REVIEW: SAN SAN MATTE FINISH LIQUID FOUNDATION

HELLO EVERYONE!!

I have been trying out foundations from local brands here in the Philippines but so far only two has stood out. One is a cake foundation from Pinkies Collection and the San San Matte Finish Liquid Foundation. However, there is no Pinkies Collection here in Iloilo so I was not able to repurchase one. HBC can be found in almost all department stores here. I have been reading a lot of reviews about this foundation for a long time and there were some who liked it and some who don't. If you have seen my videos, you will see that I have been using this foundation and I guess, it is about time that I do a review on it, so here it goes:

PRODUCT INFO:

NAME: SAN SAN MATTE FINISH LIQUID FOUNDATION

SHADE: #3 (Shades are available from 1-4)

PRICE: P132.00  (US$ 2-3)

AMOUNT: 30ML

WHERE TO BUY: HBC STORES

It comes in a glass bottle with a blue twistable cap.

INGREDIENTS:

 The cap is attached to a small spatula so that it will be easier to scrape the product inside.

The formula is quite liquidy but thick.

This is how it looks like when blended and with flash. Quite scary!!

When blended, without flash.

 Me: 

Problem areas:

-Uneven skintone

- Dull skin

-some scarring from my pimples

Skin type:

Normal to Dry skin

I applied some on the right side of my face first. The formula itself is quite liquidy so I have to use a lot of product to cover my whole face. It smells like coconut.

I used  my Beauty Cosmetics Flat Top brush to blend the product. It was not difficult to blend since the formula is not thick and does not dry easily. As you can see, it did brighten my face and evened out my skintone. It also felt a little oily and I can really feel that I have product on my face.

 As you can see, though it claimed to give a matte finish, it is NOT matte. It gives a very dewy finish.

I dont like the finish so I always set it with a setting powder. Here I used  a small amount Bench loose powder and dusted it on my face using a  large powder brush.

 As you cans see, it looks way better when set with powder and  has no white cast.

It does not cover my large pores though.

My overall thoughts:

Packaging:

It does not come in cheap looking bottle so it is a plus, however I would have preferred a pump bottle for hygienic purposes.

Affordability/availability:

HBC stores can be found almost anywhere in the Philippines but shade 3 which is my shade gets sold out a lot so I usually buy two or three at a time. It is quite cheap!

Formulation:

Though it says it is a matte finish foundation, it is NOT a matte finish foundation! It is oily and has to be set with powder. It is easy to blend though and I could say that it gives a light to medium coverage depending on your skin condition. However, a bottle will only last me for 1-2 months since I use it at least 5 times a week since I have to use quite a lot of product. 

Lasting power:

It does last on my normal to dry skin type.
If used with primer/ setting spray, it can last up to 6 to 8 hours without retouching and I kind of notice that my t-zone is not that oily. Without primer/setting spray and just setting powder, the product itself is still there but  I  do notice that my T-zone becomes shiny after about 4 hours (of course it depends on the weather) so I have to retouch with a light dust of powder or blot with an oil control film.

Color Range:

With only four shades, I was quite lucky that it matches my skintone. They should have more colors to suit a lot of women. But, since it is quite cheap, you can buy two and just mix to get your desired shade.

What I like:

-Cheap

-No pungent smell

-matches my skintone

- has little to no white cast 

-blendable and offers good coverage

- good for those with dry skin

-did not irritate my skin or gave me breakouts

What others may not like:

- You have to use a lot of product so you might be repurchasing again after 1 to 2 months

-The spatula is not hygienic.

-Gives a dewy finish so you have to use a setting powder 

-might not be good for those with oily skin

Recommendations:

-Make sure to set with powder.

- Use a small amount first then blend. Continue layering the product until you get the desired result.

- Use a sponge to apply your setting powder then brush the excess using your powder brush. This will make your setting powder stick better to your skin.
- Since it is summer and the product can be quite oily, I mix it my water-based moisturizer and I feel that it makes my foundation less oily but the coverage is still there and I do not have to use a lot of setting powder to set it. 

  Though I have used other foundations in the past, I still keep on coming back to this. I have been using this on and off for more than a year now and I love it. It is quite cheap so I don't feel bad about using it on a daily basis.

Here is my before and after picture: 

DIY: SPICE UP YOUR BORING HEADBANDS!

Hey guys!! I have another super easy DIY for you! This is great for spring and/or summer. 

What you need:

Any type of beads you want. I used colorful wooden beads. 

1. Using a glue gun, heat it up and apply an ample amount on the top of your headband.
2.While the glue is hot, stick your bead. Repeat the step until you reach the end of your headband.
3.Use your scissors to remove the excess glue.

Review: MEMEME Beat the blues in Sunbeam

 Hello everyone!!

It is summer in the Philippines and I  this is time to look glowy, dewy and bronz-y! To be honest, I was never into those looks because I already have dark skin and I was never a fan of the dew-y look. However, I got this product as a prize (along with others) from Ana Victorino's raffle. I was kind of hesitant to try this at first because like what i have said,I am not sure as to how I will look with this on and I have no idea how to use this as well. But of course, the beauty /makeup junkie that I am gave in and tried this product.

NAME:  MEMEME Beat the blues in Sunbeam

PRICE: P380 (got mine for free)

Seller: here

Amount: 12ml

It came in a small container that looks like a nailpolish container.

Even the applicator looks like a nailpolish applicator.

 What it says:

How it looks on my skin:

With highlighter on my cheeks and bridge of the nose: (I look scary in this picture )

Without flash: 

It looks subtle and personally, I thought it will make me look oily but fortunately, it did not.

With flash:

Okay, Im on the bridge here, do I kind of look oily? I think, I might have applied too much?

So here's another look :)

With flash:

 I kind of look super glowy in this pic. I like it though, especially if used with a contour powder. It gives a nice glow and add more dimension to the face. Notice how I did not put any on my nose bridge? I figured it look better that way. I do have a large nose and I think it is better not to highlight that part. The hand behind me belongs to my dad btw.

Without flash:

I also used mixed the product with my foundation. I used it with my Maybelline Clear Smooth Aqua Gel Foundation which has a matte finish.

It did not dramatically change the cover of the foundation but I like how it brightened my skin. The foundation itself has a matte and light to medium coverage.

I actually thought i will look like a glowing greaseball but I did not. I like the finish. It gave me a subtle overall glow.

My overall thoughts:

Packaging: 

The packaging is nice and simple. Though it is not so hygienic since you have to dip the wand over again but I have had no breakouts so far so it all good.

Formulation:

It is okay. It works well and a little goes a long way. It does not have any unpleasant smell as well. Since it is a liquid highlighter, I find that it lasted on me for about 4-5 hours.

Availability/Affordability:

Well, it is a little difficult to find this product in the Philippines but there is a growing number of online sellers in Facebook that carries MeMeMe products. The price for me is okay. It is less than 500 pesos which is way cheaper than the Benefit ones.

Recommendation:

-Apply a little amount first then slowly build it up. Too much product will make you look oily.

-Apply to areas that you want to highlight such as your brow bone, cupid's bow, bridge of the nose and highest points of your cheeks.

-Add a little amount to your matte foundation for that subtle glow.

- Apply bronzer, then blush then highlighter. 

-It is best to use a matte foundation when using this product or be sure to set your foundation with a setting powder before using this.

I certainly recommend this product especially to those who have dry skin like me!! If you have oily skin, be sure to use a matte foundation and set it with a mattifying powder so that you will not end up looking like a greaseball. 

So what are your thoughts about using highlighters?

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GRADUATION MAKEUP FOR BROWN EYES

Hello everyone!

Graduation season is here again in the Philippines and though I have graduated not too many years ago, I would like to share a tutorial on how to look pretty on this special occasion.

I decided to do a simple eye look with a pop of purple on the lower waterline. Purple looks great on any eye color but especially on brown eyes. I did not want to make a super smokey eye look since this is a graduation and mostly it will be in daytime. I wanted to do something that is easy to recreate. I used a peachy coral blush paired with coral lips to brighten up the look and give it a summer-y vibe. :)

Product list: 

Light beige eyeshadow: WetnWild Palette in I love Matte
NYC Bronzer in Sunny
Dark Mettalic Brown:Careline Tweenies Palette (I'm not sure about the name anymore, :(
Purple Eyeliner: Eye Pearl Liner by Nature Republic
Matte Purple Eyeshadow: Dollface 88 Palette
Avon SuperExtend Extreme Mascara
San San Cheek Blusher in Mocha Blush
Pink Lipliner from Loreal
Avon ColorBliss Lipstick in Fresh Melon

REVIEW: SuperExtend Extreme Mascara by AVON

 Hello everyone!!

I have been using my Maybelline mascara  for more than 2 months now and though I like it, I feel like I need to try another mascara. Maybelline mascaras can be too wet for me and I for one do not like wet formulas. Aside from that,  I always replace my mascara at most every 3 to 4 months because I am prone to sore eyes (I don't know why!) and I often have them like once or twice a year and believe me, it sucks!! Anyway, back to our topic, I went to the AVON store last week and I looked for their Supershock mascara which is to me, one of the best mascara ever, but unfortunately it was out of stock so I had to get a different one. The one I got was the Superextend Extreme Mascara and it claims to lengthen the eyelashes. I have used the normal Superextend one and I did not like it that much but since this new one was on sale, I decided to give it a try.

Name: Avon Superextend Extreme Mascara
Price: P499.00 (got it on sale for P250)
Weight: 7g
Ingredients:

Instructions:

Brush:

The brush is okay with me. It is not too big and it does deposit the product well. However, I think it does not separate my lashes that much.

My lashes without mascara:

 I already have curly lashes but they are quite thin and short so I need a mascara that can lengthen and volumize my poor lashes.

With one coat:

 With one coat, my lashes looked longer and thicker. It is not clumpy and it looks natural.

Two coats:

 I actually prefer using just one coat because since the formula is quite dry, it has a tendency to make the lashes clumpy. 

As I've said, I don't like how my lashes look if I apply 2 coats of the mascara because it tends to make it clumpy and weighs down my lashes.

My thoughts:

Packaging:

The packaging is quite sleek and I like that it colored yellow, so it is easy for me to find it in my drawer or inside my bag.

Affordability/Availability:

The original price is quite expensive for me but I got it for 250 pesos (US$5) since it was on sale so I would say it was not that bad. Avon ladies can be found almost anywhere so it isn't hard to find.

Formula:

I don't like mascaras that are too wet so I actually like the formula of this one since it dries fast and I don't have to worry about ruining my eye makeup. However, since it dries fast, applying more coats than needed tends to make my lashes clump together so I really have work fast when applying the product.

As for its lengthening effect, I could say that it does lengthen my lashes a bit but for me, it does not give that "wow" effect.

Brush:

The brush is okay. I like that it is not too big so I can really apply the product on both my upper and lower lashes. 

Staying power:

This mascara do stay on and does not smudge. I once cried while watching a movie and I was wearing this mascara. I was worried that I might look like a raccoon but surprisingly, I did not. As long you don't rub your eyes, you won't a lot of smudging.  It is easy to remove. (I just use a wet tissue.) They do have a waterproof version of this but I have not tried it yet. 

What I like:

• Affordable if you got it on sale
• Lengthens and give volume
• does not have any unpleasant smell
• easy to remove but does smudge too much when it got wet
• the brush is easy to use and applies the product well
• product dries quickly so it will not ruin your eye makeup

Issues other people might have:

• Those who have really short eyelashes might find this lacking
• It is quite expensive if not on sale
• eyelashes can be clumpy if applied too much

Recommended for:

• Those who have normal to long eyelashes

Overall Thoughts:

I like it, I am not too picky on mascaras and this is great for everyday use.  I can use this especially when I have dramatic eye makeup and I don't want it to be ruined.

Would I repurchase:
If the Supershock mascara is still out of stock, then I will definitely buy this one again.

**I really need to get my hands on that Supershock mascara....

So how about you? What is your favorite mascara?