completely matte. It actually has some shine (but you can blot it with tissue if you want a complete matte finish).

As usual, this matte lipstick is still drying when worn. It also emphasizes the dry areas of the lips so I recommend wearing lip balms and try to gently exfoliate lips before wearing this lipstick.

So what are your thoughts on the Wet n Wild MegaLast Lipstick in Just Peachy?

Cheers,
DAWN

NOTD : Gold Sequins

Hello dearies!

Check out my simple NOTD with a touch of glitter glam!

It looks better when you see it up close while moving. You get to see each glitter shine!

The star of the NOTD is actually a gift from one of my closest blogger friends, Helen of Lucky Citrine. It has been more than a year since we saw each other so we planned to have dinner along with Liz so we could catch up. She brought along two products for me as gifts and I absolutely love them! One is the The Body Shop Colour Crush Nail Colour in Sequins Gold, which I am wearing in this NOTD, and the Nature Republic Nail Remover.

For the base of this NOTD, I used the Holika Holika Magic Pop Nail Dazzling in Glam Muse.

I only used two coats, but if I want a more solid gold finish, I have to add one or two coats more.

I thought of using a gold base so that it will compliment the gold glitters but I think that The Body Shop Colour Crush Nail Colour in Sequins Gold would look amazing in dark nail polish like black or deep purple.

So what do you guys think?

Cheers,
DAWN

Be Organic Liquid Gold Argan Oil Sulfate-Free Shampoo

Hello lovelies!

Let's talk about a hair care product for this post!

I got this shampoo when I bought the TGIF Kit from BeautyMNL some months ago.

Be Organic Liquid Gold Argan Oil Sulfate-Free Shampoo

The 250ml bottle is PhP 350.00 in BeautyMNL. (It's on sale right now for PhP 280 on their website!)

Here's the product description from BeautyMNL's website:

Often hailed as “liquid gold” because of its multi-tasking good-for-you properties, Argan Oil still reigns supreme as the most sought-after luxe ingredient in beauty. Be Organic takes this revered ingredient and combines it with silk protein and panthenol to create a sulfate and chemical-free shampoo that literally does it all:

• Repairs, nourishes and strengthens hair
• Prevents frizz and restores shine
• Helps with hair growth
• Strengthens the hair cuticle, making each strand softer and smoother
• Aids in moisture retention in the cortex and surface of the hair
• Free from parabens, sulfates, phthalates, cdea, tea

More info from their website:

What drew me to buy this was the fact that Argan Oil is known for keeping hair healthy, moisturized, and strong and it also makes your hair grow faster. I have thin hair and I'm trying to avoid further hair loss so I think I should look for better hair care products. 

Another thing that made me interested here is that it's sulfate-free. Whenever I get my hair colored, I'm advised to use sulfate-free shampoo so that the color wouldn't fade out. Unfortunately, I didn't get my hair newly colored to see if this helped at all. My last color treatment was February and I think it will be unfair to do comparison with that.

At first glance, I noticed that the product is not the usual thick and creamy consistency that we see in drugstore brand shampoos. The color suits the name "Liquid Gold" because of its honey-gold color. The consistency, as seen in the photo above, is quite runny. When used, I noticed that it doesn't foam up, something I've noticed with all the organic shampoos that I've tried. There's also a mild, sort of floral-ish scent that do not really linger on hair minutes after rinsing off.

As I am writing this post, I've already finished the bottle. What I've noticed is that my hair feels healthier and not anymore as brittle from all the chemical treatments I've done (like the bubble hair color I did last February). The strands are stronger as it doesn't easily break from the root when pulled. So I can easily say that this product helped a lot in improving the health of my hair and making it stronger. 

Do take note that during the month and a half that I used this bottle, I wasn't able to get my hair cut. My last haircut was last October and from that time until now, my hair grew an estimate of 7-8 inches. My hair usually grows fast so I can't really say if this product helped in growing my hair faster. If it did, then yay! ;)

Lastly, I still think a good conditioner should be paired with this. For me, it doesn't make my hair as soft and smooth as I like when used alone. It took care of the frizziness but I like the soft texture of my hair when touched and I think the shampoo alone can't give me that so I recommend you get a conditioner... maybe an organic one... or better yet the conditioner version of this variant. I haven't tried that, but since I've noticed positive results with this shampoo then maybe pairing it with its conditioner can improve the hair even better.

And that's all for this post. Have you tried this product yet? What about other Argan Oil infused products? Any recommendations?

Cheers,
DAWN