Review: MAC Lipstick in "Plumful"

There's something about MAC lipsticks that are plain addicting. Even if you aren't a lipstick person, with MAC, it's easy to have a change of heart. I was in fact a hard-core lip tint gal for a long time until I decided to purchase my first ever lipstick from MAC in Please Me on a passing thought, and since then, I remained fixated on the brand. Up to now I haven't the faintest idea as to why or how. But I am, unquestionably down with a MAC fever and my body has no plans of recovering any time soon.

So today, allow me to share to you YET another lovely find from the Queen of lipsticks. The shade I have today is Plumful which has a lustre finish. Essiebutton is one of my favorite bloggers out there, my friends and I just adore her videos so yeah, she was a big influence on this purchase after knowing this is her favorite lipstick from MAC. Haha! Anyway, as a lot of you may know, their lipsticks come in different finishes, I think now they come in 9 different types namely Amplified, Amplified Creme, Cremesheen, Frost, Glaze, Lustre, Matte, Retro Matte, and Satin, which is a lot in all honesty but once it lands on your lips, it's hard to tell what's what already - except for matte anyway which I think is just about the only one that has a stark difference among all the finishes.

It comes in MAC's standard packaging which is this black bullet that has a silver design that goes around it. I really have no qualms regarding its packaging because I find it very functional, sturdy and professional looking. If there's anything I'd be worried about it's the smell that comes with it. I don't hate it, in fact I do enjoy their signature vanilla scent, but some people might be put off by it.

MAC describes this shade as a "blossoming rose-plum", although we can all agree that their description is not as accurate sometimes. It's a given that it would come out differently depending on how pigmented your lips are to begin with. But the shade is really lovely against my fair, Asian skin, although it pulls more mid-tone fuschia pink on me rather than plum. Having worn Rebel in the past, I think Plumful is a much more subdued version of Rebel, therefore making it a lot easier to pull off. It's not an intimidating color either which makes it fit for any occasion. It can easily be worn with a striking eye make up or just a simple winged eye-liner, whatever floats your boat. It's basically that shade I put on when I don't know what to do with my freakin' face. Haha! xx 

What I Like: 

• Straight to the point packaging
• No irritating smell 
• Did not cause allergies on my lips 
• Compliments a variety of skin tones 

What I'm Neutral About: 

• This isn't widely available in the Philippines yet so for those living in the provinces, online shopping is the best way to go. 

What I Don't Like: 

• It's a bit steep for just a tube of lipstick but honestly worth every penny. xx 
• MAC is a lot more expensive here in Manila so if you know anyone in the US, just have 'em buy your MAC goodies for you. You'll definitely save lots! 

Price: 1000php or approximately $23 

Available at: Glorietta, Rustan's Shangri-la, Mall of Asia, Trinoma, Rockwell, Eastwood, Alabang Town Center, SM Aura, SM Megamall, and Ayala Center Cebu 

So what do you guys think about this lipstick? Let me know on the box below! 

Hope to see you in my next post! xx 

As always... JEM

Review: Revlon Lip Butter in Cotton Candy and Candy Apple

I know these lip butters have been reviewed a million times already, but as the famous saying goes, "better late than never!" I am so happy to finally be joining the bandwagon and to give you guys my two cents on the much hyped Revlon Lip Butters! I got them two weeks ago on a whim, I was honestly just there looking for a decent hair serum for my ever so dry hair, but then I came across Revlon's counter and found out that they were having a sale. And knowing that they hardly put their best sellers on sale, yup these lip butters sell like hotcakes, I just had to get some for myself! 

I have heard great stuff about these babies which made me even more excited to test drive them. I love the concept of lip butters, it's like a fusion of a balm, a lipstick, and a lip gloss! They also have a wide range of colors too so it's easy to find something flattering for your skin tone. 

As of current, I have Candy Apple & Cotton Candy. 

My experience with Cotton Candy: 

This is a cool, pale pink shade which I imagine would look gorgeous when paired with smokey eyes. It has more shimmers compared to Candy Apple, which I think is because the color is much more lighter and cooler, therefore making the glitters more obvious to the naked eye. It looks paler than the natural color of my lips so unless I'm auditioning for a zombie movie, I don't think I'd pick this up as it ridiculously washes me out. Whenever I use this, I always make sure I have a bit of eye liner going on, and a dash of blush so as to make up for the color lacking on my lips. This is obviously not my cup of tea. I love the product itself, it being a lip butter and all, but I'm certainly not wowed by the color pay off. If you're in the look-out for a lippie to pair with those smokey eyes then definitely check this out. 

My experience with Candy Apple: 

Generally, I'm not fond of red lipsticks. I own two but never get around to using them because I feel like I'd end up looking too made up or something. Candy Apple, on the other hand, is a lovely color which is just right up my alley. The shade is a warm subtle red, which, on my lips appears orangey-red. I've had similar results with a lip tint from Nature Republic shade wise, but obviously, I am much more sold on Candy Apple since it doesn't dry out my lips. It doesn't have a superb staying power but it wasn't advertised to be that way so it's to be expected. This is a great shade for that pop of color because it's not an "in your face" kind of red, very au naturele instead. This is actually my fave between the two!

Overall, I'd recommend these two, but still depending on what you're looking for. Obviously I love Candy Apple more because it doesn't look too intimidating -  perfect for school, running errands, or meeting the girl friends out for lunch. I'd recommend it to you if you are scared of wearing anything red, but aren't closing the door on the shade. Try it, I'm sure you'll love it just as much.  

As for Cotton Candy. I can't fully recommend this toe everyone as it's not flattering on my skin tone (fair skin with strong yellow undertones) when used alone. The color is too cool for my liking, so perhaps it would look better on cooler skin tones. However, shades like this one does come in handy & it's super great if you're wanting to go all out on your eye make up, and therefore have to keep it sweet and simple on the lips. 

Lastly, much as I love the lip butters, they are MAD expensive here in Manila. I wouldn't purchase this for full price in all honesty, but if you have the budget for it, I say go for it and try at least one shade. I recommend you try buying online but do verify their authenticity first before anything else.

And also, revlon lip butters aren't particularly long wearing, it wasn't advertised to be such so I'm willing to overlook just because it doesn't make my lips look hideously dry. If you haven't tried anything from Revlon, now's the perfect time to treat yourself to some as they are currently having a 25% sale on all lip butters. 

To get you started, here are some of the popular shades from this line: 

Peach Parfait, Berry Smoothie, Candy Apple, Pink Truffle, Sugar Plum, Sweet Tart, and Tuttie Fruttie. 

Where to buy: Leading department stores (SM, Landmark, Robinson's) 

Price: Originally priced at 525php ($11.82) but got them for only 393php ($8.85) due to the ongoing sale. 

JEM's Overall Rating: 4/5 

So what do you think of the Revlon lip butters? Is it something that you would buy too or do you already have a similar one in your stash? Do share on the box below! Lets talk! xoxo

Review: Maybelline Colorsensational So Nude lipstick in NU33s

Call me super outdated but I seriously haven't tried any lipstick from Maybelline yet. BB cream, check. Powder foundation, check. Mascara, check. Lipstick? Only recently, CHECK! I guess it's cause they have too many shades to choose from, and I just can't seem to bring myself to narrow it down to three or five lippies. Looking at them all, I'm like, can I just buy the whole counter please? Haha! I kid, I kid. 

So when Maybelline released their So Nude line, well well, I couldn't be more thankful cause the choices have been narrowed down. I love nude colors, not the ones that make me look paler, but the ones that don't go too far from my natural lip color. Sort of like a "my lips but better" shade. So today's feature is from their So Nude line in NU33s, which I think could do better with a name, don't you agree? 

So now let's dive into the details of this gem right here!

PACKAGING: 

The packaging is pretty standard and is the size of the rest of the colorsensational lippies. The product itself is housed in a transparent, peachy colored cap. It has a sturdy feel to it too and does that "click" upon closing it that let's you know it's not going to make a mess inside your bag. 

PRICE: 

Originally priced at 399php ($9.04) but got them for only 279php ($6.29) when Maybelline went on sale. I think they still are so if you have any plans of getting a hold of one or two of their products then now's the perfect time to do so! The sale is nationwide if I'm not mistaken. 

WEAR-TIME: 

I'm not really that surprised that this has poor wear time since Maybelline is not famous in that area, so I forgave them long before using this lipstick. Plus, it's not advertised to be that way so double okay. 

On me, it stays put for about 2-3 hours WITHOUT eating or drinking. It fades completely after a hearty meal but this is not so much of a deal breaker for me as it is such a breeze to re-apply. 

SHADE: 

The shade I would describe as a subtle warm peach with a slightest hint of coral to it. 

Texture: 

The texture is so lovely, it glides smoothly on the lips and finishes off with a bit of sheen to it. I would still suggest you put a balm underneath just to be sure because I used this from day to night and my lips began to feel a bit dry on the 8th hour mark. It should be okay if you're not using it all day but if you are, then use something underneath it. (I love EOS by the way, it's by far the most moisturizing lip balm I've used to date.)

Smell: 

Free from any type of fragrance. 

OVERALL, I am SOLD!!! (Capslock para intense) I wear this a lot to school because it's the perfect MLBB shade for me. It's not the kind of nude that makes me look sick, but the kind that looks so natural and yet so beautiful! I received compliments from wearing this lipstick so NOPE, it's not so nude that it's not noticeable anymore. The texture is also one thing I adore - it's creamy and finishes off with a bit of sheen to it, but nothing like a lip gloss kind of finish so it's nothing I'd be afraid of, really. I actually like it because it creates the appearance of fuller and healthier lips. Can't beat the price too so overall, I would recommend! 

JEM's rating: 5/5 

Can't leave you without pictures so excuse me, makikiraan lang po ang aking fezlak! Lol

How about you? What's your favorite nude/MLBB shade? Let me know on the box below! 

JEM

Max Factor Color Elixir "827" in Bewitching Coral

Christmas is soo around the corner, and what better way to celebrate it than to wear fun, bright colored lipsticks! Which by the way, is a huge breakthrough for me as I don't normally wear loud colors, in fact I am a hardcore lip tint gal, but with the festive atmosphere that comes with the yuletide season, I can't help but take everything a notch higher. That meaning, including something fresh, something different, something perky to my collection of lipsticks!

So today's feature is from Max Factor's Color Elixir line in Bewitching Coral. I was told that this is their best seller along with another shade called Pink Brandy. In all honesty, I'm not very hard to impress so whenever I'm told that something IS a best seller, I'm all ears! I didn't actually decide on this color, and in fact my mind was set on Cover Girl's Fairytale, however, upon swatching the two on my hands, Max Factor's appealed to me more since Covergirl's seemed to give a somewhat neon-ish effect on the lips. I'm not looking for THAT loud a color at the moment, and I doubt it would look flattering too, so I made a safe pick and went with Max Factor's.

Now let's get into the deets with this baby!

Packaging: 

I love how elegant the packaging is. There's sort of like a 60's vibe to it which I just adore. Very classic! It is housed in a gold, metallic tube that has sturdy feel to it, and also "clicks" upon closing it, which is great cos it means that it won't come loose easily.

Wear time: 

It has a decent wear time that lasts for around 3-4 hours. Even after eating a hearty meal, the color is still 80% there, which is saying a lot since most lippies just tend to vanish in the center of your lips leaving you with an awful looking line in the corners of your mouth. Terrible right?! This stays put though & might even leave a stain until the next day. Trust me, I know!

Shade: 

The shade I would describe as a hot pink, with the slightest hint of coral to it. The color is very much on the warm side, and surprisingly, doesn't show up as neon as I imagined it would be, thank goodness! I think it depends on how pigmented your lips are, but on me, it looks a bit more reddish towards the end of the day, although the "hot pink" is still pretty much there.

I don't know why I can't capture its real shade but I swear, it's more pink in person.

Price: 

Pricing here in Manila can sometimes be impossible. I know this is just around 350php in the UK, when converted,  and in here it's like 600php. I understand it's going to be a bit more expensive when the goods get in here but still, if you want to save money, and you know anyone who lives in the US, just list everything that you want and have them buy it for you. You'll save lots, I swear. Because of that, I would say I find it steep. Max factor is supposed to be affordable, but buying it in Manila it becomes somewhat mid-range already so, bohoo.

Smell: 

This lipstick has a vanilla-ish scent that I can't seem to distinguish, but yeah, vanilla is the closest thing I could think of at this point. Its good, but kinda smells old to me. It goes away after application though so it isn't much of a deal breaker for me.

Overall, this is a good lipstick. It stays on pretty much the whole time that I have to be out, and it feels weightless too. I guess that's what I adore about this -- it doesn't feel heavy at all and it's not drying either. But I bet if you had this on the whole day, it will dry your lips out sooner or later so carry with you a lip balm just to be sure. I  haven't encountered that though but hey, we all have different reactions to new products so it pays to be prepared. Perhaps my only beef about it is that it takes some muscle to remove it completely, and might even leave quite a stain :)

Anyway, for comparison's sake, and I guess you could say that these are dupes, here's a swatch of Ever Bilena in Pink Flame and M&co in Peachy Pink. Color wise, they don't go too far from each other, but M&co's stands closest because Ever Bilena is a tad bit pinker than Max Factor's. However, these dupes are not as long wearing, and can be a bit drying as well. But if you don't mind these cons, then go for it. But if you really want to get the bang from your buck, then do your lips a favor and grab Max Factor's instead. Overall, I am impressed. I intend to buy Pink Brandy next which looks like a lovely coral shade! xx

I tried washing my hands with soap after doing the swatches and this is what I got! Told ya it leaves quite a stain! xx

Jem's Rating:  5/5

Have you tried anything from this line? Would love to hear your thoughts on this one! Let me know on the box below! 

-JEM-