Oh Looky: These Tools

Just a quick look at these three tools that I used to massage my face and decide which one to keep.  I don't know their names so I'll refer them by color.

Kindly read Oh Looky before proceeding to read, thanks.

Black is a souvenir that I got from Taiwan.  It's a multi purpose massaging tool for different parts of the body (as demonstrated by the nice grandma who did his very best to communicate with me through body language) but I mainly use it for the face.  The curve is surprisingly perfect for my jaw lines and I used the top (or bottom) side part to the rest of my face.  It's thin so I have to be light to avoid hitting my bones (it hurts when it happens and definitely need some cream or oil for it to glide smoothly).

Everything Too Faced

Oh Hey!  It's been a while...let's just start immediately with my thoughts with some Too Faced products...Game Changer if you ask me for a summary.

Too Faced primed Poreless Skin Smoothening Pressed Powder
I don't like wearing foundation because as soon as I set my foot outside, hulas agad - foundation starts to melt and this one solved that problem.  This finely milled pressed powder can be use as a primer or as a setting powder or both.  It's makes the skin soft, smooth and slightly matte.  It also makes me less sweaty - now I'm on drier side of the skin spectrum so I don't know how will this fair with oil control.

Girlies out their  will like the princessy packaging and the size is perfect to carry around (it's slim) and it has a decent mirror too.  I just don't like the sponge that came with it but I like that there's a compartment for it to hide extra money.  Char! Hindi favorite sponge or small brush.

Sephora PH x Too Faced Haul

My heart fluttered when I heard (read) the buzz that a Sephora store will finally open in Manila (if my memory serves me right, Megamall).  I could finally get my hands on brands raved by many youtubers and beauty gurus but at the same time, I'm fearing that my wallet will always be slim and gasping for money (yikes!).

But the buzz is just a buzz and never became an official news.  Imagine the hearts of many Filipino beauty enthusiasts slowly being crushed while waiting for a physical store to materialized.

Luckily Sephora Ph Online store went up and a new hope was born (yipee!).

3 Common Online Shopping Questions
I always get these questions whenever I show my online haul.

• How do I pay - Credit Card, Paypal, Dragonpay.  Dragonpay consists of over the counter payment via bank or remittance payment center and online/app bank payment.  Weird though, BPI is not available maybe because of the recent incident?  I'm not sure.
• How many days before the goodies arrived - 5 to 7 days according to the website but I got mine within 5 days- I ordered Monday, got my stuff Friday.
• Tax? - Nope.  Aramex (courier) delivered my order to my friend's doorstep and voila!  As long as someone can sign and receive the package there will be no problem.

And Another One! This Time From It's Skin

I have another reco serum/essence/ampoule for those who are just diving into the korean skincare world and it's cheaper compared to the Innisfree The Green Tea Seed Serum.  It's the Power 10 Formula CO Effector with Phyto Collagen from It's Skin.

But of course, this is just based on my opinion and personal experience.  Products that works for me might not work for you.

This is a bit thicker and stickier than the Innisfree but the effect is almost the same.  It's as moisturizing but a half step lower when it comes to nourishing but it makes it up to it by making my skin softer.  And since this serum is thicker, I only need half of the pipette to cover my face and neck.  And because it's cheaper (average $10), I sometimes layer it but not up to 7 times like what I do with the Hatomugi Skin Conditioner.

Serum For First Timers and It's From Innisfree

I was so clueless when I started with skincare.  I thought that I should have an essence, a serum and an ampoule because I didn't know that the three are in the same category.  I also thought that first essence and essence are the same thing but it turns out that I should use the former before toner and the latter after toner.  There's a lot of trial and error, and a lot of money wasted and if I could go back in time, I should have also watch k-beauty youtube channels in addition to my blog readings.

Anyway, if I could recommend a serum for first timers for all skin type, I would suggest the Innisfree The Green Tea Seed Serum.

For that Watery Moist Skin Look

How do Koreans achieve that "Moist-Glowy" look without too much make-up.  I'm very curious and almost asked someone while I'm in Korea on how to achieve it but well but I'm too shy to have a conversation.  I tried a full blown Korean Skincare before but I still didn't achieved the look.

Anyway I'm still thinking that moisture is the key and so I got the Nature Republic Super Aqua Max Moisture Watery Cream which is the perfect variant for my dry skin.

This will be  quick review.

Hatomugi and 7 Times Skin

From a non-believer to a constant user and now trying out the "7 Skin Method" trend, Toner or Skin as known in Korea or Lotion in Japan has been constant in my skincare routine.

In my younger years, I always thought that a toner is either very strong to the point of burning the skin or as bland as water packaged into a fancy bottle.  As I got to skincare, I learned (and still learning) that a good toner (or Skin in Korea and Lotion in Japan) can restore the skin's pH balance quickly and prepare it in your next skincare step and provides extra moisture and nutrients thus helping in repairing the skin's protective barrier (and so much more depending on the ingredients of your toner).

Before They Go: Makeup II - Eyeshadows

I thought that finally, I'll be a makeup junkie when I started blogging and will finally be girly just the way others had hoped for me.  But for me, putting piles of stuff on my face aside from skincare is totally bothersome.  I still enjoyed the time spent playing with makeup and at the same time I can confidently say to other people that the "me" is not really girly and enjoys the simple routine of bb cream, some blush (sometimes highlighter) and a little something something on the lips that is not too loud in color.  I'll definitely stick to the items that will work for me and not the other way around and I don't want to feel that I am only beautiful when I have makeup on.

And so here are some items that I tried, used a couple of time, sits in my drawer and are now expired (I think).

Before They Go: Makeup I

From a crazy idea to a beauty staple, BB cushion conquered and found a steady spot in the beauty world.  Lovers of liquid base makeup can now enjoy their favorite bb/cc cream or foundation in a compact form without the hassle of a bulky packaging, a mirror and a sponge or brush.

I don't touch-up so I do not necessarily need a cushion but I got curious so I got a refill to satisfy my curiosity and it did not disappoint though I have some minor issues with it.

So here's what's inside of the cushion (for those of you who is noob like me), it's a plastic container with a cover that contains a sponge soaked with; in my case, foundation (confusing, I know because of the name but a "BB Cushion" can contain bb/cc cream or foundation which I already mentioned above, sorry paulit ulit lang and if you are feeling adventurous you can actually DIY and customize the content of your very own bb cushion).

I got the IOPE XP Cushion C21 SPF50+/PA+++ because IOPE started it all!  It has a light to medium coverage with a dewy finish which I very much like because it makes me look fresh and younger :) Plus I look artistahin when I wear this although that effect fades in just an hour or two so touch-up is really needed but I can't be bothered so I just let it fade since the fading anyway looks natural - not patchy and there's no creasing involved at all especially when using the specific sponge that should be use with the cushion.

Not the Same featuring Missha and Aloe Vera Gel

They were the favorites with a "holy grail" status.  The "go to" when the new items failed their purpose.  They are like your BFFs that you reach out to when you have skin problems.  But then suddenly, you feel they don't give the same effect anymore.  Was it a new formulation? Or perhaps my age and diet (what I eat)?

Whatever the reason, here are the items that awed me before but just won't work anymore now.

Missha Time Revolution Night Repair Science Activator Borabit Ampoule

THEN:  I raved about this before here and it's one of the reason why I tried some more items from Missha.  Here'a an excerpt from my review: "My face looks glowing, flawless and sleek.  With continuous usage, my face looks healthy and less sensitive.  My pores looks smaller and my freckles and sun spots are less visible. I never had a major breakout with this ampoule and my skin is soft yet firmer than before." Overall, I think it made my skin almost to the flawless artista level.

NOW:  It just became a normal moisturizer in a liquid form.  I read somewhere; although not official, that an active ingredient was replace with the "Borabit" edition as Missha had an issue with Estee Lauder because guys, in Korea this is being marketed as a cheaper version of the Estee Lauder Night Repair.  I wish that I have gotten the former formula because I am missing the goodness it gave to my skin.

Before They Go: Skincare

I've been trying to minimized the stuff that I have to somehow de-clutter my space and my mind.  So far not so good but I guess I'll start again by looking into my skincare and bodycare.  Here are the items that will definitely say goodbye to me with mini reviews.

Let's start with these items that works but I have to let go of them because either they are already expired or because I don't need them anymore (I don't use make-up for the past few months): Purebeauty Cleansing Oil-In-Gel, Lacvert Pure Deep Cleansing Oil and Shiseido Perfect Whip Foam.

Purebeauty Cleansing Oil-In-Gel is a gel in texture kind of makeup remover that turns into a nearly oily state once applied to the skin.  Being a gel, it's cooling and can give that relaxing feeling when massage into the skin.  This is enough if you only wear light make-up but you'll definitely do a lot of massaging, tugging and pulling when it comes to heavy make-up like dark eyeshadows and eyeliner.

Lacvert Pure Deep Cleansing Oil is the first and only proper cleansing oil that I tried and it change the way I look at double cleansing.  I only use foam cleanser before and I noticed that the cotton pads that I used when toning is always brown and I tell myself "Oh my toner is really good, it removes residue from my cleanser".  But I got curious about double cleansing and cleansing oil so I tried one and glad I did because the brown thing in the cotton pads is actually bb cream.  I haven't tried any other cleansing oil so I can't compare but this one from Lacvert is satisfying, I really wish that it's readily available here in the Philippines.  It easily removes make-up, it's not oily to the skin as it melts into something milky when I incorporate water while massaging my face and it leaves my skin feeling moisturized.

Shiseido Perfect Whip Foam really creates a thick, rich, dense foam even if I only use a dot of it.  It can cleanse without stripping the moisture of the skin, it's actually a great cleanser for any skin type.

My Heart is Crushed: LANEIGE

I've been in love with Laneige's Water Sleeping Pack_EX which is the BEST Sleeping Pack/Mask for me, I put it in a pedestal and is now my measurement for a good sleeping mask in case I try new ones (you can check my amazement with the product here).

And so when Laneige released a firming and then an updated version, I got excited! checked my wallet to see how much more should I make tipid to get them and voila! got them last year.

So are they good enough? Well my intro photo is a hint.

Laneige Firming Sleeping Pack
Already in my late 20's (it's inevitable, I'll be out of the calendar soon!) I just new that my skin needed some firming and all the anti-aging sheesh because they say, once you hit the land of 30s, lines, wrinkles and sagging will suddenly knock on your door and barge-in in your life with or without your permission.  And so even though a lot of people couln't guess my real age (yes! baby face lang) a little help of firming from Laneige Firming Sleeping Pack is very much welcome.

I saw an ad about this product that the pudding like pack will restore its form after sometime no matter how many times you jiggle or break it.  Sounds amazing but I thought "what will that do to firm my face, will the product particles once in my face will contact each other and say "Let's Bolt In? what a gimmick!".

Human♥Nature Overnight Elixir and 100% Natural Moisturizer

I got the Human♥Nature  100% Natural Night Moisturizer because it's so cheap.  It's  Php149 (around $3.50) for 50ml and it has jojoba which is said to be the the most similar to human skin oil and plant collagen which makes the skin looking plump and youthful.

The Overnight Elixir is an impulse buy.  I like to try the Rosehip oil but looking into the ingredients of the Overnight Elixir, I think it's better plus just hearing the "Elixir"word makes me want to have it even more.  By the way, I tried the Rosehip Oil (my sister has one) and I kind of hate how heavy the oil is plus it's smells like a cooking oil.

Even though everyone have good reviews in the site, I still kept my expectation low with the Human♥Nature 100% Natural Moisturizer and I'm glad I did because I am so surprise with the result- I can't believe it's cheap.  Aside from the price, here are three major reasons why I like it:

First is that it's fluidy and has an essence like consistency and texture that my skin absorbs it real quick.
Second is it's moisturizing not only the top of my skin but deep within as well.  While this moisturizer sinks into my skin quickly, it still leaves this thin-light and non greasy layer of oil that kinda coats the top layer of the skin making it bouncy.

2 More Revlon Lippies

I thought I'm completely a blush girl until I made contact with a "real" lipstick...it change my makeup life.

For years, I lean on different kinds of lip balm: colorless, tinted or those "magic" type that changes color and dries my lips, and I was okay with it since I only use lips balms when I remember that I have them or when my lips are chapped.  And then I bought a legit lipstick but at the back of my head I always say that I'll just use it on special occasions or if I wanted to be not so ordinary which rarely happens.  Until came Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain...

Wait a minute, it's a balm not a lipstick (my whole life is a lie!).  I only know this now because the print on the tube was already erased.  I have the 001 Honey Douche which is a color that I'll never pick because it's a shade of pink but this was just given to me by my sister who thinks that it's more appropriate for me than on her (and she's right).

Yes it's pink but it's not the shouting kind of pink, it's more on the demure and not so girly side (why is this hard for me to explain, makeup reviewers/bloggers out there-HELP ME).  It's also close to my natural lip color so even a newbie like me can apply this without a mirror.  When I wanted to put some color to my tired looking face or spruce my no makeup makeup look, I usually grab this~it's an everyday-looking natural kind of lipstick.

Another lipstick that I got for free (it's from a hair dye) is this Revlon Colorburst  Lip Butter 063 Wild Watermenlon.

Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter is moisturizing and buttery so I'm not surprised that I'm halfway through with Fig Jam (a variant that darkens or adds depth/shadow when I use it on top of my other bright lipsticks).  The Wild Watermelon shade is like a demi lip stain and balm in the sense that it's not as buttery as the blank blank that I have but it is more staining.  I hope the above photo can explain this, I mean just look how liquidy it is compared to the Just Bitten.

I usually wear Wild Watermelon when I wanted to brighten my lips and maybe more often this summer because it's bright red orange (which I usually associate with something perky and colorful).

I'm happy that I have these two in my lipstick stash (I hope that makeup collection (dangerous words) will never occur to me) and even happier because I got them for free!

Sample: IOPE Kit

Auto pilot:  ON

Got 4 of this IOPE Moisture Intense Kit last 2013 and use most of them last year.

IOPE Moisture Skin Cleansing Foam
It says that this cleansing foam is moisturing, it's not.  While it really cleanses my face, it also suck all the moisture out of my face like I when I use ordianry bar soaps.

IOPE Moisture Intense Softener
Ahhh, this one is something that I really like.  Though it's thicker than normal toners, this is perfect for my dry skin as it also moisturize it while toning and it makes the skin soft.

IOPE Moisture Intense Emulsion
Lately, I'm not a fan of emulsion anymore and this one feels more like a body lotion.  I gave most of them to my sister and a friend.  Some, I just use it as a body lotion when I'm travelling or at someone else place (the size is perfect for travelling).

IOPE Moisture Intense Cream
The intensity of moisturization of this is so high that my crack heels benefited much from this cream.  Moisturization wise, this is really good but it just so heavy on the face and sometimes I wake up with an oily face when I use this at night.  This is more applicable to those with a winter or a very cold weather.

IOPE Mild Sun Cream
This is my favorite out of this kit.  It has SPF 35, it's moisturizing, it's easy to spread and it also acts like a base that it blurs my pores and other imperfections of my face plus it also makes my skin glow a little bit.  It has a pleasant smell and looks really natural considering it has spf which makes my skin look ghastly.

IOPE Bio Activator Plant Stem Cell Active
Not part of the set.  This essence/ampoule or whatever IOPE call it is amazing as it got rid of the bumps that I got from Olay Regenerist Cream.  It also makes my skin much smoother  and my pores looking smaller.  This is a very active product that when I use it day and night on a daily basis, my skin got a little sensitive so I just use this at night.

Happy New Year!

Arya

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Sample: Sulwhasoo

Gone for awhile but I'm trying to get back to this blog though for now I'm on auto pilot and wouldn't be very chatty.

Sulwhasoo Concentrated Ginseng Cream
Got interested with this cream as I read a review somewhere that it rejuvenates skin which my tired face mostly need and it works.  Some might get irk about the ginseng, earthy and herby smell but this stuff really moisturizes and seem to repair the skin.  Although it's on the fluidy side, it feels heavy on the skin.  It's probably because I used a lot of water based skincare lately but so far this is a great cream.

Sulwhasoo Concentrated Ginseng Eye Cream
I ordered 30+ sachets of this eye cream which equates to a full size amount.  This is a thick but tolerable eye cream which, again, kinda rejuvenates the undereye area.  Though it did not make my dark circle go away or the lines in the undereye area, it keeps the wrinkles and crow feet at bay which is good because I'm already nearing 30.  Although it's a heavy eye cream, I find it better than using a fluidy one as it doesn't slide on my cheeks...it just stay where I apply it and with the right amount, gets absorb by skin quite fast.

Great New Year to Everyone.

Cheers to 2015!

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Hada Labo and More

Here's the random review again but this time, some goodies are irresistible!

Zenutrients Massage Oils
I got the Eucalyptus and Peppermint and the Eucalyptus and Green Tea and I like the latter more than the former because it's more minty, more relaxing and it helps me breathe better.  These oils are not only good for massages but also for moisturizing the skin because of the coconut oil which is not greasy to use that I apply them even during daytime...good stuff I'm going to try other variants.

Watsons Green Tea Pore Minimizing Gel
If you wanted to try aloe gels for the longest time but don't want to spend 200 to 300 (around $4 to $5) pesos then this gel is a good option.  It has the same light moisturization and cooling effect for less than 100 pesos.  Not sure about the pore minimizing part because I only use this on my feet :)

The Body Shop Special Edition Blueberry
There's a thin line between this, having a childish blueberry smell with a blueberry smell that is good and okay to use in the body.  This has a thick consistency like the shea and moisturizes like the olive, not one of my favorites but for a change of smell to something almost toothy fruity is refreshing once in a while plus I got this for free, yihey!

Bath & Body Works Deep Cleansing Hand Soap
And Bath & Body Works is not joking because this hand soap have the power of deep cleansing.  The only problem is that it also washes away the moisture off my hands so I go gaga slathering lotions everytime I pee and you know what.

Hada Labo Gokujyun Lotion
Hands down to this moisturizing toner, I really wish this is readily available in Watsons Philippines.  This softens my skin to the highest level!!! and really helps in refining and moisturizing my face.  The effect is shocking after just one night of use.  I can't give a full review though because I only use it for less than a month (got to try only around 1/8 of the bottle, thanks to a friend who let me have the remaining of this stuff).
 

Tried any of these?

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Laneige Essences: Water Bank and White Plus Renew

This will be part 1 of the sample "series" because if you read my What Should I Call This? - Another Haul post then you'll know that I went overboard at hoarding sample size products.  First stop, Laneige essences.

Laneige is considered as a mid-range brand though for me, its price is already on the high end category.  Price is justifiable though, basing on the Power Essential Skin Refiner and Water Sleeping Pack that I tried.

One of the known range from Laneige is the Water Bank and I got 3 15ml + 1 10ml essence, that's already like a full size amount of product.  Water Bank Essence says that it's a long lasting hydration essence that provides clear and moist skin.

It's light, it makes the skin hydrated, smooth and moist and it has a nice refreshing smell so it hit all the things that is in the description (good job Laneige).  This is also a friendly product to those with oily skin type because it's moisturizing without being too heavy, it's even lighter than emulsion.

Full size of this Water Bank Essence cost around $30 to $40, in this Amazon link it's $37.04 free shipping but if you wanted a cheaper alternative then go for Missha's Super Aqua Essence which is around $20 I got mine before at a discounted price.

And here's how the essence looks like, it seems that it melts when applied on skin.  Next essence is a much more liquidy one, more like a very moisturizing lotion/toner and it's the Original Essence White Plus Renew which promises to mildly renew skin to be radiant and clear.

"in just 2 weeks, find solutions to 6 whitening concerns with gentle whitening that excludes 4 mild ingredients for a complexion 2 tones brighter." I don't want to have a lighter skin tone, I just wanted my blemishes like freckles and pimple scar to lighten.  The brightening part is a bonus and this essence didn't deliver.  Sorry Laneige but this essence didn't do any action that it promises and the only good thing that I can think about it is it's texture/consistency because its liquidy and can easily be spread to the skin so it is perfect for all skin types.

No brigtening, no lightening...just a mild kind of moisturization...boring... :)

The Water Bank Essence is really great in terms of moisturizing without being greasy and I'm glad that I bought sample sizes rather than a full size for the White Plus Renew Essence which is perfectly not for me.

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Zen Zest Tea Tree Oil

Even someone with dry skin experience having large painful pimples especially on red days that like those with oily skin type, pray that they would quickly go away but pimples most of the time are clingy and wanted to stay forever.  In situation like this, I rely in the drying and antibacterial power of tea tree oil.

Mine is from ZenZest (I also thought they only sell perfume) because it's the cheapest :) yet works well enough to zit the zits in a shorter amount of time.  By cheap I mean 100 pesos (that's around $2.50) which is way cheaper than The Body Shop's!

It does kind of warm the skin when apply a small amount of the oil either on my pimples or other itchy whatevers in my skin like insect bites or scratch or bumps that just suddenly appear on my legs.  Yes it kind of became a multi-purpose oil for me but let's go back to the pimple part.

When I have a small zit, I just apply (directly on the zit and it's close sorrounding) a small amount of tea tree oil at night, sleep on it and bam! it disappears in the morning.  For bigger zits or pimples, it will take around 3 days (it will slowly shrink) before they will turn into something that can be hidden under a concealer which is not bad since before, it'll take around 5 days before my pimple "ripen" (meaning before it pops, I hope you know what I mean).

I sometimes also use this to deodorize my feet, but I make sure that I moisturize them well the day after since this oil is quite drying.  Yes, it's an oil but it is drying that is why it is effective for my pimples.

The only bummer about ZenZest's is the dispenser of the oil, I have to yank the small bottle in order for me to get a decent amount for my pimples but I guess it's better than accidentally spilling it, right?

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August 2014: HAUL

Stressed?  Yes, but most importantly it's my birthday month so I allowed myself to spend on some things (not all, I have to be practical).  First stop is Forever21.  I almost got a leather jacket and another boots (which is the one that I've been eyeing in F21 US site) but I have to think thrice and weigh every pros and cons and cons won (I don't know how to rock leather in a warm humid weather).

So I pick some tops, just simple and basic ones that can be dress down or up.  I just love how the white shirt camouflages itself as formal with those texture (I remember that my mom has one of these just sitting in her closet only better when I was a kid and now I wish I kept and restore it.
I am always attracted to shirts with stripes...they just look nautical and refreshing and put together so I can't pass on the navy blue stripes shirt.  And when I got home I just realized that the two tops that I got from F21 are way pricier than my pants and was kinda a happy that I got another top (the flowery one) for just 250 pesos (that's less than $5) from a tiangge (hooray for tiannges!).

Still from Forever21, I got two black pants (although in the photo it's like dark blue) because they are on a reduced price and they almost perfectly fit me well (I can't find the perfect pants for my body type...I have weird body structure if you are wondering why).  They also already come with slim belts and I can roll the hem up (for a chic look) or down and they still look good.  They set great on my hips (not too high nor low), they have nice fabric and they are comfortable to wear!

I also bought a pair of Chucks because I miss them (I have 4 pairs before, I think) although I will only wear them on Friday's and maybe Sunday's too.  And another cheap shoes that I can use when walking going to work.

Other stuff that I bought are the plastic storage for my skincare products and makeup and them some other stuff recommended by my sister.  The A Bonne Spa Milk Salt is a cult favorite.  The Black Beauty Hot Oil with Vitamin E is my sister's happiness.  And the The Body Shop's hand cream are so light I got three (gave one to my sister) when I redeemed all my points and voucher from being ever so loyal with The Body Shop Philippines, I only paid 30 pesos, that's happiness for me!

Well, in just a day or two it's already September~"BER" months ,I can already smell christmas (why so fast!!!!).

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