REVIEW: BEN NYE BANANA LUXURY POWDER (Is it really worth the hype?)

Hi everyone!

I'm back with another review and today. I am reviewing the much hyped product from Ben Nye. I have first heard of this from Goss Makeup Artist and I have read that this was used by Kim Kardashian herself. My Say Tioco raved about this as well and the news spread like wild fire!Everybody wants to get one ( me included!). Before, it was a little difficult to buy online shops that carry them and stocks get sold out super fast. It is a good thing though, that recently, more and more online shops carry them and the price is getting lower as well.  I finally got hold of this product about a month ago and I really wanted to try it out and see for myself whether it is really worth all the hype. So, if you want to know what I think, please read on....

Product name:  BEN NYE BANANA LUXURY POWDER

PRICE : P950 (approx US$23)

BROUGHT FROM: Sumwear Co

What it says on their website:

Ingredients: 

CONTAINER:

It came in a shake bottle. The holes were kind of large and it dispenses more product than I need so I covered all of them  with a sticky tape except the one in the middle for better control.

SWATCHES:

As it says on the website, the powder is very finely milled and my skin felt so smooth when I applied it. 

TEST DRIVE:

Me, with a layer of liquid foundation. 

It smoothened my skin and minimized my pores without adding any color. It gives a matte finish.

Instead of a brush, I used a sponge to dab the powder over my foundation to really seal it in.

Me, with complete makeup on.

LASTING POWER: 

I traveled by jeepney and was out under the sun. It was so hot that day.

Me, after 7 hours without any retouching. My T-zone and forehead is already oily and my pores had become visible.

MY THOUGHTS:

Packaging: 

The packaging is a little bulky and  the holes are too big that I tend to dispense more product than I need. I have to transfer the powder in another container so that I do not have to bring the whole bottle when I travel.

Formulation:

When applied, my skin felt super smooth and is able to hide/minimize my pores and lines. It gives a matte finish and to me, it does not give much of a  color but does give a minimal white cast. Whenever I use this, I also apply some on my neck.  

It does not have any strong odor.

Tip: Instead of a powder brush, apply the powder using a sponge then blend it afterwards. This will make your makeup last longer. 

Lasting power:

On me, it lasted 4-5 hours under humid and hot weather without any setting spray or retouching. 

Affordability:

To be honest,it is quite expensive for a powder, but then you will get a huge bottle which even if you use it everyday, it will last you for month. As you can see in the ingredients, it contains Oriza Sative or Rice Starch and Corn Starch which are the same ingredients found in a baby powder. I hav a DIY loose setting powder made from Cornstarch mixed with baby powder and aside from the grainy feel of the DIY powder, the finish is quite the same but the banana powder lasted a little bit longer.

If I have to compare it with the Palagantong Powder, the main difference is the color. If I use the Palgantong powder, it has more of a pinkish color while the banana powder has  yellow, so in pictures,I look fairer when I use the Palgantong powder. I will try to make  a comparison review on both products to really see which is better. 

All in all, I am glad that I was able to get my hands on this powder. It does set my makeup well and lasts  a decent amount of time. I recommend this to people who are working in places where they meet a lot of people and have no time to retouch their makeup. This is also good for makeup artist since it will your clints skin look so pretty in pictures. As an  online tutor,  (if you have the budget) I really recommend this because your face will look flawless on webcam. 

It really depends on you whether you are willing to shell P800-P1000. I say, if you have the money, then  it is okay but if it is not within your budget, it is not really that necessary. 

I hope you find this review helpful and let me know what you think on the comment section below!

Thank you for reading post! Take care!

-maia

REVIEW: 177 COLOR PALETTE from Miss Bella Ph

Hi everyone!!

Are you a fan of eyeshadows? What colors do you tend to buy? In my case, I tend to pick purples and greens usually. For today's review, I am reviewing a palette that I bought almost a month and a half ago. Before, I was not a fan of huge palettes because I thought, they are just too bulky and I would not be able to use all the colors. However, since I started doing Youtube videos, I feel that I need to have a lot of eyeshadows to choose from when I do makeup videos. I wanted to have a lot of eyeshadows without spending an arm and a leg. I have some issues and concerns though. I mean, are they really worth it? Are the colors pigmented? I might be allergic to them...and so on... So, if you are interested to know what I think, read on ... :)

Product name: 177 Color Palette
Bought from: Miss Bella PH
Price: P1200 (approx US$30)

It is a black "bag" that when opened, contains 177 eyeshadows.

One of the screws broke..it was actually my fault because it fell, but other than that, I have no problem with the container. The sides have magnets, so they stick together.

What it contains:

42 Matte Neutral Eyeshadows
42 Shimmery Neutral Eyeshadows
1 Contour powder
2 Highlight powder
1 Mirror
2 Sponger
6 Eyeshadow sponges
48 Shimmery Colorful Eyeshadows
49 Matte Colorful Eyeshadows

CLOSER LOOK:

Ingredients:

MY THOUGHTS:


Let us start with the ingredients, as you can see, they contain TALC and MICA which can cause allergies to others, so just be careful. :) It also contains parabens which they say is bad for our health. However, further studies are needed to support that theory so unless you digest it or it gets absorbed in your blood or something, I think we're all good.

One thing that caught my eye is the container because it is very handy and adorable. Its like a black bag that when you open, you will see loads of eyeshadows and it comes with a mirror as well. It is like bringing you own vanity.

As for the color and pigmentation, I really have no complaints. I have used them in most of my tutorials and I have no problems in blending them.  I expected them to be powdery as well, but most of the colors weren't too powdery and had minimal fall off(is it the correct term?). Do I need to say more about the color selection?I mean, I see countless color combination and makeup looks everytime I look at this palette. It's incredible!

The contour powder is okay as well. When I saw it, I was like, hell no, this won't work. But, it did, I use it to contour my nose and my cheeks as well. The two lighter powders, I have no idea what to use them for. One is too white and the other is too yellow for me.

Sadly, this palette is not all perfect. When I first receive it, it has like a "toxic" smell that I do not understand. Maybe it is from the glue of the container? I don't know..I contacted Miss Bella and returned it and they gladly sent me another one. The new, do have a slight smell still, but it is okay. The smell is not overwhelming or anything,its just there. :)  But, if you are someone who is suppperrr sensitive to smell, then just be aware that it does have a smell.

So, will I recommend this? Hmmm... if you are a makeup artist or someone who really needs a lot of eyeshadows, then yes, definitely. But, if you are new to makeup, I really suggest that you start with a smaller palette and see how it goes because you might end up with something you will never use.

All in all, I love this product and I am happy that I have purchased it. No regrets so far!

You might want to checkout my videos where I have used this product:

So what do you think of my post? Yay or nay? What is your favorite eyeshadow palette? Do you like neutrals?or colorful shadows? Please share on the comments below!!