A Play and More Hauls & NP's plus NOTD

Hi all!

Been gone for half of the week last week but will make a separate post on that later.  Just giddy with excitement coz my Mom got us tickets to Legally Blonde for July.  Seats Front row and Center, woo-hoo!  Can't wait to see it because I love watching plays since I was a kid.  Saw Les Miserables and Miss Saigon when it was shown locally years ago plus other plays by Rep.  

Stila Gold Glow Eyeshadow Trio

Stila's Gold Glow eye shadow trio has been on my lemming list the whole of last year.  I still didn't get it when Stila opened their local counters even if they sold it for less than US prices.  I saw a friend selling it online for so much cheaper (less than Php 500) that I didn't think twice and got it right away last December.  This retails for $28.  I guess being patient does count!

Stila Gold Glow eyeshadow trio

NYX Round Lipstick (B52 vs. Thalia)

Just to compare the 2 shades, B52 and Thalia. 

NYX Cream Blush Rose Petal vs. Natural

Here is a comparison between NYX Cream Blush in Rose Petal and Natural.

(with flash)

E.L.F. Nail Polish

Have you tried e.l.f. nail polishes?

I recently tried 3 shades which I got from the Makeup Mix Shop (click on the logo at my sidebar to shop) and I got the following shades (L-R): Berry Pink, Champagne and Bubble Gum Pink.

They are Big 3 Free (woohoo!) and cheap at only $1 per bottle. The best thing abut them? They dry fast! I didn't need to put on a quick dry topcoat when I swatched all these coz they were all dry to touch in a matter of a few minutes. Less than 5 minutes!

All swatched with no basecoat and no topcoat:

Bubble Gum Pink:

- I had a little problem with the formula on this one. I had on 4 coats of this shade because everytime I would put the next coat on it would drag the previous coat leaving uneven spots. The formula was a bit thick unlike the other 2 shades I got. You have to let it fully dry before applying the next coat (which I didn't do). I think I need to put a nail polish thinner in this one.

no flash

with flash

Champagne:

- This was 2 coats with no application problems. A very pretty neutral (and nude) color. This I left on my nails and had no chips for 3 days (because by then I had to remove it).

no flash

with flash

Berry Pink:

- This was 2 coats, no application problems. It's very pigmented.

no flash

with flash

***This one spilled (see bottle cover?) because I found out that my little girl played with all these 3 colors when I left them on my dresser. She put the different shades on her nails. Our bedsheets are also full of the Berry Pink shade because she tried to wipe them off her fingers then covered them with pillows so I wouldn't find out.

I hope e.l.f. would bring the nail polishes locally (and sell them cheaply) because these are really good polishes that are safe to use. There are a good number of shades to choose from too.

Stila Cheek Duo

Stila's Cheek Duo in Pink Glow.

From Sephora's website:

"Nothing says sunkissed like delicately flushed and blushed cheeks. Designed to work with any of the eyeshadow trios, this cheek color duo has been baked on a terra cotta disk for a sheer, never chalky application. The duo includes beautiful shimmering bronze and rose shades."

I love it! It has 2 shades of pink in 1 pan with one a light pink and the other a more bronzey one. It costs Php 995 (around $20) at local Stila counters. I got mine at Gateway more than a week ago. The girls at Girltalk say it's been out of stock since. I'm lucky to be able to get it when the counter has been open for just a couple of days yet. (Most of the testers even of the lip glazes were unused and I was the first one to use them!).

This Cheek Duo has an aluminum casing (they previously used the cardboard casing) with the blush in a dome shape like other baked blushes (MAC, Laura Geller). It looks shimmery at first but it isn't. It applies and blends well on the cheek and is pigmented. Once applied it gives a natural glow or a slight sheen, like radiance blushes of mineral makeup companies (which I am a fan of). The good thing is it lasts for more than half a day on my oily skin.

The lighter shade can be used as highlight and the darker one as contour for the cheeks. I wish Stila had other shades of the baked blush but there is only 1 for the Cheek Duo. The other blushes are in the pans or palettes and the lip and cheek stain.

Swatch:

No breakouts or itchies the whole week I've been using it. I'll definitely use this the whole month coz I'm promising myself to use 1 blush for a whole month. That way I'll get to use more of each blush and rotate them all.

Since Stila says this goes well with any of the baked eyeshadow trios, that's definitely going on my to-buy list (even if I said no more eye shadows!). I've been lemming for those since last year.

FOTD:

Face:

Stila Oil-free Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30 in Medium 03

Dreamworld Cream Topping Clay/Silica (I forgot what shade)

blush:

Stila Cheek Duo in Pink glow (both shades mixed)

eyes:

Neutrogena Mineral Sheers in Sand

lips:

Avon Glazewear lipgloss in Darling Pink

NOTD: Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear in Gunmetal

I don't know if these are new shades or a new line because I haven't really used Sally Hansen polishes except for the nail treatments.

I read about the new shades at Girltalk and looked for them at PCX. I saw all the shades and they are really pretty. I only got Gunmetal because the other shades look similar to what I already have. They retail for Php 219.

Swatched with basecoat, no topcoat:

no flash, indoor

with flash, indoor

Gunmetal is a greyish blue shade leaning more toward the blue side. The formula is not runny but not too thick either. It appliesdeasily and I got bottle color in just 2 coats. Maybe I'll try the other shades but not now. The new China Glaze and OPI shades are calling my name.

Maybelline Clear Smooth Minerals Luminous Blush

I prefer mineral makeup from the home-based women-owned companies because they are more pure, you can try out samples first and have a personal touch. Nothing beats that plus they are more affordable.

This is maybe the second time I've tried out minerals from a mass market brand. I tried out Maybelline Clear Smooth Minerals Luminous Blush just out of curiosity. I've read about this in a couple of blogs and let's just say I was enabled.

They had 4 shades available at the counter I went to and the shade I got, Gentle Pink, was the only shade that showed up on my arm when I tried out the swatches. The other shades were too light or sheer for my medium toned skin. After searching, I saw that there are darker shades available in the US but they go under the name Mineral Power. It cost Php 499 for the kit which includes a pot of blush and a kabuki brush. I like the packaging because it included instructions for those who don't know how to use minerals.

The amount of blush in the pot is the same as the 20 gr. jars from mineral makeup companies. It just looks bigger because of the cap. The kabuki brush is scratchy so you can throw it away. If you take a look at the ingredients the first one on the list is TALC!!! How can it be mineral makeup if it has talc?!? I guess these companies are just riding along the mineral makeup wave even if they're not using pure minerals. Anyway, I'm glad it's the blush that I got because I occasionally use traditional blushes just not foundation.

***How come there is no talc in the ingredients list from Mineral Power available in the US? Just wondering.

The blush itself is finely milled and has tiny shimmers in it. It is very sheer on my cheeks and I needed lots of layers for it to show up. Maybe because the shade is not dark enough to show up on me? The shimmers aren't noticeable once the blush is blended. It stayed on my oily skin for a few hours (3-4) without primer. I just wished it were more pigmented because you will definitely finish the whole pot in just a few months time. So unlike the real mineral makeup brands where all you'll need is a few crumbs because they're very pigmented.

swatched thickly at the back of my hand

blended in

For daily use around the house or doing errands this will do (in my case). Otherwise I'd definitely stick to my good ol' trusty pure mmu from smaller companies.

Mineral Pigment Swatches

Swatches of some of the pigments from my previous hauls.

All with no base, applied dry.

1. DW Ambera

2. DW Melpomena

3. DW Under the OOT

4. MMBB Wild Mushroom

5. MMBB Khaki

6. MMBB Amethyst

7. MMBB Wine Berry

8. Joppa Blissful

9. Joppa South Pacific

10. Joppa Cherish

11. Joppa Crazy In Love (blush)

* DW - Dreamworld Minerals

MMBB - My Minerals Bath & Body

Buff'd Haul

I got my Buff'd package in just 5 business days. Woohoo! That's because I ordered the refill kit which was sent in a medium sized brown envelope so I got it fast.

The refill kit I got is Ginger (light with heavier yellow undertones) in Original formula. I already have the shade Buff (Medium with subtle yellow undertones) but it eventually turned dark on me and lacked yellow. My exact shade is Moccasin (medium light with heavier yellow undertones) but I got Ginger to add to Buff and end up with Moccasin (if that makes any sense).

I prefer the Original formula (full-coverage foundation with fantastic oil absorption and natural UV protection) because of it's medium to heavy coverage.

Ingredients: titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, mica, iron oxide, ultramarines

In fact it is already heavy enough for me and is still buildable. I've tried the concealing formula from a sample someone gave me and I could already feel it on my face. Others who are looking for really heavy coverage would love this. I'll just use mine as a concealer.

I played around with the foundation powders yesterday and mixed my shade. My package also included samples of a mineral eyeshadow in Mushroom and a mineral bronzer in Toast.

Swatch:

Toast looks more like a blush for me and is really pretty. It isn't too shimmery but gives just enough sheen for the cheeks. Mushroom is described as a "shimmery light tan".

EOTD: Mushroom on my eyelids. No primer.

FOTD:

What I used:

Buff'd foundation mix of 50/50 Ginger + Buff in Original formula

Buff'd bronzer in Toast on cheeks

Buff'd Mushroom on lids

Silk Naturals Rare Berry gloss on lips

Nail Polish Haul

Got all these from Head2toebeauty.com.  They sell OPI, China Glaze, Misa, Essie, etc. for a fraction of the price of their own websites and there are a variety of choices.  They do ship internationally but it is a bit expensive.  I ordered thru a friend who ships them via balikbayan box.  The wait is a bit longer but it beats dealing with customs people at the post office.

My first Misa polishes (no base coat, no top coat):

The Grass Is Greener On My Side:

almost neon green that dries matte

(no flash)

(with flash)

A Sin Worth Committing:

a navy blue with shimmer

(no flash)

(with flash)

Push Upon It:

a berry shade which I love

(no flash)

(with flash)

Fashionista:

mauve shade

(no flash)

(with flash)

Dirty, Sexy Money:

teal shade that is so unique

(no flash)

(with flash)

From China Glaze:

I got the Orange Cuticle Oil and Strawberry Fields polish.

Strawberry Fields:

bright pink with gold shimmer

(no flash)

(with flash)

And 1 polish corrector pen.

I'm using Dirty Sexy Money on my toes right now and the shade is really nice.  Goes well with my tanned footsies.  Misa np's applied well, not runny and dried quickly although I do use a Poshe quick-dry topcoat.  Some shades were a bit thick when I got them but a few drops of Poshe Polish Reviver would probably do the trick.  I haven't tried out the Orange Cuticle Oil and will post once I do so.

You also might be wondering why I get my np's abroad when there are a lot here.  The reason is that MOST (not all) of their new formulas are Big 3 free meaning the 3 harmful chemicals in regular polishes (formaldehyde, toluene and DBP) are not used.   Not that all polishes are bad but I'd rather be on the safe side plus our local department stores sell these babies like they're gold.  Cheaper to get them from e-tailers like Head2Toebeauty, 8ty8beauty and Transdesign. Plus, they have better quality (for me) and have long shelf lives.

So many new collections from OPI, Essie and China Glaze are coming out and I can't wait for the next haul.