Two Things From Too Faced

For years of being a beauty junkie, I have always heard of the brand Too Faced. It is currently being known for its incredibly cute packaging and having a range of amazing quality beauty products to go with it. People have been raving on Too Faced products left and right that it could get overwhelming to choose which one to get first. I have to admit that the packaging of each product made me want to get every single one because other than me using it on my face, it would work so well as a vanity decoration (they are seriously so cute!).

Since there isn't any physical stores near my place, I browsed through Sephora PH and read about people's experience with each product to help me decide which one I should get and try out. Took me a little while but I decided to get 2 things from there.

Too Faced Chocolate Bar
PHP 2,928

It does smell like chocolate! When I first heard about this product smelling like chocolate, I was a bit skeptical because how could a product actually smell like that? Not gonna lie, I found myself popping this open whenever I see it just to get a whiff of the chocolate scent (Shh!). I do like that they finally included the name of each of the shades on the actual palette rather than having to keep the paper where you'd have to place it back on the palette to figure out each shade's name. It seriously bothered so much people that I'm glad they listened to their customer's requests.

For the actual product, the shades are all neutral which is quite easy to pair up with almost any look that you're going for. The colors are a mix of warm and cool tones, each one looking good with the other that you'll most likely be using every single shade. The pigmentation is good since you won't have to worry on going too overboard when you try to build up the color.

Some personal favorite shades of mine would be "Salted Caramel" because it looks so peachy that it almost looks natural whenever I apply it on my eye lid. "Triple Fudge" looks amazing when I smudge it on my eyeliner on the top and bottom because it makes it look softer around my eyes. I like to add "Marzipan" right in the middle all the time because it makes my eyes look bigger and more awake.

Too Faced Sweethearts Bronzer
PHP 1,618

This bronzer is both a shimmery cool bronzer and a shimmery warm bronzer. You could use either one but mixing them both on your brush really does create that very natural looking flush to your skin which makes it look radiant. I like how this looks subtle on the skin that when someone looks at you, they realize that you did something to your look but can't pinpoint what because of how glowing it makes your face look. The only shade that they do have at the moment is Sweet Tea which I think is the perfect shade for fair skinned people like me.

Unlike the Too Faced Chocolate Bar, this doesn't really have a scent to it other than what I feel how bronzers usually smell like. The packaging is a teal colored heart which I am so obsessed with since it gives my vanity that extra touch of decoration,  although I do feel like it is kinda too bulky for traveling purposes.  The longevity isn't really a problem for me which impressed me considering I live in such a humid place where makeup could practically melt off of your face at any minute. It stayed in tact without me having to retouch it.

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BeautyMNL Shopping Experience + Haul

For the past few months, I haven't had the time to go makeup / skin care shopping because whenever I do head to the mall, it's always to get some clothes or shoes and knowing me, shopping for clothes or shoes is already time consuming. I do get to do a quick walk around the beauty section at times but only manage to get 1 or 2 products, which is fine, though I miss just taking my time and going through everything I could see. 

Thankfully, I can do online shopping at BeautyMNL which saves me a whole lot of hassle from traffic and tight spaces at the mall especially during this time since Christmas is coming. 

If you didn't know, BeautyMNL the number one beauty site in the Philippines. The reason for this is because they are partnered with brands that you may have seen in and out of social media with all the products that are raved by beauty junkies as well as new brands to try out.

So, as you are entering the site, you can see the easy navigation of the website with their promos, top brands, best sellers, new arrivals and a navigation for the specifics like skin care, makeup, organic ones, accessories and so on. The site also has a price selection option which is very helpful if you're in a hurry but on a budget.

What I like best about browsing through their products is the reviews section. People who has bought these products rate and share their experiences on using it. This is very helpful when picking out which shade would look best and where and when is the product recommended to use for. Some lipsticks offer a photo of how each shade would look on different skin tones which is a must since not every shade will look the same for each person.

So for the shopping cart, it's pretty much on the top of the navigation bar which is convenient for when you need to edit out your cart and delete or add more things into it. Once you're done shopping, you can now proceed to checkout. There are different modes of payment that you could choose from like credit card payment or paypal, bank deposit or even a cash on delivery (though I rarely see this one).

So the waiting game begins! This is usually the most annoying part of online shopping since you would have to wait and wonder when will your order arrive. BeautyMNL has a tab where you could track your orders. You would be able to see if the payment has been received, when it's processing and when it's on its way plus an email notification when your order is shipped / with their courier and on its way to your shipping address.

I did my online shopping during December 09, 2016 (Friday), and usually they do next day delivery, but since it's the weekend, my order was delivered December 12, 2016 (Monday) which is pretty much the earliest day they could get it to my place. Pretty convenient and surprising since shipping at my place usually takes 2-3 working days for it to arrive.



A little disclosure, I've been personally handpicked by BeautyMNL to do a test run of their site.

List of the things that I got (Click the name for the direct link and prices to each of the products).

• Skin Genie: Lip and Cheek Stain Alive! in Christmas Red

I saw that these little things are selling like crazy! I was suppose to get 2 of them, the other one was Rosy Pink but it sold out before I even got to check out. I'm just so into Lip and Cheek tints lately that I'm so excited to try this out.

• Leaders InSolution: Derma Soul Anti-Sebum Mask with Pine Oil

Some Filipino and Korean Beauty gurus that I watch on youtube has raved about this face mask so I really wanted to try it out, but the location where you could buy this was way too far from my place so I'm actually happy that I was able to get this here and I got two.

• Beach Born Dry Shampoo

Okay, so to be honest, I'm all out of Dry Shampoo so I definitely needed one since I don't wash my hair every single day. This dry shampoo has been very well reviewed that I decided to try it out. 

• Nippon Pro Blend Sponge Cleaner

Makeup sponges are one of the things that I take so much time on cleaning and hopefully, this'll lessen the time I need to finish it up.

• Dearberry: Twinkle Lip Gloss

I haven't owned a lipgloss since 2013, and that was the year when "matte" was starting to make its way into the trend of lip products, long story short, I just got sucked in, loved matte lipsticks and never got a lip gloss until now. I remember loving how lip glosses looked on me before so I'm really excited to get back into using it again.

• Makeup World: Pucker Up Matte Lipstick in Dublin

I swear I get lured into buying lipsticks all the time. This one, I saw was really cheap and from a brand that I haven't heard of before. Most of the other shades were already sold out, I picked Dublin instead but hey, it still looks pretty.


So those are the items that I got and just so everyone knows, shipping is absolutely free until December 23, 2016! If you plan on doing some last minute Christmas shopping, now's your chance!

Also, if you are a selfie lover like me, BeautyMNL has a contest running for you to win a Printster polaroid of your pretty face and a PHP 200 BeautyMNL gift certificate. All you need to do is join BeautyMNL's #selfieMNL contest! Click here for the complete details.

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Quick FX CC Cream Review

I received this product from Quick FX a few months ago and have been trying to decide what my final verdict for this product was and now that I finally know, I'll be sharing it to you guys. 

Price:

PHP 89 at any Watsons or SM Department Store at their beauty section.

What do I think about it?

So, from the packaging, it claims to color correct which can conceal, hydrate and protect and give a healthy glow on the skin on one application. Their directions for use is on the back and it says: Apply in circular motion blending evenly into skin. Layer for buildable coverage. Wear underneath foundation to minimize the appearance of imperfections, even out skintone, and provide natural luminosity to dull skin. 

Okay, so for me, I tried this as an actual CC cream and just used it on my face for a whole day and I'm not so sure about that because it totally did not last on my skin and made me look greasy. The next day, I tried this the same way, applying it all over my face and then putting a foundation on top. It made me look way cakey and very unnatural. I was starting to dislike it from this part on but then I tried to read the actual product and all I could see was "color correct" (you know the saying, sometimes a pencil is just a pencil, don't overthink it). Then, I used this just on my red or dark spots and blemishes that are way too noticeable, blended it in and then put a foundation above it. With this method, it worked perfectly for me and a plus because the red spots that I had before applying this now gives me a nice healthy glow which is an illusion and I didn't expect from this product.

Do note that this is not a concealer at all but just a color corrector. 

Is it worth the money?

After figuring out what it was meant for is the reason that I think it is definitely worth the money because it's pretty cheap and comes with a resealable pack. You honestly don't have to use much of this product everytime. Just a dot per spot you wanna color correct is enough. This CC cream also has just one shade which is nothing to worry about because it does adapt to every skin type. I used this on my friend and my mom who had different skin tones than I do and it worked amazing for them too. 

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Disclosure: I am in no way payed to say anything about this product, Quick FX just sent it to me to try out because they just recently released it and would like for me to review it. All opinions or statements made were based off on my own experience whilst using the product. 

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The Minimal Makeup

These days, the natural or no makeup-makeup look has been on trend. Why? Because it's easy on the eyes, minimal amount of products used but still brings out your features. Here I will be showing 2 products that helped me achieved that look

Celina Oil Free UV Block SPF 15 Powder Foundation
P200 @theclosetqueen 

Description:
Celina UV Block SPF 15 Oil Free Powder Foundation
(Refill only; doesn't come with puff and mirror)
*For firm, smooth, and bright skin
*With smooth fine texture 
*Contains sunscreen 
*No mixture of oil
*Comes in 3 different shades: No.1 (light), No. 2 (medium - Best Seller!), No. 3 (dark).
Product of Thailand
14 grams
NOW Php200
SMS/Viber 09173931933

Verdict:
Now, I'm not usually a powder foundation lover and always goes for the liquid foundation ones because... no reason really, I just find them easy to blend on my skin. This however, applied like a powder on my face. I was pretty scared at first since I thought that it isn't like a foundation. The coverage is pretty minimal so you would have to rely on a bit of concealer. After using this product for 5 days everyday, I could really see that it does live up to it's name since my face was pretty much oil free throughout the day or atleast 5-6 hours and knowing me, I get oily after an hour or 2 so I was actually surprised by this. 

Terra Cotta Blusher
P280 @theclosetqueen

Description:
LDM Paris Terracotta Blusher
Brightens the face with its silky pearlized finish. Dab on the cheeks, brow bone, nose, whichever part of your face you want to highlight.
10 g
Php280
Text/Viber 09173931933

Verdict:
This really didn't look like a blush to me but a highlighter. So I used this one for that purpose and it does give a good shine to my skin. If you've seen some Korean models who just has this smooth looking shiny skin, this product actually gives an almost identical look to you. It's super easy to apply on your skin and blend. The only con I would have to say about this is that while it does sink into your makeup, it disappears after 3 hours or based on my experience. Still, it isn't hard to reapply some shine since the packaging is travel friendly a.k.a. you can put in inside your purse and whip it out when you need to without worrying of it making a mess. 

Putting a really thin eyeliner and not  natural looking brows with a nude lipstick does complete this whole look and makes anyone's tired looking face look more awake and natural. Not too overdone but not undone, a look that would bring out your natural features up for appreciation. 

And yes, the puffy eyes game is real since I've been binge watching drama all day for 2 days. So if you have any suggestions, leave a comment down below if you know any shows or movies you think I would like.

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Disclosure: These products were sent to me by Miss Malou of theclosetqueen shop on instagram for free but the opinions are based on my own experience for this honest review. 

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lol (Lots Of Love) Cosmetics Eyeshadow Review | 01 Black Betty

Last I reviewed a product from this brand was the bronzing powder. And while I use that quite often, I can't deny that I had high hopes for this one. I picked this up for my Halloween makeup for the Halloween party that me and my brother attended.

Price: P139 ($3.04)

What do I think of this product?
I could say that the colors blue, white & black were very pigmented. However, the gray and silver shades needs more building up if you intend on using them. During application, it does get messy since the powder moves all over the lids so you would want to apply this first before putting on foundation and everything else. This comes with a little applicator that I actually used once but it keeps sucking up all the colors so I don't really use it anymore. If you're into shimmery eyeshadows, all of these are perfect for you except from the black since you can't really see the shimmer in it. You could also easily find this at any Watson's or SM department store branches. They do have other colors to choose from which I kinda regret note taking note of what colors or names they were.

Hearts indicating what colors I used. No eye liner or mascara. Lipstick Nyx Soft Matte Lip cream in Abu Dhabi.

Hearts indicating what colors I used. No eye liner or mascara. Lipstick used: Silky Girl Moisture Rich in Sensual. 

Is it worth the money?
For how cheap it is, yes. If you're looking for a palette that's light or easy to carry around without having to worry reapplying for the whole day or night, then this is your product! Easy to use for beginners or who likes playing with their smokey eyes, just remember to get a separate brush because again, I didn't enjoy using the applicator that much.

I hope that you've found this review useful and if you have any more questions, suggestions or requests, please comment down below and I'll reply to them as soon as I can.

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Chromastix Hair Chalk with Applicator and Intense Review

I picked these up about a month ago for my Halloween costume for the Halloween party that me and my brother attended last October 25, 2015. Now I didn't really have high hopes for this product since I just wanted some crazy colors on my hair that day. I also featured this on my October favorites so if that's not saying anything, I don't know what will, but well, let me try a little more.

Item Description:
The fun, safe, easy and temporary hair color solution! Dip dye and highlight in quick, convenient steps.

Prices:
Chromastix Hair Chalk with Applicator - P149 (3.26 USD)
Chromastix Hair Chalk Intense - P99 (2.17 USD)

What do I think of this product?
Application was very easy. You just spray your hair with water and make sure it's damp but not too too damp. Then, rub the chalk on the damp hair. Then, seal with a hair straightener or curling iron.

The applicator comes with a chalk of its own of course but you only have 2 options which is 1, what I got which is Pink and the other one is purple. The intense pack comes with 6 colors which are red, orange, blue, purple, yellow and pink. 

Using the hair chalk with applicator was actually a little bit difficult because the chalk kept sinking after awhile and just so you know, the intense pack is not a refiller for the applicator so when the chalk on the applicator sinks down, you'll have to remove it and apply manually like how you did using the intense chalks. I have no idea if they do sell actual refillers for these since I haven't seen one just yet. 

Used the pink, purple and blue chalk last Halloween Party.

Really messy application, not just on your hands but on your surroundings too so be careful to not wear or place anything near you that you don't want stained. It would last for awhile. And I really mean it because it has been 6 days at the moment (when I typed this out) and I still have pink and blue hair. These can easily be found at Watson's or SM department store branches although, last time I went which is a few days ago, the intense pack was sold out so you would want to ask for a sales lady or man to assist you or to ask when they'll be restocking whatsoever if you're trying to find it.


Is it worth the money?
I think if you are planning to invest on these, just get the intense pack because the applicator just doesn't work that great and either way you'd make a mess anyway so just go for the quick route. And yes, the intense pack, I highly recommend it to anyone interested on temporarily coloring their hair since like it's name, is very intense and again would last on your hair for awhile. Great for experimenting with colors too if you're planning to dye it that way. Plus, it is quite cheap and it would be impossible for you to use all of them on a single application. 

I hope that this review has been helpful and if you have anymore questions or suggestions, leave a comment down below and I'll reply as soon as I can. And I'm curious, what were you dressed up as last Halloween?

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lol (Lots Of Love) Cosmetics Bronzing Powder Review

To be honest, I haven't heard about this brand too much and when I saw their makeup stall at SM Department store, I noticed that all of their prices are pretty cheap so I picked one up which is this bronzing powder. I love contouring my face using a bronzer for an everyday look so let's see how I like this.

Price: 

P139 ($2.96 USD) at any SM Department store or Watsons

What do I think of this product?

I am still in a current love-hate relationship with this bronzer because it is so subtle that I really do need to build it up to see decent results. Although, for how oily my face is, I'm surprised that this lasted me about 4-5 hours during a hot weather for how cheap it is. I didn't experience any breakouts and the product is easily blendable. I'm not sure if this will be a problem or not, but they only have 2 colors for this bronzer and what I have is the matte bronzer in the shade 02 Brown Sugar and the other one is a shimmery bronzer which I am guessing is the 01.

Applied it below my cheekbones and a little on the sides of my forehead.

Is It worth the money?

I am positively sure that it is, I think that I made a lucky 1st purchase for this brand or this brand really is great, I would really be trying out more of their products since I think that it is promising. I highly recommend this for anyone who is just starting to use makeup and looking for cheap products to buy and use.

I hope that this has helped you if you are looking into getting this product and comment down below if you have any more questions or suggestions on what product you think I'll like. I'll try to reply to them as soon as I see them.

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5 Beauty Brands That I Wish Were In Philippines.

It is quite frustrating when you follow all these amazing makeup artist, beauty junkies / enthusiast and gurus all around the world and then you see a specific product that they use that aren't available anywhere near the place you live. Finding a legit seller online for these products are what I think is the hardest, the reason is, its more expensive than the usual price or what you would expect if it ever came to the Philippines. It's pretty crazy and you just know that you'd have to deal with those things all over again just to get a product or two that you really wanna have. Dedication, I applaud all of us for having the patience for beauty.

So these are the beauty stores that I really wish would open here in the Philippines: 
Disclaimer: Logo Images aren't mine, found them on google.

1. Urban Decay

When I was starting out with makeup and watching all these beauty gurus play around with their looks, I have always seen these NAKED palettes, foundation, etc. And this was years ago, until now, I do not own a single urban decay product because I really do wanna see them in person, swatch and match my color, or just to simply stroll by (their products are also a pretty sight).

2. Soap And Glory

Not gonna lie, I was first attracted to these products because of it's packaging. And then after awhile, I just kept hearing all the recommendations and reviews about all sorts of products from this brand. And if what I heard is true, this brand is considered to be on the drugstore range, so I'm guessing if it would open here in the Philippines, a lot of us would surely invest / try out as much as we can.

3. Rimmel London

I'm pretty jealous that this brand is so well-known + its also a drugstore. The quality, the packaging and the actual product are what I love about this brand. Knowing how affordable their products are, beauty junkies like me would most likely be happy if they finally decided to open one here since seeing how many people are already buying as much as they can from online sellers from this brand, its no doubt that this would be quite a hit in the Philippines.

4. Bath & Body Works

I often see this around youtube, their products are so cool that I tend to get upset that I realize it is available nowhere near from where I live. 

5. Kat Von D

The first product that I seen on youtube under this brand is the Shade + light palette, I know I'm kinda late on actually knowing this brand but after having to deal with not having most of the brands available in our country, I try to stay away / not listen to unfamiliar names but seriously, I just wanted that palette so much that I was pretty bummed when I knew they didn't have it in the Philippines. And is it just me or whenever I get curious about a brand, its when I see all these products that I wanna get my hands on? And it isn't just 1 or 2 products, it's a handful.

Runner ups - It is pretty hard to narrow it all down, but I definitely wanna see these brands hitting the stores in the Philippines too!
♥ Too Faced
♥ Lorac
♥ Tarte 

So what do you guys think? What brands do you want to open in the Philippines? Leave a comment down below and hopefully, these brands would answer our prayers and also make our beauty journey easier.

Also, I'm currently searching for some online beauty stores in the Philippines. I already found some but would love to have more options, so if you guys know any, do leave a comment down below. 

Thanks for reading and until the next blog!

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