Fanny Serrano 2 way cake review

I said before that Fanny Serrano 2 way cake is said to rival MAC's Studio Fix Powder + Foundation, on which i quoted my friend's brother who has been a long time MAC user. I have not tried MAC Studio Fix because i remember a time when i broke out when i applied it. I don't want to risk further skin irritations by using products that i have a bad reaction with.

So, since FS 2 way cake was highly recommend i decided to try this. Anyway, it's way cheaper than MAC so i won't have any regrets if ever. I have been using this for 3 months now so i guess it's time to make a review.

Is it good?
Is it really something wonderful?

Let's find out....

Fanny Serrano is a popular make-up artist of local celebrities here in the Philippines. He now has his own cosmetic company. Since he is a well-known artist, im pretty sure that his products would be of good quality. After all, you can't risk your own name if you're not offering quality service/products,right?

They have 7 shades available. I think my shade is cross between Satin & Duchess...Satin belonging in the same shade with Duchess only with a different undertone, which makes Satin look a bit lighter than Duchess. I decided to get this since i don't want to look too pale if i will get the latter. I think Satin have a pink undertone & Duchess with yellow undertone, if my memory serves me right...

Then this is the ingredients list...

Uh oh..paraben alert!
Anyway, traditional cosmetics really do have parabens,right? Hey! Even Neutrogena Fine Fairness UV Compact has parabens on it! I don't know if this has the exact ingredients with MAC... please tell me if it is,girls.

So, this is how it looks like.

It has a clear top with the Fanny Serrano logo in the middle, which you can clearly see the product. The mirror is actually underneath together with the sponge applicator. It's made of sturdy material & it doesn't look cheap,mind you!

I personally find it a nuisance to flip it every time i use this product if i don't have a handy mirror with me. Imagine how troublesome it is to flip it down to get the product then flip it up again just to use the mirror.

On which MAC Studio Fix's packaging is way better. But of course, i understand how Mama Fanny would want to make his products be a bit different from leading cosmetic brands... But still...

On to the product... this is how Duchess looked like.

I actually like the fact that 2 way cakes are adjustable based on your coverage need. Use it dry if you want a light-medium coverage & wet for medium-heavy coverage. Since i don't like heavy coverage, i don't see the need to actually try it on my face using wet sponge.

I hate having that "foundation day" look! I'd rather be caught with bare skin (warts & all) than have that heavy 'powder mask' on my face.

This is the swatch that i put at the back of my hand. Sorry if i didn't put it on my face for my acne is acting up again..

When blended it would look like so...

A close-up look at how it looked like when blended.

The product is really finely milled & goes on really smooth! I have used a couple of pressed powder/foundation, but this is the finest so far (when i say finest, im talking about the texture). There is a scent on it. It has this sweet smell on it, but it goes away once it's already on your skin...or maybe you just get immune to the scent? Anyway, it's not really THAT overwhelming that causes a reaction to my allergic rhinitis, so it's ok with me.

When i apply powder foundations i use face brushes, not sponges or those powder applicators which i find a bit unhygienic if not washed regularly. I get to control how light/heavy i want my coverage is by using either kabuki or flat top brushes.

Since this is finely milled, i find that it clings to the bristles better though every time i swirl my brush on the cake, some left over powder will be sitting on top which i think is a waste. But that is only if you use a brush. If you use sponges, i'm sure you'll be maximizing this. I still prefer using brush though... the drawback in using brush aside from the left over powder is that it looks messy.

No matter how messy this is (anyway, it's my choice for i keep on using brushes), i still like it. It doesn't actually break me out even though i know it got parabens on it. It stays on me really good even though i sweat a lot. I only remove it through constant kerchief wiping but if i just dab on the spot, it actually stays on.

Plus the fact that it doesn't give me this weird finish even if i sweat unlike liquid foundations or other pressed powders that i try that makes splotches once you sweat. This one doesn't! Hurray! Love it!

When i look at their website, the description says that it has UV Protection. It's just not included in the packaging. If so, then all the more reason to love it,right?

As for oil control, it wasn't really able to successfully control the oil, but then it withstood 4 hours (the most) of controlling it so i think it still did a pretty outstanding job knowing that my skin is an oil mine.

If you read my Neutrogena Fine Fairness Compact review, i said that i'm in love with it. It is actually a very good product, but then it's expensive, while Fanny Serrano is more wallet-friendly. With a price of Php 399, this is definitely a keeper! I'm not saying that this is dirt cheap, ok?

I'm speaking as a mass (those whose budget falls in the category of students or "belt-tighteners") that shedding out Php400 for a foundation will make them hesitate. This is really good for the price that you pay for. As what my friend's brother said & i quoted "Hindi na ko bibili ng MAC ever!" (I won't buy MAC ever again!).

Again, i said that i am breaking out because i just finished my monthly so i don't want to apply cosmetics. Actually i have been observing that rule for quite sometime, that when my acne is acting up, i will not use make-up as much as possible. So, gomen, minna-san, i can't post my current pic for now, but then when i did this look, i was wearing this foundation.

 

If you click it, you'll see some zit marks somewhere on my jaw area, on which this foundation actually did a pretty good job in covering.

I like this product so much that i've hit the pan!

Yatta!
Tsumari, this is a must for me! I freakin' L-O-V-E it!

I guess it's time to do a summary for this..

PROS:

• not expensive
• locally available
• formulated for filipina skin
• didn't break me out
• has a good selection of shades
• will not get splotchy even if you sweat
• the sponge applicator is actually nice
• the sponge is separated to the product so it's hygienic!

CONS:

• i don't like the packaging (Mama Fanny, please have the mirror & the product "facing" each other for more convenient use)
• they don't sell powder refills
• might not be available internationally

Will i buy it again?
Of course!

I said before that you will know when i'm excited about something that i put in a lot of exclamation points & this post has a lot of 'em which means that i LOVE this product! 2 thumbs  up for Mama Fanny Serrano for coming up with a good product! Oi! 5 more exclamation points! hahaha!

Gomen, Neutrogena, i found a better replacement for you. After all, i am still holding a grudge about my beloved soap. I know this is so unprofessional, but then im not really a pro to start with. Pro ja nai, im just an ordinary blogger who shares what i think & feel.

Have you tried this?
If not, what pressed powder do you use that can rival high end brands without shedding an exorbitant amount?

Hope y'all have a good start for your week!
Jaa ne~!
^_^

rants & ramblings + mac studio fix alternative?!

I haven't been able to blog for i have new students so i have my hands full for the meantime. I wasn't able to get out to have fun so i don't even have time to apply make-up lately. I think for like 1 month, there was only 1 time where i was able to. It was a really busy month...under stress & breaking out once more. My acne is being once again a pain in the neck.

It might not look too obvious here but i have a lot of zits on my chin & lower cheek area couple with blemishes. I guess the sunlight makes my skin looks better than it is supposed to be. I took this pic when i went out to pay my bills. I rather do it the old fashioned way (going to the office itself to pay) rather than online payments for it gives me the chance to go out.

I am gaining weigh as fast as cotton absorbing water...*sigh* but it's ok..I still love myself.hehe

I got myself a new phone last Thursday because i extended my cellphone subscription. It's a Samsung Corby Wifi.

The only reason why i got this is actually because of the wi-fi connectivity.

 I'm still not used to it since i have been using a PDA phone with QWERTY keyboard for years. I always have long nails but now i have to keep my right thumb short enough to avoid damaging the screen.

Changing phones is not as easy as it seems for i have to import a lot of files from my old phone to the new one.

After being cooped up in the house for weeks, i was able to finally meet with my friend & have a good girl talk. I think nothing beats a good girl to girl talk,right?

Went on a shopping spree last Saturday but i really didn't buy much beauty products to blog about because i have bought personal stuff. The only beauty related product that i bought are actually these:

I am in dire need of a base coat but im too poor to buy the Orly Rubberized Base Coat so i just dropped by at The Face Shop to try their base coat & decided to grab a couple more polishes as well. Then I decided to buy the Fanny Serrano 2 way cake because it comes highly recommended.

How?

My friend's brother has been a MAC user for years. We would usually go to MAC together because her brother asked her to buy the Studio Fix Powder. He consumes it like he was just eating chocolate....LOL. To think that MAC here is more expensive than in the US... he got a pretty sensitive skin & MAC is the only brand that really agrees with him.

Imagine my surprise when my friend said that her brother found a great alternative for the Studio Fix... it's the Fanny Serrano 2 way cake. So i said to myself that this i got to see! Since this is way cheaper than MAC & im sure is most suited to filipina skin since it is really made for filipinas so there's really no harm in trying. I used it today when i went to the post office to pop a parcel & i love it!

But who knows what will happen later on,ne? You have to wait for my review for this after a few weeks to see how this will fare.

Then we just dined it at Aveneto for i have been craving for their seafood parmigiana.

This is actually a big bowl which could serve 2-3 people. There are a lot of shrimps, mussels & squids on it.

Tossed salad for me..with Caesar dressing..though i don't usually eat dressings that much. I got used to eating veggies.

Girl bonding is a sure fire way to de-stress,isn't it?

Well, i'll be putting some new posts up since i have missed posting last week.
Hope y'all have/had a great start for your week.

Jaa~!
^_~

Korean Stuff galore!

Today, i went shopping alone because bf won't be able to go with me this weekend. He & dad have work to do & since it's also my brother's birthday on Saturday so i just decided to do my shopping now.


I went to SM Megamall just to visit Etude House again. It's so far from where i live but it's ok! I also decided to get the Changpo Shampoo & Conditioner because of my resolution. Before i head on home, i also decided to stock up on my favorite falsies plus a pink Fanny Serrano Lipstick.


By the way, the pink background is my suitcase-turned-cosmetic-case. I think it's so adorable & i got it for a bargain. I got it for only Php 200 (around $4.50)...hehehe....what a steal,huh? It's so girly! I'll make a separate post about it sometime.

When i went to Etude House, i tried looking for the SA that 'helped' me the last time i was there. She's not around...good thing (hehe)! I went around looking for the Teardrop Lash but i can't find it. I asked the SA if they have it, but it looks like they're not aware of such product. I tried looking for it but i can't find it either. Too bad! I went there just to get my hands on it.

The 2 SAs saw my nails & they said that it looks pretty. I have been using the Elena Nail Polish since last week & i've been getting a lot of compliments lately. I think i'll be getting some more polish from them when i go back to Trinoma.

Anyway, going back, I decided to purchase the Teardrop Liner instead. It's a nice shimmery liner. I took a look at their polishes & saw that they have some nail art pens so i grabbed a couple...too bad that the pink one is out of stock. I also included a purple & clear polish. I'll be using the clear polish in 'frankening' my own polish.

Last but not the least is the Magic Bubble Peeling. I'll let you know about this after a couple of weeks. I received an Eyelash Curler again as the GWP, but i forgot to include it here when i took the photos.

I was in a hurry because i don't want to be late on my classes, but i still decided to drop by at The Face Shop to get the Changpo Magic Straight Shampoo & Conditioner since i read good reviews. I'm hoping that this would work on me too.


I wanted to linger a while in Rustans to buy a MAC 217 but since i'm not sure about how long the traveling time is so i just didn't, i hate being late in my classes. There will be a day when i'll be able to finally buy at MAC (i only want to buy at MAC in Shangri la, especially not at Glorietta because the MAC SAs in glorietta are snooty).

But i made a quick stop at Essences to ask if they have a holographic nail polish. I think they only have OPI, Essie, Sally Hansen & Orly, but no China Glaze. I've been dying to get my hands on China Glaze's Sexagon. I think it's awesome! Anyone who can help me find some of the China Glaze's Kaleidoscope collection? *sniff*

Then finally, before i go home, i stopped by at the Gotesco Grand Central to buy some falsies. I passed by Fanny Serrano & was looking for a good nude lipstick when i saw this outrageously cute pink lipstick!


It's Fanny Serrano Moisturific Gold in Strawberry Sparkle. It looks like this....



Pretty,huh?
It's a pink shimmery lipstick with tiny gold flecks on them. I am terrible in shimmery lipsticks because my lips chaps every now & then that's why i prefer matte, but i can't resist. I love how barbie pink it is.


It is so nice. Don't you think so?
I don't have any pink lipstick yet. I'll try to make this work on me because the color is divine!

Do you have a favorite pink lipstick?
What is it?

I'm still a newbie in lip products because i've been a balm-user ever since. A recommendation would be great!

Hope you all have a great day,ladies!

Jaa ne~!
^_^

ps:
I'm planning to change my layout, not because i don't like this. In fact, i love it...but i've been noticing some problems like i can't click the monthly archives whenever i want to take a look & also i see this pop out thing saying something about not being able to read scripts or something like that... One blogger even told me that whenever she views my page, her browser crashes...ekkk!

What do you think is wrong? Can somebody help me?
Had someone ever experience it with my page too?

I don't like changing layouts every now & then. I just changed my layout a couple of months ago & i'm happy with this, but if it continues i guess i'll have to revamp it. Any suggestions/ideas/comments about this....I'll appreciate it if you can help me with this.

my improvised traincase & lipstick haul

I know i've been lagging on my posts & even on commenting.

I'm so sorry for that, i've been so busy completing my christmas list that's why. I know that you understand me because i'm pretty sure you are also busy with the upcoming holiday....ne?

I finished wallpapering my tool box...what with the classes & room cleaning, i was able to squeeze it, but it's not exactly as perfect as i want it to be. But as long as i was able to finish it, it's ok.

So here is my craft project for the past couple of days. I just used a double-sided tape to stick it.

It looks so flowery!

I lined the inside with wallpaper so as to cushion my cosmetics whenever they hit the wall of the box.
See what i'm saying about not being able to really do it perfectly?


Anyway, i can just tape the side again..no problem. As for the cut on the upper left side, i have to do it because the box is not exactly a perfect cube so there's a space at the edge. if i won't clip it, the tray won't fit the mouth of the box anymore.

I still have a lot of foam paper so i decided to line the drawer where i keep my brushes.

So that it won't look so blah....


I'll still be lining the box where i store my polish, but i'll just do that when i have a lot of free time. For the mean time, this will do!

Now, as i'm nearing the completion of my christmas list. I'm 95% done! & spending thousands of bucks for everything, i figured that i want to be able to at least console myself for spending a lot but still add something to my little collection.

No matter how much i love eyeshadows, i know i won't be able to use everything that i have with me until i die so i have to stop buying eye shadows. i don't have a lot of lip products. In fact, i only have like 3 lipsticks!

So to add color to my lips, i decided to buy 2.

Counter clockwise starting from the top:
-Ever Bilena in Skin
-Fanny Serrano in Carnation
-Fashion 21 Stick Eyeshadow in Pearl (or white..im not sure)

Here is a swatch of it...
(I don't even have time to do nail arts anymore...See how plain my nails look)
I love both of them! I don't even need to use a lip balm prior to application because it's so creamy already..not that i do it that way, but you can if you are in a hurry & not worry about it drying your lips.

I have 2 mac lipstick & i have to use a lip balm before i apply it or it will suck the moisture right out of my lips! I remember when i try MAC Red without applying anything before i put it on, it made my lips go numb! I felt a bit scared because of that! I'm not sure about the others, but this is just based on my experience,ok?

pic below is taken without flash

pic below is taken with flash

I will definitely be buying from Ever Bilena & Fanny Serrano. I think when it comes to safety, i can count on local products, especially Fanny Serrano for that. I was able to read his entry before about the history of his cosmetic line.

Well, based on my very limited experience with lip products, i'd choose local brands in a heartbeat when it comes to lipstick compare to MAC lippies (again, because of what i experienced)...especially the one high-end brand that has the highest lead content of all. For those who are familiar with the safe cosmetics topics, im sure you know what brand i'm talking about.

I'm not going to waste $30+ to eat a 'red' lead (pun intended).

I'm gonna be going to the post office tomorrow to pick up a package. I hope it's my Strawberry.net haul already. *crosses fingers*

How are faring with the holiday rush,ladies?
Hope everything's ok.

Jaa ne~!
^_~

ps:
i still can't find hair grips anywhere...
huhuhu
do you know where i can buy it?

thoughts on Shu Uemura & Fanny Serrano lash curler

A curled lash is a must for me. So a good tool is must in doing the job. Not only the mascara, but the lash curler plays a big role in such a hard job because my lashes are short & it tends to uncurl easily.

I started out with cheap lash curler before...the type that tugs your lashes every time you use it which will result in falling lashes (-__-")
When i had the chance to try out my friends' Shu Uemura, i fell in love with it because it is able to curl my hard-to-tame lashes. But of course, it comes with a price....*sigh*

I was able to keep mine for a year (or two,i think) until i decided to throw it away because Shu doesn't sell an individual silicone pad, unlike Shiseido. Sis Gracie told me later on that the Jemma Kidd refill pad works just as fine as Shu does. (-__-") talking about a waste...anyway, we don't have Jemma Kidd here, do we? So i was saved a little from the feeling of utter remorse.
*reminds myself to try & see if i can find Jemma Kidd refill somewhere*

So, i was down to being 'curler-less' so i just decided to buy something that i can easily buy here locally which is Nichido lash curler. I try not to use this as much as possible because it tugs my lashes. I only use it during emergency situations back then. It's just an ordinary lash curler...It has a white pad.

Then when Fanny Serrano Lash Curler was awarded a Cosmo award, i made sure that i bought myself one to see if it really deserved to be awarded & i have to say that it deserved the award, & so much more! I'll tell you why later...

2 weeks ago i purchased Shu Uemura again because i just missed using it (although im perfectly satisfied with FS-Fanny Serrano). Shu Uemura is Shu Uemura...Fanny Serrano is Fanny Serrano. I wanted to see for myself what is the main difference between the two, because when i bought the FS curler, i threw the Shu back then.

Okay, here is the side by side comparison of the 3 curlers that i have in my stash

Shu Uemura, Fanny Serrano & Nichido (btw, i changed the pad of Nichido to FS pad)

Basing on the size (im not sure if you can actually see it clearly), Shu is the smallest, followed by FS then the biggest is Nichido. But the latch of Shu is bigger than FS...

Now here is how they looked like when they're opened & ready for crimping

The way Shu opens up is not like how FS & Nichido does. It just tilts slightly, while Nichido really slides down. FS tilts a little bit more than Shu.

Let's compare the head & the upper edge of it

Shu & FS has curved edge which doesn't leave a mark on your lids even when you crimp for a few minutes. Whereas Nichido has a straight edge which can leave a mark on your upper lid area if you crimp your lashes too long..a big Na-ah!

One thing that i notice too is that even if i switch the Shu pad to FS pad, the Shu curler, curled my lashes better than the FS. I guess the frame of the curler does matter!

Did you get confused with all the stuff that i put at the top?
Well, here is another one...it's about the silicone pad.

Based on my limited experience when it comes to pad, the silicone pad is way better than the foam pad. Silicone pad is firmer so when you crimp your lashes, it doesn't tug at your lashes. I'll describe the pad first before i give my opinion about it.

Shu said:

Upgraded silicone pad in a new "mushroom" shape provides a protective, stay-put edge for improved safety and optimum curl.

See the so-called mushroom design?
When we think about it, it will make curling the lashes easier because it has wider area & sort of 'cradle' the lashes, therefore won't ever tug the lashes. Compare it to the FS refill, it's not as wide.

Of course, the Shu pad is fuller than the FS. The shape is more intact too. See it?

The back pad is also full & it's non-slippery. It's kinda rubbery, so it won't ever slip (although there's no chance of that since it fits perfectly). It also has it's name on the back side..pretty cool! FS pad is nothing special, as you can see, it got that 2 holes on it..though it doesn't affect the performance.

-Now on to my thoughts about the refill pads
Again, i put the FS rad on my Nichido curler & it works better than when i was using the white pad. It's a lot firmer than the original pad & doesn't tug my lashes, therefore no lashes being pulled out because of my curler.

The FS pad is softer than the Shu pad. The Shu is actually quite firm so you don't need to crimp as much as you can compare to FS. In my case, I can fully curl my lashes with just 3 crimps using Shu, but with the FS, it would take me 6 or more. It still works the same though.

How's that possible?

It's because if you take a closer look at the shape of the pad, FS pad is rounder than the Shu pad & the rounder the pad, the better it can curl your lashes. The more you squeeze it, the better it can frame it giving you a fully curled lash (this is just my opinion though).

I love my Shu Uemura, but i also like FS. It's just takes quite a while to curl my lash, but it does the job. I put Shu on my cosmetic kit, FS is on my table & just within my reach. But i still reach my Shu every now & then...

These are my added notes....

• If you have a lash curler at home & would want to change the pad, buy the FS refill. It's just Php 45 ($1) & you'll get 3 pcs...it's really cheap!It's way better than those white foam pads.
  
• Shu Uemura has a lifespan. If you had already used the extra refill pad, you have to buy a new one...not practical. If so, it's better to go for Shiseido because Shiseido sells individual pads. When it comes to practicality go for Shiseido. (but Shu works better for me)
  
• Im not sure if FS has an international distributor, but if you would want to try FS curler, ask someone here in the Philippines to buy it for you. Anyway, its pretty cheap..it's just Php 150 ($3.5 approx)

Well, that would be it.
I hope that Shu can also sell individual silicone pads for their curler
(-_-')

Hope y'all have a nice weekend,ladies!

Jaa ne~!
^_^