Hello everybody! Are you enjoying this beautiful Autumn season? Any plans for a gorgeous Fall decor? Or have you been carving that pumpkin already?
This Fall is always an exciting time for me because as always, Chanel’s Winter/Fall makeup releases are giving me life. As always, their products are so exciting that I can’t wait to rock some of their deep red lip colors and bold dramatic eyeshadows along with my monochromatic goth (lol) Fall/Winter outfits. Fall, definitely, is such a very interesting and inspirational season for me.
For my favorites this season, I’ve added a product that wasn’t necessarily released this season but was actually released early this year. Also, I’ve added a repeat favorite of mine for the nails.
Rouge Allure Ink Fusion Matte Liquid Lip Color in Ambiguïté – I love Chanel’s Rouge Allure Ink Fusion because the formula is just so good and is not patchy compared to the Rouge Allure Ink. Also, this isn’t drying and is very comfortable on the lips. The Ambiguïté shade, which is a medium mauvy brown is my favorite this season because it complements my skintone very well. I will be posting some of my favorite Rouge Allure Ink & Ink Fusion shades very soon. So, stay tuned for that.
Les 4 Ombres Multi-effect Quadra Eyeshadow Candeur Et Provocation – I picked this eyeshadow over the Candeur Et Seduction because this isn’t too heavy on “reds”. The Candeur Et Seduction quad seems a little too much for me and I don’t think I could pull off that much reddish tones on my lids. The shades are really vivid and beautiful though. This Candeur Et Provocation is enough to give you that eye drama because it borders on being earthy, natural, and rose-like. It’s the perfect eyeshadow quad to transition to this Fall’s warm and spice-like eye makeup tones.
Le Gel Coat Longwear Top Coat – This isn’t really a Fall release, but a repeat love for me. I’m a big fan of this fast-drying gel top coat because this makes my nail polish last longer than the usual gel top coats. Also, this minimizes any color chipping issues after days of wearing any gel nail color.
Le Vernis Longwear Nail Color in Interdit – My Fall vibe won’t be complete without another wine-colored nail polish. This very deep red and black-mixed shade is so pretty and so irresistible even though it’s quite dupable. I’m a sucker for this type of shade and I won’t mind hoarding this color every Fall and Winter.
Le Blanc Rosy Light Drops – Released earlier this year and was sold out for some time, I swear I’ve been dying to get my hands on this. Guess what, this liquid, rosy, and pearly iridescent highlighter is just so pretty and so perfect for an everyday natural glow. I find that this is quite hard to photograph indoor because this tends to blend on my skin, but whenever I’m outside, this really shines through. I totally love the gorgeous packaging and the practical pump that releases just enough product to cover the whole face. Speaking of face, this can be worn alone, mixed with your favorite moisturizer, or can be blended with your foundation of choice. This is so versatile and I highly recommend that you try this one asap.
Here’s a final look at the Le Blanc highlighter swatched all over my hand.
Those are my faves for this Fall/Winter Chanel beauty releases. I can’t wait for next year’s Spring/Summer products. What are your favorite makeup products this Fall?
Hello All. Needing a new matte lipstick this Fall? Here’s a lipstick I couldn’t wait to review. The Huda Beauty Power Bullet Matte Lipstick (25 USD) is a deeply pigmented matte lipstick with a magnetic square packaging and a diamond-shaped tip. It has a slight coconut scent and it comes in different shade collections: The Icon collection, The Rose Collection, and the Throwback Collection. Most of the shades are mostly named after a woman’s or anybody’s important period/stages in life, which are very interesting and totally relatable.
At first glance, this lipstick slightly reminded me of the Giorgio Armani Rouge D’Armani Matte (reviewed and swatched HERE) especially texture-wise, but I will tell you later whether this really is on par with the amazing Rouge D’armani Matte. What I can tell you is that this particular lipstick glides on the lips easily and it feels light. Once applied, it almost has no shine and it’s completely matte. It is probably one of the most insanely pigmented matte lipsticks I’ve ever tried, and the range of colors available “seem” to be quite diverse. Let’s take a look.
Here are 6 shades taken from all three collections.
First Kiss – deep rose mauve, very similar to Wedding Day, but has a more rosy tone.
Graduation Day – very deep brown-mauve, appears dark brown in most lighting. On my skin tone, this looks too ashy and ghastly.
Interview – medium rose nude, looks like this could work in almost all skin tone. On my skin, this looks like an everyday nude.
Pay Day – very deep mauve, think purple+magenta mix.
Rendezvous – muted pink rose with a coral tone. On my skin, this looks too coral/neon-ish.
Wedding Day – also a deep rose mauve, very similar to First Kiss, but has a more mauve tone.
This lipstick is giving me mixed feelings. I had high hopes about it at first, but then there are a few things about this that I didn’t quite like. First of all, the colors are quite difficult to photograph because some of them look very similar to each other, and they do change tones depending on your natural lip color. What I noticed is that this also changes shade once it warms up on the skin. Second thing, if you twist the lipstick all the way up, you’ll notice that there’s not really much product in its matte tube. It looks like you’re only getting half a lipstick when compared to most full-sized ones. It’s just housed in a large square packaging. Third, the swatches online are quite different when compared to the shades in real life. In reality, the colors appear darker, extremely pigmented, and most of them are on the deep brown and purple spectrum. I had a hard time finding the right shades for my light-medium skin tone, and if you have a fair to light complexion, there may not be enough shades that could match you. But, if you’re medium to deep, then you will most probably love this lipstick line. I also would like to think that this lipstick and its shades are probably meant for Fall, so that might be it.
In comparison to the Rouge D’Armani Matte, I find this lipstick to be quite drying as opposed to the lightweight moisturizing feel of the D’Armani Matte. If you ask me what are some of my favorite matte lipsticks out there, I can tell you that apart from the Armani ones, you can look into the Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet (seen HERE) or the Velvet Extreme (reviewed HERE). I also love the Shiseido Modern Matte Powder Lipstick for its very lightweight feel and outstanding pigment (HERE).
So, overall, though this lipstick doesn’t feel heavy, this does feel quite drying on the lips. However, I don’t have a problem with its lasting power or its quality at all. It lasts about 4-6 hours plus on me, and though it transfers, the color still stays on the lips. My beef with this is the color scheme, which is kind of a bummer because I had really high hopes of this lipstick. I do hope that there will be lighter/brighter color options in the future for this particular lip product, and also, I hope that this will even be comfier on the lips.
The Huda Beauty Power Bullet Matte Lipstick is currently available at Sephora and Selfridges
Have you already tried this lipstick? What’s your take on it?
Hi guys! A couple of months ago, I did a review of my Spring Favorites in beauty and skincare. I remember mentioning that I will be posting my Summer faves soon but I’ve gotten so busy lately that I almost forgot to post this. Well, since we’re still really in the last few days of Summer until Fall starts at the end of this month, let’s take a look at the beauty, skincare, haircare, and other stuff I’m currently loving this season.
(All products/items mentioned in this post and are seen in the following photos are all linked down below)
SKINCARE
Elemis Superfood Facial Wash (5 oz: 25 USD) – This is a lightweight, green, gel-like, and very gentle face cleanser that doesn’t strip the face of its natural oil. It’s ideal for sensitive to normal skin and can be used every day. The smell is quite earthy and very organic.
Lancome Energie de Vie Water-Infused Cream (1.7 oz: 57 USD) – I got this as a sample and it feels really light on the skin. It’s also very softening and it’s one of the best water creams I’ve tried out there. I Highly recommend this cream especially for those with sensitive, normal or oily skin.
Caudalie Divine Oil (3.3 oz: 49 USD) – This smells nice and luxe, with a hint of something green and fresh. This oil is not only perfect for the body, but it’s also great for the face and hair. It’s non-sticky and it sets into the skin well. You can read more about my favorite dry body oils HERE.
Belif The True Cream Aqua Bomb (mini: 0.84 oz: 22 USD, 1.68 oz: 38 USD, 3.37 oz: 62 USD) – This is going to be my permanent staple when it comes to facial moisturizers. I just love how smooth and soothing this feels on my skin, it’s perfect for my oily-prone skin type because it’s very lightweight and it retains my skin’s natural moisture. The scent also keeps me coming back to this. A little bit is only what you’ll need since this gel feels extremely creamy, plus it doesn’t irritate the skin.
Eve Lom Cleanser (0.7 oz: 24 USD, 3.4 oz: 80 USD, 6.8 oz: 135 USD) – I was a bit disappointed with this cleanser at first because not only was the smell too strong, like too sour and a bit too rancid for me (think vinegar) but also this cleanser feels too thick, too creamy and too oily for my already somewhat oily skin. At first, I thought this wouldn’t work on my skin but it turns out to be a blessing in disguise because this saves me a lot of time especially when I’m tired after a busy day and a face full of makeup. This cleanser also acts as a solid makeup remover and it removes all kinds of makeup while it cleanses the face gently. It does contain mineral oil and lanolin but it did not cause me any breakouts. This also comes with a free muslin cloth for a more thorough cleansing, but I just really use my fingers with this cleanser. I don’t think you need a large container for this because I have the mini size and it’s lasting me a really long time. You only need a little bit of this to work on the skin.
Olehenriksen Transforming Walnut Scrub (3 oz: 28 USD) – This is such a gritty-textured and exfoliating cleanser that smells nice and it makes the skin really smooth. This can be a strong exfoliator, so I only use this once a week. It makes my face really smooth and it feels flawless. It’s perfect to purify the pores and it gets rid of rough skin patches. It also preps the skin for any type of serum, toner, or skincare.
Nuface Toning Device (325 USD) – Got this from the last Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. I don’t have wrinkles yet but I bought this for toning purposes. It’s only been a month since I started using this and I really really love it. It tones my upper eye area, my chin, jaw, and it helps to emphasize my cheekbones. I didn’t feel any pain or discomfort when I first started using this. In fact, I didn’t really feel anything at all, LOL, but my face looks like it’s been working out on its own, lol again. My cheekbones look more emphasized and my bone structure seems to show a bit more. I also look more awake and vibrant with this. I will review this further in the following posts to come.
BEAUTY
My foundations of choice this season have to be lightweight, easy to use, and natural-looking just because it’s Summer. So, no thick makeup look for me this season.
Nars PureRadiant Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30 in Groenland (1.9 oz: 45 USD) – As I mentioned, I didn’t feel like wearing too much makeup this Summer with all the heat and humidity. I wanted to look more carefree and natural, so I opted for this classic Nars favorite and it gives me enough coverage for a nice and easy, lightweight, fuss-free Summer look
I use three face primers this season and it’s a collection of no added SPF and one that has an SPF depending on the occasion and the situation.
Olehenriksen Banana Bright Face Primer (1 oz: 36 USD) – A Vitamin C and E primer that smells just like the Banana Bright Eye Cream. This feels more like a skincare and primer-in-one. What I love about this is that it blurs the pores in an easy, non-sticky, lightweight manner and it smells really nice. This is a good creamy primer to use in the Summer or be it at any season.
Laura Mercier Candleglow Sheer Perfecting Powder in shade #1 (0.3 oz: $38) – I bought this to try and see if it’s a good alternative to the Armani Neo Nude which I love (reviewed HERE). This one feels and looks baked with a silky feel. It’s not as loose and powdery as the Neo Nude but it’s still finely-milled. This does set the foundation well and it gives a nice radiant soft-focus finish. It looks naturally glowy and it’s the next best thing to the Armani Neo Nude.
YSL Touche Eclat All-Over Brightening Pen in shade #3 Luminous Peach (1 oz: 35 USD) – I use this for daily touch-ups especially around the undereye area and I can just blend this using my finger. This feels very creamy, mess-free, quick, and clean to use. It won’t hide very dark blemishes because of its sheer coverage, but this does help to brighten the undereyes very well and it’s creamy, so it doesn’t cake.
There are two more eyeliners I’m loving this season apart from the Tom Ford Eye Defining Pen I reviewed at the beginning of this Spring. I like the ones that are micro-tip or has very fine tip/lines for a more natural daily look. Also, fine eyeliners are great for small eyes and for those that don’t have a lot of lid space.
Sephora Collection Fine Line Felt Tip Eyeliner (0.017 oz: 14 USD) – This doesn’t smudge and it has a fine yet stiff felt tip. I would say that this is the next best thing to the Stila eyeliner above, although this is not as thin as Stila’s, but still, this gets the job done and it can apply an accurate line on the lid. It’s very thin enough and it’s perfect for tightlining, plus the felt tip feels pretty solid.
Here’s a couple of lipsticks and lip colors I’m loving this season and they’re mostly matte.
Nars Velvet Matte Lipstick Pencil in Take Me Home and Dolce Vita (0.086 oz: 27 USD) – These are beautiful shades to rock this season, with the Dolce Vita being a bright dusty rose tone, and the Take Me Home shade as a terracotta lip color. I will swatch these when I review my favorite shades of the Nars Velvet Matte Lipstick Pencils soon, so, stay tuned for that.
Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in Granite (0.003 oz: 21 USD) – I recently added the granite shade to my collection of this cult-favorite brow product. I have been using varying tones of brown for my brows a lot and though they fit me well, this time, I wanted to try something more dramatic and darker, so I picked the granite color which is a good match for my brunette hair.
Anastasia Soft Glam Eyeshadow Palette (42 USD) – I recently started using this more because of the soft natural look that I can get with this palette. I love the brown tones of this especially the matte ones and the shades are really pigmented. You can see the swatches of this palette HERE.
Charlotte Tilbury Glowgasm Face Palette in Lightgasm (75 USD) – See the swatches HERE. I can understand why some people don’t like this because this can be so tricky to pull off especially with the Lightgasm palette. It isn’t a soft powdery type and can be hard to blend. It’s also not that pigmented and it only tends to show to those with fair to light skintone. For my light-medium skintone, I have to use a stiff brush and dab it several times on the palette before this could give off some color on my skin.
La Mer Cushion The Luminous Lifting Cushion Foundation SPF 20 (120 USD) – Apart from being quick, easy, lightweight, and mess-free to use, this cushion feels like a second skin and it gives a natural glassy glow. It also smells nice and I love that this comes with a nice SPF and a free refill. This sets on the skin well and it doesn’t slide. See my favorite cushion foundations HERE.
Beautyblender Blender Defender Protective Case (12 USD) – This where I keep my beautyblender whenever I travel. This case can fit two dry or damp beautyblenders and it has a breathable design that allows a damp sponge to dry while inside. This is very flexible so you don’t have to worry about this shattering at all.
HAIRCARE
Briogeo Blossom & Bloom Ginseng + Biotin Volumizing Shampoo (8 oz: 24 USD, 33.8 oz: 58 USD) – This is my latest fave shampoo from Briogeo. I like this even better than the Don’t Despair, Repair line, I love the nice light citrus/orange, ginger, coconut, and grapefruit scent. This shampoo is light on the hair and it cleanses well without adding residue. It also volumizes and this makes my hair bouncy. See my other Briogeo haircare faves HERE.
Ouai Leave-In Conditioner (4.7 oz: 26 USD) – This works to tame my frizz and a little bit of this goes a long way. I love its musky lemon rose scent. My hair feels really nice and soft with this, and since this is also a thermal protector, I use this a lot together with my Harry Josh Hair Dryer. See my other Ouai haircare faves HERE.
Swissco Hair Comb – Found this handmade wide-tooth comb at Amazon for a very cheap price and it’s very flat, so it can fit anywhere on any purse or satchel. It works great as a detangler for my strands.
SUNCARE
There are two Clarins products I’m loving for body suncare as well as for the face.
Clarins Sunscreen Care Oil Spray SPF 30 (5 oz: 36 USD) – This is still one of my sunscreen of choice this Summer because this smells nice and very lightweight since this is a dry body oil with an added SPF. I like that this sets on my skin without the greasy feel that most sunscreens have. I’ve lost count of how many bottles of this I’ve consumed, all I know is I’ve been keeping some backups of this in my vanity.
Clarins UV Plus Anti-Pollution Sunscreen Multi-Protection SPF 50 (1.7 oz: 43 USD) – I’m finishing this up and it’s a pity that this is getting more and more difficult to find because this is really nice and light on the face. This doesn’t irritate my skin and it doesn’t leave an annoying white cast. This works very well in protecting my skin from getting sunburned. See my favorite body and face sunscreens HERE
Supergoop Super Power Sunscreen Mousse Broad Spectrum SPF 50 (3.4 oz: 19 USD) – I’m also finishing this up, and this is my sunscreen of choice for when I’m on the go. I like this a lot because it’s fast and easy to use. Its whipped texture gives a lightweight non-sticky feel and it’s not messy to use. This has no scent and it spreads evenly on the skin without leaving any white cast.
Isdin Fotoprotector Fusion Water SPF 50 (1.6 oz: 39.99 USD) – This is quite similar to the Clarins UV Face Sunscreen above and this is currently in my purse. I love its tiny size and I love that this doesn’t sting the eyes. It feels very fluid and light on the skin and it has a nice SPF level. It’s a pity that this is still very limited here in the US. This was given to me by a relative from Europe.
These are all the products I’ve been loving this Summer and will still be loving all throughout the beginning of Fall. Stay tuned for my Fall favorites soon.
What are the beauty, skincare, and haircare products you’re currently loving season?
