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9 Mar 2013
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Selling my Preloved Luminess Air airbrush kit/system for 10,500 pesos only. Leave me a message or text me at 0932-183-7400. Thank you!

I also listed this on my Ebay account: matetsy28

Fresh from the mail! COLLECTION 2000 Lasting Perfection Ultimate Wear Concealer in Fair, Light, Medium, and Deep shades. I got all 4 colors for personal and clients’ use. Now I finally know why these are top-rated straight from consumer reviews on makeupalley.com :)

2 Dec 2012
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SUPER WISHLIST for Christmas 2012. Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Pro’s Picks Lip Tar Set. Everything I need to help my clients achieve the look they want…the lip color they want. Only available at Sephora (online) for $50.

Credits to Sephora.

http://www.sephora.com/pro-s-picks-lip-tar-set-P376725?skuId=1468529

14 Nov 2012
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I can never have too many brushes :)

24 Oct 2012
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Sigma 10-piece Synthetic Essential Kit - REVIEW

After a month of testing these babies out, I am finally up to do a review! One thing I surely can’t miss to share with you guys is my thoughts about Sigma’s ever-famous synthetic essential kit. I got the 10-piece set instead of the 8-piece. Glad I waited longer because I almost literally hit the buy button on the latter. Anyway, if I’m not mistaken, this set retails for $119.00. I bought this using my own sweat and money :)

I love this set because it’s cruelty-free, much more cheaper compared to MAC brushes, and also, the density of the brushes is superb. The face brushes gives me full coverage. If you are a fan of sheer to medium coverage, you might want to skip this set in your collection.

I had to make sure I experience the use-wash-review method so I can really share my overall honest experience. Well, I am am delighted that these hardly ever shed. They look good as brand new after the first wash. Sure, there might be hair excess along the way especially when you haven’t used this and after your first wash. I guess all brushes are like that!

A closer look at the face brushes…

Now, unto the precision brushes… I have read these small brushes are used to mimic your fingertips. So if you don’t like touching your face with your hands when applying concealer, you might want to consider getting this. Or should I say, if you are super conscious with sterile stuff.

This set gives you 5 pairs of brushes meant to accommodate usage for the face or however you want to work on them. It actually depends on each user how they want to use the brush. Trust me, this brush is very versatile.

Let’s break down by pairing these brushes according to form and number.

F80 (Flat Kabuki brush) + P80

F80- I use this to apply my favorite loose powder, Ben Nye Banana Visage, after applying cream or liquid concealer.

P80- Works great when blending out cream products especially on contouring the nose. You can also use this for under-eye concealer.

F82 (Round Kabuki brush) + P82

F82- I use this to apply cream or liquid products to my face. I can say this is the “little-one” among the brushes included in the set because it’s the most dense and the hair is a bit short in length compared to the others.

P82- Helpful in applying my favorite Bobbi Brown corrector when I feel like I don’t want to use my fingers to blend it to my skin. It hardly absorbs product to its hair. Just make sure to take time in blending the product properly to avoid undereye creasing.

F84 (Angled Kabuki Brush) + P84

F84- Heaven-sent! I use this to apply my favorite contour cream from PAC (Malaysian cosmetic brand). You might prefer to use this in applying your favorite liquid or cream foundation since its angled structure reaches areas that flat brushes are not capable of.

P84- I use this to blend out products such as concealer, correctors, or whatever creamy products I use. You might also want to have this if you are a fan of cream eyeshadows. Blend, blend, blend!

F88 (Flat Angled Kabuki Brush) + P88

F88- This is naturally a combination of F80 +F84. The versatility is superb. You might not need the two brushes aforementioned since this will really do its job to apply products on hard-to-reach areas as well as in blending out products properly to the face. If used still on pressed or powdered products, not a problem. Flawless is a given.

P88- I love to use this in applying cream products to the nose for contouring purposes. Then I use the P80 to blend out the product.

F86 (Tapered Kabuki Brush) + P86

F86 - Heavenly structured to apply cream or liquid products to the face. I can say this is the most versatile of them all. You can use this for contouring, for blending out concealer, or even use this for applying liquid or cream foundation. If you are only contemplating to get one from this set, get this!

P86 - Highly preferred to blend out products on hard-to-reach areas…be it blending out concealer, foundation, powder, etc!

These brushes are not intended to use for cream or liquid products only. They can also be used for pressed or powdered products. To some, you might not need all 10 brushes. So make sure to choose the brushes according to usage and preference.

OVERALL RATE: 9/10 stars!

If not for the stray hair popping out when I took them off from the box, I would have rated this brush set perfectly. So far, no further problems on these brushes. I am 100% proud to say that THIS IS MY FAVORITE BRUSH SET EVER INVESTED.

If you want to purchase this set, you can get them directly at http://www.sigmabeauty.com

I also do international pre-orders through my online shop but at this time when I purchased this, I stopped my pre-ordering schedule beforehand. So I ordered somewhere else. If you are in the Philippines, and don’t want to have international shipping issues, then MAKEUPHOLICS will grant your favor in purchasing this set for you! LIKE her page! https://www.facebook.com/MakeupHolicsbycute7teen

I hope you find this review helpful. Please contact me via email if you have any questions. My e-mail address is on the side bar of this blog. Have a Sigmaaaa-beauty-ful day, everyone!

xoxo,

MARIA :)

18 Oct 2012
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Union Jack Vintage Suitcases

On my recent trip to one of my favorite small malls here in Cebu, I unexpectedly found these adorable Union Jack vintage suitcases on display. I knew I just had to get it.

Being one of an avid fan of anything cute and fashionable, I had always wanted a cute vintage suitcase to keep my stuff nice and pretty with an edge. These didn’t cost a fortune, surprisingly. And oh my, they were on sale at 10% off the original price.

From the word “vintage” I guess it tells you much about the finish of the design. So yeah, you don’t need to worry if you got some minor scratches or fading over there.

Stacks of pretty suitcases in different sizes.

Price tags were not yet removed due to my excitement to take photos of these babies when I arrived home from the mall. :)

I can say my dream has totally been fulfilled to buy and OWN such pretty vintage suitcases. I remember the days stalking Google and searching for the perfect wheeled vintage luggage. But hey, who needs those wheels when I have a set of pretty suitcases like this? I can always buy an external accessory such as a luggage cart if I want to have this used for travelling. I plan to use this also in storing my makeup or doing freelancing gigs. No more boring kits for me then :)

Perhaps I can have this stuff for rent if some people would get these for a photoshoot or event, yes? Sometimes I look up to these things and call them an INVESTMENT. Well yes, they are.

xoxo Maria

3 Oct 2012
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Minor make up haul. :) Finally, my LOVEs have arrived! I will definitely do reviews on these products since these are actually on my top-5 makeup wish list. Dreams do come true!

22 Sep 2012
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Sigma 10-pc. Kabuki Brush set

Just received this amazing Sigma set a few days ago and I must say they’re such a great investment! I am so amazed at how soft and dense they are. Gone are the days worrying much about applying precise medium to heavy-coverage makeup. This set is on my top 1 makeup tool list! :)

Will definitely do a comprehensive review on each brush in this set soon! :)

xoxo Maria

6 Sep 2012
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OOTD: Floral and Denim

Last Sunday, my friend and I decided to go to SM since she wanted to be on a major shopping spree for having her last pay from her previous employer. I bought nothing except one eyeshadow color from L.A. Passion. Right after shopping, my other friends at work messaged us and said they were in game for some Korean food so we headed straight to Miga and ate Sumgyupsal (forgive me if I spelled it wrong).

So that day, I opted to wear something casual yet sophisticated. I was thinking perhaps floral and denim would be a great combo. I managed to take some shots before I left the house. Forgive me of the messy background. That’s how it is every single day!

Major boo to my black flip-flop sandals. It didn’t match! But I definitely stopped by at one small mall after my first jeepney ride and bought myself a new pair of sandals with matchy-matchy floral design on it. You’ll see in the end photo, anyway.

Denim Jacket: NAF NAF | Floral dress: Thrifted | Sandals: Rusty Lopez | Bag: Taiwan pre-order

Now let’s get some close-up shots.

Oh, same shot, different way of smiling! Anyway, notice how I did makeup on my face. I am apparently mastering the art of contouring. Still in the process of learning and see how well it goes in photos especially for flash photography. All these photos are taken with a flash, btw.

Then I learned TAUPE from L.A. Passion is such a great mineral eyeshadow to work with as a contour powder for my nose. So that’s why I ended up buying a back-up when I was at SM with my friend.

Mcjonnie told me this definitely looks like a failed Heisman pose! I cannot argue. It sure does look like one!

So here’s the pic where I meant I bought a new pair of flats to match my outfit. :D

F21 yellow bag? Just a storage bag for my wet umbrella. It rained heavily that evening!

Before I end this post, let me just share to you what stuff I used on my face.

Til next time! ;)

xoxo Maria

3 Sep 2012
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Depotting Lipsticks

I just got my Dollface 35-well palette from the mail today. Was so excited that I immediately grabbed my lispticks and was ready to depot them!

It consists of 2 pages with a divider so you can easily indicate and put some labeled stickers on what colors you have depotted.

I picked up 5 of my fave matte lipsticks from Ever Bilena and a spatula.

Initially, what I did was melt one lipstick in a tablespoon over a candle. IT WAS SUCH A MISTAKE! When the lipstick was completely melted, I transferred it to one of the wells and the PLASTIC well ended up crumpled because of the heat! You know, same reaction when you put ultra hot water into a plastic water bottle! Stupid me! Ugh. I should have known the aftermath before doing so. Well, I guess that’s a lesson learned.

Anyway, I just ended up pressing them then. No worries. Was more quick and convenient. Plus, I think I am not altering the consistency and formula of the lipstick unlike what I did at first.

I actually planned to put one column of matte EB lipsticks on the left side, middle for satin finishes lipsticks whatever brands could be, and prolly shimmering shades on the right. On the next page with a more wider wells, I plan to put there cream foundations. Perhaps I start buying PAC (but not so much reviews on this brand) or could be (what I am currently eyeing) Bobbi Brown, Kett, and Mehron ones. Ugh, no budget for those yet!

It was a mess considering I only had one spatula (which is not really a real formal makeup spatula lol) but you can always clean the sides of the well with a q-tip and a tissue. I hope to invest more nice lippies in the future that I can depot and use on clients for minor and major gigs.

Til next time, makeup junkies! :)

13 Aug 2012
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Etude House Surprise Concealer - Review

As you can see on my last week’s post, I bought home some major makeup haul. If you notice, I bought 3 different types of concealers: Etude House Surprise stick and essence concelaler, and the camouflage concealer from Beauty Treats. Today, I will be doing a review both on Etude House’s Surprise concealers. I got the darkest shade in #2. I never bothered to get the shade in #1 because I know their shades are so limited and mostly they cater to Korean complexion. Well, as obvious as it is, Filipinos have mediums skintones for the most part.

When I was at the Etude House counter at SM City Cebu’s department store, the SA obviously knew I was looking for something. I kept on swatching the Etude House Surprise essence concealer at the back of my hand and she offered me to try the Surprise stick concealer. To be honest I love the consistency of the essence concealer but considering the slight price difference and the weight of the stick concealer, I gave in. But then I decided to get both just so I can really test out if both of their concealers will really work for me. If I am not mistaken, the stick concealer is 328 pesos and the essence concealer is 287 something. Just correct me if I am wrong. Oh, before we go over to the actual review, let me just remind you that the red polka-dot tape you see on both products are just for indicator-purposes. If ever I bring them along to a gig, I can easily spot them and toss them back to my makeup bag after use.

I apply this before applying powder foundation. If I will be using a liquid or cream foundation, I apply the concealer after.

Surprise essence concealer is really creamy and easy to blend. The stick concealer is the opposite so you really have to be sure that you have to blend the concealer well into your skin. As for me, I prefer using my ring finger because I find it effective plus the warmth of my finger will also make the consistency of the stick concealer more blendable to the skin.

Told yah they really disappear like skin!

Now off to the ACTUAL application under my eyes! FYI, no makeup on…just this concealer in my face! I didn’t put any setting powder on top of the concealer so you can really see the after-effect of each product.

Etude House Surprise essence concealer

It’s amazing how this concealer does lighten my dark undereye!

Yes! both does work on me.

I have tried both of these concealers last week and truly, I am a satisfied user. Although as of the moment, I cannot really say these are my HG concealers but I really find these products very reliable in terms of lightening my undereye. It feels like skin and doesn’t set heavily on the lines of my eyes.

So which of the two do I prefer? Well, I love the Essence concealer for everyday use. But I will go for the stick concealer if I want a greater coverage. So I guess it’s a 50-50 choice! :D In short, I love both!

I hope to try out more of Etude House’s products as I really find them fairly-priced and easily available. Gone are the days of ordering Korean products over the net! Thank God Etude House finally decided to open up stores here in SM City Cebu and Ayala Center Cebu. :)

xoxo Maria

9 Aug 2012
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Ever Bilena Matte Lipstick review

I remember last year when I suddenly picked up a matte dark red lipstick that could match my outfit for an important and upcoming event. It was then I discovered the brilliance of matte lipsticks from Ever Bilena. Since then, I fell in love and wanted to get all their colors. But alas! I was just a volunteer at a hospital that time and couldn’t really dare to splurge on make up. I finished that particular tube of lipstick after a few months and eventually got a new one! Then also bought another color. To be honest, I get a lot of compliments when I wear them out. So now is the time for me to present to you just a quick review plus swatches on Ever Bilena’s matte lippies :)

What I truly love about EB’s matte lipstick is the formula. It glides just right and definitely non-drying to the lips since it contains Vitamin E. It’s also pigmented. What you see from the outside is what you get when applied to your lips. Although the longevity is not really that amazing or stays for straight 4 hours, still from the price and formula I bet it’s a steal. Time for some swatches!

I got the colors Skin, Mauvey, Off Beat Pink, Pink Flame, and Storm. I will be using them for myself and for future clients as well. For people who love nude lipsticks, Skin and Mauvey are the perfect colors. Skin is more on the brownish-nude side while Mauvey is on the pinkish-nude side. If you want soft baby pink lips, then Off Beat Pink is the answer. For people who are more daring and are fans of brilliant shades, Pink Flame offers a bright pink color and Storm as their ultimate red color. They have more shades to choose from, actually. So make sure to take your time to try them out or swatch them if you wanna buy tons of shades from the matte line.

A lot of local makeup gurus could attest that these lippies are sorta dupes from Mac. As someone who hasn’t entered the Mac bandwagon yet, I cannot really say if they are true. But given nice reviews, and also a very satisfied user like I am, guaranteed these lipsticks are going to exceed your expectations!

I hope you can try out these lippies if you haven’t. If I am not mistaken, they have raised their prices to 10 pesos just recently! When I bought the first tube from them last year, it was just 145 pesos. But hey, no worries. They’re a great buy fo shoooo! :)

xoxo Maria

6 Aug 2012
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Haul of the Day

I went to SM and got a bunch of new makeup stuff to add to my collection both for personal and clients’ use. I purposely got there just so I could buy the top 3 stuff on my to-buy list. Never though I’d end up buying more and bringing home what I REALLY ought to bring home.

Since the eyebrow gel from Etude House is currently out of stock, I was lucky enough to pick up the last piece of the light brown colored eyebrow gel from the Ardell stand. Too bad they don’t have testers!

Also had to pick different shade of lippies which should suit any occasion. Ever Bilena must have sensed these matte lipsticks have gone famous so they raised their prices to 10 pesos. Was priced at 145 just a month ago if I am not mistaken.

Other stuff I bought are Tony Moly lip tint in apple, Etude House Surprise essence concealer and stick concealer both in no. 2 color, Beauty Treats camouflage concealer in Medium, Wet n Wild Mega Eyes creme eyeliner in Black, LA Passion mineral eyeshadow in Taupe and Brown.