THE GREAT ASIAN BEAUTY HAUL PART 3 (PURE SMILE, ECONECO, NARISUP)

For Part 1, click here. 

For Part 2, click here.

#1 PURE SMILE 

Product 1: Snail Lip Treatment (Chocolate)

I first discovered Pure Smile a few years ago through their chocolate scented and absolutely amazing Snail Hand Cream, the only hand cream I really use. I never thought they had other products in their Snail line until I found their Snail lip treatment which had the exact same packaging design. It was the last piece they had in a sea of lipgloss so I bought it.  

The product is a clear gloss which has the same delicious chocolate scent as the hand cream. It makes the lips look and feel more full as it moisturises. I bring it everywhere I go and use it when I need an instant lip plumper. 

Product 2: Oil Free Paper (Soap Bubbles) 

How could a person see this blotting paper and not take delight in it? It has such an adorable packaging and it brings back so many childhood memories of watching the Little Mermaid. It's not only beautiful on the outside, the inside carries a wonderful pop-up of Ariel and a tiny mirror. These little details really help take blotting paper packaging to the next level. I found it in a little boutique at the Kaohsiung Arena subway stop that houses a ton of other charming pieces. 

Opening this oil blotting pack always makes me feel giddy inside. It’s such a nostalgic piece. 

Even their paper has Ariel and Flounder imprinted on it. Props for details.

#2 ECONECO  

As you may have noticed by now, I am a sucker for pretty packaging. This lipgloss by Econeco has it and I literally stopped on my tracks to admire their darling collection. Their emblem reminds me of Limecrime’s unicorn but with a vintage carnival flare.  

I honestly wished their other products were better in quality because their packaging are so beautiful I wanted to collect them all. But, packaging can only take a product so far. I tested their eyeshadow palettes and blush at the store and it was really chalky and heavy on the glitter. Only the gloss stood out for me so I bought it. 

Unfortunately, I don't really know if the gloss has a name. The description is written in Japanese and the only English words are Made in Taiwan. 

All I can say is that it has a peachy pink colour and it smells like sweet peach gummies. When applied, the product has the smoothest, butteriest feel on the lips, very much like Bebebalm. It also has a subtle natural colour and the tiniest amount of shimmer, which I find is appropriate for everyday wear.

#3 NARISUP

Product: Pore Clear Pack

At Hands Tailung at the Kaohsiung Arena, Taiwan, each section has its top 5 picks displayed on top of the rack to help clueless consumers decide what to get. For me, it has become a hefty guide to what local Taiwanese women prefer. Without any English translations to refer to, I blindly trust the top 5 picks when choosing my products.

I was able to find Narisup’s Pore Clear Pack through the top picks and I have become rather fond of it too. It’s used to get rid of blackheads/whiteheads that are often found on the nose, chin, and area between eyebrows.

Prior to using this pack, I’ve always used Bioré or Too Cool for School's nose peel strips to remove the blackheads/whiteheads on my nose. 

With Narisup, the Pore Clear Pack comes in liquid form. It can be placed in other areas like the chin and you can easily adjust the amount you place based on the size of the problem area unique to you. There is no standard size like in pore strips giving you ample flexibility. It also peels off easily and it removes much of the dirt while making the skin  feel smooth afterwards. My only problem with this pack is that it's not strong enough to peel most of the blackheads off the nose area, as compared to using a pore strip from Bioré. Regardless, I personally think it's a useful product to clean more uncommon areas on the face (chin, area between the brows). I'll leave the nose area to nose peel strips instead. 

And this concludes my rather long Asian beauty haul. I hope this helped you in some way and I do hope you enjoyed it! Until next week! 

END.

THE GREAT ASIAN BEAUTY HAUL PART 2 (HEROINE, 3CE, CHARMING KISS)

Hey guys, 

As promised, here’s part two of my beauty haul!
For part one, click here. 

#1 Heroine Make by Isehan

Product 1: SP Long & Curl Super Waterproof Mascara

I was so happy to find Heroine Make at Sasa in Taiwan as it has become my go-to brand for mascara. I was ready to buy myself a tube of their Kiss Me Make Long & Curl (which I previously reviewed) but saw Cosme's #1 rated, Heroine Make SP Long & Curl Super Waterproof* mascara and bought that instead.  

*For the purpose of this review, I will simplify the names, referring to the SP Long & Curl Super Waterproof mascara as SW and Kiss Me Make Long & Curl mascara as Kiss Me. 

Some of the notable qualities of the SW include

1. Its ability to lengthen the lashes about 3x more. (Better than Kiss Me's) 
2. Very long-lasting.
3. I tested its waterproof capabilities in the shower and it stays on. 
4. It doesn't smudge. 

Other things I noticed...

1. You’ll need an oil based makeup remover to get it off. 
2. It tends to clump the lashes together after 2 applications. 
3. You have to be careful when applying if you want it to look more natural. 
4. It doesn't seem to add much volume to the lashes. I found the length it created wasn't proportional to the added volume/thickness making my lashes look 'thin' but long. I had to use a spooly to make it look more natural. 

Comparing the SW to Kiss Me, both seem identical in regards to their function. They're both waterproof, lengthening, and long lasting. The difference lies on how much more length is added to the lashes and just how waterproof is waterproof. I found the SW to be better at both categories but, despite everything, I find myself preferring Heroine's Kiss Me mascara. Kiss Me gives a more refined and natural look to the lashes in my experience. Not saying that SW couldn't have the same result, it just takes more  time and effort to do so.

I would recommend the SW for those looking for a lengthening mascara. If you're looking for something less dramatic that adds more volume and length at the same time, I would recommend the Kiss Me mascara. 

Product 2: Heroine Make Smooth Liquid Eyeliner

I bought the Make Smooth Liquid eyeliner expecting the same quality I would from Heroine's mascaras but I was left rather disappointed. While having a pleasant opacity in terms of the blackness of the ink and its rather smooth application on the lid, this eyeliner has trouble staying on, period. I tried topping it off with eyeshadow using a shadow brush but even that didn't keep the ink from coming off. I did manage to find a solution with the help of q-tips. Apparently, packing eyeshadow on with a cotton bud really helped it last all day. I think Heroine could make some improvements to this product. Just make it more lasting and waterproof then I'll buy it again. 

#2 3 Concept Eyes (3CE)

I heard so much about 3CE from friends so I didn’t hesitate to buy some of their products. I chose three from the limited pile: the glam cream shadow in Baby Doll, cream blush in New Pink, and their wonderful lip lacquer in Bon Bon.  

Product 1: Cream Blush (New Pink)

I've been using the 3CE cream blush for everyday wear as it gives the most natural flush. The consistency is creamy and blends easily on the skin. If you don't blend it out, the pink cream is opaque enough to use for avant garde looks. 

Product 2: Glam Cream Shadow (Baby Doll)

The 3CE Baby Doll cream shadow is a peach colour with subtle shimmer particles. Its cream formulation is smooth and blends easily just like the cream blush. Its also a gorgeous colour to use on its own for lazy days or as an eye primer. I usually use it under a smokey eye to make my shadows last longer. I also tried it as a cheek highlighter and it worked really well.

Product 3: Lip Lacquer (Bon Bon)

Bon Bon is a peach coloured lip lacquer. It has a delightful buttery feel when applied and it finishes matte but not drying at all like Limecrime Velvetines. The formulation unfortunately, emphasises the look of cracked lips. If you have this lip lacquer, I suggest scrubbing your lips prior to application or applying some balm. You can also choose to top it off with gloss for a pretty shine. 

Oddly enough, I noticed that the colour registers pink on camera and photos but in person, it's peach. 

I used all the makeup products in this haul (except the falsies) to create this simple natural look.

#3 Charming Kiss produced by Chiaki Ito (Koji) 

I’ve been looking for falsies like this for the longest time! It’s not a very common find in Manila but in Taiwan I found similar looking lashes in most of the cosmetic stores. It’s pricier than a box of lashes you can find at Divisoria but the hairs look very natural and it’s obviously better in quality. 

The length is only half of a regular false lash so it's meant to be placed on the outer lash area for a full yet natural effect. I used a pair on a client recently and the result was stunning. It goes on easy and it blends in with the natural lashes. I'll definitely buy more of this in the future. 

That concludes Part 2 of my beauty haul. Stay tuned for Part 3 next week! :) 

THE GREAT ASIAN BEAUTY HAUL PART 1 (CLIO, AVANCÉ, MEDIA)

In recent years, I’ve noticed myself slowly shifting my attention away from Western beauty care to its Eastern counterpart. I’ve decided, now more than ever, to explore the Asian makeup arena as I’ve encountered some really good contenders from brands like Heroine and Clio. Lucky for me, I get to travel back and forth from Taiwan which has become my gateway to the Asian beauty industry. 

The Taiwanese, much like Japanese and Koreans, are conscious about their appearance which is why you'll be able to find several cosmetic stores all over the place. Most popular are Sasa, Cosmed, and Watsons for their affordable beauty supply. Other luxury brands can also be found occupying the first level of malls around the country. The moment you walk in is an invitation to purchase. 

Like a moth drawn to a flame, I couldn't help but splurge on the massive abundance. Carefully selecting a handful from brands I've never tried before and some which have become recent favourites. And without further ado, here's the first part of my great asian beauty haul! 

#1 Clio

Clio carries one of the best eyeliners I’ve tried so far. Their Gelpresso line is just amazing quality with a wide colour selection. It’s the only eyeliner I’ve tried that has the best staying power as it doesn’t budge once it sets on the skin. A tita of mine had given me a bunch of Gelpresso eyeliners from South Korea and I just couldn’t get enough. So, when I saw the brand in Cosmed I decided to grab a couple more that I haven’t tried before. Unfortunately, I haven’t seen a matte Gelpresso eyeliner from their darker colour selection. They do, however, carry these amazing pastel liners that are matte and equally beautiful. I got two, Mintade and Keep Calm, which I thought would work well to make my eyes look bigger and brighter when lined on the waterline. 

Gelpresso Keep Calm 

Gelpresso Mintade

True to the Gelpresso quality, both eyeliners have amazing colour payoff, it doesn't budge once set, and it's also waterproof. I tested it on my hand and it does not rub off unless you use makeup remover. Definitely a good purchase.  

Now, because I was so impressed with Clio's Gelpresso eyeliners, I decided to try their waterproof pen liners which come in matte black (Kill Black) and brown (Kill Brown). Being pen liners, the Kill Black and Kill Brown are wet when applied. I must point out that the ink is wetter than I expected so I had to wait a little longer for it to set. Once it sets, the liner stays on all day and again, it will not budge. The colour is also build-able but I suggest waiting for the first layer to dry before applying a second layer to create the best opacity. 

Kill Black

Kill Brown

Note: Clio is available at SM Aura!!! 

#2 AVANCÉ (Japanese Brand)  

Avancé is one of the brands I haven't tried before. I picked it out from a wall filled with eyebrow products. I was originally going to get myself another K-palette brow pen but decided I could get it in Manila anyway. Out of the lot, Avancé's Jolie et Jolie et dual brow pen looked closest to what I was looking for. First in colour and second in function. Just like K-palette's dual brow pen, it has a pencil on one end and a powder on the other. The powder was what helped me make the switch from K-Palette as it doesn't contain glitter particles. 

I bought two colours which I felt would be most used for my clients, Light Brown and Natural Brown. I tried Natural Brown on myself and I love how it has more colour payoff than K-Palette's brow pens. Although, I am still an avid fan of K-Palette because the colour is closer to my natural hair. 

Natural Brown

#3 MEDIA (Kanebo, Japanese Brand) 

Last but not least, we have Media which is a brand under Japanese cosmetics producer, Kanebo. Media is another first for me and I found it while I was looking for a nude lipstick for my tita. I saw their wide colour selection on display so I decided to try each one on my hand and boy was I impressed! It was just the most beautiful selection and I wanted to buy it all but of course, self control. I bought two nudes, one pink (PK-01) and one beige (BE-02), just for everyday wear.

PK-01

One notable attribute about these lipsticks is how comfortable it feels on the lips. The gloss is watery, light, and buttery. At the same time it leaves the most natural looking colour. I'll definitely be looking for this brand again when I get back.  

And that concludes part one of my great asian beauty haul! Stay tuned for part deux next week! <3

Review: NYX Eyebrow Gels (Blonde and Brunette)

Another product I got from Instagram shopping! <3

I’ve been using these on a lot of my shoots recently. They come in 5 shades all in all and I got two which I thought I'd get more use out of, Blonde and Brunette. Blonde being the lighter brown shade and Brunette for darker brows. 

I’ve never actually used a brow gel before. I usually stick with powders and pencils but I’ve heard a lot of good reviews about these so I thought I’d give it a try. They’re very affordable at P420.00 (@stuffinstyle).

What I love about the NYX Eyebrow Gel is that it doesn’t budge when you apply the product.  It lasts all day, it’s water-proof and it doesn’t smudge at all. The only downside to that is that once it’s out of the tube, it dries up easily so you need to apply it quickly. 

Also, because it hardens pretty fast, you need to make sure that the brush strokes are parallel with the hairs of the brows so that it looks as natural as possible. If your brush strokes are scattered, the product can dry up while the hairs are out of place or clumped together making it look strange. A definite no-no. 

How to use:

I simply squeeze a small amount of the product on my mixing plate before applying it with a brow brush. However, I did notice that it takes more effort to clean off so I would suggest placing it on something disposable to save you the trouble. I sometimes place it on tissue instead of my mixing plate. 

For optimal brow perfection, brush your eyebrows with a spooly before applying the gel. This will help give a manicured look. 

Another thing I noticed is that if it gets on your skin, it can stain it unless you wipe it off with makeup remover so as much as possible, use tools when dealing with this product. 

Packaging:

The NYX Eyebrow gels come in functional 0.34 fl. oz. / 10ml tubes. 

It's very hygienic to use and lightweight. 

I have had no problems with the product running as the lids are very secure. 

Overall, I think it’s a great brow product. Very pigmented, stable, and affordable. 

Here’s a look I made using Blonde 

and Brunette  

Review: Lorac Pro Palette

I finally got my hands on this pro palette by celebrity makeup artist, Carol Shaw, a few weeks ago through @stuffinstyle on Instagram. They sell theirs for less expensive than Makeup Pro (@mupro) by P300.00. 

On plain observation, the palette is compact and lightweight. It measures 3”x7.8” and is about 1cm in height. Inside, there are a total of 16 eyeshadows, each measuring 1.8x1.8cm. 

The top row holds eight neutral matte eyeshadows while the bottom holds eight shimmery ones.

Personally, I find the colour selection of this palette to be a mixture of stunning, complementary shades. The texture of each shadow feels fine, smooth, and buttery when applied. It glides across the skin and blends seamlessly. I do find some shades more superior in quality as compared to the others but before I discuss which, let’s take a look at each eyeshadow per quadrant. 

On the first quadrant on the left-most side, we have the highlighting shades White, Cream, Nude, and Champagne. 

The following quadrant includes Taupe, Lt. Pink, Gold, and Lt. Bronze. 

My favourite colours are included in the third quadrant which holds Mauve, Sable, Pewter, and Garnet. I use Mauve the most because it looks beautiful on fair skin. Pewter and Garnet are equally stunning and elegant shimmer colours, although the photos here don't do them justice. 

The last quadrant holds the darkest smokiest eyeshadows in the palette; Espresso, Black, Deep Purple and Slate. Deep Purple is one of the classiest looking colours of the bunch but I find that when applied it looks a little more black than the gorgeous purple I was expecting. It also blends a little less smooth as compared to the other eyeshadows. 

Similar to Deep Purple, Champagne is also a disappointment. It looks good on the palette but doesn't translate when applied. There seems to be chunkier glitter bits combined with subtle shimmer on this particular eyeshadow, a wide contrast to the subtle glimmer found in the others. You can refer to the test patch on my arm as shown in the photo above. If you look closely, you can see scattered glitter bits on the Champagne swatch. 

Despite those two colours, I love the palette. It’s excellent quality, excellent colour combinations, and it's pigmented. You can use this palette for any occasion, even everyday wear. It can be used dry or wet and it also comes with a mini Behind The Scenes Eye Primer. A wonderful investment for makeup artists and enthusiasts anywhere. 

Here's a simple smokey eye I made using some of the colours without primer. 

I used Mauve on the entire lid and Cream to highlight the brow bone.

On the outer corner I used Taupe, Espresso, and a little black blended together

On the middle and inner section I used Gold and Lt. Bronze

At the bottom lash line I used Gold again for the inner corner and Espresso at the outer corner. 

Eyeliner: KATE Spider Line .03mm Eyeliner

Eyebrows: NYX Blonde Eyebrow Gel, The Faceshop Design My Eyebrow in No. 05 Dark Gray, and MAC Brow Gel in Boy Girl.

Mascara: Kiss Me Heroine Make Long and Curl Mascara

This is another look I created using the palette.

I applied Garnet all over my lid and on my outer lower lash line

and Espresso on the outer corner of my eyes. 

I didn't remove the Gold on the inner lower lash area from the previous look.

Total Net Weight: .32oz/ 8.8g

Ingredients:

LORAC PRO PALETTE

TALC, ZINC STEARATE, DIMETHICONE, MINERAL OIL, ETHYLHEXYL PALMITATE, BORON NITRIDE, SILICA, METHICONE, KAOLIN, SYNTHETIC FLUORPHLOGOPITE, METHYLPARABEN, WATER(AQUA), LAUROYL LYSINE, PROPYLPARABEN, PROPYLENE GLYCOL, CUCUMIS SATIVUS (CUCUMBER) FRUIT EXTRACT, CARUM PETROSELINUM (PARSLEY) EXTRACT, ECHINACEA PURPUREA EXTRACT, CITRUS MEDICA LIMONUM (LEMON) PEEL EXTRACT, CALENDULA OFFICINALIS FLOWER EXTRACT, ALTHAEA OFFICINALIS ROOT EXTRACT MAY CONTAIN / PEUT CONTENIR: MICA, IRON OXIDES (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), TITANIUM DIOXIDE (CI 77891), FERRIC FERROCYANIDE (CI 77510), CARMINE (CI 75470)

BEHIND THE SCENES EYE PRIMER/ BASE À OMBRES À PAUPIÈRES EN COULISSES: 

ISODODECANE, TALC, TRIHYDROXYSTEARIN, POLYETHYLENE, DISTEARDIMONIUM HECTORITE, VP/EICOSENE COPOLYMER, TRIETHYLHEXANOIN, CYCLOPENTASILOXANE, ISOPROPYL LANOLATE, SORBITAN SESQUIOLEATE, PEG-40 STEARATE, PROPYLENE CARBONATE, BEESWAX (CERA ALBA), DIMETHICONE, TRIMETHYLSILOXYSILICATE, TRIETHOXYCAPRYLYLSILANE, PHENOXYETHANOL, MICA, TITANIUM DIOXIDE (CI 77891), IRON OXIDES (CI 77499, 77491, 77492)

Price: P2500.00 (@stuffinstyle Instagram)

*images of the Lorac Pro palette (except the last photo of the palette) are taken from loraccosmetics.com.

Review: Kiss Me Heroine Make Long & Curl Mascara

Hi guys, 

I know I’ve been M.I.A. for a while now but I’m back with some excellent products for review which I'll be blogging about for the next couple of weeks, starting with a wonderful mascara from Japanese drugstore brand, Heroine Make by Isehan. 

Heroine Make is a popular brand in East Asia and it’s now available at SM Aura’s Watsons. The signature blonde anime model graces the mascara packaging with her long thick lashes which is what you can also expect with yours. 

The mascara is said to give you...

DRAMATIC LENGTH

Advanced polymer coating contains Super Long Up Fibre (1.5 times longer*) that clings tightly to each and every lash from root to end, creating lengthening action of up to 120% without clumping. 

*compared to previous formula of Heroine Make Long & Curl Mascara. 

LONG LASTING CURL

High power curl setting polymer keeps lashes at maximum curl all day.

WATER PROOF TYPE

Offers high resistance to tears, perspiration, water and sebum for comfortable and long lasting beautiful lashes!

REVIEW

I thought you should know that I don’t really like wearing mascara often for fear that my lashes will fall off (I blame this on Majolica Majorca mascaras which work so well but makes my lashes fall off). But, I can't seem to get enough of Heroine mascara. I find myself using it on a daily basis because I’m flat out impressed and it doesn't make my lashes weak and brittle. 

One swipe and it lengthens and thickens my eyelashes to the point that it looks as though I’m wearing lash extensions.

I do, however, find that this mascara becomes clumpy if applied too much. It also seems to smudge in the heat but only a little bit. Despite all this, I'm happy with the product because it gives such a dramatic effect to my eyes.

*When I'm in air conditioned areas, the mascara doesn't smudge. 

I will suggest that if you buy this mascara, make sure you have an oil-based makeup remover because it can be very tasking to remove.

How to use:

Curl your lashes (root to tip) before applying the mascara. Place the brush on the base of your lashes and apply upwards for extra curl. To create density, apply more coats. One coat usually does the trick for me. 

TIP: If you find your lashes to be a little clumpy you can use a spooly to comb through your lashes for a natural finish. 

Packaging:

The product comes in a total of 6g. The packaging is adorable and particularly lightweight. I didn’t have any trouble removing the mascara from the hard plastic covering as well. 

Pros

• Makes lashes appear like you’re wearing lash extensions or falsies
• Lasts all day
• Lightweight and cute packaging

Cons

• Smudges in heat (tiny bit)
• Tends to clump if you add more coats (but can be fixed with a spooly)

Price: P595.00