Review + Swatch: Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Foundation in 118 Light Beige

Hi everyone! I’m sticking to my skin care routine that’s why I haven’t posted anything new. So for now, I’ll be talking about makeup. Maybelline’s Fit Me Foundation was hyped all over the internet. I finally decided to try it last year.

Description:
Fit Me® Matte + Poreless Foundation face makeup. This lightweight foundation mattifies and refines pores and leaves a natural, seamless finish. Full ingredients on their website

Pros:
-Affordable, 399 pesos for 30ml (usually on sale at 299 pesos)
-Wide range of shades
-Available in-stores and online
-Pump dispenses the foundation easily
-Doesn’t feel heavy on the skin
-Minimizes the appearance of pores
-Helps with oil control
-Did not cause breakouts
-Sets into powder finish

Cons:
-Still gives subtle flashback for me
-Fades at the end of the day

Neutral:
-Light coverage

Fit Me has a sturdy glass packaging with a plastic cap. It’s comes with a pump which makes it easier to dispense. Their first release didn’t have one. For a drugstore brand, this has a good shade range already.

First thing I noticed when I used it was the lightweight feel. It sets into powder finish so make sure to blend well fast. Despite the finish, I always set it with loose powder. I have oily skin with dry patches on some areas. It does help with oil control for about 1 to 2 hours. It still need to blot every hour, that’s just my skin type.

This is a good choice if you want to look “low key” made up. The powder finish minimizes pore appearance and makes the skin look fresh. It doesn’t move or doesnt leave streaks when I’m on public transpo. It did not cause breakouts/irritation which is a big plus for me.

The subtle flashback and its longevity are downsides for me. The flashback could be caused by silica. I’m not sure if this has sunscreen. This foundation fades after 8 hours for my oily skin even when I set with powder. This has light to medium coverage depending on the brush and skin condition. Light coverage if you use your finger and buildable to medium if you’ll use a brush. This could easily cover redness. You’ll need concealer for other hyperpigmentation. But still, the pros outweigh cons.

I always buy when it’s on sale and I also get additional discount when I use my SM Advantage points. I just bought my fourth bottle last week. That alone tells how much I like this foundation.

Oh btw this isn’t related to beauty but with all that’s happening right now… Let’s practice good hygiene. Let’s wash our hands, stay healthy and stay safe.🙏🏻

Review + Coverage Test: The Face Shop Ink Lasting Foundation Slim Fit in N203

Hello readers! It’s been a while since I talked about liquid foundation. I have been struggling to find a shade light enough from drugstore brands. I had an opportunity again to shop on Althea and stumbled upon this new product from The Face Shop. I always assume that I have to get any shade with 23. I’m usually natural beige in korean bb creams. Guess what? I got the wrong shade again. It’s too dark on me but still it’s not that obvious if I put a separate concealer on top and setting powder.

Description from Yesstyle:
A light fitting liquid foundation which perfectly covers blemishes with wrinkle improvement and sunscreen protection functions, creating sleek and glowing skin.
The combination of red and blue pigment helps brighten up dull skin tone, leaving bright and clear skin whole day long. Effectively retains skin moisture to achieve smooth and moisturized makeup for hours. How to use: Take a moderate amount and gently spread over face according to the skin texture. Slightly dab the foundation to enhance makeup adherence.

Ingredients:

Pros:
– Affordable, 670 pesos on Althea
– Locally available at TFS branches and Althea for online
– Does what it claims, it literally looks just like second skin
– Doesn’t dry out the skin
– Lightweight
– Did not cause breakouts
– Minimizes pores
– Can cover redness and mild hyperpigmentation
– Subtle dewy finish
– Airbrush finish

Cons:
– Has fragrance
– Doesn’t cover extreme dark spots
– Available in 4 shades only
– Gives flashbacks

I’m using this for 1 week already. There isn’t any breakout. Let’s get to the positives first. I like that it feels light. It doesn’t dry out the skin and doesn’t accentuate dry patches. It minimized my pores. As you can see in the photos above, it covers redness really well and also light spots like my mole. It has a subtle dewy finish even if it’s set with powder. Right now I have combination skin so I don’t mind the glow it gives. It does what it claims, it just looks like my second skin after application. This is for everyday natural makeup that’s ideal for work. It has an airbrush finish that can make the face look flat. I think something is not appropriate for school if you have to bring your color back with all the brow, contour, highlight and blush.

The coverage is just light. The upper part is applied with a dabbing motion using my finger. A brush was used for the bottom part. Since this has dewy finish, it isn’t long lasting. It fades after a few hours even if set with powder or spray.  The glow is still there throughout the day but I’m not after that. The fragrance is not in the last part of the ingredients list. It has this light floral-powdery scent like your usual bb cream. It has 4 shades only and I got the wrong shade. Korean cosmetics always have SPF and flashback is an issue. N203 is dark on me but it’s lighter than my color when there’s flash. I wouldn’t wear it on night outs and other events with flash photography.

Do I like it? Yes and no. Yes for the lightweight feel and no for the coverage. Other BB creams have better coverage than this. I’d wear it during day time. Like I just want to look a little prepped with glow and cover mild blemishes. It’s perfect for no makeup look. It needs to be set with powder if you have oily skin.

Unboxing: Althea Angels Welcome Gift + Haul

In my past haul, I ordered from Althea and shared my shopping experience. If you haven’t heard of them, they’re selling korean cosmetics, ranging from popular to new brands. Did I mention they have different payment options? You guys know that many here in our country are still comfortable paying cash instead of credit/debit cards. You can pay through credit card, Paypal, convenience stores, over the counter (OTC) banks, online bank and cash on delivery (COD) in selected areas. Since I really like my past order from them, I applied to become one of their ambassadors last month. I’m very thankful and I didn’t expect to be selected. Here’s what I got:

Althea Real Fresh Skin Detoxer Set

They teamed up with Get It Beauty to create 2-in-1 cleanser packs. That’s new in my skin care vocabulary. There are two variants; Rose and Green Tea. Rose is for balancing out skin’s moisture while Green Tea is for soothing. How to use? Apply on dry skin while massaging then rinse with water. They have subtle foam than can be easily washed off. Since they have real bits of rose and green tea, there might be a slight color change.

Bag, mirror and pouch

I planned to change my makeup bag and their pouch just came right on time. There’s also a cloth bag included which I’m planning to use daily or as a shopping bag. The mirror is probably one of my favorites. It has a small handle that makes applying makeup easier.

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HAUL

It’s My Angle Foundation Brush
I’ve never had a makeup brush before. This brush was in my wish list. It’s the perfect opportunity to get it. I chose this mainly because I can buff or just simply swipe the foundation with it for a smooth finish. I’m still testing it and observing if there’s a change in the bristles after washing for a couple of times.

The Face Shop Ink Lasting Foundation Slim Fit in N203
I always have a hard time finding the right shade from drugstore brands. I decided to give k-foundations a try again. I chose the darkest shade which is N203. I based the shades from Youtube reviews rather than looking at their photo swatches. It was a bit dark on me when I first swatched it but made it work. Click here for full review.

Tony Moly Delight Tony Tint in 01 Cherry
I already reviewed their Tony Tint last 2012. That one is watery, sets quickly and pigmented. While Delight Tony Tint has a gel consistency and gives subtle color. I just picked this for my sister because she’s obsessed with tints lately.

Aritaum Full Cover Liquid Concealer 2017 Edition
Aritaum released a new version of their bestselling liquid concealer last year. I reviewed the old version which you can read here. This one’s in a 5g tube with wand applicator. I havent fully tested its strength yet but so far I’m liking it. Full review and coverage test soon!

Royal Skin 24K Gold Snail Soothing Gel
I’m still searching for a moisturizer. I miss using snail products so I picked this soothing gel. I looked for the ingredients and it contains alcohol and fragrance. If ever I’ll use this on the face, I’ll just avoid the areas prone to contact dermatitis. Of course, there will be a full review on this as well.

Have you tried any of these products? Which one got you interested? 🤔

Review + Coverage Test: Fashion21 Perfect Stick w/ Tea Tree Oil SPF50

I was searching for a new foundation and concealer. I wanted it to be from a local brand again. There are two products I found with good reviews. San San HD Pen Concealer and Fashion21’s Perfect Stick. San San has positive reviews when it comes to coverage and staying power…. But I’m a germ freak and it has a built in brush. So I decided to go for Fashion21. The brand is available in department stores.

Description:
Our already-Perfect Stick gets an extra boost of perfection with the addition of tea-tree oil to challenge facial blemishes. Goodbye, pimples and acne! This is aside from the existing benefits of SPF 50+. This stick is perfect for normal to oily skin, and comes in four tea-themed shades. It is best finished with Fashion 21 Loose Powder or the Pressed Powder with Cucumber Extract.

Ingredients:

Pros:
– Available in department stores
– Local brand
– Affordable, 195 pesos
– 11g of product
– Mild tea tree oil scent
– A little creamy
– Easy to blend
– Good coverage for redness
– Covers most of my spots
– Light to medium coverage

Cons:
– Doesn’t last long, make sure to prep and set your makeup!
– Has talc

Neutral:
– Has a slight powder finish

Fashion21 is a local brand but this product is made in Taiwan. Just putting it out there. This is one of the few foundations that’s close to my skin tone. Milk Tea is the lightest shade and with yellow undertone. It glides on smoothly and easy to blend. It has light coverage and can be built up to medium or full depending on how you apply it. Tea tree oil is the last ingredient which gives a mild scent. I don’t expect makeup with anti acne ingredients to heal blemishes. Makeup does not go deep inside the pores unlike skin care products.

It doesn’t last long but a primer and setting powder will fix the problem. I’m neutral about the powder finish. If you have dry skin, moisturize first because this can accentuate dry patches. Setting powder is a must for oily skin. Others use it as foundation for the whole face. I like to use it as concealer. It’s buildable to medium coverage so I just blend the edges and not touch the part where I need to cover. It’s not as good as my trusty ol Catrice Camouflage Cream but 11 grams of concealer? Why not? It doesn’t hurt my wallet since it’s 195 pesos only and easily accessible. I’ll explore this brand more.

Review + Coverage Test: Dermacol Make-Up Cover in 208 & 210

This is my favorite post so far. Today’s going to be about my favorite foundation. Dermacol is a brand from Czech Republic. Their Make-up Cover was raved last year. I ordered samples of 208 and 210 just to see which one fits me. Read the rest to find out more about this famous product~

Description:
The clinically tested, extreme covering Make up Cover was created as the first of its kind in Europe and one of the first in the world. The license for this foundation was eventually sold to Hollywood. It contains 50% pigments, which makes it a weapon against skin imperfections. DERMACOL MAKE-UP COVER provides PERFECT COVERAGE even in thin layers and is the perfect corrector for dark under-eye, unpleasant spots and skin blemishes. It completely covers acne, loss of pigmentation, post surgical bruising, tattoos etc. It may be used on the entire face or body for color correction, darkening or lightening the skin tones, and ensuring ideal balance. It is widely used as a professional make-up for photo or film shoots, modeling and for festive occasions.

Ingredients:
Cant find it on their website

Pros:
– Affordable
– Comes in many shades
– Little goes a long way
– Tube-type packaging
– Medium to full coverage
– Doesnt accentuate textures
– Smoothens skin’s appearance
– Can be used as concealer
– Did not trigger my contact dermatitis

Cons:
– Feels heavy
– Wears off after a few hours
– Can get cakey

Both shades dont match me again. Haha! 208 is too light and 210 is too dark. I mix them with my other foundations to get the right color.

 

I’m glad that this product is very affordable. You can get the full size for less than 1000 pesos. But beware of fakes. Buy from trusted sellers only. This foundation was specifically made as stage makeup. My skin is so “snatched” when I’m using this. It’s so smooth that it looks unrealistic. You have to apply contour, blush and highlight. Or wait for it to set before you head out.

Now for the coverage test:

It’s the only drugstore foundation that gives great coverage, in my opinion. I like that it doesnt emphasize my textures compared to other foundations. I have oily skin but I prefer this over matte finish. Now for the down side; it can feel heavy. I mix it with other products instead. If you want to use it alone, apply it with a damped sponge to reduce heaviness. It also wears off after a few hours. The longevity will depend on your activities like commuting or staying the whole day in an airconditioned place.

This product is great for covering hyperpigmentations. It would be great for formal events as stated in the description. This is not for people who like natural no makeup look. You will look snatched for sure and that’s what I like personally. Have you tried this? What shade is your match?

Review: Covergirl Ready Set Gorgeous Oil-Free Foundation in 105 Classic Ivory

It’s been a while since I made a foundation review. It takes time to decide which ones to buy. What I look for in face makeup: lightweight, oil free and stays in place the whole day. I found out about Covergirl’s Ready Set Gorgeous line when I visited their PH Facebook page. The prices of this line caught my attention. They’re all below 500 pesos. I watched reviews on Youtube that convinced me to buy one.

Description:
Get insta-gorgeous with Ready Set Gorgeous! This liquid foundation’s oil-free formula provides medium coverage to even skin tone and cover imperfections. The result is a flawless, natural look that lasts all day.

The built-in powder system fights against shine, pulling oil and sweat AWAY from your face instead of trapping them under your foundation. Pair with the entire instaGLAM collection for a glam look on the go.

Ingredients:

Pros:
– Available locally in department stores and malls
– Affordable, 495 pesos
– Plastic tube packaging
– Has mild powdery scent
– Lightweight
– Oil-free
– Matte finish
– Skin-like finish
– Good oil control
– Did not trigger my contact dermatitis

Cons:
– Only 2 shades available in the Philippines
– Oxidizes on me
– Not enough coverage for me
– Can accentuate pores and texture

This doesnt give enough coverage for me. Note that I’m applying it using my finger. I dont have a brush and I’m always in a rush. Wait…. that rhymed. Haha! Youtubers prefer to apply this using a stippling brush. It gives light to medium coverage depending on how you apply it. It’s thin, sets and dries quickly. You have to blend it quickly. It can accentuate pores and texture like small bumps. It oxidizes on me just like other water-based liquid makeup. It turns really dark on me after a few minutes like I’m oompa loompa. There’s only 2 shades here in the Philippines and this is the lightest. It has pink undertone.

You can use it all up buy cutting the plastic tube. It also has a light powdery scent that goes away quickly. I like that it’s lightweight. Skin still feels like skin after application, no stickiness. I used this foundation almost everyday before and it didn’t trigger my contact dermatitis. It doesnt make my skin oiler. It actually controls oil production for a few hours. This is ideal for oily skin. I preferred matte finish before. But now that I’m almost in mid 20s, I’m starting to have a mix of dry and oily areas. In short, I have combination skin. Matte finish can make anyone look sick when it’s applied on the wrong skin type. If you’re planning use this, bring back the color with blush, lipstick and highlight. It stays in place all day especially when set with powder or spray.

Review: Nichido Powder Plus Foundation

This is the second local product I bought last month. I’ve been choosing between Fashion21’s powder and this one. I preferred Fashion21 because of the reviews. But their shade range is too pink and too dark on me. I got this instead and I must say I’m pretty impressed.

Description:

Ingredients:

It comes in a box and a little pouch. Its packaging is matte which easily gets makeup on. I always clean it afterwards. It looks classy for 238 pesos though. It has mirror and a separate compartment for the sponge. I like that for hygiene purposes.

Here are some pictures where you can see its exact shades under the same white LED incandescent lighting but different rooms. First photo was taken in the bathroom with all white walls. Second one is in a closet surrounded with different colors.Let’s discuss the performance. For me, it has light coverage if used as powder. That’s because I have many dark spots. Depending on your skin, it can be medium and full if used wet. It lasts for a few hours on my oily skin without setting. But it stays on the whole day if I use their setting spray. There’s a little flashback but it’s not bothersome as long as your liquid foundation is sunscreen-free. It oxidizes on me which turns darker than the original shade. That’s the only down side of this powder

Review + Before & After: Maybelline Clear Smooth All in One Oil Control Two-Way Cake

I switched back to my all time favorite powder from Maybelline. I was surprised it’s now a two-way cake. You can use it dry or with a wet sponge. I was bothered at first because my dermatologist told me to stay away from two-way powders as it’s heavy for the skin. I want coverage so I’m still using it anyway.

Description:
Maybelline Clear Smooth All in One is a shine-free powder foundation that provides good coverage and keeps you looking naturally beautiful.

Ingredients:
Talc, Perlite, Titanium Dioxide [Nano] / Titanium Dioxide, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Dimethicone, Aluminum Hydroxide, Stearic Acid, Silica, Methicone, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Squalane, Parfum / Fragrance, Tocopherol, Linalool, Bht, Geraniol, Hydroxycitronellal, Citronellol, Cetyl Peg/Ppg-10/1 Dimethicone, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnama

I got the lightest shade, 02 Nude Beige

Pros:
-Affordable, refill is 169 pesos for 9g
-Accessible, you can get it in department stores, drugstores and supermarkets
-Can be used wet or dry
-Has SPF 32
-Has more coverage than the old formula
-Light to medium coverage
-Great for setting makeup
-Didnt cause breakouts

Cons:
-Might get cakey
-Might feel heavy for others
-Need more shades

Before and after:

It can get cakey depending on the base/foundation you’re using. Use a brush instead if your liquid foundation is already mattifying. Just be careful as it can be “too matte” if applied with the sponge. We know too much matte can suck the life out of our skin. Apply highlighter if needed. It felt heavy the first time I used this Maybelline powder. I got used to it and it doesnt bother me anymore.

I noticed that it gives more coverage than the old formula. Take note that I’m applying it dry with sponge. I just used a wet sponge in this review to test its coverage alone. You can get light to medium coverage. It’s great that they didnt change the price! This variant only has 4 colors until now. Lightest shade is a bit dark on me. More skin tones should have this great stuff. This is still the best powder in my book. Hands down.