The Skincare Freak

Sigma Beauty F23 Soft Tapered Contour Brush

Bought for: P480 | SRP: $27 (approx. P1,400)

Bought from: SM Beauty

CLAIMS

This brush comes in a sturdy plastic packaging which I threw away because I don't like plastics, well, that's actually the main reason and I don't think I'll ever use that one  for storage. As expected and always typical to every Sigma brushes, the F23 Soft Tapered Contour Brush is made from the highest-quality fibers (exclusive synthetic antimicrobial fibers). The ferrule is very sturdy as it's made of durable and corrosion-resistant SigmaAlloy™, precious metal plating for shine and strength. The responsibly sourced, lightwood handles are also sleek and durable and is covered with 8 coats of paint plus primer for lasting beauty.

You can really tell that a lot of money and hard work are put into it because the brush has a weight to it and everything looks just polished and even. I bought my first ever makeup brushes from Sigma Beauty and up until now, they look like they've just been bought. Of course, you have to make sure to clean and store them properly.

The brush head is very dense and angled so it easily mimics the shape and hugs the contour of the face. It's very similar to Sigma F84 Angled Kabuki except this one is slightly bigger. It's made of dense bristles that are very, very soft and I cannot stress how much they are of quality. It feels so gentle on the skin and I like that it retains its shape perfectly no matter how many times I wash it. Also, it doesn't shed at all.

This brush lives up to its promise of blending your contour very well and ensure that they look soft and natural. The dense brush does blends everything seamlessly, ensuring that you don't get that sharp,  harsh lines. This brush is very easy to work with and it fits right perfectly to where I want to apply my contour.

Another thing that turns me on is the fact that this brush is multi-tasking too. It can be used as a blush brush or as a finishing brush to dust away excess makeup or powder. You can even use it to set everything to place or use it to apply powder foundation.

Ecotools Blending and Bronzing Brush

Bought for: $9.99 (approx. P500)

Bought from: an online shop

I'm sorry if I'm bombarding you with makeup tool reviews and that's because I've gotten too much and that I want to get over with it once and for all. This time, we'll be talking about this Ecotools Blending and Bronzing Brush which I got from a retailer of authentic makeups in Shopee.

CLAIMS

This brush reminds me of my only favorite from the brand Coastal Scents - Classic Buffer Brush Large Synthetic. Both of which has the same density and almost about the same surface area. The Ecotools' are ever so slightly bigger. One thing I just don't really like is that the brush looks old because the bristles turn even more yellowish/brownish over time despite several washes. It's the same with other Ecotool's duo fiber brushes which I'm hoping the brand would improve on.

Also, this brush sheds a bit more frequently than the rest of the brushes I have in my stash. Nonetheless, it's soft and it's not irritating on the skin and it just does the job in giving natural warmth by blending bronzers seamlessly. I like that it's big and fluffy and not too dense so it distributes product well and even.

Ecotools Total Perfecting Blender

Price: P550

Bought from: Ecotools Lazada

I've already shared my most recent Lazada haul and one of the few makeup tools I got is this Ecotools Total Perfecting Blender. It wasn't in my cart until I needed a few extra bucks to take advantage of the free shipping option. I am so happy that I gave it a go and it feels like I couldn't live without this blender anymore!

CLAIMS

This blender is very much reminiscent of every beauty guru's all-time favorite Beauty Blenders. The latter is still a bit better in my opinion but Ecotools' are still awesome on its own for the reason that it's about half the price of regular Beauty Blenders. Also, it's vegan and cruelty-free.

I love that it's phenomenal - I mean every corner and part of this blender has its use! It comes with two flat sides which you can use for baking and for concealing. When wet, this sponge grows in size and the butt part is enough to cover a huge surface area so you get the job done very fast and easy. On regular days though, I like using the bigger flat side for foundation because it's more ergonomic. The smaller side is perfect to blend out concealer on smaller surface area.

This product comes in green color which is fine since I always prefer darker shades so stains will look very minimal. I'm still delighted that this sponge cleanses well with my Beauty Blender Liquid Blender Cleanser. Also, compared to other cheap sponges, this go back to its original shape once dried.

Overall, Ecotools Total Perfecting Blender is a great investment. This blends makeup very nicely and seamless on the skin so you get medium-full coverage. As advised, use it dry for fuller coverage and wet for sheer and dewy finish. Either way, I like how my base makeup looks whenever I use this. Also, it's a great alternative for the expensive Beauty Blenders - just saying if you are budget-conscious like me.

You can purchase this product at Ecotools official website or stores here in the Philippines. They have trust-worthy retailers at Shopee, Zalora and Lazada. Just be careful and make sure you are buying from certified official stores because yep, imitations are everywhere!

Ecotools Ultimate Concealer Duo

Bought for: P450 | SRP: P650

Bought from: Ecotools in Lazada

CLAIMS

Sigma Beauty F42 Strobing Fan Brush

Price: $18 (approx. P950)

Bought from: SM Beauty

Hello, everyone! I haven't had much time to create blogs last week so I'll try my best to publish all drafted posts I have in queue since I still have a day off. Today, I'll be sharing a quick review about a fan brush I got from Sigma.

We all know Sigma Beauty - it's one of the most popular makeup brush brand out there. I personally like most brushes I got from them because quality and performance are really worth your every penny. I've hated a few but they're nothing compared to the ones I absolutely love. What we have and we're going to talk about this time is this Sigma Beauty F42 Strobing Fan Brush.

CLAIMS

Ecotools 360°  Ultimate Sheer Brush

Retail price: P550 ($6.99 in US)

Bought from: Ecotools Lazada

CLAIMS

I'm very particular with stippling brushes like this and so far, I've only come to like a couple brushes other than this. I love the smaller versions which are the Ecotools Stippling Brush and Real Techniques Stippling Brush. I don't like those that are flat and flimsy and those that are made of long bristles. I've had a bit o f experience with makeup brushes that I can tell which is going to work on me the moment I get to touch and feel it. Apparently, I had a good first impression with this brush from Ecotools and the impression did last!

The brush has a different handle than a standard Ecotools brush. I really like the sturdy blush pink handle because it doesn't stain like the regular handles. Also, it's comparable to high end brushes in terms of weight and feel. I just don't like the taklon bristles used because they stain and becomes yellowish/dirty white overtime even though I haven't used them yet. They can't be removed with regular washing either. It doesn't affect its performance though.

I also like the brush name printed on the handle because it gives me the idea of what it's for. I initially thought that this is a stippling foundation brush but it was suggested to be used with a bronzer. Fair enough, the surface area of the brush is quite big so it would cover and buff product so well onto the skin.

I just learned to apply bronzer very recently and it was something I didn't do very much often before. That was one of my biggest mistake in life but I know better now. I'm happy that this brush helps me get the job done faster and it took me a little to no effort in blending. It doesn't leave any harsh lines at all.

I would say that this brush is also multi-tasking as I can use it to blend my foundation in an airbrush finish. What I would do is to apply foundation with a buffer brush and on days I picked up a 'wrong' brush, I could just use this sheer brush to  blend everything in seamlessly. I could also count on this to blend cream products.

Overall, this brush is of great quality so I highly recommend it especially to beginners. It's one of the best Ecotools brushes I own and I don't mind splurging for another one. It's indeed crafted with quality. I can tell because most stippling brush sheds nonstop, this one did not so far after three washes (I wash my brush every after use). It dries in its original shape and I know know one day the bristles shall worn out but I don't think that's very soon.

CLAIMS

PACKAGING

There's nothing really special on the packaging but I gotta say that it's so travel-friendly and I've always liked retractable packaging for lip balms. I appreciate that claims and ingredients are printed on the design so you can easily go through it whenever you feel like. It also has a safety seal. Always a reminder - don't accept if seal is broken. :D

The balm is white, almost opaque in color. It has a very subtle vanilla-ish scent (and I kind of forget that the flavor is Vanilla Pie lol). It's nothing strong so that's good, right?

Anyway, one  thing I noticed is that the balm easily melts upon contact with warm skin. That seems to be a good news in a way that it goes on the lips smoothly. I love the silky and creamy formulation. Could have its cons too because it loses its shape very easily. Good thing, it doesn't melt on its own unless, perhaps,  if the weather is terribly hot and humid. Make sure to keep it in cool, dry places to lengthen its shelf life.

The texture of it reminds me of Petroleum Jellies. It's very light on the lips and is non-sticky. No waxy feeling at all. It keeps my puckers hydrated for a long time too. Other lip balms just emphasize dryness and make it severe but this one did not.

Overall, Honeybee Gardens Lip Balm in Vanilla Pie is really a good all-natural product to buy if you have the money. Personally though, I'm contemplating whether or not to get one because first, this is a product that is hard to find and I've only seen this in Amazon, and on its official website that's based abroad. Also, it's quite expensive for a lip balm when I could've bought a 50ml petroleum jelly for only P50 and both works the same.

If money isn't an issue, go get yourself a Honeybee Gardens Lip Balm and you will not regret it. It works like how it's supposed to! Sorry if I made this blog longer than expected. Anyway, I'm off now. Happy blogging!

Mustus Chlo Gauze Peeling Pad

Bought for: Free | SRP: P1,540

From: Charis Celeb

CLAIMS

PACKAGING

Product comes in tiny mint green packets and I honestly love it because it looks so pleasing to the eyes and also, they are travel-friendly. You can just simply pop a few sachets on your skincare kit as you travel and use it anytime you want. Every time I tear a packet open, I got this thinking that what I'm putting on my skin is fresh and clean - something that gets exposed to air for the first time. The lesser time it gets exposed, the lesser contaminants there is. I don't have a basis for that comment, it's just my OCD. Lol.

The sachets are housed in an eco-friendly brown bag that has information about the product such as directions, volume, ingredients and stuff. Looking through it, I know these products are made to be cruelty-free.

TEXTURE AND EASE OF APPLICATION

Inside of it are rectangular shaped gauze pads that has a textured side and a plain, soft side. The textured (gauze) side is meant to exfoliate and remove dead skin cells and the other one is what I use for extra cleansing. I rarely use the gauze because it's a bit rough for my liking and whenever I do, I just rub it all over my face and neck in just one go.

The soft side is what I use every single time because it's so soft and gentle on the skin. Also, it effectively removes excess oil and dirt - see for yourself as the pad changes in color.

Each pad is soaked in clear, runny essence which is enough for three uses. I don't recommend this but if you wanna save a  bit, you can cut each gauze into two. If you have small areas to cover, a half pad is enough to tone and hydrate your skin. Why three? There are so much essence left even after consuming both pads that you can still soak a clean, dry cotton ball for a third use! No kidding!

However, if you wish to cut your skincare routine short, you can just use the whole gauze to exfoliate, tone and hydrate with the remaining essence. Either way, I think these pads are a great value for money.

PERFORMANCE

These products is rich in vegan-friendly ingredients like Parsley Extract that contains Chlorophyll. I didn't know that is a great skincare ingredient but oh well, in this era, you can put almost anything to products lol. It also has  mild peeling PHA - which I had to Google because I'm only familiar with BHA and AHA lol - which is great for sensitive skin that is prone to irritation and redness. It's also a milder type of acid that moisturizes the skin and increases cell renewal. That's great if you find AHA and BHA quite strong for your skin type.

Using this for weeks, my skin has become more supple and less irritated and I feel a lesser need for using heavy duty moisturizers. My skin feels calmer and it seems to absorb everything that I put on after. It also doesn't feel heavy on the skin, it's incredibly light and it doesn't clog my pores. I experienced breakouts in the first three days but they disappeared with regular use.

Overall, Mustus Chlo Gauze Peeling Pad is a great product to use. I'm just contemplating whether or not to repurchase because it's not cheap, you know? If you have the money and if you want something pure and natural, you better spend for these. It works for all skin types!