Ichi Pestano: January 2018

Just got home from appliance and furniture hunting. It was stressful AF but I also felt excited somehow knowing that I'm almost halfway through this mentally-challenging move-in process. There's still a long list of things to work on not mentioning, the money involved but I'm pretty confident that it would be manageable. It's tough and could get very overwhelming, but still doable with tiny baby steps at a time. 😚

Anyway, this post might seem a bit redundant because I've already done a first impression video about these 4 highlighters from Sephora and I have even released individual reviews. However, I thought it's better to put all of them in one post again for a more complete comparison.

Each has a hefty price tag and yes, I'd agree if you say that there are drugstore dupes for these or even other better and cheaper options, but for makeup junkies and for those who would like to gratify themselves with a high-end highlighter, this bunch is worth checking out.

So when shopping for a highlighter, what are you looking for - formula or intensity? I bet it's the latter. 😃

Here are the swatches in natural lighting (same order as the next photo).

The below swatches are in natural lighting as well, but dimmer.

Click on the product name to jump to the review.

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Moonstone

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Opal

natural lighting

artificial lighting

Benefit Watt’s Up Highlighter

Too Faced Love Light Prismatic Highlighter in Blinded by Light

So it's finally time to reveal my top pick!

Actually, it's hard for me to say one favorite out of all four or wait, make that three because the Blinded by Light is at the bottom of the list. But if you insist, I'd say it's Becca Opal and Benefit Watt's Up is the runner up.

They're equally intense and both blinding. Whenever I have them on, it's like I'm on "slay" mode. Haha! 😉

I also realized that I grab Becca Opal more often than I do with my other highlighters. But yea, I would still be okay with any.

How about you?

Anyhoo, if you want to see these babies in action, click here.

your sweetest drug,

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It's getting more difficult to find time to work on le blog given the current priorities on my plate. Compared before when I was often swamped with projects, I don't have to deal with workload now, which by the way I'm not so happy about 'cause I miss that fulfilling kind of stress (if that makes sense). The universe is requiring a lot of "adulting" from me and as much as I would like to resist, I still like the idea of having to face and manage everything on my own. I don't know. Maybe I just love to hustle. Haha!

So that pretty much explains the lesser posts/videos and the frequent pauses. However, please know that I'm still working behind the scenes. I'm still trying on products and playing on makeup looks despite of my crazy schedule (wow, feeling celebrity hahaha 😂).

Anyway, I checked the stats to see what you guys loved last year and here's the roundup.

Makeup Review

I also enjoyed using this BB cream by iWhite. The formula is right up my alley - lightweight, natural-looking and perfect for everyday use. See the review here.

Skincare Review

I'm not acne-prone (thank God) but I still tried this line by Celeteque. My favorite is the Spot Corrector Gel. See the review here.

Batch Review

I've done a couple of batch and one-brand reviews last year and this one made it to the top of most viewed list. Fewer products featured so not sure why though. Haha!

See the post here.

The Throwdown

Last year, I thought of starting a new series. It's for you guys to see more options and help you decide which one to get according to your preference. Too bad, I only managed to do 2 throwdown posts. Another 2 are in the works so stay tuned!

Read the full post here.

Outside the Series

So it seemed like you got interested about Pinto Art Museum, huh? Make sure to include it in your plans this year! It's worth the 2-hour drive.

Most Watched

I wasn't able to sustain my monthly videos last year and hopefully, I could gain the momentum back soon. Anyway, I'm glad you liked my BeautyMNL haul. It's also my favorite because it's my first project in 2017.

2017 Hits

To give this post a bit more flavor, I thought of sharing these products that made it to my Most Abused list. Apart from the ones below, there are a few more that I just couldn't put down but since I haven't formally done a review, I won't mention them for now.

Click on the product name to jump to the post.

Etude House Oil-Control Film

Lorac Pro Eyeshadow Palette

Innisfree Jeju Pore Clay Mask

Colourpop Ultra Matte in Beeper

Cosrx BHA Blackhead Power Liquid

Celeteque 24-Hour Photoready Matte Primer

The Saem Concealer

Althea Petal Velvet Powder

Maybelline Creamy Mattes

Becca Highlighter in Opal

Skin Food Rice Mask Wash Off

Lebaton Ban Ban Cream

Again, from the bottom of my happy, smiling heart, thank you soooooo much for showing love! I know I didn't do well enough last year and I hate myself for that, but your girl will surely be back on her game. 😉

your sweetest drug,

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Earlier when I was browsing through Althea, I was checking out the BB cream section hoping that I would find something I could use in substitute for foundation. I saw a lot of options yet I'm still not decided on which one to get. Should I try the cushion ones?

Anyhoo, I know I've mentioned before that I barely grab my foundation on normal days because of couple of reasons (being lazy is included). However, since I ran out of BB creams, I only have two options - put on a layer of foundation or go for my trusty concealer. The latter mostly happens but not on days when I need more coverage.

I bought this popular foundation when L'Oreal PH put it on sale. I've been seeing greasy gals rant about this baby, so that made me want to try it even more.

I got the shade Natural Buff, which is a pretty good match.

In case you haven't noticed, you need not worry about finding your perfect shade because the brand made sure that every skin tone is covered. However, the range availability varies per country.

I don't know if you can tell, but it looks messy already. I don't mind that it's in a tube/squeezable type of packaging, but at the very least, they should have made a more secured cap. It actually spilled inside my makeup bag so just imagine the mess and the work I did to clean everything up. Ugh.

Now, let's move on to the formula.

It's a bit runny and not in a thick kind of consistency I was expecting. The scent is just okay, not so glue-ish or anything weird or strong.

It blends nicely using any tool, be it a sponge or a dense brush, but you have to work fast because it sets pretty fast. When that happens, it's harder to move the product around and buff it evenly.

Coverage is guaranteed. One thin layer can even out the skin tone and another can blur out pores and spots.

It's really tinted, which is a nice thing because that's what you would want from a foundation. However, sometimes I don't like when I see the stain on a tissue whenever I blot my face. Worse, if my face hits my shirt. So when you have this product on, be extra careful when you're fitting clothes or even when you hug other people. You might stain their top too! Haha! 😆

I still set it with powder but not too much. It could be a bit patchy and too "mask" looking if you overdo the application.

I have to admit, it works great with my oily skin. I can enjoy the matte finish for hours and even if my skin gets greasy, it doesn't give me intense creasing unless again, I apply too much product.

Overall, I'm loving the matte, powdery finish and coverage. Yes, it's not the lightweight kind and definitely, not for everyday use, unless maybe if you apply a very thin layer. Nonetheless, it's still nice to have in your stash especially if you have oily skin. If you fall under normal or dry though, you might want to find something else.

What do you think?

You can find it at L'Oreal counters nationwide or on Lazada.

your sweetest drug,