When it comes to good quality makeup products that won’t break the bank, Pink Sugar is a constant favorite here on PV! From the time Liz first wrote about them in 2015, we’ve pretty much enjoyed everything from their 350-peso face powder to their pizza-proof lip tints. The formulas are good and reliable, but this local brand is continually finding ways to make their products even more user-friendly. So when they released a new variant of their well-loved Eye Candy Eyeshadow palette and a repackaged duo version of their Sweet Cheeks HD Cheek Color, I thought people needed to see these in action!

The Sweet Cheeks Duo HD Cheek Color (P349 for 11g) combines their bestselling peach shade with one other cheek color to create a more multi-dimensional look. There are a total of 4 duos available with Miss Independent being coupled with: Sin City (white gold highlighter), Paris Lights (peachy pink), Summer Nights (warm peach), and Morocco (neutral taupe contour). It’s only a bit pricier than the singles that Liz reviewed previously and having two shades in one palette makes it a lot easier to tote around.

Meanwhile, the Eye Candy Eyeshadow Palette in Cotton Candy (P599 for 12g) is the third variant of their Eye Candy Collection. It’s quite a steal considering there are 10 shades in the palette: 3 mattes, 4 shimmers, and 3 glitters! The individual shades don’t have names though so I’ll just refer to each by number, counting from the top and left to right.

I find this to be a very versatile palette that can be used to create a variety of looks. To make m̶y̶ ̶l̶i̶f̶e̶ ̶h̶a̶r̶d̶e̶r̶ the challenge more interesting, Den timed how long it took me to do each eyeshadow look. Fortunately the eyeshadows are pretty easy to use and blend, so even I was surprised at how well I did on this challenge. Here’s how I did it!

5-minute Office Day Look

Who has time to apply eyeshadow on a daily basis? If you have 5 minutes to spare, you do! To mimic that no-time-to-fuss in the morning rush, I created the first look using only my fingers, a pencil brush, and an eyeliner brush.

Using my finger, I applied #1 (shimmery champagne) all over my lids as a base color.
Using the same finger, I applied #2 (matte greyish brown) until the crease and blended out the edges.
Using a pencil brush, I placed #3 (darker brown-grey) on just the inner and outer corners of my upper lid.
Using an eyeliner brush, I highlighted the inner corners with #1.
Using an eyeliner brush, I drew an eyeliner “tail” with 3.

I blended Miss Independent all over my cheeks, then concentrated Paris Lights on the apples of my cheeks. I finished the look with Pink Sugar’s Lush Lips in Lingerie (P299 for 8g). As a student, I don’t normally wear eyeshadow on a daily basis but if you need to look more polished for work, this is a quick and easy way to do it with just one palette.

10-minute Soft Smoky Date Look

Going out for a date with your SO or a night out with your friends? You can take a little more time to contour the eyes and add more depth with a gradient effect.

Apply #7 (champagne glittery pink) all over the eyelids.
Take #8 (shimmery copper pink) and apply just until the crease.
Blend #6 (cool pink brown with specks of silver glitter) on the inner and outer corners to create the soft smoky look.
Reapply #7 just on the center of the lids and on the inner corners for an extra pop of glitter.
Create an eyeliner wing with #9 (shimmery dark purple) and connect that lightly to the lower lid.

For my cheeks, I just dabbed on Miss Independent for a cute kinikilig blush then added Sin City as my highlight, placing it on the high parts of my cheekbone, forehead, nose, and chin. And for my lips, I applied Pink Sugar’s Sugar Tint in Queen Bee (P349 for 9g). Since the eyes are a bit more dramatic, I balanced the look with sweet blushing cheeks and lips.

20-minute Glammed Up and Golden Evening Look

I decided to go all-out with this look to incorporate the matte black eyeshadow (#10) in the palette. I think black eyeshadow intimidates a lot of Filipinos - even for me, it was my first time to use it for a smoky look! The intensity of this look makes it great for wear at special events, as your eyes will look beautifully defined even in photos.

Apply #4 (shimmery peach) all over the lids. It’s hard to capture in photos but it looks peach in some angles and almost rose gold in others.
Apply #9 (shimmery dark purple) on the outer corner of the eyes, extending a bit upwards to mimic a winged shadow effect, and down and out the inner corners in a cat-eye shape. Balance the look by also applying on the outer corners of the lower lid, extending a bit to create a lower wing. This step takes a lot of patience because you want it to be smooth and even.
Take a small amount of the matte black #10 and place it just on the outer edge of the eye, concentrating right where the edge of the eyeball is. Blend well to create a smaller wing than the purple one earlier. Build the color bit by bit instead of applying too much pigment all at once.
Concentrate application of #5 (shimmery old gold) from just the inner corner of my upper eyelid up to the center, making sure to create a not-so-soft gradient. Pack on that gold!
Using a finger, lightly pat #6 over that same area to press on some glitter.
Add some #4 on the inner corner of the lower lid.
As a finishing touch, reinforce the purple wing shape with #9, making sure that the edges are well blended
Do the same with #10 and the matte black wing..

Because this is a really dark smoky eye, it’s important to apply a strong black liner and even some falsies so that these features are not “swallowed up” by the eyeshadow. I drew a winged liner on the upper lid, and a straight line on the outer corner of the lower lid to make my monolid eyes look wider and more awake. Clean up any messes with a cotton bud and some makeup remover.

I dusted Summer Nights all over my cheeks, then layered Miss Independent on top. I used Sin City to bathe my skin in highlighter, and a combination of Lush Lips in Sugar Mama and Sugar Tint in Queen Bee for the lips.

Three different looks for three different events, using just one eyeshadow palette! That’s a lot of mileage for that’s just P599. I would happily recommend this palette for beginners, and even for those who aren’t, as it’s so compact and travel-friendly. I also found shade #2 to be perfect for contouring my nose.

Do note that some colors can have a bit of fallout or be a bit powdery when your brush dips in, but as long as you tap out the excess from your brush before applying to your lid, all is good. Oh, and I must mention that the colors are so pigmented, I didn’t use eye primer at all! I even made the mistake of reapplying the gold color #5 for the last look and accidentally covered up my eyeliner, so I had to draw it back on. That is how pigmented these shadows are!

I also super enjoyed using the Sweet Cheeks Duo because the colors are super blendable. Using two blushes instead of just one adds more dimension to the look. And that highlighter? It looks stark white in the pan but registers gold on the skin. It can be built up to blinding levels, or applied sparingly for a soft glow. I love it!

What do you think of the new releases from Pink Sugar? Will you be adding any of these to your collection?

Photography by Nicole Quindara