confessions of an unapologetic makeup junkie

i love all my Marionnaud brushes, some maybe more than others, but i gotta say that everything is worth buying! i did not get the brow brush and comb, the tweezers, and the sponges coz i have no need of those anyway, especially the brow brush and comb which comes with the travel set anyway.

Le Price

ranges from about 70PhP - 299 PhP, depending on the brush you'd get. all worth the money, IMHO.

the fluid foundation brush blends liquid and cream foundation quite well. since i don't normally wear liquid/cream foundations, i use it to blend my concealer and it is perfect!

the Slanted blush brush dispenses color quite strongly, so you might want to use a light hand with your blush. i find tho that it is perfect for contouring and highlighting, as it comes on really strong. just remember to blend it really well with another brush (i.e. the large powder brush) to avoid harsh contour lines.

pointed eyeshadow brush is perfect for cutting the crease in your eyes and also for applying a light colored shadow in your tear ducts!

concealer brush - completely useless for under the eye as it is a bit scratchy and hurts the skin under my eyes, which are generally more sensitive than the other skin in the face.

eyeshadow brush - i find this weirdly with the same texture as the concealer brush, only, it's not scratchy at all. completely useless with powder shadows (too many fallouts!) but perfect for cream shadows!

the slanted liner brush is perfect for applying brow powder and lining the upper lid! i cannot stress how much i loveeeee this brush!

1. TRAVEL SET

a. powder brush - soft, great for touch ups, can double as a blush brush.

b. fluid foundation brush - small, better suited as a concealer brush.

c. eyeshadow brush - stiff, great for cream shadows tho.

d. eyeshadow applicator - just a fancy name for sponge applicator.

e. eyebrows and eyelash brush - great for brow grooming, and lash separator.

2. RETRACTABLE POWDER BRUSH - i love that it has a cap, very travel friendly! quite similar to stila's retractable brush, even softer, yet rounder.

3. LARGE POWDER BRUSH - perfect for bronzer application, best used with setting/loose powders

4. FLUID FOUNDATION BRUSH - works best with cream foundations and concealers

5. SLANTED BLUSHER BRUSH - perfect for blush application, even better for contouring

6. POINTED EYESHADOW BRUSH - defines the crease very well

7. CONCEALER BRUSH - scratchy. but i think i just got a bad stock cuz i've read great reviews for this one.

8. EYESHADOW BRUSH very similar in texture to the concealer brush, tho it's not scratchy at all!

9. SLANTED EYELINE & EYEBROWS DOUBLE SIDE BRUSH - LOVE! perfect for grooming brows. I've been using the slanted eye line brush to line my brows and my upper lid

Big Powder Brush vs Retractable Powder Brush

-basically functions the same way, only the big powder brush is fuller, while the retractable powder brush is more travel friendly and hygienic

- maybe bought alternately, as it is very similar. you don't really need both.

FAVORITES

if i were to choose just 3 brushes to recommend and buy, i'd choose the following

1. Fluid Foundation brush - dual use: Cream/liquid Foundation brush and concealer brush! blending prowess is fantastic! can also double as creme blush applicator!

2. slanted blush brush - perfect for contouring, and with a light hand, blush application!

3. slanted eyeline brush - two words: brow grooming.

these are the 3 brushes i use every single day and i love it!

Quick Tip:

do not throw away the plastic packaging. it can be used to store the brushes when not in use, and especially if you have the travel brush, its plastic packaging is perfect for storing ALL the other brushes!

LOVE LOVE LOVE! 4.5 out of 5.

i took points off of the concealer brush which is HORRIBLE!

i love:

- affordable

- soft

- does the designated job and more

- hygienic packaging - each one even comes with a brush guard (except the travel set and the retractable brush)

- does not bleed when washed.

- no hair fall out when washed.

i hate:

- the scratchy concealer brush.

only the concealer brush is crappy.

YAY! finally, i made my forever 21 pilgrimage! it really feels like a pilgrimage cuz you guys know i hate hate hate malls in the QC area. Southern belle speaking. lol

i was kinda disappointed that the ones i wanted from rustan's mac and nars are all out of stock. :( still tho, i'm super happy with my purchases! :D

HAUL #1: FOREVER 21

1. Skimpy shorts

2. Sheer top

3. Floral dress

4. Dress shorts

5. bonnet (?)

1. gotta love the skimpy shorts.. eh? it's the new miniskirt! lol

2. Sheer sleeveless top - can be worn over any top. LOVE!

3. Dress Shorts - depending on the accessories, can go from semi-formal to casual. LOVE. sheer top may be worn inside too!

4. Floral Tube dress.

excuse the messy appearance. no make up. i was dead tired from the shopping and was about to sleep when i took the photos. :D

5. Crocheted bonnet. i didnt get accessories, so i just bought this. :D

HAUL #2: SM DEPARTMENT STORE

2. James Cooper Cream Foundation

3. James Cooper Matte Loose Powder

didn't get the chance to wear 'em pa, but it sure looks promising!

HAUL #3: MANGO

HAUL #4: AQUAZORB

i've wanted to buy aquazorb towels for the gym, but i didnt have time to go to shang. since i was finally there, i decided to get me some aquazorb. i love!

1. Oversized towel w/Breathable pouch - comes free with the huge orange bag, which i'm pretty sure is waterproof.

2. Large WorkOut Towel with breathable pouch

3. Hair Towel.

since it is over a thousand all in all, it came with a free box as well. :D now i gotta take my gym membership seriously. lol

Haul #5 LUSH

1. The Olive Branch hair and body shower gel.

ever since they phased out my sonic death monkey hair and shower gel, i was at a loss, since i loooovveed that stuff! will try this one if imma love it as much as i did my sonic death monkey.

that's all folks. was super tired from all the shopping i did, i literally passed out in my bed. :D

hope you enjoyed my QC malls haul. :D

CK Eternity for Women

i have been a late bloomer when it came to perfumes. i never really bought my own bottle until late last year. most of my perfumes were gifts by family and "ninangs" (godmothers). i prefer buying colognes any day because it was cost effective. hehehe. Eternity was the second perfume ive ever bought for myself.

late last year, i the very first perfume i bought for myself is the Estee Lauder Pleasures. and i was sorta "forced" to buy it, cuz i wanted to get the discounted make up set of Estee Lauder then, and the only perfume that came with a giftset was the pleasures one. i didnt really care much for the scent, i just wanted the free bag. SHH! you can check out the whole loot HERE.

the scent was okay, i guess, floral and all, but i was not gaga with it. three of my closest friends however would always try to steal it from my bag cuz they absolutely adore the scent! to each her own, i guess.

I was introduced to Eternity when last year, my mom gave me the CK Eternity Moment lotion (she kept the perfume for herself.) it was lying around in my room for soo long without getting love from me. then, on a whim, i went to Malaysia late March, and as i was hastily packing, i just grabbed the first lotion i could reach. it turned out to be the Eternity Moment lotion. while in malaysia, i can't get over the scent of the lotion. it was love at first sniff, i guess. :D then completely forgot about it again, cuz i was travelling so much. (Malaysia was the only impromptu trip tho, cuz my other trips were planned waaay ahead of time)

after all the travelling i did, late May, i was finally back home here in Pinas, and i was on a shopping trip with my friend Roxy when we chanced upon the Calvin Klein store in MOA. i went inside and asked for the CK Eternity perfume (i got a bit confused, i thought the lotion i had was eternity and not eternity moment). I instantly fell in love with the Eternity Perfume, tho it was a bit more stronger than the CK Eternity Moment was. I just could not get over how good it smelled! So I made a mental note to grab a bottle soon.

a few days later that was exactly what i did. i got myself my now beloved CK eternity perfume (which i think will be my signature scent.) i loved the scent soo much that i again bought another bottle as "back-up." i never want to ever run out of this stuff, you see.

THE SCENT:

top notes:

citruses, green notes, mandarin orange, freesia, sage

middle notes:

lily, carnation, violet, jasmine, marigold, lily of the valley, rose, narcissus

base notes:

sandalwood, amber, patchouli, musk, heliotrope

*notes description copied from fragrantica.com

i really don't understand the top notes base notes thing, as i am really a perfume noob, but from what i can tell, the first spray would come on a little bit strong, and a tad horrible smelling even, but as the different notes settle and fuse it leaves a very classic, floral, and femine scent. i love love love it.

i think it is best worn during quiet, romantic evening dates as it just gives off that classic, subdued vibe.

despite being introduced in the loud 80's, it's packaging and bottle is very simplistic, sophisticated and elegant, quite like the scent itself.

History:

i did a few "research" work and i found out off of the net *cough* wikipedia *cough* that:

if you are thinking of getting a perfume, this one is highly recommended by me! 10 out of 10 stars!

if you, my lovely readers absolutely have to choose just one perfume to wear all the time what would it be? or have you found the perfect one? i sure wanna know, cuz i feel that me and my Eternity perfume will have a looong and fresh smelling relationship for all of, well, eternity. lol

sidenote:

this is my I'm-too-excited-for-my-forever21-pilgrimage-to-sleep blogpost. bear with me. lol

**photo taken off of google images.

but...

finally this thursday imma be visiting the flagship store with my bestest kikay gal pal, roxy! yay!

i already have a list of the things i wanna get, hopefully i stick to it! :D

1. SUN GLASSES - everyone who's ever met me would know that i am all about the SHADES! lol

2. tops - laid back tanks would be best

3. short shorts - can't get enough of these skimpy shorts! LOVE

4. Dress - optional tho, depending on le budget! lol

5. Accessories - maybe a belt.

*since imma be visiting megamall, might as well hit the dept store for these:

1. James Cooper Cosmetics - not all SM dept store carry the line and ive been hearing really good stuff bout the cream foundie and the setting powder. imma check that out.

2. Parisian Shoes - the ones that figured in the Manila Fashion Week last june. I WANT!

i want the one in the far left and the one third from left! lol

*imma definitely hit up Shangri La na din to get a few essentials

1. the nars mini multiple trio - ive been salivating over these since january pa and i will get it na.

2. MAC Pink Noveau Lipstick - that's been getting buzz na talaga.

haaayyy just thinking about it makes me salivate.. imma be a whole lotta poorer, but hopefully a whole lotta happier too! and ive been saving so show me the cashier! lol

(i'm really a "lists" person so i just gotta make lists ALL the friggin time)

imma check back thurs or fri to show you guys my loot!

**photos stolen via google images. peace! :D

TOP: L-R Aster, Rose Pink

BOTTOM L-R Scarlet, Dusty Mauve

Le Price:

125 pesos per pot.

Le Experience:

i was able to swatch EB's new Mousse Cosmetics while doing some grocery shopping. i fell in love with them right away, so much so that i was making a beeline for the nearest watsons the following day in order to get me the mousse line!

i was not exactly blown away by the mousse blushes at first because i didnt like the way it swatched on my hand, but i figured i could probably use it as a base for my blushes.

let me tell you now that first impressions are not accurate! once i got home, i decided to test out Aster, the one that looks pale pink in the pot. once i blended it on my cheek, i fell right in love! it gives you the right amount of a fresh-faced glow! it is very moisturizing too! The air-whipped consistency is living up to its rep. the mousse itself is very light on the skin. (and that's saying a lot cuz ever since i used airbrush cosmetics, i find that most conventional makeup is heavy on my skin,) with this product tho, i hardly ever felt like i had makeup on.

L-R: Dusty Mauve, Aster, Rose Pink, Scarlet

1. Dusty Mauve - Peach Colored. will give you just the right amount of tinge in your cheeks, without appearing to be blushing, if that makes sense. it will just enhance your features.

2. Aster - Appears to be pale pink on the pot and when swatched, but don't let it fool you! once blended, it gives off the best blush of the four! it's healthy pink. no other way to describe it.

3. Rose Pink - Reddish Pink, tho pink is more dominant. it's a stronger pink than aster, i think this one would be better used on night outs or photo sessions when you want to make a bolder statement with your blush. best paired with a flirty pink lipstick and nude eyes.

4. Scarlet - Reddish Orange - more on the red side tho with just a hint of orange, if that makes sense. this one i would take to the gym to fake that healthy flush that can be achieved thru working the thread mill.

Applied and Blended

L-R Dusty Mauve, Rose Pink, Aster, Scarlet*

*note - scarlet does not look like an ugly muddy-brown color in real life. i guess the lighting of the room clashed horribly with my flash and the distance between the camera and scarlet.

Le Verdict:

4.0 out of 5 Stars

What I like:

I was feeling a little down lately so i decided to amp up my makeup collection! As Samantha Jones would say, "break ups are bad for the heart, but good for the economy." and what better way to bolster up the economy than to buy local brands, right? also, i am gearing up for another asian trip and i prefer to bring fanny serrano cosmetics than my high end ones because i simply don't trust the stevedores and baggage dudes to handle up my fragiles.

These are what i bought:

the boring stuff first

1. contact lens (monthlies)
I originally bought the travel set, pointed eyeshadow brush, and the slanted eyeline and eyebrows double side brush but i left it in Waterfront Lahug in Cebu. :( so I had to re-buy them. within the span of 1 week, i was able to buy most of the ones in watson's. i am just missing the retractable brush which i plan to pick up tomorrow. :D i have the following now (L-R in photos)

1. Travel Set

2. Large Powder Brush

3. Fluid Foundation Brush

4. Slanted Blusher Brush

5. Concealer Brush

6. Pointed Eyeshadow Brush

7. Eyeshadow Brush

8. Slanted Eyeline & Eyebrows Double Side Brush

I will go into detail about this brushes when i do the formal review next! :D

I fell in love with Fanny Serrano Cosmetics since last year, and unlike boyfriends, i have never fallen out of love with FS yet. lol!

1. Two-Way Cake in Rajah - for contour

2. Two-Way Cake in Orleans - to warm up my face, so i don't look too pale.

3. Eyebrow Powder - self-explanatory. lol

4. Two-Way Cake in Organza - my natural shade

5. Two-Way Cake in Silk - for highlight

paired with the FS concealers and used with the Marionnaud brushes, it creates a fantastic no-make up look, yet it covers blemishes, dark spots and under-eye circles!

Top:

1. Mousse Matte Foundation in Hazelnut - with pinkish undertone for under-eye.

2. Mousse Matte Foundation in Acorn - my natural shade

3. Mousse Concealer in Pure Beige - to conceal blemishes.

Bottom:

1. Mousse Blush in Dusty Mauve - a peach colored blush

2. Mousse Blush in Rose Pink - reddish-pink colored blush, more on the pink side tho.

3. Mousse Eyeshadow in Amber - copper-nude mousse shadow (think paintpots)

4. Mousse Blush in Aster - Pink. no other way to describe it. amazing color tho.

5. Mousse Blush in Scarlet - Reddish-Orange blush.

expect swatches, especially of the blushes on my next posts. :D

there you have it. i hoped you enjoyed viewing these as much as i have enjoyed buying them! lol. a truly hope this "inspires" you into looking into the treasures of our local makeup brands. :D