The ABH Soft Glam Paletteย has 14 shades composed of matte and metallic finishes. The colors looked to complementing and wearable not just for my own skin tone but also for everyone. As a fan of Anastasia products, I knew I couldn’t let this palette pass me by. Also, I got curious at Anastasia’s latest Highlighter collab with Amrezy, so I tried it in-store and I was really amazed by it.
Soft Glam Eyeshadow Palette ($42) – This palette is something that I’ve been anticipating from Anastasia. I wasn’t much of a fan of the Subculture Palette. I thought the colors looked so unworldly, LOL. But, I’m a big fan of the Modern Renaissance. Anyway, enter the Soft Glam Eyeshadow Palette. My first impression of this is really positive, and I love how the colors looked well-curated. Not too crazy on reds, pinks, coppers, and rusts, but geared towards everyday neutrals and earthy colors that are more in tune with most skin tones. Each color’s texture is very soft and smooth, almost buttery and the pigment is superb. They are also pretty easy to blend and you can pack the colors on the lids for a more defined look. The glittery shades feel very soft as well, and never rough nor scratchy. The colors are something you would want to wear every day and application-wise, I haven’t noticed any fallouts. I find that the buttery smooth and velvety colors adhere well on the lids with or without any eyelid primer. The colors stayed on my lids for about 6 hours, yet they do crease a bit after that, but maybe that’s because I tend to have oily lids, but overall, this particular eyeshadow palette is still very reliable and it never smudges on me. Also, I love the dual-ended brush that came with this palette. It’s great for applying colors and it blends them well on the lids. The brush can contour very well and it feels really soft. I even like it better than the Urban Decay Naked Palette brushes. Another thing I love about this palette is its velvety yellow mustard packaging that feels really good to the touch and allows for a good grip.
Amrezy Highlighter (0.31 oz: $28) – This is the highlighter made in collaboration with Amrezy, which is currently making a huge buzz right now, and there’s definitely a reason why. When I first swiped my fingers on this highlighter, I was really impressed by its light gold shimmer. It felt so soft and smooth and it looked really pigmented. But when I applied it to my cheekbones, it didn’t really show much. I got a bit disappointed because the color of this highlighter actually seems to be too close to my light-medium skintone, and it didn’t seem to be as pigmented as I expected it to be. It is definitely quite soft, so its effect is very subtle and very natural upon application, kind of like one of those Dior Nuder Air Luminizers (reviewed HERE). The problem is, I like my highlighters to be quite pigmented, and this isn’t quite that. Since this can be applied wet or dry, I tried to apply it using a wet dense brush and it works much better. I do recommend that you apply this highlighter dry if you want a soft natural finish, but apply this wet if you want an all-out glow.
Don’t these new ABH products appeal to you? Are you a big Anastasia fan?
What’s Up! Before the month of May hits, let’s talk about this month’s Sephora Play! Finally, after some product misses with my previous Play! boxes, it looks like here’s one box with some very interesting stuff in it. This month’s theme is called “Insta Beauty” the kind of products that will give you that selfie-ready face. So ready to check out what I got for this April?
Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Perfector Skin Tint Foundation SPF 25 in shade #08 (1.01 oz: $36) – I’ve tried this in-store before and I really love the consistency. It has a lightweight, kind of sheer but buildable texture, and it feels breathable on the skin, at least when I swatched it. I don’t really know why I didn’t purchase one on the spot, I must have have been distracted at that time, but I was so excited when I saw this mini inside my Sephora Play box this month. However, Sephora sent me the wrong color, which looks too dark for my skin tone, and obviously, I couldn’t wear it, but I really love how it feels on the skin. It feels like a skin tint or a tinted bb cream and it seems perfect for this coming Summer since it has an Spf 25.
Philosophy Purity Made Simple Ultra-Light Moisturizer (4.7 oz: $25) – A simple lightweight moisturizer that feels very hydrating. It has vitamins and antioxidants and it smooths the skin very well. It has a nice fresh clean scent and I love that it spreads evenly across the face without feeling like I put too much. This also feels quite calming upon application and as with most Philosophy products, this is definitely worth a try.
Urban Decay Hi-Fi Shine Ultra Cushion Lip Gloss in shade SPL (0.23 oz: $20) – A holographic candy pink with iridescent sparkle. It’s super pretty and sparkly, which kinda reminds me of the Dior Addict Lip Glow in Holo Purple (swatches here). Also, it smells like yummy menthol and it feels very hydrating. It’s doesn’t feel that oily and not that sticky either, so it pretty much feels like a balm. It can be worn alone or as a lip topper. I noticed some plumping effect and it lasts about 4 hours on me, give or take, including eating and drinking.
Fresh Lotus Youth Preserve Rescue Mask (mini/1 oz: $25, 3.3 oz: $62) – This mask smells like strong rose extract plus seaweed. It’s very moisturizing and softening on the skin but it can be pretty hard to wash off since it’s very creamy and very concentrated. But don’t worry because it’s all worth it. Your skin will literally feel pampered and very smooth. You can even see and feel what looked like seaweed particles and they make for an exfoliating effect.
To sum it up, I think this month’s Sephora play is a hit for me. I almost love all the products they sent me and they’re something that I could readily use. I only wish that in the future Sephora will make an effort to send the right match/shade for my skin tone whenever they’d decide to include a foundation mini inside my box. So, there you go guys, that’s what I got for this month’s Sephora Play.
What stuff did you get this month? Did you like them?
Hey guys! I’ve got a new haircare brand to love and I’m excited to tell you about it. I’ve known about Alterna Haircare for quite some time since you always see their products being displayed in one of Sephora’s or Ulta’s counters. But for some reason, I just didn’t bother to explore this brand at all. I thought it might be just another one of those fad haircare brands that are pricey and will probably just fade away after a couple of years, only to be replaced by another fad haircare brand. Oh well, my point of view changed when I got a sample of their Caviar Anti-Aging Replenishing Shampoo and Conditioner which was inside my Sephora Play! Box and it was love at first wash. LOL.
I know I raved about my other two favorite haircare products before: The Living Proof No Frizz Haircare Line and the Kerastase Aura Botanica, both which I still use even to this day. However, I’d like to expand my choices and also look for some other alternatives just in case Sephora or Ulta will run out or stop carrying one of my favorite haircare products. Speaking of these two favorite hair products, as you notice, both of them are sulfate-free, paraben-free, phthalates-free, and I like my shampoo and conditioner that way. I like them with clean and natural ingredients that won’t weigh the hair down. I also love a hair product that works to tame those horrible frizzies. My hair tends to get oily fairly easily, so I prefer something that cleanses well and adds bounce. I’ve tried looking for a cheaper alternative before, like the L’oreal Everpure Sulfate-Free line but I couldn’t seem to love those. They made my hair really oily and heavy the next day and my hair didn’t look as shiny compared to using the stuff from Living Proof and Kerastase. Another thing I wanna point out is that it’s very important for me to have an easy access or easy reordering of my favorite haircare products, but that has been quite a challenge lately especially with Kerastase. If I don’t plan to reorder them on their website ahead of time, I would typically get them at my local hair salons. Oh well, that proved to be quite annoying because some salons will try to sell you some other stuff that you don’t really need, and I don’t like being bothered like that. I just want my favorite Kerastase stuff. Ya know what I mean? So yeah, I need to look for some other alternative haircare holy grails.
Ever since I stumbled into Alterna’s Caviar Haircare line, I feel like OMG, this is it! The smell and feel of their shampoo and conditioner kinda remind me of Kerastase and Living Proof, but they have a very interesting bunch of ingredients. First of all, they have caviar extracts from France and vitamins A, C, and D which they infused in this particular line, thus the name “Caviar Anti-Aging”. They also added a blend of seasilk to moisturize the hair. Second, their product’s style of packaging is really pretty and unique with an easy to twist bottle, although there’s one caveat with it which I’m gonna talk about in the next few paragraphs towards the end of this review. Lastly, you can find the Alterna Caviar line in just about any Sephora or Ulta locations everywhere, and lately, they added their new Anti-Frizz collection to this line as well.
Replenishing Moisture
Replenishing Moisture Shampoo (mini/1.35 oz: $10, 8.5 oz: $34, value size/16.5 oz: $52) – This shampoo doesn’t feel too thick and not too thin either, yet it seems very concentrated. It doesn’t lather immediately upon application and it needs to be mixed well with water, but once it starts to foam, then it cleanses thoroughly. You may need to rewash with this if your hair is extra oily or if it’s on the oily type. Personally, I find this to be a moisturizing shampoo and I like that it makes my hair smell fresh and clean without making it heavy.
Replenishing Moisture Conditioner (mini/1.35 oz: $10, 8.5 oz: $34, value/16.5 oz: $52) – This conditioner feels a bit thicker than most regular conditioners and it has a light sort of vinegar scent that washes off immediately and won’t really bother your nostrils. What I love about this conditioner is that I don’t need to use a lot of it and it keeps my hair feeling moisturized and relaxed. Unlike most regular conditioners where my hair tends to look and feel dry after a couple of hours and oily the next day, this particular Caviar Anti-Aging Conditioner from Alterna keeps my hair looking hydrated, healthy, and silky. It even keeps it that way the following day without looking like I drenched my hair in oil.
Anti-Frizz
Anti-Frizz Shampoo (8.5 oz: $34) – This particular shampoo feels a bit thicker than the Replenishing Moisture Shampoo above, and it lathers pretty well at first use. It also feels to be a lot more moisturizing and has a fruitier scent than the Anti-Aging shampoo above. I like this a lot and I also love the way it keeps moisture on my oily-prone hair, which actually didn’t get so oily lately because this particular shampoo sorta regulated it.
Anti-Frizz Conditioner (8.5 oz: $34) – This feels really thick, even a lot thicker than the Anti-Aging Replenishing Conditioner above and it’s pretty obvious why. This conditioner is meant to tame frizzies, combat hair dryness, and restore moisture not just for people with fine hair, but also for those with medium to thick hair. You don’t need a lot to actually use this product and it works really well so far. As we’re approaching the summer heat and humidity, I’ve noticed that I haven’t had any frizzy strands somehow, and mind you, my biggest hair problem is fighting those annoying frizzies. I will continue to use this as we dip into the coming high temperatures and see if this Anti-Frizz haircare line will live up to its promise. So far, I’m really loving this not just for its anti-frizz benefit, but also, I love the way my hair looks. It’s as if I straightened it and it looks really healthy and shiny. I have yet to try their Anti Frizz Blowout Butter which seems really good, but it’s on my wishlist so that hopefully I could put it to the test and update you guys soon.
I truly recommend that you give these Caviar Anti-Aging and Anti-Frizz Shampoo + Conditioner a try. I think they’re awesome, even though they can be pricey, but they also come in a travel size. The only thing that bothers me about these is their packaging. I appreciate their unique twist and squeeze type of bottle which looks luxe, pretty, and almost spill-proof, but for that same reason, they’re also a challenge to dispense, especially for the conditioners because they have such thick consistency. So halfway throughout your usage, you’re basically going to be squeezing and squeezing the bottle until it releases the product. Then imagine doing that with slippery foamy hands. It can be quite annoying. What I usually do is, I just keep the bottle close and turn it upside down – ready for the next use. Oh well, I hope Alterna will improve their packaging soon.
To sum it up. I think the Anti-Aging Replenishing Moisture line is great for anyone who needs to restore or keep moisture in their hair and for those who tends to have oily hair that needs to be regulated. They’re great as everyday hydrating haircare products. On the other hand, the Anti-Frizz collection is great for those hot and humid months when you want your hair to behave, and it’ll work for just about any hair type, not just for medium to thick hair.
Have you tried these already? What are your favorite hair care products? Any recs for frizzies?
