That's Sleek!

I've been hearing nothing but awesome things about this brand, bout time I've checked it out!



They're so pretty!





Sleek Makeup is a UK cosmetics brand that has found its way to almost every corner of the cosmetic blogosphere! Here's what it says on their site:

Sleek MakeUP knows the importance of looking and feeling good in your own skin. That’s why we’re the only high-street makeup brand with a whopping 30 shades of foundation. We comprehensively and honestly cater for all skin tones, with fashion-forward and innovative products at truly affordable prices.



Sleek MakeUP’s fresh and trend-led products have forged an iconic following among makeup professionals and beauty enthusiasts worldwide





Blush By 3's Guipure has a wonderful sheen that shows on all angles!

 

They're pretty midrange, pricewise. Of course, if you're used to high end signature cosmetics, then $9.99 for an eye palette may look dirt cheap to you. But if you're the kind to go for drugstore brands, then this is right up your alley :) 

 

I've been pretty happy with my Coastal Scents 42pc Double Stack Shimmer palette that I wasn't really tempted to try Sleek, until I drowned from all the raves I read about it. Even my friends couldn't get enough of it. Well, on to the bandwagon.

 

It was sheer luck that I had just scored a 15% discount voucher from online shop Luxola. It's a Singapore based shop but they ship all over Asia, even the US. Their prices are a bit steeper than buying from Sleek's own site, but with the discount code and free shipping (minimum order os P1,300), then the total are pretty much head to head.





Really cute packaging



I got the i-Divine and Blush by 3 bundle, in Oh So Special and Lace, respectively. It's list price is P1,266 for the bundle. Less 15%, that's P1,076.1. Here's the Luxola breakdown:

P1,266 = Oh So Special + Lace bundle

Less 15% (discount voucher)

P1,076.1 = Bundle, shipping fee not included

From Sleek MakeUp, that's

$9.99 | P430 = I-Divine, Oh So Special

$12.49 | P537.07 = Blush by 3, Lace

$22.48 | P967.07 = Bundle, shipping fee not included.

Now, there's about a P90.00 difference between the two, with SleekMakeup cheaper, but Luxola has something I didn't find from SleekMakeUp - a free shipping promotion. Where SleekMakeUp will charge me about $9 for international shipping, Luxola can send it to me for FREE!

 

I know most people would stop dealing with numbers over P90.00 (roughly US$2.00) but I'm not most people. I sometimes like to split hairs, down to the last five peso coin :P Factoring in shipping costs tips the scale big time, on this particular case.

 

That is, if I reach the minimum amount required. For a purchase of P1,300, Luxola will ship my items to the Philippines free of charge. I scoured the site for anything else I want to try, but passed on every other item. On a whim I decided to just double my order, and sell the extra bundle once it got here. Sleek has such a good reputation, I wasn't even worried about having difficulty getting rid of it. In fact, I didn't even have to post it on sale, I just shared the photo on my wall and a couple friends went for the spare bundle :)

Couldn't wait to go to the post office!

 

 

It reached my local post office (PO) in 2 weeks, which is great time for international parcels. I only got billed for P80 at the PO (yay!!). Luxola also declared my parcel as a 'gift' and underdeclared the value.

 



It arrived in a an envelope made with bubble wrap (what do you call those things?). The bubbles in the wrap weren't the huge ones the size of a silver dollar. They're the usual tiny air bubbles. I would feel more comfortable if they added more padding, but my products got to me safe and sound, so I let that one slide.

Sleek i-Divine in Oh So Special



 

When I opened the package, O. M. G! It's so beautiful! And SLEEK! The color, the branding, the overall product packaging is really very cute and sleek at the same time! I wanted to snuggle with it LOL! I had a hard time getting the i-Divine to pop open, and even now, 3 weeks after, I still have trouble opening it, but the Blush By 3 palette snaps on and off just fine.

Not sure if that little bit of fall out is from the shipping, or they're just that way.

Just looking at the pan, the colors from both palettes look delicious! So delicious, in fact, that I headed over to SleekMakeUp's online site that very night. (Oh, trouble!)



Scrapping this

It came with the usual crappy eyeshadow applicator- a dual ended sponge type. Like most palettes, the default brushes or applicators they come with are pretty useless. If you want to make the most of your eye makeup, then invest in decent brushes. That's what everyone says, and with good reason!

 

I swatched everything, and they look great. But I didn't use them on my face just yet. I waited that coming weekend. I am just too lazy to put on makeup just to see how it looks, then wipe it all off within 15 minutes. As much as I liked the product upon opening, it didn't tempt me enough to go through the whole cleansing routine just to try.

I did manage to put them to work that weekend. So, is it really as great as everyone says it to be?

 

 

 

..... maybe I don't know how to maximize this palette, or I lack the knowhow to make the most of it.



Pardon the oil slick of a face you see

 

I find myself happier with my CS Double Stack eye shadows. The i-Divine seems to be giving more difficulty in blending. The lighter shades are well and good and creamy, but the darker hues are a bit stubborn to blend. Like I said, maybe I don't know HOW to do it right. But my limited knowledge seems to be sufficient when it comes to blending my CS shadows. Same brushes, same hand, same technique.

 

I have used the Sleek i-Divine three times (at least), and three times, I've encountered some kind of issue with blending out the darker shade.

 

 

Yeah, I sorta need to look like a deer caught in the headlights for any eye makeup to show. Darn hooded eyelids :P

 

All in all, the shadows sure look pretty, but I prefer to use my CS Double Stack for now.

The outer two shades are crazy pigmented, too crazy, and the middle one is subtle but beautiful!

However, when it comes to the blush, Sleek's Blush by 3 got my CS blushes beat by a mile- all for one shade- Guipure! The so-called NARS Orgasm dupe.

 

 

Check out the lovely sheen from Guisepe! On this photo, I wore all three blush shades. I only planned on using Guipure, at first, but I kept getting all the sheen but not much punch on the color. I decided to swipe my brush on Crochet for a touch of pink, and BAM! The color went on like WOOSH! One light tap was enough to add a touch of color on both cheeks. I swiped my brush on the third color, Chantilly, and applied, and got the same power punched hue!

 

Like with the shadows, blending could be an issue if with the blush but that's if (a) you got too much of the product on your brush, and (b) you're a bit slow on the blending. So take it easy. Don't slap it on, layer it one.

 

I could live without Crochet and Chantilly because I have a blush palette on my CS Double Stack, but Guipure is so much a favorite of mine, I want to take it with me everywhere! It gives more sheen than color, so I don't think I'd be wearing this alone, but layering a matte blush over it does wonders!

 

At P1,076.1 for a bundle plus P80 between the two bundles for the PO fee, that's knocks it up to P1,116.1 for a bundle- all in!

 

It's pretty safe to say that the Blush By 3 takes the bigger slice of the pie at P600, and the I-Divine for P516.10. If you factor in the spaghetti you'll have to buy the Little K for the trip, that's it's P650 and P550 respectively. Still an awesome price for such high quality products.

 

Overall, this was a good buy. If I don't have any other eye or blush palette with me, I'd be ecstatic with these Sleek babies :)

Just because

 

I took this photo a couple days back. Was just trying out some stuff. Happier days. Lately, it seems that makeup is my crack. They make me giddy and excited. I hope its magic doesn't run out.

 

This is a reminder that happier days do come. Happier days do happen. And sometimes, you get to eat lunch at lunchtime, and it won't take 4 hours to finish because you have to run off every 2-3 bites. Sometimes, a leisurely bath can last as long as 30 minutes. And 2 out of 4 weeks a month, you're not worried about growing pimples or fading pimples.

 

Half the time, things are good. Really good. And that's worth more than the unhappy days combined.

Best Buy: Vanity Table Mirror

7" Diameter, solid handle and base, rotating mirror, dual sided, swivels to angles- BOOM!

Don't you just love a good bargain? Specially if you paid for it with a gift coupon? Even moreso when that coupon was gifted? Woooyeah!

 

I'm hot. I know it, baby!

I have been looking for a table mirror for a few weeks already, but had never found the right one, until last Sunday!

Before then, everything I saw was either too small, too wobbly, too fixed, one sided, no magnification, too dull- etc. I wanted a simple  swiveling (word? probably!) double-sided mirror, with magnification on one side. Why was it so hard to find? I'm a bit choosy, I know. I had a picture in my head, and I wasn't ready to settle for less. It's out there... somewhere. I see it all the time on top of beauty counters. Hmmm, is there some special place they go to for this?  I was contemplating a visit to Wilcon Builder's Depot, but decided to drop by Ace Hardware (the third hardware I've visited since May) all because

(a) We were at the SM Bowling Alley because my brother had game coupons;
(b) the bowling alley was making us wait so long
(c) there was an Ace store right on the opposite side of where we were at
(d) I've been openly griping about mirrors the past couple weeks; and
(c) Upon checking, he ALSO had a gift coupon for Ace,

So what the heck, let's go! Don't you just love it when things fall into place?

 

Such a find!

LO AND BEHOLD! It's the perfect mirror! Even better than what I had in mind! And while I was expecting it to push me back at least P800, it costs almost half that much! P450! Steal! This is fate! Me and  Mirror! She remains un-named. I'll think of one, soon enough.

 

It has 2x magnification on one side, and actual reflection on the other. It swivels AND rotates, giving you access to almost all angles imaginable! How many angles do you need? Well this definitely covers the basics, and then some.

 

It's crystal clear, sleek, heavy, and looks well made. Mine came in dingy packaging, but I didn't mind. I inspected the mirror, and it had no damage. The product has just been shelved waaay too long, it got dirty.

 

The magnification side would seem a bit distorted if you're too far, but that's a given. Easy tradeoff. I wouldn't be feet away from the mirror if I wanted to see things on ZOOM!

 

The base of the mirror did have light, light scratches. Unnoticeable. Insignificant. I'm still in love with it.

 

Setting it up is as easy as ABC!

It's very simple to setup, no need to call your caveman husband to tinker with it. Just tighten three screws, and you're good to go. Two screw go at the base, then one on the mirror part. I found I didn't even need to use screwdrivers, as the bolts that came with it are super easy to handle and twist! I have a feeling they had prissy ladies in mind for this one, LOL! Kidding ...not!

 

Overall, I love it!! I'd buy three of it, if I had three houses haha!!

 

There was also a wall mirror on sale, and I was SO TEMPTED- but I wasn't sure it would fit in the vanity I plan to make. So I took a pass on that.

 

Left Ace Hardware very happy!!

 

PS: I got this from Ace Hardware, SM Annex Basement, SM North EDSA. There were only TWO of these left, aside from the display unit. I brought one home, so yeah, only ONE left. :)

Washing Brushes

This really should have been up first, but, well, it just didn't. So here's a link on how I dry my makeup brushes.

How I wash them, well, I'll try to show you. Sorry for the grainy pics, the bathroom is poorly lit (oh, how I wish this entire house is armed with studio lighting, LOL)



These are my only dirty brushes.

For this recipe, we will need- dirty brushes (duh!), your choice of brush cleaner OR mild baby shampoo, a clean towel, and if you want to take the extra step of pre-rinsing, a small bucket and some lukewarm water.

The pre-rinsing step with lukewarm water is not that necessary, in my opinion. I only do it if I have brushes that are especially gunky! Oh, and if a brush has something that's quite stubborn to remove, like lipstick (honestly! You really have to work those bristles to get all the residue out! Is there some technique to this that I'm missing? I'm so happy I no longer use lip brushes, thank you MAC)

Before we get things going, let me make a few things clear:

1. Do not, at any point, wash, soak, or soap your brush handles. Not necessary, and frankly, damaging.
2. As much as possible, don't let water get in between the ferrule and the handle.
3. Always wash at an angle- bristles pointing down. You don't want water pooling in the ferrule.
4. Don't pull on the bristles.

Glad that's clear, let's start!

Pool some warm water on the bucket. If you have a water heating system installed on your sink, well woot for you! I don't, so I have to collect the water in a bucket.



Lukewarm water for pre rinsing- optional.

 You really only need a little bit of warm water- just enough to dip the bristles in. No more than an inch deep. Maybe half an inch to three quarters of an inch. I filled this bucket all the way because apparently, shallow water and tiny bucket does not a good photo make :P



Add caption

Add a bit of brush cleaner to your SHALLOW pan of water. Again, this is only deep for photo-op purposes. I can't get a good angle if the water's half an inch deep. So just pretend, ok?

Have you added some brush shampoo to the water? Mix. Tada, warm soapy water!



Oooh, gunky Sigma F50 Stippling brush!

 Get your extra gunky brush out, and give it a swirl in the warm solution.



Just the bristles!

You'll see some of the makeup residue wash away already! Be very careful not to soak the whole head of your brush, or the ferrule. Normally (when the water is but a centimeter deep), I'd run the brush over the surface of the bucket. Swish it around.

Yes, on the bristles. That's just how I roll.

To make lathering more easy, you can wear those oven mitts that have grooves. The bumpy surface will help getting the shampoo in the packed bristles. I haven't bought the cleaning mat I want, yet.

Kaya ng buhok ko yan!

Instead, I run my fingers into the core of the brush head. Yep, I do. I swipe the brush along my fingers. I shampoo all my brushes, one after the other, then rinse them that way. I find that this is just more efficient for me. You can opt to shampoo then rinse each brush before moving on to the next. That's fine! Just make sure that the brushes are standing, head down, when they are not in the wash.



Foamy! It took a while for me to get the photos on the previous brush, the foam run out LOL! This is ELF Studio's Small Stipple Brush. I use this for blending in concealer. It's a multipurpose nook and cranny brush. Currently loving it! :)

Check that out! I use this foundation brush with Maybelline's Age Rewind Under Eye Concealer. This is Sigma's concealer brush, and it's packed so tightly- look at all those concealer hiding inside! It turned the liquid beige!

I gave this TWO shampooing. Just to be sure. After this first one, where I've got the concealer run out, I gave it a quick rinse and another drop of shampoo. Lathered again.

Time to rinse! I don't need the showerhead or the bucket here. I just rinse straight from the tap.

I swirl it around my hand. This will loosen the bristles and get the water all in between them.

For some brushes, I scrunch it up with my hand. Thick brushes that might have residue hiding in the core. Then I swirl the brush on my fingertips.

If your brush is holding quite an amount of water, gently squeeze it off. Don't pull out the hairs! Just ease the water off. Then run the bristles through the clean towel. Hmm.. I'm not very sure if this step is necessary. Is it? If you have loads of time to dry them, then maybe this is a skippable step.



 

I swirl and turn the round brushes.

That's about it!! Washing done- drying next! Check out my separate post on drying brushes here, click me!

Toodles!