Save or Pass? Cheaper alternative to Eyebrow microblading?

We've all been hearing about the newest trend in eyebrows called microblading. Sounds painful right? Well, there might be some truth to that since it is basically what it is, making tiny incisions on your skin and letting ink sip in, sort of like getting a tattoo but this time, using a very thin blade and making incisions mimicking that of eyebrow hairs. Results are reported to be worth the pain and the buck. 

Pain? Yeah, I might be able to handle it but the BUCK, well, not everyone will have it. So basically, alternatives to a good thing will definitely make ears ring. Question is, is it worth it or does it even come close to the real thing?

In an age where everything and every one is always in a rush, makeup is something most girls will appreciate being a breeze to put on. "Kilay is Life" (Kilay, meaning eyebrows) is something most girls swear by. Forget the lipstick, forgetting everything else, as long as you have perfectly groomed brows, you are set to go.

I got this on a discounted price. Around 20% I think.

When I saw this product I was intrigued. Comparable to the idea of microblading, you'd be able to imitate three hair strands in one swift motion due to the tri tip feature of this eyebrow pen, cutting your kilay glam time in half. 

The tip, as you can see, tapers from thin to thick so that when you draw in, kinda imitates a hair strand. The thing with felt tip eyebrow markers, you have to have a very light hand when applying it otherwise, you will be left with thick fake looking brows.

Thoughts: With the Price, it is definitely very affordable. Students on a budget can afford this product. Using it, though, takes a lot of practice to master. the tip itself, in my opinion, is not thin enough. Look at the hairs on the back of my hand and compare that to the mark of the pen. If your eyebrows are naturally thick, this would be great for filling out gaps but if you really have sparse eyebrows then I wouldn't suggest an eyebrow marker because it will for sure look drawn in and very obvious. The best way to go is eyebrow powder because it mattifies the skin underneath and soften the eyebrows creating an illusion of plush brows that ain't too obvious. I have a technique for that on my YouTube channel that you can watch here.

Staying power will vary depending on your skin type. If you have dry skin then this might stay put on you longer. But if you have oily skin like me and the skin under the brows gets a bit oily mid day, I don't have high hopes for this one. Might work if you apply some eyelid primer on your brows first. But then again, that is another step ain't it?

Have you tried this product too? how did it fare for you? Please do tell me your thoughts I'm really curious to know.

Until then,

The Curious Cat Tries the "Hype" : NU Skin AP24 Whitening Toothpaste

We all fell for it one way or another. After all, word of mouth is the most powerful marketing tool there is anyways. But when the claims are too good to be true, naturally, The Curious Cat will be there to investigate.

You open your Facebook account and you see one of your friends post a dramatic photo of their "supposedly" whiter set of grills and you can't help but sigh and gasp "WOW". Shen then tells you she's ordering again and should you be interested in trying it out too, send her a private message so that she can include your order with hers too and boom! You've been caught Line, hook, and sinker. Hahaha....I know it too well. 

But since most of my friends kept on posting about this magical paste that would "supposedly" turn you into an overnight toothpaste model, I had to give it a try.

Bought this for Php 380.00 (Philippine Peso). I don't know if that is a fixed price for resellers or if it varies from one to the other. But first, Let's start with the ingredients list. If you are allergic to anyone of these please don't join the bandwagon and just stick to your old all natural toothpaste.

Ingredients: Water(Aqua), Hydrated Silica, Sorbitol, Aluminum Hydroxyde, Glycerine,

Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate, PEG-12, Flavor(Aroma), Cellulose Gum, Poloxamer 338,

Poloxamer 407, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Monofluorophosphate, Dimethicone, Titanium Dioxide, Sodium Saccharin.

Its claims include: 

- Whitens teeth while fighting plaque with AP-24 proprietary technology.

- Removes stains while whitening, brightening and polishing teeth for a radiant smile.

- Provides a long-lasting fresh, clean mouth while aiding in prevention of dental cavities.

Now, apparently, AP-24® is a patented plaque-fighting agent of medical grade dimethicone and surfactants. AP-24® is a long chain that can wrap around teeth and hold tightly to leave your mouth feeling slicker and fresher longer. If you want to know more about the scientific explanations regarding this product, you could write about it from the NuSkin website here.

The warning you could see at the back actually confused me a bit. it says "Warnings: Keep out of reach of children under 6 years of age. In case of accidental ingestion, Seek professional assistance or contact a Poison Control Center immediately." But then, you could see after that, directions and even an illustration on how much you should give a child 6 years and under. A tad bit confusing.

The tube itself is sealed prior to usage which is a good thing to ensure you of no product contamination right off the bat. For smell and taste, if you are used to the regular fresh minty breath feeling your regular toothpaste gives you, you will feel that lacking here. This has a faint minty taste with a hint of vanilla. Right after brushing you will notice that your teeth has a glossy feel to it. That my friends, I believe is their AP-24 technology coming into effect. 

I used this tube religiously 2x a day until it ran out. The product lasted me a little over 2 months. and this was the result I got. (Yeah, brace yo selves for some uneven realness..hahaha...)

Pictures and resellers often posts on facebook such a drastic change for only two weeks of usage I believe? Hmmm.... based on my experience and as the picture itself shows, yes, there is an improvement. My teeth definitely brightened but not to the incredible extent some people claim to be for two weeks. Heck, this was over 2 months and that was the only effect I got. Most of it, I think, is the AP-24 technology's work. It coats your teeth with some sort of a protective film that will prevent your teeth from coming in direct contact with foods that might stain your teeth. But stop using this for a week, your teeth will go back to the way it was before.

Verdict: for a toothpaste, something you use daily, the price is not practical at all. pretty steep. Now, if improvement on teeth's brightness jumped from point A to point C or D, I wouldn't have mind the price, in fact, I would have included this in my staples. But for that effect at that time frame, I think not. I'd have to pass. It was great to have tried it and it does work to some extent but will definitely not buy again. 

Of course, effects will vary from one person to the other. Have you tried this toothpaste? How did it fare for you? Leave me a comment or two and let me know.

Till then,

Product Review: Real Techniques Stippling Brush

For an artist, his tools are probably his best friend. For a makeup artist, it is her/his makeup brushes. This is one tool you should probably invest in more and yes dolls, quality DOES matter.

In my case, I can never get enough of them. I'm always interested on new ones that come out and with Real Techniques who has gotten great raves from all types of review, my curiosity got the best of me!

I've never own a stippling brush before this one because I've put so much faith on my beauty blender for flawless foundation application. But then again, cleaning the beauty blender is never an easy feat. The stains could be an OC's worst nightmare. So, everyone was saying how a stippling brush could achieve almost the same effect as that of an airbrush machine and it is very easy to clean, I was instantly on the hunt for the perfect stippling brush. That was the tricky part. I've read different people's experience with theirs shedding badly and leaving streaks when they apply makeup. I had to do extra research.

Stumbling upon Real Techniques, I was sold by two points: 1)Endorsed and is a brainchild of a popular Youtube guru-Sam Chapman, half of Pixiwoo 2) very affordable yet of high quality. If it disappoints, less tears would be shed :) So, I went on multiply.com to look for local reseller of the brush. 

I bought mine from yourfabfindsonline.multiply.com from their pre-order service at Php 650.00 (approx. US$15.00). I had to wait a couple of weeks before it got to me but I guess the waiting only "amped up the ante"! hahaha...

The brush is purely synthetic. In fact, all Real Techniques brushes are made from synthetic fiber (cruel-free!). Now, for the true girly girls out there, the color would be enough to get hook on this brush--it's pink and shiny! :D The appearance is totally something I've never seen before in a makeup brush. The body of the brush is almost completely ferrule (probably aluminum) except for the base which is made of rubber to provide a  better grip and is flat at the bottom so you're able to stand the brush on a flat surface (very innovative!).

I've had this now for 3 months and I consider this as one of my favorites by now. Though I rarely used this for foundation simply because the head itself is a bit small. I love this for finishing powders, blushes (cream and powder), and contouring/bronzing powders. The brush picks up just the right amount of product so you have more control on how much you put on your face ideal for really pigmented products.

The head is small but quite dense. I've already washed this numerous times and so far no shedding for me! Dries really quickly. Great, especially if you're to use this for several purposes.

My problem with regular brushes is come deep cleaning time. I have to be extra careful when running the brush heads under running water careful not to let the water sip through the short ferrule as it may loosen the glue that holds the head from its wooden body. With this one, I don't have to worry much. Practically pain-free to wash!

I love this brush so much I'm planning to buy several back-ups and probably try other brushes from Real Techniques especially their Core Collection.

If you haven't tried any of their brushes, I suggest you should! Highly recommend it. :D

Till then,

Review: Makeup Forever Waterproof Eyebrow Corrector

You should know by now that the eyes are the windows to one's soul right? But every window need the perfect frame to hold it and with our eyes, it is the eyebrows. With a pair of perfectly coiffed eyebrows, you could practically get away with minimal make-up and still look put together. So before learning how to do any other make-up technique, you should first practice to achieve the perfect set of arches. Now as for me, I learned the hard way. During college days wherein I started paying attention to how I look, I easily became guilty of over-plucking my eyebrows. Tip: if are doing anything to your brows for the first time, I suggest you have them shape by a professional first to custom shape them according to your face shape. A few suggestions would include The Browhaus and Benefit. 

But for people finding that tip a little bit too late, our only saving grace would be our eyebrow kits, pencils, and in this case creams. I have tried all of them. But the problem I always encounter when using brow powders and pencils is that, they look great at the start of my day but tends to fade later on. So, when I saw Makeup Forever Eyebrow corrector, I instantly want to give it a spin. 

According to the Makeup Forever website:

Waterproof Eyebrow Corrector is a waterproof eyebrow defining cream that shapes and intensifies brows. With its creamy texture, corrections are subtle and the brows look natural. 
The result remains flawless throughout the day and holds up under all conditions (water, heat, etc).

It is available in 4 shades: Light Taupe Brown(No.0), Medium Warm Brown(No.2), Dark Ash Brown(No.3), and Dark Brown Black(No.4).

I was deciding to get No.0 or No.3 but when I called MUFE Bonifacio High Street to check for availability , No.3 was out of stock. My mind went on overdrive thinking No.3 would have been a real favorite since it is out of stock (hehehe...) so I decided on No.3 thinking I could always mix in a bit of my MUFE full Cover concealer if I wanted to go a bit lighter. I asked Ms. Jean from Baratmode to help me get this.

I was so surprised by how small this tube was when I first got it. But when I swatched it, I immediately knew the size is misleading because you would only need a teeny tiny bit of this product.

Just this much for both brows

See how pigmented? You could always adjust how light of an application you wish to have.
The one at the top I just swatch with the leftover product from my hand.

Packaging is ideal for this product. Remember the ELF cream eyeliner I reviewed here? It's comparable. Though, the ELF one is in a pot and at this time, mine has already dried, you can still use it but don't count on it gliding effortlessly on the skin. MUFE being in tube form is much more hygienic and makes the product less prone to drying out.

A little demonstration on its application, here is my sparse bare eyebrow:

I kinda look angry but I'm really not! hahaha...

I just take a stiff eyebrow brush to apply this. Emphasis on the stiff because I find if you use that, you have more success in achieving a more natural look compared to using a soft eyebrow brush. Then, I dip the brush on to the product and swirl it a bit at the back of my hand to take of the excess from the brush.

I then start to fill in my brows in short strokes starting from with my arch and the tips as I want the least amount of color on my inner brows close to my nose.

Here's my finish brow compared to the bare one:

This product stays true to it being waterproof. I tested that part out when I took a bath with this on. Did not budge unless of course you rub on it too hard. This is great if you like to swim but still want to look great and have sparse browse like me. But for an oily face and sweat, you might find a little bit of fading later on. A little dusting of powder over it beforehand would actually help with that making it stay on a bit longer. I probably won't be buying again anytime soon because like my MUFE Full Cover concealer, this will last me a lifetime! :D I also got the MUFE eye seal so I would be road testing that with my eyebrow powders and pencils. Anyhow, If you are not a swimmer, does not sweat easily and is not oily-faced, then, you might want to skip this. But for makeup artists, especially those doing bridal work, where waterproof and long-lasting products play an important role, this might come handy. :D

Place bought: www.sephora.com thru pre-order site Baratmode

Price: US$ 20.00 / Php 1,200++

Where to get locally:

MAKEUP FOREVER BOUTIQUES

Bonifacio High Street

B:8, Bonifacio High Street, Bonifacio Global City,
Taguig City, Philippines

Tel. No.: +632 856 5243

Shangri-La Plaza Mall

Level 3 Shangri-La Plaza Mall, Mandaluyong City, Philippines

Tel. No.: +632 379 6193

Till then,

Just In: Nyx Stay Matte Not Flat Liquid Foundation

Gloomy hump day ladies! Now, we all know that out of all the cosmetics we own, probably the most crucial is the foundation. It is the ultimate deal maker or breaker of the whole look. I've always favored liquid foundation above all due to the fact that I live in a humid country and I tend to sweat easily so every now and then I'd wipe my forehead or the side of my face with my trustee handkerchief. Now, if I'd do that  with cream foundation on, chances are, my handkerchief would be wearing all my makeup at the end of the day! :D 

My ultimate criteria in buying liquid foundation is that it has to have, if not a matte finish, at least semi-matte. It also has to have great coverage without having to feel heavy when worn. If it is smudge-proof and oil-free I'm sold! That is why I'm a fan of MUFE products. But then again, they are so expensive and at this economy, I'm all for saving as much money as I can.

This is my first time trying out anything from Nyx. I've been eyeing to try their lipsticks in the past because of all the great reviews and the fact that it is so affordable. But every time I'm about to, friends would sometimes give me new lipsticks to try and of course, I felt guilty of getting new ones without using those first.  Though, foundation is another issue. I can't get enough of them! So when I saw this on Digital Traincase, I just can't pass it up. I bought shades 02 Nude and 05 Soft Beige.

Price: Php 450 (35g) at Digital Traincase (4 shades available so far)

                    USD $ 7.50 at www.nyxcosmetics.com (15 shades available)

• Oil Free
• Water based
• Full Coverage
• Mineral Enriched
• Matte Finish

According to the Nyx cosmetic website:

"New Stay Matte But Not Flat Liquid Foundation provides full coverage of mineral enriched matte finish.            The oil-free and water-based formula is perfect for in the studio or all day long! "

INGREDIENTS: 

Aqua, Cyclopentasiloxane , Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Beeswax, Cyclopentasiloxane / Disteardimonium Hectorite / Propylene Carbonate, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate / Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone / Hexyl Laurate, Glyceryl Laurate, Stearyl Dimethicone, Polyglyceryl-4 Oleate, Phenoxyethanol / Methylparaben / Ethylparaben / Butylparaben / Propylparaben / Isobutylparaben, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ascorbyl Palmitate. MAY CONTAIN: Titanium Dioxide  (CI 77891), Iron Oxide Yellow (CI 77492), Iron Oxide Red (CI 77491), Iron Oxide Black (CI 77499)

The packaging is definitely a plus since it is in tube form (less product contamination) as opposed to jars.

Here are the swatches of both shades compared side by side to my other foundations and concealers. Taken without flash to show you the most accurate I can get to the actual color. As you can see, Nude has a more yellow undertone than that of Soft Beige which is a bit on the peachy-pink side. To give you a better idea, I applied Nude on one side of my face. 

bare face with spider veins and post acne marks

with Nyx SMNF in 02 Nude

 I applied one coat then went over a second for the more prominent marks. Not bad! It also feels light on the skin. You could skip the finishing powder if you want a slightly dewy look but I personally prefer a light dusting of powder over the top. I had to use oil blotting papers for a while since this won't totally save you from an oil slick all throughout the day. but for the price, not bad, not bad at all! 

Have you tried this new Nyx foundation? How did it fare for you?

Till then,

VMV Hypoallergenics Illuminants+ Face-Hand-Body Lotion

As if having constant acne or pimple breakout wasn't enough, wait till those dry up and you are left with another dilemma-acne scars. Those hyper-pigmentation marks acne leaves can also be considered as scars (because it can also scar your self-esteem a bit? Haha..). Anyhoo, it can be a pain in the B-hind to get rid of these so a little help could speed up the process. When I dropped by VMV Rustans, The Re-everything  line piqued my curiosity because of the Glycolic Acid content. Glycolic Acid is a type of fruit acid which, in higher percentages, are used for facial peels. It softens the dead layer of the skin separating it from the new skin underneath making it easy to slough off.

Then, I saw the Illuminants line. I had a light bulb moment. The Illuminants both have Glycolic acid and Kojic Acid in it which is targeted more to brighten the skin and slowly lighten those pesky brown spots.  Exactly what I need.

The tube is pretty big (185mL) and is priced at around PhP1,700. Like all VMV products, this is fragrance-free and preservative-free. Ingredients list include: 

Aqua/Water/Eau, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Ceteareth-25, Cyclopentasiloxane, Arctostaphylos Uva-Ursi Leaf Extract, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Glycolic Acid, Triethanolamine, Glyceryl Laurate, Butylene Glycol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, C12-15 Alkyl Lactate, Glyceryl Caprate, Sodium Phytate, Kojic Acid.

It also contains 3 antioxidants namely green tea, vitamin c, and rice phytic acid, which I think explains why the lotion itself has a hint of "rice grain" smell to it. I've used this religiously at night for two weeks. I've noticed my face did have a brighter appearance and a bit of a reddish tint when a wake up in the morning sort of like after you get a facial. But one thing I'm not too keen about this product though, is that it is too thick for a facial moisturizer. I have oily skin and  that is the last thing I need. I also felt my pores get congested easily leading to breakouts. In my opinion, as a face moisturizer, this might work better for dry skin. As of now, I'm using this only as a body lotion.

click for larger image

Also, do check out VMV's official blog page for really interesting articles and write-ups regarding skin care:

http://inskin.vmvhypoallergenics.com



Till then,

Purederm 3 in1 Beauty Magic BB Cream

I've already done a review on Purederm's other variant of this BB cream in the past right here. While that one has shimmer in it, this one is the matte version. I'm sure by now y'all are familiar with BB creams. The multi-tasking pseudo-foundation that first gain popularity in Korea. BB Creams have the coverage like that of tinted moisturizers with SPF of a sunscreen and other skin care benefits. If you're always in a hurry and is a busy bee, BB creams might make your life easier. Though not all BB creams are created equal. Most of them come off too white for the Filipina skin and not all skin types react pleasantly to it. Purederm's BB Creams are quite affordable compared to others out in the market and is much more accessible to the public. Compared to the Pearl variant I've reviewed before which looks ashy, off the tube, this one has a yellow undertone.

This used to retail for Php600+ but I chanced upon this at Watson's Makati for half the price at Php329 so I decided to pick this up and try it out. I really wanted it for the SPF factor and I thought it be a perfect base to even out my skin tone. But this is quite deceiving. If you'll see below, the yellow undertone sort of vanishes when this BB cream is spread out. It turns almost white. So, you'd have to be careful from applying too much. A pea size might be safe enough, but then again, with that much you should not expect much coverage with this thing. 

The cap isn't great either. As tight as you screw it on, you always end up with a messy tube.

I'm glad I got this at a sale price otherwise, I'd be so pissed off. I still have to find a way to work this out for me so it won't go to waste. Any suggestion?

Till then,

Double Review: Mario Badescu Buffering Lotion and Mario Badescu Drying Mask

First product from Mario Badescu I tried, the glycolic foaming cleanser, impressed me a lot and love till this day. Helps a lot in terms of preventing pore congestion but still wasn't enough to ward off those pesky cystic acne breakouts that would pop out every so often. While using the cleanser, I had one so stubborn it won't go away. Since MB left me a good first impression, I turned to them again for a possible solution. Browsing through their website, I across the buffering lotion which, according to them:

Price: Php 1,095 29mL bottle

Place to buy: Rustan's essences or www.mariobadescu.com

"Specifically designed to treat large, deep, cystic acne, the buffering lotion covers large erupted areas for overall treatment. Formulated with nourishing B vitamins and amino acids for healthy skin as well as soothing anti-inflammatory herbal extracts to promote healing. Reduce cystic acne fast with this deep penetrating, fast absorbing formula. "

INGREDIENTS: Deionized Water,Isopropyl Alcohol,Sodium Sulfate, Zinc Oxide,Hydrolyzed Serum Protein, Hydrolyzed Yeast Protein,Pyridoxine, Niacinamide, Panthenol,Propylene Glycol, Allantoin, Biotin

Same with Mario's bestselling drying lotion, the buffering lotion's solution also separates into two components. But opposed to the former wherein shaking of the bottle is strongly discouraged, the buffering lotion should be shaken thoroughly before application. 

see that white stuff at the bottom?

Consistency is liquid, not creamy. Sort of reminds me of a regular eye drop with its pointed spout. Also smells like rubbing alcohol. Not surprising due to one of it's active ingredients:isopropyl alcohol.

I was really excited to use this when I got home. I've religiously applied it on the existing stubborn cystic breakout I had for a week. Sad to say though, it did not work for me. Another one even started to appear just beside it. I was really disappointed. But I had major expectations as well, so that is unavoidable.  

Mario Badescu recommends this to be used hand in hand with their drying mask but I ain't ready to shell out more dough scared that it may not work just like the buffering lotion. A sample was what I needed. But you know what happened the last time I asked at Rustan's right? So I decided to just go directly to Mario Badescu for some assistance. Let me just say here, that MB has a stellar customer service. I guess this is one of the reasons they've been around for this long. They guide you with every question you needed answer to. And consumers really appreciate a great customer service. I told them my concern and was nice enough to send me a sample of their drying mask. This will bring us to the next part of this double review...

Update: I used this alone when I felt something was about to come on and it worked! It stopped the cystic acne in its track. So this works well with that but a bit useless for full blown cystic acne breakouts.

Price: Php 1,145 2oz. jar

Place to buy: Rustan's essences or www.mariobadescu.com

"Help clear acne eruptions. This Colloidal Sulfur based mask dries existing pimples and oil and helps clarify problematic, acne prone skin. Soothing Calamine makes this mask safe and gentle for most skin types. Great for back and chest acne eruptions as well. Best when used as a companion product to our Healing & Soothing Mask and Buffering Lotion."

INGREDIENTS: Deionized Water (Aqua), Kaolin,Wheat (Triticum Vulgare) Starch,Calamine,Ichthammol,Propylene Glycol, Colloidal Sulfur, Titanium Dioxide 

Mario Badescu products encased in jars are properly sealed to keep it fresh. :D

Now, before you go out and think of trying this out, I'm gonna warn you of the smell. Since one of the major ingredients of this mask is Sulfur, this smells like newly-bought kicks or burnt rubber. The smell is strong alright. I even got a headache on my first use but it wasn't  mind-numbing pain and did go after a few minutes so it was okay. This sure smells like hell but boy, it works! I applied it on the cystic acne after I put on a layer of the buffering lotion and leave it 20 minutes. After I wash it off I apply the buffing lotion again just as instructed. It dried out the acne flat in just 2 days. 

Texture is just like a regular Kaolin-based face mask and dries quickly. I also used this alone as a mask on my nose. Left it for 20 minutes and washed it off. The pores on my nose decreased greatly in size. So if you're the type who couldn't be bothered by holding your breath a couple of minutes, this is worth the try. Feels nice to have this on hand just in case an ugly breakout strikes back. This time I'm armed and ready! Recommended for oily skin as it can make dry skin worse (hence the name drying mask) :D

Have you tried any of these products? How did it work for you? I'd definitely like to know! :D

Till then,

Concealers: Makeup Forever Full Cover Concealer

This post is the first part of a concealer series I plan to do. Lately, because of the hot weather here in the Philippines, the last thing on my mind is makeup. Foundation, to be exact. I longed for the perfect spot-concealing concealer that won't budge from my oily face so I could go through my day wearing just that on several blemishes and no full on face makeup. Finding just that can be frustrating for oily-skinned people like me. Now, I've never tried anything from Makeup Forever before. Quality was not the issue here but the price tag. MUFE products are so darn expensive. But I guess, thinking about it, since the brand boasts of their waterproof cosmetics, if you don't have to constantly retouch your makeup, you'll only be using a little at a time. So in this case, don't let the little tube fool you. Since this product is so opaque, you literally would just need a pin size of product for every blemish you need to cover. This will last you forever to finish!

I like that it claims to be non-comedogenic as I'm prone to skin congestion. I did commit one major mistake when I got this: wrong color! (oh, and I got Jedi mind-tricked by the SA thinking it is the exact match). She suggested Golden Beige (#10) when what I really wanted to try out was Beige (#8). It is actually a great match if you were to use it as a foundation. But my intention was to spot conceal so this ended up drying two shades darker than my skin tone making the blemish more evident. Boo! Major fail.     

Oh well, the staying power is good especially if set properly with finishing powder. BUT it is not totally budge-proof. If you rubbed on it a bit, it will rub off. Lived up to its waterproof claim as I did test it out by dunking my swatched hand in water and trying to simulate a swimming motion. Don't know yet how it would hold up to saltwater. Guess we'd have to wait till I go to the beach again (clue: not any time soon). Dries to a matte finish but a little tacky/sticky to the touch. The packaging is hygienic. The opening on the tube's mouth is big enough to dispense a controlled amount of product.

When putting this on, I suggest you do it layer by layer letting the first one dry first. Be careful not to put too much as it will cake up. A little goes a long way. Dries quickly as well so you'd have to be precise and quick when using this.

If you're thinking of getting this, I couldn't emphasize more on getting the RIGHT color match. Don't be afraid to try out several shades first and wait a couple of hours because once dry, this will definitely go two shades darker. Check it out under natural lighting as store lighting could be deceiving. 

see the difference? Turned a bit orange when it dried.

Done right and you would have a great investment in your hands. Makeup Forever Full Cover Concealer 15ml. (0.5fl.oz.) retails for P1,650 (approximately US$37). Not cheap, so choose carefully. :D