Oct 20, 2013

Review and Swatches: Avon Ultra Color Rich Lipsticks

Hi everyone!

If you have read my previous posts, you might know that I am more of an eye shadow person than lipstick or blush. I just think that they all look the same and I was very intimidated with bright colored lipsticks. I was more into nudes and MLBBs. This year, my goal is to expand my lipstick collection and I do have quite a few already. So I was really happy when I became one of Avon's blogger council member because I got to try some of their products! 
And today,I am reviewing  one of their best sellers, which is the Ultra Color Rich Lipstick line. This is looonng overdue! I was not able to find my memory card but good thing I was able to find it.

Name: Ultra Color Rich Lipstick

Description from the website:
Exclusive Chromapixel Technology blends chromatic pigments with color-matched magnifiers to intesity, highlight and reflect each shade's true color for mega definition, mega depth, and mega drama.

Shades: Tangerine Tango, Berry Bright, Hibiscus, Knockout Pink

Price: P375 (approx US$ 9)(got them for free from an event)

Link:  here


Ingredients:
Here you go..read carefully...this is for those who claim that Avon lipsticks contain lead. As you can see, NO lead content whatsoever....

Anyway, here are the swatches :)


Tangerine Tango:
When I first saw this in the brochure, this immediately caught my eye. I prefer orangey-peachy colors to reds and pinks so I thought I will get this one. This it is such a pretty intense color. For me, it is like a vintage orange color. I find this difficult to pull off actually. But it looks nice on most skin colors. Sometimes, I just use my fingers to dab the color all over my lips for a nice stained look.

Hibiscus
This is a pretty light pink color with a mauve undertone. I saw this first on Say Tioco and she looked divine! I  think this color looks best on light skinned girls.

Berry Bright
Berry bright, as the name says, is a berry pink color. It is quite pigmented and on the tube it looks  just a bit darker than hibiscus. The color is very nice and would compliment any skin tone.

Knockout Pink
When I looked at the tube, I was like.."this aint pink..it's brown!". But when swatched, it does look pink with a dark fuschia undertone. On me, this looks like my-lips-but-better. I think this color will show up better on fair-skinned girls as well. Of the four that I got, this one for me is great for everyday.

Thoughts:

Packaging:
The packaging is okay. They came in a standard black tube with a metal band in the middle. The top of the tube is clear but for me, it does not make much of a difference because the lip product is not high enough for me to see which color is it.

Formulation:
As you can see from my swatches above, they are not matte so they don't settle on the lines of my lips easily. They glide on easily and feels smooth and creamy but not too much. Except for Tangerine Tango, they are quite moisturizing too. The colors are quite pigmented so one swipe is okay. For the smell, they smell sweet but it's light so it's not something that I really notice when I put them on.  However, it is best to keep them in room temperature or a little colder since they have a tendency to melt or maybe it was just mine because my vanity used to in front of a window.   

Lasting Power
On me, they lasted about 3-4 hours before fading depending on whether I eat or not. They do leave a nice stain (especially Tangerine Tango) so they don't get erased completely. 

Price
For P375,(one mone to pay!) it is very affordable. Avon ladies are everywhere (in the Philippines, I guess) so it is not difficult to find them. Sometimes, Avon have sales where you can get the lipsticks for less, so better be on the lookout. :)



Overall Thoughts:

What I like:
-affordable
-great color range
-pigmented
-moisturizing
-no strong odor
-feels smooth and glides on easily

Some issues:
-would be nice if it lasts longer 

Do I recommend them?
Heck yes! They are quite a steal!! I will definitely buy more colors when I go back to the Philippines. :)

So what are your favorite lipsticks? Have you tried Avon lipsticks? Do share your thoughts!!!

Links:

Thank you for reading my post!
Take care!

-maia

Disclaimer:
I did get these products for me but my thoughts and opinion are my own and not in anyway biased. :)










Oct 15, 2013

Product Highlight: SUESH INDIVIDUAL EYESHADOWS

Hi everyone!


Are you a fan of eyeshadows? I for one is suuppperrr addicted! I am not a lipstick person nor a blush person but I am an " eyeshadow" person..if there is one! I just feel like one can never have too much eyeshadows..hahaha.. Back in college, I've been known to wear green and purple eyeshadows in school. When I was in Manila, I went to Suesh in Market!Market! just to browse around and see what's inside the store. I saw that they are also selling invidual eyeshadows and of course being an "eyeshadow" addict that I am, I immediately bought the shades that I really liked.

Product Info:
*Individual eye shadow
Price: P90 each ( approx US $2.09)
Bought from: Suesh located at Market Market!

Here are the shades that I bought:
Shade: 62
This is my sister's favorite among the three and I can easily see why. It is a dark pink with shimmer. I picked this one because I do not have this shade and I think this will look good on my most skin colors.

Shade: E010
This one is kind of a boring color but definitely a staple. A light beige shade like this is a good all-over-the-eyelid  color or can be used as a highlighter under the brows. 

Shade: E011
This one is just a matte orange color. I currently do not have something like this in my collection and I figured that this will look good as a crease color. I have not used this a lot yet....but I do plan to use this in a tutorial. I also think this will look good on top of an orange lipstick to make that lipstick matte. :)

All in all, the eyes hadows are good quality. They have very minimal fall out and quite pigmented. I also like the fact that they aren't too powdery and quite compact. My sister and I have tried these shadows and they last long on the lids and has very minimal creasing even without a primer. 






 They are packaged individually and you can buy empty palettes there as well.  As for me, I only bought three and I think the plastic "container" that it came with is durable enough. 

I will definitely buy more from there store once I get back to Manila and I highly recommend this to those who are looking for good quality yet not so pricey eye shadows. :)

Anyway, here is a video of my haul with my twin sister.  I have not uploaded a video recently because I was a little busy but I did buy quite a number of stuff  and I'm quite excited to make tutorial and more reviews soon!

Here is another eyeshadow review that you might want to check out:



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How about you? What eyeshadow color do you like? Please do share below!
Take care!

-maia




Oct 9, 2013

Outfit of the day: Lace N Preppy

Hi everyone!

I remember asking my hubby about clothes to bring here in New Zealand and he told me that it is spring time when I arrive so I don't need to bring thick clothes. So of course I believed him! And how wrong I was! My gosh...sooo cold! Though the sun is shining, it is very windy and the wind is ICY cold! 

 Collared blouse: boutique in the Philippines


The flowers were given to me by my hubby's client.

wedge booties from Hannahs
Skinny jeans from the Philippines
Blue and white shoulder bag: gift from a friend

I have always wanted to wear collared shirts over sweaters but in the Philippines, it is a little impossible because I'd be drenched in sweat after a few hours.hahha.

Anyway, that's it for my quick outfit post!
Have a great day!





Oct 2, 2013

Beauty Bullets from Avon's Anew Skin Care Expert Agoo Bengzon

Hi everyone!!

Technology has indeed made our lives easier and in my case, I did not have to travel several miles from New Zealand to the  Philippines for me to attend a skin care talk with Avon's Anew Skin Care Expert. Ms. Agoo Bengzon. I was able to participate and ask questions in the comforts of my room while sipping hot tea! Last Friday, Ms Bengzon gave a talk via live chat and answered some of women's (and men's)skin care questions and because I am such a good listener (naks!), here are some of the skin care tips that I have learned from Ms Agoo!


  • Think of skin care as your "me" time, much like a spa treatment. Remember: YOU deserve it, so take your time!
  • For pregnant women, make sure to use SPF because you're more prone to pigmentation.
  • Apply sunscreen/spf BEFORE makeup. 
  • When choosing SPF lotion/cream, look for those with SPF 30 or higher.
  • Your neck needs love too! So make sure to include it during your skin care routine.
  • When choosing skin products, look for those with antioxidants, retinol and vitamin C.
  • Taking vitamin supplements can speed up the effect of your skin care products.
  • Puffy eyes? Stay away from caffeine and salty food because they can cause water retention. Rule of thumb: drink 2 glasses of water for every 1 cup of coffee!
  • Tip for applying eyecream: Eyecreams are absorbed upwards so instead of directly applying it on your eyebags, apply it below your eyebags to ensure that it will reach your undereye area and not your eyes! And oh! Don't forget to use your pinky fingers for lighter application. :)
  • Getting confused with your skin care routine? Apply lighter products first since they are easily absorbed by the skin. Example: serum->light moisturizer->heavy cream.
  • Truth alert: It is almost impossible to shrink your pores! They are there to stay baby! However, you can use clarifying cleansers and exfoliate at least once a week to remove dirt and oil since they are the reason why your pores look more visible.
  • For men, it is better to use gel-based products since their skin tend to be oilier than women. (This also applies to those with oily skin)
  • When exfoliating, be easy on the cheek and concentrate more on the T-zone area.

Soooo that was it guys! I hope you learn a thing or two! Thank you to Ms Agoo Bengzon for sharing her knowledge and to Avon PH for  having this kind of event.

Please follow me on Instagram: maerose20
Follow Ms Agoo Bengzon too! IG name: agoo_b
Avon Ph: avonph

Thank you for reading my post! I would love to read your thoughts and comments! Tell me what you think!

Take care!

-maia