Swatches + a quick wear test of Happy Skin’s Here to Bloom Collection (new release)
Generation Happy Skin has always been about high-performance, everyday-wearable makeup. And with superstar Kathryn Bernardo as the face of this line, her minimalist beauty philosophy of combining healthy, glowing skin with touches of flattering color is a spot-on fit with the brand’s latest releases. After trying several pieces out, I have to say that the Here to Bloom collection isn’t just an inspiring statement. It’s a promise.
It seems to be the cream blush era, and Happy Skin is leading the way. The On-The-Go Longwear Cream Blush (P449) comes in four shades: Sunset is a warm peach, Pink Fizz is a rosy reddish pink (the coolest toned of the four), Coconut is a warm medium pink shade, and Salty is a deep reddish brown. The formula’s texture is just the right cross between cream and balm. You get a good amount of buildable pigment which is then easily diffused with just the fingers. These feel quite intuitive and beginner-friendly and, yes, perfect for use on-the-go. I just wish the compact had a mirror for that purpose. What’s great though is that the colors barely faded on the cheeks after six hours of wear!
While the Kiss & Bloom Water Lip & Cheek Tints (P329) have been around since Generation Happy Skin’s conception, they have launched two new shades as part of this collection. Warm is a dark, coppery red-orange. Cheeky is a deep merlot shade. Typical of a lot of tints, Kiss & Bloom has a watery consistency that you have to patiently wait to dry. I experienced a little bit of tingling on the lips upon application, but it goes away as the product dries. I haven’t had the best experience with some lip tints I’ve tried in the past, but this one was different. For all its runny texture, the pigment spreads out quite evenly on ALL the parts of my lips. It still clings to the drier areas (inner lips), but at least it settles properly everywhere else. Most of the color, however, lifts after a meal and only stays behind on the inner lips, so reapplication is a must.
The Kiss & Bloom Glossy Tint (P349) is a completely new product and comes in two shades (at least, for now). Tanned is a dusty reddish plum, while Crimson is a warm medium magenta. TBH, I found this a little tricky to use. There is a learning curve to the application method. As opposed to traditional lip tints where thinner layers are the way to go, the Glossy Tint has to be applied quickly in all its full, gloopy glory (while still very wet!) in order to achieve smooth, even coverage. Otherwise, it dries up in uneven layers that remind me of those peel-off eyebrow tints before they are ready to peel. But when applied correctly, there is a wash of sheer, pigmented color that dries with a hint of a sheen to it. Post-meal re-application is also a must.
For the eyes, I tried the Perfect Brows Eyebrow Pencil Duo (P399) and the Perfect Brows Eyebrow Mascara (P399), both in Taupe. The former has a slight waxiness to it that it doesn’t swatch so evenly on the hand, but is actually a breeze to use on the brows. Diffusion is easy with the help of the spoolie brush on the other end, so that the product leaves no harsh lines or clumping. The browcara coats individual strands thinly. My brows ended up looking subtly groomed and not matted down. Taupe is an ashy medium brown that works well with my un-dyed hair.
The wear test
While I didn’t intend to do an exercise wear test, an impromptu 30-minute badminton session after taking face swatch photos really impressed me with the performance and longevity of the Longwear Cream Blush and both brow products. There wasn’t any streaking or melting as I sweated it out! The color only came off when I patted my face with a towel. Blooming colors may be the highlight of this collection, but I got a great wear experience too!
Generation Happy Skin Here to Bloom is available on the Happy Skin website or on Lazada. They’ve got exclusive sets there, plus a P4,999 full set that includes a UV sterilizing bag.
