I took another blogging break to accommodate Halloween and Undas but here we are again with a different sort of blog post. I tend to throw or finish everything up before I can save them for pictures for a post like this.
HOWEVER, since I have a lot to say, I decided to be a packrat and keep some empties for this post. I'm surprised I actually managed to keep all of this for this post though.
e.l.f. Illuminating Eye Cream (Vegan)
So after I stated that I liked e.l.f.'s skincare line and wanted to try more, I mentioned that I really liked this product. Now that I've finished it, I do have more to say about it. I admit that this cream has a nice consistency and no doubt helped keep my under eyes moisturized, I do think it could be better though.
I just wish it could do something to make me look more awake because now that I work all night, my eyes looks more tired and I need more concealer these days. The cream does reduce my puffiness but it doesn't do much for illumination. Layering concealer over this isn't hard though, and my concealer does last longer and look better throughout the day too.
Maybe this is because the cream does take a while absorb into my skin that there's still a bit left when I start on my face after my eyes - but that can be a turn off for some people. I did still like using it over the last few months though and still want to try more of e.l.f.'s skincare products.
Would I repurchase this?
I probably won't. But I would purchase more skin-related products from e.l.f. for sure.
VICE Cosmetics Duo Finish Foundation (Vegan)
I bought this earlier this year and have been using it to set my concealer on days that I don't wear foundation and also as a pale girl-friendly bronzer when I have foundation on. Since it is a powder foundation so you don't need to use a lot and you can wear it by itself even, and it won't come off your face.
It also has SPF 25, so you get more sun protection. In terms of oil control though, I don't really see a difference between this and my Essence All About Matt! powder. But this does have a LOT of kick up though, so don't go too hard with your brush.
Other claims include giving your skin a soft, airbrushed finish, which I do agree with. I find that the way it looks is more skin-like and that this foundation feels more lightweight compared to my usual face powder. Unlike a lot of other powders, this doesn't really leave a white cast on your face. Here are two photos I took, one in studio-type lighting and one in natural lighting.
I do think I got the wrong shade, definitely should have gotten the lightest shade because this one looked too warm on my skin when I took photos with studio lights on. But when I wear this powder foundation by itself or over some concealer, I don't look too bad (but as you can see, my face doesn't really match my neck on the right photo).
Would I repurchase it?
I recommend this product and yes, I would repurchase it. But I want to use up my other powders first.
TechnicolorMNL Semi-Permanent Hair Dyes in Grunge Teal and Mermaid (Vegan)
If you love dyeing your hair crazy colors but lament how quickly Arctic Fox, Manic Panic, and Lunar Tides hair dyes sell out online - go local with this one! Each of these tubs is only PHP 180-200 each and have enough to dye a whole head of medium length hair or long bleached ends.
I've actually been using these dyes since December 2018, starting with the color Grunge Teal. It's a nice and long-lasting color that gets brighter with every wash and stays vibrant over the course of a month, even with daily shampooing (sulfate-free of course):
I admit that using these dyes has a learning curve. The dye can really dry your hair out so it's good to mix it with conditioner before dying your hair (it's really hard to dilute these so you don't need to worry about losing vibrancy if you do this).
Then, a wear a hair cap and either spend the rest of the day like that or sleep. You really need to let this dye dry on your hair before washing it out with cold water, otherwise, you'll stain EVERYTHING. Your hair, your neck, your back, AND your favorite white hoodie.
Up until recently, I decided to use a different color, a lighter one this time. Technicolor MNL does make it clear that you need Level 8-10 bleached hair to get these the pastel colors to show up. This is what my hair looked like with Mermaid (and some leftover Sapphire as well) when it was newly dyed:
When it starts fading, it becomes obvious that the dye just didn't stick and show up as well, and from my experience, it might even mix with the yellow or orange tones of your hair. Here is a BTS photo from a shoot I did sometime later. I was supposed to be a witch so this patchy color worked pretty well:
But as you can see, my hair went from being a pastel teal into a splotchy green and yellow mess. I quickly re-dyed it with Grunge Teal again and it looks better now. I think I prefer darker colors anyway.
Would I repurchase it?
I'm totally going to buy this again, I'll most likely just stick to the deeper jewel tones since pastels just don't seem to be my thing.
Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara Waterproof Version (Not Vegan - Contains Beeswax)
I know this isn't really an empty container but you're really not meant to use mascara past 3 months anyway. It's not sanitary and it can lead to eye infections. So here is my latest used up BTS waterproof mascara:
I'm saving my mascara wands for art projects and to donate to animal shelters, so I'm not tossing this in the trash. I am, however, tossing this as my go-to mascara though.
Yes, I have become someone who would rather wear falsies instead of mascara. I just found that sometimes, false lashes are a lot easier to take out and clean at the end of the day. Plus, look that at that length and volume.
Would I repurchase it?
If you asked me this last year, I would have said yes. But I'm gonna say not anymore now. Since I rarely wear mascara these days, or only wear it on my lower lashes, I can't justify spending so much for mascara anymore. My current mascara is the Essence I Love Extreme Volume mascara right now.
Olaplex Bond Maintenance Conditioner (Vegan)
I got this thinking it would supplement repairing my hair like the original Olaplex bond builder did, which I love btw. Yup, no. While it did help repair my hair in the sense that it became less brittle and more manageable after use, my hair didn't feel a lot softer.
Now I found my perfect conditioner, and it's a conditioner bar. So I think I'm sticking to the bond builder for this one.
Would I repurchase it?
Nope.
Jolie Beauty Slayin Lashes in Olivia (Vegan)
In my hunt for good quality vegan lashes, I came upon this UK indie brand and their lashes. During one particular sale, I decided to buy this pair of lashes and their lash glue. I prefer a flared lash style because I think that style works best for my eye shape so I always get that sort of style, no matter what brand it is.
So these lashes were made of synthetic silk (confirmed after I tried the burn test) and are vegan, but what sold them to me what the invisible lash band. A lot of falsies tend to have thicker lash bands these days, but they're not necessarily the most user-friendly features on lashes. If you're a beginner, it can be harder to manipulate and glue down a thicker lash band and a thin, invisible lash band is easier to use and looks more natural.
Unfortunately, I didn't feel that way about the Olivia lashes in particular. I felt like the clear band made it even harder to glue on my lashline because the lashes never really held my eye shape. Plus, I found the lash hairs a bit too sparse for my liking.
It's definitely a more natural and flared style, so it's work-friendly. The lashes only look obvious towards my outer eye. But I definitely prefer more dramatic lashes with thicker bands these days.
Would I repurchase it?
I will buy again from this brand but I can't repurchase these lashes anymore, they've since been phased out (which is a RELIEF).
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