Etude House Play 101 Pencils: Review + Tutorials

Hey guys! As promised I'm back with another review, accompanied by two tutorials for two different looks you can create with the new Etude House Play 101 Pencils.

These little guys  were kindly given to me at the wonderful people from Etude House to try so here's the low-down how these hold up against the Philippine eat, how they wear and about all the colors sent to me!

Packaging
So one pretty awesome thing about these liners is that they're twist up! No need for any makeup pencil sharpeners and if you want a sharp point, it comes with an attachment at the bottom which is actually a tip-sharpener. Convenient!

One thing I'm not too fond of however is the fact that they're all black, mostly because it's so easy to get dirty. But other than that, this is some pretty good packaging, and for organization purposes it's really convenient as well, since the pencils are color-coded at their bottom, and have the number labels in big, bold, artsy-fartsy print.

Colors and Wear

Let's start off with the two lip colors, shall we?

#21 is a bright, warm-toned and straightforward red, perfect for you classic red lip. It has a glossy finish which unlike the other pencils that are meant to be used for eyeshadows, means that they're prone to movement the first few minutes you apply them. After that first five minutes though, this is great for lining the lips because the color stays put like crazy! Be careful about staining though. As with almost all reds, this leaves a significant stain, but nothing that can't be dealt with with makeup remover and warm water.

#25 is more of a bright fuchsia color that has a cooler tone to it. It's on the same vein of a lot of lip-stains out there and is perfect if you want to achieve that Korean gradient-lip look. 

On to the more glittery and shimmery colors

#35 is a glittery midnight blue that's perfect for that extra pop if you want to line eye your eyes. This is ridiculously smudge proof, so I wouldn't recommend it for a smokey eye, but for some extra lining art or some nice colorful sleek liner, this is definitely what you need.

#4 is that perfect tear-drop shimmer color that can be used as a highligher for on your cupid's bow, in the inner corner of your eyes and some cute looking aegyo-sals. It's also pretty forgiving  when it comes to blending so you can use it as a shimmery base or over some eyeshadow if you want to add some sparkle to your already applied eye shadow.

The next two colors are creamy ant matte and are perfect to use as eyeshadow bases, or even on their own.

#18 is a pale lavender that's very flattering on fairer skin tones. You could probably get away with this as a blush, but it looks best on the eyes where it gives a nice matte finish on its own or as eye shadow base.

#30 is a red-violet aubergine color It has a matte to creamy finish and can be used as a deep blush or mauve eye shadow for more subtle but daring looks.

Here are the swatches of each color. They're truly a diverse bunch with different finishes and uses! Aren't they ridiculously pretty?

Longevity
So I left out the lip colors from this test because, as I mentioned before, their texture and consistency make them really smudgy and they really aren't meant for the eyes anyway.

Here I tested (from left to right) #35, #30, #18 and #4 for water resistance and smudge resistance.

As you can see, #35 and #30 are virtually budge-proof, even after rubbing them with water. #35 exhibits some glittery displacement, but the color still stays intact. #18 loses some color when smudged, but since it's a light color, it's pretty forgiving. That also allows it to be more blendable for use as base eye shadow or as an eyeshadow on its own. #4  is a bit all over the place, but because it's usually only used as a highlight or to accentuate corners that catch light, that's not too much of a big deal.

All in all, these bad boys are pretty tough and wear all day (from experience) on my non-oily lids.

In action
So as promised, I created two looks  using these awesome versatile liners. One girly, classic look inspired by a vintage rose and one rocker party chic look inspired by a midnight mosh pit. Check out how good these eyeliners work in action in the videos below!




So, which look do you like better? do you have any ideas on how else to use these awesome Play 101 liners by Etude House? Leave me your thoughts in the comments below!

Have fun, and play Etude! Ada, signing out.
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Teaser: Etude House Play 101 Pencils in # 4, 18, 21, 25, 30, 35

Hey guys! I'm back! Call this post a teaser post of sorts since I have some pretty exciting posts (and videos) ahead!

This month I was fortunate enough to try  Etude's new line of pencils - Etude House Play 101 Pencils. These pencils are some of the most diverse that I've seen from this brand and boast their various uses as eyeliner, eyeshadow, highlighter, lip liners and cheek colors.

That's some pretty legit inspector gadget-esque uses going on there.

With 50 colors and five different textures/finishes to choose from, you can pretty much create any makeup look you want with these bad boys.

For this line, Etude House has collaborated with Pony, one of the most popular Korean makeup artists and beauty bloggers, to promote the almost infinite ways to use their new Play 101 Pencils.

There's a lot of diversity in this line of pencils, with cream, matte, glossy, glitter and shimmery finishes to choose from. Creamy and matte textures can be used as eyeshadow, shadow base, concealer and eyebrow colors. Glossy textures, can be used as blusher or lipstick for a more glowy look. Some shimmery and glitter finishes provide a soft glitter look that is a staple in Korean makeup trends.

Because of the multi-functional nature of this line of pencils, these are the perfect convenient makeup tool, whether you're a veteran makeup artist or even just a casual beginner. And because each pencil is made from waterproof polymer, you're supposedly guaranteed all-day wear.

Mix and match your favorite pencils to create the look that's perfect for you. For some ideas on how to achieve different looks with these pencils, check out some pretty useful tips from Pony herself.

Pure Girl's Look : Angel’s Drop (left)

EYES

• Draw eyebrows with #41. 
• Spread out #33 along eyelid. Blend #28 to the outer corner of eyelid and lightly smudge with finger to soften the harsh line. Create a tear on lower eyelid with #4. 
• Define eyes with #48 as eyeliner. 

FACE

• Brush about 3 times with #18 alongside the cheekbones and spread out with hand.  

 LIPS

• For gradient lips, apply #20 on the middle of lips then spread it out using finger tip. 

@}~...........~{@

Lovely Dolly Look : Baby Doll (right)

EYES 

•  Draw your brows with #41.
• Apply #6 on the entire eyelid. Spread #33 evenly from the head to the tail of eyes in layers. 
• Draw eye line with #50 and use #4 for the inner corner of  lower eyelid. 

FACE  

• Draw diagonal lines on your cheeks with #15 and blend. 

LIPS

• For gradient lips, apply #26 on the middle of lips then spread it out using finger tip. 

Now, I was fortunate enough to be sent six of these babies to try out, and while I'll definitely be reviewing these, in the spirit of Etude House's new line, I'll also be creating two of my own looks with these babies in the coming days, so make sure to stay tuned for when those out!

For more information, visit Etude House Philippines' official website at www.etudehouseph. Like Etude House Philippines on Facebook, follow @etudehousegirl on Twitter and @etudehousephilippines on Instagram for more updates and promos.

I'll be back soon! Ada, signing out.
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May Favorites 2014 + Life + Music

I've been really complacent with blog posts lately, huh? Hahaha I guess I just really got into the rhythm of making videos :P I'm honestly not going to  go into the details of all the stuff I showed you in this May Favorites video because I feel like I'm just ridiculously talkative most of the time in my videos :P

So if you guy have any questions with the items above, feel free to ask them below -- I'll definitely get back to you! :3 BTW, if you're looking for where to find those What's Your Flavor Shirts you can find more info here (http://goo.gl/eyjPDr)

Now that I have an outlet for creativity in the form of videos and getting back into my art, I can actually use my blog more for talking about life and you know, what's really been going on haha.

So it's finally June and everybody's on their way back to school. It got me wondering whether or not I should try doing a Back to School Video. Although that'll probably come out pretty late considering I have yet to film it ahaha.

On the same note, I'm also on the way back to work. After a month or two-month-long break from labwork I feel rusty so I need get back into the rhythm. In case you guys I wondering, yes I've graduated, but I still have some labwork and research that I need to tie the ends on. Hopefully if I try hard enough all that research might actually pay off ;)

Meanwhile, this blog will finally become what it's supposed to be -- a stress reliever instead of a stress additive. I hope you guys don't mind me talking much about this stuff :P If not, you can always just skip these introspective and life-themed posts in favor of the ones you like.

ALSO! I've really been getting back into making playlists lately. Granted, they may not be as organized and themed as my previous Mixtape Mondays, but I'll definitely be sharing more with you guys soon so look forward to that!

And if you haven't already seen, I recently did an unboxing video of my recent Etude House package, so if you're interested go check that out!


I'll definitely have more cohesive and planned out blogposts soon guys, so look forward to that!

Ada, signing out!

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Summer Foundation Routine!

Whoo! It's finally here! This is some pretty awkward timing -- one, because it's probably not even summer where most of my readers are and two, it's just about time for rainy season to start settling in here in the Philippines. But it's still going to be pretty hot, and the sun's not really going away so I thought I'd just go ahead and get this over with LOL. Here's  my looooong overdue summer foundation routine.


So here's a detailed overview of all the products I mentioned and used in the video! Feel free to ask me more about the products and how I use them. Then again, we all have different skin hahaha. But here's my experience and thoughts on the products mentioned :P

Foundation usually starts off with face prep. Before actually putting anything on, after I wash my face, I make sure to tone my face. My face feels fresher and more revitalized after :P I used to love using Etude's toner from their aloe line, but I ran out and they haven't restocked in ages so  had to go looking for a new non-drying toner. Celeteque's Alcohol-Free Toner was practically a god-send. It's a pretty simple formulation but it works wonders on my skin and doesn't dry it out. If you're looking for something that isn't too irritating, I recommend this.

The Philippine sun is notorious for being ridiculously hot from 9-3, the hours that I'm probably out most. I've been such a sunblock freak lately and I find that normal facial moisturizers with SPF don't really do so much for me. So I tried mixing some of this SkinWhite stuff with my daily moisturizer (Etude House Flower Moistfull Cream) for a DIY moisturizer and I must say, it works pretty well.

This isn't really face related, but lip-care is on the top of my list this summer. It's really easy to get dehydrated and even though the rest of your face is probably dripping in oil (eww), your lips might end up chapped. Not to mention, your lips aren't exactly immune to UV rays either. My usual pick is Carmex Protecting Lip Balm, but I've been loving EOS in Strawberry Sorbet lately as well. I can't really recommend one or the other because I've read a lot of people having allergic reactions to both these lip balms. I guess it's different for every person because I've been loving these to bits.

I don't usually prime my face because I feel like it's just another heavy layer of makeup to add on, but done in the right way, it really does help your makeup's longevity. These two variations of Etude House's Goodbye Pore Ever Pore Primer (Stick/Essence) have been my staple favorites for a very very very long time, and I'm still using them. The stick's really helps with my oil control and the primer helps me achieve a more glow-y finish.

Foundation-wise, I've pretty much been stick to BB Creams and CC Creams. Nothing really new in my arsenal since last time. I usually rotate between three products - Maybelline's Clear Smooth Shine-Free BB Stick, The Face Shop's Aqua Tinted BB Cream and Tony Moly's Luminous Pure Aura CC Cream - from most matte to most glowy. They all have decent SPF, but give different finishes. The amount I use of each one varies depending on my skin-tone for the day. I swear, my skin tone changes like, everyday.

For days when I want more coverage though, I stick with ArtDeco's Long-Lasting Oil-Free Foundation. It's a little dark on my skin so I mix it in with a little of the Aqua Tinted BB Cream.

From left to right: ArtDeco Long-lasting oil-free foundation,  Tony Moly's Luminous Pure Aura CC Cream,  The Face Shop's Aqua Tinted BB Cream and Maybelline's Clear Smooth Shine-Free BB Stick

 Because most of the face makeup I used is pretty light coverage, concealer is a must, especially if you're like me have monster eyebags. *Insert girly screech here*

I got Flormar Perfect Coverage Liquid Concealer on sale from Watson's a few months ago and I've been using it ever since. It was practically a steal, considering how much product comes in the package and how well it covers, even with just a little bit of product. This concealer has a yellow undertone, so it neutralizes the blue on my undereyes perfectly. It's also pretty good for minor blemishes and redness around the nose area, and still comes off pretty light-weight. I LOVE it!

On days when I don't really expect to stay out in the sun long, I can totally deal without setting my makeup for a nice translucent and natural glow. But on days when I need the extra hold, setting is a must!

Sometimes I just use a loose translucent powder, but for extra coverage, I like setting my makeup with a thin dusting of Maybelline's Clear Smooth Extra Shine-Free Powder Foundation. As long as you have a light hand, and apply with a fluffy brush, this doesn't really cake up, especially if you use a really light-weight BB or CC Cream as a base.

Because my skin is ridiculously fickle, I compensate for any tone-discrepancies with bronzer. A good matte bronzer like Essence Sun Club Matte Bronzing Powder is really easy to use. Sometimes I play the mix and match game and mix it in with some loose powder to come up with a lighter bronzer color on pale days LOL. I honestly have no idea how the heck I'm going to finish this entire tin because HELLO??? It's friggin' huge. Price-wise it's definitely a good deal.

I've been loving cream blushes and have been giving some new life to my Etude House Cupcake All-Over Colors (I know, I've had them for forever and haven't even made a dent in them!). But something new on my favorites list is Physicians Formula's Happy Booster Glow & Mood Boosting Blush in Warm. I was actually really surprised when I used this because in the packaging, the pinks look pretty cool-toned. But when applied it gives such a peachy sheen and is perfect for a nice highlight! The top half is really light  and the bottom half can be used for a deeper color, but when you swirl it all together, it gives a really subtle, natural glow :) Seriously, the pictures and video do not do it justice T_T.

From Left to Right: Physicians Formula's Happy Booster Glow & Mood Boosting Blush in Warm, Essence Sun Club Matte Bronzing Powder in Brunettes and Etude House Cupcake All-Over Color in Orange Choux Cake

And here's the finished product below. Disclaimer: I played with the levels because my lighting is still pretty crappy and I spot-healed the two zits on my forehead because they were ridiculously bulbous on still shots - more so than on my video. Everything else is still the same though. Please don't judge me for my insecurities. At least I'm decent enough to admit them, right? x_x

So that' pretty much it!

I really want to hear from you guys about the format of my videos. Did you like my old background setup on my update video or do you prefer the new one? I'm still trying to get my bearings so I can see which setup and lighting's better.

Also, would you guys prefer it if I talked directly at the camera or do you like the current format as it is with me voicing it over? I'll try playing with a few video formats in the future just to get a feel of what you guys prefer.

That's pretty much it! Let me know about your tips and tricks for staying fresh in the summer :) (or any other season) :) And if you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to drop me a line! That's it for now!

Ada signing out!

My Previous Video


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Review: Etude House LUCIDarling Over the RainBlusher in #03 Apricot

Hey guys! I'm back with another much requested review from my last Etude House Haul. Today I'll be reviewing Etude House's LUCIDarling Over the RainBlusher in #03 Apricot.

So this blusher claims to be a prismatic multi-colored cheek blush and highlighter for expressing all the coors of the rainbow. I wouldn't say all the colors of the rainbow, but it's pretty close ahaha.

Like the packaging says, this is a blush-highlighter. If you're expecting a matte blush, you're going to be disappointed. This blush is shimmer galore! The back of the packaging gives you tips and instructions of how to use each color of the blush individually or how to use it mixed all together :)

Packaging, Durability Design and Quality
As always, Etude excels in its packaging with the cute girly ribbon accent in this chic blusher. The blusher is packaged with a good-sized mirror and the plastic isn't too flimsy either. It comes with a small brush applicator which is surprisingly soft. If it were a little bigger and denser, I could totally see myself using this everyday, but because it's so small, it's only ever good for light application or touch up.

The blush itself comes in five shimmery colors within the range of peach-apricot colors. There'a  pink, peach, apricot, light orange and champagne colors all arranged in a cute rainbow design on the palette of the blush. If there's one thing that the small brush is good for, it's for isolating each color so you can use it on its own, or mixed together with other colors! The shades range from a semi-deep peach to a nice light one for a highlight, so there's a lot you can play with when going for more dimension in the face.So technically, this blush is almost a five in one (more if you consider the permutations when you mix and match the colors).

Color, Finish and Pigmentation
I'd say this blush is pretty decently pigmented. The colors are very subtly different from each other, but what's really noticeable is the distinct sheen each one gives! This blush gives a lot of glow, so if you're into that nice fresh glowy look, this is the blush for you. I wouldn't wear this out in broad daylight however because the shimmer, although very fine, is a bit dense and can be a little overwhelming in direct sunlight. I wouldn't wear this out on a sunny day lest I be mistaken for a Cullen.

When mixed together, the colors give a very 3D glow that gives flat planes body and volume. You can see this effect pretty well on the back on my hand, but it works wonders on the cheeks themselves. However, because this blush is so shimmery, it also has a powdery consistency to it, thus you can expect a lot of fallout on the palette itself. If you're using a brush ake sure to dip into the blush with a light hand to avoid the mess!

Below you can see how the blush looks when used s a highlighter on my cheeks (mixed all together) and with the darkest pink on the hollows of my cheek. The color isn't very noticeable because I have very yellow toned skin, but it's enough to give my face a nice natural glow. This color will probably show up better on people with lighter and pink toned skin :)

Another use that I've found for this blush is for highlighting collarbones and parts of your neck/body which you want highlighted in pictures or for formal occasions. I've used this blush on more than one occasion for my collar bone and shoulders when wearing a strapless dress :)

Alternatively you can use this or the champagne color that comes with it for more subtle highlights on the nose, cupid's bow, ears (yes! you can highlight parts of your ear) and browbone.

So what do you guys think?

Look forward to more posts! And have a happy long weekend everybody!

Ada, signing out.

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HUGE Collective Haul! -- U.S. Makeup Swap + Beauty Bar + Korea Haul + New Vanity Setup

Hey guys! I really haven't been able to post much, so as you can imagine, a lot of stuff has been backed up that I really want to blog about!

In addition to my huge Etude House Pink Artiste haul from a while back, I've accumulated a whole lot of other stuff from makeup swaps, general shopping trips and my Korea Trip.

I can't possibly review them all so I guess I'd just share what I got with you and let you do the picking as to what you'd like me to review :) If you see anything you'd like me to review feel free to drop a comment! :)

So first up is a huge haul from my makeup swap with the wonderful Amanda from RiceySupreme (youtube: ahyedizzy). 

This haul is singularly responsible for my recent addiction to lipsticks. I've never been a lipstick junkie before, but I've been more open to exploring different colors after this haul. I'm particularly in love with the Wet n' Wild Lipsticks she sent me, especially the one in Bare it All. It's my favorite nude lipstick thus far!

I've also discovered one of my HG BB Creams from this haul. I never thought I'd fall in love with a U.S.-made BB Cream, but here I am totally in love with my Flower BB Cream in BB2. It's a perfectly yellow-toned BB Cream that's completely matte and ridiculously long lasting! It's perfect for the humid climate here in the Philippines and definitely works wonders on oily skin :)

Another favorite from this haul is the L'oreal HiP High Intensity Pigments Matte Shadow Duo in 807 Poppy. The colors are ridiculously pigmented without being powdery and they remind me of Banana and Nutella! It's my go-to neutral eyeshadow duo and I wear it almost everyday haha.

Needless to say, everything from the swap was extra extra special, but these were the ones that totally caught my eye :)

Next up, one of my smaller hauls. I had to stock up on my essentials before my Korea Trip so I got two of my fave products in the world. The K-Palette Real Lasting Eyeliner was on sale so I just had to get it. It's my HG eyeliner and literally lasts the entire day (even longer). How do I know this? Let's just say a day-trip to Myeongdong and an overnight stay at the Airport put this eyeliner to the ultimate test ahaha. The same goes with the FairyDrops Platinum Mascara Water Proof Type.

And now, probably the largest haul is from my trip to Korea. I probably would've bought more, but baggage and time constraints really limited what I could get. It's a shame really, since practically all the cosmetic shops were on sale when I went there.

The amount of samples the shops in Korea give out is ridiculous. I actually have more samples than photographed above but I set them aside for giveaway purposes *wink wink*.

I don't have a lot of individual pictures of each thing I bought becuase I haven't had the time to schedule a product shoot yet, but the things that I'm totally in love with as of now are the Precious Mineral Any Cushion, the Drawing Show Creamy Pencil in BE103, the Dear Girls Tint and Lip Balm in RD301, Rosy Tint Lips in #7 and the TheFaceShop Daily Beauty Tools Eye Lashes.

Feel free to request reviews as you feel necessary! :)

Korea is also definitely a fashion haven. I couldn't NOT come home with a few things. Plus they were surprisingly cheap! I love the fact that South Korea takes pride in their clothing being made in authentically in Korea! The make is amazing, and because they make clothes primarily for the domestic market (not for export) the price is very very reasonable, especially around college areas!

I couldn't resist getting some cute socks! Just 1000 Won each pair (~1$).

Not to mention these ridiculously adorable Big Bang socks >_<

There were also an abundance of affordable skater skirts of extremely good quality for 5000 Won each!

I was a bit of a cheapskate when I was in Korea because I wouldn't dare buy anything more than 10,000 Won (~10$). All these tops, tights and skirts are 10,000 Won or less (most are 5000 Won), with a few exceptions. I'm such a bargain shopper ahaha.

One thing I did splurge on is a new bag and a pair of cute sneaker wedges. Can you believe the bag is only 15,000 Won??? It's extremely durable, really good quality and the leather trimmings are legit. The shoes were a bit pricey but I wasn't in the mood to bargain, so meh ahaha.

And last but not least, I have new makeup organizers c/o the wonderful Miss Bella PH. I totally love their new Bella Box and Bella Tray. They are invaluable additions to my growing vanity area ahaha.

You Jelly?

Feel free to drop me any questions and requests! I have more exciting posts to come!

Ada, signing out!

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Review: Etude House Etoinette Special Kit

Hey guys! Like I promised, I'm back with one of the most requested reviews from my readers. I bring you a little walkthrough post of my experience with Etude House's Etoinette Special Kit, which includes an Etoinette Heart Blusher in PK001 Pink Petal Kiss, Etoinette Crystal Shine Lips in PPK02 Dewy Petal Kiss, an Etoinette Rose Brush and an Etoinette Princess Mirror.

Design and Aesthetics
I think one of the selling points of this Special Kit which accounts for its rather steep price is the sheer quality of its aesthetics. Never have I seen packaging as princess-y and intricate as this. These pieces, despite being functional makeup tools seem to deserve their own special place in anybody's makeup mantle. It's almost a shame to have to use these sometimes, and I'm sure most would probably prefer just leaving these as decorative accents to an everyday vanity desk.

Even the box has a quaint unique quality to it, and has a magnetic latch, perfect for keeping knick-knacks in if you can't find it in you to throw it away.

The one little qualm I have about this set is just how sickeningly pink it is, haha. That's not entirely a bad thing for people who love pink, but I think I've mentioned quite a bit that I'm not the biggest fan of pink. The pastel pink of this set is pleasant to look at despite my aversion for pink. I just wished it matched the rest of my room's interior better ahaha.

Aesthetics aside, I'm sure you're all quite curious as to how each piece of the set actually works. For this next part of this review or walkthrough, I think I'll skip the mirror, because you know, it's a mirror.

Haha. Scroll down for a review on the brush, blush and lipstick ;)

Etoinette Rose Brush
Okay, so this brush is ridiculously fancy. I don't entirely see the practicality of designing brush bristles into the shape of a flower, powder or foundation-finish-wise, and it really just makes it all the more painful to use the brush in the first place ahaha.

I mean, look at it. It's just so ornate and cute. It's like a really gay kabuki brush fashioned in Europe ahahaha. Again, I'm not fond of the pink but meh.
Where density of the bristles and softness is concerned, this brush is decent, but it isn't amazing. It's sufficiently dense that squeezing it and rubbing your finger against it puts up a little resistance as seen in the picture below.

The bristles are still a bit on the rough side IMHO. I think it's how they're cut and arranged into a flower shape. I'm just not used to it, so It's really weird running this brush against my skin. For powder blush, however, this is sufficient.

I just can't see myself using this brush for powder foundation because of the awkward feeling it leaves on my skin, and the uneven finish it tends to give because of the pattern. Plus, the bristles stain x_x And this brush also sheds.

I actually regret using this brush because otherwise, it would've been such a cute decorative piece. x_x Owell.

Tools aside, let's get on to the actual makeup!

Okay, so I got a little too creative with this review ahaha. Forgive me.

Let's start off with the 
Etoinette Heart Blusher in PK001 Pink Petal Kiss

I think this is my favorite piece in the kit, because not only is it ornate and pleasing to look at, the concept behind is also quite cute. Similar to pearl blushers by Physician's Formula, Etude takes it a step further by shaping each individual blush brick into a heart and then encasing it into this pink cup of princess-y goodness.

When you first get your kit, each heart is carefully packaged in this plastic container. It's pretty powdery and full of fallout and each heart is particularly delicate, so you have to be very careful so as not to break a heart. (Just like in real life! Lol)

The hearts themselves come in three shades of pink, from left to right in the picture  below: a shimmery fuchsia pink, a pearly baby pink and a pale pink-white. You could probably use an individual heart like chalk but I don't want to chance breaking one ahaha.

I'm sure there's a way of pulling off each shade individually and I'm particularly interested in using the lightest shade as a highlighter because it's has a very iridescent color to it. You can't really tell from the picture below but the pearl color is my favorite :) They all have very subtle shimmery finishes to them however, so if you're not a fan of shimmer and glimmer, this probably isn't your type of blush.

Mixed together the blush has a multi-dimensional feel to it and shows off different depths of pink from different angles, but again, it's a very subtle blush that can be layered on as heavily as needed.

For that purpose, the puff that comes with it is quite useful. It's good at packing on the blush, but not very useful for actually getting the color from the blush bricks onto the puff itself. I find myself having second thoughts about patting the puff onto the hearts themselves for fear of breaking them.

It's a lot easier to use a soft fluffy brush or a kabuki brush (like the one that comes with this kit) for that purpose.

So how does it look when applied?

Okay, so I'll be really really honest. This blush looks AMAZING on camera. It really does. There's this nice glowy feel to it, and the pink shows up wonderfully against my skin. But IRL, I'm really not a huge fan of overtly pink blushes. I always want my blushes to have a hint of orange, red or plum in them and something that's just plain pink just sits really oddly on my natural skin tone. Plus the shimmer is definitely not something you'd like dealing with on a normal day.

I can see myself wearing this blush for a gala occasion (on the level of a ball/prom but not for a formal dinner or function) for that additional oomph and pop, but definitely not for a normal day out.

How about the lipstick though?

Etoinette Crystal Shine Lips in PPK02 Dewy Petal Kiss
Like the blush, the Crystal Shine Lips is really pretty look at from its aesthetics alone. It's one of those lipsticks you can imagine Princess Aurora using or packing in her purse haha. The gold detailing on its cover and around its rim is also really eye catching, and even the bullet is designed with the signature Etoinette 'E'.

The lipstick itself is a bright mauve-y old rose type of color. In natural light it's a very neutral pink, but in fluorescent light it comes up a little more on the blue-er tone. It looks really opaque and creamy on the bullet, but when applied it's actually quite sheer and natural looking.

It's also really moisturizing without being too thick. I've said before that I'm not fond of pinks on my skin, and I prefer them much less on my lips considering how naturally dark my lips are, but I actually quite like this pink. It gives my lips a healthy glow and sheen with a similar finish to a the My Jelly Lips Talk with more color pay off. It has sheer color coverage but it can definitely be built up for more color. I'm not entirely sure you can bump this up to be completely opaque however, so if you want to hide your original lip color completely you may want to consider a lip concealer :)

So unlike the blush which I wouldn't sport on a daily basis, I definitely think this lipstick is a keeper :) It's a bit shame to bite into the bullet with everyday use though -- but at least when you finish the lip color you can always keep it as a decorative piece.

All in all, the blush and lipstick that come with this kit are supposedly complements of each other, but doubt I would use the blush and the lip together. I think for the brightness that the blush gives, I would use a nude-er lipstick or for the lipstick, I'd use a more muted cheek color. So either one or the other, probably not both.

In pictures, however, this duo works amazingly well haha.

Wow, looking at the above picture is like a trip down memory lane haha. I've lost so much weight since then D: This picture was taken late August so you can pretty much tell how long this review has been sitting on my blog pending list X_x I'm sorry for the delay!

So what do you think? Is the Special Kit worth the extra price? :P

Expect more backed up posts and some new ones quite soon!

Ada, signing out!

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