True Brown Lippies Hit List

November 21, 2016 In Beauty, Reviews By Mikki Galang

True Brown Lippies Hit List

When it comes to colors, I think I’ve been keeping and buying more neutrals and nudes this year, credits to the retro trend! In the process, I have made a list of lippies that aren’t like the usual “browns” that some brands claim their lipsticks to be. These are not reddish or too pinkish ones and they have attracted me most!

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Below, I have 3 liquid lippies (one I have shared here before), 1 lip crayon, and 1 creamy lippy. I’m quite excited about this because it’s my first Colour Pop purchase (I’m so late but I will share more of this below), my first time to try the BYS Velvet matte lippies which are selling like pancakes!!, and of course, a product of a collab between Liz Lanuzo of Project Vanity and homegrown brand Pink Sugar.

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By just looking at the tubes, the browns look “true”, meaning they’re like the wood or chocolate colors, and not mixed with reds, orange or pink. What interested me about these choices is that (same as true nudes), I can mix these with other colors of lipsticks to make them warmer. Imagine it as a base note of a perfume =)

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On arm, all of the shades seemed truly warm and brown (just differing in yellow undertone, and intensity) except for Love at First Swipe by Pink Sugar which is a peachy cocoa, sorta pinkish, but still not too much for me. Aside from colors, let me discuss some qualities one by one:

ColourPop Liquid in Limbo (liquid matte lipstick) [PHP 400+] – I bought this from Tupped Boutique as they said that this is the exact dupe of Kylie’s True Brown K. Indeed, everytime I wear this I always get the question “What’s your lippie?”. It’s a very unique and just-right intensity of a warm brown shade. While I’m OK with all the qualities that a Colour Pop liquid matte has except for its average longevity, obvious crinkling and flaking, this one is a color worth wearing!
BYS Velvet Liquid in Teddy Bare (liquid matte lipstick) {PHP 300+]* – BYS sent me this lippie for me try it and it’s one pretty brown shade! It’s less dark, yellow and intense than Colour Pop which can be worn at day. The formula is very good on my lips! It stays incredibly long, but it coats the lips which is both good and bad because 1. it gives a protective layer than which crinkles through time, and 2. it doesn’t stain the lips so it’s just sits on top, with the intense pigments not getting through the skin, thus less dry. But I’m definitely good with that!

: LA Splash in Spellbound

: Colourpop in Limbo

: BYS in Teddy Bare

: Shiseido in BR 757

: Pink Sugar x Project vanity in Love At First Swipe

LA Splash Lip Couture in Spellbound (liquid matte lipstick) [PHP 600] – I got this last year which I just reviewed now. Minding the qualities of LA Splash (still the most pigmented but hardest to remove!!), this one is a pretty dark brown shade. Imagine the true color of wood? This one is quite reddish than Colour Pop and all the others.
Pink Sugar x Project Vanity in Love At First Swipe (matte lip crayon) [PHP 399] – I wasn’t able to attend this launch so I bought from Project Vanity at #Passionflybazaar last September and
Shiseido Perfect Rouge in BR 757 (creamy lipstick) [PHP 1000+]* – I would never imagine this color for the brand but it’s a lustrous lighter version of Teddy Bare, quite yellow but definitely wearable at day and in combination with others. Shiseido lippies are quite understated because these are truly pigmented, creamy and non-drying!

With flash below, check out intensity and undertones of the hit list.

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Below, I just wanna share the applicators of the liquid lippies featured here. I don’t like Colour Pop’s and LA SPlash actually. The rightmost kind of wand works for me and that’s from BYS (similar with Sleek)

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So do you like brown lippies like me? Share the ones you have by commenting below!

November 13, 2016 In Beauty By Mikki Galang

MG x Benefit Travel & Holiday Glam Workshop

Finally, a collab with Benefit Cosmetics! I’ve always wanted do something fun, perky and creative with this brand and I decided to share how to do my holiday glam and how to take and prep up for those travel photos!

Final Details:

Date: December 11, 2016, time 3-5pm
Venue: SM Megamall Benefit Boutique
Free travel-sized Benefit products to be given away YAY
List of Participants:
- Ria Lumandog
- Ericka Sallador
- Loren Gill
- Joanne Carino
- Bettina Bacani
- Trisha Lopez
- Roxanne Chua
- Rhen Estillero
- Crissy Rillo
- Roxanne Atienza
- Ella Nievas
- Aaliyah Centeno
- Phantasm Darkstar
- Abegaill Villacruz
- Maria Rita Sebastian
- Bianca Padilla
- Mikaela Salamante
- Sophia Llegado
- Riza Relleve
- Aivana Elma
- @pranseng
- 5-7 more girls from Benefit

Excited to end the year and 5th blog anniv with this announcement and I hope to see you there!

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November 13, 2016 In Beauty, Beauty Home, LGBT By Mikki Galang

REVIEW: Viva Glam Arianna Grande 2

I thought I’d never wear a cool-toned pink until this Arianna Grande 2 came out. It is so beautiful.

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When I first saw the second Viva Glam in collaboration with Arianna Grande for F/W this year, I thought that it was not the kind of hue that I would wear because I always believe that warm colors suited me more but wearing this for photos below (and in La Union), it was a pretty and wearable pink for me.

Swatches of MAC Viva Glam 2 Arianna Grande and Lip Glass with flash

Definitely, this is a charming and fresh/cheeky shade that is the complete opposite of the first one, reflecting Ari’s aesthetics.

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Under warm sunlight, you can see below that the shade is kinda warm which is prolly why this also suited me, aside from realizing also that my bases and hues are usually warm so this is a good kind of contrast.

PS. The neutral mauve lip glass is pretty!

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What’s good also is that every cent of the selling price of M·A·C VIVA GLAM Lipstick and Lipglass is donated to the M·A·C AIDS Fund. To date, the M∙A∙C AIDS Fund has raised $425 million. Locally, you can see the statistics shared the MAC Cosmetics Philippines when it comes to their genuine efforts to help those affected or living with HIV/AIDS.

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As usual, the consistency, texture and formulation of this product is the same with their other matte’s but this is just truly opaque and matte.

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Overall, this Orchid pink shade truly makes my warm makeup look fresh (younger!!) and charming. I would definitely recommend and use these more often despite that the holiday season is calling for more dark vampy shades. I think I’m entering my pink phase 😉

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November 13, 2016 In Beauty By Mikki Galang

The Pink Parade

Benefit Cosmetics is spreading brow love around the metro and I was so happy to have the #benevan as my transpo for the day! I always had the dream of having a hipster vehicle. See below more photos and the new launches of Benefit – a new lipstick and Christmas pack, as well as an exciting collab announcement!

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You too can ride and enjoy this parade!The Benefit Pink Parade Bus will have a stop over at Greenbelt 5 Fashion Walk at November 14 Monday. Stop overs will have exciting lemonade stands with free goodies and brow make up tutorials from benefit! Also, ust snap a photo & upload it on Instagram using the hashtag #benefitbrowsph for a chance to WIN a travel-sized Benefit treat. Don’t forget to follow & tag @benefitph! You’ll receive a reply with details on how to claim your sample*😉

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details on next post!

with sissy Yam Hernandez!

Used Gimme Brow here!

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Their holiday kit! Buy one for onlyP2400 & get products worth more than P4k! Spot also the new They’re Real lippies which are so innovative with its ombre stick!

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November 3, 2016 In Beauty, Beauty Home, Break My Spell By Mikki Galang

#Halloween2016 3: Wolf and Woman

“Some days I am more wolf than woman and I am still learning how to stop apologizing for my wild” – Nikita Gill

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I read this powerful quote from an IG post of a friend and former teacher and I got inspired to create the 3rd look for the #Halloween2016 series. It was quite sad that Halloween has come to an end because it’s always the time for transformations and creative expressions but it’s always halloween in this blog, isn’t it? =)

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October was such a crazy wild fun month with all the weddings, parties and events I attended, but also because I got inspired by them. One was the wedding and uncommon love of my HS batchmates described by the visuals below.

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Key Products Used:

MUFE Artist Rouge Cream in C603
Laura Mercier Illuminating Eye Colour in Gilded Platinum
Dolly Wink Eyeliner
Wet n Wild Glitter Cream; BYS Glitter Cream
Kylie Cosmetics Liquid Lippies in Dead of the Knight and Majesty Black
MAC Star Trek Lip Gloss in Set to Stun
Tony Moly Eye Tone Shimmer in S22
@ScleraContactLens Contact Lens
@WigShoppe Silver lace-front wig

I was waiting for the Mehron silver and gold pigment/paint to arrive to create this glam wolf look (you can also use some techniques here to recreate the famous animal Snapchat filters hehe) but I realized that I have a white lipstick that I got from the Artist Rouge event and I used that as base of the half-wolf face.

Key Techniques Applied:

Apply platinum eyeshadow on top of the white pigment to create a stunning frost base
Use a very sharp/precise liquid eyeliner to create feathery strokes that would define points of the face – brows, pointed eyeliner, contour areas
Smudge the sharp lines with glitter creams and shadow some with similar hues of pigment
Repeat drawing of sharp feathery lines

Watch the Halloween series at my YT channel this week. Hope you had a great one!

November 2, 2016 In Beauty By Mikki Galang

#Halloween2016 3: Half-Raven Half-Mystique

You want society to accept you, but you can’t even accept yourself. – Magneto to Raven/Mystique. I co-created this trans mutant and proud look with MAC Cosmetics and Raf Mañosca this halloween 2016. It was such a dream come true becoming an X-Men.

Raf used a Pro-paint product as base with texture made possible by drying flakes on skin using a DUO glue. Check out the makeup details below! #macslayshalloween

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October 26, 2016 In Beauty, Beauty Home, Break My Spell By Mikki Galang

#Halloween2016 1: Broken Speaking Doll

My second look for #Halloween2016 is a spring doll that’s scary AF! I asked help from my MAKE UP FOR EVER friends this time and we created this look with artist Maws Diaz. I like that MUFE always has nice pre-set looks that halloween party-goers can avail at store.

See below products used! Here’s a saver tip I learned from this experience: mix lip gloss with red and black lipstick to make fake dripping blood!

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October 25, 2016 In Beauty By Mikki Galang

2016 Awards + Big BDAY/Blog Anniv GIVEAWAY!

The year is ending soon and there has been so much good things happening to me in my beauty and blogging career and I thank you so much for all the support you’ve given me and this platform for 5 years. My 28th birthday just ended and Christmas is happening so soon, so i thought maybe i can share what I get from what I do, para lahat tayo happy ‘diba? So I curated 5 special beauty bags from my favorite brands that i wanna give you 😉

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There are 5 major prizes totalling around 25K to be given away to 5 readers of my blog who will complete the following mechanics and be generous (50%) and smart/creative (50%) in posting and commenting. I will announce the winners on the 12th and the pick up of the prizes will be at @passionflybazaar Green Sun Makati. Good luck!

Follow me on the following channels: Youtube (!!), InstaGram (Turn on post notifications on my IG – click the 3 dots), FB, FB, Twitter, and Snapchat (@mikkigalang)
Show support for my loyal and beloved sponsors/partner/fav brands on IG/FB: MAKE UP FOR EVER, The Body Shop, Maybelline, Tony Moly, Etude House, and Sleek!
Interact with me be sharing your thoughts on my IG, Blog and Youtube content (like a commenter of the month)
Repost any of the following photos of products below that interest you, describe why you like it, and end it with caption: “ Happy 5th blogversary and launch of your Youtube channel, @mikkigalangdotcom! Get the chance to WIN over 25,000 worth of beauty loot bags from her favorite makeup brands. Full mechanics on mikkigalang.com!” Tag 3 of your friends and feel free to add any message or comment about my craft 😉

Last but not the least, I think that this is also the perfect time to share my October-November favorites (I haven’t said that in a long time hehe!). See below my listings!

1st PRIZE: THE LIQUID LIP

It was the latter part of 2015 until this year that I have been using and purchasing liquid lippies like how I buy foundation! I started with LA Splash which for me is the most pigmented and long-lasting on budget ones. But there were so many good launches locally (we launched Pink Sugar and Sleek at @DigifyPH and we’re happy it’s doing very well) and globally, as well. Tony Moly’s Liquid Lips and MAKE UP FOR EVER Artist Acrylic are also one of those creamy formulations in liquid lip format that I liked, reviewed and will share to you in this giveaway, where you can win all these.

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2nd PRIZE: HUE ARE SO LOVELY

It was also this year that I started using more colors on my face and nails, and not just on my eyes because it just makes me younger-looking, especially the pink and bright ones! The Spoiler Blush stick from Tony Moly is a bomb, together their other blush formats: Cheek tone powder and Snowy Dessert pudding tint. and These eye and lip (2in1) liners from Sleek and Tony Moly are so eye-catching and pigmented, perfect for you to create looks until summer with these items!!

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3rd PRIZE: LIPPES ARE NOT BORING

I mean the traditional ones, but with exciting hues, collabs, and packaging! The new MAKE UP FOR EVER Rouge Artist which I reviewed here is just something I really wanna share with you (+ The Plexi gloss) because of the show-stopping colors and creamy formula. This is also an exclusive color released in collab with one fav music duo of mine, Icona Pop! This MAC x Star Trek lippie is also a fierce out-of-the-world addition to my limited collection which I’m sharing to you. Tony Moly’s Panda’s Dream is a collection that at first we would think is just cute outside, but is also super-pigmented and performing inside. And of course, my favorite 90’s beauty must-have: The brown matte lippie from Maybelline which I also reviewed here.

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4th PRIZE: EYES EYES EYES ALWAYS

You all know how I like decorating my eyes and these hues, mascara’s and false lashes are good ones to spark your creativity 😉

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5th PRIZE: STROBE, CONTOUR, PREP & PRIME LIKE A GODDESS

I have never been more addicted to highlighters and primers nowadays because they make a fresh and thinner face. Strobing awards goes to the popular Sleek highlighters with the newest cream format below. I just love their Solstice variant!! Contour award goes to the affordable Maybelline V-Shape below and Tony Moly’s Panda Dream stick. Primer goes to my Top 1 choice, Step 1 by MUFE. And of course, the Body Shop moisturizer to prep skin which now has better SPF.

All these you can get (except the Snowy Dessert and Sleek quad highlighter which were just used in the photo)

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SO THERE. Thank you again so much and hope to see you in blog or Vlog next year! 😉

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October 11, 2016 In Beauty By Mikki Galang

Orogold Tour & Review

I first knew of Orogold back in 2010 when I purchase their infamous Gold-infused nail grooming kit which costs P3000+. I kept that for years and it has been keeping my nails – which is still skin! – neat and shiny. Then it disappeared for a time.

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Then just a few months ago I noticed Orogold boutique’s in malls, with a wide selection of premium skin care products so I tried visiting and checking out their products with real gold. It is said that Orogold combines ancient heritage and old age beliefs with modern day technology and manages to re-create the exotic beauty of yesteryears, while ensuring that it helps you deal with modern environmental stressors as well.

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I visited the branch in Robinsons Ermita (one busy and best-selling mall I’ve known when I was still in marketing) and the owner toured me to the different sections of the luxurious boutique and found some unique products and lines suited for every skin type. I was amazed at their Caviar and Cryogenic exclusive collections made out of caviar, gold, Mother of Pearl and diamond. Each of these exclusive OROGOLD collections contains some of the most unique and luxurious ingredients that can work wonders for the skin and transform the way skin looks.

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Aside from serums, premium masks always catch my attention because they have the highest concentrations of the active ingredient.

I had a mini consultation and since I was still on Tret that time, I had to solve my dull and dry skin so they had to give my the Vitamin C collection, and a facial treatment that comes with the VIP card to entitle loyal customers with exclusive benefits when you purchase around P50,000 worth of products.

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They gave me the chance to check out the The Vitamin C Collection which promised to purify the skin by removing makeup, dirt, and excessive oil. Infused with powerful antioxidants such as Witch Hazel Extract, Tangerine Fruit Extract, and Gold, skin will feel energized and refreshed. I got to try the star products from the line in the VIP room which was just so luxurious and high-performing.

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I got the try the 24K Gold mask regimen and a preview of the Vit C serum after, applied on my face using their special massager which would allow the active ingredient to penetrate product deep in the skin.

Immediately, my face became so bright and blooming, with very minimal dullness, dryness and spots or marks! Prolly one of the facials (without acne pricking etc) Ive ever had that instantly made my skin glowing and ultra-smooth. I can go out and even party after these treatments.

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I was so happy that they let me try two of their star products at home which I’ve been using on special occasions (Im trying to save up on this LOL). I use these especially before doing my makeup prepping and priming.

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24K Vitamin C Facial Cleanser ( P 6,200)* OROGOLD’S impressive 24K Vitamin C Facial Cleanser is enriched with ingredients such as Vitamin C and Gold. This cleanser offers a gentle foaming action to clean skin and help remove make up, dirt, and excess oils, leaving your skin feeling energized and refreshed. This opulent cleanser doesn’t just do an excellent job cleansing the skin of impurities, dirt and extra oil but it also removes makeup! Use it at the end of the day to remove grime and pollutants from your face in one easy step.

24K Vitamin C Booster Facial Serum ( P 9,100)* The 24K Vitamin C Facial Booster Serum is flecked with gold pieces to help illuminate and brighten the appearance of tired looking skin. The serum formula combines gold with beneficial ingredients like vitamin E and vitamin C, to give skin a youthful, ultra-smooth and glowing look. Over time, it diminishes the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, leaving you with smooth and glowing looking skin and a soft citrus aroma.

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These are prolly the only gold I own and one of the most luxurious and expensive skin care in my set and I’m happy with the results. The serum is very good as primer as well as it is quite silicone-y but it delivers like gold. By the way, the products have an Authentication Certificate that verifies they’re using certified 24K Italian Nanogold. And we all know that gold in skin care improves circulation, collagen release and elasticity of the skin since it became trendy in 2008-2011.

Overall, I recommend these products and treatments. Might seem pricey but the services and real luxurious effects are worth it. Try to visit them at Century City Mall, Newport Mall, Resorts World or Robinsons Place Manila.

*The products and services are given for free so I can try and review their best-selling offers

September 12, 2016 In Beauty, Beauty Home By Mikki Galang

I’m in Youtube!

Finally, right?!? I just realized how I’m missing out on the fun that is video curating and editing and I shall be sharing quick eye makeup tutorials, short films about my events and prolly even more! Check out my channel at youtube.com/mikkigalang. I’ve uploaded a few videos already and hope you can subscribe to my channel. Below is my first tutorial and some more photos from that look, and product listing. Enjoy!

Kill Them With Kindness