Weekend Haul

This was actually last week's haul but I didn't have the time to blog.

Sorry for the amateur watermark. It's the best I can do. HAHA

FOREVER 21

Finally, F21 opened in MOA! I've waited years for this. I invested on white tops so I can pair them with anything. Forgot the prices of the tops though. I think each is in the price range of PHP 700-900.

 

I also got this pair of pants for only PHP 555. What a great find! It fits my body perfectly and it's a unique color for denim, as well.The cloth isn't too thick, unlike most denim pants, so it wouldn't be too "hot" when I wear this.

Accessories!! I fell in love with the turquoise necklace (PHP 300+) upon laying my eyes on it. Look at the ombre bead pattern! Very lovely. I also got myself a spiky bracelet for PHP 250 (It was half its original price). The pink and gold set of bangles (PHP 400+), and the spiky rings (PHP 280) will be my birthday gifts for my friend. I hope she likes them!

  
SM DEPARTMENT STORE

I've been an SM girl since I was a kid. Great finds for affordable prices. I got this pair of sandals for PHP 700. The brand was Charcoal and I got a freebie (see below)

ETUDE HOUSE

My go-to brand when it comes to makeup. I purchased the Precious Mineral Bright Fit BB Cream (PHP 798). I was supposed  to buy the All-Day Strong formula, but I was informed that it was already phased out. I also got this duo fibre brush (PHP 428). *reviews to come soon* I received another freebie! Yay!

FREEBIES

Pink pencils from Etude House and a coin purse from Charcoal.
 

WATSONS

Because of my hair type, I have to invest on sulfate-free shampoos. Luckily, there is an inexpensive brand called Organix found in Watsons. I believe Organix is not available in all Watsons branches. This conditioner  bottle costs PHP 450. I also bought some plasters because my feet get blisters when my shoes are still new. lol
 

SM GTW REDHEAD
 
The money used to buy this top was originally to be used as a gift for my best friend. She wasn't able to pick out anything so she decided to choose this top (PHP 550) for me. I think it is so lovely! I love the patterns. It somehow reminds me of Picasso. I don't really know why. 

High waist green pants (PHP700)! OMG! I love the color and the fact that it's hight waist. It's going to make me look so much taller. HAHA.

Also, while strolling around the mall, salesladies gave me flyers for the Redhead Model Search 2012. The requirements for the contestants are:

• 15-25 years old, single
• At least 5'1" in height
• Must purchase at least PHP 399 worth of Redhead products to get the unique code

I met all the requirements so I joined. I feel narcissistic for doing this because I am not totally model-material, but this may be my chance to pursue my model dreams and the prizes are so awesome. A contract for Elite Management (that's the most famous modeling agency there is. Supermodels like Adriana Lima are under Elite. lol) worth PHP 60000, PHP 40000 cash, clothing allowance, and a subscription to my all-time favorite magazine, Candy. My mom and best friend also wanted me to join. HAHA wish me luck!

That's it for my weekend haul. Burned a hole in my wallet, but I guess it's all worth it. Hope you enjoyed this post. :)

Etude House Perfect Brow Kit

I've been so behind on my blog posts. I have about 5 more products to review. Tonight, I am feeling less lazy and decided to post about this brow kit from Etude House. EH has to be one of my favorite brands. Totally affordable, yet their products work.

On with the review..

BOX:

 

(instructions at the box; written in Korean)

PACKAGING:

The product comes in this black case with a mirror. The case doesn't look flimsy; however, I do have a feeling that the pink label will fade after some time. The case also comes with a mirror which I find very convenient. The colors are pressed together (nothing to separate them). I find this quite messy since the highlighter part sometimes receives brown dust. 

 

 

(highlighter, medium brown, dark brown)

I don't understand the idea of having 2 shades in one kit. It's not really everyday that people change their hair color. I wish they'd replace the other color with wax instead.

ACTUAL PRODUCT:
The brown shades do not have any red undertones in it. I am neutral with the pigmentation of this product. It appears too light when swatched. This may be good for heavy-handed girls out there, but this may also be a pain since you have to wet the powder first before you get good color payoff. Most of the time, I use Etude House's eyebrow brush. If I am in a hurry or am too lazy, I just use the tiny applicator provided.

Staying power varies. I don't really know exactly why. There are days that the product fades a little by mid-afternoon, while sometimes it can last the whole day. However, I can assure that there will still be a trace of this powder clinging into your brows. I find that using a wet brush helps the product last longer.

The powder is not chalky for me.

 

(This is the brush I always use with this kit; also available in Etude House)

APPLICATORS:
These applicators are too small, but since I have small hands I am able to use them. The spoolie is alright. Nothing special. The brush part of the other applicator is too soft to even gather product. The other side, with the angled part (made of some synthetic material), is the exact opposite. I find it too stiff. However, the stiffness sometimes helps since the product is hard to pick up with regular brow brushes. The angled brush provided picks up a lot of product, but it won't really help you apply the powder precisely given its size and shape.

 

 (barely 2 inches. lol)

Verdict: Overall, I was satisfied with the kit considering that this is my first brow product. I won't  repurchase considering that there are better products out in the market. 

Price: PHP 478
Rating: 3.5/5

Etude House Proof 10 Eye Primer

This is my first eye primer so I really didn't know how this stuff works. I only use eyeshadows for experimenting so I thought I should get an inexpensive one and I decided to buy from one of my favorite brands.

BOX:

(details at the back. I don't know if you can read that so I'll just retype it.)

Proof 10 Eye Primer supplies coverage to eyelids and around the eyes to enhance eye shadow color and integrity for a longer lasting, Perfect 10 look.

Directions: Use fingers to gently apply primer to upper and lower eyelids prior to eyeshadow application. Also applicable to eye liners prior to eyeliner application.

Caution: Use only as directed. Avoid storing in high and low temperatures and areas exposed to direct sunlight. Cease use if problems arise.

(Ingredients)

Volume: 18g (0.35oz)

The formula is a viscous translucent liquid. It becomes quite sticky few seconds after application.

I am not an expert when it comes to primers but I know that they are supposed to keep eye shadow intact for longer and to make eye shadow more vibrant. Etude House Proof 10 Eye Primer is much more than I what I expected. I literally swore when I applied eye shadow on top of this product. I was like "Holy ****, no way!" You can see why in the swatches I posted below.

(without flash)

(with flash)

(without flash)

(with flash)

In the last two pictures, the colors on the left are almost invisible while those at the right (with the primer) were not washed out in the photo. Amazing effect!

The only downside I can think of with this product is it will be hard to find in countries located in the West. Etude House is a Korean brand and is available in some Asian countries. For people living in the USA or UK, you may have to buy through eBay or online shops.

Price: PHP 298

Rating: 4.75/5

Verdict: I won't repurchase this because I don't really apply eye shadow, but I definitely recommend this to anyone who wears eye shadow everyday! Great product that comes with a great price tag!

Etude House Haul

I love the feeling of entering Etude House stores. The sales attendants greet you with a cheery "Welcome, Princess!" and let's not forget the overly pink-adorned shelves. The store's feel is really fit for a princess. Whenever I enter Etude House, I feel like I need to buy something. The items are just too cute and their products have good reputations, as well. So when I went there last June 17, I went all crazy and spent a lot of my moola.

Most of the items I have purchased are things that I have been wanting to buy for some time now but haven't because my wallet was still recovering from the Super Sale Bazaar. I did feel guilty after buying these though because I feel like I am slowly becoming an impulse buyer.

Left to Right:

• Flocking Puff for Pact (round 2 pieces) - PHP 78
• Eyebrow Brush - PHP 128
• Perfect Brow Kit - PHP 478
• GreenTea Nose Pack - PHP 38
• Proof 10 Eye Primer - PHP 298

Total : PHP 1020

I just bought the puffs and the nose pack so my purchase will total to at least PHP 1000 (The higher the price, the better the gifts!) Luckily, I brought with me my Belle de Jour Power Planner coupon and had my gift upgrade. Meaning, I received a gift that was meant for a PHP 2000 purchase. I received a SHINee mouse pad. I am really not into KPOP groups so I just decided to give it to my Korean-addicted cousin.

I was also really happy to use my Etude House Pink Membership Card for the first time. This card accumulates points if you have a single receipt of at least PHP 100. I can't wait to use it again!

Thumbs up for Etude! I'll be reviewing these products soon! ;)

Makeup Review: Etude House LuciDarling Fantastic Rouge Lipstick

I am a sucker for bright pink lipsticks and I fell in love with this lip color upon seeing it in the Internet so I decided to buy myself a tube.

These are the available shades for the LuciDarling Fantastic Rouge Line:

(picture from Google Images)

I have mine in No.4.

SWATCHES

(no flash)

(with flash)

PROS:

• Good pigmentation
• Cute color (Note: Since no. 4 is a bit too bright, it might not be suitable to other skin colors)
• Reasonable price
• The fragrance smells sweet.

CONS:

• It tugs on my lips. You have to apply lip balm first.
• Sometimes, it fills into the lines of your lips.
• The packaging is made out of plastic so it might not be too sturdy.

Price: PHP 478

Rating: 3.75/5

Verdict: This product is not recommended if you have overly chapped lips. If you don't then you're good to go with this product since it's very pigmented. I'll try no. 6 as soon as I finish this tube.