Review: Naturactor Cover Face

Trial and error. That's what I've always done, time and again. With every new discovery comes a renewed sense of hope that I will get it right and hit jackpot this time. If you're like me and you're on the search for your "holy grail" product, then you can surely relate.

I watch a lot of videos, read blog reviews, get recommendations from friends, and just get a feel of what's the latest hype in terms of beauty and skin care. As much as I would like to go through products down to their last bits, there just are some things that are either wrong for me or are just downright disasters!

Some products live up to their hype while others are hiding behind their fame and failing miserably in real life.

Let's see if the talked-about Naturactor Cover Face lives up to its promises (at least by my personal standards).

About the Product (all the information and product shots in this segments were derived from here and some parts were paraphrased for better context):

• Provides great coverage for skin. It's long lasting and you only need to apply a little to get the perfect skin look.
• Special for makeup and professional use.
• Suitable for: All Skin Types (Fragrance free)
• Size: 20g
• Ingredients: Jojoba oil (moisturizer for the skin), Mica (makes skin look more youthful), and Tocopherol or Vitamin E (improves skin condition and health)
• How to use: Use fingers or a triangle sponge to dab on a bit of foundation. Spread evenly on the face.
• Colors Available:

• Shade Guide:

130	light color, make pale or dull skin a rosy effect look more youthful,  suitable for very fair skin tone. delicate,especially for bridal make up.
140	light in color for slightly deeper color than the 130, suitable for fair skin tone.
141	medium color and skin color natural fit yet translucent effect, suitable for fair skin tone as shading. The colour transition of natural, soft, suitable for stage makeup studio makeup. Suitable for medium skin tone.
151	Good coverage for face defects and shading, suitable for malay skin tone.
171	Green neutralizes any redness on your face, from broken blood vessels, blemishes, irritation etc. It helps inhibit red complexion effectively cover the red spots left by acne.

I use the shade 140. As far as I know, this product is available online (check out your favorite online shops), in makeup stores, and in bazaars. I got mine from one leg of the Supersale Bazaar series. It's not exactly "cheap," but for a product that will take you months, if not, a year to finish, it's a pretty good buy.

Please pardon if the foundation looks dark.

Swatches (photos taken by me)

I used a light hand when I swatched it. See how pigmented and creamy that is.

One swipe

That one swipe, when spread

When blended. Notice the slight pink undertone?

What I like about it:

• Sulit for the price I paid for it
• A little goes a long way. This product is very pigmented so you won't have to worry about running out so soon (it has 20g of product)
• Compact, perfect for traveling
• Multi-purpose: can be used both as a foundation and as a concealer 
• The consistency
• Buildable coverage
• Doesn't look cakey, even after hours of wear
• Long-wearing, I can go 8-10 hours and still look decent. (Since I have combo skin, I always take blotting sheets with me for good measure, but with a good setting powder, I won't have to blot as much as I would with other products.)
• The scent is too faint to let it bother me.
• The cap fits snugly and since it's a screw-type lid, I never worry about exposure to air and quicker spoilage.
• Great ingredients that benefit the skin, like Vitamin E and Jojoba.
• I can use either a sponge or my flat top brush to blend this out, and both do it justice!
• Doesn't break out or irritate my temperamental skin
• Conceals my dark circles/puffy eyes. I like to use the Ben Nye Banana Powder to set this product.

What I dislike about it:

• Took me a while to figure out the best way to apply it (I finally settled on using it as a concealer)
• Can be quite unsanitary to swipe with your hands, so make sure you work with clean hands beforehand.
• As an under-eye concealer, using an eye cream/gel to moisturize first will definitely make using the Naturactor a breeze. It will also prevent the cream from settling into fine lines.
• Slight shade mismatch. 140 (and a lot of the shades) have pink undertone. I think 151 is the only variant that has a tinge of yellow and would probably suit Filipina skin tones best.
• Limited shade range
• Limited availability (but you can check with your suki online stores on Instagram)
• Price varies (ranging from Php 550 - Php 750 depending on the seller)
• The information on the packaging is written in Japanese. For someone who likes to read product descriptions and ingredients, this is a letdown for me.

Try as I might to mask the pink undertone in this product, I would have liked for it to match better with my color. Then again, working with what we have is a skill that any thrifty girl must have, and so I look for different ways to remedy the situation. I use a yellow-toned powder just to neutralize the pink in it and it works quite well. Should I hit pan and run out, I will definitely give the 151 shade a shot. But for now, I'm quite content with using it as a concealer. 

I do not regret buying the Naturactor Cover Face, particularly for the multitudes of uses that I can get out of it. At Php 550, it's definitely a worthwhile investment that will take you places, as far as usage goes. In terms of its hyped-up status, I can definitely respect why this is popular among beauty enthusiasts. It definitely delivers pigmentation and quality at a price that is friendlier than most products of its caliber. 

Have you given into the hype surrounding the Naturactor Cover Face or any other product? Did it live up to your expectations? Tell me all about it!

Material Girl

Friday slump. I know you can all relate. It's that moment when all you can ever wish for is your cozy bed at home, the book you were caught reading last, and some hot dark choco by your side. Just thinking about it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside

I'm glad I still have my cup of happiness from The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. I found a new favorite in their Double Chocolate Latte - just what I needed to lift me up from this pit of laziness.

Anyway, last night, I visited my aunt who had just arrived from the States. She, along with my other aunt and cousin, got me these wonderful presents. :)

After a much-needed timeout from the daily hustle and bustle of my insane schedule, I got one night of catching up with la familia, and managed to squeeze in some pampering (thank you, Tita Vilma for the pedi treat!).

Just to share what goodies I got recently:

 

1. Benefit Cosmetics Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow Brightening Makeup in Honey, I'm So Money

 

2. Benefit Cosmetics Brow Zing in Medium

3. Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Romantic and in Honey

 4. Simple Protecting Light Moisturizer with SPF 15 (I'm wearing this now!)

5. Skull Candy Low Rider headset

I'm also wearing the Revlon ColorStay Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Romantic. I'm a little pale right now and that punch of red on my lips is all the color that I need to make me look less sick and more alive.

That's all for now! Catch you later! ;)

Ever Bilena Mousse Matte Foundation in Walnut

This is one of my random grocery purchases. Ever Bilena products are on sale in the nearby supermarket and I cannot just let that pass without taking advantage of the price slash!

Anyway, I'm gonna get down to the nitty-gritty. I haven't found much information on the Ever Bilena website, which is unfortunate. I do a lot of my background check and review check on the product on the internet. Sadly, I think they're phasing this line out. They've already phased out the mousse concealer and the mousse eyeshadows are on sale too (for clearance purposes). If you're thinking of trying out this foundation, I suggest you run to the nearest store and get your supply now.

The packaging...

It has a plastic covering on top to ensure product safety.

The shade isn't exactly what I wanted. This one suits a cool skin tone better.
The one I was supposed to get ran out of stocks. :(

A sample swatch

Swatch on the back of my hand.

When blended

 What I like about it:

• The price is such a steal! I got it on sale for Php 75 (less than $2) at a local supermarket
• Widely available. Many drugstores, department stores, and groceries carry this brand.
• It's a local brand. Support PH made!
• Matte. My face doesn't get too oily right away, much to my surprise. But it's important to set it with powder to maximize its matte property.
• There aren't much variety of selection available. Many shades are out of stocks already. It's kind of hard to find the shade that would best suit my skin tone.
• Staying power: about 3 to 4 hours. I only had to retouch my nose (since I have combination skin, my T-zone is my oiliest spot in the face) once all afternoon. For a cheap (not derogatory, promise!) product, that's kind of commendable. Weather when I used this: very humid!
• Works well as a concealer (for dark circles) too! I used it as a base to my Palladio Rice Concealer Stick and The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil Tone-Correcting Concealer, and it helped cover the discoloration from my lack of sleep.
• Doesn't clog my pores.
• Didn't break me out (so far)
• Doesn't irritate my sensitive skin (surprisingly)
• Not too creamy. (can be its downside too)
• Blends well into my skin. I had to set it with my powder so it can completely mesh with my original skin tone. I wish I had gotten one meant for warmer skin tones with yellow undertones.
• Not heavy!
• Build-able. It has sheer to medium coverage. If you want something for like a night event, this may not be for you. This is okay for day or light makeup.
• You're getting a lot of bang for your buck with the amount of product that's in this thing! Sulit!

I used to have a bias against locally-produced and cosmetics but over time, local cosmetic companies seem to really amp up their products, step up to the plate, and rise up to the competition! That said, I'm still on the fence but I'm slowly dipping my toes into the possibilities and the potential that they offer. Besides, as long as we're supporting local enterprise, it counts for something, right?

What I dislike about it:

• It has an annoying scent. It's not necessarily funky-smelling but I just don't like it.
• The packaging. It's made of plastic. It's in a pot. (Unhygienic, unless you use disinfected hands before every dip or unless you use a foundation brush)
• Again, the packaging. It's obviously "inspired" by Maybelline's Dream Matte Mousse Foundation, only this local dupe is bigger. Their copy-cat style of packaging adds to the cheap factor of their products, sorry. :(
• It's too bulky. :(
• It has glitters! UGH. One of my biggest con's for this product. I just want my foundation to be straight to the point, without any fuss like unnecessary shimmer. That's where the highlighter comes in!
• Not happy with the shade match! :( What do you think? Is it close enough?
• I actually dislike its grainy/rough consistency.

Although I cannot give a hands-down verdict to the Ever Bilena Mousse Matte Foundation in Walnut, I can honestly say that it's not a complete waste of money. It's a good transition product or something to use in-the-meantime. I don't know if I will purchase this again because I'm quite happy with my BB Cream from Etude House. I'm not really much of a foundation user anyway. But whenever I need extra coverage, I can whip this out and rely on its decent performance.

If you're still curious, I suggest you visit an Ever Bilena counter or stall and try them out yourself first and see if it sits well with you. I'm not over the moon with this product, but I'm not completely disappointed either. At Php 75, I got more than I initially expected.

Check out how it looks on me. (All shots are done in natural lighting)

Eyes:

  ~ NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Lime from Digital Traincase

~ Maybelline VolumExpress Mascara

~ Etude House Oh M'Eyes Volume and Length Mascara

~ The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil Tone Correcting Concealer in 01

~ Palladio Rice Concealer Stick

Face:

~ Myra Daily Sun Protect Moisturizer SPF 10

~ Ever Bilena Mousse Matte Foundation in Walnut

Cheeks:

~ Ever Bilena Mousse Blush in Cinnamon (contour)

~ 17 All About Nude Summer Palette Cream Blusher

Lips:

~ Forever 21 lip gloss

Please pardon the sabog hair. I haven't combed my hair yet. :))

Please pardon the messy background. :P
It's so hoooot inside the house!
The dirty kitchen/the garage seemed like the better-ventilated areas at home. :)

What's your latest cheap thrill? Have you tried this foundation yet? How was your experience? :)

Love,

SGT <3

Ellana Minerals Free Samples

There's been a fuss about mineral makeup. I never really quite got it but eventually, I gave in. Many bloggers and beauty experts rave about its wonders. Just so you know, the difference between normal, commercial-grade makeup and mineral makeup is this: the latter are made up of crushed minerals with no oil or wax additives. Commercial-grade makeup, however, may contain preservatives (anything that has paraben attached to it, and other chemicals.) Many mineral makeup manufacturers also swear by their cruelty-free tag, meaning they do not perform animal testing.

At first, I thought mineral makeup is more expensive. Well, that may be partly true, but I found a local brand that seems to fit my needs and of course, my budget. Say hello to Ellana Minerals! I first came across Ellana Minerals while I was browsing through different beauty blogs and raiding Multiply for new and potential review materials. They have a wide range of options specifically suited for Filipina skin. Even more morena girls have shades to suit their skin tones. 

I wasn't sure what particular products would actually fit my skin tone so I tried asking for their free samples (they come in small baggies for you to try out before purchasing). I just filled out a questionnaire with my descriptions and after sending in a minimal fee for shipping, in less than 3 days, I got what I asked for! It's really easy. Just go to the website and everything is already there. If you're sure about which shade you want, you can go right ahead and proceed to purchase. There are many payment options, so it won't be much of a hassle for buyers to get their hands on their amazing products!

I know now that I have a warm skin tone with olive to yellow undertones (thanks to my Chinese heritage).

Check out what they picked out for me.

Macchiato foundation.

Caramel foundation

Smile concealer
I had to add Awake in my next purchase.
This is too yellow for me if I used it alone.

Espresso con panna translucent finishing powder
This, I re-purchased! I love it! It's sheer and blends
well with my concealer and foundation.

Fulfillment blush
I like this a lot but I did not repurchase since I still
have stocks of blush in my kit.

I used the baggies for my graduation ball and the actual graduation ceremony. I love that when I use mineral makeup, it feels like my second skin and I can feel my skin can actually breathe in it. It doesn't clump, provided that it is blended properly, plus it requires very little touch-up (well, maybe because I used primer, but with the heat and humidity on the UPLB grounds, these babies really stood the test of time and of the elements.) I just use my normal eye shadow brush (in place of a concealer brush) then just blend in with a sponge. The concealer really covers up my pimples and dark spots well. I don't use much of the foundation because I use a BB cream as my base, but the concealer and the finishing powder pass with flying colors. The blush is so adorable. It gives me that just-bitten color and it looks so natural. I'm thinking of re-stocking as soon as I run out on supplies. Oh, did I mention that their prices start at Php 100 per 1g? Amazing, right? Plus, it's Philippine-made! Support local enterprises! :)

Love,

SGT <3