In the Limelight: Kiss Me Heroine Make Impact Frame & Curl Mascara - A Product Review

If there is only one eye makeup that I would use, it'd certainly be mascara. I like how it instantly opens up the eyes, giving a much more awake look, and makes the look a bit more posh. So after having tried out a few, I think I have finally found my HG (Holy Grail) mascara and that is the Kiss Me Heroine Make Impact Frame and Curl Mascara. I guess you know by now that this post will contain mostly raves because of the HG status but then again, there is no perfect product. So here's my review after using it for a few months now.

Product Description taken from the Sasa website:

Kiss Me Heroine Make New Impact Frame & Curl Mascara is the most black and glossy formula ever. It enables even application and no cake is resulted even if multiple layers are applied. Highly resilient styling wax supports and curls up lashes. The special-designed brush soaks a great amount of fiber, making lashes richer. Eye-catching black color performs larger and sharper eyes.

What I like:

• The brush seems complicated at first glance because there are two sides of it. The one that's kinda flat lifts the lashes and adds volume to it. The other one with bristles separates the lashes and lengthens them. 
• Waterproof, smudge-proof, sweat-proof. I've worn this mascara for almost 20 hours straight and my lashes still looked pretty much the same as when I freshly applied this mascara. Well, there may have been a few budges here and there but it held the curls well and there was absolutely no raccoon eyes.
• One coat already defines each lash. Two coats make them look thicker and richer and fuller. And my lashes are kinda "thin" (not sparse and not short either but are just simply thin) to begin with.
• The formula is wonderful and does not easily dry. My first tube (which I think already croaked) still isn't dry.
• It looks natural with just one coat but you can build it up if you want more drama to your lashes.
• Does not cause any eye irritation even though it has fibers.

What I don't like:

• Such a pain to remove. You can't expect water and soap to take it off. You'll need an eye makeup remover before it finally stops clinging for its life on your lashes. Japanese mascaras are darn good at it, don't you think so too?
• Takes time to get used to using the brush. On the first few applications, I always end up smearing some on my eyelids but after some time, I can apply it even while inside a moving vehicle. Plus it can clump if you apply too much.
• Not locally available and has to be purchased abroad or online. Purchased mine from Adambeauty.com
• Pretty expensive for a mascara at $16 but if you're the type who uses mascara everyday, I think you really won't mind the price at all since you get a bang for your buck with its good quality.
  

Overall rating: 4.75/5 I am willing to overlook the cons as I absolutely adore this mascara.

Will I buy again? You can bet on it! I am already on my second tube and plans to get another one soon once I am out of the Volume & Curl variant.

The brush

On my lashes and the makeup I wore when I took my niece to the mall earlier today- click on the picture to enlarge and see my eyes better.

Face: Celeteque Hydration Facial Moisturizer | Kanebo
Coffret D'Or Beauty Lasting Liquid UV | Maybelline Instant
Age Rewind Double Face Perfector | Kanebo Kate High
Coverage Pressed Powder | Browlash Ex |  Laura Mercier
Topaz Eyeshadow | Kiss Me Heroine Make Impact Frame
and Curl Mascara | Shu Uemura Glow On M Pink 30 | Kiehl's
Lip Balm | YSL Rouge Pur Couture Lipstick in Rose Dahlia

Have you tried Kiss Me mascaras or those from Japanese brands? Which would your recommend?

Have a blessed Sunday, everyone. :)

Cheers,

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Random Goodies

Hola! I hope you're all having a fantastic weekend. Mine was still pretty busy because I was working earlier today and this week has been stressful. Stressful is the understatement of the year! Anyway, I think this week was still pretty good because of the goodies I received and purchased and for this quick post, I'm sharing some of them. Please do note that I am not bragging or anything. I haven't done a goodies post for a couple of months now, I think, so I decided to do one tonight. And it was the easiest thing to post because my brain's too tired (and so I am) to do a review or do an EOTD/FOTD. I badly need to recharge. :D Well, here are the goodies. These aren't much but they were enough to cheer me up after a  few long and tiring days.

1. Estee Lauder Double Wear Light Stay in Place Makeup Intensity 1.0
2. Kiss Me Heroine Make Impact Frame and Curl Mascara
3. Kanebo Kate Eyebrow Gel in BR-3
4. Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Double Face Perfector in 710 Light

5. Tony Moly Berry Berry Magic Lip Tint in Strawberry
6. Tony Moly Cherry Pink tint

7. Bath & Body Works Pocketbac in Fresh Lemon
8. Bath & Body Works Pocketbac in Island Margarita

Goodies from Genson:
9. Vitacreme B12 Regenerative Cream
10. Purederm Exfoliating Foot Mask
11. Purbasari Lulur Scrub (I read a review where the blogger claimed that she likes this better than Asian Secrets Lulur Scrub. Now I'm curious.)
12. Nanomed Finale Whitening Cream

That's pretty much all. I no longer included the shampoos and conditioners and Cetaphil. Reviews coming up.

How about you? Any goodies recently? :P

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Cheers,

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Product Review: Maybelline The Magnum Volume Express Mascara - Waterproof

I have mentioned several times now how much I love Maybelline The Colossal Volume Express Mascara but since it is not locally available, I decided to settle and basically try out what's said to have been the local version of The Colossal - The Magnum Volume Express Mascara. After using it for a little over a month now, it's time to give it a review.

I chose the waterproof variant so I won't have to worry about smudging and having raccoon eyes at the end of the day.

The brush. I was sort of expecting it to be similar to that of The Colossal but it was so much different. (Might do a comparison between The Magnum and The Colossal one of these days.)

What I like:
- Does not have the rose scent that The Colossal has which is due to collagen.
- It makes my lashes darker and look fuller. Though it does not totally volumize my lashes that much, it still makes a lot of difference as compared to my lashes without any mascara at all.
- It still looks natural, like my lashes but better. It is definitely not dramatic so this is for those who wants to keep it simple and natural.
- Although it is not a hundred percent waterproof and smudge proof, it takes a long time - several hours - before I see traces of it on my under eyes, which is not bad at all. Most of the time, I am already on my way home by the time that happens.
- Drying time is just right. Doesn't dry too quickly so clumping isn't much of a problem and doesn't take a long time to dry as well.
- Locally available and price is quite affordable at Php429/439 (someone feel free to correct me if I got the price wrong).

What I do not like:
- While it looks really nice upon application, I find that it does not hold the curls very well. In fact, I feel that it weighs down my lashes. It only takes less than 5 minutes for me to see that my lashes are no longer that curled which disappoints me.
- I find the brush kid of hard to work with. The curved angle with less fibers or bristles just doesn't make sense to me. I end up using the "un-curved" side of the brush. I still like The Colossal's bristles way better than this.

Overall rating: 3.5/5

Will I buy again? I am still on the fence as to whether or not I will re-purchase because The Colossal has my loyalty. The fact that this mascara weighs down my lashes really disappoints me so I would have to think more than twice before buying another one of this.

Curled lashes without mascara

Curled with 2 coats of mascara

Have you tried this mascara? Do you like it? :)

Happy Monday, super awesome peeps!
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Product Review: Max Factor False Lash Effect Waterproof Mascara

If I were made to choose just one product or makeup I will forever use on my eyes, I will pick mascara in a heartbeat. I love how it instantly opens up the eyes and makes batting the lashes so much better. I have tried just a few and liked most of them, my favorites being Clinique Lash Power Mascara and Maybelline The Colossal Volume Express Mascara. But since they have already expired, t'was time to throw them in the bin and try something else. Just like what I have mentioned on my Clinique Lash Power review, I don't know if I can bring myself to spend more or less than a thousand bucks just for a single tube of mascara, so I decided to try something new which is the Max Factor False Lash Effect Mascara. I got the waterproof variant because I have not checked out reviews about it yet only to find out when I checked MUA that the non-waterproof variant is better. But heck, I already have it so I had no choice but to just use it. I didn't want to go back to the mall just to have it exchanged as I might end up going home with a few more things. :P

The brush reminds me of the brush in Cover Girl Lash Blast. It's bulky and big and made of rubber.

This mascara does a pretty good job at separating and lengthening my lashes. As for volumizing, I really do not see any difference but I can say that my lashes look better. I like the fact that I can apply 2-3 coats without any clumping. It makes a lot of difference without looking unnatural, which is quite against its being the False Lash Effect mascara. It doesn't look as if I have false eyelashes on which is okay with me since I'm all for the natural look. Basically if you want dramatic lashes, this is not the mascara for you. But if you like "my-lashes-but-better" that still looks natural, you may want to consider trying this one. As I have mentioned earlier, I got the waterproof variant. 

When I went out last Monday, I had this mascara on for 12 hours. On the 7th hour, I noticed a little smudging on my under eyes and I had nothing else on my eyes other than this one. so it may be waterproof but definitely not oil and sweat proof. But hey, 7 hours isn't bad. 

A lot of those who reviewed this in MUA complained about the difficulty in removing this mascara but I honestly do not have any problems with it. I just use Celeteque Cleansing Oil and all the mascara's gone plus my cleanser is very effective in removing makeup. So I guess the ease or difficulty of removing it depends on what you use to remove your makeup. 

Overall, a really nice mascara that is worth trying but I still prefer Clinique over this one. I realized that I could've gotten myself a tube of that mascara since this one does not come in cheap, being priced at Php695. But then I got another one from a different brand so I guess it's all good. If I were to repurchase this mascara, it would have to be the non-waterproof variant which has waaay better reviews than this one.

Uncurled lashes without mascara

Curled with mascara

Have you tried this mascara?

Happy Thursday, super awesome peeps! :P

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Product Review: Stila Major Lash Mascara

Here's another mascara review that has been long overdue. As my eyes sometimes look small, I dunno why they do that though sometimes they look round, I need something to open them up so no one will ask me if I just cried. Yeah, people sometimes ask me that. :( Anyway, time for the review.

What I like:
- It makes my lashes longer and thicker but still look natural enough and not really dramatic. One coat is enough to achieve that.
- The brush that came with it is easy to work with though it is just a regular brush.
- Separates my lashes and no clumping unless I apply too much.
- Does not sting and irritate my eyes.
- Has a shelf life of 6 months. I have only recently started using this though.
- I am not sure if it is waterproof or not but either way, it does not smudge unless I rub my eyes.
- Locally available at Stila counters in Rustan's though I don't know the price since this was a gift from Chel the Malditang Doktora.

What I don't like:
- Weighs the curls down after a few hours.

Overall rating: 3.5/5

Will I buy again? Maybe not. I prefer mascaras that hold curls very well. :)

On me. (I know it looks weird but I really have no idea why my eyes look as if they were looking at two different spots.)

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Product Review: ELF Studio Line Mineral Infused Mascara

I love how mascaras instantly open up the eyes. If I were made to choose just one make up product for my eyes, I will definitely go for mascaras. I am done with my mascara phase but having to get rid of them in 3-6 months (depending on the shelf life indicated on the tube itself), I need to purchase one and my latest acquisition is the ELF Studio Line Mineral Infused Mascara. I am getting hooked into ELF Studio products and is kind of becoming my favorite drugstore brand of makeup. Well, time for the review!

 Silicone Brush Perfect for Volumizing and Lengthening (on the box)

What I like:

- Perfect for natural looking lashes. Skip this if you are after dramatic lashes.

- I see the lengthening effect of this mascara.

- I quite like the very simple packaging. Matte black tube with silver label.

- No clumping after 2 coats.

- I did not experience major smudging and no raccoon eyes even after a few hours.

- The size of the brush is just right and reaches even the shortest lashes on the inner corners of the eyes.

- Cheap for only PHP249.75 just like any other Studio Line products.

- Scent is the typical smell of mascaras, nothing rosey like Maybelline The Colossal.

- Locally available at Watson's and leading drugstores nationwide.

What I don't like:

- No volumizing affect as opposed to what it claims to do. 

- Takes a bit longer than other mascaras I have tried to dry.

- Even though the size of the brush is just right, I still end up with mascara smudges on my lids no matter how carefully I try to apply this. I kinda have shaky hands and this isn't good for those with hands like mine.

- My lashes sometimes end up sticking with each other.

- Holds the curls only for about an hour or two max!

Overall rating: 3/5

Will I buy again? No. I will stick to Maybelline The Colossal and/or Covergirl Lashblast. Or I might even consider investing on Clinique Lash Power as I get the same effect from this mascara without weighing my lashes down.

On me

Happy Sunday! :P

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Product Review: Clinique Lash Power Mascara in Black Onyx

Heya! Here's the start of my series of reviews as I really have a lot lined up for you guys. Hopefully, you won't get bored with seeing reviews one after the other. So the first on my list is Clinique Lash Power Mascara in Black Onyx. Although I received this item for free when I had my Clinique Skin Consultation, this review will be nothing but honest. On to the review then.


According to the website:

Lash Power Mascara Long Wearing Formula

Mascara with staying power. Vows to look pretty for 24 hours without a smudge or smear. Lasts through rain, sweat, humidity, tears. Yet the formula removes easily with warm water. Unique brush reaches and beautifully lengthens even the tiniest lashes. Ophthalmologist Tested.

* Skin Types: All
* Benefits: Long Wearing

(I really cannot post a before and after pic of my lashes without and with this mascara on because I cannot really get a decent shot.)

What I like:
- Smudge proof. True to its claim that it has a long wearing formula. Even though I have sometimes teared up or my lids get oily and sweaty on really hot and humid days, it held up to all those conditions. But I am not sure if this is waterproof or not, I cannot find it anywhere else on the website and on the tube either.
- Staying power is really great though I have not tried having it on my lashes for 24 hours.
- Does not clump even after I apply 2-3 coats of mascara.
- Looks really natural and perfect for a natural make up look or everyday wear. (May be a con for those who want dramatic lashes.)
- Although I do not really see a volumizing and lengthening effect on my lashes, they look more noticeable and makes my eyes look brighter and more awake.
- Can easily be removed with water.
- I read some girls complaining about the brush being too small. I actually like it because it reaches even the smallest and shortest lashes on the inner corners of my eyes and are also perfect for my lower lashes.
- Holds up the curls and does not weigh them down.
- Does not irritate my eyes.
- Has a shelf life of 6 months as seen on the tube.

What I don't like:
- I personally find this mascara expensive as you all know how high Rustan's mark up is for cosmetics and perfumes. But this sells on their website for only $14 which is like PHP630 if converted which is not bad at all if you get to buy it from the US.

Overall rating: 4.5/5 I remember mentioning in one of my EOTD's that I am really loving this mascara and could be HG material for me.

Will I buy again? I would love to, if the price at Rustan's is reasonable and if I can have someone in the US buy it for me. Or if I see it on eBay at a great bargain. I'm just not willing to shell out more than a thousand bucks for something I need to ditch in 6 months or less.

Anyway, here is a really cute picture of lolcat I saw on a website. Click the picture if you want to see more funny cats. :)


I hope you all had a great weekend! Happy Sunday!
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Skin Consultation with Clinique + ELF Studio Eyeshadow

I was scheduled yesterday to be skin typed by a Clinique consultant at the Clinique Counter in Rustan's Makati. I received an invite from Ms. May Samson of Clinique, unfortunately, I was not able to meet her yesterday as my Mom and I already left Makati when I read a couple of SMS from her that she was already at the counter. :(

The Clinique stuff + the 2 Elf Studio Eyeshadows I bought from a fellow girltalker.

When I was skin typed, I was surprised that I have Dry Combination skin, which is Type 2, as opposed to what I have thought all along that I have Combination Oily skin. It is because my cheeks are dry and there are sometimes flakiness and tightness on that area without moisturizer. I was given samples of the 3-Step Skin Care System and I started using it last night. Will post my review once I have finished all the samples.

I also received a sample of Long Last Lipstick in Berry Freeze and a Lash Power Mascara in Black Onyx.

Here's how Berry Freeze looks like.

I will do a separate review on this lipstick but I like it. I was lemming for a red lippy and this is somewhat red with a hint of brown. Really nice! :P

Anyway, here are the 2 eyeshadows from ELF Studio Line - Mystic Moss and Pebble.

Left: Pebble; Right: Mystic Moss

Swatches (Pebble and Mystic Moss)

I will do a review on these eyeshadows too. Between the two, I am liking Mystic Moss more. :)

Anyway, weekend's almost here. :P


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Mascara Fever + Skin MD Samples + Styli-Style + Rimmel

Heya everyone! For the Nth time, I am telling you I am on a mascara phase. So lemme show you the mascaras I have acquired for the past 2-3 weeks.

The latest additions to my mini mascara family

Maybelline The Colossal Mascara (back-up) & Covergirl Lash Blast

Stila Major Lash Mascara (Thanks, Chel, for supporting me on my mascara phase. :P)

Skin MD Face, Hand, & Body Shielding Lotion Samples

I will review Skin MD Shielding Lotion later. This is gonna be good. ;)

Styli-Style Flat Liners 24 + Line & Blend

Styli-Style Flat Liners + Line & Blend

Rimmel Blush in Berry

Swatch

So these are the stuff I have acquired over the past couple of weeks. Not much, I know. :P


Happy weekend, everyone! :P

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Product Review: Maybelline The Colossal Volume Express Mascara

As I've previously mentioned, I am on a mascara phase lately. I think I have bought 4 tubes of mascaras over the past couple of weeks and I have just recently bought another 2 off eBay. I started to like mascaras as I notice the big difference it makes when I use one and when I don't. It instantly opens up my eyes and they look better with mascara and eyeliner on. I will do a review on all my mascaras soon but this one is worth the very first review. It would've been Fasio 3D Airtech but sadly, Rustan's stopped carrying the brand so I had to settle for what's locally available. But then this one is not available on all the Maybelline counters here, except for Duty Free. I think they have this, I'm just not sure if they still do. Going back, I am reviewing Maybelline The Colossal Volume Express Mascara in Glam Brown/Brownish Black.




What I like:
- It makes my lashes thicker and longer plus it adds a little volume to my lashes. Well, I'm not talking about super volume but more definition rather. My lashes are not short and are naturally curled to begin with but I like how it enhances my lashes.
- It is easy to remove. I can even use wet wipes to take the mascara off my lashes.
- The big, chunky brush helps separate the lashes.
- It holds the curl and stays put for hours without smudging and giving me raccoon eyes, given that this is the non-waterproof version.
- The volume-plumping formula contains collagen.
- No clumping even after 3 coats.
- The packaging is cute and so retro-ish for me.
- The price. This drugstore mascara works! I don't want to invest and pay a lot for something I need to ditch in 3 months so for the price and quality of this product, I am sold.

What I don't like:
- The rose scent of the collagen. I had to stay in front of the fan for a few minutes just to get rid of the scent.
- Not locally available. I just scored this on eBay.

Overall rating: 4.5/5 (I took .5 off the overall rating as I don't really dig the scent. It once gave me a headache.
Will I buy again? Definitely! I actually just bought another tube of this mascara as a back up.

See the chubby brush?

No mascara, just curled lashes.

With one coat of The Colossal.

Another shot.

A farther shot.

P.S. Sorry for the scar on my right eyebrow. I had stitches when I was a kid, I forgot to conceal it. And I know I have lines on my undereye. :(

Anyway, I will review another mascara this week. :)

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