Shopping is a delight but one has to admit that it's not all pretty. Long queues at the counter, the flock of people at this time of the year and not to mention the catastrophe that is traffic, it can get ugly. Then there's online shopping. It sounds great and the lure is too good to resist but truth be told not all experiences are delightful. Think of counterfeit products or delivery that takes ages (or is twice more expensive than the product itself). This prompted me to be extra cautious when it comes to the sites I buy from. Actually, I tend to avoid shopping online as much as I could. That is until I discovered BeautyMNL.
A few weeks ago, they asked me to give their site a test run. My "guinea pig" alter ego obviously said yes. After all, I like trying new things and when I did my research I found good feedback. It also happened that I was eager to try out Maybelline's creamy matte lippies but the counters at every mall I have been to have ran out. Luckily, the shop's still got stocks. Yay! Anyway, here's what I love about BeautyMNL. (Check out my haul/review at the end of this post.)
Layout — It's clean and minimal which I happen to really like when shopping online. I find it easier that way. Navigation is direct and a breeze. Products are aptly categorized and the search button isn't hard to find! (Trust me, I've been to sites where it took me years to find what I was looking for.)
Product Info — Another feature that I really love about the site is the product info tabs. There's a "What to Love" section that explains what an item is for and its benefits, a "How to Use" section for newbies like myself and an "About the Brand" section that tells you more about the makeup company.
Reviews — When it comes to shopping online, reviews are your best friend. It wouldn't be wise to buy without doing your fair share of homework. That's a horror story in the making. BeautyMNL features reviews and ratings from its customers at the bottom section of every page. This has helped me a lot when it came to picking the lippie shades I bought. LOL.
Wishlist — The good old list of things we want but cannot have (yet)! It's nice to keep a tab of the products you want to buy again or buy for later and this does the trick. Easy peasy!
Waitlist — There are times when a product is too good that people will hoard them without batting an eyelash. Perhaps my second favorite feature, the waitlist gives you the chance to grab that much coveted makeup as soon as it gets restocked. Once the supply is replenished, the team from BeautyMNL will send you an email as a heads up. Cool huh?
Payment Options — You can choose from various payment options such as credit card, Paypal, bank deposit and cash on delivery. I absolutely love it when the Paypal and COD options are available. I don't know about you, but they make me feel more secure about the purchase.
Shipping — This tops my "favorite things" about BeautyMNL. I often shy away from purchasing online because of two reasons. First, delivery takes too long or doesn't go as promised. Second, delivery rates are crazy expensive. With BeautyMNL, they deliver within 24 hours for Metro Manila and 3-5 business days for the rest of the Philippines (excluding weekends and holidays). They charge a flat rate of ₱50.00 for Metro Manila and ₱150.00 for the rest of the Philippines. That's per cart meaning that you can add as much makeup as you want! That sounded too good to be true so I put it up to the test twice and here's how it went:
Case #1: I ordered on a Sunday, December 4 to be exact, at 5:43 pm. From experience, shipment takes way longer when I purchase during the weekends. Surprisingly, I got an email the next day that my parcel is on its way at 9:08 am. Believe it or not I got the package early in the afternoon.
Case #2: This time, I ordered a day before a special non-working holiday. That would be December 7. BeautyMNL's team did give a notice that their delivery schedule will be slightly modified because of that so my order will be shipped in 1-4 days time. Guess when the package arrived? The following day in less than 24 hours! This made me one happy camper.
PS: They also offer free nationwide shipping from time to time with no minimum spend so you better watch out (you better not cry, you better not pout...♫♪) for that!
Freebies — You'll also get freebies on top of your order! But of course, only until supplies last. I got a Dewytree Skincare sample for mine.
So what did I get? Judging by these photos, I obviously went to town with Maybelline's creamy matte lipsticks! I passed by the Burgundy Blush shade at a mall counter once after my sister and I went out to do some errands. Since then, I've wanted to try it and so I did but with two more shades.
I have to admit, I am now a certified #LippieConvert. I've never been much into bold colors but there's something about it that called to me. Perhaps the words "creamy" and "matte"? Most likely.
The formula of this line is true to its name. It's creamy as it glides smoothly without tugging at your lips and it has this true blue matte finish, something I personally like. It doesn't feel dry even after hours since application unlike other matte lipsticks in the market. The smell is divine too. I can't put my finger on an exact term, but it has this cream-like scent. Nothing too overpowering. You know, like the ones you whip up for your hot coco. They are highly pigmented too which lasts for an entire day with minimal fading. I ate adobo with it on once and it did not budge! Did I mention that I got these babies for 33% off at the time? Yup. ₱100 off their price tag. Each. Don't you just love a good sale?
Burgundy Blush is perfect for that autumnal tough-girl look with its vampy brown color. Clay Crush reminds me of terracotta pots and has hints of orange. It's more on the peachy brown side. Touch of Spice is the holy grail of Maybelline's Creamy Matte line. It's almost always sold out! It lies on the nude/brown side but more with a pink undertone. #MLBB! I love every single one of them and I'm looking forward to try more from this line aka "I can hear my wallet crying".
Heads up beautiful! BeautyMNL is ready to play Santa. You get free nationwide shipping for up to 2 orders until December 23. No minimum spend. And if you like taking selfies (hihi we looove selfies), join the #selfieMNL contest! Get a chance to win a Printster polaroid of your pretty face and a ₱200 BeautyMNL gift certificate. Click here for the complete details or visit their Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
*This is a sponsored post. All thoughts and opinions remain my own and have not in any way been influenced by the aforementioned brands.*
*This is a sponsored post. All thoughts and opinions remain my own and have not in any way been influenced by the aforementioned brands.*
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