In the Limelight: Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Diffused Heat - Product Review

If you have read my blog from way back when I first started, you'd know that I love blushes. They're just so irresistibly pretty whether just looking at them or having them swatched on your arm. It's the one makeup that made me realize that colours may look similar on the pan but come off differently. So whenever I see a new blush on Instagram, I find myself admiring and checking swatches but I always ask myself if I really want or need it so I don't easily buy them. It took me a while to jump into the Hourglass Ambient Lighting bandwagon because I thought that being baked, they'd be similar to MAC Mineralize line up of products. And that it's just hype - you know how the beauty community can be if you're a beauty enthusiast. Suffice it to say, I bit the bullet and got myself one and that is the Diffused Heat shade. Here's my review.

What I like:

• The packaging is very chic and classy as it gives the impression that it is heavy and sturdy. Point of comparison again for me is the packing of the Burberry Light Glow Blushes which is heavy and really sturdy. But I have once dropped this Hourglass blush and if only you could see my face at that moment, you would've gotten a good laugh. But the blush is still in one piece. Though it's probably because the floor where it landed is made of wood.
• The shade is a very nice warm pink with a hint of coral though it was described as poppy by the brand.
• Unscented! My nose is somewhat used to scented products now but it's a breath of fresh air to have a product that gives my olfactory nerves a rest.
• The blush is very smooth and a tad buttery - but still falls short when compared to the texture of Burberry blushes (I guess you can tell I love the texture of that blush!).
• It is highly pigmented though the depth of its colour can be altered by swiping to Ambient Lighting Powder that's mixed in the blush. It can get more or less intense. It would also be hard to get the very same colour - comparing yours to a friend's - as each pan differs in the quantity of the blush pigment and the powder swirled altogether.
• I don't really see the "glow" per se once applied on my cheeks but it somehow gives a luminous effect. Is that the glow people are raving about? :D
• Staying power is good. It lasts quite long on me and I only see fading on the 4th hour mark - which is pretty impressive taking into consideration the Manila weather and my skin type.
• Even though there are shimmer particles on the pan, it does not translate as shimmery on the cheeks. After hitting the big 3-0, my preference has changed from loving shimmer blushes to satin or matte blushes.
• No allergic reactions not break outs for me.

What I don't like:

• The price. I find its price range on the same level as most high end blushes from Chanel, Dior, Burberry, and perhaps Guerlain.I got mine for Php 2,000 which is very reasonable compared to other sellers' price of 2.5k as the only way you can get your hands on this guy here in Manila is though pre-orders unless you but it personally from abroad which leads me to the second thing I don't like.
• The brand's not locally available. If only we had Sephora here in the Philippines. A girl can dream, right?
• The compact is a fingerprint magnet. I once pressed my thumb hard on the compact and I was able to lift it using sticky tape. ;D

In-between:

In as much as I am awed by how gorgeous this blush is, I do not find anything spectacular about it. Other blushes can be as pigmented, smooth, buttery, and give a luminous flush for a lower price tag. 

Who might and might not like it?

Those who love baked blushes and won't mind paying quite a bit for a beautiful blush with swirls of light gold. If you are on a budget, you might find yourself searching for dupes instead. 

Will I buy again?

I would just because I don't have any powder blush like it in my stash and I like its longevity on my combination-oily skin. But it's not something I would consider a must-have. I can live without this blush as it is dupe-able but I choose not to. :D

Have you tried Hourglass blushes?

Happy Tuesday, super awesome peeps. :)

Cheers,

Follow me on Instagram: greenappletini

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In the Limelight: Becca Cosmetics Ombre Nudes Palette - Product Review

For so many years, I have steered clear of neutrals and earth tones when it comes to eyeshadow as being acidic, they tend to look muddy on me so I stuck to greys and greens, and anything dark. It was only last year that I started to wear neutrals mixed with darker browns and blacks and I realized I can rock them. And now, I mostly wear these shades when I go out. I wish I could review the Urban Decay Naked palette for you but I'm sure you've seen tons of reviews about it and besides, I let it go for something less overwhelming for me. My new found love for neutrals + my love for Becca Cosmetics led to my acquisition of the Becca Ombre Nudes Palette. It was a choice between the Urban Decay Naked Basics or this but I chose the latter instead. And here is my review.

What I like:

• The shadows are smooth and velvety though not as buttery as compared to, say, Burberry eyeshadows and blushes.
• All the colours blend nicely albeit matte which I usually have a hard time with.
• They all work well with each other (at times, they look cool-toned but on most times, they lean towards the warm spectrum) as well as with eyeshadows from other palettes or quads.
• All the shades are very pigmented and didn't have a hard time showing up with or without primer.
• Longevity is very good, more so when applied with primer.
• The compact is sleek and simple and although plastic, it feels sturdy and won't easily break. 
• I do not feel overwhelmed as to the number of shades and which ones to use (I'm talking to the UD Naked palettes, Lorac Pro palettes and everything else that has more than 5 shades to choose from in one compact).
• This is a no-brainer eye shadow palette for me.
• Aside from being used on the eyes, I can also use the third and fourth shades as face contour and as brow powders. Talk multiple uses in one slim compact.

What I don't like:

• They come off as a bit powdery but surprisingly has very minimal fall outs once applied on the lids. But still, I wish it does not do that: product wastage = money wasted.
• It is quite pricey and what I would consider an investment for a product I do not use everyday - pretty steep for $40. Got it for Php 2250 through a pre-order.
• Not sure if it's already locally available in Adora.
• I wish they'd come up with other palette selections - blues, greens, smokes, pastels or whatever colour combinations you can think of.

Who might and might not like this?

Those who prefer satin or shimmer finishes for their eyeshadows can skip this one as this is an all matte palette. Also, if you want a variety of shades to choose from, you'll be disappointed if 5 isn't enough for you. If you are, however, into mattes and neutrals, and wants minimal shades in their palette, then this has your name spelled on it. If you like multi-purpose products, go grab this for your contouring and eyebrow needs.

Will I buy again?

I'd love to say yes but if they come up with smokey shades or dark greens, I would get those palettes first. And besides, this will take me over a year to finish since I do not wear eyeshadow on a regular basis.

Swatches. Photo taken from my instagram account.

What's your favourite neutral or nudes palette?

Have a wonderful week ahead, super awesome peeps. :)

Cheers,

Follow me on Instagram: greenappletini

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Product Review: Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Ultra Definition Makeup Foundation

Hello, super awesome peeps! It has been over a year since I have last updated this blog. Thank you to all those who still followed this blog and those who have told me that they still read my blog, it really meant a lot to me and made me want to go back to blogging. I won't go into a lengthy explanation for the hiatus but here I am once again and will do my best to get back to blogging. I have so much products to review for you guys which I am quite excited about. So allow me to start once again by reviewing one of my Holy Grail foundations which is the Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Ultra Definition Makeup.

I was using the shade 3.0 which was a perfect match but oxidizes on me and turns a shade darker so the one I currently have on my stash is 2.0. Did I already mention that this is one of my two Holy Grail foundations? Yes, I did.

Texture and Consitency:

Consistency is somewhat in between creamy and runny. It doesn't sit like a blob at the back of my hand once pumped and neither does it do a marathon on me. It is applies smoothly and feels both satiny and velvety on my skin. A few seconds is all it needs to blend well with the skin, making it appear as though it's my skin but better.

Coverage:

Coverage is light to medium but buildable. You can, however sheer it out by mixing it with your moisturizer or, in my case, argan oil. If you have good skin, you might not need the use of a concealer but if you have spots or blemishes to conceal here and there, this might not give enough coverage for you. I personally need to use an under eye concealer with this foundation.

Longevity:

This foundation lasts for 8-10 hours on me with fading on the 6th hour mark and I need to touch up with powder. I start seeing traces of oil on the 3rd hour too. Those with dry skin might find this foundation to last longer on them.

What I like:

• It smells like most foundations do but I am happy to report that it does not contain a strong floral fragrance, for those of us who do not like such scents on makeup. The scent disappears quickly.
• It is very easy to blend and does not sit on top of your skin. If you have dry patches, it may somehow emphasize them but not like what most matte foundations do. Please note that this is not a mattifying foundation and has a satin or demi-matte finish.
• It makes my skin look healthy, bouncy even, and does not dry out my skin.
• No adverse reaction on my skin despite the silicone content.
• Has a wide selection of shades for various skin tones and undertones. Those that end with .5 are cool-toned while those that do not are warm-toned. I can't imagine anyone having that much difficulty in finding the right shade for them.
• For the price I paid for this foundation, I am glad that this has a pump that works and allows me to control the amount of foundation I am pumping out from it.
• The bottle is simple and yet sleek and functional.

What I don't like:

• Not locally available so I have to rely on pre-orders. 
• Can be pretty expensive for a mid-range brand. For my first bottle, I paid Php 1,750 which is quite reasonable but for the second, I got it for Php 2, 200 as seller no. 1 no longer has it on stick.

Who might and might not like this:

Those who prefer satin over matte finishes and light-medium coverage will definitely like this foundation. Those who like heavy and full coverage might find themselves adding another layer of foundation. If you have very oily skin and lives in hot and humid places, you will definitely need to set this with powder. I have combination-oily skin and I still need to set it with powder and touch up every now and then. If you need heavy duty foundation, this definitely isn't for you.

Will I buy again?

Definitely! I have, in fact, already purchased my second bottle. :)

Have a great weekend, everyone! :)

Cheers,

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