Lemming for theBalm's Bahama Mama and Mary-Lou Manizer

Since I've hit the pan with my Benefit 10, oh boy, I'm having a strong highlight and contour phase right now. I'd love to improve my highlight and contouring skills so I think I need to get really good replacements for my Benefit 10.

I've scoured the blogosphere and I've read that a lot of you rave about theBalm's Bahama Mama and Mary-Lou Manizer. The two are cheaper than Benefit and the packaging is just as cute. This might be worth a shot!

Much to my surprise, I also found out this is also cheaper here in the Philippines courtesy of Beauty Bar, yay! Thank you Beauty Bar! Bahama Mama costs Php775.

As for Mary-Lou Manizer, I think the champagne hue will suit my pale skin tone just as Stila's Kitten did. Saw several reviews and photos with Mary-Lou Manizer and wow, I'm completely blown away by how natural the lit from within look this baby can achieve. I'm crossing my fingers Beauty Bar will restock this soon! Mary-Lou Manizer costs Php895. 

Review will follow once I've gotten my hands on these two. 

Photo source: http://www.thebalm.com

FOTD: Simply Primped and Polished

This would be one of the rarest times Maquillage Lover puts up an FOTD! 

After doing this makeup I felt it looks simple and yet pretty so I'd like to share this with you.

Japanese make up makes the prettiest sheer color;

it gives an illusion as if you're wearing almost nothing at all but you look so primp and polish with just a light touch of color here and there.

Just the way I like my makeup! Not too over done with shocking colors but not too bare that my eye bags are saying hello to the world!

I made this FOTD last Sunday before going out.

Here's the product lineup:

Shiseido eyelash curler, Taiwan version

Shu Uemura Pro Concealer 

UDPP in Eden

Majolica Majorca Lash Expander Frame Plus

Jill Stuart Jewel Crystal Eyes in Princess Sapphire

Jill Stuart Eye Jelly in Midnight Shine

Jill Stuart lipstick in Baby Coral

Shiseido PN Primalise Gloss

Kiehl's lip balm #1

Jill Stuart Moist Silk Liquid Foundation 

Benefit 10

Jill Stuart Mix Blush in Fresh Apricot

Benefit 10 Bronzing & Highlighting Face Powder Duo Review and Swatch

What Benefit says:

why we love it:Highlight and contour cheekbones in one sexy sweep with this box of satiny pink and bronze powders. They're a perfect 10!what else you need to know:Complete with soft, natural-bristle cheek brush. 

Easy step-by-step contouring lesson included.

product details

• 10g Net Wt / 0.35 oz
• winner of:
• 2008 Working Mother Beauty Awards "Best bronzer/highlighter"

Lightly sweep brush over powder so pink highlighting powder appears on half the brush and bronzer on the other half. With pink side up, whisk from the apple of the cheek up to the hairline. Now you've done the sexy sweep!

What I say:

I got this from Bon of www.wehaveit43.multiply.com, she gets her Benefit cosmetics at the famous Japanese department store chain Shin Kong Mitsukoshi in Taipei City, Taiwan.

I know most have encountered fake Benefit products especially the Box o' Powder series because the packaging is obviously very easy to duplicate but Bon ships Benefit products along with the Shin Kong Mitsukoshi price tag so you'll know it's the real thing.

Here's how it looks at the back, another thing is that you can peel the back label and check at the various product description written in different languages but I opted not to do that because I want things to be neat and tidy.

The bronzer looks very pretty and it's very easy to wear even if you're a pale skin gal. I tried contouring the hollow part of my cheeks and it looks so natural.

The pink highlighter is cute but I would have wanted a more silvery highlighter because pink highlighters don't show up well on my cheekbones due to my natural rosy cheeks but the point is that the pink highlighter still shows up when the light hits my face and that should do the trick.

There's not much chunky glitters which I love but there's a hint of shimmer that's natural enough to make your skin glowing. 

Benefit 10 Bronzing & Highlighting Face Powder Duo Swatch

The powder is quite hard- it's not cornstarchy soft like Stila eye shadows. Benefit 10 Bronzing & Highlighting Face Powder Duo is more like Urban Decay eye shadow hard which is great for travelling especially for the bumpy road ahead. I am still afraid of purchasing Stila powder products because they can easily break.

The consistency is very sheer and light which is great as a foolproof make up; you can just build the color later on after applying the first layer of bronzer and highlighter. It's better this way because it would be harder to undo heavy bronzer and highlighter make up.  

I haven't tried using the brush itself because it's quite coarse so I'm using my Suesh angled brush for contouring and it does the trick. 

The Benefit 10 Bronzing & Highlighting Face Powder Duo has a light fruity floral smell and I'm pretty much okay with that because the scent goes away after a while. 

Coming Soon on Maquillage Lover: More Jill Stuart, Benefit and Vivi March 2010

It's another Jill Stuart Haul!

I'm really having a mini Jill Stuart counter here at home...

I don't know why but I'm really hooked on Jill Stuart

So...

I'm getting the following:

Jill Stuart lipstick in Baby Coral

I was actually lemming for the Rosy Coral but Taiwan's Rosy Coral is limited edition ='( 

Anyway, there will be a whole lot of rosy coral lippies coming in my life 

I'm also getting Jill Stuart Eye Jelly in Midnight Shine

It's not the Midnight shine on the photo though

Jill Stuart is very famous for it's eye jelly and I ought to try one!

It's not Jill Stuart though, this is Benefit 10- a bronzer and highlighter in one

I don't own any bronzer or highlighter so this is a perfect package for me

The bronzer seems light enough that it won't look harsh on my pale skin

Last but not the least, another Vivi magazine! 

This time it's gonna be the Chinese version so I could read it. 

Koda Kumi looks very alluring!

All these purchases made possible by Bon

Gosh, I don't know how much I've spent on shopping at Bon's online shop since August 2009 but every cent is worth it.

Her prices are a whole lot cheaper so I can stretch my Philippine Peso and I won't have to beat the traffic going to the malls just to buy make up. The best thing is, the boxes are delivered to a place very near to mine's! <3 

You may reach Bon at http://www.wehaveit43.multiply.com 

I swear, she's the best!