the gYpsy life: Fresh Tomatoes ready for pickin'

This my first official product review. I know i've commented on a few products/services in my past blogs, here and there, but they were all in passing. So tiz my first full length. Official because I am formally getting my hands into these. This little piece is some sort of this writer announcing her new calling. :-)

This endeavor is something I 've always wanted to do for self gratification. Like, I wanna keep track of brands I intend to be loyal to for very specific reasons. Reasons of meritocracy, for one. Giving credit where credit is due, next. And that includes myself because I spent time, money, and yes, feelings --- in trying to find, acquire and safeguard items most-loved, pre-loved, tough-loved. And feelings ... I have very strong emotional attachments to things I own. Hahanapin ko kasi gustong gusto ko. Gusto ko kaya bibilhin ko. That's how my EQ with shopping operates ... I am Taurus, Venus rules me. I am very physical and sensory. I love beautiful things. And I have a good eye for it. My friends say I have good taste. Modesty aside, I agree to that.

I have many inspirations, and one them includes"Beauty on a Shoe String Budget" , http://ladyrattus.blogspot.com. I am following her in blogspot and in Google+. Check her out for some practical musings.

Nah, I'm not getting freebies from any company. Nah, I'm not (again) following any format. So there's not gonna be any structure. My reviews, my terms. :-) This is not a job to me. And there is not gonna be any competition or anything like that. I'm not starting a cult or something, so I don't need followers. You are free to agree or disagree. But since Reviews are mostly existentialist my own experience tops. You are free to build up on your own Review ;-). The Gypsy Life while public, is a very personal journal. This aint about my readers. This is about this writer. Same goes to my product review. It's all about me.

This is my first. I wanna keep it positive and personal. Here goes ...

I was searching for new a blush to replace my Benetint from Benefit (will post separate review on this -- brace yourself coz I'm not gonna sugar coat this one). I used to deadma Careline products especially their blush ons because I have been patiently waiting for Benetint to deliver my money's worth.

I have always been partial to "strawberry reds". Most of my lippies are in that shade. On the extreme side, I love nudes. But between the "pales" and the this type of red ... i go for the latter. I have fair complexion I carry "reds" well ;-). I'm 43, I smoked (past tense) for some time (a long time :-( ) ... then there's stress, here and there, but life's good in general ... I didn't lose my natural blush.

The search for my replacement blush was long and hard ... imported brands are expensive and i dont want another Benetint experience so I was dead serious in finding a reasonably price local brand. So here, it's red but aint berries. But fresh tomatoes are sun kissed red, ayt! I wore 'em New Year's eve :-)

It's oil-control and comes in 7 different shades. If you check from the company website, the colors look sharper. And for while I was divided between Fresh Tomato and Rosy Cheek. But colors in photos are so different, in real life, you get a better judgment on the color the suits your taste and skin tone.

Careline™'s. For less than 100 bucks. Fits a tight budget, fits a tight make up pouch. Accessibility. It's in SM Malls (and SM Malls everywhere), it's in 711 Stores (where I got mine --- from Trece Martires branch), should be in most part of the country.

Again, when you're fair complexion, looks yummy on your cheeks. It's close to natural depending on how fair or pale and how much Fresh Tomato you smash on your face.

In an airconditioned room and given the current effect of the Polar Vortex in Philippine weather, the texture's running fine ... not oily not smudgy not sweaty not sticky. Keeping my fingers crossed come summer.

Downside: The compact is made of plastic that can break easily and of course can break easy the "tomato" cake. Extra care is needed when safe keeping this powder blush. The sponge is too tiny, it can actually slip when you're putting on your blush,and accidental slips can actually affect the strokes of your hands and eventually affect how you put on your blush. I usually do my very "modest" make up in the office @ the wash room. And banyos are not such a good place to drop anything that touches your face LOL ...i had a little accident like this during the first few days I was using it and i badly wanted to punch my face because it was soooo grossss!!!

Dunno, Fresh Tomato may be selling like freshly baked hotcakes :-) compare to other shades, etong mga kamatis na to madalas ubos sa display rack (same as Rosy Cheeks).

FINAL VERDICT: currently Most Loved --- c'mon tell me if it's not pretty on me. (yabang!)

I really wish I have thicker/more hair. I tried to get some bangs after Christmas, but was reluctant. I lost my phone (againnnnnn!!!! for the nth freakin' time!!! I was bad trip. It affected my bangs. I have an emotional uterus. I have emotional bangs LOL Fuck emotions!!! LOL

Seriously, my bangs was actually (again) a practice to get a short hair cut that was long overdue. I'm planning to have above shoulder length layered bob or one length (which was my wedding hair do). But I'm over thinking as if my hair is never gonna grow back. And im regretting already not being able to wear my messy buns. But must say I'm envious cuz my daughter's wearing red short hair these days :-) ... one day when my topak's really at its best am gonna get me a pair of old and dull scissors and jusz snip it on my locks. bye bye waves! so that i'd be compelled to finally finally go short. you need to be crazy to do something you wanna do but too scared to do. Not jusz about hair cut but life in general. Amen!