Full Review: blk runs away with the 90s in their new themed collection

I vaguely remember her as the super maarte Emily from the GMA show T.G.I.S., and while little budding tomboy Sammi didn’t like Emily at first, she warmed up to the idea of a flamboyant, pigtailed, Taglish-speaking Anne Curtis.

Cut to 2018. Anne Curtis-Heusaff now has her own cosmetics line that gives tribute to the decade of grunge, kitsch, and butterfly clips. Apparently, Anne Curtis is so obsessed with the 90s that she created a whole collection around it!

The caboodle says hi to your inner child.

The 90’s collection includes the Two-way Powder Foundation, Volume + Lash Extension Mascara (new), Soft Matte Mousse (new), All-Day Intense Matte Lipstick, Intense Color Liquid Eyeshadow, and Long-Lasting Gel Eyeliner (new, although I didn’t see this in the Shopee lineup.) I got to test the Mascara, Soft Matte Mousse, Matte Lipstick, and Liquid Eyeshadow. Here’s how they held up!

Volume + Lash Extension Mascara in OMG, P349

The Volume + Lash Extension Mascara promises to (what else) volumize and lengthen the lashes so much, that they look like a fresh round of lash extensions without the aftermath of fallout and balding.

Left: with mascara; Right: bare lashes

Length isn’t dramatic but my lashes look nice and wispy

After just three hours

According to the brand, “it’s absolutely smudge-proof when worn,  but comes off easily enough with warm  water,” but I find that while it does provide some volume and length, it smudges within the first three hours. I know the 90s were all about the grungy, worn-in looks, but then and now, panda eyes are a faux pas.

Soft Matte Mousse, P349

Out of all the products, the Soft Matte Mousse was the one I was most excited about because your girl is a staunch matte lip supporter, provided that they are not cement-in-the-summer matte. The idea of a matte lip creme with blk’s prices and 90s-inspired hues appealed to me. It comes in three shades: Totally (brick), As If (nude with pink undertones), and Booyah (nude with brown undertones).

Matte skin, liquid shadow as bronzer, soft matte mousse on the lip

Booyah when applied normally

Booyah applied patchy even with two coats, but with a bit of patting and finessing, it can make your lips look pillowy. It is comfortable to wear but my lip lines were emphasized, especially when faded. It fades with a little lip licking (talking, eating, pressing) and bleeds outside the lip lines. I suspect this would work way better with a lip liner. It also has this artificially sweet scent that’s really not pleasant but dissipates after application.

I’m really curious to try the deeper shade to see if it’s still patchy, but will make do with patting. The good thing is that Booyah looks great as a cream blush!

All-Day Intense Matte Lipstick in Peace Out, P299

I’ve tried and liked blk’s matte lip formulas and found that this was a touch denser than previous iterations, which actually contributes to the opacity of the brown hues. Peace Out is a lovely brick brown shade that is very 90s-esque with a 2018 twist (read: warm brick) that goes better with morena skin as the warmth adds life, as opposed to a straight up neutral brown (like Urban Decay’s 1993) that clashes with yellow-toned Filipinos.

Very very matte complexion, brown eyes, rose-brown blush, brick lipstick

Peace Out close up, plus Booyah on my cheeks

I also like that the 90s bullets are violet-hued because it adds to that kitsch that we saw so much of in the 90s!

I can’t say that it’s “all-day wear” as it faded after a meal (leaving me with just a lip line), but their description of delivering “intense color with zero sheen” is 100% accurate.

Intense Color Liquid Shadow in The Bomb, P299

These liquid shadows ended up being my favorite part of the blk’s K-Beauty collection, and this iteration is consistent in quality. It’s easy to blend, crease-proof (even on my oily lids that melt mascara), never patchy, and lasts all day!

The Bomb is a warm cocoa that adds depth to the eyes (my skin tone is a medium-warm or NC37) and works surprisingly well as a cream bronzer. The price is also right for a formula that rivals high end brands.

Swatches, from top: Gorgeous (from K-Beauty collection for comparison), The Bomb, Booyah, Peace Out

Overall, I quite liked the 90s collection due to its clever branding (and timing), and curation of colors. I am disappointed by the Soft Matte Mousse but then again you can probably find me trying to cop the brick shade lol.

I continue to be impressed by blk’s liquid shadows (a rare product type for this price point) and matte lipsticks. I would totally get the Bundle (that comes with a fanny pack!!!!!!!!!!!!!) at P1,099 and includes the liquid shadow, soft matte mousse, and matte lip.

Side note: I’m going to start incorporating the fanny pack into my wardrobe without shame!!!

What are y’all getting from the collection? OR, what beauty trend from the 90s would you incorporate in your routine? Lemme know in the comments!