MAC Smoked Purple - Review, Photos, Swatches

Tweet

MAC Smoked Purple is a dark purple (like an eggplant) shade. It has a matte finish. But unlike the usual matte lipsticks from MAC, this one is extra drying (like it's a  really pure matte lipstick). It's like the purple version of MAC Ruby Woo. Because it's super matte, it'll take a few more coats to achieve the perfect opacity. This is a permanent PRO color which has been re-promoted in the MAC Me Over Collection last year.

MAC Smoked Purple

MAC Smoked Purple

Matte Lipstick

Dark Eggplant Lipstick

Smoked Purple - A50

Swatch Without Flash

Swatch With Flash

Lip Swatch

PROS: The color is not easy to dupe. It's long wearing and the color payoff is decent.

CONS: It's really matte, close to drying. It's also a cool toned shade so it might not look good on everyone.

VERDICT: 

I will repurchase when I don't find something better

Where To Buy:

MAC Smoked Purple

1000php, MAC Counters

FTC: I paid for this product with my own money. I am not getting paid to make this review. I am not affiliated with the said brand. Photos above are taken/owned by yours truly.

Tips: How I Keep It Kissable

Tweet

I've always been conscious about my lips. If you haven't noticed, some of my lipstick reviews don't have a lip swatch because of this insecurity. It's uneven (top is thinner than the bottom) and pigmented. Given these flaws I have to work with, I just do what I can and exert extra effort in keeping it soft and..kissable. :)
 

Kiiiiiissss!! <3

This was requested by my friend, Dyei. :) I really don't do anything drastic; just the good old stuff I've learned from my mom, friends, magazines, and personal experiences.

First Tip: Drink Enough Water

I've learned in school that one should drink 8-9 glasses of water. It doesn't just help in keeping your lips hydrated, it also helps in releasing toxins from your body. It works wonders to your skin and personally, it helps me sleep better.

(photo from redlineendurance.com)

Second Tip: Stop Biting 'em Lips

This is a habit that's hard to break, but really, you should. Biting them leaves a bite mark (or an impression of your teeth) which doesn't look sexy, at all.

(photo from beautysaloon.wordpress.com)

Third Tip: Licking 'em Won't Help

Now I don't get this habit. Seriously. I personally think this habit should be left to LL Cool J. If you're not him, STOP. It looks weird, awkward and borderline nasty. Urgh. Licking your lips will worsen it's dryness. Saliva contains various digestive enzymes, two of which in particular (amylase and maltase) can be irritating. (source: medicineonline)

(photo from fanpop.com)

Fourth Tip: Exfoliate

Just like our skin, we need to exfoliate our lips. You can use a toothbrush for kids or a towel. I prefer using the latter. Don't be abrasive though, you don't want to overdo it or else you'll leave your lips in a worse condition.

(photo from makeupandbeauty.com)

Fifth Tip: Lip Balm is Your BFF

I've tried a lot of lip balms: flavored, scented, tinted, in a pot, in a tube, or with a wand. So far, my favorite is Carmex in the original flavor.

(photo from scform.com)

This lip balm is just awesome. It hydrates my lips really well without the sticky feeling. It's clear and flavorless, which works better for me. I apply Carmex in the morning and before I sleep, or whenever I feel like my lips need it. I keep a tube at home and in my makeup kit. I especially need them now since I swatch lipsticks almost everyday.


There you go. These tips worked for me, I hope they'll work for you too. :)

Fashion 21 Red Romance Lipstick in First Crush - Review, Photos,Swatches

Tweet

Valentine's Day may be over, but that doesn't mean romance should be, too; especially when you're donning a red lipstick from Fashion 21's Red Romance Collection.

Fashion 21 has a collection called Red Romance which carries 7 different red lipsticks. It aims to fire up the heat of romance by empowering women with fierce red lips.

Do you remember your first crush? No? Well maybe this lipstick will help you remember. ;)

Fashion 21 Red Romance Lipstick in First Crush

First Crush

Red Packaging

swatch without flash

swatch with flash

lip swatch

It's a pretty bright red that's wearable for daytime. It's a friendly red. I can wear this red everyday. It's formula is creamy with subtle sheen. It's also really pigmented and opaque. My only problem with it? Longevity. I probably need to wear a primer for this to last longer. This lasts 2 hours max, which isn't bad for a drugstore lipstick.


PROS: Color, formula, and opacity are perfect. It's locally available and really affordable.
CONS: Needs work on longevity.



VERDICT:

 I will repurchase, when I don't find something better.



Where To Buy:
Fashion 21 in First Crush
155php, Watson's

FTC: I paid for this product with my own money. I am not getting paid to make this review. I am not affiliated with the said brand. Photos above are taken/owned by yours truly.

Simple, Short, and Sweet

Tweet

I'm not a music connoisseur. I don't think I have enough knowledge (or exposure) to critique or evaluate a song. All I have are my ears and heart that tells me if I love the song or not.

The first time I heard this song, I caught myself humming and bobbing my head with it's simple yet catchy melody. What do I love about it? It's honest, simple, and straight to the point. Oh, and also because it's OPM.

 

 Pag-ibig by Yeng Constantino

I commend local artists who write and sing their own songs. Just to clarify, I don't have anything against those who do covers. I just think doing covers here in the Philippines is overused already. Gasgas na. 

This song is my chill-out, feel-good, kilig soundtrack of the moment.

What's yours? :)

Video credits goes to Youtube Account YConstantino

No copyright infringement intended.

Red Head - My Sunny Yellow Dress

Tweet

I'm not exactly a fan of the color yellow. But the fabric, cut, bow and the price just won me over.

Would you believe I got this from SM Department Store? :)

Actual Color

Bow Detail

Yellow Dress

It looks so pretty and elegant without the usual frills and prints.

Actually, it reminded me of this LBD (Little Black Dress) that I got from Dorothy Perkins which costs 3x the price of this.

Sorry for the different lighting. >__<

I am happy I found this dress. <3

Where To Buy:

Yellow Dress by Red Head

799.75PHP, SM Department Store

OtterBox - Why It's A Must-Have

Tweet

Do you love your gadgets? Do you realize how much value it has? Do you want to keep it at it's best possible condition? If you answered yes, read on.

OtterBox, the innovative solution for all your beloved handheld gadgets, just recently partied with Excess Superclub for the latter's 1st anniversary.

OtterBox is a young and booming brand in the Philippines, but the clamor of the techie world of it's great performance made it seem like they've been here for years.

I've been a gadget freak ever since I can save up for it. I enjoy the convenience and mobility my gadgets bring. But I admit, I am not the most careful with them. >__< I live a fast-paced life. I'm always on-the-go and I can't afford losing or breaking my gadgets. On the other hand, call me vain, but I prefer carrying stylish stuff. I believe whatever I'm donning reflects my taste and character. Fortunately, OtterBox hits both of these premises.

OtterBox Impact for iPhone4S

OtterBox Commuter for iPhone4S

OtterBox Reflex for iPhone4S

OtterBox Defender for iPhone4S

OtterBox Commuter for BB9900

They offer durable, protective shockproof cases for Apple products and BlackBerry units (which are shown above), They also have cases for Samsung and Nokia phones and more of today's hottest gadgets. My personal favorite is the Defender for iPhone4S.

What's the deal?

Gadgets don't come cheap. We spend a huge amount of our hard-earned money to get them. With our generation's lifestyle, we cannot afford breaking these babies. I cannot afford breaking mine. If investing in a high quality casing would help in maintaining our gadgets' pristine condition, why won't we do so?

People got this notion of OtterBox as the expensive casing. People are reluctant because they think it's unnecessary. Remember why we get those pricey vaccinations to prevent catching various diseases? Think of OtterBox as the same vaccine, and our body as the gadget. We're paying for the protection of our gadgets (most of the time from our own clumsiness and negligence) by securing them in a high quality and durable casing.


Now why do you need to get an OtterBox? Because your gadget deserves it. :)



Visit Tenkie Box for more information. 




Disclaimer: Though this article is for PR consideration, what I stated above are still my true and honest opinion. My loyalty is still, and will always be, with my readers.

Urban Decay Feminine Palette - Review, Photos, Swatches

Tweet

If you're looking for a palette that offers soft pastels with shimmer and neutrals for definition, then the Urban Decay Feminine Palette is for you.

Urban Decay Feminine Palette

Urban Decay Feminine Palette

Top View

Side View

Mirrored 6-shadow palette with a pencil and primer

The palette is composed of 6 eye shadows: Stray Dog (taupe), SWF (frosted light pink), Midnight Cowboy (champagne with glitters), Aquarius (shimmery aqua green, kind of frosted), Darkhorse (dark chocolate bronze-y), Ecstacy (frosted purple); an Urban Decay 24 / 7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Zero (matte black), and a mini Urban Decay Primer Potion in Eden.

Closer look

Stray Dog

SWF

Aquarius

Midnight Cowboy

Darkhorse

Ecstacy

I've always been a fan of Urban Decay eye shadows. I love the variety of colors and it's quality. I have sensitive eyes; almost all eye shadows I've tried left me in tears because of irritation.

Everything is pigmented. The texture is smooth and they glide on smoothly

Stray Dog and Darkhorse are perfect for defining the outer V, the crease, and the lashline.

SWF and Aquarius are buildable colors (especially the latter). You can wear it sheer or just apply more to have it really pop. My least favorite colors are Ecstacy and Midnight Cowboy. I don't have anything against Ecstacy, I'm just not a fan of purple eye shadows. Though here, it works well in blending Aquarius and SWF together on the crease. As for Midnight Cowboy, I just don't like glitters on my makeup because fall outs are such a bitch to remove.

Swatches with flash

 (Left-Right) First Row: Stray Dog, SWF, Midnight Cowboy

(Left-Right) Second Row: Aquarius, Darkhorse, Ecstacy

Swatches without flash

 (Left-Right) First Row: Stray Dog, SWF, Midnight Cowboy

(Left-Right) Second Row: Aquarius, Darkhorse, Ecstacy

Urban Decay Primer Potion (mini) in Eden

Eden - yellow-ish matte base

The primer that came with the palette is in the shade of Eden. It's a yellowish base that's matte. It's perfect for covering discolorations on your lids. Don't be scared of it's color , it doesn't look yellow on my lids. Just blend them out properly. The pencil that came with it is in Zero, a matte black color. I'm not soo crazy about this pencil.  (Click HERE if you want to see a better and cheaper alternative).

Urban Decay 24 / 7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Zero

Swatches without flash

Swatches with flash

PROS: 6 high-quality eye shadows, 1 pencil, and a primer in 1 package? That's a great deal, considering this is a high-end brand. The cute packaging gives it extra points too.

CONS: I can live with the purple shadow, but glitters? NO WAY. It's a limited edition palette and is only available online.

VERDICT: 

  I will repurchase, when I don't find something better.

Where To Buy:

Urban Decay Feminine Palette, EBAY

2000php

FTC: I paid for this product with my own money. I am not getting paid to make this review. I am not affiliated with the said brand. Photos above are taken/owned by yours truly.