Some good stuff and a dud

IT’S BEEN a while since I’ve done a makeup review because I am a creature of habit — while I do enjoy new things, I do tend to gravitate towards my usual system so for a product to replace one that is in my existing routine, it has to be good and it has to be consistent. Here are products from three brands: Shiseido, Avon, Amway Artistry Studio that wormed their way into my current regimen and some that I have to pass on.

But first, full disclosure: this writer loves skincare more than makeup and a regular makeup day would consist of a light base, blush, and lip color though I do have my moments when I want to go full glam, they are rare but they’re there.

With that out of the way, let’s talk about foundation. I recently got my hands on the new Shiseido

Synchro Skin Self-Refreshing Foundation with SPF 35 PA++++ (P3,000 for 30 ml). The name is a mouthful and the claims are as well as this foundation is said to give a “lightweight... breathable, and buildable coverage for a full 24 hours,” according to a company release.

“It’s crease-proof, sweatproof, and doesn’t settle on lines,” Shiseido Philippine general manager Jen Yalung told BusinessWorld during the product’s launch in September. She said that it has a natural finish (not too dewy and not too matte) which is perfect for all skin types.

My skin currently rotates between dry and normal and because of it, I have always preferred natural, lightweight finishes than full coverage mattes because my skin needs its hydration and it suffocates under heavy layers leading to breakouts. So when I head the claims, I was immediately intrigued and put it to test the next day.

I have been using the foundation on and off for the better part of the month and on the days that I wore the Shiseido foundation, I felt I was having a very good makeup day. It blurred my pores and didn’t settle into the fine lines around my mouth. It didn’t crease and I almost never needed to powder halfway through the day. Did I love it? Yes, I did! It didn’t feel like I was wearing anything — it was that lightweight — and it stayed on a 12-hour workday.

Oh, and despite the claims that it will last for 24 hours, please be kind to your skin and wash it off at the end of the day.

As Shiseido is a luxury brand, the price point is as expected, and I do believe it can last pretty long as I can get by with just a pump of product for every application.

AMWAY ARTISTRY STUDIO BANGKOK EDITION

Back in February, Amway Artistry Studio released its Paris collection featuring lip and cheek stains which I loved, and an eyeshadow palette that I wasn’t that crazy over but still use occasionally. In September, it launched the follow-up, this time inspired by the bold colors of Bangkok.

The collection features a 2-in-1 Matte Lip Crayon in four shades (P1,080), an on-the-go face palette (P2,085), Kajal eyeliner in two shades (P1,080), shimmering cream eyeshadow in three shades (P1,265), and a mascara primer (P1,005). I would have to say that I enjoyed this collection more than Paris, especially the matte lip crayons.

I got two shades of the lipsticks — Spiced Goddess, which is a perfect my-lips-but-better-shade in brick red shade; and Rose Goddess which is mauve with gold glitter — and I loved both of them. Spiced Goddess is the perfect everyday color while the Rose Goddess is for when you’re feeling a bit fancier. Both last for a long time and can withstand a moderately oily meal (though I suggest you reapply). Since it’s a matte, it can be quite drying so put on a lip balm first before going to town with it. I also found that the Rose Goddess has a drier formula.

The on-the-go palette also got a ton of use over the past few weeks, especially the blushes — a coral and a pink one with glitter. I’ve been using it every day, with the pink one being used more often because it’s similar to the legendary Nars Orgasm blush — it lends subtle color and glow to your skin.

The eyeliner I got in Gilded Amethyst and Emerald Garden. I never touched the Emerald Garden because it felt too crazy for me but I did enjoy the amethyst: it is violet enough that it becomes the highlight of your look but is not gaudy. It also stays for a long time despite my often sweaty lids.

The one product I wasn’t too crazy about was the cream eyeshadow because it requires a bit of a learning curve to apply. During the launch last month, it was suggested to apply it using one’s fingers for more payoff but it never quite worked with me and I was left with glittery stained hands.

NOT QUITE RIGHT

Okay, of the things I reviewed in this article, Avon’s True Power Stay 16-Hour Matte Lip Color (P299 for 7ml) is the only one that I really didn’t like. It wasn’t that bad but since I’ve had better at a similar price point, I don’t see the value of using it.

It claims to last for 16-hours without retouching and is transfer-proof but in my experience — and the collective experience of a couple of editors who tried some of the shades — it never delivered on its promises.

It comes in eight shades from nudes to purples and I tried Relentless Rose which is a rosy pink shade, and Non-stop Nude, a brownish nude, for a couple of weeks and was not impressed.

For one, it doesn’t last long — it rubbed off after one meal and what was left behind was a cracked mess that settled into the lines of my lips which is never a good look. It also took a while to dry down.

I previously used Maybelline Superstay Matte Ink Liquid Lip (P249 for 5ml) and it makes similar claims — lasting 16 hours and all that — and it delivered. In fact, it was so hard to remove I had to exfoliate my lips just to get it off.

So, a word of caution, if you have dry lips, stay away from this Avon lip product. There are better options out there.