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Can't sleep. My neighbors are too loud. What to do to kill time? :)

Ever Bilena Review & Swatches (Pink Flame, Mauvey, Scarlet, Off Beat Pink)

I hate myself for saying this but I have to be completely honest here. I haven't always been a fan of local products because one, I always had this idea that if its locally made, it cannot deliver the results that a high end brand can and two, I had lower expectations for local cosmetics because come on, it can't be that cheap and be just as good as the expensive ones out there! I refused to believe all of its claims but Ever Bilena proved me otherwise. Affordability and effectiveness can both be present in one product! Awesome, right?

I've recently fallen in love with this local brand after trying out one matte lipstick after the other from their matte lipstick line. These little babies definitely lived up to my expectations! No wonder everyone's been raving about this!

From the swatches below, it seems Off Beat Pink is darker than Pink Flame but really, its the other way around. I must have put two layers of OBP for it to be that way. I really don't remember, sorry! Among the four I really love Pink Flame because I like that pop of color it gives me. Its not too pink (like OBP) and not too pale like Mauvey. Scarlet, on the other hand, is also a lovely color of orange and red. Its too pigmented though so I don't think its fitting for school/everyday wear. Its a nice color, just not my cup of tea. 

Here's how Pink Flame looks like. First is with flash, second is w/o. 

Here's how Scarlet looks like: 

Here's how Mauvey looks like: 

And last, Off Beat Pink: 

Pink Flame: This color is leaning towards the combination of pink +red, which I love!. How it will look like on you will vary upon your application so for me, I fix it with a tissue to tone the color down. The result is just perfect for school wear! Love this color and definitely would recommend! 

Scarlet: Scarlet is a very nice color, just not something I'd wear on a daily basis. I've come to notice that not all EB Matte lipstick have the same formulation, some are quite drying, and some are just right, like this one. It doesn't moisturize, but what's important is it doesn't leave my lips looking flaky & dry. But I guess this'll be perfect if you're pegging for a classic pin-up look! 

Mauvey: This color is very nice. Its very simple and perfect for everyday wear because its not as pigmented as Scarlet and other shades from this line. My problem with this though is that when I wear it w/ foundation alone, I don't get the glow I get from wearing Pink Flame. This shade is paler than the actual shade of my bare lips so I guess I'm better off without wearing this! But this is perfect if you are wearing a heavy eye make up or a simple smokey eye and you don't want to look overdone. 

Off Beat Pink: This is also a very nice color, my second favorite color from the line actually. Since I'm a school girl and I don't want to look too made up when I'm going to class and all, I keep everything to a minimum. Like this one. You think just because I said its more of a "candy pink" that you can't wear it on a daily basis? Of course you can! Just remember to pat it with a tissue after application and the result is just puuurfect! Rose-y, natural looking lips! 

I bought this four lippies at Watsons for 145php but I believe they recently upped their price and now they retail at around 155php. Ever Bilena counters are available at all Watson's outlet and SM Department Stores. 

That's it for today! Thank you for reading my blog! See you on the next one darlings! 

REVIEW: IN2IT Moisture Intense Lipstick in Berry

Hello ladies and gents! Today's blog would be about In2it Moisture Intense Lipstick in Berry. This is something I just picked out on a whim because aside from their pen eye shadows that I got just because it was 50% off, I don't have anything else from their line. If I'm not mistaken, they're a company from Japan so basically, their products still cater best to Asian women. So anyway.

When it comes to lipsticks, I am both a fan of matte and glossy ones but honestly, I use more matte when I'm in school because it stays longer than lip tints (for me anyway), lipbalms, or any other type of lip product. But I just had to give this a try since the swatches looked promising and all. I first tried the Pink Alarm since the SA told me its currently their best seller in their Moisture Intense Lipstick line, but when I tried it using my lipbrush, it was too pink for my taste. Hence its name, Pink Alarm. So I tried this instead. It looked good on my lips so I bought this instead.

I love that the tube is sleek and more metal made rather than plastic. Its very sturdy and will probably withstand any damage a plastic tube cannot. You can drop it 10 times (or more) and it will still be good as new. I also love the ornaments found on the lower part of the tube. Very chic if you ask me. 

What Moisture Intense Lipstick claims to have/do: 

I love that it doesn't dry out my lips. It has no fragrance too but then I wouldn't mind a little scent here. Another thing is that it has an SPF of 15, so you can bid your lipbalms goodbye because this has the same benefits anyway -- and then some! YEY!

First one is without flash and below is with flash. 

I don't know why it looks rose-y in here but I promise it is more of a red than pink in person. 

This is how it looks like when swatched. 

Here are my bare lips just for reference. 

Here's how it looks like in natural lighting. 

And here's how it looks like with flash. 

What I love about this product: 

<>Packaging is sleek and sturdy<>

<>Affordable at 379php!<>

<>Doesn't dry out my lips<>

<>Has an SPF of 15<>

<>No fragrance<>

<>Can easily be applied<> 

<>Leaves my lips moisturized even after I take it off <>

What I hate about this product: 

<>It has no fragrance at all! I like my lipsticks to have a little bit of scent to them<> 

<>Staying power is very poor (fades easily if you eat/drink)<>

<>Too pigmented for school wear<>

(***Whenever I wear this to school, I pat tissue on it so that it will be a bit toned down) 

<>You might not like this one if you're not into glossy lipsticks, but you can always fix this by doing the above mentioned <>

Will you purchase this again? 

Not anytime soon because I like my lipsticks to be matte (just because of its staying power). 

Who would you recommend this to? 

People looking for an affordable lipstick that can moisturize and protect at the same time.  

My rating: 

3.5/5

Available at Watson's and SM Department Stores

Do check out In2it Philippines by clicking on their fanpage. 

Just checking in! :)

I'm trying out Blogger on my iPhone and I must admit, its pretty hard! Too bad I can't view photos in here :( Oh well. I promise to be back with another review. Ciao!

REVIEW: Etude House Shini Star Clear Bb Lotion

Hello girls and boys! In my last blog, I talked about this BB lotion I alternate with my Missha Perfect Cover BB cream for those days when I think my skin needs to breathe. So today, we're going to talk about just that! Its called Shini Star Clear BB Lotion and if you haven't heard of that yet, do check out their fanpage right here.

This product has been getting good reviews ever since it hit stores nationwide which is why I was super happy when I finally got my hands on this cute little thing! Yes, cute is the word to describe it because honestly, I was head over heels in love with its packaging! I just love its color! Koreans really do have a knack for making everything look sooo adorable, don't they? Its packaging is definitely a thumbs up for me. Plus, at 30 g, you can easily tote it around anywhere you go.

Aside from its lovely packaging, the world "lotion" also got me here. Lotion type moisturizers are best for those with oily/combination skin, so I figured this one would cater best to women falling under that skin type. When I saw that its a BB lotion, I was like, "ATTACCCK!" Hahaha. But really, this is my first encounter with a BB Lotion.

When I first used this, I thought it was going to be too light for me since it looked really light on my hands. And there's no way I could return it to EH because it comes in just one shade. But when I applied it on my face, I saw that it matches my skin tone really well. For reference, I have fair skin with yellow undertones so in my opinion this product is good for those who have pink to a slightly yellow undertone.

             See how light it looks like when swatched? But on my face, it looks just about right. :)

The product has a consistency like that of a lotion, making it so easy to spread. The coverage is light-medium. The scent sort of reminds me of a certain body spray I used in high school, just forgot what's it called but I love it anyway! Oil control is pretty impressive, I never thought this would last me a whole day (with touch-ups of course) in school. :) Anyway.

Its great that it comes in a pump because it dispenses just the right amount of product, not too little nor too much. I like that its pump is upside down, that way you wouldn't have a hard time getting the  product out. It only has an SPF of 20/PA** so for people like me living in a tropical country such as Manila, you might want to use a separate sunscreen prior to using this BB lotion. As for the "whitening" part that it claims to do, in my 2 weeks of using this product, I haven't seen any dramatic results, but maybe because I'm already fair to begin with.

Here's my naked face with all my post acne marks really showing. Sorry. I have such a problematic skin, I know.

Don't laugh. I know, I look tired, like I've just woken up or something. Haha! Anyways...this is my face after putting on toner, moisturizer, and sunscreen.

And here's how it looks like with the BB Lotion on. (and some lipstick, blush on, and brow pencil haha!)

Its has a pretty impressive coverage because it covered those nasty acne marks really well. And note that I did not use any concealer at all. I just topped it off with my favorite powder foundation to set the whole thing. Mostly, what I like about this is that it doesn't feel heavy on the face but still covers my flaws really well.

I'm not sure why the picture above is saturated, but to give you a less saturated one, here's another one..

And no, I do not do photoshops. If you look closely, you can still see some minor blemishes peeking through, so its not completely flawless.

What I love about this product: 

Affordable at P498. Another student friendly product! YEY! :)
Lovely packaging
Covers pores, minor blemishes and  redness
Suits my skin tone
It has a pleasant smell
Easy to carry around (30 g)
Oil control is impressive!
Doesn't take too long to oxidize
Doesn't cake

What I hate about this product: 

A low SPF content (20++)
Doesn't cover major blemishes (you will need a concealer for a completely flawless look)
Might be too light for some as it only has one shade :(

Who would I recommend this to? People looking for a BB Lotion (or cream) that is budget friendly but still does its job really well.

Will you repurchase this? Definitely! I would even recommend! Oh right, I just did. Hihihi.

My rating: A perfect 5/5!

Thank you for reading my blog! See you on the next one darlings!

JEM