Yesterday I managed to get home juuust as the rain started to fall. The storm raged in earnest soon after, and Snaps came close to hyperventilating because of his thunder phobia. That said, Manila is supposed to have a Signal #1 storm right now but I don't see it yet - I hope I don't! I have a lot of plans this weekend.

Anyway, I just wanted to update you about the Naturactor Cover Face Foundation. You might remember that I loved its finish and texture, but was sorely disappointed about the shade selection. The 141 was way too light, so I thought the darkest shade won't work for me. Well, it did! The 151 is about half a shade lighter and leans more towards beige than I'd like, but it looks okay on me even though my neck is darker than my face.

What we want to happen versus what actually happens are two completely different things. And you know what, that's perfectly fine. There are many variables in any given situation that it's difficult to predict the exact outcome. The trick is to be flexible and to adapt as quickly as possible. When life throws you lemons, you can do better than lemonade! Find a chicken then bake it with lemon sauce. 

Just don't give up, is the hardest and most important part.

Anyhoo, today I'll be reviewing a foundation that you're probably super curious about: the Naturactor Cover Face Foundation (P790 at Digital Traincase). There have been a lot of rave reviews floating around the web for some time now - is this Japanese foundation worth the hype?

It is. It is. When I first wore it, I exclaimed out loud: "Seriously? This is intense!" I can't believe the ultra-smooth, baby skin finish! I've never tried a foundation with this kind of finish before. The cream felt thin and light, yet it has medium to heavy coverage. It sets into a powdery layer so I doubt that I'd even need a finishing powder. 

Right! To kick off this week's reviews, here is the popular Revlon Colorstay Whipped Creme Makeup (P975), a matte cream-liquid foundation hybrid that promises to be long wearing. I'm sure you've read a lot of good things about it already! I won't prolong the suspense, which is why I'll go ahead and say that it's a great foundation for the price.

Here's why.

What I love about the product

• Makes my skin flawless. Scary flawless but not in a bad way. The coverage is medium to heavy and it's even opaque enough to be a concealer.
• The matte, super smooth finish doesn't look flat and fake on skin - as long as you give it some minutes to settle. It looks weird upon initial application but after 15 minutes or so the foundation seems to blend better. It slightly oxidizes. Know this to be true: it looks better the longer you wear it.
• Looks amazing in any lighting - indoor, outdoor, in a studio, with flash. This doesn't have SPF I think so it's great for photo ops.

Oooh my first time to try Laneige! Other bloggers have raved about the brand so naturally I want to see what the fuss is about. That said, I got the Laneige Snow BB Soothing Cushion (P1,950 with refill) a few weeks ago and have been using it every so often. Not as often as I would like, to be honest, only because I chose the wrong shade. 

First off, this is not foundation. Laneige primarily describes it as a whitening product with SPF which is pretty much how many BB creams are. The Snow BB provides just enough coverage to even out skin and give it a dewy glow, but it won't hide blemishes or pimples you might have. It's really more of a tinted makeup base that anything else.

Here's a quick rundown!

What I love about the product

• Gives a dewy, super natural finish on skin. It doesn't look like makeup because it's sheer and allows your real skin to show.
• Has SPF50 PA+++. That's a pretty good number if you're looking for extra sun protection!

I love the VMV Skintangible, but as fantastic as it is it has limitations due to it being a tinted moisturizer at best. Girls who are looking for better coverage, shade match, and higher SPF may not find it compelling enough. But never worry! Skintangible has a grown-up sister who can take all the heavy lifting: the VMV Hypoallergenics Skin Savvy 60 Foundation (P1,840).

This foundation is exactly like Skintangible in terms of packaging and how it's dubbed to be 75% free of common allergens. But that's where the similarity stops. Skin Savvy is a cream foundation with SPF60, six available shades, and full coverage. It lasts fairly well under the tropical heat, too! Just set it with loose powder and you're done.

However, because of these "extra" features, Skin Savvy has some down sides.

Royal Effem is an Italian cosmetics brand that caters mostly to professional makeup artists. Laboratori Royal, the manufacturer of Royal Effem and Oe Organic Elements Skincare, has been around for 50 years so you know they know makeup intimately!

The sleek black packaging and wonderfully pigmented products make them a nice addition to a MUA's kit. Today I'll be talking about one of the brand's best-selling products: the Royal Effem Compact Creamy Foundation (~P1,600).

This cream foundation is pretty good in terms of coverage, so much that I don't even use concealer anymore! It doesn't cover marks 100% (the really dark ones) but it does a pretty good job of hiding everything neatly. You'll see a photo later.

What I love about the product

• Heavy coverage fills in pores and blurs out most imperfections. It can moonlight as a concealer for light blemishes.
• Finish is quite nice, straddling the fine line between glowy and matte. 

One of the more interesting products that came out late last year is the Revlon PhotoReady Compact Makeup (P945). It's the answer to the prayers of the fans of the PhotoReady Liquid Makeup since it has none of the shimmers everyone complained about. It also toes the fine line between liquid and powder, a plus if you're the type who likes powder more than liquid foundations.

The PhotoReady Compact Makeup is a cream foundation that comes in a long, rectangular compact that features a "liquefying mesh". This mesh presses through the foundation to sort of squeeze it out. Intriguing eh? There's a small sponge that comes with the whole package.

What I like about the product

• As with other products in Revlon's PhotoReady line, this foundation gives a smooth, matte finish that registers well on camera. That is really the product's main selling point!

I love that Revlon always has something new every other month or so. I believe that they're trying to revamp their old image as makeup for older women into makeup that caters to a younger market's pressing needs. I feel that it's working! I like what Revlon has come up with in the last few months - Luxurious Color eyeshadows: Satin and Perle, Grow Luscious by Fabulash,  PhotoReady Powder, and my favorite, the Colorburst lipsticks. I'm very excited about the goodies they'll be releasing next year!

For now, Revlon's newest products are the PhotoReady Compact and Just Bitten Lip Stain + Balm.

The Just Bitten Lip Stain + Balm (P595) is a collection of lip stains that do NOT give a "just bitten" effect! Well maybe if you were kissing a hungry vampire...lol. The lip stains look like highly pigmented lipsticks when applied. If you don't like lip stains because of the drying effect, Revlon has thoughtfully added a lip balm on the other end of the tube. I love the lip balm actually - the feel is reminiscent of my HG lip balm, Aquafina, but without the minty sting.

Yes Virginia, it's a felt tip marker!

The PhotoReady Compact Makeup (P995) is the answer to the prayers of fans of the PhotoReady Liquid Makeup.

I've always wanted to try a Paul & Joe foundation since reading a lot of rave reviews online. The only reason I haven't bought it before now is how expensive it is. A refill and a compact costs upwards P2,000; it's a bit too hefty for me. So, when I got an invite to the 70% off sale, I jumped at the chance to grab my own Paul & Joe foundie!

I spent only P870 for the whole thing, which makes it one of the best makeup bargains I've come across. I've been using it since I got it and I must say, it IS a great product. If it's something I'll buy at full price remains to be seen.

What I love about it

• Light to medium coverage. Smooth, my-skin-but-better effect. You can't believe how very few foundations can give you this!
• The coverage is light to medium, with a semi-matte finish. Don't expect it to cover your darker blemishes. You can use the foundation by itself but it's also a great base for powder foundation due to its creamy nature. It will help the rest of your makeup show up better and stay on longer.