My Top 5 Fall Lipsticks!

Now, I know, this post is a little silly. Come on, who are we kidding, there's no fall season here in the Philippines. But it is October, and it's bound to get colder sooner or later.

This is the season to break out our dark, vampy lip colors. And also to show our love for the deeper nudes. Here's my favorite lipsticks for fall:

Clockwise: MAC Rebel, MAC Mehr, Snoe Rouge Deluxe Marsala, NYX Matte Lipstick Strawberry Daiquiri and Snoe Rouge Deluxe Vintage Rose

1. MAC Rebel

Who hasn't heard of this famous lipstick? This lipstick looks different on every skin tone and the color it would appear in would also depend on the pigmentation of your lips. It looks scare in the tube, but that doesn't really translate when you put it on. Instead, I get a beautiful berry purple which I can build up from sheer to full on opaque. It wears beautifully too and leaves a very lovely purplish pink stain on the lips.

2. MAC Mehr

This is one of the deeper nudes in my MAC lipstick collection. Its a blue based dirty pink and it's perfect for fall because of the darkness of its pink hue. Careful though, if you have a lot of yellow in your undertones or if you're an olive girl, this won't work for you.

3. NYX Strawberry Daiquiri

I cannot not have this lipstick. If I ever run out of this, this is one I will buy again. It's a beautiful salmon pink color that leans a bit on brown. I can't even begin to describe how beautiful this color is. I throw this on when I don't know what else to wear. This lipstick also lasts a very long time too! It can be a bit drying, so best to wear a balm underneath to avoid painful chapped lips especially this cold season!

4. Snoe Rouge Deluxe Marsala

This is Snoe's limited edition shade, color of the year for 2015. It's an opaque burgundy berry color. The lipstick is very moisturizing and smells great too! Since it's one of the darker colors in this line, it also lasts a bit longer and is very smooth, creamy to put on.

5. Snoe Rouge Deluxe Vintage Rose

My current favorite MLBB lipstick! I also see me repurchasing this if I run out of it. It's a pinky nude that leans toward brown. I can literally wear this all year round, but this color is perfect for fall.

Swatched on my NC30 skin.

So, there you have it, my favorite lipsticks for this season. What are yours and do you have any suggestions? Comment down below! 

Snoe Rouge Deluxe Complete Lip Care

So I've been on break from the blog for quite a while. I actually got a bunch of new stuff that I really wanted to put to the test before I can feel confident enough to post a review about them. I had a post about a fiber lash mascara and it was merely a first impression review. Oh boy, did I have quite a reaction to that. My right eye swelled for almost a week! So I'm not so sure I want to write about first impressions anymore. From now on, I would prefer writing full on reviews about products that I've used for some time.

On to the review! Today's is about the Snoe Rouge Deluxe Complete Lip Care (Php 399). Snoe Beauty Inc. is a local brand in the Philippines that has a considerable cult following. And now that I've tested a few of their products, I can actually, in good authority, say that their products are at par with international high end brands. I got their blushes and they are perfectly comparable with the Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush. But that's a post for another day. I picked up four of their lipsticks, with most shades appropriate for the fall season.

First off, let's talk about the packaging. I mean, how cute is that?! They're almost too pretty to use. I love bringing these in my makeup bag just as much as my MAC lipsticks and just pop them out in public to reapply. (I'm such a show off lol!) But, really, this is the kind of packaging that's just so adorable you need to whip it out. 

The formula of these lipsticks is almost equivalent to the Satin finish of MAC lipsticks. They're not matte, but they're not super moisturizing either. However, they are very creamy during application, except for the shade X10 Plum Crazy which kind of "skips" whenever I put it on and is a bit patchy. These lipsticks are also very pigmented. One swipe and you get full blown color. And they last for quite sometime too! They last some 4 to 5 hours on me, but that's without eating. If I eat, especially it it's something oily, I will need to reapply especially at the center of my lips because I don't wanna look like a chola lol. They do wear off nicely though. I noticed that the lighter colors leave off a stronger stain than the darker ones. Weird huh?

So now, onto the swatches: 

 X19 Mauve Movement

X19 Mauve Movement is a very bright pinky mauve. This is actually better to wear during the summer, but hey, it's always hot as summer in the Philippines, so why not?

X12 Vintage Rose

I love this color for everyday. This is a very fall appropriate nude because it's a deep nude color that leans toward brown. This is my favorite among the four I have and I can totally see me repurchasing this once it runs out. I think this shade is most flattering for light/medium, medium to deeper skin tones.

X10 Plum Crazy

This lipstick is purple! When I swatched it at the store I thought it would look like MAC Rebel on me but it just doesn't. I had the most difficulty with this shade because it was patchy, application was uneven. I had to swipe it on several times to even out the color. It's not very flattering on the teeth either. It makes my teeth look more yellow. This shade does brighten up my complexion though, so I'm still on the fence about this one.

Marsala 2015

And, finally, this beautiful shade is a limited edition, which happens to be the 2015 color of the year. It's a gorgeous deep berry shade that's bound to look complimentary across all skin tones from very light to very dark. 

Summary:

1. Price: 10/10. At Php 399 a piece, these lipsticks perform just as well, if not better, as international high end lipsticks. 
2. Packaging: 10/10. I have to give them ten, the packaging is beautiful! The pattern on the lipsticks is intricate and very "mandala" looking.
3. Formula: 8/10. I absolutely love the formula of these lipsticks even if Plum Crazy did disappoint me a little. They don't look flat, and they don't look too overly glossy either.
4. Longevity: 8/10. I just hate that I look like I have chola lips after eating with these lipsticks on, otherwise they actually have decent lasting power.

VERDICT: 9/10

I definitely recommend these lipsticks. They are fantastic, just wonderful! The formula of these products were very well thought of and I cannot speak any more highly of them.

Snoe Beauty Inc. is available in the following locations:

NCR

QUEZON CITY

Wellworth Mall – G/F Department Store 

Landmark Trinoma – G/F Department Store

SM North Edsa – Main Bldg, UG/F (beside Aficionado)

MANDALUYONG

SM Megamall – Cinderella Department Store 

SM Megamall – G/F (Beside Foodcourt)

Robinson's Galleria – 3/F (in front of Lee Pipes)

SAN JUAN

Greenhills Shoppesville – 3/F

PASIG

SM Supercenter Pasig – G/F (near Land Transportation Office)

TAGUIG

Market! Market! – G/F (in front of Forme)

MAKATI

Glorietta – Cinderella Department Store 

Landmark Makati – Department Store, G/F

MANILA

SM City Manila – 3/F (beside Folded & Hung)

Robinson's Place Ermita – G/F Cinderella Department Store 

SM San Lazaro – 2/F (beside PrimaDonna)

PARANAQUE

SM City Sucat – G/F

LAS PINAS

SM Southmall – G/F (beside Sunnies by Charlie)

SM Center Las Pinas – UG/F

MUNTINLUPA 

SM Muntinlupa – 2/F (along Fashion Ave.)

Festival Mall – G/F (near the entrance of Shopwise) 

Alabang Town Center – Metro Gaisano Department Store

LUZON

LAGUNA

Shopwise San Pedro – (in front of the Supermarket)

Salon 28 – Pacita Rd, San Pedro Laguna

SM City Sta Rosa – G/F (near Banco De Oro)

CAVITE

Ayala District Mall Dasmarinas G/F (near Bench)

Ayala District Mall Imus – G/F (in front of Payless)

RIZAL

Sta. Lucia Grand Mall, Cainta – Cinderella Department Store

Robinsons Place Antipolo – G/F Activity Center

PAMPANGA

Marquee Mall – Metro Gaisano Department Store

ILOCOS NORTE

Red Dot Boutique – Laoag City

VISAYAS

CEBU

Ayala Center Cebu – 2/F, New Wing

Ayala Center Cebu – Metro Gaisano Department Store

Metro Gaisano Colon – Department Store

One Pavillion Mall – Department Store, 2/F

BOHOL

Island City Mall – Department Store

MINDANAO

DAVAO

Abreeza Mall – 2/F (in front of Robinsons Department Store) 

CAGAYAN DE ORO

Ayala Centrio Mall – 1/F (CM Recto Entrance)

GENERAL SANTOS

KCC Mall – Department Store

SM City General Santos - 2/F (in front of Max's)

Selected items available:

Common Thread – PowerPlant Mall Rockwell 2/F

Common Thread – Greenbelt 5 2/F

GLAMOURBOX PH

www.glamourbox.com

SEEK THE UNIQ

www.seektheuniq.com

MALILIBULLE (Europe)

http://www.malilibulle.com/41_snoe

Full list of products can be found:

CLICK SHOP ONLINE ON:

www.snoebeauty.com

Local Hidden Gem: Fashion 21 Aqualicious Lipstick in Arctic Stone

I'm not a fan of local products. I do have a few of them, but, mostly, they just don't appeal to me. I'll never understand why local brands keep making foundations, concealers and powders that are waaaaaaaayyyy too light for the general public! Aside from that, most local products possess a heavy, floral, cosmetic scent that I just cannot stand. 

The ones that I do have really stand out for me. One of them is the Fashion 21 Aqualicious Lipstick in Arctic Stone (Php 195). This is dirt cheap, but I love, love, love it!

It comes in a blue shiny plastic packaging. It doesn't feel cheap as there is a slight weight to it and does the job fairly well as it closes tightly. You won't find the cap loose with a mess in your bag.

Arctic Stone is a nude, brown shade with a very creamy consistency. It has a slight sheen when applied to the lips. Shadewise, I have heard this lipstick is a good dupe for MAC Twig. Now who doesn't like a cheap alternative to a hella expensive product?

It's so hard to find a good nude lipstick that doesn't wash me out and make me look like an extra in The Walking Dead. (I don't really watch this series. I don't know why.)  But this lipstick has warm, peachy undertones that makes it perfectly wearable by itself and also great to pair with dramatic eye makeup. This is a work-friendly, even school-friendly, kind of shade since it's not distracting.

This lipstick won't last me more than three hours though, since I'm a girl who likes to hydrate and drink a lot of water. It's not a long wearing lipstick due to its creamy formula, but you won't need to top it off with lip gloss. Unless you like that extra ooomph! And I don't mind reapplying, I'm a lipstick junkie! It is a pretty good lipstick to wear if your lips dry out easily, great for everyday.

What I do NOT like about this lipstick is that it settles into the fine lines of my lips. I hate it when lipsticks do that, they make me look older. Also, if you have dry patches on your lips, DO EXFOLIATE AND MOISTURIZE first before applying this because it will cling to the dry pieces of skin, not a pretty sight.

1. Price: 10/10. It's so cheap, you can't go wrong.
2. Packaging: 6/10. The lipstick tube is not mind-blowing, but I like how it closes tightly. 
3. Formula: 7/10. It's moisturizing, but be careful if you have chapped lips. This is a good everyday lipstick, not just because of the shade, but also because it's not going to dry out your lips.
4. Longevity: 6/10. This is not a long-lasting lipstick. I think the furthest this lipstick can go is four hours wear time, that's without drinking or eating. Personally, it's lasted me for less because I drink a lot of water.

VERDICT:
7.25/10

It's not the lipstick I'd rave about and tell you that you absolutely need it in your life. If you are looking for a good lipstick you can wear to work or school without spending too much, this is a great one to try.

Fashion 21 is available in department stores and Watsons nationwide.

Fun Feature: My MAC Lipstick Collection

Lipsticks are my thing. I have more lipsticks than I would ever need for a lifetime. Lipsticks are fun. And what could be better than having a collection of MAC lipsticks?

I love MAC lipsticks. I think the quality of their products is outstanding. MAC was my gateway drug to high end makeup products. You could really tell the difference in quality against cheaper local products. Best thing is MAC is paraben-free and lead-free.

I have nine MAC lipsticks so far. And I love each and every one of them. Each was bought with a lot of thought and hard decisions were made. LOL. Come on, they're expensive here in the Philippines, costing Php 1000 a pop.

Let's get to the fun part. Lipstick swatches on my NC30 skin tone:

Left to right: Patisserie, Kinda Sexy, Brave, Cosmo

Left to right: Mehr, Viva Glam Miley Cyrus, Girl About Town, Rebel, Russian Red

Let's start with the nudes.

1. Patisserie (Lustre)

Patisserie is, by far, my favorite out of the whole bunch. This is my holy grail "my lips but better" color. It comes in a Lustre finish so it's nearly sheer and takes a few swipes to get a good color pay off. This does not even last three hours on me because of the finish but I love it nonetheless and I don't mind reapplying.

2. Kinda Sexy (Matte)

This is a peachy nude kind of color. It's a matte finish so it lasts for a long, long time. It's not very drying, but it is my habit to put on some lip balm before applying lipstick, especially if it's matte. Kinda Sexy doesn't wash me out, but it is a tad lighter than my skin tone. I find it best worn with dramatic eyes.

3. Brave (Satin)

Brave is my second favorite among my collection. A very close second. This is a muted pink nude. It's another MLBB color, although more opaque than Patisserie. It comes in a Satin finish, meaning it's not matte, but not so creamy either. This lipstick lasts around 4 hours for me, that's without drinking or eating. This lipstick is great for everyday wear and I also hear this is the lip color of the famous (or infamous?) Kylie Jenner lips.

4. Cosmo (Amplified)

This lipstick photographs the best among my collection. This is what I wear when I know there will be some photo taking to where I'm going. This is another pinky nude and MAC describes it as a "coco pink" which I think is spot on. It's an Amplified finish, and it's very creamy, very smooth with a great color pay off.

5. Mehr (Matte)

Mehr is a matte, dirty pink lipstick. I think this is a fabulous nude for the fall season. It's a darker pink than Brave, but the color is still muted. This also lasts quite a long time on me although it's a bit drying. I would not recommend this lipstick if you have a lot of yellow in your undertones since this is a blue based pink and it'll be bound to make you look "dead".

Now onto the brighter colors:

6. Viva Glam Miley Cyrus (Amplified)

When I first saw this lipstick in the tube, I thought to myself "Stay far, far away." It's a blue-based, bright hot pink shade. But the sales assistant at the MAC store recommended it would be wearable and to my pleasant surprise it was! It's a bright color, but not too bright as to make people stare at you. It's a fun summer color. Also, MAC donates proceeds from sales of the Viva Glam line to the MAC AIDS Fund so it was a good buy for me. 

7. Girl About Town (Amplified)

This color is very close to Viva Glam Miley Cyrus. Only a tad more "berrier". I saw this color on Kim Kardashian and thought it looked stunning on her skin tone. MAC describes this as a fuchsia pink color which it really is. It's very flattering to women with medium to deep skin tones. Because it's an Amplified finish, it's creamy and the color pay off is vavavoom!

8. Rebel (Satin)

Rebel is among the most famous of MAC lipsticks. This lipstick is just gorgeous. On the tube, it looks terrifying as the color is a dark purple. It looks a bit plummy on me, but I've heard this lipstick looks different on a range of skin tones. Your lips' pigmentation is also a factor on how this lipstick would look on you. On some people, this would look pink, on some plummy or fuchsia and it looks purple on others. Nevertheless, I highly recommend this lipstick to anyone whether you're fair or dark. By the way, this lipstick is a bitch to take off. It's so long lasting, it leaves a stain on the lips and you'll need a good makeup remover to completely take it off. I find that I even need to brush my lips with my toothbrush to get the color gone.

And, lastly, my single red:

9. Russian Red (Matte)

Photo taken December 2014

People say Russian Red is the older sister of Ruby Woo (my younger sister has Ruby Woo and it's true.) Russian Red is deeper than the famous Ruby Woo. Russian Red would make you look more glamorous, more mature whereas Ruby Woo would make your face look brighter. What sold me on this lipstick is the fact that this was the color Madonna wore all throughout her 1990 Blonde Ambition tour. I think this color is an iconic classic, it's never going to go out of style.

So there you have it, my MAC lipstick collection, so far. I did intend to buy more, but I've recently found out that in order to be able to sell in China, MAC has been testing on animals. MAC used to be cruelty free and it makes me feel quite disappointed that MAC is willing to compromise that for a profit. Nothing is worth the suffering of another. So I believe I won't be purchasing MAC products anymore until they're cruelty free again.