Have you guys downloaded Spotify? This isn't sponsored or anything - it's just that it's so awesome! With this app you can search for any music, discover new ones, and save them to play lists so you can access 'em anytime. It's free with ads, but the premium version is just P129 + taxes. Super super cool. 

Anyway, thought I'd start off the week with some quick swatches of the awesome L'Oreal Infallible Eye Shadows. I've reviewed these before so I won't go into much detail other than shade descriptions! I don't think these are available in the PH yet, so for now you can order them at Bon Marche, an online seller. You can find drugstore names there much cheaper compared to the local retail prices. ;)

Swatches! I love Bronzed Taupe and Golden Sage. I've had these for a while as the taupe in particular is one of my most-worn single colors last year! Continuous Cocoa is also a great shade, for sexy smoky brown eyes. 

This is one of my favorite palettes because I was able to choose all the colors that went in it. INGLOT, as you know, has an excellent Freedom System for customizing different sets of products.That aside they have gorgeous colors that are far from being run-of-the-mill. I've already written about the contour powder/bronzer so this time here's a quick review of the three eyeshadows I picked up plus INGLOT's eyeshadow brush which I personally purchased.

Each eyeshadow pan is just P375 while this particular magnetic palette is P895. Not bad right? At least, compared to something like MAC. Each pan has a generous 2.7 grams of eyeshadow so it'll probably expire first before I use it up. That's an especially useful feature for makeup artists who work with lots of clients.

Pigmentation is awesome WITH primer underneath. It's not so good without, hence, always keep your fave eyeshadow base handy. The colors won't crease for at least six hours on top of a good primer.

But those details are just, well, details. My INGLOT palette is special because of the colors!

When I was very young, my mother gave me art materials for Christmas. She included boxes of pencils, oil pastels, and water colors along with fresh paper. That was the most memorable gift I've ever received in my life. My mother didn't just give me stuff - she gave me possibilities, the means by which I can explore whatever talents I might have. I don't remember asking for art materials but she figured out I would love them.

Until this day, getting a box full of colors make me feel disproportionately happy. I collect paints and colors in different mediums for my art hobby and I also love getting palettes and pots of makeup. Who knew a fairly inexpensive Christmas present would define who I am today? (That, and books). I would be a different person had I never received it.

Anyway, the introspection is brought to you by this press kit from Maybelline! I was at the launch of the brand's latest cream color, the Color Tattoo Eyeshadow (P375), yesterday. You'll remember that I reviewed and loved them last year so I'm pleased that they're finally here! These are excellent long-wearing and uber pigmented eyeshadows that don't even require a primer - or brush, for that matter.

I won't go into detail describing these as I've already posted a review. All you need to know is that if you don't have one (or three), you better run and shop. This is a cream eyeshadow that definitely deserves your hard-earned money. They're easy to work with, they're pigmented and come in beautiful colors, plus they stay on all day with very mineral creasing (if at all). Oh and did I mention they're quite affordable? They're selling for P375 each locally!

I highly recommend getting Barely Branded (a metallic warm beige) and Bad To The Bronze (rich, warm bronze) to start your collection with. These are shades you can use everyday. Later on you can move on to the more exciting colors, which you can use not only as eyeshadows, but as eyeliners too.

Here are the swatches!

Sue me, I have a lot of eyeshadows yet to be written about! They will always be my greatest weakness, along with lipsticks. Now I know many of you ain't a fan of wearing a lot of eye makeup but I hope you'll consider this palette from The Body Shop. It's part of their Spring 2014 Collection along with a pink version, two new glosses, and hair chalk!

I've seen the pink Shimmer Cubes, which are cute, but I think the Shimmer Cubes Palette 30 (P1,295) here is more wearable for Asian skin. They are quite shimmery but I think that the finish isn't all that distracting. Shimmery neutrals are appropriate for any occasion as long as you don't splash it thickly over your eye area.

Let's get started! I've tried TBS Shimmer Cubes a loooooong time ago and was thoroughly unimpressed by the pigmentation. But that was before. Now, the colors are super pigmented! You won't even need to wear a primer to make the colors solid. In fact I'd recommend applying the colors wet instead. They'll stick and won't crease too much, even after three hours.

Top, L-R: Dusty Fawn, Rich Espresso | Bottom, L-R: Burnished Gold, Warm Copper

It can be maddening to write about makeup all the time, so I hope you enjoyed the last two posts as much as I did making them. But now we are back on track! Today I'd like to talk about a holiday palette: the Estee Lauder Pure Color Five Color Eyeshadow Palette in Angel Petal (P2,000+). I know, this is so belated, but the palette is still a great choice for sooty, glittery evening eyes.

The eyeshadows come packaged in an expensive-looking gold case. I had one of these from 2012, but that came in a sort of metallic midnight blue. I like them both! I love how Estee Lauder packaging always looks modern and classy, but never dated.

The five eyeshadows are on the cool side, featuring a shimmery petal pink, a copper, metallic taupe, glittery charcoal, and matte beige. Most of the colors have pronounced shimmer in them, but they are twinkly and fine, very much like Bobbi Brown's famous glittery ones. Estee Lauder's are also multi-colored and far from flat and tacky.

I got a hair cut last Friday. I had low expectations since it's not my usual salon, but damn my hair is terrible right now. Am I overreacting? Am I just not used to it? I don't know. It's just, so bad that I laugh when I catch myself in the mirror. I'm not sure if I should blog about it. Well, I will certainly give it some thought. You'll have to see it at some point.

Anyhoo, here's a quick swatch of one of the latest eyeshadows from MAC: the Extra Dimension Eyeshadow in Sweet Heat (P900+). The Magnetic Nude collection, which this color is a part of, came out just last month so it should still be available. ^_^ The Extra Dimension Eyeshadow is a new formulation. It can be used wet or dry, and is designed to stay on the lids for six hours.

I love this eyeshadow. It's a lot like one of my all-time fave MAC colors, All That Glitters, except Sweet Heat is more intense, more metallic. It's a dirty champagne shade, almost light bronze in certain lighting.

If you have a wardrobe of clothes, you also need a wardrobe of makeup. Okay maybe "need" isn't the right word, but admit it, it's fun to have different colors and formulas to play with! What many don't understand about those who love makeup is that it's not all for the sake of vanity. Collecting and learning about cosmetics is a thrill on its own. Just like with any hobby, we do it because we enjoy it.

Anyway, let's continue Shiseido Week! I have one last post for you tomorrow. Clue: it's about a powder foundation, again! But I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's chat about the Shiseido Lumizing Satin Eye Color in BR209 (P2,000+).

I adore bronze and gold on my eyes, so this palette was an obvious choice. It contains three rich eyeshadows - a mid bronze, a yellow gold, and a creamy sandy gold. All colors are pigmented, so much that you won't need a base to make them stand out. Of course, to make they stay on for over four hours, it's still best to use an eyeshadow primer.

I think I'm over my strong eyebrow phase. I currently prefer softer arches that make my face look less "done", if you know what I mean! I've given up my pens, creams, and even pencils to do my brows, instead relying on powder products to sculpt them to my liking. They're also quicker to work with and require less care when it comes to application.  

That said, my current favorite brow product is the Ellana Mineral Eyebrow/ Eyeshadow Quad (P350). This is technically pressed mineral eyeshadow, but the colors are intended to mix beautifully to create your perfect eyebrow match. Whether you're a brunette, blonde, or redhead, you can get brows close to your current hair color. Oh, and have a neutral everyday eyeshadow palette to boot!

Pigmentation and finish. The colors are pigmented when used as eyeshadow, but softer over eyebrows. Weird no? But it works! I use a large, bushy angled brush (from Ellana also) to apply this on my brows. Perhaps because the brush is synthetic, I'm not getting too much pigmentation from this palette. The finish is a creamy matte that looks totally natural. 

I'm baaaack! Just came from a Nivea press event all the way in El Nido, Lagen Island. The place was breathtakingly beautiful - think clear azure waters, 360-degree views of basaltic islands, and awesome locals. It was an experience that I will never forget! I'll blog about it later but first, I'd like to show you something interesting from Avon. It's the 8-in-1 Eye Palette in The Metallics (P349)!

I believe this came out over the holidays so I can't guarantee that it's still available. It's better to ask your Avon lady! Nonetheless, I think it's interesting how Avon is coming out with even more interesting products and color selections. I mean, just look at this! 

There are three versions of this palette - the one here is all about metallic colors. They aren't THAT metallic to me though; I'd say they look like normal eyeshadows with shimmer. Pigmentation is pretty good, texture is a little rough but workable, and staying power is okay as long as you use a base. 

This palette doesn't blow my mind away, honestly, but it does have one thing going for it: eight pretty colors for only 349 bucks. Observe!

Need to dash out to a meeting in like 30 minutes so this would be a very quick post! Haha. Anyway, you already saw the Laura Mercier Metallic Creme Eye Color (P995) in action, which makes it easier for me to describe. This is a cream eyeshadow that comes in pro-looking silver tubes. Now I know you're thinking: buuuut it's metallic! How wearable could it be? I assure you that they're very nice on the lids, alone or mixed with other eyeshadows.  

These cream eyeshadows last around 3-4 hours without creasing if I'm not using primer. If I have primer though (which is normally the case), they pretty much stay on all day, with no creasing. Fingers could be used to apply them quickly, but I prefer to use my MAC 217 for a finer finish. I suggest you watch my video to see how I worked the product onto my lids. ;)

If you love applying eyeshadow, it's important to know how to do it correctly. Nothing pains me more than seeing a half-baked eyeshadow job - but then again, I've also been there. It's easy to watch tutorials and think we get it, but it's never that simple. Applying the same techniques to our own eye shape rarely gives us the same results. We need to practice and tweak those techniques until we get it right. Maybe you're not there yet but you will get there, like I eventually did!

Today I'd like to show you some palettes that I think would be perfect for eyeshadow newbies. The Beauty UK Posh Palette (P550 from Makeupholics) is affordable yet offers a nice selection of colors that are of fairly good quality, considering the price. I have here the three palettes: Eden, Masquerade, and Festival. You'll see the swatches later!

Quickly though, the Beauty UK Posh Palette has ten colors that are of varying pigmentation and smoothness. Some are really good while others can be patchy. In general though, most of the colors in Eden and Masquerade have great quality. Festival's matte brights are kinda uneven. This just means you need to wear a primer and to layer the colors carefully.

I highly recommend that you get Eden since it's the best out of the three in terms of quality, while Masquerade is also a good choice if you like silvery, dusky shades.

I like myself the least when I'm obsessing something. It starts slow and steady, a passing thought, a random craving. Then it slowly builds in intensity and irritates me endlessly unless I give in to it, or in this case, have it. Sigh. But whatever! Let's discuss another holiday collection, this time from Stila. ^_^

Stila has these awesome gift sets that are pretty good value for the price. Like this box of glosses - you get nine tubes for P1,750! That's basically P195 per lip gloss. Crazy. I love that they are also boxed in mini-sets so you can give two and keep one for yourself. Or the other way around. *medyo evil laugh*

I will review these glosses next time. For now though, I'd like to show you the Portrait Of A Perfect Eye Palette (P850), a neutral eyeshadow compact with gorgeous warm shades. Yes, I'm also surprised that it's only P850 for like six colors! This is precisely the reason you should keep track of holiday collections. Brands often sell some items for slightly cheaper than the average price. ;)

The Bobbi Brown holiday collection is always a treat to look forward to every season. This year, it didn't disappoint with a beautifully-edited selection of luxurious lip and eye palettes, lip glosses and brush sets for the beauty enthusiast who wants to get - or give - the gift of glam.

(I think I fall under the former category, because Bobbi Brown is too precious to just give away. Haha.)

Quick product details:

So that's what's up. I'll review the Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick Eye Palette in Sequin (P2,700), a gift I received from the brand. It's a 10-color palette full of earthy, frosty shades. It's a good mix of cool and warm tones. I know you're thinking though: frosty? What?