EB Advance Blush Duo Review: Golden Goddess

Ever since I learned about contouring, I have been so obsessed in finding the right contouring products on the market. Though I know some great products out there that are highly recommended by makeup artists and beauty bloggers here in the Philippines and abroad they are quite expensive. Even if I want to have those, I honestly don't have the budget to spare. Anything beyond 300 is way too much for me. 

So, I have been on the hunt for the most affordable brands available here in the Philippines for contouring powders.

Whenever I go around department stores, I always look for products that are sold at a discounted price. However, it's a matter of hit and miss on these items.

Ever Bilena is one of my trusted local drugstore cosmetics here in the Philippines.  And every time I go to their stalls to check new products, all I can say is that they are really stepping up their game in cosmetics. Which is really great, because their products are both effective and affordable, which is good for people like me who are mostly on a tight budget but don't want to compromise the quality of the product we use, specially on our skin. This will also give more options to consumers.

For months I have been eyeing on their new product called "EB Advance Blush Duo" in the shade Golden Goddess. 

This blush and bronzer duo comes in 4 shades that will compliment every skintone. Shades are Baked Fig which is like a plum shade(for the blush) and the bronzer is more like a light brown shade. Golden Goddess (the one I have) in which the blush is more of a pinky-peach color with gold shimmer to it, bronzer looks the same with baked fig. Next is Rosy Chic this blush shade is like old rose in color, bronzer is more on a deeper brown shade. Lastly, Summer Fling, this is an orange shade of blush, bronzer same as rosy chic.

Box packaging front

Box packaging back

This product cost Php220.00 and are available in most Watsons, SM Department stores and other leading drugstore and supermarkets.

I chose Golden Goddess among the 4 shades because I have heard in other beauty bloggers that the blush in this shade is like a dupe for a Nars Blush in Orgasm. And I have been so curious on what it looks like. I can't really compare the two since I don't have a Nars blush(too pricey), but If the famous beauty blogger says it is a dupe for this then I believe her. :)

So this is what it looks like from the inside. There is also a good sized of mirror inside which is as big as the cover, and a small brush applicator. Though I use a different brush to do the job. 

The first time I used it, I find the contour powder too powdery, as when I dipped my slanted brush in, there were a lot of excess falling out and are not sticking on the brush. Bronzer is matte though, and the shade is just right for my skin tone, it doesn't look like a dirty smudge on my face too. The blush however, is more compact. Though since there are gold flecks on the blush that makes it shimmery, when I applied it on my cheeks it kind of highlighted the apples of my cheeks which gives me that nice glow but unluckily showing my pores too(oh no!) But I really like the shade. These powders are also quite blendable. Maybe I should use a full coverage foundation to hide my pores if I'm gonna use this blush. I'm gonna try to use this as a highlighter too, but sparingly because this blush is highly pigmented.  We'll see. (Experiment time for me.)

The brush applicator included is not too coarse but not too soft either, also it sheds, like a lot. So I don't really recommend using the brush.

Here are the swatches. If you will notice, when I use the camera flash of my phone the contouring powder doesn't really show, because it's too light. And for the photo w/o flash I kinda needed to find the right angle for the color to show.

As you can see the blush really shimmer in gold. They really pack on the gold in Golden Goddess.

Pros:

-affordable for a blush and bronzer duo

-highly pigmented

-easy to blend

-it doesn't have any annoying scent.

Cons:

-bronzer is a little bit crumbly

-blush is not suitable for skin with very obvious pores(like mine)

Overall, I like this Blush Duo and I want to try the other shades they have except Summer Fling, because I'm not really into orange shades. If I'm not mistaken, only Golden Goddess is the shimmery one and the rest are matte. (Comment if I'm wrong)

That's all folks. Thank you for reading.

Disclaimer: Product review is based on blogger's personal experience and opinion. Product satisfaction and effectiveness may vary on users skin tone, skin type and preference. 

iWhite Korea BB. HOLIC Everyday BB Cream Review

There are days when you just don't feel like putting on a ton of makeup on our face but you still want to correct some minor imperfections on your skin and get that youthful glow. Good thing cosmetic brands created BB cream (Blemish Balm) which gives you enough coverage without the heavy feeling on your skin and like all other BB creams on the market they claim that this product does more than just give you coverage.

So I was going around SM department store (I can't remember where exactly) because I was looking for iWhite products specifically their 2 minute whitening miracle face mask and came across their new product. The BB.HOLIC EVERYDAY BB CREAM. (see photo below) They only have 2 shades which is BEIGE and LIGHT. Also they only sell these in sachets and are sold for only Php24.50/4ml. Packaging can also be split into 2 separate packs.

This is what the packaging looks like.

Here is what's written on the back:

iWhite Korea BB.Holic Beige/Light is a multi-tasking BB Cream that provides several makeup and skincare benefits. It is perfect for everyday use as it is infused with over 10 plant extracts to ensure that your skin is taken care of while looking refreshingly beautiful.

BB.Holic instantly perfects your complexion, provides natural coverage and protection while is nourishes and enhances your skin through its Aroma Herb Complex formulation. It is also infused with active lightening and anti-aging properties to give you multiple benefits from a single application.

iWhite Korea's BB.Holic is brought to you to prove that an effective and quality product can be affordable.

Directions for use: On a clean skin, apply and spread appropriate amount based on your desired coverage. This product can be worn alone or it can sit perfectly under foundation or setting powder.

Ingredients are listed below the product description which is a lot.

So here are the swatches I made at the back of my hand.

With camera flash

Without camera flash

   

As you can see the Beige is really darker than the Light shade. My first purchase was Beige, because for years I have always been comfortable with that kind of shade. However, I am now using iWhite's whitening products so it made my skin a little lighter. So when I tried Beige for the first time it was really dark on me. So on my next purchase I decided to go with Light. At first I mixed the 2 shades to see if it will be better on my skintone. It kinda worked but the next time I used this I use Light alone and it was so much better. Guess I'm on the lighter side now. :)

The Light shade however has a pink or peach undertone to it, and I was hoping for a more yellow undertone.  Beige on the other hand is a little bronze in my opinion.

This BB cream also have this distinct smell to it. I'm sensitive to scents specially in makeup, this one has this lotiony-herbal smell to it. It doesn't bother me at all, but it may not be the same for others.

It has light to medium coverage. But you can add more product until you reach your desired coverage.

It's does have a little bit of sticky feel to it but it can be managed if you set it with powder.

I haven't tried using this under foundation as it already gave me coverage I needed.

For gals like me who have oily skin, this will not keep those nasty sebum at bay, so I suggest you put on a mattifying primer or powder before and after applying this product. Also, have some blotting paper handy too.

Since this product is sold in sachets, expect that it will be messy if you plan to bring it around, though this is good if let's say you will travel and you really don't need too much make up this is good specially if you want to travel light. But for me I decided to put it in small pots so it won't spill.

Here is what they look like blended on the skin. (I used the back of my hand, my face looks terrible now but will make a YouTube video of this review soon)

Without camera flash

With camera flash

Pros:
-Affordable for only Php24.50
-buildable coverage
-easy to blend
-gives that dewy glow(if not set with powder)
-it has moisturizing effects.

Cons:
-it has a little bit of a sticky feel
-It only has 22 shades available
-sold only in sachets may spill once opened.
-will not keep oil at bay.
-Scent does stay (may not be suitable for others)


My verdict:

I like it. this is the most affordable BB cream on the market. Aside from that I love the coverage it gives me. Once it sets on my skin it doesn't transfer much. For me I will buy this again for my downtime days (tamad mag-makeup days).

That's all folks. Thank you for reading.

Disclaimer: This review is based on my personal experience and opinion. This product may or may not be suitable for all skin types. Thank you.