IN LOVE. Been using this constantly for the past 3 weeks. Maybelline Japan released this Super Mineral 24 Healthy Long Lasting Foundation with Perlite (Phew, that was a mouthful!) last March, and I was fortunate enough to be in Japan a month after it was launched. I saw it being promoted in nearly all beauty stores I went to, and Mai Miyagi has a wonderful spread in ViVi magazine June 2013 issue promoting the product.

Saw a ton of girls (with the most fabulous skin and makeup) grab a bottle or two, so I was convinced this was going to be good. And it did not disappoint. I hate touching up my make-up, especially my foundation, so this was just what I was looking for. Something that lasts the whole day! It sells for ¥1995 for 25ml, which is quite expensive for something so small. 

Just now, I did some more research about the product, and in the process found out about how they tested its effectiveness in front of the public. They put the foundation on some fabric, stretched it, and displayed how the foundation kept its form despite the strong pressure put into the stretching the cloth. I guess the message behind it was that the foundation will always stay good as new, even if you move your face muscles by smiling, talking, raising your eyebrows, smiling, etc. True enough, it really does the job even if it feels super light and velvet-y. Kind of like primer!

I think the only downside to it is that it’s only available in 3 shades - OC1, OC2 and OC3. I’m an OC3, while OC1 and OC2 would probably be around Crissey’s skintone. 

Anyhow, I fell too much in love that I got an extra bottle for myself. <3 Thinking if I should get some more just in case I run out in the future!

First dibs on the new shu uemura spring 2013 collection that’s inspired by one of Japan’s most closely watched contemporary artists, ob. Her artworks for shu uemura are characterized by the combination of dreams and reality, thus the surreal, fantasy-like feel to them. 

There are 4 princesses that are featured in this collection - Cherry Blossom Princess / Sakura Hime (pink), Moon Princess / Tsuki Hime (yellow), Forest Princess / Midori Hime (green), and Ocean Princess / Umi Hime (blue). I’m not going to spoil everything yet, but there are definitely more stuff coming out other than the ones in this post. Like, new rouge unlimited lipsticks… *shuts up now* :)

Thanks to the shu uemura team, I got the Moon Princess / Tsuki Hime (SO ME) High Performance Balancing Cleansing Oil, which is the cleansing oil that I’ve been using for years now. Only this time, it comes in the most adorable packaging! I really swear by this stuff. <3

I also got the UVUB mousse POREraser which I am obsessed with right now. Definitely makes my skin look so much better. I’ve been layering it under my foundation recently because not only does it make my foundation last longer but it also gives my skin a smooth, pore-less finish. Works like magic!

And where do I start with these sakura flower mini lashes? They are so pretty I don’t want to use them (as with all shu uemura lashes)! T_T There is nothing more ideal for spring than these sparkly lashes.

Will post photos from the unveiling ob for shu uemura event as soon as I can!

Visit shu uemura on Facebook for more details.

It’s been a while since I last did a beauty post. I am quite inspired to take a break from posting a personal style entry today because I finally got to meet some of the country’s top beauty bloggers yesterday, and their blogs (which I have encountered at least once in my life for their immensely useful reviews) totally motivated me to add more of these entries in my own blog. I’m no guru but I do love make-up and beauty products from the bottom of my heart.

Anyhow, I’ve mentioned it in my previous make-up tutorials that I have always been biased towards Japanese brands, and that I splurge at all the Sasa or Watsons stores overseas whenever I see them selling the brands that I really like. It all started during my Popteen phase a long time ago, when I would always try their make-up tutorials out on myself. Once in a while, they would show pictures of the products that they would use, and being the fangirl that I am, I gave into consumerism and tried my very best to purchase all these products. Forgive me for having low shopping EQ! I easily believe claims about beauty products… TT

True enough, all these products worked wonders for me. If you saw my old “Beauty Must-Haves” post, you’ll notice how most (but not all) of my make-up are Japanese brand ones! Since they’re made by Asians to suit Asian skin, it makes sense for us Filipinos to also lean more towards these brands, yes? 8D

We’ll never know when most of these will ever be available here in the country. But, going back to the point of this entry… I COME BRINGING GOOD NEWS TO ALL! For some time now, Beauty Bar has been selling K-Palette and Fairydrops! These baby steps are more than good enough. Hope they bring Hada Labo, CANMAKE and Dolly Wink/Candy Doll next! I will love them foreverrr

They sent me a bunch of stuff recently, and here are my favorites! Not paid to do this review but I really do believe in Japanese products so I hope you guys can try these out too! I already used the K-Palette Deep Brown liner in this tutorial, and the Super Black liner is now my perfect dupe to Dolly Wink liquid liner, which is not available here.

The Jet Black eyeliner is one of the top three eyeliners in Japan with 1 sold every 24 seconds (they really like this kind of description, no?). Love how the brush is only 0.05mm, making it ideal for those who just want a subtle line on their eyelids. 

My new HG concealer! I’m using the 02 Yellow Beige shade now, which is for dark circles + dull skin + pigmentation. 01 is for dark circles + dryness while 03 is for dark circles + poor blood circulation. Before this I’ve been using the Revlon PhotoReady concealer and OMG, I just totally stopped using it after I tried this K-Palette Zero Kuma Concealer. ;_; *tears of joy*

Fairydrops Candy Bar BB Cream in Ochre! I still stand by my statement before that Japanese BB Creams »»> Korean ones. The latter kind, based on my experience, usually have a grayish white cast to them, which makes your face look off in pictures. I guess it’s because of the high SPF? This one doesn’t have SPF so it looks great in pictures and it matches your skin properly without making you look like a ghost.

Comes with a sponge applicator but after trying it out for the first time I concluded that the sponge just absorbs everything, LOL. Too messy… or maybe I just don’t have good make-up skills. :( Just use your fingertips or a foundation brush for better and easier application.

Feels a bit more matte than my all-time favorite Ettusais BB cream, but it still suits my combination/dry skin since this Fairydrops BB cream still has moisturizing properties.

I layer this under my Shu Uemura Illuminating Moisture Fluid Foundation (764) and I’m good to go.

Fairydrops Platinum Mascara in waterproof type (purple) and film type (pink). I’m still finishing my Lancôme Hypnôse Doll Eyes Mascara (which I also love by the way) but I’m so obsessed to the pink one now. Currently using it for my lower lashes! Since the fibers in the mascara are good for both volume and lengthening, no need to stick false lower lashes. The curved patented “3 teardrop” wand is actually effective and not just some random gimmick!

On another note, Karl Lagerfeld for Shu Uemura is coming to Manila real soon! Finally! I’ve been lusting over this for the longest time! Fashion meets beauty. East meets west. Just the fact that it’s a combination of both Western and Asian aesthetics made it so hard for me not to love every single thing about this collaboration. :”)

I was one of the lucky few who were able to get first dibs on some of their products at the event yesterday at UMU Restaurant in Dusit Hotel. YAY. *happy dance*

Shu Uemura Rouge Unlimited Lipstick in Celebrity Beige. Perfect everyday lip color much!

Karl for Shu premium lashes made from some sort of paper material so they’re not as heavy as they look, and nail polish in Karl Black that comes with the most adorable nail stickers that I have ever seen in my life. They are too adorable, I don’t want to use them! I also want to add that the polish has metallic flecks in them. Nothing short of amazing, Grandpa Karl!

Other things I want in this collection: Royal Beige nail polish, Parisienne Pink lipstick, Eyelash Curl & Karl (the new eyelash curler that comes with a little Mon Shu charm), and the Prestigious Bordeaux Palette. So excited! These will all be available this month so follow Shu Uemura Philippines on FB and Twitter for updates and announcements!

I missed doing these kinds of posts! Very reminiscent of my entries back in 2009/2010, yes?

Anyhow, here are all the 4 circle lenses that I’m using at the moment. You will see that for once I’m not wearing any contacts with bold limbal rings or patterns! It has actually been months since I outgrew my Popteen phase, so I’m trying to look a little less cutesy/cartoony now (or maybe this is also a phase that I’ll also eventually outgrow).

All the circle lenses I’m wearing below are tri-color ones that have yellow inner rings that mimic the effect of naturally colored eyes. Unlike my past experiences with bolder and bigger circle lenses, I don’t have to put on too much eye make-up when wearing these. However, you might want to invest on different colored lipsticks to complement your eye color! 

As usual, I have my forever circle lens sponsor Japanese Candy to thank for all of this.  I’m wearing brown wigs in all of the pictures because my blonde hair can be overwhelming in tight shots like these ones.

I hope you guys find this entry useful if you’re planning to purchase any lenses soon!

PUFFY 3TONES GRAY (14.5mm) - My favorite of the bunch. At first I was a bit freaked out by how light they were from inside the bottles, but they turned out so pretty in the end! Also haven’t experienced any discomfort with these babies so far. These are definitely a must have! They go with different kinds of make-up… smokey, natural, colorful, etc. (What is this sorcery?!)

Lipstick used: Revlon Colorburst Lipstick in Peach 075 + Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Creme Brulee 095

Thanks Elle Poupee for the floral hippie band!

GOSSIP 3TONE BROWN (14.5mm) - I love these lenses! Lovely shade of brown that’s not too yellow and not too red. The only downside is that I feel like they’re not big enough and that I was slightly tricked (lol). The lens itself is 14.5 but the print is just as big as any normal 14mm lens. You can still see that there’s a bit of space left from the edge of the design to the edge of the lens. :(

Lipstick used: Maybelline Color Sensational in Angel Rose

Thanks The Style Machine for the Hello Kitty glasses!

CRYSTAL 3TONE GREEN (14.5mm) - Same size issue as the brown lenses above, but these are slightly more acceptable, for some reason. The color is on the darker side  and they make your eyes look like your normal eyes but a lot shinier! I don’t know if I can recommend these ones and the brown ones to anyone since they kind of defeat the purpose of getting circle lenses, but perhaps if you’re looking for ones that aren’t too obvious or if you’re looking for your first pair of lenses *ever*, these might be best for you. The colors aren’t too overwhelming too.

Lipstick used: Prestige Lipstick in Romantic Red LCL-07

Thanks Miss Sartorial for the detachable collar!

SASSY 3TONE BLUE (14.5mm) - My alternative to the gray lenses above. These blue ones are quite suitable for anyone who wants to achieve a dolly look without having to resort to the ones with bold limbal rings. Lovely effect if you pair them with pink cheeks and lips. The combination makes you look younger and more innocent (haha)

Lipstick used: Maybelline Watershine Pure B24

Thanks Minimaos for the super pretty pink ombre wig (my dream hair color would be this kind of pale pink) and Miss Sartorial for the detachable collar!

Lime Crime is a NY/LA-based alternative fashion cosmetics line that specializes in high performance, bright cosmetics including eyeshadows, eye primers, and opaque lipsticks. Celebrities including Katy Perry, Taryn Manning, Jessie J, MIA, Kerli, and magazines such as Elle, Teen Vogue, Nylon, Marie Claire, Allure, etc. have all acknowledged the awesomeness that is Lime Crime. Erica R, who works for the brand’s publicity and social media, emailed me a few months ago telling me how they’re huge fans of my blog and how they want to send me their make-up. This was such a spaz-moment considering how I used to incessantly ogle at Doe Deere’s make-up tutorials for shoot inspirations back in high school. Thanks again for these wonderful gifts, Erica!

Marj would kill me for not choosing the crazier lipsticks, but I just had to give in to my pale lipstick obsession and get my hands on Cosmopop and Coquette. Cosmopop (first photo) is a pale orange that I absolutely love because it’s a fresh color that’s so hard to find in other make-up brands. Coquette (second photo) is a pale pink lipstick that I imagine would look perfect with heavy eye make-up. I also received Nymph, which is this adorable shimmery gold eyeshadow that works wonders as a brow bone and inner eye highlighter.

And how cute can the packaging get? Reminds me so much of my childhood and Lisa Frank!

Lazy Sunday with no gyaru make-up for once.

Finally got my hands on two of Tsubasa Masuwaka’s designs - Bambi Sesame Gray and Chocolate. I’m saving the latter for the future since I have so many circle lenses opened at the moment! Apparently, these are the most popular designs in Japan right now, and you can see them all over Japanese magazines such as as Popteen and Popsister. These are 15mm, perfect for people who really want their eyes to look bigger. IMHO, Geo makes the best lenses and this pair isn’t an exception in terms of comfort and design. They take a bit of getting used to if you haven’t tried 15.00mm lenses yet, but after a while you won’t feel anything anymore because they’re so comfortable.

The yellowish ring inside gives a lot of depth to these lenses, since there are a lot duller designs out there that only make you look like you have dead fish eyes!

It’s super cute how Mimi Cafe lenses are named after coffee! The designs are most probably made to resemble how your coffee cup looks from above. These ones that I’m wearing are 15.00mm Macchiato ones with a cute swirly design. Here’s a better photo:

These would make great everyday lenses! You can wear them with or without make-up and they would never look off.

Thanks a lot to Cherry Pacheco for the wonderful make-up and to Japanese Candy for always sponsoring my lenses. You can check out their website for more details. If you missed some of my old reviews (here to provide good pictures, more than anything else), you can find them here.

First time to combine two lenses in one post. I’ve had these lenses for a while now but since I haven’t been in the country to shoot properly, I’m only posting the obligatory circle lens review and photos today! Thanks to Japanese Candy for always sponsoring my lenses. You can check out their website for more details.

These are 14.50mm Natural Brown lenses, which are my first ones that have a super thin black ring around them. It took a bit of getting used to, since I normally opt for ones with thicker rings or those with no dark rings at all. The dolly effect is really subtle, and it’s perfect for those who want to try something other than the usual brown lenses like Angel or Nudy. I prefer this over the last brown lenses I reviewed, mostly because they’re not freakishly Twilight-bright. It has a super interesting pattern and gradient starting from pale olive green to a nice shade of light brown that isn’t too overpowering. They’re called NATURAL for a reason. :)

Have been wearing these often and have experienced no discomfort at all. Just be careful to not leave them on for too long (I’m talking about contact lenses in general, not just this particular pair) or else you might damage your eyes. You only have one pair of eyes to last you a lifetime so make sure you clean your lenses properly too with clean hands and proper solution.

On the other hand, these are 14.50mm Super Crystal Green lenses that I just decided to try out for the heck of it. I’m always wearing gray or brown ones so I figured I should save at least one pair for special occasions. This proved to be a surprise! Never really imagined it to be this bright compared to photos I’ve seen online. It’s different and I actually don’t hate it? It’s a little loud for my usual taste but it works with super heavy eye make-up as seen in the photo below. It’s ideal for people who want their eyes to emphasized and not other parts of their face. The pattern is already busy on its own so a bold, black signature circle lens ring may just eat up space intended for the crystal effect. These lenses are definitely not for conservative circle lens wearers, but totally recommended for those up for something unique.

Been eying Tsubasa’s Bambi series since forever so I hope I can get my hands on Sesame Gray and Almond since they’re already available in the website. And oh, my lipstick is MAC Freckletone which is my current fave.

If you missed some of my old reviews, you can find them here.

Thanks to Japanese Candy for sponsoring all my contact lenses.

These are 14.5mm ones that have a soft outer ring compared to most circle lenses out there. The enlargement is subtle, and not too in-your-face. The color is a little borderline brown and yellow, but I think they’re perfect if you really want your eyes to pop out in pictures. Brown lenses can get a little tricky since there are some that look almost black and end up making you rather alien-like. Or maybe I’m just partial to circle lenses with obvious patterns instead of ones that don’t have any. This pair’s part of the more-obvious-brown-lenses roster.

However, I personally like these better under natural lighting and non-flash photography. They makes your eyes look all nice and sparkly in an understated way. Plus the color is a little less freaky. Photo here.

Good for Twilight cosplay… or something.

Make-up by Cherry Pacheco. If you missed some of my old reviews, you can find them here.

Thanks to Japanese Candy for sponsoring all my contact lenses.

These 14.5mm lenses are rather special since they don’t have bold black rings around them, making them less cartoon-like, which is perfect because these are exactly what I need right now. After wearing circle lenses with obvious patterns, this pair is a breath of fresh air. The pattern isn’t too fancy or striking, but that’s the charm, I guess. Plus points because so far I haven’t encountered any discomfort wearing these for long periods of time.

I haven’t been wearing my other circle lenses because I’ve completely fallen in love with Crystal.i Grays!

If you missed some of my old reviews, you can find them here.

Thanks to Japanese Candy for sponsoring all my contact lenses.

I’ve had these lenses for a while now (have to throw them out in a month), but I only got to take photos last month and only found time to write about this now. I used to own a pair of GEO Angel Brown lenses before (my favorite, but they weren’t enlarging enough), so I decided to get the 14.5mm version. I call these my “Popteen” lenses since the models (especially Kumicky and Nana) wear this pattern a lot.

I always recommend this pattern to first-timers since it’s a safe choice and it’s probably the most popular one out there (next one being the Wing/Olive or Nudy series). I don’t know what to say anymore because these lenses are pretty much perfect already. <3

If you missed some of my old reviews, you can find them here.

Wig, because my hair is a huge mess and my roots are growing out. Special thanks to Forever 21 for this slouchy beanie.

This review is for everyone who sent me messages regarding the lenses I wore to this party. It’s been a while since I last wore gray lenses as I’ve been trying out other colors, but this is currently my favorite pair to wear for pictures at the moment. Thanks again to Japanese Candy for sending these!

These are pretty much the 14.5mm versions of the popular Geo Olive / Ash Wing circle lenses. They look more blue-gray than gray when worn, but I think I like it better that way. Weird enough, my eyes get tired rather easily when I wear these so I make sure I don’t wear them for more than 5-6 hours. Overall, I’d recommend these to people who still aren’t contented with the size of Geo Ash Wing lenses and want to try something a bit bigger.

If you missed some of my old reviews, you can find them here.

It’s been three months since my last circle lens review because I’ve been swamped with so much work these days - not that I’m complaining. This is long overdue, and I owe Japanese Candy a review for giving me so many circle lenses. Thanks again!

I’ve been wearing these Hyper Nudy Pinks for quite a while now, actually. They’re my second pair of pink lenses (first one being this), as well as my second pair of the same design (first one being this). I absolutely love them! They look rather fake and insane (lol) with flash photography, but they do wonders to your face under normal lighting conditions. They instantly brighten your eyes, thanks to the color and the 14.50mm diameter. However, they totes look better with any kind of eye make-up instead of bare eyelids. I’ve tried wearing them alone and they looked rather off. These are definitely not the lenses for you if you’re going for that “natural” look. I’d recommend these circle lenses to people who are generally more experimental when it comes to changing their look, and to cosplayers if you’re into that sort of thing. Just remember to keep the rest of your face bare make-up-wise if you opt to bring attention to your eyes.