I bought this blush completely on a whim when I was invited for a luxurious makeover session at the Chanel beauty counter in Rustan's. W...

Review and swatch: Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Sheer Colour Stick Blush No. 21

11:02 PM Joanna C. 0 Comments

I bought this blush completely on a whim when I was invited for a luxurious makeover session at the Chanel beauty counter in Rustan's. With a luxurious brand comes a matching price tag, so I was worried I would regret this purchase after I took it home with me. A product can be really different with personal use compared to when a makeup artist is applying all sorts of things using professional techniques on you.
Thank goodness I've had no buyer's remorse with the Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Sheer Colour Stick Blush in No. 21 (now, if only it had a shorter name!). I did give it several months of use before reviewing to see if I truly love it, and I do. It's so pretty and easy that any makeup lover will have no trouble using it, no professional techniques required.
No. 21 is a beautiful coral-pink that leans a bit on the warm side. It's the type of color that is gorgeous by itself or with a full face of makeup. I've tried it with different makeup looks and it fares well with more natural looks, or a heavier eye and lip. The color is not too pink and not too orange, so it works well with either warm or cool tones on the face.

Although it's called sheer, it's something you can layer on for a more intense flush. There's a teeny bit of shimmer when you look at it from the tube, but I can't see the shimmer on the skin. The swatch below is a single swipe and honestly doesn't justify how pretty this is on on the face, but in case you haven't noticed, this beauty blogger is a little camera-shy on her own blog!
One to two swipes per cheek, some blending with my fingers, and this blush is done. It settles on the skin so well that it doesn't look like flat matte pigment is sitting on your face. It's not at all sticky like some cream blushes can be. On me, the color stays on for eight hours before it begins to fade. I think even if I used this daily, this tube is going to last a long time. It is lightly scented, but nothing that you can still smell after application.
Don't hate me for writing a review about a limited edition product! I won't say that it is a must-have because some people will find it too expensive, but because I love it so much, I don't regret buying this. If you are a fan of luxury cosmetics and Chanel releases this again, you will also love it if you're in search of a versatile cream blush that's fool-proof to use.

If, like me, you work in a corporate setting, our tubes of bright or vampy lip colors have to wait until the weekend to come out and be the...

Affordable lipsticks for the office

2:14 PM Joanna C. 0 Comments

If, like me, you work in a corporate setting, our tubes of bright or vampy lip colors have to wait until the weekend to come out and be the center of attention. At the office, you’d rather let your work be the most outstanding thing about you rather than your attention-grabbing lipstick. You also need something that wears well and is easy to swipe on when you suddenly have a client meeting. Here are some of my favorites to reach for from Monday to Friday. These are all locally available, all come in different shades to suit Pinay skin, and none of these is over P400!

Ever Bilena Advance Supreme lipstick
This glides on effortlessly and feels very lightweight on the lips, for those who hate heavy lipstick. It only lasts about two or three hours on me, but with a price tag of less than P200, you won’t feel like every touch-up is costing you a pretty peso. For work, I wear the shade Audrey, which is a cherry red that is not too intense or too pigmented, keeping it noticeable but not in-your-face for a professional setting.

Ever Bilena Matte lipstick
This is a crowd favorite, with good reason. It’s a creamy matte that lasts several hours without drying the lips and is again less than P200. I have these in a few shades, but Siennas is my favorite to wear to the office. It will be a beautiful “my lips but better” nude if you have medium to dark skin. On lighter skin, it’s a good way to ease into the 90s lip trend if you are not sure that it will look good on you, or don’t want to go outright brown.

Maybelline ColorSensational Creamy Matte lipstick
There are so many varieties of ColorSensational lipstick now, and each with at least half a dozen shades. Touch of Spice is probably the most popular of the Matte line. It used to get sold out all the time, but I think Maybelline Philippines heard the clamor and have kept their shelves well-stocked. I also like wearing Ravishing Rose if I want to go pink.

Flormar Super Matte lipstick
I have three shades of this (full review and swatches here), but 210 is one of my most-worn to the office. Considering how many tubes I’ve tried out, this one is really a favorite for its comfortable wear and sophisticated color. Sorry if the tip on this one looks pretty ratchet; something fell on it while I was taking this photo :(

Left to right: Ever Bilena Advance Supreme in Audrey,
Ever Bilena Matte in Siennas,
Maybelline ColorSensational Creamy Matte in Touch of Spice,
Flormar Matte in 210

A version of this post was previously published in SunStar Cebu.

When it comes to personal care products that I use daily or frequently, I don't use all expensive products because that would drain my ...

Healthy beauty with Unilab

8:38 PM Joanna C. 0 Comments

When it comes to personal care products that I use daily or frequently, I don't use all expensive products because that would drain my bank account and not leave room for luxuries. For products that we use everyday, we want something that is effective yet affordable.

Unilab Health and Beauty products fit the bill perfectly. Even though everything is clinically developed, the price points are kept budget friendly.

I had an opportunity to learn more about Unilab's Health and Beauty products. Many of these, I have been using for years, but did not realize they were developed by Unilab!

I always thought Celeteque Dermo was imported, but it's made by Unilab. I've repurchased the Facial Wash with NMF (Natural Moisturizing Factor) several times since it's great for mild cleansing and doesn't dry out the skin. Labels on Celeteque products show you they are all "dermatologist tested, non-comedogenic, hypo-allergenic, and fragrance-free," which makes them ideal picks for those with sensitive skin, and those who don't like using fragranced skin care. Celeteque has different ranges to address different skin issues: Hydration, Acne Solutions, Anti-aging, Brightening, and Sun Care. The brand also has a cosmetics line which I have not yet tried, but I am going to look into soon!
 Celeteque Dermoscience Hydration range

 Celeteque Dermoscience Acne Solutions range
Celeteque Dermoscience Brightening range

Myra is a face and body care brand that many of us have patronized for years. Who doesn't want healthy, younger looking skin, right? I've been using Myra body lotion on and off for a long time. Lotion is something I've used daily since high school, and I simply can't be without it. I know some people avoid using lotion for fear of a heavy, sticky feel, but Myra body lotion is neither of those and absorbs really fast. It's the lotion for people who hate using lotion. The brand has different ranges of facial moisturizers, facial wash, and bar soap ideal for everyday use.
Myra skin care products

Asian Secrets body scrub is something I tried only last year, and I'm amazed how well it works considering it's only P140+ for the 250g tub. It's the first body scrub I've tried that is supposed to be used on skin while it's dry, then rinsed off after. It's creamy and doesn't dry out the skin even though you'll immediately feel baby smooth after using it. I'm not one to promote whitening products to make yourself fairer (love yourself whatever your skin color is), but this is great for making your skin smoother and brighter. It's inspired by Indonesian Lulur, which preps a bride's skin before her wedding day, so it's authentically made in Indonesia and imported by Unilab.

Asian Secrets Lulur Indonesian whitening body scrub and soaps

A lot of mouthwashes out there are expensive and sting so much my eyes water - not cool! Swish mouthwash is alcohol-free so it kills bad breath causing bacteria without the sting. There are also breath sprays available for easy use on-the-go.
Swish breath sprays and mouthwash

Lastly, there's the Unilab product I have been using every single day for years - pH Care feminine wash. For something that I use day and night, I definitely want something effective and affordable, and pH Care is it for me.

pH Care intimate feminine wash

Unilab Health and Beauty products are available in all leading drugstores and supermarkets in the Philippines, making healthy beauty affordable and accessible to everyone.
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