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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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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Etude House Play House Princess Academy + Pink Artiste 2013

Hey guys! This post has been put off long enough! Today I'll be blogging about my fantasmical experience at Etude House Philippines' Play House Princess Academy 2013 held at SM North EDSA The Block last July 28!

Needless to say, this was undeniably the pink-est event I've ever been to, and I'll be honest -- I'm not usually the biggest fan of pink, but Etude really knows how to pull it off and the air of princess-y (and prince-y) cuteness was saturated all throughout the event!

The Play House Princess Academy is, I think, Etude's way of saying thank you to all its valued customers out there with two days of fun activities, makeup workshops and cute pink sweets. The event played host to a number of different attendees - little kids, teens, girls who will stay forever young ;) (*coughmecough*).

Etude House Philippines' President, Andrea Amado wasn't lying when she said that Etude aims to make every customer feel like royalty. So I tried my best to live up to the occasion and dressing in my best cutesy outfit.

Okay, so it's not exactly that cutesy. My makeup was pretty neutral with nude-pink accents on the eyes and lips and my hair was more of an intricate cheat than anything. And while I tried to look as cute and pink as possible to suit the occasion, my outfit turned into more of a pin-up crossover with a milkmaid than a princess haha. But really, I'm not one of those cutesy types of girls - I'd rather stay true to my style but also bring some of my own princess-y cuteness to the table :P

While engaging yourself with the various activities, you also have the opportunity of brushing up on your makeup and fashion know-how with all the workshops Etude House organized just for you!

Activities like Kiss the Prince were definitely a huge hit and there were free makeovers galore to make you feel like a true Etude House Princess. Not to mention you get a cute princess-y souvenir photo afterwards.

*Ninja Shot of my good friend, Amz from Punky Bunny http://amz88.blogspot.com/. Please don't kill me haha*

Unfortunately, I wasn't exactly in the position to enjoy all the activities of the event, having been asked to be on standby backstage. As a result, I didn't even get a chance to meet all the awesome blogger people I had hoped to see during the event itself D: *sadface*. I eventually just gave my ticket to my good friend and partner in girly-crime, Joanna haha. Full support all the way :P

While Joanna was out enjoying the activities, I was backstage, being utterly starstruck at the number of celebrities there. I'm not a huge follower of local media so I barely knew anybody, but good thing Kyala, one of my fellow Pink Artiste Finalists, and her sister were there to clue me in.

Backstage with the Pink Artiste 2013 Finalists, Shebby Liquete and Kyala Cristine Oplado

I was surprised as to how down to earth all the celebrities were, and while I didn't exactly have the guts to muster up the courage to actually talk to them, let alone ask for a picture with them, at least I can say I got to see them face to face haha.

The event kicked off with a few words from Etude House President Andrea Amado and the bulk of the event was hosted by the lovely Carla Humphries. There were guest workshops by Ryuji Shiomitsu and the lovely Bianca Valerio, not to mention appearances by Coleen Garcia, Brett Jackson, Miles Ocampo, Paul Salas, Niel Coleta, Ella Cruz, and Dominic Roque! Whew! I'm surprised I remember all of their names LOL. Not to mention, last year's Pink Artiste, Orange Tuazon was there as well!

Despite the star-studded ensemble of guests, we were all surprised to hear that the "main event" was actually our makeup showdown.

I am hardly an expert at applying makeup on other people. I can only reall vouch for makeup on myself. That being said, I tried my best to do justice to the products provided by Etude. We were all rather caught off guard actually. We were hanging on the basis of having 5 minutes to pick up and organize the products we were to use, but because of time constraints, that entire segment was cut and we had to just go straight on ahead to the actual application :P

Despite that, we all managed to finish a Glam Princess look within 15 minutes - albeit my model looked like a hot mess haha. I definitely don't do makeup well under pressure x_x

Not your best angle Andie -- blame the photographer haha.

A special thanks to the lovely Andie Reyes, one of my underclassmen in college, for allowing me to ravage her face with my lackluster professional makeup skills haha. Just goes to show you how she could probably pull of any look :P Seriously, you could probably paint her face brown and she'd still look high fashion.

In the end, Shebby bagged first, I got second and Kyala walked away with third! But by the end of it all, we all felt like winners. We also felt like ants, by the way, considering how tall Bianca and Carla are. We look like hobbits in comparison haha! But like I told Kyala - we're not short. We're FUN-sized. haha

Shebby's absolutely glowing, isn't she? Congrats and do us proud!

Despite not getting first, this truly had been a wonderful learning experience for me and has motivated me to try and pursue makeup to greater heights :) That way I can be the first Molecular Biologist / Makeup Artist / Fashion Model / Blogger to grace the covers of renowned magazines haha.

Also, I got to walk away with these awesome prizes. Tada~! Three mystery bags of Etude House products worth 20,000PHP!

There's still a lot more in store for me, and for my readers *wink wink*. I really would not have been able to come this far without you and your support, so I have a few things planned ahead!

Stay tuned for Part II of this series of Etude House posts, my Etude House Play House Princess Academy Haul! Stay tuned~!

Ada, signing out.

Photos courtesy of Brandon Sy.
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Miss Bella Cosmetics X CL The Baddest Female Makeup

Hey guys! Today I'm back with a rather exciting post which includes a some wonderful goodies sent to me by the wonderful people at Miss Bella PH as well as some pretty inspired makeup using the products I'm just about to show you!

The people at Miss Bella PH were kind enough to send me a few makeup palettes to review and use to create some looks to share with you today!

Today I'll be sharing with you a few looks that I've created with the Miss Bella Contour and Blush Palette (Top), the 120 Color Warm Palette (Bottom Left), and the 120 Color Combo Palette (Bottom Right).

These palettes are extremely versatile and contain almost every shade you can possibly think of! And if you're a fan of color, there is also a 120 Color Rainbow Palette available, that has rainbow brights in matte, shimmer and pearlized shades.

The colors available on this palette are reasonably pigmented, and are dupes for countless shadows out there in the market. They're not too chalky and are very easy to blend and don't crease over time!  The removable tiers also make them really convenient if you want to mix and match the colors from different palettes and the packaging is chic, practical and no-fuss.

I spent a few days wracking my brains as to how to properly make use of the wonderful colors that these palettes had to order and the answer was right in front of me with one of the latest releases 1/4 of the female K-Pop Group, 2NE1 - CL The Baddest Female.

I can't exactly say that I'm the biggest fan of CL's latest release, but the song's MV is alive with rich fashion, style and not to mention the wide array of makeup the CL sports in the MV.

See what I mean? CL is known as a huge style icon, and while her makeup isn't always the most wearable normally, it's perfect for parties or if you just want to make a huge impression right when you step through the door. Her makeup focuses widely on thick eye liner which draws attention to the eyes and works for both people with double lids and those without. There's a lot to choose from in her repertoire of looks, ranging from dramatic neutrals to pops of bright citrus-y color. I've recreated two of the looks from her MV below using the palettes sent to me by Miss Bella.

One of my favorite looks from the MV is the strong liner + neutral eye that CL sports at the start of her MV.  The muted shadow draws a lot of attention to her smooth skin an sculpted face structure, and the soft but prominent brow frames the eyes subtly.

I used colors from the 120 Color Warm Palette to create depth in my eye, and thick liner to mask my double lid. The range of browns available also make useful eye brow powder, and when set with a clear eyebrow mascara or gel, stay put for an eternity.

 

For this look, the Miss Bella Blush and Contour Palette's darker bronzer is perfect for the cheek contour, and blending in can be achieved with the lighter bronzer. The orange-red blush also matches CL's look perfectly and the matte white contour powder adds dimension to the cheeks, nose and browbone.

Another look that I thoroughly appreciated was the citrus eyesheadow she sported at the last minute of her MV. It gives a perfectly tropical feel and the strong liner makes it look even more dramatic.

The citrus colors in the 120 Color Combo Palette are perfect to recreate this look.

I used two different shades of light green on my lid, a deep green for the outer corner of my eye and a bright orange for my crease, trying to make out the blending of colors as much as I could in CL's MV. I also highlighted my brow with a lemonade colored shade and muted some orange with a bit of brown for my lower lashline.

So as you can see, the colors are pretty pigmented and there's a lot you can do with this palette. Not to mention the Miss Bella PH shop is based here in the Philippines, so no international shipping fee!

You guys should definitely check them out if you have the time! They sell a wide array of cosmetics, cosmetic organizers, accessory organizers and hair accessories. It's basically a kikay girl's dream come true haha.

So that's it for now! I hope you enjoyed these looks and the product feature! If you guys have any questions, comments or suggestions, please do feel free to leave them in the comments below! I really love hearing from you guys.

Ada, signing out.

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