Bioré UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence

One fine early afternoon, I woke up and said to myself "I need SPF in my life" and with the blazing sun this summer, that sudden tick of my mind is a bright idea else my skin is all fried and sun-damaged.

I am not a fan of sunscreen/sunblock/sun protection-whatever-you-call-them products because I always assume that they are one: sticky and heavy, two: smells funky and three:  gives white or gray cast.  I loved a sun cream in deluxe sample size before with the right spf and whatever pa+++ but the full size is so expensive and I don't know where to get a sample again so I just rely with whatever spf my bb creams have.

So considering the first reason that I mentioned above, I decided to look for something light like an essence and with that in mind I found Bioré UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence and I hit the jackpot.

The yellowish gel-essence-like-cream is water base so it's light and refreshing in the sense that it melts and gives a bit of a cool sensation when applied on the skin.  At first it weird me out because there's a quick phase wherein it turns into something sticky but glad that it will immediately turn into something powdery~it's like a light satin powder that can act like a make-up base or primer which is also one of the reason why I love this product.  It has a high SPF of 50 and it doesn't leave a white or gray cast.

Never Again: EcoTools & Collection Concealer

And the "Never Again" continues, surprisingly the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer is included in this post which saddens me because it's my first concealer and a lot of beauty gurus adore it (that's why I got it, oh the internet just makes me buy stuff that I could live without).

Before the concealer, let's talk a little of the EcoTools Fresh and Flawless Complexion Brush Set.

I like the EcoTools Bamboo 5 Piece Brush Set but my inner masochist just go out when I clean my brushes so the mineral powder and mini kabuki brush shed like crazy and I have throw them.  In replacement, I got another set that I thought has the same size as the bamboo set but I'm wrong (I seem to not have the best luck with it comes to makeup and tools), they are way mini than I expected they only occupy 2/3 of my palms.

The Complexion Blending Brush is just slightly bigger than my thumb that it will take me forever to blend foundation or bb cream that I applied.  I usually use it as a blush brush and maybe in the future as a contour brush since it has a round and dome shape and it fits the hollows of my cheeks.  Same goes with the Precision Foundation Brush (pinkie size) so I only use it when an extra coverage is needed in a small area of my face like the sides of my nose.  I rarely use the Flat and Buffing Concealer Brush, maybe in the future if I can finally find a concealer that suits my skin.  And finally, Full Powder Brush which is perfect as a blush brush (I don't use face powder).  It's soft and tapered, picks just enough amount of blush and it's almost the size of the apples of my cheeks.

Overall, this set is a good travelling companion and is also perfect for those who cannot spare a lot of space for makeup tools.  Plus it's cute and the ferrules are really dainty.

Skincare Centered Haul for You All

Cosmetics sale is everywhere and I participated in some like the annual nivea sale where everything is half the price and I also got some other stuff like a weird looking brush and foot soak.  I also took advantage of some korean skincare products because some of them are on a great deal.

Here are some of the things I accumulated that I bought online.  Let's start with what I got from Bhappywithme Ebay.  By the way photos are by Louis of Louis Delos Angeles Photography, I edited them though :)

I've been eyeing the OST Vitamin C Serum but I couldn't find a Philippine based online seller who can "procure" it for me and so when I saw the C20 (which is the new name of OST) Vitamin Sleep 9 to 5 crema (Php799, around $18), I immediately put it in my ebay cart.  Dull skin is one of my problem so I hope the vitamin c in this cream can solve my mini dilemma.

Still from Bhappywithme, I also got the Innisfree Green Tea Mineral Mist (Php200, around $4.5) which has been a favorite to many skincare addicts enthusiast.  I initially plan to used this just as a final step to my base  makeup but it's so refreshing that I just spray this on my face whenever I feel like it.

I love my Biore Water Essence with SPF 50 but I couldn't just wear it alone, I need to apply another product to fully entertain the need of my skin for moisture so I got the A'pieu Pure Block Natural Sun Cream (Php300, around $6.70) hoping that it can perform like the IOPE that I have before (which I cannot have to afford the full size).

Never Again: TBS All-in-One BB Cream & A'pieu Pore Cover Balm

There are times that you get excited with a certain product that it hurts so much when it performs below your expectation and swear that would never again use and buy it and the only reason why your keeping it is because of the "just in case" thought.  It'll be in your stash for some time and then one day you will look at it and wonder "why did I even buy and keep you".

It's cleaning time once again and I have to throw makeup that are already expired (it hurts to throw them because it's like throwing money in the garbage, but I have to because it's not healthy for my skin) and make peace with the items I swore almost to death (I'm exaggerated, I know).

Let's start with The Body Shop All-In-One BB Cream.
This one hurts me so much because it's the first "legit" and pricey (although many consider it drugstore and cheap)  bb cream that I bought.  Most of the bb creams that I tried are sample deluxe or in sachets so the All-In_One BB Cream signifies my being "dalaga" when it comes to makeup.

The Body Shop All-In-One BB cream is a color adapting cream that looks natural on the skin.  I swatched the 01 in store and it perfectly matched my skintone though I should have wondered and questioned why there are shades to choose from where in the first place it should "adapt" to one's skintone.  Anyway I still bought it, use it and happy with the result (because it's not too obvious that I'm wearing a bb cream) while at home.  Took the bus, walked around three blocks under the sun with minimal shade from the trees and when I went to the comfort room, my face look almost a shade darker~ I instantly have a tan.  I still gave it some more try because I thought I'm just applying too much or applying it the wrong way but the results are the same.  So I gave it a rest and thought maybe this will be perfect for summer since it can fake a tan.

QUICK BITES: In Tubes

There are times that strolling in the aisles of grocery is dangerous in the sense that you see things that makes you curious, take for example the Pantene 3 Minute Miracle conditioner (which luckily I got at half the price)  I don't need it but bought two for good measure (that's what I thought).

Here's another edition of Quick Bites where I share my thoughts of random products in a "quick" way.

Pantene 3 Minute Miracle
This is love at first use of sachet, I was head over heels and decided to get a tube but lo and behold it went on sale and so I bought two.  The first 2.5 weeks was heaven: my hair is soft and shiny it's as if I having an everyday hair spa.  Past the 2.5 weeks though, my hair started to feel heavy and I noticed more bumps like pimples on my shoulders, on my hairline and jaw area and on my scalp too meaning this conditioner is just too strong that my sensitive skin can't take it~ it's like the conditioner's love is too much that my body is already choking.

Nivea Intensive Moisturizing Serum SPF25PA++
I hate wearing sunblock or any lotion with SPF because they are heavy and overall give an unpleasant feel to my skin but heck I need protection from the blazing sun this summer (I'm talking 30 degrees and beyond temperature with so much humidity) so I'm happy with an emulsion like moisturizer with SPF.  At first I thought this doesn't provide enough moisture because the outer layer of my skin is not as smooth and silky as when I apply my regular lotion at night but I'm wrong because when I scratch myself, I don't see any white marks~that's how I measure how moisturizing my body moisturizer is :P

St. Ives Bright Skin Apricot Scrub
This is pricier than the regular St. Ives scrubs and the packaging have all these Japanese (if I'm not mistaken) words so it got me curios.  Well, the "granules" in this scrub is much finer which I really like.  Aside from that thought, it seems like the other kind of scrub from St.  Ives.

Beauty Formulas Glorious Mud Facial Mask
I tried the green tea version of this when I stayed at my sister's place one night and it lifted my white and blackheads that I can easily remove them without the help of tweezers so I thought this must be better because mud masks lift or absorbs impurities and it's made of kaolin and bentonite.  Well, I'm slightly wrong~the green tea is better when it comes to removing whiteheads and blackheads but this one seems to suck all the accumulated oils of my body from the products that I use (I use this not just on my face but on my body as well) I have to remember to moisturize well after though as it is a bit drying.

The Body Shop Hand Cream
I got these  (I got three, gave the other one to my sister and I don't know why I'm telling this to you) from some of the points I accumulated from buying The Body Shop products (I'm quite loyal before) and I love them especially this summer.  They are light yet very moisturizing (more light than all the aloe gels that I tried which to me are very light) and also give a refreshing feel to the skin.  The satsuma smell is really refreshing, it's like orange and lime in one.

QUICK BITES: My Bro Said "Oh It's Your Lotions"

Oh hey, it's been a while since I've been busy with work and watching animes (again).  I already catch up with World Trigger and Kamisama Hajimemashita and I'm planning to start with another recommendation from my brother, Ansatsu Kyoushitsu.

I'm doing another random review (I'm now calling this kind of post Quick Bites) because I'm still not into doing a proper full review blog post but I hope it still interests you :D

Sulwhasoo Essential Balancing Emulsion
Another ginseng based product with a ginseng smell, this emulsion is just right during night time but is a bit heavy during these summer days and when I say heavy I mean sticky and looking greasy.  It works just like other emulsions and because it's doing just okay with my face, I started using it as a body lotion and surprise surprise as a brush cleaner.  It seems to have a fair amount of oil so I put this on my brush egg then swirl a dry brush.  Then I wet the brush and swirl again then rinse with water and the emulsion does the job.

Sulwhasoo Overnight Repairing Treatment
Sulwhasoo is a high end brand in Korea so I'm really into trying out their products and bought samples even though they are a bit pricey and unfortunately I'm disappointed.  This Sulwhasoo sleeping pack didn't beat my love for Laneige Water Sleeping Pack.  It's not as sticky as other sleeping packs and my skin mostly absorbs the product but it doesn't feel refreshing to apply...it's like I applied a medicinal cream.  Also, I get these hard bumps that look like a pimple when I use it (I currently have three after a month of using the sleeping pack/treatment which I use twice to thrice a week) and over time they darken.  Obviously my face is slightly hating it but my legs seems to like, it helps in soothing the itchiness of my skin.

Laneige Moisture Balancing Emulsion
I feel like my face is into Laneige products.  This emulsion is light enough to use during day time but still gives enough moisture and a little moist throughout the day.  Like other emulsions, it takes some time before my face absorbs it, so I wait around 5 minutes before I can apply my spf or makeup. Two more plus about this product is that one it doesn't irritate my skin (no bumps or red spots whatsoever) and two the smell is light and refreshing.

That's it.  It's summer here in the Philippines so Happy Summer and Enjoy the Sun!