Maybelline Color Sensational Lasting Lipcolor | Improved Pops of Pigment

Now in the past, to be honest, I was never completely smitten with the Maybelline Color Sensational lipsticks. The color selection then was somewhat blah because none of the shades I encountered ever seemed to suit my oriental undertone. The shades would look great obviously on someone paler or Caucasian in ethnicity and I didn’t care to buy darker shades just to find something that would suit. It’s nice to know that the Color Sensational lipstick range is at least randomizing the reds up a bit and that Maybelline locally are bringing in a couple more vibrant colors. I was sent these shades to try. The swatches are pretty gorgeous. If you’re having trouble distinguishing between the reds, here’s a primer: Are You Red-dy is the softer, slightly milkier red, Very Cherry is like a non-matte, less cool dupe of MAC Ruby Woo, and the deepest red of all is Red Revival, a good drugstore dupe for MAC Russian Red, a warm earthy rouge.

You’ll have to excuse me but the lighting of the shots with the lipstick applied wasn’t very good today…there were passing clouds and the dilemma of shifting sunlight. I balanced the hue out as best I could so that colors appear in their truest form.

I was more impressed with the payoff of the reds than the lighter shades, it’s a nice creamy texture and the pigment is more opaque than the previous formula of Color Sensational as I remember it. I’m not fully convinced though on the improved longevity end…I felt grease. I just wish these shades looked as good on my lips as they do on my arm. It’s a bit too high shine for my personal taste mainly because my lips are massive. I feel this will only last 3-4 hours on me and once I eat it might be a goner. Lipliner is absolutely necessary. I used Nichido lipliners before applying the red shades. Blotting will add staying power.

The problem of transfer wouldn’t be the case if you used this in an air-conditioned environment or a country with a drier climate. It probably stays on better in less humid places like the U.S. or Europe. I prefer a tad more drag where my lips are concerned and less shine. This I think would be really pretty on girls with more petite lips and would certainly bring out that lovely pout. Color Sensational lipsticks are available for Php399 from PCX, Watsons, and leading department stores that carry Maybelline Products nationwide.

Shiseido Perfect Rouge Lipstick, PK303 Pink Mesa

There’s a tidal wave of automatic lipstick crayons surging through the beauty blogosphere at the moment, all but one are spin-offs (come on, we know that).  I’d like to own a nice sturdy, fat lipstick crayon someday just to see…but, sometimes still…well, I don’t know.  To me there’s something still immensely chic, iconic, and quite grown-up (never old) about classic, creamy lipstick in a bullet and I can’t seem to get enough nude mauve shades on board.

“Shiseido Perfect Rouge Lipstick, created by Dick Page for Shiseido, fuses powerful skincare with cutting-edge color technologies to create the ultimate lipstick. You will fall in love with the clear, true color and rich, full-looking finish that make these luscious shades unique.  Driven by the advanced technology of Dual Optimizing Powder, Ultra-Fine Satin Smooth Pearl, and Super Hydro-Wrap Vitalizing DE, each radiant shade gives lips lustrous, all-day moisture and a protective veil that actually improves texture.”

Think of a beige that’s been spiked with a rose undertone and that’s what you have with PK303 or Pink Mesa, which costs between Php1100-1250 locally (I’ll clear up pricing with them).  Shiseido’s Perfect Rouge lipstick in PK303 or Pink Mesa is an absolutely wearable nude mauve.  It might not be the most exciting color ever, but it’s elegant and no one will ever debate with me to question how wearable it is, because it is super wearable.  It’s a keeper and a Shiseido lipstick case as sleek as this just amps up any evening bag or purse on you.   I’m guessing Perfect Rouge is kind of like the Shiseido counterpart to the Dior Addict lipstick range.  The lipstick, even with a moist feel, doesn’t migrate outside the lip edge too easily.  It won’t make a mess  if you eat or drink, but you will need to top up afterwards.  You get rich, medium to full intensity pigment in a classic, creamy, moist texture which softly highlights the lips without glossing them over.  I’m guessing that in Western countries, where the climate is loads less humid or quite dry, you’d probably get exquisite adherence and more longevity out of this without losing softness.

I chose this after the Shiseido Workshop I did (which I will blog about soon).  This shade PK303 I think would suit skin shades from a MAC NC30 down to an medium NC40 at most.  Just a note, in real life this shade is just slightly warmer.  I think my screen is playing tricks with me, the lipstick looks a bit cooler here (not by much) but my skintone is correct.  I brightened the scene because it was kind of dark at home earlier.  I spread my L’Oreal Magic Lucent foundation across my lips before lipstick application to counteract the strong deep color of my natural lips (which often interferes with paler lipstick shades) and doing that helped the lipstick shade take more of the limelight.  I used the lipstick straight from the bullet, no lipliner.  Shiseido Perfect Rouge in PK303 Pink Mesa is marked online as a NEW shade.  Check out your local Shiseido Counter or boutique if you’d like to try it on.

*press sample provided by brand for review

BH Cosmetics 32-Color Lip Palette | Affordable Shades With Ease 48% OFF!

I’ve been out almost a week coz of so many rush pre-Holy week events that mattered more. I’ve been putting off trying this palette because to be honest I judged it harshly. I needed to use this because it makes doing lips so much easier on set at shoots. I was afraid at first that this BH Cosmetics 32-Color Lip palette might be another one of those “Made You Know Where” palettes with lots of sheer colors that dont really deliver. Boy was I wrong.

The ingredients won’t shine in the “no nasties” department but nevertheless it’s a good workhorse palette for shoots and quick pictorials. I was afraid that these would be like the NYX round lipsticks which completely suck in humid climates, lots of greasy pigment that moves around everywhere but NO… these aren’t like that at all.

Let me guess…NOW I have your undivided attention. Aren’t those swatches impressive? My favorite shade in the 2nd to the last shot is the beige-y gold rightmost column in the center which I used on a TVC talent last week and reminds me of a Shu Uemura Rouge Unlimited lipstick I used to own. They’re high street/drugstore lipstick comparable in texture and this selection comes with a mix of amplified solid semi-mattes, pigmented lustres, and some gold duochromes. Mucho Gracias to Mega Tita Sharon Cuneta-Pangilinan for surprising me with this lovely lip palette. The Pixiwoo sisters featured the 120-color eyeshadow palette about 2 years ago. I believe a strong competitor of BH Cosmetics would be Coastal Scents in the U.S., not certain if their lip palettes are just as pigmented. Free Shipping in the U.S. and they ship abroad for a minimum rate of $12.95 but you beauty bugs can also try Ebay or Hong Kong. I’ll try and do a separate post and see if I have time to shoot myself wearing a lot of the shades you see here. Guess what! This particular palette is on sale now via BH Cosmetics online discounted 48% so it only costs $10.00 at the moment excluding international shipping!

Make Up Store Makeup! – A Look with Lipstick & Cybershadow

This brand, Make Up Store, reminds me a lot of…INGLOT or even the in-house selection of Sephora for some reason and they’re now available here at the 2nd level of Podium mall in Ortigas.  It’s the whole shebang put together, pro quality products, minimalist packaging, great pigment and tons and tons of shades to choose from for a mid-range price.   The Make Up Store’s products aren’t cheap but they won’t break the bank either.  It’s a reliable brand to begin a pro kit with if you’re considering a makeup career or course but can’t afford having a buffet of MAC or Make Up For Ever products at your disposal.  I recall being in one of the Make Up Store’s huge boutiques in Singapore over a year and a half ago and I was overwhelmed.  I nearly walked out with a color corrector/concealer but I was saving my pocket money for something else in Duty Free that time.

MAKE UP STORE Cybershadow in “Golden” Php899.00 and sheer lipstick in “CRISP” for Php 1049.00, MAKE UP STORE PODIUM- (02) 654 5533

The textures and pigment of the products they sent me are good, the eyeshadow is a satin with a hint of a duochrome effect (a peachy coral with gold or a rose gold) the lipstick is a sheer but pigmented high shine finish which applies looking different from the lipstick bullet as you’ll see in awhile.

The packaging is lovely and feels sturdier than MAC cosmetic packaging.  You have the brand name embossed or pressed on both.  My only minor complaint is the eyeshadow has quite a bit of fallout pigment when you use a brush, but it performs similarly anyway to Urban Decay eyeshadow shades which also have quite a bit of fallout.  Read more to see me try these products on.

Bring On that 90s Brick Red | T. LeClerc Matte Lipstick, Non-Drying Loveliness

A non-drying matte lipstick is a prize find but for me there’s also a balance to be had when it comes to matte lipstick.  To me, matte lipsticks needn’t be completely FLAT looking, you’re allowed to disagree with me.  That’s just a personal preference because I don’t want high shine because of my massive lips but at the same time I don’t want my lips to look like a flat vector graphic pasted on my face.  I’ve found my dream matte lipstick formula by T. LeClerc, available at Rustan’s for Php795…complete value for money but I’m really sad there are only 4 or 5 shades available locally, they remind me of the IZGO lipstick I blogged about ages ago (as in like 2 years ago).   It’s great that they’ve got this sort of red, 03 Rouge Secret, a beautiful brick red that has a very slight, almost unnoticeable pink undertone.  It’s very wearable, I wore it at a friend’s wedding and because I loved the color so much I made sure I retouched at the reception (even though I was recovering from a small gaping lip wound), though I didn’t have to pack on a lot to retouch.  You better believe it, red lips have not vanished from the trend reports and hello, love month isn’t over yet.

The texture of this T.Le Clerc lipstick is like that of a MAC lipstick like Ruby Woo but creamier and more velvety, easier to bring across the lips.  Also in comparison to a NARS Pure Matte lipstick I own this is way more comfortable to wear.  You can also safely eat with this lipstick without it going everywhere…a light retouch may be required if the food is a bit greasy.  French brand T.Le Clerc has a strong following and one of my former bosses, Tinette O. Puyat, salon owner and hairdresser is extremely fond of their powder bases, too.  One of my wedding clients, Maita, wore this brand of lipstick as maid of honor at another wedding I did, but her shade was like a slightly brighter cherry red and seeing how it lasted on her is what made me go on the hunt for it.  A lovely matching lipliner for the T.LeClerc lipstick shade 03 Rouge Secret, and I mean a real exact match, is NICHIDO’s lip pencil in Coral Rust which is what I used to line and color my lips in midway first to help with longevity.  The NICHIDO lipliners have the same texture as NYX slim lipliners which are also a favorite of mine but these local ones only cost between Php100-Php200.

There’s a 90s revival ongoing and it’s bleeding through almost every style magazine feature I’ve noticed so far.  Every so often people will reminisce about what was nearly 2 decades ago and crave a reinterpreted throwback.  In my teens bell bottoms and elephant pants plus everything 70s when it came to music was the “in” thing in high-school.  Mod beauty for the 90s was earthy, brick red lips which were big on TV stars (remember Monica and Rachel in FRIENDS?), movies like Reality Bites, Empire Records, Pulp Fiction (more ox blood red than brick though), and even Clueless (check Brittany Murphy’s lips).   Here’s an inspiration photo from Reality Bites which also shows a similar sort of red on the lovely Winona Ryder.

The T.LeClerc lipstick, I reiterate, is Php795 from Rustan’s (got mine at Rustan’s Grand Mall) and for the lovely slim size and packaging I have to say it’s a real find, a similar one by MAC would be Russian Red but that isn’t as matte.  T.LeClerc also has a bright coral pink that’s kind of like Chanel’s Rouge Allure velvet Exuberante and also a slightly more beige pink is also available.  Have you also been bit by the 90s revival you see everywhere and if so have you been incorporating it into your wardrobe or makeup looks?