Colour Collection Lipstick in Red Wine

How time flies! In the blink of an eye, it's already a wee bit past mid-year and we're hurtling fast into the -ber months. To me, this has so far been a great year for cosmetics and beauty. It's my guilty pleasure to pamper myself (when time permits), and I've had the opportunity to try (and buy!) some pretty cool products from affordable sources. One such source is Sample Room.

Today's post is my review for Colour Collection's Vitamin E Satin Lipstick in Red Wine.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="480"] 4g of product[/caption]

The packaging is a simple glossy black box with gold writing, while the lipstick is contained in a shiny black plastic case that tapers around the edges. The barrel is gold and has a classy gold rim effect when the cap is on. Packaging reminds me of old-school Lancome. Simple, but elegant.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="480"] Ingredients[/caption]

The first time I've heard of this brand was when KC Concepcion was signed as the endorser. Back then, I wasn't able to order anything because I didn't know any Tupperware or Fuller Life dealers, unlike I knew Avon ladies. So no dice.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="420"] 3 cm of lipstick[/caption]

This time, I'm happy to say that I was finally able to get a Colour Collection lipstick. Sample Room offers 3 colors (one being pink, and the other a peach hue), but I specifically selected this one because of my obsession with a Gucci ad featuring Fan Bingbing, a Chinese actress.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="581"] Fan BingBing for Gucci[/caption]

I stared at this ad for minutes because I just love the smoky bronze eye paired with the dark red lips.  The general rule is to pair a strong eye with light lips, but this was a happy compromise. Though sultry, the eye shadow isn't too dark. It's just enough to contour the eye and show off some color, making the look totally wearable.

So of course, I just had to recreate this for myself...

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="539"] Red Wine as is; My Look of the Day[/caption]

To get as close as possible to the peg, I went and did a more visible bronze streak to the contours of my eyelids. Then I took the lipstick for a spin: The color, though it looks like a deep wine red on the tube, comes on lighter. I had to do a thick coat to get it it a bit darker, but definitely not as dark or as blood red as Fan Bingbing's lips. Notably, the color glides on smooth. I used lip balm underneath, so I didn't suffer any dryness. I also used a reddish brown lip liner for definition. One more thing, the scent is amazing! It smells exactly like MAC, a delicious vanilla!

Now, to make my lips even more dramatic, I tried topping this color with another lipstick, this one in dark plum. The effect is this:

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="516"] Another way to wear this look[/caption]

I liked it, but it was getting farther away from Fan BingBing's version. I notice she has a deep garnet shade on, while mine morphed into plum. Oh well, I love my version anyway. No regrets with this lipstick. The color is great for fall. So excited! :)

 

Colour Collection Lipstick (PHP 330, regular price)

Body Wash = Bath Foam

For the last few Christmases, I've been receiving bottle after bottle (or tube after tube) of bath products. It works out great because I love body wash and lotion. Incidentally, I got into the habit of using body wash instead of soap a few years ago when someone gifted me with a bath set. At least, nothing goes to waste.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="420"] Possibly half-a-year's supply?[/caption]

I was going through my bath products today, trying to arrange things in FIFO (First In, First Out) order when I stumbled upon some of the older bath sets I've kept for some time now. The reason I haven't cracked them open is because they are full sets of body wash, lotion, foam bath, cologne, and bath fizzies. While I love using matching products, I didn't know what to do with the fizzies and foam baths. I'm not one to soak in the tub, you see.

After carefully pondering, if I should just use the foam baths as a body wash, I decided to check the label to see if the two were similar. Lo and behold, foam baths and body washes are almost identical ingredients-wise. I just always thought that foam baths were more harsh because they're needed to bubble up the tub water.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="504"] Same—with the exception of glycol distearate, an emollient found in plenty of moisturizers[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="360"] Exact, same thing[/caption]

YAY! I just learned that tidbit today. Now I only have to think of what to do with the freaking bath fizzies...