Current Everyday Makeup: Summer 2015

Erika's Summer Arsenal

1. Belo Sun Expert Face Cover SPF40
2. Revlon Nearly Naked Liquid Foundation
3. Revlon Nearly Naked Pressed Powder
4. Ever Bilena Brow Pencil in Brown
5. Etude House Play 101 Pencil in 01 Black
6. Maybelline Falsies Mascara
7. Ever Bilena Pro Blush in Honest

To be honest, I just learned how to wear makeup for everyday when I started Med school. I love makeup but I used to just have them on when we had shows (I used to be a professional ballet dancer, in case you didn't know)

Come Med school, I had the need to look a little more made up (or rather, presentable) since I wasn't commuting anymore anyway. Keri ko nang maglagay ng whatever sa mukha since di na ako masyadong nauusukan at napapawisan papasok sa school.

• I originally used the Revlon Colorstay Liquid Foundation, but since it got hard to find both in stores and online, I looked for another kind that was easier to find. I love Revlon products, so I started searching there. The Colorstay is what I would call a "heavy duty" foundation: superior coverage with a matte finish that literally lasts all day. The Nearly Naked one would be the opposite: light but buildable coverage with a dewy finish and lasting power that's 'just right'.

• The Nearly Naked Pressed Powder is also okay for a setting powder. But I'd need to blot only after a couple of hours. Okay lang din sakin since alam ko namang sobrang oily ko. Basta it doesn't break me out, I'm fine with it.

• My brows. Haha. The story of my brows. I'd probably be writing a separate post on my brows because that's a different entity altogether. Haha. I've always said that it's not the brow product that you use that makes your brows look good, it's the grooming and the person who would actually be applying the product that would make the difference. Be it a cheap brow pencil or a high end brow gel, my brows would look the same. So for PhP 60, I'm okay with my Ever Bilena pencil. :)

• Ooooh black eyeliners. Who hasn't experienced those damn panda eyes because of smudged eyeliner? When I tried this Play 101 pencil, I was impressed. It really did NOT budge. It's a gel type pencil eyeliner that needs to set a bit. But when it does... ho ho ho NO BUDGING!!! Haha I just use this for my upper lid. It'd be a pain to remove it I use it on my lower lashline/waterline. 

• I'm not too choosy with my mascaras. What's important is that they're waterproof and smudge-proof. Same: you wouldn't want those damn panda eyes, right?

• Honest. Hihi. I've used this blush since my dancing days. It's the perfect stage flush and it's still the perfect everyday shade. Especially if you have a warm undertone, ugh, beautiful.

So these are my everyday staples as of the moment. I'd love to explore and try more stuff so hopefully, my makeup arsenal would be growing in the coming months.

REVIEW: My Favorite Everyday Go-to Products -- Maybelline HyperSharp Liner, Maybelline Magnum Volume Express Waterproof Mascara, Etude House Drawing Eyebrow

Here's another review..or rather, reviewS. This will be a 'collective' review on my favorite trusty everyday makeup products -- my favorite liquid eyeliner, mascara, and eyebrow pencil.

Eyeliner: MAYBELLINE HYPERSHARP LINER

 

To be honest, I just came across this particular eyeliner when I was randomly looking for something to buy in Watsons. I was just starting to "explore" in using makeup and I thought I needed a liner that's much easier to use (than a pencil liner) for everyday. I searched through Watsons and wandered through the Maybelline area. I asked the lady there if she had an eyeliner that she could recommend and this is what she insisted that I buy.

Ho ho! She was right. It was easy to use (perfect for a newbie like me) and it was thin enough to make a nice cat-eye.
It has been in my bag ever since. :)

I usually use an Ever Bilena pencil eyeliner for stage makeup and comparing that one to this:

• When it sets, it doesn't smudge when you rub your eyes (but don't rub your eyes! you'll have wrinkles, sige)
• Wet enough when applied to
  
  correct little mistakes (c'mon, who doesn't make the occasional "lagpas")
• Easy to use; has a very thin brush.
• Pigmented enough (you don't have to go through your lines several times to get the opaqueness you want)
• Relatively cheap (P399 -- it's cheaper than other imported drugstore brands [of course the local brands are much much MUCH cheaper -- but the quality!? No.])

Mascara: MAYBELLINE the MAGNUM VOLUM' EXPRESS WATERPROOF

When it comes to mascara, I just hear one brand: Maybelline. I bought this one the same day as the liner in Watsons. I was originally just going to buy this one, but heck I ended up buying a liner too.

We don't really have much choices in Watsons, there were only three Maybelline mascaras there: the non waterproof version of this one, this one, and the Falsies (which was more expensive by P100). I just opted for this one since this is my first Maybelline mascara. Haha noob.

I really like the brush in this one. The brush is slightly curved. I found that the "convex" side is the side that builds up the product on your lashes and the "concave" side is the one that lifts up your lashes. Cool, right!? :D

This does the job, makes my lashes longer and more volumized. Up to this writing, I haven't had any problems with it.

Eyebrow Pencil: ETUDE HOUSE DRAWING EYE BROW in #02 Gray Brown

My favorite eyebrow product as of the moment! It's cheap (P149), easy to use, and the color matches my eyebrows perfectly. It has the retractable eye pencil on one end and a spoolie at the other! A 2-in-1 product in your hand right there!

Again, usually I use an Ever Bilena eyeliner (Brown) for my brows for stage makeup since it's more pigmented and creamier -- I need thick & OA brows on stage. Comparing that one to this one:

• Color is great for everyday use. Very light which gives you control on the darkness of your brows (No to bushman eyebrows!)
• No need to sharpen -- since it's retractable. It's refillable too (although most Etude Houses here are always sold-out of its refill).
• 2-in-1 with the spoolie at the other end. You need that end to lighten your brows and make them look more natural.

*If you're used to brown eyebrows (it just looks more fake to me, it might be just me), better get the #01 Brown. I just opted for the color closest to my natural eyebrow color which was Gray Brown.

So use them all together, this is how you'll look like. Forgive the low quality photos, they all just came from my phone. These 3 products just makes me look more put-together, and I really like it. :)