Been eyeing this powder for so long, I finally bought it during the Rustan's Beauty Addict event here in Cebu last October 2019. I have been looking for a sheer powder that I can carry with me daily and use for touch ups.

It was perfect timing since I just hit pan on a couple of powders. So, I found an excuse 😅 (I'm pretty sure you beauty addicts can relate hehe).



The Mac Mineralize Skinfinish Natural is a sheer, light coverage powder but still has excellent oil control. I prefer this over full coverage powders since I normally wear liquid foundation. This is indeed really good to use as setting powder after my usual liquid foundation. Since it's sheer, it just disappears on my skin while removing shine, without making my skin look flat.

The darker shades of this powder can be used as contour powders as well. So if you're looking for a nice soft looking powder contour, I would recommend looking into the deeper shades of the Mac Mineralize Skinfinish Natural powders.

On good skin days, when I don't want to wear foundation. I just use the Mac strobe cream as base, then set it with this Mineralize Skinfinish Natural Powder, and finish it off with the Mac Fix Plus spray for a healthy, dewy makeup look.


Overall, I am really pleased with this powder and I'm really glad I bought it. The only downside to this is, it can get a bit powdery on the pan. I would recommend using a soft, fluffy brush to apply this all over your face.

How about you guys? What is your current favorite compact powder?

Until next time.

Cheerios!
***Hollie***

It's been a while since I last reviewed a liquid foundation. However, I really took my time with testing out the Too Faced Born This Way Foundation. I have been using this foundation since summer because I turned one shade darker and this has become my go-to foundation for the last few months.

It retails for Php 2,350 at Sephora.ph. But I was in luck since this was gifted to me by my good friend, fellow beauty addict and enabler MyKym.  😋


I got the Too Faced Born This Way Foundation in Sand. Which is currently the perfect shade for my medium skin tone.  It comes in a glass bottle with pump and contains 30ml worth of product.


What I like about it...
* can be bought at sephora.ph
* comes in a sturdy glass bottle
* comes with a pump, so it is convenient to use
* beautiful packaging with gold details
* they offer a wide range of shades, about 24 shades to choose from
* has a smooth and creamy texture, so it's easier to build coverage
* very easy to blend with either a kabuki brush or beauty sponge
* has excellent coverage, even with just one layer of application
* a little goes a long way with this foundation since it's very pigmented
* feels very lightweight so its comfortable to wear
* melts into my skin really well, making it look undetectable
* does not cake or sink into fine lines
* lasts all day on me, about 8 hours even without a face primer
* does not have a strong scent, its almost unscented in my opinion
* no irritation or allergies experienced

What I don't like...
* It's not fully waterproof, but it only moves when I sweat a lot. My Finishing Spray normally fixes this though, so I'm all good.
* can be a bit pricey for only one fluid ounce of product

My rating: 5 out of 5


Here's the before and after only one layer application of the foundation on me. I used my phone to take the pictures and did not filter or edit it.  I prefer to use my damp AOA Wonder Blender to apply this since it really makes my foundation look like skin.


Overall, it's a really awesome liquid foundation and currently one of my favorites. I now understand why I a lot of the beauty gurus on youtube were raving about this foundation. Definitely highly recommended and Hollie approved.

Until next time.

Cheerios!

***Hollie***

After sooo long of having these pretty blushes in my stash, I finally had time to take photos and swatches of my favorite cheek products from theBalm Cosmetics.

I've had these for a couple of years now and it still remains to be my favorite blush and bronzer to date. So, it's high time you find out why.

To those who are not aware, theBalm Cosmetics is a mid-range brand that carries a complete line of makeup, skin care, hair care and nail polish. All their products are cruelty-free and made in the USA.


Apart from the really eye-catching and beautiful packaging, what made me fell in love with theBalm Blushes is their formula and pigmentation. I've tried a lot of blushes from other brands but I always keep coming back to these products.

What I like about it...
* affordable, costs around Php900 per blush
* available at Beauty Bar and Sephora.ph
* really attractive designs for their packaging
* comes in a magnetic, lightweight cardboard material with mirror
* has a super smooth and fine texture which makes it very easy to blend
* has excellent color payoff so a little amount of product goes a long way
* can be used either as an eye shadow or blush
* stays long on my face, around 5 hours before it starts to fade
* unscented, at least none that I noticed
* no irritation or allergies experienced

What I don't like...
* it has fall outs but nothing too crazy

My rating: 5 out of 5


theBalm Bahama Mama is a matte bronzer that does not have any orange undertones. It also doubles as a perfect contour powder, neutral brow-filler and matte brown eyeshadow. I personally enjoy using this as a contour powder since it looks great on my NC35 skin tone. Nothing too warm and it does not look muddy on me.

theBalm Hot Mama is one of my favorite blush to date. It can be used as an eye shadow, blush and subtle highlighter. It has a pinky-peach hue with golden undertones that looks beautiful on a wide range of skin tones. I normally skip using a separate highlighter every time I use this since it gives off a pretty glow on my skin.


Both the Bahama Mama and Hot Mama have the same size and the same price. These two are a tad bit smaller, containing around 7 grams of product which is why they cost a little less compared to the other blushers.


theBalm CabanaBoy is a dusty-rose blush which I love to wear at night time. Its subtle shimmer catches the eye while plum undertones provide a glow that is oh-so-natural.


theBalm FratBoy is my all time favorite blush. It is also my most used blush among the three. This matte peachy-pink shade just gives the right flush on my cheeks making it perfect for everyday use.


Both CabanaBoy and FratBoy have the same size and price as well. It costs a little higher than the Bahama Mama and the Hot Mama since it contains about 8 grams of product. There is also DownBoy, however I didn't buy it cause it comes in a baby pink shade which does not suite my skin tone.


Here are the swatches of the three blushes side by side, so you ladies can see the difference. If you notice all of them are pretty and very wearable.

These are my favorite products from theBalm Cosmetics and I highly recommend them. I swear you wont' regret it.

Until next time.

Cheerios!
***Hollie***

What it is:
A limited-edition blockbuster palette featuring cult-favorite blush and bronzers.

What it does:
Iconic Benefit Cosmetic blushes and bronzers rally together in this cheeky, must-have palette. The all-new GALifornia blush teams up with top players like Hoola bronzer, both original matte and lite, to warm up the complexion. Rock on with a rose-gold flush or baby pink pick-me-up. With five shades to flatter any skin tone, this Cheek Parade is sure to get the good vibes rollin’.

What it includes:
Full-size GALifornia blush (golden pink).
Full-size Hoola Matte Bronzer (natural bronze).
Full-size Hoola Lite Matte Bronzer (natural light bronze).
Full-size Rockateur Box o’ Powder Blush (rose gold with shimmer).
Full-size Dandelion Box o’ Powder Blush (radiant pale pink).
Mini natural-bristle powder brush.

Retail Price: Php 3,400.00 ($58 in the US)

What I like about it....
* value for money. I get five full-sized products for the price of two.
* has beautiful and sturdy packaging
* pretty shade selection
* comes with a free brush
* has a big mirror
* has a really nice citrus scent, not overwhelming
* excellent color payoff
* has a smooth texture and very easy to blend
* did not experience allergies or irritation

What I don't like...
* Some of the shades don't show up well on my NC35 skin tone
* a tiny bit powdery

My rating: 4 out of 5

I know this is long overdue. But I just had to share my thoughts on this Becca Champagne Splits Shimmering Skin Perfector Mineral Blush. It has been hyped since the holidays last year (2016) when it was launched with the Becca x Jacklyn Hill collection. I was able to snag one of the shades during the Sephora VIB sale late last year. (thanks to my good friend and fellow beauty enthusiast Mykym for making this possible...hehe) 

I initially wanted the Champagne Pop-Flowerchild variant, but it got sold out so quickly and Champagne Pop-Hyacinth was the only shade available for the Champagne Splits line. And I was like, "oh well, at least I finally got to try the very hyped up Becca Champagne Pop".

Happy Tuesday ladies! I'm back with a review and it's from Laura Mercier again. (I really just fell in love with this Brand, thus explains why I always feature their products...hehe) Anyway, I passed by the Rustan's beauty section in Ayala Center Cebu last month and saw that the Laura Mercier Candleglow Makeup Collection was already available.

I first noticed the sales lady's skin, it had a beautiful glow to it, so I asked her what she wore and she said it was the Laura Mercier Candleglow Sheer Perfecting Powder. I immediately asked her to match the right shade for me. (and the rest was history...LOL)


I have been wanting to try the Mac Mineralize Skinfinish Natural powder for some time now, but I just think it looks like a normal sheer powder, thus I never bought it. Then I read that this was compared to the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder as well, but that one was too expensive.

However, when I saw this candleglow powder, I thought to myself, it was too pretty to ignore. It came in this really chic and elegant compact with a dome shape top and a decent sized mirror. The packaging looks and feels really sturdy like it's made of high quality material which made me decide to get this powder without second thoughts.

How to make your face makeup look flawless? is the question I get asked very so often by my friends and colleagues. So, I finally had time to share with you my favorite products to use to achieve a natural looking, flawless face makeup.

But first, let me tell you that having great skin is the key to a flawless looking makeup. I have been taking care of my skin which made it easier for me to find makeup products the work well for my combination skin type.

I first discovered Laura Mercier products a couple of years ago (2015) when a fellow beauty addict posted on Instagram saying how much she loved the Laura Mercier Foundation. And it was perfect timing that I was looking for a lightweight liquid foundation with light to medium coverage. So, I went to the Rustan's Beauty Section in Ayala Center Cebu and bought my very first product from Laura Mercier. Then the rest was history...


Step 1 After my regular skin care routine, I first apply the Laura Mercier Primer. I just use a pea sized amount then pat it all over my face focusing on the T-Zone area.

It's their regular foundation primer as shown in the photo above. I really love this Laura Mercier Foundation Primer, because it has a watery gel-like texture that gets absorbed on my skin easily. In addition to that, it is mild and it hydrates my skin, making my skin look smooth. I would recommend this primer for those with Dry to Combination Skin. If you are looking for a silicone based primer, then this is not for you.


Step 2 I then apply the Laura Mercier Foundation, I chose the Smooth Finish Flawless Fluide liquid foundation in the shade DUSK (I am in the shade NC35 for MAC). I prefer to apply this foundation with my fingers rather than a brush or sponge since it looks more even and smooth that way.

So far, this Laura Mercier Smooth Finish Flawless Fluid is my favorite liquid foundation to date. Despite being very lightweight and thin in texture, a little goes a long way with this foundation since it has excellent coverage. Which is the reason why I seldom use a concealer when I use this foundation. It dries to velvety matte finish, that sometimes I don't even set it with a powder anymore. It lasts the whole day on me especially if paired with the primer. I also noticed that the longer it stays, the more it blends on my skin.


Step 3 I then set the T-Zone area of my face with a little bit of powder. I use the Laura Mercier Smooth Finish Foundation Powder in 05. I just dust a bit of powder in the center part of my forehead, above my eyebrows, under-eye area, sides of my nose then my chin.

What I love about this powder is it's oil control. It really keeps the oil at bay especially in the T-Zone area of my face. It lasts long that I only ever need to retouch once or twice throughout the day. Also, the powder is very finely milled, making it feel really soft and smooth. The packaging is really sleek and elegant. I also like that it has it's own compartment for the sponge. The only downside to this powder is the amount of product is contains. Which is very little compared to my Mac powder.


Step 4 Lastly, I just add a little bit of highlight using the Laura Mercier Matte Radiance Baked Powder in Highlight - 01. I just apply it on the high points of my face, on my cheek bone area, center of my nose and on my upper lip using my Sigma F35 Tapered Highlighter Brush.

This is my favorite Highlighter to date. I love that this gives me that natural looking highlight. Nothing too stark, just an effect of a healthy glowing skin. The glow lasts for about 4 hours on me before it starts to fade. But the glow is still noticeable at the end of the day. It has a really fine texture making it very easy to apply and blend, giving me a really smooth finish. It also comes in a sleek compact with mirror, which is a big plus for me.


Here is a photo of me wearing all the Laura Mercier products mentioned above. This pretty much sums everything up where Face Bases is concerned.

Until next time.

Cheerios!
***Hollie***

Hey ladies, here's another round up review for you.  This time it is for concealers that I've been using in 2016. It is a mix of drugstore and high-end concealers for my under eye, occasional acne spots and as a highlight in some areas on my face.

Sonia Kashuk Hidden Agenda Concealer in Light. It comes with concealers in three different shades and one powder. I normally use this concealer to hide spots on my face and to cleanup my brows. It has excellent pigmentation, lightweight, creamy, and really smooth to apply. I also love to use the powder in this palette (bottom right) to set my under eye area. It's a versatile palette but not ideal for covering dark circles. It is more effective for covering imperfections on the face. You can view my in-depth review HERE.

Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer in Ginger. This is the most expensive concealer I ever bought. I keep seeing all the beauty enthusiast rave about this product on social media sites, thus I caved and got myself one. And true enough, this lived up to the hype. A little goes a long way with this product since it is the most pigmented liquid concealer I have ever used. It has a very creamy texture, applies smoothly, excellent coverage, easy to blend, does not sit on fine lines and stays all day especially if set correctly with a powder.

Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in Medium. I bought this around November of 2016 because some bloggers mentioned that this was a good alternative for the Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer. When I tried this out for the first time, I noticed how easily it blended well on my skin. But it is in no way similar to the formulation of Nars. The Maybelline Fit Me Concealer has a much thinner texture and lesser coverage compared to Nars. I just liked this concealer because it blended really easily on my skin plus it is really affordable.


Here is a swatch between the Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in Medium VS Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer in Ginger. If you notice, the Maybelline concealer has a bit more pink undertone to it while Nars has more yellow. When blended, you will definitely notice that Nars has superior coverage, does not settle on fine lines and dries into a matte finish, while the Maybelline has a thinner texture, less coverage and dries into a semi-matte finish.

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles in Light. This variant is not available here in the Philippines, so I asked a friend to buy it for me in the US. I picked the wrong shade. I should have gone with Neutral but I still made it work for me. Since I use it to highlight certain areas of my face. This works as a really great under eye concealer and it really does what it is supposed to do.

I will be trying more concealers in the future but I will have to finish up these tubes before I buy new ones. However, I am definitely eyeing on the Tarte Double Duty Beauty Shape Tape Contour Concealer, since it has been raved by beauty gurus on Youtube.

Do let me know what your favorite concealers are.

Until next time.

Cheerios!
***Hollie***

Rucy's Vanity might be new to some, but they have been around for a few years. It is a 100% Korean cosmetics brand offering high quality cosmetics in a more reasonable price. I got these goodies early this year and got to test it out for a good amount of time. I already have a review of their Gleamy Lipsticks just in case you want to check that out.  This time, you'll get to know more about the Rucy's Vanity Whitening BB Cream and the Two-way Cake Pressed Powder.


Combines the goodness of foundation and powder in one with added protection from UV rays with whitening effect.


What I like about it...
- very affordable
- nice packaging, considering the price
- the sponge does not sit directly on top of the powder, it has a divider so it's hygienic
- has a really good sized mirror
- has UV protection with SPF 35 PA++
- the powder is finely milled, so it applies smoothly
- does not cake even if re-applied several times throughout the day
- has light to medium coverage, so it works well as a setting powder
- no strong scent
- no irritation or allergies experienced

What I don't like...
- does not have good oil control, I have combination skin and my T-Zone starts to oil in 3 hours
- if you are looking for a powder with good coverage, this is not the product for you
- does not work well if used with damp sponge, so it's not a two-way cake, its just a pressed powder

My rating: 4 / 5


Considering the price and quality of the product, I'd say this is actually a really good powder. So I'd recommend this especially to beginners.


A 5-in-1 BB Cream that perfectly covers skins imperfections giving your skin a natural flawless skin look. Combines as foundation, moisturizer & concealer in one.


What I like about it...
- affordable
-  hygienic tube type packaging, sealed on the inside when first opened
- has a mild scent
- really smooth texture which makes it easy to apply
- easy to blend with either brush or fingers
- evens out skin tone and does not appear patchy
- has light to medium coverage
- has a semi-matte finish
- decent staying power for 4 to 5 hours on my combination skin
- has anti-wrinkle ingredients
- can be used as a makeup base or worn alone

What I don't like...
- like other BB creams I've tried before, this one stings my face as well
- it only comes in two shades and this is the shade no. 21 Natural, which is too light for me
- not for you if you want coverage

My rating: 3 / 5




Once again, it all boils down to preference and what suits you. My face just does not agree with any BB cream whether it's high-end or drugstore quality. However, I'd like to point out that CC Creams work really well on me. For the price and quality of the Rucy's Vanity BB Cream, I'd say do give it a try especially if one of the shades suits your skin tone. It is also one the most affordable BB Creams I've seen in the market. Perfect for students on a budget.

You can purchase Rucy's Vanity products online. Just visit their website http://rucysvanityph.com/

Until next time.

Cheerios!
***Hollie***