Are you looking for ways to maintain that sunkissed summer glow? How about faking a summer tan? My summer makeup look for 2015 is all about that! With the aid of a reliable bronzer and a really good highlighter, it's so easy to look like a summer goddess. It's very easy and I'll show you how. Watch my video below and check out the makeup products and tools that I used.



Next up are the products I used in the video. I highly recommend these for people who want waterproof/sweatproof/long-lasting makeup. Even those with normal skin can benefit from these because it's really hot and humid this season and honestly, who doesn't want to stay fresh-looking all day?

• Olay Total Effects Pore Minimizing CC Cream in Medium 
• Naturactor Cover Face concealer in 171 and 151
• Pixy UV Whitening Compact Powder Coverlast in Natural
• Pixy Eye shadow in Sorrel Brown
• Heroine Make Long & Curl mascara
• Victoria's Secret bronzer 
• Revlon Highlighting Palette in Rosy Glow
• Revlon Ultra HD lipstick in Geranium
• Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Tutti Frutti
• Etude House Color My Brows in Blonde
• Ben Nye Banana and Neutral Set Powder
• Monomola 7days Eyebrow Tattoo

I'm also taking this opportunity to review the Ecotools brushes I got from SissyShoppe. Basically, it's all you need to recreate that sunkissed summer look.


First of all, I prefer using synthetic brushes. I have oily, acne-prone, sensitive skin (IKR!) and my skin seems to react when I'm using brushes made from animal hair. Maybe it's just me and it doesn't hold true for you. Since the bristles of these Ecotools brushes are made from soft, synthetic material plus recycled bamboo handles (hurray for Mother Earth!), I really love them to bits!


My favorite is the Sheer Finish Kabuki brush. Sometimes when I'm in a hurry, I tend to take so much product than I intended to. I love using this with my finishing powders and of course, highlighters. My next choice would be the Airbrush Concealer brush. This one is also pretty flexible because you can use this as a fluffy eyeshadow brush. As you can see in the video, my concealer application was a breeze using this brush. The Custom Buffing Coverage brush is also really good because it picks up just the right amount of powder foundation. It also blends powder products well on my face and it feels super soft that I didn't want to stop buffing my face! LOL! I have yet to try this with liquid foundation though. The Bronzer Brush is really huge so I'm not sure it's the right size for my face. Nevertheless, I also love that it picked up the right amount of bronzer so I didn't turn Oompa Loompa even at first try. The Flat Foundation Brush which is actually meant to be used with liquid foundation is something I prefer to use for setting my under eye with finishing powder. Since it's summer, I'm not really into using liquid foundations because of the extreme heat.

You can get these awesome Ecotools brushes from SissyShoppe. Check out their Facebook and Instagram accounts where you can browse their offerings for affordable beauty products and tools.


If you would like to see more makeup looks or for any YouTube video requests, please do leave a comment below and let me know what you like to see next. Thanks for watching my video and dropping by my blog!

I apologize for taking forever to publish my makeup tutorial for the Vintage Glam look I pulled off last Christmas. I know this is way, way overdue but I hope you'll still watch, like, rate, comment, and subscribe to my YouTube Channel.



Featuring products I came to love and are now my favorites from 2014:

From Happy Hauler Ph: (http://happyhaulerph.biz)
- LittleBaby Blossom Baby Base
- Chifure UV Bi-Cake Foundation with SPF33
- Naturactor 151 & 171
Review: http://www.bastaigatsikat.com/2013/07/naturactor-review-how-to-cover-up-acne-blemishes-concealer-foundation.html

By Benefit:
- Stay Don't Stray
- Fake Up
Review: http://www.bastaigatsikat.com/2014/12/sweet-shoppe-november-2014-bdj-box-7-day-challenge.html

By Heroine Make:
- Volume & Curl mascara
- Heavy Rotation Shiny Jewel eyeliner
Review: http://www.bastaigatsikat.com/2014/07/bdj-box-elite-be-your-own-heroine.html

Fanny Serrano Two-Way Cake Foundation - http://www.bastaigatsikat.com/2014/10/mac-studio-fix-powder-plus-vs-fanny-serrano-two-way-cake-foundation.html

Pixy blush - http://www.bastaigatsikat.com/2014/05/april-2014-bdj-box-pixy-exclusive.html
Anastasia Dip Brow Pomade / Etude House Color My Brows - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5Zo1-HXWWo

Colour Collection High Definition Lipstick - https://instagram.com/p/wnnvPzFSoi

Naturactor Silky Lucent loose powder - https://instagram.com/p/vYQBpUFSrN

3S Pre-glued Lashes - https://instagram.com/p/w-0sgNFSvc

Lucido-L Styling Milk (Curl) - http://www.bastaigatsikat.com/2015/01/blonde-ambition-how-to-maintain-bleached-blonde-hair.html

Ben Nye Banana Luxury Powder
Urban Decay Naked 3 palette
Nyx Wonder Pencil

Favorite Brushes from Sigma:
Sigma P88 flat angled brush - Click HERE!
Sigma F80 flat kabuki brush - Click HERE!
Sigma E45 Small Tapered Blending brush - Click HERE!
Sigma E40 Tapered Blending brush - Click HERE!

A photo posted by ✨✨✨✨💖💜MyMaria💜💖✨✨✨✨ (@bastaigat_sikat) on Feb 22, 2015 at 7:49pm PST

#BDJBOX

My 2015 started with the biggest beauty kick off with my January-February BDJ BOX containing my favorite full-sized Japanese products worth PHP 2,764 plus the vouchers. The beauty box is worth basically 4 x the cost of the monthly subscription which is only PHP 580! Whoa! I feel so lucky and loved!

I'm pretty sure you're familiar with these products already as I have featured them before in my blog but I'm doing the BDJ BOX 7-Day Challenge so here goes nothing.

DAY 1


I've used Pixy powder foundations in April of last year but this time I got two different shades. Since they didn't necessarily match my current skintone, I found a use for them by using them to contour and highlight my face. The Two-Way Cake Fit in Tropical Beige (PHP 275) is dark for contour and the Coverlast (PHP 325) in Natural is for highlight. The two way cake  is a great long lasting face base that can be used wet or dry depending on the look you're aiming for and the Coverlast is super awesome at covering blemishes + controlling oil plus giving you a smooth, even, and natural look! Pixy is a favorite brand of mine that you can buy locally at selected Watsons stores and it is very affordable, too!

DAY 2


Don't be a bed head! Wake up with super sleek, frizz-free, & more manageable hair with Lucido-L leave-on overnight treatment oil (PHP 295). For straighter hair that allows fingers to run through easily from roots to ends! Also it smells fruity and wonderful! I also use the Lucido-L hair supplements, the Curling Milk and the Styling Milk for Straight hair (PHP 295), depending on what I'm doing with my hair. For me they are great setting lotions that nourishes your hair at the same time.

DAY 3



Pixy blush (PHP 345) in Carnation Bloom for a sweet innocent look that's perfect for any date. Ahem! And you know, not just for Valentines Day because it's just the right peachy pink color for an everyday natural cute flush. It's got the right amount of pigmentation to ensure that and I never end up looking like a clown.

DAY 4



Pixy Eye Shadow (PHP 315) in Sorrel Brown is all you need for a casual daily look. I've been using this all week and I'm loving it to bits! It makes your eye pop without really trying. You don't even have to be a pro at applying it because it glides easily and one swatch of color gives enough pigmentation.


You can take the the light shimmery peach color and lightly dust all over the lid and/or on the crease like I did, then take the dark taupe-brown and use it as eyeliner alternative. You can use this to further define your crease, too, as in transitioning from day to night. Easy-peasy! Can you guess what shade of lipstick I'm wearing in the photo above? This is also from Pixy!
DAY 5



Using the same Sorrel Brown eye shadow palette from Pixy with this Day to Night makeup transition with one shimmery peachy shade and one taupe-brown shade. From neutral to smokey eyes. Again, it is very easy to apply and won't take up space in your makeup kit. The eyeshadows last a decent 4-5 hours without primer. It's buildable, too!

DAY 6
I've been using the Bifesta makeup remover (PHP 419) since 2013 and I find absolutely nothing wrong with it so I continue using this to remove stubborn waterproof makeup. It's also water-based so you can use it when you're too lazy to wash your face before hitting the sack. And what's more? It's also a toner!  It comes in 4 variants. When I was breaking out, I used the Sebum one to help control the oil on my face. If you haven't tried the Bifesta makeup remover, grab one now!

DAY 7

Sunkiller Perfect Strong A with SPF 50 (PHP 495) is the most ultra-light sunblock I've ever tried! Honest! It even dries up matte just like powder and is a great face primer methinks. It claims to be resistant to sweat and water, which I have to test soon when I'm off to bask in the sun this coming summer season. It also contains a menthol blend for a cooling sensation. OMG! Can there be a more perfect sunblock than this??? No more sticky icky feeling during the hot and humid season! I give this my two thumbs up!!! You definitely need to try this!

CONCLUSION:
The best thing about these Japanese products is that they are friendly to the Filipina skin and even the shades match and complement our skintone. This is basically the reason why I'm partial to Asian products over imported ones from the US. Our climate/weather is also something to consider when purchasing makeup. Because we live in the tropics with heavy torrential rains, I highly recommend beauty products that are waterproof and sweatproof.

Press PLAY ▶️ for my completed @bdjbox 7-day Challenge for January-February. Japanese products are great for Filipina skin! Don't believe me? Check out my blog at www.bastaigatsikat.com to know more about these Kawaii must-haves! 👍 #bastaigatsikat #makeup #instamakeup #beauty #bdjbox #bdjbuzz #bdjbox7day #bdjboxjanfeb #instabeauty #bblogger #beautyblogger #fotd #motd #muotd #eotd #lotd #pixy #Bifesta #lucidoL #sunkiller @bifestaph @pixyphilippines @lucidolph @bdjbuzz

A video posted by ✨✨✨✨💖💜MyMaria💜💖✨✨✨✨ (@bastaigat_sikat) on Feb 19, 2015 at 8:44pm PST

There you go, folks! All these products I used in my #BDJBOX7Day Challenge are going to be mainstays in my beauty station and I see myself buying these Kawaii must-haves for a very loooong time.

The April BDJBOX is anything but ordinary. Another exclusive box and this time it's packed with Indonesian-based cosmetics line named Pixy, offering products formulated using the best Japanese technology and ingredients. Their slogan, "TRULY ASIAN BEAUTY", implies of beauty which is revealed via healthy, clean, soft, and bright skin that embodies a truly Asian beauty.

It is summer season here in the Philippines which means the heat wave is no laughing matter. Wearing layers of makeup is not recommended and so I put Pixy products to the test in this crazy weather to see how they fare.

DAY 1.

Tried the Pixy Ultimate Makeup cake today. I got the Natural Buff shade and I swatched it beside my MAC studio fix powder plus foundation in NC30 for comparison. It did a great job at eliminating shine! How I used it? I sprayed some water on a flat kabuki brush and picked up some of the product to buff it on my face. It's medium coverage is buildable without looking cakey... So naturally I loved using it on my face as it did an awesome job with covering up flaws and giving me smoother looking skin! Went out for errands under the 34-degree heat of the sun which actually felt like 46 degrees even in the shade. ☀️ I had to blot my face after 2 hours. ☺️ My FOTD also included Pixy Colors of Delight blush-on in Brown Tea and Silky Fit Lasting Matte lipstick in Earthy Beige.


DAY 2.

I found the perfect blush for summer! It's Pixy Colors of Delight blush-on in Brown Tea! As you can see when compared to my other favorite blushes, it's darker and can even be used as a bronzer/contour. It's not totally matte, although there's just a hint of shimmer which is not overwhelming nor really obvious. It looks a bit orange when swatched on my hand but on my face it blends pretty well giving me a natural flush on the cheeks. ☺️ I'm not at all a fan of brushes that come with most makeup and cosmetics so when applying this blush, I use an angled contour brush to get the product exactly where I want them on my cheeks. This Pixy blush comes In a very handy compact case with no mirror; however, the inside case has a reflective material where you can see your reflection. Very nice product!

DAY 3.

Torn between a matte and a satin lipstick? Here you go! This is Pixy Colors of Delight Silky Fit semi matte lipstick in Haruka (220). For me, this is great for casual everyday wear without looking too made up... you know, "Simply Pretty" ☺️ This pink lippie is hydrating thanks to the Sweet Almond Oil and Vitamin E in it. It also smells rather delicious and sweet!

DAY 4.

For a sheer lipstick with good color pay-off, this Pixy Silky Fit satin lipstick gets the job right. The Colors of Delight Silky Fit lippie in Pinkish Peach is such a lovely shade. In spite of its name, for me I think it's more of a peachy coral than pink which is also great for daily wear and different skintones especially if you wanna brighten up your smile and spread happiness. Easy to pull off a fresh look during these hot summer days with this girly hue from a creamy and hydrating lipstick!  Nice one, Pixy!

DAY 5.

The 3rd lipstick is the Colors of Delight Silky Fit Matte lippie in Earthy Beige. I must say that among the 3 ones I've tried, this is my favorite! Why? Because it's Matte but it's not drying at all! Can u believe that? And it's pigmented and long-wearing too! It's such a dream to apply and it doesn't even tug on my dry lips. Ah basta! I am in love with this lipstick and the color is absolutely the exact shade of nude that I love to wear on a daily basis or paired with smokey eyes! Just like MAC Freckletone!

DAY 6.

This Pixy Volumizing Waterproof mascara  is not to be underestimated! Come on, look at that! That's one picture that paints a thousand words. It's amazing what a few swipes of mascara can do! Volumizing indeed! My naturally straight and sparse lashes look waaaay much better! It also instantly brightened my peepers and as you can see I'm not wearing eyeliner but my eyes look larger! Wowwwwzaaa!!! I did curl my lashes before applying the mascara, if you must know. Although I don't really like the brush wand coz it's stiff and there's a certain smell to the product... Ummm like newly Xeroxed copies... But with the end result, I can see past all that. ☺️

DAY 7.

Been using this UV Whitening 2-way cake for a week and it's amazing how perfect my base makeup looks! I don't think I'll ever need anything else. There's 2 kinds -- Perfect Fit for dry/normal skin which contains Squalane oil + SPF 15 and Perfect Matte for oily/troubled skin which is anti-bacterial, non-comedogenic and oil-free which contains natural Kenzo extract from Japan. I use the latter and it is really long lasting and I get a shine-free face for 4 hours! Very impressive in this 32 to 34-degree summer heat! The Honey Beige shade blended perfectly on my face and I feel like a print ad model! Hahahaha! You really gotta try it! But mind you, it has quite a strong scent to it. Upon application it smells like Opium (not the drug, okay? I meant the YSL perfume!) or locally, Avon's Imari line comes to mind. It's that powerful. I swore I could have fainted on the spot when I took a whiff but like a curious little cat that I am, I went ahead and used the Perfect Matte. BEST DECISION OF MY LIFE! This powder/foundation is amazeballs! I handed the other one (Perfect Fit) to my mom as she has mature skin and she could certainly use it to prevent dry skin and sun protection. Pixy offers very good shades to complement our Asian skin and it's fairly affordable too! I am in love!!!

PRESS PLAY!  ► Beauty blossoms with Pixy! Check them out on Facebook and Twitter. #bdjbox #bdjbox7day

• UV Whitening Two-Way Cake Perfect Fit Compact, 12.2 g - Php 275
• UV Whitening Two-Way Cake Perfect Matte Refill 12 g- Php 145
• Ultimate Makeup Cake 12.5 - Php 445
• Colors of Delight Blush-on 3.5 g - Php 285
• Colors of Delight Lipstick Silky Fit Semi-matte 3.8 g - Php 265
• Colors of Delight Lipstick Silky Fit Lasting Matte 3.8 g - Php 325
• Colors of Delight Lipstick Silky Fit Satin Lipstick 3.8 g - Php 245
• Colors of Delight Eyeliner Pencil 1.14 g - Php 265
• Colors of Delight Waterproof Volumizing Mascara 9 mL - Php 295

Thank you, BDJ BOX, for introducing me to Pixy!



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