Beautylicious
The Makeup Game Plan 2021
I will admit that when the lockdown started, I stopped using makeup and skincare with the “what’s the point?” mentality, buuuuut it kinda backfired because, then, I realized I had too much, and I started using them again, because of “sayang, I don’t want it to go to waste.”
Realizing that what I bought before were mainly driven by marketing and sale strategies (discounts, rewards, loyalty program, vouchers, coupons, etc) and some of them do not suit me pala (color or texture or usage)
Then again, work and home stress plus OT / holiday pay and bonuses also influenced me to indulge with more items, because “I deserve a reward for all of this stress and hard work.” So many factors. So in the end I ended up with lots of items I do not want to use plus new items of what I want and need to use.
Good thing I don’t wait for new releases and rarely buy because of soc med / influencer so this is a good thing. My current gameplan is:
1. Purchase only what I need or what I can stock that do not expire or what is lacking in my routine, using available discount / vouchers / coupons.
2. I hide away the newer stocks and put on display those items I have to finish using.
3. I throw items that I really do not like and especially nearing expiration or more than 1 year in use.
4. I de-pan my eyeshadow palette so from 3 I had 1.5, I got to keep colors I only like and that suit me… also can be used as color eyeliners!
5. I repurposed or combined items like this dark colored highlighter and plain facial lotion or body lotion for a shimmery facial and body lotion. Or that Sunnies nude lippie into a cream contour / brownish blush. Saved from the trash bin!
6. I regularly review and destash items, every 1-2 months, since October 2020 so I know which to keep, which to use up and be done with it, to repurpose or to throw.
I will not give up my makeup because partly it’s a creative outlet for me and a source of topic for my blogging (which is another creative outlet). Only now I’m more discerning with what I purchase and also strive to use up my current items before buying new ones.
And for the finale, sorry I just have to share these two eyeshadow practice I did today:
One is inspired by peacock feathers: i used bright green metallic base color, blue metallic main color, a shimmery dark grey with greenish hint for darker shade. I lined my upper lash line and made a cat’s eye with a shimmery black with tiny silver glitter. I also added a glittery lemon yellow shade on top of green, and as lower lash line color, combined with the grey greenish shade.
The other one, well, it’s inspired by the amethyst crystal. The base is bright violet with a reddish hint, darkened by a red-violet metallic shade and lined with the same black with silver shimmers. Highlight and lower line color are a combination of pale pink metallic shade and a cream-type glittery light pink shade
The metallic / shimmery colors used are from BYS Eyeshadow Palette in Cosmic and the lemon yellow and light pink glittery cream shadow from BYS Crystal.
Color Lines – Comparing Various Eyeliner Pencils
Heyo yep I forgot to take a picture of the eyeliners.
So what’s up? Been busy over the holiday / Christmas season, both at home and at work (I am office-based and yet I had to do WFH on Christmas, oh well.) Today is a breather. And yep, I’m actively looking for stuff to buy because of my Belle de Jour planner’s discount / promo vouchers… some steel grey Revlon gel liner caught my fancy but the price is slightly steep so I had to check my eyeliner stash and see if I could let go of that “need” for a grey or blacl liner… ended up swatching and admiring them liners.
Lovely, ey? So I strictly followed my Dark Winter skin palette on this one hence the deep colors, then partnered with sparkly and metallic neutrals. Note the absence of black, yep, I threw away the last one due to expiry date and had not bought a new one yet.
From your left to right:
- Heroine Make Liquid Eyeliner in Brown – still the best for me, better than K-Palette (this was the black one I threw away, what a waste). Soft brush tip for precise lines, waterproof, sweatproof, smudgeproof, removable by eye makeup remover only (or rubbing with micellar water-soaked cotton pad, or a balm / oil first cleanser). I just adore this liner.
- Yves Rocher Botanical Color Eye Pencil in Brown, Peony Plum and Violet Blue – brown and blue had glitters while plum looks metallic. A steal given the quality and price. Second best in staying power and yet easier to remove. Love the buttery glide.
- Sephora Retractable Eyeliner with Smudger in Rose Gold – the rose gold color is neutral, instead of the warmer rose gold we usually see, so it will fare well with fair, cool toned skin. It claims to be waterproof, yes it does, but easy to swipe it away. Also the glitter in it is insane, rubbing with wet cotton pad will leave your eye area sparkling with silver microglitters. Lovely. Now I need a second cleanse. It is easy to spread around and color is so light and neutral so the smudger is not necessary.
- Teviant Eye Pencil in Doyenne – this is another neutral gold shade like Sephora’s, reminds me of 14k rose or yellow gold, pale colors to suit fair ladies. This is another liner chockful of microglitters and it is soft enough to glide on effortlessly, also like Sephora’s.
- Dior Crayon Eyeliner in Argent with Smudger – it also has a separate sharpener. Did you know, Argent means “silver” in a nother language that I forgot. This was a gift, a well treasured gift and is my gold standard for my pencil eyeliners. Buttery cream (or gel?) texture, chocful of metallic shimmery glittery effects, does not seem to even spoil, well I sharpen it regularly (this item is the oldest makeup in my arsenal now, like 4 years).
- Teviant Glitter Eyeliner in Amber (rose gold metallic base with silver glitters) and Pearl (opal-like: iridescent white base with greenish glitters). These two are meant to be applied as lower lashline highlights given the cool, watery feeling when applied and small, thin brush. One can also apply them on top of another eyeliner or shadow for an added ooomph.
I have moved away from eyeshadow to eyeliners as my own eyeshadow colors do not suit me, I am not the good or patient with blending, my palette and coincidentally, my preference points towards bold lips and understated or lined eyes, and eyeliners are easier and quicker to use. Anyway, I still have to think about what classic black eyeliner to buy, so, ba-bye!!!
Revisiting the 90s With Lip Ice Magic Lipstick
So for 90s girlies, who hasn’t tried the so-called Magic Lipstick? This lipstick is said to go from clear (or wacky colors like blue or green) to one’s personalized shade of pink or red. Some says it will react to one’s pH, hence an individual color. Seems like magic, indeed.
Actually, I did get some internet sleuthing to unravel the secret of this magic, because even with different colors, one would still usually get the same or similar shade of almost bubblegum pink. Guess what? The secret ingredient is Red 27, a substance that turns into its characteristic pink color when water is added (a.k.a. water or moisture from our lips). Awww sorry to burst your bubble. Mine, too. But! I am not deterred. I still bought my very own 90s lipstick this lovely year 2020.
Introducing Mentholatum LipIce!
Waaaaay decades ago, young poor me was only able to get those dirt cheap LipIce from our neighborhood sari-sari store, which turned out to be Chinese knock-off (no wonder a child can afford it, but the magic is relatively the same, it turned pink, so all is still well in the world). And now, a young middle age me, has purchased the real, Japanese deal. And it is still inexpensive, around USD 3.15 or so. I got two out of three variants: We have the Strawberry and Shimmer variants. I listed down the descriptions as per the packaging details:
Color-Changeable Lip Balm
Strawberry
– Color changeable – glides on clear and changes to a natural sheer pink (that flatters you)
– 10-hr moisture – with Argan Oil and Beeswax to provide long lasting moisture
– Fuller and bouncy lips – infused with Commiphora Mukul Herb Extract to smoothen fine lines and keep lips bouncy
– Antioxidant – Vitamin E to portect lips against harmful environment
– Distinct Strawberry scent
The scent is smack down strawberry without the sweetness, just strawberry. I could not really taste it, only smell it.
Shimmer
– Color changeable – glides on clear and changes to a natural sheer pink (that flatters you)
– 10-hr moisture – with Argan Oil and Beeswax to provide long lasting moisture
– Fuller and bouncy lips – infused with Commiphora Mukul Herb Extract to smoothen fine lines and keep lips bouncy
– Antioxidant – Vitamin E to portect lips against harmful environment
– With natural moisturizing ingredients like Shea Butter, Macademia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Meadowfoam Seed oil and Aloe vera extract to keep lips soft, smooth and healthy
– Shimmers
Among the macro shot pictures, one will see white or silver microglitter bits on the lips and lipstick, which look pinkish in the naked eye. The effect is subtle that it will only give a slightly different shine on one’s lips compared to the Original and Strawberry scented ones. For comparison I also added lip swatch of Shisheido Water in Lip Sakura lip balm, which has pink microshimmers, and one will see an even more subtle difference.
Pictures: Strawberry (clear water shine), Shimmer (glitter flecks visible as somewhat silvery but shimmers pink under naked eye), Shisheido Water in Lip Sakura (tiny pink shimmers)
The color turns into bright pink as the base is colorless, and will stay for 2-3 hours before shine fades and leaves a pink-stained lip. The balm is soft, almost watery than buttery, glides on wonderfully, and the glitter for Shimmer variant is not felt at all. Given our masked public persona, putting a pop of pink in our pout with these will certainly makes our mornings just a wee brighter (pink).
**Sari-sari store is a Filipino thing. You can think of it as a tiny neighborhood, family-run grocery store, or bits and bobs stall. A true blue sari sari store is usually situated in a bungalow house’s garden or garage or tiny nipa hut adjacent to the metal grill fence or gate. It sells the absolute bare necessities like food condiments, cooking oil, toiletries, often in sachets, single-use or small packaging. For children, it has candies and snacks. Some stores sell more, like toys, school supplies and cheap cosmetics. The concept is that, you don’t have to ride a tricycle, jeep, motor, bus, any other public transport just to get your salt and pepper or get 3 sheets of paper for an urgent printing, just jog to your neighborhood sari sari store.
Yves Rocher Eyeliners
I did not know that Yves Rocher has a makeup line! I only got personal experience with this brand when my previous team lead gifted me with their Olive Petit Grain Lotion (which is both affordable and of good quality, France, anyone?)
The Botanical Color Eye Pencil has four colors:
- Black
- Brown
- Violet Blue
- Peony Plum
All of then glides smoothly like butter on one’s lids and do not smudge (although color may transfer on my lower lash line esp if I applied some product on it like concealer, color corrector or another eyeliner / glitter liner or highlighting eyeshadow, ugh what’s with my very very oily face). What was not really included in the description is that they have glitter or shimmer.
Brown is a dark brown with silver or gold glitter. Violet Blue is almost navy blue with blue and silver glitter. Peony Plum is red violet or purple with red/red-violet shimmer. I chose these items because the colors suit my skin palette (Deep / Dark Winter) and will complement my mostly rose and brown / silverz, grey and black / silver and blue eyeshadow makeup. I like them so even more with their soft lead and smooth application… they might last up to 5 years like my trustworthy Dior eyeliner pencil in Argent.
Local Love: Teviant Cosmetics Haul and Mini Review
Hello! So Teviant is having a sale! So happy! Alright, Teviant is a new local (Filipino) makeup brand of a renowned local showbiz and celebrity makeup artist Albert Kurniawan. He is the makeup artist of our country’s very own “Crazy Rich Asian” Heart Evangelista (wealthy business heiress, actress, artist – literal with paintings and handpainted designer bags, wife of a politician, mega-influencer, endorser, you name it, this woman is on fire). The price is higher than drugstore makeup, products are made in Italy, and has collaborations with Heart herself and two other local celebrity makeup artists. Getting their stuff on sale is a blessing.
Basically what I bought were a handy Teviant mirror with LED light inside, Teviant Pencil Eyeliner (Doyenne) and Teviant Glitter Liner (Pearl and Amber)
For the Glitter Liner, the brush is straight and small, perfect for a thin line on your lower lash line. For upper eyelid application, you might have to swipe a large quantity and smear with fingers or brush quickly before it dries. The first thing that will surprise you upon application is the stark coldness of the glitter liner. Glitter (gel) liners will dry to a green/yellow iridescence for Pearl, and a rose gold hue with silver glitter for Amber, respectively. Spread out Amber thinly and you will get a silver sparkle instead. They are not waterproof but gives a lovely sparkle on your lower lash line. I would pair this with a guaranteed waterproof eyeliner or mascara or matte eyeshadow.
The lovely Doyenne is a 14K Pale Yellow Gold eyeliner pencil that would suit both warm and cool skin undertone, it is a pale yellow gold shade that is chockful of glitters that it is almost like the Glitter Rose Gold of Sephora Waterproof Retractable Eyeliner. Wetting my arm did not budge the colors, rubbing it with my palms and the glitter gel melted into glittery spread. Pencils stayed on, Sephora stayed strong to its “waterproof” claim for a while until it gave up, but not without leaving a hint of color. The lovely Doyenne is beginner-friendly, applies smoothly and remains moist throughout.
My MAC Mania
If I were to give a favorite it would be MAC Satin Brave. The color is almost a perfect nude-light pink on me. I love its traditional lipstick scent and its creamy, satiny application. A hint of shine, a comfortable feeling, a lovely daytime, spring, office or Sunday-appropriate shade.
I also appreciate that their Lip Glass can stay on one’s lips even after a drink, and the glittery ones are chockful of it. God Save the Sheen is so full of glitter, the gloss has gone but the glitter has glued themselves on my lips and made a hardened layer or something. The peach / light coral pearly one Prrr and the slightly light creamy apricot C-Thru sadly do not work for my skin color and palette. Since some of them are also sample giveaway, the formula is not the best. Love Child is great for medium skin and olive skin due to its coppery shimmers, and is quite a sexy evening lip color for fair skinned folks (dark lavender, warm mauve?)
The Retromatte Liquid lipsticsk (it was a Starring You Christmas 2019 set) stays on and on and the champagne colored one A Side of Stars is chockful of glitters and applies dreamily before it sets firm, but sadly does not work for my skin color and palette. Topped with Brandy, the so-called dusky rose (not included in the swatches) applies flat dark brown on me (sister says it looks alright, but boys say I look like a grandma). Texting the Stars is a friendly matte pink color.
Up: Devoted to Chili, Down: A Little Tamed 
Up: A Little Tamed, Down: Prrr
My last purchase from them would be the Powder Matte! It has a weird rubbery smell, but it applies smoothly and imparts a blurred matte finish, even the strong colors like Devoted to Chili will look more subdued in Powder Matte formula.
MAC is a good line of product, and I have nothing bad to say about their lip products (except if it’s old stock, hah! I took a risk anyway.) I’ll be going back to their lip glasses and satin lippies for sure.
Red Romand Glasting Water Tints!
Haiyaaa….. my last two Romand Glasting Water Tints have arrived and I really should have bought them the first time around.
02 RED DROP is described as “flattering shade for both warm and cool skin tones” and I find it to be a true red, a neutral color that will complement many skintones. If this also reminds you of a drop of blood, well I think this is what inspired the shade name.
04 VINTAGE OCEAN is described as “an intriguing red that exudes an air of vintage and modern chic” and the naming is just so appropriate. The color is inspired by rust, that red orange oxidized part of iron. Reminds me of rusty iron chains or ships by the bay, all those trips via ocean. They also dubbed it as a cool red and I am not sure why, because it does have a brown shade to it… or maybe it’s the brown shade that makes it more impactful on cooler skintone and possible dirty on warmer, darker skin.
It was also mentioned in a lot or reviews that the gloss part separates from the color tint after a while. In a way, the product looks slightly glossy and gel-like in one’s lips immediately after application, one might even wonder why the color is so sheer. The magic happens later when the gloss part rises and the color sinks to tint the lips and the lip tint is now all set. This is also why only the gloss gets transferred on cups when the lip tint has set already.
Another thing, yes, it will not be as super glossy as the ones in the official promotional pictures, I bet it will still need a bit of clear gloss to achieve that divine shine. (Hello Romand Glasting Water Lip Gloss, those with the sparkles).
Splurge-Worthy | What is MAC Strobe Cream
STROBE CREAM
A radiant moisturizer that boosts the look of dull skin and illuminates with iridescent particles.
This is as per MAC Official Website description. This illuminating cream is chockful of good ingredients like extracts from green tea, jojoba, apple, mulberry, and grapes for a lovely fragranced moisturized face, and chockful of microshimmers in pink (original), peach, red, silver and gold for that luminous glow. I originally got this as a sample Pinklite product and it was the subtle glow and the feminine scent that pulled me in and pulled out the large amount of money to purchase the full size, which is the Peachlite, which I hoped would add glow on my skin.
It is basically a white lotion base with colored micro shimmers / iridescent particles, so it will both moisturize and impart glow on one’s face. This cream is not cream-thick, so be careful with squeezing out the product and not release too much product at once. The official MAC website has suggested it can also be used under foundation to add a subtle glow, or over foundation to highlight. I personally feel that I want this product to be a star, hence I will either put it all over my face and set with loose powder, or tap some over skin with foundation as cream highlighter.
Spreading it around and it is obvious that Pinklite shimmers inpart a nice glow while Peachlite shimmers have a strong color that one can clearly see the shimmers sitting on skin up close. Since my surface tone is rosy and skintone is light, the Peachlite is more pronounced especially when outdoors, and I do have to spread this well for a warm glow, and dab a little more for highlight. Funnily, Pinklite works better under artificial light or dim light, giving an ethereal glow, while this totally looks invisible when ourdoors (day light).
Why do I love this item?
- Microshimmers means subtle glow or seamless highlight
- Feminine lotiony fragrance, I can’t get enough of it
- Skin-loving extracts from green tea and power fruits like mulberry and apple
- Variety of almost universally flattering shades. You are a pale, cooled tone Irish person but you are not barred by adding some red rose highlights on your skin if you want to, or your deep color will still appreciate a silver sliver on your cheeks
Price is a definite con and barrier from people experiencing the Strobe effect, as also possible irritation from one of its ingredients (it does have shimmer and fruit / plant extracts).
Nonetheless, if you can have it, STROBE AWAY!
Lip Colors that Empower | L’Oreal Rouge Signature
Hey, lovelies! I loved the first Rouge Signature I got and now I complete my triumvirate of red-pink-berry lippies. What I love about the Rouge Signature are:
- Highly pigmented color that you can sheer out for something lighter. Example, if I do not want a dark plum color of I Enjoy, I apply a very thin layer on the upper or lower lip then smack and smush those lips to spread it into an almost magenta shade, almost reminiscent of Revlon Cherries in the Snow or Bombshell Red.
- Thin and light consistency that dries down to a matte “inked” color
- Wonderfully precise applicator that packs enough product for a full swipe
- High end and seemingly sturdy packaging
- Subtle scent (sweet but not as chemical as some other products)
- Wide range of colors / shades from nude to dark
- Good staying power. It survives a meal, minimal transfer to mask, almost no transfer to cups or mugs, may even leave a light tint that stays longer.
I got three shades in total:
- I Liberate – warm reddish pink color (pink and brown base)
- I Am Worth It – cool bright red (fuschia base)
- I Enjoy – cool dark plum (magenta base)
For the swatches, it is obvious that I Liberate is warm with nude or brown base (heh, it came from the Baked Nudes collection – for the SEA countries) while I Am Worth It and I Enjoy have a cool berry base.
Gah! Similar colors! Some sort of warm pinkish red with orange brown on it… But if I were to chuck out one, Maybelline will say goodbye, just because of its strong chemical scent. I just can’t even.
Red, red, red. Nothing screams both feminine and powerful than a swipe of red on the lips. And yaaaas this red might be neutral as it works on my red / pink surface tone for day light and my golden undertone that’s more obvious with close up flash photography. Although in (my) naked eye, the lip colors seems almost berry red. Another Amen for a powerful pigment of red that flatters.
I also just recently try dark colors as I already feel I am of the right age (thirty yep), however the dark lippie looked like flat out brown on my lips (perhaps the skintone, too). That was the MAC Retro Matte in Topped with Brandy… no purple or rosy nude came up, just flat brown. Even overheard my male coworker commented that it looked like a grandma shade (Ow!). Later on, I discovered that berry shades would work better for my skintone, so yes I’ll have a dark plum on me, I Enjoy every moment I wear this color. I feel rebellious, I feel wicked. I gotta save the world. One case at a time.
Thoughts in Flow 