Guest Blogger: Ever Bilena Foundations Review

'Elo!

I had a guest blogger write today's blog post. I'm actually thinking of doing this once a month, what do you guys think? :)


Anyways, this guest blogger is also a YouTube beauty gurus. I found her when I was searching for more Filipina beauty girls. I love watching her hauls and I love how quirky/random she gets! She finds the best products for the best deals and needless to mention, she does amazing makeup!


Her name is Maricarl-Janah "Yes, with the dash" as it says on her YouTube channel page. I'll post her links somewhere within the blog so you guys can stalk her.


Trust me, she is worth stalking. :)


Anywhoo.. here's her review on Ever Bilena Foundations!


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Hey everyone! I'm a huge fan of Ever Bilena Cosmetics. Most of their products are affordable and trustworthy. A few of my favorites would have to be their foundations.

I'm a huge bargain freak and most of the time I look for items that are at the most reasonable price. But when it comes to foundations, I assumed I can only lean on internationally known products such as Revlon, L'oreal, Maybelline, etc. that are not-so-pocket-friendly.

Note from Michelle: L'Oreal & Maybelline test on animals. :(

I was very concerned about taking chances with local brands because, come on, this is our face! It's a major major no-no to experiment on different products. I was afraid of having break-outs, or allergic reactions.

However, a few years back, when I was in college, I had to be on a strict budget due to a sudden crisis caused by impulse shopping. I needed to think fast and prioritize! Was I willing to take a risk?

Well, I really didn't have a choice. So, I went on and purchased my first Ever Bilena Pro Flawless Finish Foundation.

Ever Bilena Pro Flawless Finish Foundation

I used Ever Bilena Pro Flawless Finish foundation in Natural blended with a darker color for contouring purposes. No editing done.

First of all, what attracted me was the packaging. It came in a sleek 30 mL glass container with a pumping system which, I thought, was very convenient and hygienic. Second of all, it only costs 165 pesos. Yes, ladies, 165 pesos! I couldn't believe it either. Although, I was a bit worried at first; I used to have this weird assumption that if it's cheap, it will probably suck. Apparently, that's not always true.

If you look at the back of the box, you can see the ingredients of the product:

water, mineral oil, glycerin, micronized Titanium dioxide, Propylene glycol, PEG-100, PEG-30, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Octyl palmitate, Cetearyl alcohol, Polysorbate-60, Dimethicone, Dipolyhydroxystearate, Methyl Paraben, Propyl paraben, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Sodium EDTA, Tocopherly acetate,fragrance, may contain CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499, CI 7789

I don't know about you, but I only recognize the first three. Since the product is water-based it provides light to medium coverage. After a second coat of the product, your scars, blemishes, and other imperfections are visibly reduced, so you don't have to take a lot of time concealing. It is best for those with normal to dry skin since it has a dewy finish & may take a few minutes to dry. The oil part gives the foundation good movement, which allows blushes and eyeshadows to blend effortlessly and evenly over the face. Mistakes are easily buffed away with the sponge. If you don't like any shiny areas upon application, you can dust a bit of loose or finishing powder on those areas and blend.

If you have oily or combination skin; this may not be the foundation type for you. Even the little amount of oil in a water-based foundation can show shine almost immediately. In my case, I usually use a primer or a make-up base before applying this product to prolong the amount of time it takes before oiliness begins. You can also bring Oil blotting sheets with you wherever you go to prevent packing on powder on your face.

As for the smell, it really isn't unpleasant. In fact, it smells a little bit like Coco butter! For some reason it makes me crave for muffins or cupcakes (weird right?!)

It comes in four colors: Natural, Beige, Gold, and Oriental. Initially, I got the Natural one, but I just found it too ashy and it made my face so white that I had to take extra time to blend. So, I tested the other colors and found that Beige was the perfect color for me.

It also comes in a 40 mL plastic container. I think it costs around 125-145 pesos. I'm not very sure, but it is definitely cheaper than the glass one. It weighs more and is travel-friendly but the down side is that the opening is a simple hole that's very inconvenient to use. You actually have to tilt the container at an angle and let the product drip slowly, or you'll end up squirting it everywhere! For me, it's not such a huge problem, but for those who are very particular with their foundations, you might as well go for the glass one with the pump.

After finding Ever Bilena Pro Flawless Finish Foundation very satisfactory, I decided to check out their other face products and picked up their Studio Finish Stick Foundation. I was at the counter, trying out a few products on my hand when I found the consistency and coverage of the cream to powder foundation very promising. I immediately purchased it for 165 pesos. You might think it's too much for a relatively small stick, but Lo' and behold! I was in awe! The coverage was perfect for me. It was not too heavy, but it covered my moles, dark circles, redness, and freckles so well that I barely needed to conceal anything and my pictures didn't need any editing or enhancing. It automatically earned a spot in my favies list. Here are the ingredients:

Mica, Mineral Oil, Caprylic, Polybutene, Squalane, Ceresin wax, Euphorbia Cerifera wax, Copernicia Cerifera wax, Talc, Tocopheryl acetate, Methy Paraben, Fragrance, may contain CI 77891, CI77491, CI77492, CI15850

Ever Bilena Studio Finish Stick Foundation

I used Ever Bilena Studio Finish Stick Foundation in Creme. No editing done!

Studio Finish Stick foundation used on a client for Miss UP 2011

Stick foundations are essentially cream-to-powder foundations in stick form. It has a very creamy, almost greasy, appearance. When you blend it, the creamy aspect disappears and you are left with a slightly matte, powdery finish. They work well for someone with normal to slightly dry or slightly combination skin. This type of foundation doesn't require powdering after you apply it. If you want to apply powder, make sure you apply it as lightly as possible to avoid a caked, heavy look.

It comes in 5 colors: Creme, Bare, Beige, Meil, Soleil. I got the Creme one since it suits my warm skin tone with a bit of yellow undertone. Beige would most probably suit morenas. Meil would be good for those darker than common morenas. Bare would most likely fit cool skin tones that have a peachy, pinkish undertone. I find Soleil to be the darkest color.

Ever Bilena Shine Free Foundation with UVA/UVB Protection

After getting satisfied yet again, I was pretty much "foundation hopping" from one product to the next. I figured I can check out their foundation line that has UV protection, since Summer is fast approaching, and we all know what that means. I tried their Shine Free Foundation with UVA/UVB Protection for only 100 pesos and wanted to know if it really WAS Shine free.

I used Ever Bilena Shine Free foundation with UVA/UVB Protection in Soft Bisque. No editing done!

I have to say that this product is quite promising. It has light coverage. It doesn't really cover blemishes well, so you need to conceal. But it gives you a very sheer, natural finish so you won't look overdone. It's great for everyday wear, since it gives you a very fresh finish! It works better with powder blush and highlighters. It easily dries up on your face and looks matte.

It has 4 colors: Natural, Soft Bisque, Oriental, Almond. I got the one in soft bisque because it's a light color with a pinkish tone to it that gives my skin that healthy glow. There's barely any difference between Natural and Almond, but Oriental has a yellow undertone.

Just like the Pro flawless finish foundation, it's water-based so it's suitable for normal to dry skin.

Ever Bilena Advance Two-Way Cake Foundation

The last foundation I tried from ever Bilena is their Advance Two-way Cake foundation. I got it for 200 pesos. I seriously don't understand why it's more expensive than all the other foundations I've tried. I was never a fan of powder foundations because it usually made me break out. It's actually very ironic since powder foundations would be perfect for oily skin. I wanted to try this out because I was experimenting. I guess the whole "foundation hopping" extravaganza got me carried away. I found it very challenging to use this product due to the sponge applicator. I also found that using a powder brush was not effective. I tried using a pressed powder puff and it did the job. I guess that means I have to go hunt for another puff just for this product!

First of all, powder foundations are just like pressed powder, except they have heavier coverage. It stays on for the most part of the day without fading, caking, or disappearing. It should be easy to use, but for some reason, it's not so effective on me. Maybe I'm meant to get the Advance Powder foundation. The only reason I didn't get it was because it was a bit more expensive than the two-way cake one and the SA explained that the only difference was that it had sunscreen and the container was "prettier" Bad decision! Now I am planning to get the other one. Boo.

Let's hope that this product will redeem itself. I just wanted to mention this product since it's still relevant to the topic on hand.

Picture c/o Magic Potions Online Beauty Shop

So those are the Ever Bilena foundations I have tried. I hope I have helped somehow. I know how difficult it can be to choose the perfect foundation. It's very crucial to achieving the perfect look. Just take note that before you begin your search; you need to identify your skin type.

These products may have been satisfactory for me, but they may not be for you. We all have different preferences, but one thing I can say is that they did not make me break out, which is definitely a good thing. A minor downside to them may be their shine-free abilities. Maybe it's my skin, maybe it's the weather, but I am still on the hunt for the perfect, perfect foundation for me! I know it's out there. But meanwhile, it wouldn't hurt to play around with these awesome products :)

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So, that's it! As promised, here are her links.


http://www.facebook.com/makeupbyjanz
http://twitter.com/maricarljanah
http://www.formspring.me/maricarljanah
http://maricarljanah.tumblr.com/
http://maricarljanah.wordpress.com/


Hope you like! Comment below or e-mail me if you want to be next month's guest blogger! :)


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