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From Manila with Love Blog

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Well one-brand for the most part. I did stray here and there (eyebrows and the powder). I'm also putting a dedicated review on some other products mentioned and not mentioned here (powder, lipstick).

I finally get to tackle the brand-spanking re-brand FS did with some old favorites and new additions. If you've seen my previous post about the newly re-launched FS Cosmetics or Features & Shades here you might be wondering what's really worth checking out and what can you pass up on. Here's my "one-brand" face of the day /makeup of the day with their products with quips on what I think of them.

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Let's start with primer.

Aptly named "Primer" this pre-foundation base comes in a squeeze-tube (nice) and has 20g of product in it. That's a pretty decent amount since you really don't need a lot of this all over the face. This one especially tends to ball-up with the foundation if you use way too much.

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Texture and appearance-wise it's very similar to Benefit's Porefessional. It's a silicone primer and it performs (I assume) as most silicone primers do. This does blur the pores and smoothes the skin leaving it velvety.

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I personally don't subscribe to the notion that silicone primers or face primers in general makes makeup last long. I haven't seen a difference. I've tried the Maybelline and the Quick FX primers and they're all the same to me. One thing I can say is that this primer is heavily fragranced. The scent is very floral and "perfume-y".

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For my actual base, I chose to go with FS's BB cream in Oriental. There are 3 shades available, this being the middle one. It claims to be a sun protectant, foundation, concealer and moisturizer. Basically an all-in-one product (as most BB creams tend to claim) but the concealer part is pushing it a bit.

I do really like this. It's smooth, blends in well, looks natural, feels light on the skin, moisturizing, has at most a (well...almost when you build it up) medium coverage and has an olive undertone to it (perfect) BUT...
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It appears slightly ashy on me. I blame it on the spf for the slightly walking-dead appearance initially but it does adjust to your skin a little in about 10 - 15 minutes especially when set with a powder of your shade. It also has this light citrusy-floral fragrance that I don't mind unlike the primer.

I find it a little annoying that they didn't put exactly how much sun protection you get with this, so I suggest using a separate SPF. I also wouldn't suggest this to people with oily skin as this is quite moisturizing, glowy and tacky and stays that way if you don't set it. People with dry patches (me) would do well to exfoliate prior because this BB clings a little. Other than that, it's a nice everyday type of base for people who are okay with light coverage foundations (BBs/CCs).

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This pretty "I'm ready for summer" blush in Twinkle Tan is gorgeous on the skin. It's like a bronzey blush with fine gold shimmer. It's smooth and very pigmented. If I had to recommend one thing out of everything here I'd suggest this one. The finish is this very gleamy highlighted-satin sheen — You won't need a separate highlighter with this for sure.

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I haven't tried this for over 12 hours but for a typical 8-hour day it lasts well. Especially since it's less than P500, as with every product in this post.

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This amazing True Light Liquid Lipstick in Glossy Peony is very pretty. Half of it because of the nice matte packaging and the light inside when you open it.

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I would consider this more of a lipgloss than a "liquid lipstick". I think my perception of liquid lipsticks have been escalated because of the numerous liquid lipsticks that have been coming out for the past 2 - 3 years or so. It's not sticky like a typical gloss and it's decently pigmented as well. I would go as far as to say it's slightly moisturizing. Lip prep is important though because it settles in the cracks.

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The colour is a pretty milky medium-peachy-rose with golden shimmer. Don't be put off by the shimmer though, it's really really nice on the lips. Not chunky "glitters" at all. It feels comfortable on, no strong scent nor taste and THE LIGHT GUYS. THE LIGHT!!!

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For the eyeshadow I have their single eyeshadow in Ash Brown. It's a pigmented matte cool-toned dark brown. Rubbing my finger on the pan, it feels slightly gritty but for the most part it's smooth and blends well with a brush.

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There's also a wide selection of colours and finishes. You can pop these in a four pan palette that they sell so you can customize your own palette. Richly pigmented, versatile and affordable for a whopping 4g, this will last long.

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The black Mascarade Volumizing Mascara is okay. It builds up okay on itself. The pigment is really black and the brush is the normal bristled mascara brush I prefer but it only yields a natural lash look even after numerous coats. As you can see from the picture that's the extent of the the volumizing part it can do for my sparse lashes. For 10g, it's a decent pick for the price when you don't know which brand to go for.

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It's not smudge-proof and waterproof, though it doesn't claim to be. But it's water-resistant so there's that. Like I said. It's okay but not something I'd purchase on my own. I like mascaras that give a lot of volume.

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Final result. A very no-makeup makeup look. After running errands and being out for more than 5 hours, the bb cream and blush performed really well. I guess the primer also did its job? The mascara and shadow were still there too. But the shadow faded a little bit maybe an eye primer would do the trick next time. I was most surprised about the blush though, I only put a little but it still held on at the end of the day.

I also didn't break out. To be honest though I only used the primer twice but I had the sinking feeling it would break me out if I used it consecutively. I also couldn't stand the scent so that's the only thing I used twice.

Other products used : Palgantong/3WC Powder in #23 as setting powder and for eyebrows I used Pinkies Collection brow pencil in black, Glam21 pencil and Maybelline brow mascara in Dark Brown.

[Reference : Sensitive, dry-normal skin, slightly oily t-zone and dry patches. Sweaty boy.]


Like I mentioned, everything here is less than Php 500. So the brand on the whole is pretty affordable. What would you try from this brand? Which FS product would you like an in-depth review on? My personal picks are the gloss, shadow and blush.

xx,
CJ

http://www.fscosmetics.com/
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https://www.instagram.com/fscosmetics/


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This has been my go-to palette for nights out, day time, events and what have you. Apart from being sleek-looking and compact, the quad is definitely a no-brainer neutral palette. Especially since it has the names on the lid.
PACKAGING

KATE Tokyo's brand is very sleek, modern, sophisticated with none of the frilly, girly and "kawaii" we tend to associate when we think "Japanese makeup". This is because they cater to the more "mature" modern woman on-the-go, making the aesthetic of the makeup straight-forward.



The ingredient list and instructions at the back of the quad and the plastic box it came in was in Japanese which might irk people who want to know more about the ingredients. 

The sponge applicator is useful! Don't dismiss it like you would your super annoying friend just yet.

PERFORMANCE

The shadows are soft, easy to blend and pigmented --The last two shades especially. You'd have to use a primer to make the white show up very white  but the three shades are pigmented enough on their own as evidenced by the swatch. 

Yes all shades are shimmery. You can't tell by the picture though. There's glossy light (the iridescent pink), base color (light white-pink), medium color (bronze) and dark color (dark warm brown) all have pink and white shimmers in them. Yay shimmer!


SPOTLIGHTING SHADOW?

The "spotlighting" in the name comes from the glossy light shadow - a pink iridescent shade you put on top of another shadow. Very much like a top coat on nails, it just adds more shimmer/light hence the "spotlighting". 

Aside from white and pink I think this one has magenta shimmers. It's very soft as evidenced again by the dent on my palette. Because they are soft (this shade especially), they tend to get fall outs if you're not careful and you'll have shimmer where you don't want to. Tapping off the excess on the brush helps, but I advice to use your fingers instead then pat it on. 

The color shows up more and applies better when using the fingers anyway. If you don't want to use your fingers the sponge applicator included works well with it. Here's a typical eye look I do using the dark color , base and glossy light shades.

I used the dark color with the base color and glossy light in the middle.

I recommend this for minimalists, working women and of course beginners. I didn't think this would be a staple in my makeup arsenal since the all shimmer palette threw me for bit. The shimmers of the darker shades aren't obvious in pictures but they're really pretty IRL.

What's your go-to, no-brainer compact palette? And maybe an eye look? Let me know below!

Price: Php 960
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/katephilippines
Website : http://www.kate-global.net/en/katetokyo/index.html


Disclaimer : I got this palette from the Kate Tokyo Bloggers event last year (Yeah I know! Super belated review). Thanks Kate Tokyo loves! 
1. Naked 2 Palette // 2. Lorac Pro Palette // 3. Nyx Nude on Nude // 4. Too Faced Natural Eye Palette


I am going crazy. I seriously am. I'm not much of an eye-shadow person but these palettes are so beautiful. And being a novice makeup err, enthusiast, these neutral shades suit me to a T.

I'm thinking of getting me a nice neutral palette that I can play with; pretty neutral colors that are are a dream to blend and something I can possibly keep forever (so pigmentation is a big deal). These are just the palettes that are at the top of my list based on my research that checks off these points.

  • + Smooth/Creamy/Not so powdery
  • + Mix of satin/shimmer and matte
  • + All shades work well together
  • + Highly pigmented
  • + Blends like a dream
  • + Compact/Doesn't have a wide array of choices and not too little (You know what I mean?)
  • + Perfect for beginners and pros
  • + Pretty packaging (I like 'em pretty)

And I can't seem to choose just one. They all offer something slightly different but all are very pretty everyday shades.


These are just one of the times I'm thankful I have a sister close to my age instead of a brother or my ever coveted fantasy of a "cool older brother who could beat up bullies or exes in a jiffy". We understand each other and by that sense I mean skin care and make-up kind of understanding.

I didn't buy SQUAT in this latest haul of mine and I'm so giddy and super excited because I really love all of "my" purchases.

Let me tell you a little bit about these brands. Ever Bilena and Fanny Serrano are just a couple of household names when it comes to local makeup products that are tried, tested and very much loved.

Despite those facts I've never tried anything from their respective lines, powder and foundation-wise {except a lip and cheek tint from Ever Bilena that I didn't care much for because its smell turned rancid while I was using it; it has the doe-foot applicator and THIS dip eyeliner a.k.a waste of freaking space.} because the smell from the products, the powders especially, turned me off so much when I was younger.

I always attributed that smell to old ladies and grandmas, so you can imagine my aversion to them. Plus I didn't want to experiment with my own face, with it being super sensitive, oily and adding the rosacea I have, which adds to the ingredient-sensitivity of my "princess skin" I wasn't that game to just trying whatever. Ugh aren't I the lucky one?


The two palettes in comparison. 

First off, I really like the packaging. The quad is housed in a sleek glossy plastic case. Not completely black as there's some blue or violet in it. The logo stamped on the top is in classy script, very simple and elegant. The manufacturing date is also printed on the box as well as at the back part of the quad itself, which I commend. The lock mechanism is also well made and not flimsy at all. This actually reminds me of the Chanel Les Fleurs Summer shadows.


The four colors are bright crayon green, golden yellow, deep purple and this gorgeous forest green shade that's my favorite out of the palette. It also comes with two sponge-tip applicators, which aren't considered sponges at all in my opinion. They're, tougher, sturdier, smooth as well. I guess they're comparable to insoles of most shoes, more specifically the jelly-like middle between the two cloth-like strips. That's the best I could do to describe them hahaha.

Swatches on some linen paper. 

The consistency is smooth, not buttery smooth per-se but not powdery or chalky either. They're actually kind of hard in my opinion, as opposed to this duo. Fall-outs are minimal and has good pigmentation as you can see. It also applies really well and blending them is non-problematic.


Swatches on my arm with some home-made primer. 

All of the shades has some tiny glitters in them that are a combination of gold and pink, as far as I can see. Not overly glittery, and definitely not metallic. But blended out, especially the dark green and deep purple, you can barely see the glitters.

It retails for around 400+ Php but I got it for 150 Php (around $4)  at SM Megamall because they were re-stocking I think?

Next up is my new favorite waterproof pen-type black liquid liner. And when I say waterproof, I really mean it.


I tried removing it with soap and water, olive oil, wipes, oil-based makeup remover and gentle toner, all in that order {I repeated some steps as well and I still had some bits of eyeliner on} . I was wowed and annoyed at the same time. Now I have to get myself a proper waterproof makeup remover. {Any recommendations?}

On another note, I'm completely singing a different tune when it comes to this product unlike here. I like everything about it. It has the typical inky liquid liner smell and inconsequential in my book since it isn't that strong and goes away quickly enough. It dries pretty fast. The felt-tip is precise, not too hard nor flimsy and opacity of the ink is just ♥.

It retails for around 200 Php (around $5)

UPDATE 10-19-2013 : It smudges on me now. I think the formula tends to break-down after a while. :( New liquid liner suggestions please!

Next up is the Ever Bilena Powder Foundation with UV/UVB protection in Soft Beige.

The packaging is simple and professional like the Fanny Serrano quad I mentioned. The compact is black with a matte finish and logo stamped on top. Nothing fancy like the Fanny Serrano but this one's cheaply stamped, you can see it's fading already and with a couple more uses it will be completely erased. Too bad. The lock mechanism is ok, not as sturdy as the Fanny Serrano quad but I don't think it's going to be breaking too soon.

It has a good amount of product since it's 11 grams, with a mirror and sponge included at the bottom compartment. The sponge isn't bad either, not the cheap kind that're stiff, this one's pretty soft.

The scent is very powdery, like sweet milk candy tablets. To those who have an issue with scented make-up this might not be your cup of tea, as the scent lingers on the skin. The consistency is very smooth and soft and applies really well on my oily-combination skin. I use a big fluffy brush to apply this for a lighter coverage but you can still use the sponge that's included for a more opaque application. 

The color Soft Beige, which has a yellow undertone is also a good match for me and blends well on my skin.

The color range caters to most skin tones and the powders have either a yellow undertone or pink-beige undertone. But unfortunately they don't have {in this foundation line}, anything for tanner and more deeply colored skin.

This compact retails for around 300 Php (around $8)


UPDATE 10-19-2013 : The powder cracks and crumbles when you've hit pan. And by hit pan I mean, leave a big gaping hole. This is still an OK powder in my book but I noticed the lock mechanism became loose after so much use, still locks but not sturdy like before. 

That's it for this post! I'm going to be looking at all the other products that they have since I've been thoroughly impressed with these. All-in-all I'd say they're definitely worth checking out.

As you can see, they're a bit pricier than Drugstore make-up in the U.S. , especially the powder foundation. I believe you can get the same consistency, quality and pay-off for a lot less with brands like L'oreal, Maybelline, Jordana and Wet n' Wild just to name a few.

Have you tried anything else from these two brands? I heard the FS powder foundations are really really good as well as the EB concealers.


xx,
CJ


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Christmas is fast approaching, almost as fast as my aunt and uncles retreating into their hiding places. And unbelievable as it may be it's only a FEW days away. Where has the year gone? I feel like I barely did anything to pass the time by. Everyday's been filled with idle bliss(?), for the most part; not bad, but not fun either. Sigh...

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