A Gill and A Way

I don't really get curious by hype but if it is intriguing enough for me, I do try to find out if it's worth the buzz myself.

I've seen so much local lipstick launches this year even with the virus crisis and to be honest, none ever comes as near as the attention the new Powder Pout Lipstick of Detail Cosmetics garnered. It is a great marketing strategy because all 12 shades are in collaboration with local vloggers. Plus, the brand is quite affordable so I definitely see these lipsticks selling out. (IT HAS FOR LOTS OF ITS SHADES. TWICE--AND ONLY SEVEN DAYS SINCE IT LAUNCHED)

I admit, this is probably my weak point because I follow really only a few beauty content creators whether local or foreign and stay loyal to them for years but I am familiar with most Detail collaborated with. However, because of budget constraints and the fact buying a vlogger lippie of a vlogger I don't personally follow is the cosmetic junkie's version of wearing a band t-shirt of artists I've never heard of, I decided to buy only two shades: Raiza Contawi and Toni Sia. 

I love LOOOVE the boxes so much!

I learned to wear makeup when I was grade school and highschool because of magazines and blogs but in college, that's when I started following tutorials and watching beauty reviews and one of the local ones I do follow is Ms. Rai because 1.)  I love her reviews and 2.) She's an actual makeup artist. Toni Sia on the other hand, just comes in my suggestions quite often and actually has good beauty reviews I watch, too. I mean, I work hard for my money so I better check good reviews for makeup that also works hard for me too, right?

Now on to the lipstick....

I owned one Detail Cosmetics lipstick before and it's this gray colored lippie I've only worn once AND to work during my fresh grad days when I still had remnants of my edgy college self who wore dark lipstick sometimes. And I hated that formula because it was a little shiny and slick but felt heavy for me; like you feel the lipstick on your lips although not as heavy as cement like the way it looked.

The only Detail lipstick I owned prior to the Powder Pout which is heavy, greas,y and kinda patchy for such a bold color

The Powder Pout Lipstick is the exact opposite of that: it's matte and feels light on the lips which I will detail Get it? DETAIL? Charot. It is quite soft and easy to ruin if you are not super careful with the bullet but I accepted not all lipsticks remain immaculate when they're in my possession and I actually use them. Also, I've heard many descriptions on what the smell is from chocolate to popcorn to Play Doh to vanilla and I can confirm that it CAN smell like all those of those but actually, the scent reminds me of butter flavored Nissins wafers specifically. (Yes, the ones in the yellow wrapper!) Although Toni's shade smells much more buttery than Raiza's, which has hints of rubber and chocolate. WOW SCENT MASTER RACE

ALSO, THE PACKAGING IS GORGEOUS--FROM THE BOX TO THE ACTUAL BULLET.

It has a powdery soft finish as opposed to a fully opaque matte finish but this can be built up to make it that way.

Let's talk about the shades I picked up because I think it's the colors, as much as the formula, that makes them my favorite. My very VERY very favorite of the two is Raiza Contawi's! Detail described Raiza's shade, surprisingly called "Raiza Contawi", as a "subtle pink and brown." I'll be that girl who will say, as someone who owns her brownish pinks and pinky browns, this does not have even an ounce of brown. It's more beige based and is an old rose that surprisingly doesn't pull a little purple. All I can say is, it's the only pink lipstick I will buy from now on, no shit. This, and Maybelline Superstay Matte Ink in Delicate. I'm very picky with pinks and I think Raiza Contawi's is a winner.

Raiza's shade is that universal shade of pink which I haven't quite seen so much in other brands

Toni Sia's shade is that sweet light peach that makes you look so sweet and innocent which I fail to be but hey, this lipstick can fool you

I compared the formula with powder matte finishes of other local brands. The formula actually reminds me of my favorite bullet lipstick which is the Sunnies Face Fluffmatte which feels so smooth and a little whipped on the lips. Yes, the finish on the lips is similar with other offerings but what makes this stand out is how creamy it feels when you swipe it on. Sunnies Face is much pigmented and creamy but a little-JUST LIKE, 12%--more heavy than Detail but Detail feels much smoother on the lips so I don't mind building the color on my lips since it feels so buttery yet light. Penshoppe's Beauty Pop HydraMatte Lipstick is also something I wear often but is not as smooth as both lipsticks. It actually tugs but I tolerate it because it smells like marshmallows and it feels more lightweight than the usual matte lipstick.

Lasting power is impressive for a bullet lipstick. Of course, it transfers if it comes to contact on any surface but it does wear out evenly throughout the day and it leaves a subtle stain. It doesn't dry out the lips and with it being a "powder matte", it blurs lip liners and smoothens out flakes upon application.

Toni and Raiza's shades are above while Sunnies Face in Vacay and Penshoppe in Girl Next Door are in the bottom. Specifically chose the lower two thinking they'd be a dupe but nope. Far from it.

The Powder Pout is comfortable to wear and with the Detail makeover line having shades in the line that I feel cater more to the Pinay skin tones, I think Detail Makeover is the clear winner for me. AND IT'S 199 PESOS EACH. BARGAIN REALLY

Do I recommend this lipstick? The answer is obviously yes and I wonder why I even asked. They're selling like hotcakes on Shopee and Lazada and I see a great reason why! The other vlogger shades seem much more brown based to me but that's not a bad thing for me and are all gorgeous shades! It's just I have similar shades already in my arsenal so I guess Raiza and Toni's colors are just enough for me at the moment. However, if I could, I'd definitely want to get Rei Germar's(which is a deep brownish nude), or Angel Dei's (which looks like a dead on dupe of my one of my fave lipsticks, Sunnies Face Fluffmatte in Vacay!).

On my eyes: Colourpop Going Coconuts Eyeshadow Palette(Put Shredded all over my lid until my lower brows then Coolada on my crease which is followed by Get Crackin all over my eyelid as a blended it extensively using the brush I used for Coolada in a cat eye shape. Added Coolada and Get Crackin' on the lower lashline then deepened the outer corner of my eyes with Nutty. Topped the lid with Coco Crush), Focallure Liquid Eyeliner pen On my cheeks: Maybelline City Bronzer in 200, Focallure Monochromatic Duo Blush in 01 Soft Apricot, Wet n Wild Megaglo Highlighter in Bloom Time On my lips: Mixed both Raiza and Toni on my lips

Another thing Detail Cosmetics Powder Pout did right...

I've seen a number of lipstick launches during the past two years and personally, this is the one launch I've seen much more audiences gravitated towards to. This isn't the first time I bought lipstick out of hype but this is probably the first time I felt I identified myself more with the product, from price point to shades to the formula. It's as if the actual product isn't just something marketed with a famous influencer's face just to earn profit but this product is actually made for US Filipinas and Filipinos by people we idolize and a brand that's easily accessible. Even the promotion of the product in its social media isn't solely just the faces of influencers but faces of actual Pinoys and Pinays who truly enjoyed the product and are excited to have a piece produced by their idols.

I felt the need to bring this up because some lipstick launches, although the common theme nowadays for local makeup brands is "universal representation" in terms of shades, seemed to fall short in some aspects in terms of making the customer "valued". Let's talk about another pretty big lipstick launch a few months ago from another local brand which is pretty steep in price for a scented lip product that barely lasts. While I've seen lots of other girls fork on these lipsticks that cost more than the daily minimum wage locally and post how much they love it on their media, the brand itself chose to only repost IG stories, social media posts, and testimonials of influencers they probably gave free PR boxes of the whole range to. While there is a target market for each brand, there are many of those like me who went out of our way to buy such a pricey product and post our humble reviews only to feel like we're snubbed by the actual brand.

Speaking of shades, another lipstick launch last year released a line of "universal" nudes which in most reviews I've watched barely even passed for most skintones except the content creators who made the line, which is much more inspired by Western influences. I'm alright with brands being inspired by foreign concepts but we can build it to adjust what works for the audience locally, right? And build nude shades that are actually flattering and universal which never include peanut butter tans or cool-toned beiges or dull poop browns.

I do like products from these two brands I just mentioned but I just wish they don't act like the lifestyle they endorse is much more unattainable to a general market yet they promote their products as if it's a necessity to human kind, because of either the aesthetics that copy other minimalist brands or the "skin-friendly" chuchu they advocate.

This is in no way to put brands against each other in this diverse market we have locally. However, if you see in the brand's promotion more pictures, stories, and testimonials of happy and giddy customers that are the average Pinay who adore the one or two lipsticks they buy from the line more than posts and reviews of super stylized women who have the whole collection for free, I guess a brand is doing the promotion to the customer right by showing value to them. That these products are not created for the IG famous lot who will probably only get another PR box of another whole range lipstick line and leave whatever lipstick they just promoted to gather dust but the everyday Pinoy and Pinay who love to wear makeup and wear that makeup along with a real purpose.

A lot of people liked the last post I made on my favorite lipsticks and it's nice that I write another makeup related post again since I don't do this often. This time, I want to talk about an item that's either overlooked OR overused: BLUSH!

My love affair with blush started when I was grade school. Studying in an all-girls school then, there were events where I had to wear makeup and since I inherited some used makeup from my older cousin, I used Bench's Prettywhenpinched (It used to be one word dati) and In2It's Lip and Cheek Stain. It really made my face come alive.

Now that I'm working, I outgrew those inky stains that leave indelible ink-level purple-tinted marks on my thumbs. These formulas also don't work well above the base makeup I wore regularly so I stuck to powders and creams...with only one tint that passed the test for me.

I can just smear lipstick on my cheeks and call it a look especially if I'm in a hurry or I need to touch up, but what is life without ACTUAL rouge for your cheeks?

Listed below are some of my favorite "UY BLUSHING" products, of which most are available and accessible!


1. Colourette Colortints - P299

These are not the same tint formula of the lip and cheek stains I used when I was younger: this one is pigmented and has an oil base, so you better shake it well and shake it good! (Their slogan lol). There are so may shades to choose from and it's tempting to collect them (I had to stop at 6) but a little goes a long way so you'll really have the product for a long time. It also comes in two finishes: Fresh and Matte.

I used to use these often (before I used the next one in this list regularly) because the colors are quite saturated and they really last. My fave one to use is Ava, which is described as a "Warm Nude" and which I also love to use on my lips and eyes as well! Another fave is Kelsey which was my first Colortint and I believe isn't available anymore and is this salmony pink that looks also good for a one color look.

Kelsey is such a pretty pink shade that looks great on the eyes, cheeks, and lips. However, it's super pigmented and it's easy to overdo it

Ava is not only the perfect flush of color on my cheeks but is also a great nude that doesn't wash me out

2. EB Advance Matte Color Stick in Rosy Hue

Okay this was an impulsive buy one night I commuted home from work and came across a Watsons that was still open at around 10:30PM and bought some makeup for the sake of it, this one included. Clay blushes used to be a craze back then and while I was scared to try the actual brand that started it all so I settled for this EB one. I was more drawn to the color, a light nude pink, than the fact it's a clay blush though.

But it really surprised me how long-lasting it was and just how natural-but-better the color was. It is also something I tend to wear when I use full makeup for the whole day since this doesn't move my full coverage foundations away when I apply it (Colourette has this problem). Nakakafresh talaga this blush and the fact it's available everywhere are reasons why you should pick this up.

Using this on your lips will make you look like the living dead but these come in two other shades (a bright red and a terracotta orange) in case you want a multi use product.

Rosy Hue just gives a, well, rosy hue on your cheeks! It's perfect for no-makeup days and days that call for a heavy face.

3.  EB Collection Blush To Go

I'm not sure if this is still available because it was a limited edition launch from last year exclusively sold in Robinsons Department stores. It comes only in one shade, which is this super light pink that has a shimmery sheen to it that isn't overly shiny. If you can find this, I suggest you buy it because it's such a  beautiful blush! It's not super pigmented but it leaves the right amount of "blush" on your cheeks. I use a stiff stippling brush to apply it on my cheeks to get most out of the color.

The formula is kinda weird too because it has this "putty" texture. It's powdery but at the same time, feels like a sorta epoxy texture. (Notice mine has lots of press marks? It's satisfying to press it lol)




4. BYS Powder Blush in Perfectly Peachy - P299

Another product of impulsive late night stress makeup buying in Watsons I come across while commuting home. It's something I bought last year but it's only this year I appreciated this product, which I thought I could used as a bronzer so I don't use up my Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer (Which, fun fact, has yet to hit pan despite me using it often for over a year). It didn't look peach to me since it's more toasty and tan BUT when you apply it to your cheeks, it becomes this perfect flush as if you were burnt a bit from the sun. If there's a powder blush I can recommend to everyone regardless of skintone, it's this one.

It may not be the usual pink flush I'm used to but there's something about Perfectly Peachy that makes the skin come alive.

5. Blk Intense Color Powder Blush in Flushed - P290

I recall walking up the Blk counter because I was eyeing Sun-kissed, an apricot shade I know I didn't have in my blush collection consisting of sheer pinks. But of course, old habits die hard, and I bought this Flushed instead. Flushed is basically the same color as EB Blush to Go but is much more pigmented; has a bit of golden shimmer; and is straight up a powder. You get a decent amount for the price AND the packaging looks more expensive than it looks. IT HAS A MIRROR, I REPEAT. A DECENT MIRROR.

I don't always use this blush but when I do, it pulls much peachy on my skin than pink. It's also easy for me to overdo this blush so it's best to use a fluffy powder brush.

Here's Flushed applied heavily here.

6. Unicorn Dream Dream Blush in Sweet Pea - P195

I've only used this for a few months and let me tell you how it's now my favorite. One, it's super affordable at P195 which comes with a free dense brush you can use to blend a dot of this blush on your cheek. Two, it smells like fruit gum which I can taste when I apply it on my lips. And three, the color "Sweet Pea" is a gorgeous peach.

The blush is not super pigmented which makes it user-friendly and it comes in an air pump so you can assured you're going to use it down to the last drop. The downside is you have to order online but there are numerous sellers in Shopee who sell this at a discounted price bu it's super worth it. This is the one out of everything I mentioned that I will highly recommend.

Sweet pea is that sweet lang color kahit bitch ka

7. Careline Play to Slay Palette -P275

Okay I wasn't originally intending to include a palette here but the two blushes in this one really surprised me. One, they're both matte and two, they're not super blotchy . They're quite pigmented too but I really like these shades, one's a light rose while the other is like a wearable fuchsia. It's actually  the blushes I'm wearing in the very top photo of this post and the very last. A trick I like to do is to apply a bit of the highlighter first on my cheekbones and a little on my apples and then I apply blush like I normally would. It's super pretty and this palette does give you value for your  money! The eyeshadows are not so bad, not really my favorite, but they're decent and I've used them countless times too.

Although I use the eyeshadows and the highlighter more since I prefer a cream cheek product, my favorite part of this palette  is its blushes!

Here are some additional tips from years of wearing makeup and learning to apply makeup since blush isn't always the first cosmetic a girl will choose and it sometimes makes or break a look:




1. For powder blushes, I find it easier to apply it when everything else in my makeup is powdered with setting powder. In lots of tutorials I see, I notice they usually apply blush after foundation or concealer which makes the blush look so patchy and blotchy. I follow this same rule too for bronzer and contour powders!

2. For liquid and cream blushes, it's best to use a dot or one small swipe for one cheek and build it up slowly.

3. Use tapping motions with your fingers when blending blush, especially if you have foundation underneath. I prefer  using a blending brush, too and just stipple stipple stipple.

4. Unlike my powder blush advice though, do your liquid and cream blushes after your foundation. Let it set a bit but apply this blush BEFORE powdering with a setting powder.

5. You can layer products to make them last longer such as cream/liquids first and then a light dusting of powder blush.

6. I agree with most experts that you shouldn't smile when you apply blush because when you don't smile, the color is placed in a lower part of your face and it drags it down, making you look older. I mean, if it works for you it's alright! People don't die from applying blush on their apples anyway.

What I do when I apply blush is place it a little under my middle part of lower eyelids and then sweep the color towards the temples. IT SOUNDS CRAZY BUT YOUR FACE LOOKS LIFTED AND YOU LOOK YOUNGER. You can also choose to swirl a bit of the color a bit closer to your nose if you want and in the fleshy part of your cheeks.

7. Blush is almost always the first to fade in your makeup look so bring it with you wherever you go. Of course, blot out oil from your face first and powder if you need to before you re-apply your blush.

8. If you apply too much blush, you can brush your foundation brush which still most likely has remnants of your foundation so it can decrease the pigment. Or you can brush powder to slowly tone down the color. To be realistic, it can only be toned down so much by both solutions so if they both fail for you, just brave out with you bright cheeks (I experience this all the time lol).

I only learned to appreciate foundation/base makeup later in my lifetime of being obsessed with makeup. I only wore liquid foundation once throughout my teens (MAC PA) and I hated how heavy and cakey it looked. I rediscovered it in college, fell in love, but knew whatever I used wasn't totally perfect.

But using the right foundation, I discovered that I felt prettier, BRIGHTER, and magical. All the times I used foundation, I only loved it because it worked for me to an extent, but never all the way.

But this feeling of foundation not making effort is over for I finally found the most BIGATIN, BONGGA FUNDA EVER.


L'Oreal Infallible Freshwear 24 Hour Foundation

I've always been intrigued with this product especially after Tati raved about it.

I'll be honest: I already tested the L'Oreal Infallible Freshwear 24 Hour foundation prior to these pictures and absolutely loved it. Unfortunately, I didn't take pics of the first few times I tried it but here are some documentation I made when I decided to do a formal review.

This is what the foundation looked like when I freshly applied it. I used Nichido Final Powder in Creamy Glow to set it.  Feel na feel ko pa makeup ko! Time check: 7:30AM

This was taken when it was almost 3PM--more than seven hours later! Mind you, I endured heavy commute in the  morning heading to a coverage in Adriatico, commuted again to DOH, and then commuted again to Intramuros. Only blotted my face right before I took this selfie so I must say it's quite impressive!

This final check up shot on my foundation was taken a little over 9PM. The foundation obviously faded a bit but in person, it still looked decent and just needed a little blot. MAS NAUNA BUMIGAY EYELINER AT SHADOW KO!Almost 14 hours of funda wear in this Philippine weather and traffic? Super sold! (Also, don't mind the lumpia. I was really hungry then)

Here's a rundown on things I observed with the foundation:

• It doesn't have a straight-up matte finish but this satiny one that makes me look like ang ganda ng skincare routine ko.
• Despite the non-matte finish, it smooths over my pores! Insta-filter!
• It sets pretty quickly so you better work fast with your application. Tried it with a beautyblender, cushion sponge, silicone sponge, and fingers and they all worked well for me. I prefer using a dense blending brush since it maximizes the coverage that way.
• I used primer the very first time I used it but the next times I used it--including this time of review--I didn't use anything to prime my face. Tibay!
• My shade is Radiant Sand, which is a touch darker than my skintone. Totally my fault here but it doesn't look that bad. Having a light powder or mixing it with a little lighter foundation worked for me. 
• It oxidizes a bit and if you use the wrong type of powder, the shade will look yellowy! (I used it a few times with my Kris Aquino x Ever Bilena Matte Powder Foundation in Lifetime and I LOOKED LIKE I USED TURMERIC POWDER TO SET MY FACE BY THE END OF THE DAY)
• The shade range is so bad here locally. Radiant Sand is already the darkest shade available.
• It obviously won't last for 24 Hours but it fades quite evenly and beautifully. Your skin won't look like the map of the world after the end of the day.

Wet hair, don't care. But look! Is my foundation there? (Sorry, I love rhymes hahaha)

If lashes could kill, then the world would be free from terrorism and be an even more beautiful place, charot!

Note: I apologize if mauumay kayo sa fez ko after reading this post.

Feeling riche with mah Color Riche lipstick! Charot!