Pretty on a Budget: Ever Bilena Matte Lipstick in Off Beat Pink

I can't snub on the cheap-but-works-just-as-well stuff. We do need to save money after all. Of course, most expensive names really are expensive for a reason - quality, name, and added benefits. Not all, however, could afford the brand-name makeup. Some would plunk three days' worth of work on the phone or medicine bill rather than a pan of blush. There are newbie makeup artists starting out as well who are apprehensive about purchasing a four-digit amount of product.

While talking with a makeup artist friend of mine, she mentioned to me that while window-shopping at Watson's, she chanced upon the Ever Bilena matte lipsticks and gave good notes about it. "If you're practicing on your face chart or you're saving up on your lipstick, check them out." Another makeup artist that I know loves them to think she's been exposed to all the expensive brands from A to Z and even in fact studied makeup abroad. "I have all the shades! I just love them!" She beamed.

I went to the mall last Friday and asked the sales associate for the matte lipsticks. She showed them to me and I was quite impressed when I swatched them. The shades were quite on the warm side, making it flattering for Filipino skin tones. She told me also that they were really long-lasting. Knowing that the price was only Php 125 for a tube, I resisted the urge to buy all shades knowing that I have still a bunch of lipsticks at home that are still unopened and unused. So I settled for a fresh and lovely pink instead.

This is Ever Bilena matte lipstick in Off Beat Pink. On the tube, it looks like the pale, cool, and plasticky pink that's seen on every magazine editorial. They also have a shade called Mauvey, which was more brown than pink, and it's what I suggest for those on the conservative side of pink. I compared also Off Beat Pink with two of my favorite pink lipsticks from MAC, Strayin' and Pink Nouveau.

Off-Beat Pink is on the center. The frosty Strayin' (Strayin' is from the Hello Kitty collection) is on the left while Pink Nouveau is on the right. In comparison, Off-Beat Pink is more matte and warm. I'm thinking it looks more of a matte version of Bombshell or Pink Nouveau combined with Brave or Satiate. On me, It's quite pale but more like my own lip tone with a bit more pink. If the matte is too dry, a slick of lip balm 5 minutes before lipstick should moisten things out. The pink gives an instant freshness to the face. Older women could still wear this, since the pink is a bit warmer than candy pink. I love matte lipsticks because they're such a classic. If matte is too flat, top this with lip gloss with a bit of shimmer particles. I like too how this pink could make a face look fresh and youthful without trying too hard.

Another mentionable matte lipstick from Ever Bilena is their bestselling red, Love That Red. It was sold out in one store that I visited but I was able to swatch it in another department store. It's a bit more orangey in color, again favoring warm skin tones. The only complaint I have with this though, is that it has no sweet candy-like scent, but that could be remedied with a flavored lip balm before.

For those in a budget, this could be a nice alternative to wear a pretty pink color while saving up for that luxury brand lipstick. I could also recommend this to starting makeup artists or makeup school students looking for good quality lipsticks for practice or for any kikay girl who would love a pale pink lip without breaking the bank.

[NOTE: Pretty On A Budget is a new section I'll be adding on my blog that features cheap but high-quality tools, makeup, and products worth-reading, addressing the needs of girls who want makeup but are on a tight budget constraint and start-up makeup artists and students.]