Review : Naturactor Cover Face Concealer Foundation

This is an EXTREMELY late post. It's been in my drafts folder since March 2015! I'm that much of a "bad" blogger. *chuckles* I feel like I'm the last beauty blogger on earth to be reviewing this product! Well I've had 9 months to really use this and try it out on myself and on others. The product I'm talking about is the Naturactor Cover Face Concealer Foundation.

This foundation - slash - concealer comes in a white jar with a screw top lid which makes it very travel friendly. Shade swatches online are very unreliable, so I had a difficult time deciding what shade to get. It was between 141 and 151. In the end I got the "darkest" shade which is 151. It's a little too light on my NC30-y skin but it's nothing a bit of powder can't fix.

What : Naturactor Cover Face Concealer Foundation Shade : 151 Amount : 20 grams Made in Japan Purchased from : Prinsesitasarah Cosmetics (IG) Price : P500 

Some bloggers have mentioned that there tends to me a film of oil on the surface of the product when you first open it. That thought scared me because I have oily skin! Thankfully my jar didn't seem to have that weird oily film on top. I swatched it onto the back of my hand first and started to blend it out. It left a really smooth finish so that was promising... It spread like butte on my hand so I was expecting the same for my face BUT I was wrong! You need to really prep your face beforehand because if you don't, expect a lot of tugging!

To be honest, I had a difficult time working with this product at first. It didn't get along with any of my foundations when it acted as a concealer and when I did use it as a standalone concealer-foundation, I found it difficult to blend properly but as time passed I came up with a series of steps to get flawless skin with this product.
The secret really is in the preparation of your skin. I start off with a very gentle skin exfoliating facial wash, then I follow up with my moisturizer, toner, facial mist, then my primer (I use the Quick FX No Shine Mattifier!) before I finally apply this product all over my face. The best tool to do this is... MY FINGERS! Yes, you read that right... I use my fingers instead of my holy grail Sigma F80 flat kabuki brush! This is because I've noticed my fingers do a much better job of blending everything in. I follow up with a touch of powder with my Sigma brush... And VOILA!~ A flawless face...

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Review : LensVillage's Barbie Luna Brown Circle Lenses

It's been such a long time since I last updated. So many things have been happening in my life that I needed to prioritize first. Most of which concerns my personal health BUT I'm saving that for another lengthy update post. Today I'll be talking about something that got me really excited when I first received it. A few months ago I was invited to become a LensVillage ambassador and was so lucky to receive this wonderful pair of circle lenses. It's been such a long time since I last reviewed a pair so this got me really pumped up!

What : Barbie Luna Brown Lens Where : LensVillage Price : $23 (This pair was sent to me for review purposes.)
Diameter : 15.0mm Effect Diameter : 16.2mm Base Curve : 8.60mm Water Content : 38% Life Span : 6-12 months

What I Like : Color & Design - I'm very partial to brown lenses because I think its the color that flatters me the most. This particular pair comes in a three tone pattern that blends well into my dark eyes but still gives off the appearance that I'm wearing circle lenses. I also love the fact that it doesn't have such a harsh outer ring like most circle lenses. At least I don't look like an alien lizard with these on. Enlargement - At 15.00mm this is a rather large pair for my liking but it doesn't look overly huge on my eyes. I'm pleased at how it gives off just a "subtle" but noticeable doll-like quality to my eyes. Big enough to get noticed at first glance! Comfort - I wore this pair for 4-5 hours without any problems. They are lightweight and easy to handle. It's definitely an easy pair for first time users to try out.
What I Don't Like : Not available locally. Luckily LensVillage carries this design and a whole lot more!
PHOTOSSSSSSS of me wearing these lovely lenses!!!

Don't forget to check out more lovely pairs over at the official LensVillage Website!

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Review : L.A. Girl Gel Liner

I'm not a very big eyeliner fan. I've had a couple of misses with eyeliner products and that's probably why I tend to stay away from products like that. I'm very big on the no eyeliner look and on the occasions where I do need to put on eyeliner to actually complete the look, I always go for a smoked out hazy effect using a really deep matte black eyeshadow...BUT (yes, capital letters for emphasis) recently a product has caught my eye so much that I just had to try it our for myself. The L.A. Girl Gel Liner kit has quickly become a cult favorite among makeup artists, beauty bloggers & beauty enthusiasts alike and I've heard (and read) a lot of good things about this product. I got my own kit a few months ago and I'm finally ready for a review. What : L.A. Girl Gel Liner Kit (with bonus liner brush!) Where : I purchased mine from @prinsesitasarahcosmetics on IG but I'm also selling this product at Unicorn Delight! Price : P250 at @prinsesitasarahcosmetics, P200 at Unicorn Delight (Pre-Order!) What L.A. Girl says about this product:
"This gel liner has a rich and creamy water resistant formula that glides on smooth without smearing or smudging for long lasting, all day wear. Professional fine eyeliner brush expertly defines eyes to create that ideal smokey or dramatic look effortlessly."
The kit is available in 3 choices - very black, dark brown & brown. I obviously chose black because on the rare occasions that I wear eyeliner I always opt for black. I've heard of some people purchasing the dark brown & brown variants to use as a brow product. You can check out MicMics Corner for a review on how it worked for her! To be honest, I was a bit disappointed when I took this photo. I realized how tiny the pot actually is in real life compared to other gel liner pots I've seen up close... But I told myself not to judge too quickly. I'm glad I didn't because I ended up liking this product a lot. The product itself is housed inside the frosted jar with a black plastic screw top. It doesn't look or feel cheap at all but I'm not so sure how sturdy the glass-like material of the packaging is so I'd be careful when bringing this product on trips. The kit also comes with a synthetic bristled applicator brush which I actually like as well. It's the right stiffness and the bristles are packed in a way that makes it really easy to use this brush to line my eyes! The tip is really thin enough to create sharp and straight edges!
What I Like : > Affordable. > Available in 3 different shades, you're bound to find a shade that will work for you & your needs! > Packaging isn't cheap looking. > A complete list of ingredients and shelf life is printed on the product's box. > The brush included is actually useful! > Highly pigmented product, a little goes a long way. > Creamy in consistency, hence no "tugging" when I apply this on my eyes. > Multi tasking product. I've tried this as an eyeliner as well as a shadow base for deep smokey eyes. > Long lasting especially when allowed to thoroughly dry and when set with a black eyeshadow. What I Didn't Like : > Only available online as this has yet to be available in Zamboanga department stores. > Can start fading and smudging a bit towards the 5 hour mark on my oily lids that's why I make sure to set this product.
Check out some looks I created and used this product to do my eyeliner!

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Polish Nailbar Zamboanga - First (2) Impressions!

Last month, a new nail salon opened up called POLISH Nailbar. I was scheduled to leave for my Singapore trip at the time of their opening so I was only recently able to avail of some of their services...
Polish Nailbar is located on the lower level of Azenith Royale Hotel, Gov. Camins, Zamboanga City. Last year a flurry of nail salons had opened up in different areas of Zamboanga but I could never find a place that I genuinely liked and genuinely would recommend to other people... Until I went to Polish Nailbar.
I'm the kind of person who gets very concerned about cleanliness and sterility of items used on me during pedicures and manicures that's why I usually stick to my trusted "home service manicurista" that's been doing my nails for years... The downside to that is she offers no nail art services, branded polish or foot spas... So I was forced to venture out to find a place that would pass my standards... Needless to say, Polish Nailbar happens to be one of those places...

Photos grabbed from Polish Nailbar Zamboanga page.
Woman on upper right photo is Dra. Azenith (AVP) on lower left is Dra. Lala (Owner)

A wide assortment of nail polishes & nail products to choose from!

The place has a very clean vibe to it with walls painted white and purple. Purple has always been associated to royalty and that's exactly what you'll feel when you avail of their services. You'll feel 101% like a V.I.P.! I also like their big and comfortable chairs and pillows. Another perk is the complimentary drink. I always go with iced tea! My first visit to the place was for a combination of foot spa, basic pedicure, gel nails removal & basic manicure... I spent a little over P500 but it was worth it. I opted for the peppermint scrub for my foot spa. I really like the fact that the nail technicians take a lot of time to really make sure you're left with feet as soft as a baby's bum! I chose OPI's Chicago Champagne Toast for my nail color during my first visit. It was no easy task because they had A TON of different brands, colors & finishes to choose from that my head was spinning from it all. In the end I opted for a frosty pink-brown shade perfect for everyday wear. The nice thing about Polish Nailbar is that they use good quality base coat and top coats aside from the branded polish! For my second visit, which was earlier today, I availed of their footspa & basic pedicure which amounted to only P270! Not bad for service that is definitely high quality. My nail technician for today wast Ate Lheny (highly recommended if you have rough/cracked heels & ingrown nails or dry skin) and she did a terrific job with my feet. I tried out their strawberry scrub this time and I liked it for the scent but I would still choose the peppermint one over it because the peppermint one had a cooling effect.  This time I opted for a bright orange-red polish from Nature Republic. I wanted a color that would catch your attention from a mile away! *laughs!* What do you think of my color choice? Leave your comments and suggestions on what color I should paint my nails next on the comment section below! I hope all my Zamboanga based friends take time to check out this awesome place. I swear to God I'm not paid in any way to recommend Polish Nailbar to you guys. It's just that I honestly really like the place, their staff & their service! Definitely a big contender among the nail salons in Zamboanga!

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Review : Red District's Glam Blush Palette

One of the makeup products that I don't have much of happens to be blushes. I'm not a big blush fan as I've always been conscious of my big fluffy cheeks but over the past few months, I've caught myself reaching for my little stash more and more. Not to mention, I've been needing more blushes for makeup gigs. The problem I had was that I didn't want bringing so many little pots of blush so I knew right away I had to invest in a blush palette. Luckily I stumbled upon an online shop called Red District that sells several kinds of makeup palettes. Last year I picked up their Glam Blush Palette which seems to be pretty similar to the Coastal Scents one. What : Glam Blush Palette Where : Red District Price : 350php Description from site : "This 10 Color Glamorous Blush Palette contains soft nudes, pretty pinks, and deep berry shades in matte and shimmer finishes. Create the perfect flirty flush for day or night!"
Ingredients (according to site) : Talc, Mineral Oil, Titanium Dioxide, Magnesium Stearate, Isopropyl Palmitate, Lanolin, Methylparaben, Proplyparaben, BHT. May contain: Mica, Iron Oxides, Ultramarine Blue, D&C Red No. 7 Ca Lake, FD&C Red No.40 Al Lake, FD&C Yellow No. 5 Al Lake, FD&C Blue No. 1 Al Lake Top, Left - Right : Light pink - satin Light coral brown - satin Medium pink - satin Bright coral-orange - shimmer Deep coral - shimmer Bottom, Left - Right : Natural pink - matte Orange - shimmer Peachy pink - matte Deep fuchsia - matte Light coral - shimmer My personal favorites are the ones marked by stars. I've been using the light pink & peachy pink blush overtime I wear makeup. Now onto swatches! Here's an old photo (prior to me chopping off my hair) of me using both of my fave blushes from this palette blended into each other! It's very pretty in real life. What I Liked : * Affordably priced. * Sleek but sturdy packaging makes it every makeup artist's dream come true. I don't have to worry about my blushes breaking while inside my trolley. * Most of the blushes are pigmented and long wearing. * Works with almost all skin tones. * Blush colors are true to pan colors. * I didn't have any allergic reactions to the blushes. * Diverse collection of colors, with no two blushes alike. What I Didn't Like : * Only available for online orders. * I would have loved this even more if it had a blush that could act as a highlight and a blush than can double as a contour or bronzer. It would then be such a complete palette! That's about it for this review. Check out Red District for more gorgeous palettes for makeup artists and makeup enthusiasts alike!

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