Love: The Body Shop Body Butters

6:19 AM Unknown 0 Comments

The Body Shop Butters are the bomb!



I think I've bought at least 10 of these already and I've used more than half. Let me explain why I love these soooo much.

First of all, they're on sale most of the time.  The best time to get it is probably around the April - May months or whenever they have that buy one get one promos or 50% off promos.  Normally, the regular variants are around Php 695, but sometimes they have limited edition ones that are a little bit more expensive. The limited edition ones are seasonal.  The green one on the photo is actually the Virgin Mojito variant, which came out last summer.  So, right now, they have some Christmas ones like the Glazed Apple one.  I would be happy to receive any of these any day of the year though. Lol.  I think it's this year when they came up with a bigger tub, which got me excited, but I realized that I've stocked up on so much of them already.


About the texture and consistency - it's a little bit rich and heavy, but it's great during the colder days or days when you'd be in an air-conditioned environment the whole day. Well, the better way to describe it is it's buttery. Lol.  Yup, I know, they ARE body butters.  The great thing is that it really keeps your skin moisturized the whole day.  I actually thought it would just be a regular cream with nothing special to it, but I really think these are the best products you can get from The Body Shop.



Favorites - now, if you get there, you might be all overwhelmed.  There are tons to choose from when it comes to scent. But most of my favorites are in the earlier photo.  If you know me, I go for the neutral smelling ones and less of the sweet ones.  The yellow / orange one is the Honeymania variant which has Community Fair Trade honey.  At first, I thought this was going to be sweet, but it wasn't at all.  The green one is the Virgin Mojito variant, a limited edition released last summer. It has a citrusy scent, but is a little bit sweet too.  The beige cover with the blue is the Wild Argan Oil variant. It has Community Fair Trade wild argan oil from Morocco, which makes it seem a little bit more luxurious.  The other beige one is the Shea body butter, which I believe is a best seller and has a nutty but neutral scent.  Another personal favorite is the Olive body butter.  This is a classic.  The scent might not be appreciated by some, but I do like it.

If you know The Body Shop, they maintain different product lines. So there's a whole line of Argain Oil products, from shower gels to actual oils.  And so with the other variants.

So, if you're last minute Christmas shopping or not, drop by the Body Shop and give these a try. :)    

0 comments:

What to Buy from Watsons under Php 200

1:16 AM Unknown 0 Comments

Ever had one of those days when you have a little extra cash and feel a little bit spend-y? #feelingspendy Well, the next time you're in Watsons, you might want to check these out.


1. A Bonne Spa Milk Salt (Php 140)

I first heard about this from Project Vanity. If you're into exfoliating in the shower or do-it-yourself foot scrubs, then this will surprise you on how much product you could get for the price. I'm happy to say that it actually leaves the skin really soft and supple after. As to the whitening feature of it, I can't really tell cause I don't use it regularly. But Ms. Liz says her knees got noticeably lighter.  

2. Marionnaud N'38 Slanted Eyeline & Eyebrows Double Side Brush (Php 89.75)

This below-100-pesos item is a staple in my current set of makeup tools. The brush end is a pretty convenient size, while the spoolie is firm yet soft enough. The "premium" version of this (with a matte ala NARS and sleeker look) is not that expensive as well at around Php 120! I went for the smaller one though since the premium version is a little longer.

Most importantly, it does the job really well! I use the brush end mostly for brow powder, but sometimes, when I can't find my (quite small) eyeliner brush, I go ahead and use this for my gel eyeliner. On the photo, the spoolie is slightly bent though. 

3. Pond's Flawless White Dewy Rose Gel (Php 149)

I first tried this when I had a massage at The Spa. They had it in a sachet. I got intrigued because it had a gel consistency. I wondered how moisturizing it would be. I found it moisturizing enough, but I didn't actually buy it right away. After finishing a certain product and feeling that my long-time moisturizer (Clinique) was feeling a bit heavy, I tried the smaller tub of it. The smaller product, which might be a little expensive for its size, is actually a good travel-size. 

Now, I use it usually during the mornings. I love the gel consistency, but I'd still reach for my long-time concealer if I feel my skin needs a little more love.

4. Kleenex Oil Blotting Sheets (around Php 120/130)

I was in high school when those blue oil blotting sheets (the Clean and Clear ones) grew popular. Girls began to whip them out wherever they were and would gasp each time because of how oily they've gotten. Guys would join in the fun too. 

I didn't actually go see the need for blotting sheets until I started working.  I didn't go for the Clear and Clear ones though. I decided to try the Kleenex ones, because Kleenex is a pretty good tissue brand. I figured, they might be great in the oil-blotting department too. After getting over how expensive this was, I still decided to just go ahead and try it. I haven't tried anything else ever since. Some of my friends have converted as well. I could say I prefer this over the Clean and Clear ones cause the oil doesn't seep through the other side as much as the Clean and Clear ones. So, it doesn't make the sheet that thin and flimsy. Plus, it comes in purple. 

5. Maybelline Cheeky Glow Blush in Creamy Cinnamon (Php 199)

This may look like a boring shade, but I love it. It's my go-to for when I want something more natural and when I don't want to do a pink blush. I think this shade will be great for all skin shades too. There are other shades in the range and it actually might look scary, but I assume they're as great as Creamy Cinnamon.

The product seems small, but I think it's just cause it's not in some bulky packaging. 


So there we go. A few products that could make you a bit happier this week. :) 

0 comments:

Etude House Secret Brush 121 Skin

12:09 AM Unknown 1 Comments

If you've dropped by Etude House, you might have seen this weird looking face brush they've got. It's called the My Beauty Tool Secret Brush121 Skin.


I don't know how, but my eyes seem to have been trained to spot new things in the mall. But, this particular collection of new brushes in Etude House is not quite hard to see. They seem to have revamped or released newer versions of brushes. The Secret Brush 121 caught my eye the most because it was quite unique.


I actually thought it was the first of its kind, but a few days later, I saw some videos on Youtube reviewing a similar MAC brush, the Oval 6 Brush, part of the Masterclass brush collection. Apparently, there are respective versions for other brushes like the eyeshadow and eyeliner brush.

I don't quite remember if this is around the Php 800 mark or the Php 1,200 mark, but if you check the website, you'd see it's $16.20. It's definitely cheaper than the MAC one.




The head of the brush, which I'm going to say - looks like a toothbrush, is actually interchangeable with a sponge end, but after months of having this, I've never gravitated towards it. Not entirely sure how I'd use it since it's quite small and the text on the box is in Korean. I used it though for dabbing out excess foundation or concealer; I think that's what it said in the instructions in the box. It's quite hard to use the sponge for foundation application since it's so small.




The star of the show though is the brush head. I'm not sure what explains the sort of sideways design to this, but it actually works. It could be how tapered, packed, and dense it is, but I find that it helps give my foundation a more natural and even finish. It really helps too that the bristles are so soft! If I get the courage, I'll try to post a video.



Though I like how it works and the results, I don't think it's an exact replacement of a good stippling brush or a good foundation brush. Just recently, I used my Real Techniques Buffing brush again and was reminded of how good that brush is also. And I'm sure there are other brushes too that do the job great. The Secret Brush121 is also quite small, so it takes longer to get the job done. Those who only use foundation on certain parts would appreciate this though.

A perk of having the removable brush head is that it's easier to clean. Also, a tip if you decide to go for this brush - it works best when clean, so I try to clean it after two week's use.

Let me know if you've tried this brush already. What are your thoughts?

1 comments:

Battle of Makeup Removers

2:31 PM Unknown 0 Comments

I've tried A LOT of make-up removers. Some, I've already thrown out, so I actually only have a photo of four, but these are some of the best I've tried.


In no particular order...

#1 POND's COLD CREAM

The one on the tub below the Bioderma one is actually a repotted Pond's Cold Cream. The big tub that I have is in Baguio and it really takes so long to finish.

Photo Source: Makeup Alley
 I think most of those my age would have fond memories of their mom or their grandmother using this product. The smell really hasn't changed much. And I love it. I use this when I want to give my skin extra TLC. Basically, its a cream that actually looks like a moisturizer cream and is quite heavy. I use quite a lot actually since I don't use it as often as I'd like to, probably the same amount or more of what I use for moisturizer. You massage it on your dry face (when you still have make-up on) and it goes clear and like an oil. I just use my hands and gently press on my lashes with my fingers. It can remove waterproof mascara!

The thing with the cold cream is that for it to be more effective, you have to leave it on for a few minutes. I usually do 10 if I'm not in a hurry, but 5, I think, is enough. After, you wipe it with a damp cloth, but I just use tissue. If you have makeup on, you'll find this product really amazing cause you'll see all the makeup being stripped away. You can do another round if you like. After rinsing your face with your regular cleanser, you'll find that your skin feels extra soft.

For the size of the tub, I think you really get your money's worth. They have the big tub in SnR (this might be the imported one), while there are smaller tubs in local drugstores like Watsons and Mercury.

#2 THE BODY SHOP CAMOMILE SILKY CLEANSING OIL

Actually, this is not the first Body Shop make-up remover I've tried. Initially, I tried the Camomile Gentle Eye Makeup Remover, but I wasn't so happy with how effective it was in removing makeup. It is, like it claims, gentle though with its watery consistency, somewhat like Bioderma and Bifesta. I was convinced to try this though because of Amelia Liana, another beauty vlogger from Youtube, who I've come to love. She talks about how many bottles she's finished. Plus, its cheaper at Php 695 than a Php 1,500+ bottle from other luxury brands.  Body Shop also has a lot of promos; so if you find it on sale, then it's your chance to try it out. 

Photo Source: www.mixedgems.co.uk

Body Shop actually has other products in its Camomile line. They have another type of eye makeup remover that looks like the one from Clinique and a balm type one which seems to match up with the Pond's Cold Cream. The cleansing oil seems to Body Shop's answer to Shu uemura's best-selling cleansing oils. I haven't tried those yet, but I'm quite satisfied with the Body Shop one. It's a little messy though since it's oil, but I guess most oil products get messy anyway. And the packaging sucks as you might have seen in the earlier photo. I just kept the sticker on for the review. 

If you're the type who likes using more natural products, then maybe you'd like this. It doesn't have an overpowering scent also. My sister likes this one.

0 comments:

Etude House BB Creams Review

3:41 PM Unknown 0 Comments

If, like me, you are a sucker for freebies, then you'd probably understand why even if you're bound to spend more, you just go ahead and pick up that other item you decided not to buy just to get that freebie. Yes, I know, this is bad, but Etude House has some pretty affordable "fillers" that could pile up to reach that minimum amount to get that freebie. Their masks, which I remember used to be around the Php 50 mark (but are not anymore), are pretty good extras to add to your cart.


My visit to Etude House wasn't that recent actually.  I went in for the toner, but of course, I had to look around. The freebie during my last purchase was a sample of 3 Etude House BB Creams: Cotton Fit, Blooming Fit, and Perfect Fit.  They have a lot of variants, but it seems these three are their best-sellers.  I didn't ask much about the difference of the three when I was in the store and the text on the box is mostly Korean, but by the names of of each, I had a feeling on how they'd turn out. The samples where just as tall as a MAC lipstick bullet.

L-R: Cool Fit, Perfect Fit, Blooming Fit
I think the three BB creams come in similar shades. The one I got was Light Beige N02. They all have SPF 30.  Etude House's BB cream collection seems overwhelming, but I think knowing what consistency would suit you would help if you're on the lookout for a BB cream.


Side by side, you'd see that Blooming Fit is the most watery / runny, while Cotton Fit is the most compact. Perfect Fit is somewhere in between; I guess that's why it's "Perfect". LOL. Upon swatching, you'll see that Blooming Fit is the most sheer.


0 comments:

April, May, June 2015 Favorites

3:45 PM Unknown 0 Comments

Hello!!!

Three exclamation points for the three months I've been away. So... given that I've missed a few months of blog posts, I have, once again, a long-ass blog post for you of my recent favorites.


First up is something I forgot to mention last March, Clickthenetwork.  It's a channel on Youtube,  that has a few segments like Life Hacks, That F Word, and my favorite - Tried and Tested. I love the host in that segment.  I haven't really gotten into tracking the schedule of their uploads, but they upload pretty constantly. They talk really about everything under the sun.  The Tried and Tested segment showcases mostly beauty products. The way that the host, Shu An, talks about the products, is what you'd really want to see when researching on some beauty products. She provides first impressions and demos. After, she rates the products and is not scared to rate it low if they don't really work for her.

0 comments:

March 2015 Favourites

12:19 AM Unknown 0 Comments

This semester has been a little more intense than the last and it's ending soon; so finals are all coming on the same week which is this week.

Moving along, here are some products I especially loved last month.  It's not all beauty, which I'm really excited about.


L'Oreal Infallible Plumping Lip Gloss in 206 Plumped Rose.  I got to try this gloss because my aunt gave it as a "pasalubong".  I don't think they have the exact same one in the L'Oreal counters here in the Philippines, but I'm sure it has similar consistency with the glosses here.  I like the shade of it and how it easy it goes with other my pinks and nudes or on its own.  It's not too sticky and it doesn't build up after a while unlike some glosses.  It stays on (like it says it does) and keeps my lips really plump.  For me, the best part is the slightly minty feel or smell of it.  What's weird though is that the actual product says 6 hours but online it says it lasts 8 hours.  Oh well, it's not really a deal breaker for me.



L'Occitane Almond Shower Oil.  It's getting warmer recently and sometimes I've been putting off my lotion application.  I've been hearing a lot about this through the Youtube channels I follow.  Its really a treat because it's quite pricey, but it's not just a typical shower gel.  It comes out as an oil but when you start rubbing it in the skin it starts getting that shower gel soap-y texture.  Other than making your skin soft and supple after washing, it has a scent that stays on your skin for a good amount of time and your shower will have that yummy almond smell. 

Photo from: L'Occitane Website

The Cure Natural Aqua Gel.  Here's something you might not have heard off.  This was a recommendation from a colleague and I'm so happy I took her advice.  Basically, this is an exfoliator that you just rub against your washed then dried skin and the dead skin just builds up and goes off your face.  Then you just rinse again.  It's really cool.  I usually use it once or twice a week and my skin really feels soft after using it. 



InsiteTV's Sweet 20s Beauty Drama.  If you've seen my go-to beauty blogs and channels, you'll know that I love watching Youtube beauty channels.  Recently, one of the channels I follow, InsiteTV, brought out a "beauty drama" series type of thing where they showcase the makeup and the application in a drama.  So, you have the typical love story with a quick tutorial in the middle and replayed after the drama.  It's been so entertaining!  I got hooked and watched the 6 or 7 videos that came after to catch up.  It's really short too so it's not like you'll spend your whole day watching.  It stands out for me, among other Youtube videos, because it was done really well and professionally.  The filter of the video didn't emphasize the pigment and shades of the makeup.

The series already ended.  It had 10 episodes.  Some people watch it just for the story, so check it out. :)


I know April is about to end but I hope your March was great too!

0 comments:

The Lip Series: Lip Crayons Part 2

10:01 PM Unknown 0 Comments

We're almost done with March!  A few things happened so I've been quite busy, but here I am with part two of my Lip Crayon post for my Lip Series.


I just have a few left and these might even be hard to get a hold of because they're, again, from my aunt in the States.  If you're wondering how my lips are naturally, take a look here.

1. Happy Skin Shut Up and Kiss Me Moisturizing Lippie in Style Icon, 2.  Neutrogena MoistureSmooth color stick in 70 Plum Perfect, 3.  Neutrogena MoistureSmooth color stick in 40 Bright Berry, 4.  Laura Ashley lip crayon (Barbie Pink), 5.  Laura Ashley lip crayon (Red), 6.  Laura Ashley lip crayon (Mauve), 7.  Laura Ashley lip crayon (Violet)
Swatches after the jump.

0 comments:

FOTD 3: Feeling Fresh

12:42 AM Unknown 1 Comments

I guess it's safe to say that everyone's moving on from the cold months and feeling quite warm already in the Philippines.  So, this look is my attempt to look "fresh" midst the warm weather.  I tried to keep it interesting too by using colored eyeliners.

  
Here were the products I used:

L-R (Its not that hard to figure out.):  Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush Palette, MAC Studio Fix Powder Foundation, Neutrogena MoistureSmooth Color Stick, Maybelline Hyper Sharp Liner, L'Oreal Lucent Magique Foundation, Urban Decay Naked Palette 1, Inglot Freedom Palette concealer, Maybelline The Falsies mascara.

Etude House Play 101 pencils

1 comments:

The Lip Series: Lip Crayons Part 1

11:05 PM Unknown 0 Comments

Hello there!  Again, long time no post.  Sorry for that, but hey, I'm back with a long-ass, photo-filled  post for all of you.  Because I have this "resolution" to finish up my existing makeup before buying new ones, I just "shopped" from my existing collection to be reminded of what I have and what I haven't been using.  Turns out, I have a  lot of lip crayons already!  So, like my Brow Series, this is going to be My Lip Series.  I hope you're as excited as I am.


This is going to be part 1 of 2 for Lip Crayons.  I believe the lip crayon trend started with Clinique's chubby sticks and then other companies like Revlon followed suit.  If you look at it, there's nothing really revolutionary about these lip crayons, but they're really much easier to use compared to a regular lipstick, especially those that are really balm-like.

L-R:  Happy Skin Shut Up And Kiss Me (SUAKM) in 1.  Summer Crush, 2.  Sunset Kiss, 3.  The Morning After, 4.  Victoria's Secret Beauty Crush Glossy Lip Tint (the beige one) and the 5.  (violet one) , Clinique Chubby Stick Moisturizing Lip Color Balm in 6.  16 Voluptuous Violet, 7.  04 Mega Melon, and 8.  Pixi Tinted Brilliance Balm in Radiant Rose
Before we start, let me show you my natural lip color sans any lip product. 



You might have seen my post about these Happy Skin lippies already.  Basically, the three shades have identical consistency (like that of a lipstick but not drying), staying power (great unless touched), and pigment (high pigmentation).  In the swatches above, I only had to swatch it lightly for the color to come out.  But here they are again in photos.

0 comments:

On Sale! + Mini Reviews

12:33 AM Unknown 0 Comments

Here's a little back story for you guys.  My father worked in Saudi Arabia and we were fortunate enough to be with him there for some time.  That time, there wasn't really much to do because of all the constraints.  A lot of my childhood was (I feel) spent in malls.  I didn't feel like I was missing out though.  I loved it!  The sales were really great!

When our family came back to the Philippines, I really felt bad because the sales here weren't as appealing.  So, years passed and I accepted that our dear country might not pick up on the shopping goodness.  But the sales last December and this January really impressed me.  Maybe its because I haven't recently stayed in Manila during December and January.  Maybe its the influx of a lot of international brands and new malls.  Nonetheless, I was very pleased.

This sale season, I actually held back on my makeup purchases as I intend to use up my current ones and keep it fairly simple from now on.  Well, you know how this goes... I couldn't resist two purchases.  One is the L'Oreal Paris Lucent Magique Light-Infusing Foundation, which is probably the Asian version of the Lumi Magique range L'Oreal has.  Its original price was Php 859.  After the discount it was Php 429.50.


0 comments:

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush Palette (with Swatches)

8:00 AM Unknown 1 Comments

My birthday was last month, November.  I don't think I could let my birthday pass by without me treating myself to something nice.  This year that something nice was the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush Palette ($ 58).  My friend was kind enough to get it for me when she was in the States.



1 comments:

2015 - Ready!

9:06 AM Unknown 0 Comments

Here comes that time of the year when we're supposed to reflect and review the year that has just ended.  2014 had its highlights and this post would be quite long if I listed them all down.  Rather, I'd like to focus on 2015, the year ahead.


I'm really happy that planners, journals, and notebooks still exist even if they could easily be replaced by tabs and whatnot.  For 2015, I chose The Daykeeper Datebook.  This is their 2nd year producing a planner.  I was too late to order one last year so I made sure I was early this year.  This year, I really want to absorb everything that will happen to me and be in the moment, rather than moving from one event to another so quickly.


Add caption


You could see its really pretty and has a lot of photos, which is a dilemma for me.  I don't want to ruin it!  I love though how there's one page that's just for the "things that made me smile today".

Just in case I end up getting the urge to just wreck my planner with my oh-so-lovely (sarcastic tone right here) writing, I drank enough coffee to get the lavender "The Giving Journal" of Coffee Bean.  There's just this irreplaceable satisfaction that you get from crossing out tasks from your to-do list.

I wish everyone the best for 2015! :)  Remember, resolutions don't have to start in the beginning of the year.

0 comments:

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)