We've been sleeping on the 385-peso Spotlight Mascara - it's good!

I’ve not come across a Filipino brand mascara that I love, until this one. I know, so dramatic, but I was really pleasantly surprised when I finally tried the Spotlight Second Skin Mascara with Castor Oil (P385 for 8g).

About me: I have really high standards when it comes to mascara. I usually go for Japanese or American mascaras because they deliver the curl, the volume, the length, the staying power. But they are a bit more expensive than I would like to spend for an everyday I’m-just-going-to-the-grocery mascara, with Maybelline at P499 and up depending where you buy it. Enter Spotlight.

This mascara has it all: it’s a fiber mascara that’s super black and matte, keeps my lashes curled all day (I’ve worn it up to eight hours already), delivers both length and volume, and is incredibly water resistant. You can cry in this, if you wanted to. And all of this for just P252 right now - it’s on sale from P385 for the month of February.

I’m so impressed by how the Spotlight mascara looks and wears. No need na for falsies!

It’s not perfect, of course. Upon opening the tube, I found the formula dry so I popped in a few drops of contact lens solution inside the mascara tube, mixed it in, and it’s now the perfect consistency. Did I get an old tube? It’s possible. This mascara also tends to flake minimally, but it’s easy to clear off even with just tissue. There was a teeny tiny bit of smudging in the outer corners of my eyes after eight hours but it’s not significantly noticeable, and also easy to clear off with tissue.

I do love that this comes off almost instantly with cleansing oil even though it’s water resistant. That’s always my challenge with Japanese mascaras - they’re so hard to remove at the end of the day. The Spotlight one gives me no trouble at all.

Overall, despite the limitations, I adore the Spotlight Second Skin Mascara with Castor Oil and would get it again when I run out. You really can’t beat the price and I love that it’s easy to take off considering how black and long-wearing it is.

To pair with it, I would also recommend the Spotlight Scene Stealer 8-In-1 Eye Palette in Blockbuster Nudes (P695). This one is a no-nonsense palette that basically has all the colors you need to accomplish different eye looks - even including your eyebrows! You can also use that light brown color for contouring the nose and the cheekbones if you wanted. The highlighters can also be face highlighters if you’re looking for that blinding glow.

Here’s a look I did using the palette on my entire face (sans the lips).

I recommend this palette for beginners who don’t know yet which flattering colors to choose for their kit. It’s so convenient to have it all in one palette, I think! This is also on sale for the whole month of February for just P395!

So yes, do try out Spotlight and let me know how it works for you! It’s available in Watsons, SM Department Stores, Lazada, and Shopee.