Tarte Amazonian Clay Waterproof Brow Mousse in Taupe Review

Trying out new products has always been scary for me. When it comes to my everyday makeup routine, I pretty much do the same thing everyday tweaking a bit here and there. I've always used brow pencil just because I found it easier and faster to apply. Recently, I've been researching on other ways to fill in my brows and so I decided to try Tarte's Amazonian Clay Brow Mousse.

The brow mousse comes in a small pot. It's a little smaller than your average gel liner pot and it comes with a 2 ended brow brush. I purchased the color in Taupe though I originally intended on purchasing the  darker color which was Medium brown. I was searching for swatches before buying but found only a few blogs about it and I remember seeing one blog (forgot the blogger. Sorry!) that said Taupe worked well with various hair colors so I decided to purchase this instead and also because Medium brown was out of stock. 

The product is cream based. I was really surprised that even with my dark hair color it worked really well. I also like its powder finish on my brows. It really had that WOW effect when I tried it. You could say that I have been converted by this brow mousse!

As you can see, I have thick messy brows. With the schedule that I have, I rarely have time to have them groomed. And every time I try to groom them myself it comes out TRAGIC! So I really need to make it look like it's not as bad as it really is!

I just love how easily it glided on my brows. Since I wasn't used to applying this type of product I had to practice before getting the effect that I wanted. My brows doesn't look as bad as it was before right? It actually looks well groomed!!!

This really works well on light hair  as well as those with dark hair in a lighter shade. Wearing this product made my brows look younger and healthier. I actually wore this for 8 hours. I didn't need to retouch or anything which was great. I always had to touch up on the edge of my brows when I used pencil. 

This was taken in broad daylight. The color just pops out. It actually blends well to your skin color too! If I had to say anything negative about this brow mousse is it's quite expensive and small. I'm not sure if it will last long if you use it as an everyday go- to brow product. It only has 0.1 oz of product for about $28. I'm not so certain other people would be keen on buying this, but it really is a good brow mousse. I prefer this than any of the brow pencils I've used in this past. I would definitely, most positively repurchase!

Overall I would rate this:  ❋❋❋❋❋

If you want to purchase your very own Tarte Amazonian Clay Brow Mousse:

stuffinstyle on INSTAGRAM&FACEBOOK

P1400

Lime Crime Lipstick Review: Glamour 101

I've been wanting to buy a new deep colored red lipstick and was torn between MAC's Ruby Woo or Lime Crime's Glamour 101. Since MAC is readily available here in the Philippines I opted for Lime Crime's Glamour 101 and I love it.

The color was just the perfect dark red I was looking for! It's definitely a very strong red color. Very Marilyn Monroe and very vintage. 

This makes a really great everyday red lipstick to wear. It's really creamy just like most if not all Lime Crime lipsticks. You can actually wear this the whole day without re-applying. Mine lasted the whole day even when I ate or drank anything! It was really great! The texture itself is comfortable to wear and not heavy on the lips. They kept my lips moisturized but not too much to wrinkle my lips. 

This was taken with FLASH and the color doesn't change too much right? It's almost the same color as the ones without the flash. Another good thing about this lipstick is that it doesn't smudge as much as other creamy lipsticks do. Once it slightly comes off you can just re-apply and it will be as gorgeous as the first time you applied it. 

Once dabbed with tissue it becomes matte and I also like the effect it has on my lips. It's still red without the shine. I also like the softness of my lips when I remove the product. It leaves a hint of color like a soft blush on your lips making it look kissable. The only con I can remark this lipstick with is that when you put too much it bleeds into the cracks of your skin around the lips. That means in order to prevent this from occurring you need to put liner before every application which can sometimes be time consuming. 

However, I think this is a fantastic lipstick. Since I'm a medical student I always wear white and the only part of my body I can express myself with is my makeup. I particularly wear this color often especially during my Exam week when lack of sleep leave me colorless and pale. This is my go to color when I need a boost in the mornings. I love it!

Overall I would rate this: ❄❄❄❄

If you want to purchase your very own Lime Crime Lippy please visit:

thebeautyjunkieph on INSTAGRAM

for P800

Lime Crime Lipstick Review: Countessa Fluorescent

I am very excited about this review! Lime Crime is finally here in the Philippines! For the past year I've been constantly reading of how great Lime Crime lipsticks are and now I have my very own! It was difficult to choose which color to order but I figured why not a vibrant pink since it's been the lip color of the season. 

They come in this really cute purple packaging with the trademark unicorn. Not your ordinary lipstick is what I say! The packaging is so unique and vibrant you can fish this out of your purse with no problem! Many people dislike it but I don't. I think its really fun!

I have naturally white skin so this is what it looks like on the inner part of my arm. As you can see, its really bright and it also has a creamy texture. One of the things you may notice is the lovely smell the lipstick radiates. It smells really good! Like vanilla ice cream and once you put it on your lips, you can taste it. Well at least that's how i feel anyway! 

One good thing about this lipstick is that it's really pigmented.  You don't need a lot to get a vibrant color. However, after a few minutes of wearing it, I noticed that it tended to bleed or seep around my lips. It was also a bit streaky and if you have dry lips, you may want to skip on this purchase. It will show how dry your lips are. So I was a bit disappointed. It's just way to creamy so I suggest pairing them with a lip liner and lip gloss.  

Despite its flaws, I really love the color! It just looks great with everything you wear! And if you weren't able to get MAC's Candy yum-yum this would be a perfect dupe for it! After applying just dab your lips with tissue paper and Wa-La! A Matte effect just like MAC's Candy yum-yum!

This is the matte effect when dabbed by tissue. You can also visibly see the dryness of my lips on my right upper lip.

The effect of the lipstick with Flash. I really love the color and I know you would too!!! <3

Overall I would rate this: ✼✼✼✼

If you wanna purchase your very own Lime Crime Lippy please visit:

thebeautyjunkieph on INSTAGRAM

for P800

                    

DAS14 in Purple Review: "These shoes can KILL"

I've been wanting to buy these shoes for awhile and who doesn't want to own a pair of these infamous DAS shoes that everyone's going GA-GA about! I know for a fact that almost all of the well known bloggers in the Philippines own at least one pair. Even celebrities like Kim Chiu have been avid fans of these shoes. 

I'm really glad I decided to wait for a few months before purchasing these shoes because they went on sale cutting the price in half. With so many designs to choose from I opted for their bestselling 2011 line which was the DAS14. I struggled in choosing between the pink and purple ones mostly because I have more pink clothes than purple clothes but it seemed to me that the purple ones just kept calling out to me. So I got these babies!

The shoes come in this bright fuchsia pink box. The shoe itself is bulky but if you think about it its a 7 inch wedge heel but don't be fooled! It's actually pretty light. It's made of this fabulous velvety texture and the color is just to die for. Seeing the shoes for the first time literally made my heart flutter. 

Wearing them for the first time was kinda scary partly because I no longer wear heels often and a 7 inch shoe made me a bit nervous. The shoes however fit perfectly! (I'm a size 9 by the way) I love how comfortably they fit my feet. The soles are gold and soft. The little peep toe doesn't rub and cause irritation on the side of my big toe which is rare thing for peep toe heels this high. 

I wore these on trial basis to SM Aura and The Fort for 1 whole day and let me tell you, they were comfortable! I didn't expect it! I even brought an extra pair of flats just in case something goes wrong. I wore these shoes for about 10 hours. The only critique I can give is that the junction between the strap and the shoe often rubbed the back of my foot. So there were times I had to adjust my feet so I could lessen the amount of friction between the skin and the shoe. Other than that this would be a perfect shoe for going out especially for young people who like to go out and party. They will definitely last long in these awesome shoes!

So I got these shoes on Sale for P1750 + 250 for shipping, but their original price is P3250. That's a really big discount! I suggest if you're interested in purchasing these shoes, be patient and wait for the sale. They also come in the colors of Blue, Pink, Mustard and Black. You can buy DAS14 and other DAS goodies at dasmyshoes.ph. They have alot of variety so choose the shoes that are for you! Any shoe that comes from DAS are great and unique. You will not regret owning a pair! 

OVERALL RATING: ★★★★

Step by Step to a Squeaky Clean Brush

I LOVE my makeup brushes and I use them in my everyday makeup routine. Many of us invest in expensive makeup brushes like MAC brushes and we want to keep them in the best shape as much possible. I've read and tried different techniques on how to clean brushes like using antibacterial dish soaps, brush cleaners, olive and the list goes on. Alot of these products, however, contain ingredients that can destroy the quality of your brushes, some are also quite expensive. I know the MAC brush cleanser is about P700 or $15 which really does cost a lot for something you can easily have the same results for under P100 or $2.

My Secret weapon is.... Johnson's baby shampoo!!! It works great for your sensitive brushes and it's cost effective. It's gentle on your brushes while leaving it smooth and clean. It's soap free and hypoallergenic as well which is always a plus for people with sensitive skin. 

The items you'll be needing are:

1. Johnson's baby shampoo

2. Plastic container (to put your soap into)

3. Water

4. Towel

5. Pot Stand (optional) WHUUTTT???

                                                                                                                 

So first things first! Choose the brushes you want to clean and start your brush laundry day by squeezing a generous amount of shampoo into the container. I used the top of a takeout bowl from a Japanese restaurant I recently ate at. So as long as its clean you can use it.

Dip the brush in warm water. DO NOT wash brushes in HOT WATER because they tend to melt the glue that holds the brush bristles together causing your brushes to shed! So make sure it's just warm! 

Mix the brush with the shampoo and get a generous amount on it while swirling it around the the container. Get as much shampoo as you can. 

Massage the bristles on your palm and just keep on swirling. Treat your brushes as you would treat your own hair. So massage them gently but don't pull on them. 

After the thorough massage, run the brush through warm water. Careful not to overly tilt your brushes. You don't want the water going into the brush. So always try to keep the bristles down when washing your brushes. 

Squeeze the brush firmly to get rid of any excess water. Check to see the cleanliness of the brush. The more you use the brush the more product sticks to the brush. So they are harder to clean. You may need to repeat the process if you aren't satisfied with the outcome. For me, the first time was enough to get rid of all the products that were on my brushes. (Sorry for the nails, I really need a manicure I know!)

Place your clean brushes on a clean towel. Make sure you elevate the handle of the brush so that the bristles are still facing downward. You can use pretty much anything to keep your brushes elevated. I used my Schneider pen bundle. Who thought that it had another purpose other than writing. LOL. 

     

Leave the brushes for a couple of minutes so that the excess water will be absorbed by the towel or you can choose to let them dry there for the whole night. But I actually prefer another way of drying my brushes. 

Ta-Da! Remember the pot stand at the beginning? Well I found another use for it! It's the perfect brush stand! It keeps the brushes upright preventing it from accumulating excess water and moisture. This also allows for equal drying time for your brushes. I bought this rack for about P60 or $1.50 and its multipurpose function will not waste your money! I suggest you get one for your brushes! 

So... for comparison of the cleaned brush to the uncleaned ones here are pictures of my favorite brushes!

Buffing Brush: I use this for my BB cream and foundation as well as blending of my concealer

Foundation Brush

MAC 168 Contour Brush: I love this brush so much! It's perfect for contouring and applying blush! A must have!

MAC 239 Flat Brush: I use this often when applying eyeshadow especially when I use my Naked Palette! Love this brush!

MAC 219 Pencil Brush: Great brush for smudging eyeliners. Perfect for smokey eyes!

MAC 217 Blending Brush: This has to be my favorite eyeshadow brush of all time! It's perfect for applying and blending as well! I never leave without this brush. 

I really hope that this tutorial helped. I really had a hard time figuring out what cleansers to use for my brushes before stumbling upon Johnson's baby shampoo! So I hope it works as well as it has worked for me! Thanks for reading and Good luck! Keep those brushed clean!