The Face Shop Freshian Eye Shadow 114 Tender Purple

The Face Shop first emerged in the Philippine market approximately four years ago (Wow! Time flies so fast!) Back then, I wasn't aware of Asia's passion for make-up and beauty so I was baffled at how much a brand could offer. 

A few years later I picked up The Face Shop Freshian Eye Shadow 114 in Tender Purple along with Dusty Peach. However, my love for Dusty Peach doesn't translate well to Tender Purple =(

I found the formula a bit hard to use and apply; it's not gritty or rough on the skin but no matter how hard I try using make-up tools to pick up the pigment, it just won't let me.
This is also hard to blend as opposed to Dusty Peach =(
The good thing about this is that it lasts a long time! <3 Perhaps it might be attributed to the hard to budge formula... 

However, I really love purple eyeshadows, it is one of my weakness, I stopped using this until I got hold of Urban Decay Book of Shadows 2 and Alice in Wonderland and Urban Decay didn't fail me with their wonderful formula ^.^

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

Urban Decay Eye Shadow in AC/DC

Honestly, I'm getting anxious with the Urban Decay Alice in Wonderland package. I'm expecting it on March 4 but with the earthquake and tsunami warnings, it would be understandable if there would be delays on the sea freight cargo. I'm still crossing my fingers it would arrive on time! 

Still, my prayers go to Chile, no amount of make-up shipment delays is worth complaining about when people are suffering on the other side of the globe.

For now I'd like to make a review on an Urban Decay eyeshadow in AC/DC to ease my anxiety. 

Urban Decay AC/DC eye shadow swatch

AC/DC is described as rich eggplant shade with silver microglitter.

However, I'd like to revise the word 'microglitter' and make it into 'shimmer' instead. I can't see specks of microglitter but the shimmer is attractive and it makes the eye shadow color look more alive.

I always use a brush in doing my swatches because it will be more accurate this way. Using my fingertips and swiping the color on my skin would create another finish. 

On the pan it looks quite a good purple hue but upon swatching on my skin it looks taupe-ish/greyish with a tinge of purple. It looks very pretty. It reminds me of Jill Stuart Eye Jelly in Crystal Sky but of course I'm not sure about the accuracy because I don't have Jill Stuart Eye Jelly in Crystal Sky. 

The texture is very smooth and silky like most Urban Decay eye shadows; what I'm surprised with is that it is pigmented on it's own- even without the aid of foiling. It goes on smoothly and adheres to your skin effortlessly. 

It is beautiful on its own but like my previous methods in applying Urban Decay eye shadows, I still believe it looks better with foiling if you'd like a bolder look. 

I'm also amazed that this sticks to my skin for a long period of time; of course there's a bit of creasing even with UDPP but hey we're living in a tropical and humid country so it's understandable =p

Urban Decay Eye Shadow in Ecstasy

Whew! I'm taking a break from Jill Stuart madness and just be mesmerized with Urban Decay eye shadows once again.

Ecstasy would be my favorite eye shadow from the Book of Shadows Volume 2. 

Here's why:

Urban Decay Eye shadow Ecstasy swatch

Urban Decay describes Ecstasy as bright purple with slight pink tint and it's in the Duotone family.

I love the subtle glowing violet hue whether I use it with the foiling method or none at all.

Unlike Perversion and Gunmetal, Ecstasy works fine sans the foiling method; there's just a teeny tiny bit of difference in the hue vibrancy department as you can see on the swatches. 

I prefer using this with Urban Decay Primer Potion though ^.^ 

Staying power is long as long as you don't deliberately rub your eyes of course.

Truth be told there is a minimum amount of glitters in this eye shadow but it's almost non-existent and it will fall out after a while so yey for non-glitter lovers out there! ^.^ 

Just make sure to apply your eye shadow first before applying your foundie so when the glitters fall out the foundation would help cover it up or even get rid of it. 

What's Inside Jill Stuart News 2010

Bon sent me this along with my Jill Stuart haul.

How thoughtful of her! ^.^ She knows how much I love lurking on Jill Stuart's website to check out new stuffs to hoard but my problem is that the internet sucks so it takes a while to load the website.

So she shipped this out along with my first Jill Stuart haul so I could just browse through in the catalog instead of waiting a great deal of time just waiting for the site to load. 

I'd like to share this catalog with you especially those Jill Stuart fanatics in the Philippines 

This is a labor of love since I squeezed the whole catalog into our new scanner printer in one (it almost chewed the catalog in the rollers huhu)

*click on the photos to enlarge*

I want another Jewel Crystal Eyes in Ruby!

And Dazzling Moon...

And Eye Jelly in Platinum Satin...

And Midnight Shine...

I want Mix Blush in Little Bouquet

Fresh Apricot

Fairy Rose

*uh oh this is the start of the blush phase!*

I also want Jill Stuart lipstick in Rosy Coral

I want to sneak some lip gloss too but all these lemmings are already making me feel so guilty... 

I don't like nail polish since it smells bad, it chips easily and I feel like my nails can't breathe...

 But lovely shade Sweet Syrup is luring me to get one!

Thank God I got their great foundation already...

Whew! I'm clear in this category =p no wallet burning lemming in this page

Nada! Not here too =p I got the Day Care Essence already...

 the lemmings mentioned above are all wallet burning enough for me...Haha! 

I'm not done yet! 

I recently saw Haru's post on Jill Stuart Smooth Silk Powder Foundation N 

Ah... I've been waiting for this since I am planning to get this once my current Kanebo powder foundie is finished... <3

Jill Stuart Jewel Crystal Eyes Eye Shadow Palette in Princess Sapphire

Today I'm looking forward to review one of my HG eye shadow- the Jill Stuart Jewel Crystal Eyes Eye Shadow Palette in Princess Sapphire. 

Here's what Jill Stuart says:

A set of 4 eye colors to create radiant eyes with layers of pure color and shine like a sprinkle of dazzling stones.

Now contains "Enriched Milk Base". Thanks to its rich texture, the milky base blends seamlessly with the pearlescent pgiments for rich, clear and glossy color with dazzling shin. 

With a moisturizing texture, it spreads smoothly oever the eye are for a gentle but perfect finish.

Long-lasting clear color and shine with creasing or dullness.

Like in a jewelry box, the palette contains sparkling princess-cut eye colors. The edges of the elegant compact have been encrusted with brilliant-cut crystals.

Includes a dual-tip applicator that holds just the right amount of product for easy application.

A (Jewel Crush)... For pure shine reminiscent of large crushed jewels

B (Jewel Shine)... For a nuanced sheen with the radiance, shine and color of a gem

C (Jewel Gleam)... For the elegant sparkle and glossy color of a precious stone

D (Jewel Shade)... For a deep glossy color evoking a vintage jewel

Contains Jewel Crush pearlescent pigments. 

Contains Pure Crystal Powder.

Crystal Floral bouquet fragrance.

Directions for use

Apply B to the areas you want to highlight. Next, use C followed by D to add color and depth. Finish off with A to add sparkle to the entire lid. 

Beauty Essences

Almond oil (Emolient)

Wild Rose extract (Moisturizer) 

What I say:

I usually don't believe in these product description but for this palette I have to say I DO believe that this look like jewel in your eyes. 

I just wish the camera could capture the beautiful jewel colors but sadly it doesn't.

Just believe in me when I say I became a glitter eye shadow convert =p the glitters does not fall out easily, it has one of the best quality around in my opinion. Please take note that I was a glitter eye shadow hater before ^.^

The pigmentation is not so heavy; it looks quite light and sheen but it does evoke a nice natural glowing look. 

The eyeshadow would withstand the Philippine humid and weather especially now that we're experiencing summer earlier than the others.

Here's how the elegant box looks like

I love lace and filigree patterns so I must say Jill Stuart is really the make up for me!

in Taiwan it costs NT$1450 for those who need information how much this would cost

Taiwan's Jill Stuart is the cheapest! Comparing it to Hong Kong and Japan.

If you want a good bargain just order from Taiwan courtesy of the lovely Bon

Uh-huh... I agree! I agree!

In Princess Sapphire

I love it that the box is sealed with another protective plastic so you can make sure that it hasn't been opened

*Ehem* I've been hearing complaints about opened and used make up Sephora delivers. With Jill Stuart you'll have a peace of mind because it's sealed. 

Here's how it looks like at the bottom of the palette. The plastic is actually sturdy and I'm surprised it feels sturdier than Shu Uemura's version of clear plastic packaging. To those who are saying that Shu Uemura's packaging looks cheap, Jill Stuart's clear plastic packaging will not make you feel that way. 

In fact, I really feel like a princess using these products!

On top of the eyeshadow is another protective clear plastic! That's why I LOVE Japanese make up. 

They try to make sure you're satisfied with the quality and the packaging. I'm paying for overall quality control and I've got no problem with that. 

Here's how the plastic looks like, it also protects the sponge tip applicator. Take note that the plastic is not flimsy- it's quite hard actually.

Sponge tip applicators are best used for glittery eye shadow as it will help not to get glitter all over your face but even when I use my regular flat eye shadow brush to pack on the color and glitter there's not much fall out because I use Urban Decay Primer Potion before anything else. 

The sponge tip feels very sturdy. If you'll check the photo above, I love how detailed it is; it's not your ordinary disposable sponge tip applicator- it even has an engraved "Jill Stuart" logo and metal plated ferrule. It feels heavy and durable. The sponge's cut is very precise and the material is very firm; this is one of the best sponge applicator I've ever seen. 

Beauty for the Brains: 

I always tell others that sometimes it's hard to wear real jewelries outside the comforts of your own home because life is really hard and your safety is at stake whenever you show real jewelries on the streets or elsewhere. I just compensate by wearing good make up because it has less security risk for me and I love it. 

However, I'm not saying that we have a lot of thieves in the Philippines. I'm merely saying I want to be safe and secure so I don't wear jewelries.

Also, when a man steals, it does not mean that the man is naturally evil, it just means that society is not giving the man enough access to financial resources. The man might be stealing because his child is hungry or his parents need medicine due to malnutrition. There are reasons why a man steals- not just because he is innately evil.

I recently watched a Jackie Chan Hong Kong film tackling about reason why a man steals and it's good that they're putting stealing in another perspective; do not judge a person because he steals, understand the man better why he does that and have some dignity when you try to point your fingers to the unprivileged sisters and brothers. 

The Philippines has a lot of indie films tackling about this but we have yet to infiltrate the mainstream cinema just to get this message across. 

Stealing is just a concept created by the rich to control the poor from getting what is naturally abundant around us. Back in those days when we live as tribes, we never had a concept of ownership and stealing- we share everything, right? 

Graduation Came

At laaast!!! After almost four years of studying at De La Salle University-Manila

Graduation came...

It was a bittersweet moment for all of us

We're happy that we're done and we're ready to embark to the next journey of our lives

We're sad that we won't be seeing each other often.

I'm glad I graduated with my close friend and block mate Abi

I'm sad I didn't graduate with my other block mates and friends (same sentiment with Abi haha)

But at least we got through college together though we're colleges apart.

Fixing my tassel in this pic, I think =p I just had this funny expression haha

When: Feb 6, 2010

Where: PICC

Time: 8am to 11am

Honorable Mention (but my 'badge' can't be seen coz of my long hair) 

P.S. I love Bro. Armin's earring haha, love him for tirelessly shaking our hands and smiling all through out handing diplomas to 900+ graduates and calling us with our nicknames.

Since this is a beauty blog I won't let this pass without a break down of my graduation FOTD:

Jill Stuart Day Care Essence primer

Jill Stuart Moist Silk Liquid Foundation in 202 Ivory

Shu Uemura Pro Concealer 3YR Medium Light

Kanebo Media PO-BI Powder

Majolica Majorca Lash Expander Frame Mascara

Urban Decay Primer Potion

Urban Decay eyeshadow in Ecstasy from Book of Shadows 2

Urban Decay eyeshadow in Sellout from Book of Shadows 2

Jill Stuart Jewel Crystal Eyes eye shadow palette

L'oreal Blush Delice in Fresh Papaya

Shu Uemura Rouge Unlimited in PK308

Shiseido Primalise Gloss in 92

Jill Stuart Haul Came Today!

Yipee! I'm very very tired and stressed out these past few days but when these babies came today I got a jolt of energy again.

Here it is with their boxes

I will be doing reviews on each one of these perhaps after graduation tomorrow? 

What I can say now is that I'm satisfied with the quality and the packaging. All are sturdy and it doesn't feel cheap at all.

I'm now becoming a glitter eyeshadow convert! The Jill Stuart eye shadow palettes' glitters don't fall off or transfer anywhere, they just stay put. Amazing! It does look like jewel sparkling on my eyelids which is absolutely beautiful.

I also love the sweet scent, it's not too overpowering for me and it makes me relax a bit...

Later! =p

EOTD Using Urban Decay Book of Shadows Vol. 2

I know we're all excited for Urban Decay's Alice in Wonderland tomorrow Philippine time

So let this be an appetizer for all of us Urban Decay fans

Taddah! This EOTD is more on the blues and greens of Urban Decay Book of Shadows palette

Pardon the color, as I've said to Pammy, don't we just hate cameras that won't capture the real color?

Trust me this looks so vibrant in real life, I have been using a Samsung mobile camera phone from the Professional Series to capture photos for almost all of my blog photos (including all of the photos in this post)

Now I really wish the colors would pop out ^.^ It looks very spring, happy and... Uh... Leafy...

It looks like leaves painted on my lids in my opinion =p

 I created an EOTD using 3 of the eye shadows namely:

Jinx

Flipside

Homegrown

a close up of the EOTD

I used Homegrown on the inner third of my lid

Flipside on the center third of my lid and

Jinx on the outer third of my lid

Pretty easy right? Just pack the colors and blend away!

It just doesn't look so good on the photo, now why didn't I ask Santa a good camera for Christmas? =p

Other things I used:

my trusty Urban Decay Eye Shadow Primer Potion

Some brushes such as the small and extra small eye shadow brush from Suesh, I used 3 colors but I carefully used the other side of the bigger brush for one eye shadow color.

MAC 224, the bristles so neat right? No fly aways! Love it! Makes blending work neat.

Mac Eye Shadow in Goldmine Review and Swatch

Eye shadow Time! Today I'm going to review MAC Eyeshadow in Goldmine

I know this is a permanent eyeshadow for almost all countries but *sighs* it's just a limited edition here in the Philippines, but I still got it! I almost didn't actually.

When I was at the Elements Mall in Hong Kong, I initially bought MAC brushes in 188, 224 and a brush cleaner only. Then I went to H&M to check out their clothes, a few minutes later I can't seem to get my mind off MAC (ha! I'm such an addict), then I suddenly remember: GOLDMINE!

I quickly rushed back to MAC which isn't far far away from H&M and hunted for Goldmine, I kept on picking up other gold eye shadows and I was getting discouraged already. I picked up the last piece of gold eyeshadow on their counter and bingo! It is Goldmine!

The SA and I had a little chat; she said maybe it's just different based on various locations. True. I guess. I love the SA! It was already 10pm and they were closing already but she offered to test the eye shadow on me so I could see if it looks good first before purchasing but I declined so they could pack up already and get some rest- and I was off to H&M again hihi ^.^

I got this for HK$130, approximately Php780.00

Locally MAC eye shadows cost you Php870.00

A close up of the eye shadow

MAC Goldmine swatch under florescent light

I used a flat eyeshadow brush to pack on the color on the swatches below

• Consistency is very soft and smooth; no chunky glitters that would irritate your eyes (I hate chunky glitters)
• Pigmentation is quite sheer actually but it's good so you can slowly build the color
• Lasts the whole day too! Doesn't oxidize on me so the color remains true

MAC Goldmine swatch under yellow light

This is my favorite my lids but better eye shadow; I know a lot prefer Stila's Kitten but champagne colors look very washed out on me making my lids look so fleshy. Goldmine brightens up my eyes in a good way; it's not overpowering but it gives my peepers a certain 'glow', perhaps the reason why gold looks good on me is because as a Chinese I have yellow undertones and most Caucasians love champagne colors because it compliments their pinkish undertones. Am I making sense? Haha =p

There, I hope this is helpful and if you're looking for Goldmine there are plenty of those in our neighboring country Hong Kong, so if you know someone going to Hong Kong just tell her or him to kindly drop by MAC for you and get Goldmine for a cheaper price ^.^

My First Jill Stuart Order, Finalized! ^.^

Okay! So I've made up my mind despite the devil and angel in me battling on whether to buy or not to buy, what to get and what not to get

Whew!

Recently I talked to Airvony and told her my final list of orders (first Jill Stuart order, yipee!)

1. Jewel Crystal Eyes from the Spring 2010 collection

I'm getting one in Princess Sapphire

2. Day Care Essence

This belongs to the skincare family but as I read on Jennifer's blog this baby gets good reviews so I might as well try it

3. Moist Silk Liquid Foundation

One of the reasons why I'm buying this instead of Shu Uemura is that I always remember Shu Uemura Philippines' policy of not giving away samples (even one tiny bit of pump) for customers to take home and try on normals days.

Anyway I'm quite giddy giddy with Moist Silk Liquid Foundation too! I heard it was sold out in Taiwan before so it must be something!

I'm not done yet with my Jill Stuart buys! I have a whole list of stuffs but that could follow when I get a stable income ^.^ Right? Must hold on tight to my money honey...