Holika Holika Pig-nose

Holika Holika Pig-nose Clear Black Head Cleansing Sugar Scrub (why is the name so long???) is something that I hate in the beginning but that hatred turned into love when I accidentally learned how to properly use it.  This is a physical kind of scrub from; the name itself, sugar plus balm (the balm which has been a buzz in the youtube world which is said to be a better cleansing "agent" than other type/form cleansers? not sure, soon I'll find out since I'm going to use one...will try to compare it with oil, foam and other types of cleansers that I already use *cross finger*) and I can't believe that it has pink clay (I just found this out as in this very moment) or is it the balm that I'm looking at right now (I swear it looks like a balm!)).  Moving on, this one also has lemon extracts which explains the citrusy scent of the scrub and aloe vera, both of which is said to provide a brighten complexion and nourish skin.

If you are thinking that this will magically remove the blackheads on your face then you are wrong, this balm didn't promise that (based on the description I found in the net).  Instead it says that the soft white sugar exfoliate the skin removing dead skin cells and allowing for the easier extraction of blackheads and other impurities from pores while the pink clay (which I think is the balm) help absorbs excess sebum.  Seems like your ordinary sugar scrub but the "balm" makes this scrub a bit special as it makes physical exfoliation/scrubbing much enjoyable and easier.

The balm/pink clay keeps the sugar from sticking to the face for better exfoliation and at the same time it already cleanses the skin and it can even remove make-up.  I just hate the sticky feeling it gives though so I either use a mild cleanser after or just lightly scrub my face again with a konjac jelly.  Or as directed, just wash off with lukewarm water (I don't have the luxury of having a hot and cold faucet so I rely with the konjac jelly).

I said in the beginning that I hated this at first just because I thought that the sugar is just too harsh for my skin but it turns out that I'm just exerting too much pressure.  One day I just absent-mindedly put this on my face (I think I'm daydreaming) and after like a minute, the sugar just dissolved and my skin was exfoliated without being hurt-no redness and harshness felt.

Overall, it's a good light scrub (if use properly) that loosens blackheads and sebum and makes extraction much easier.

p.s. I got the description info from holikaholika.ca.  You can purchase this at w2beauty.com and use arya.deguzman@gmail.com to get a $5 voucher upon registration.

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SUPER! Missha's

I fell in love with Missha's Super Aqua Essence that I didn't hesitate to get the boxed set of the line even if I still have lots of products in line.  I expected a lot from Missha because most of their products that I tried are superb but budget friendly so the Super Aqua Hydrating Emulsion is kind of a let down so good thing that the toner is something that I like.

So why am I not a fan of the emulsion.  Yes, I like the frosted blue bottle and the refreshing smell that reminds me of the fresh ocean but it just takes a lot of time for my skin to absorb it maybe because the texture is a bit gooey leaving my face looking a bit oily (bit is the favorite word of the day!) and it doesn't really moisturize well.

The toner on the other hand is just refreshing: it's a simple, light, basic toner that is suitable for all skin types.  I usually refer to it as the flavored water, it just smells light, clean and refreshing without any hint of alcohol.  It doesn't dry out nor moisturize my skin-it's in the neutral zone.  I have the full size before and it's also in a frosted light blue glass which a great representation of aqua.

Another quick review for you but I hope I covered the basics.

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Missha Bordeaux Absolute Body Butter

A sale can make you get things in an impulse and this is one of them.  I got Missha Bordeaux Absolute Body Butter when Missha Korea had a massive sale last December and I'm glad I did get this even if there's no review about it because in my opinion it is better than The Body Shop's!

On sale, I got this around P200 (that's less than $4) which is much cheaper than any other butter that I tried.  The consistency of this one is really like the spreadable butter from grocery stores: not to runny or jiggly or mushy with bits of solid.  But despite it's consistency this is non greasy (or maybe I just apply it right after I take a bath that my skin absorbs it well), it just moisturizes and gives the skin a thin layer of softness that is lovely to touch especially when I just shaved, hehehe.  The smell reminds me of Welsh grape juice not like wine, but that's okay.

I should have got another tub of this during the sale but I always get body butter from The Body Shop that I still have two left and wouldn't like to stock on another butter.

That's all!

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Laneige Power Essential Skin Refiner Moisture

Remember my flowery back-drop from my blushers series? Well here it goes again, for this post only (hoping that when I visit my sister, I'll have a product photo session again because they look lovely...they look lovely right? please agree!).  Let's get back to the main element of the above photo though and I must say it's the priciest toner skincare product I ever bought but still worth it!

I thought that Laneige Power Essential Skin Refiner Moisture is an essence (which explains why I bought it because by the time I ordered this I told myself that I would "amplify" my skincare and I'll start with an essence but, toink I didn't research much and rely on the "refiner" word...it's as if the beauty world is saying "your okay with your cleansers, now on with the toner...don't skip upgrading it, lady it's an important product").  "Skin Refiner" who wouldn't want a product that can refine the skin especially when your pores are awkwardly big?  Fact by the way, pores don't open and close and two of the main reasons why they appear to look "open" is one, it's clog with hardened sebum and dirt and two, it's not "toned" you know when you wash your face it requires some hours before it can get back to it's normal condition before you can apply other stuff like skincare and makeup and that's why Toner was born: it tones/conditions and prep the skin for the next step!

Laneige Power Essential Skin Refiner Moisture is perfect for boys and girls that have dry skin like me because it really has some moisturizing thing to it...I actually lost the paper that list the ingredients so I don't know what specific stuff does it.  Also, it has a bit of an alcohol smell maybe from some low concentrated acid which I found out to be okay to be present in toners because it acts like a mild daily peel/exfoliant for the skin...just remember though that it should be mild, ditch those strong astringent your skin may not handle it!  If I go over that mild alcohol scent, this toner smells nice and clean.

For the effect, this toner is one of the reason why my skin is soft and looking smooth as if my before big pores we're blurred so they look smaller now so I can say that it does it's job in toning/conditioning the skin.  It says in the description that it's "Moisturizing skin refiner with purifying and softening effect for clear skin" -not 100% sure about the purifying part because I still have blackheads and whiteheads but my skin is clearer than before.

It's a very nice toner with very pretty packaging (I had a hard time throwing the box because it's well put together and I think I'll also have a hard time letting go of the container, I wish I can find a way to recycle it) and it also has a really really "nice" price, I know there are a lot of girls there that really invest on products and will think that this has a cheap price but for me, it's already pricey but considering how well it perform, it's still a good buy!

I think that's all I have to say for this toner.  I'll just leave you with this more colorful photo (than the first photo which is more on the dreamy side).

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Remove your Face

I'm just seeing pictures wherein people seem to have a different face when they remove their makeup.  Well, it's a matter of preference and it just so happen that I do not have the skill to transform my face and opted to have a simple almost naked face make-up but everyone (who uses make-up) should remove it and let the skin breathe and currently, these are the items that I'm using.

By the way for the month of July I guess I'll be doing a group product post to eliminate my backlogs.  I will mention the essentials but with less details like packaging, where I bought it, how much etc.  etc.

It's Skin Rice Firming Cleansing Milk got my attention because it's dermatologist tested  and well it's on sale when I bought it.  I was looking for a mild cleanser that I can use in the morning and when I'm halfway through it did I know that I'm using it wrong.  It's best to massage this cleansing milk on a dry face because it will turn into something oily and almost work like cleansing oil only this one can't remove tough makeup like the ones that are waterproof.  Then dampen your hands and massage again your skin to emulsify the cleansing milk then rinse.  I like how this makes my skin soft and doesn't leave it thirsty.

Before I'm amazed with cleansing oil, I was first awed with Bifesta Cleansing Lotion that I got two variants:  the Brightup and the Moist.  Pour some on a cotton pad then swipe it all over your face to remove makeup and dirt, amazing how you don't need water to use it.  BUT it has flaws:  one swipe is not enough to remove makeup even the simple ones...at least three to make sure everything is removed which is for me a waste of cotton pads, it stings the eyes and you need to use a lot to make it work.  I also use this before as a toner but they seem (especially the moist) to be a bit sticky so I stop.  These flaws makes me appreciate cleansing oil big time!  Bifesta Cleansing Lotion is handy though when you are practicing in your makeup skill (just a cotton pad and this can erase the minor errors) and when travelling and water is not available or if you are just afraid to use water for I don't know reason :P

And lastly, this little guy who looks like a mochi or rice cake (puto).  I got this Konjac Sponge in Landmark for like a $1 to replace my Olay cleansing brush in my everyday face cleansing routine.  It's mild and it lightly scrub my face to remove the dirt off my face, lessening the appearance of whiteheads and blackheads.  And if you use foam cleanser, this helps in making more foams so no need to use extra amount of cleanser to enjoy the divine happiness of thick small bubbles/foam on your skin.  Cheap and reliable tool!

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Ellana Icon Lip & Cheek Cream Color

And lastly, the most pigmented and boldest blush that I have - the Ellana Lip & Cheek Cream Color in Strawberry Red.  Like I said in my last post, I'm careful in choosing colors and most of the time choose something safe but one day while on youtube, the vloggers that I subscribed to rave about a certain blush and Estee of essiebutton wear it on one of her videos and showed the Nars Orgasm and I was like WHAT!!!! that is so bright and pigmented but it looks so natural on her.  And that's when it hits me that something loud or bold or pigmented can be naturally beautiful when applied properly and this just proves how little knowledge I have when it comes to make-up.  Anyway, I looked for an alternative-a bit similar to Orgasm and found Strawberry Red of Ellana.

Ellana Icon Lip & Cheek Cream Color in Strawberry Red
"Mini-pots of a sheer wash of long-lasting luminous color, creamy & easily blendable. To use as blush, dot on the apples of your cheeks and blend. To use as lip color, dot on the middle of the lips and blend towards the edges. Highly pigmented, a little goes a long way."

It looks dark pink in the picture but in person it really looks like the strawberry color in paints (almost like what is on this link).  It looks matte but when I apply it on my skin, it actually has a bit of shimmer on it.  It is creamy and blendable but I wouldn't use a brush in applying this if I we're you because it will just get stuck on the bristles.  It's more proper to use clean fingers in blending it and a dot really goes a long way (I made a mistake of swiping my fingers twice on the pan and slapped it on my cheek and it's like those little girls who buy the very red chewing gums and swipe them on their lips and cheeks for color hehehe memories, I use to do it when I was a kid).  Looking at the swatches below, the bottom part is just a light swipe from the pan showing how pigmented it really is and the upper one is just the blended leftover from my finger.

I haven't tried this on my lips and I do not have the intention to wear it on my lips, the shimmer forbids me to do so hahaha, silly but it's the only reason I can think of.  Anyway, I bought it with the pure intention of using it as a blusher.

I love the illustration of Soleil Ignacio in the packaging and that it has a magnet (I keep on opening and closing it for fun, is that crazy?) although the cuts and pasting of the paper and the interior needs a little improvement (I'm very careful not to stain the white interior of the packaging).  A little bit of shimmer is nice but I hope Ellana has a matte-as-in-no-shimmer-at-all version of this one because I really like how creamy and pigmented it is and the color just suits my skintone really well and it last the whole day on my cheeks with minimal fading (and I thank my dry skin for that, dry skin and cream blush go hand in hand) but there are days that I'm just simply not into shimmery things.

If you wanted to meet the rest of my blushers then you can check out my A Touch of Blush post and might as well look into my ELF Color Stick and Studio Blush and Nature Republic Shine Blossom Rose Blusher entries (just click on the names and it will directly lead you to the post).  Thanks!

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Nature Republic Shine Blossom Rose Blusher

Here's a short makeup story in my life:  There's a time wherein I'm afraid to wear blush because of those girls who reapply blush every now and then or they just apply too much that it seems like they've been slapped a couple of times and I was like "do I have to put blush like that?" with a very worried face.  Sorry if this seem to be a bit mean to others but I just want my cheeks to have a natural flush for me to have some glow and color and so I've been a bit careful in choosing colors and I make sure to just put enough and blend well when I'm using the two blushers that I have that are quite pigmented.

One of the blushers that I have that just do the right thing even when I apply to much is the Nature Republic's Shine Blossom Rose Blusher in 02 Coral Rose.  Wondering why there's a sun in front of the packaging?  My explanation is that it gives a nice sun-kissed effect on the cheeks.

Nature Republic Shine Blossom Rose Blusher 02 Coral Rose (No 3711)
"Shine Blossom Rose Blusher makes your skin look more feminine with romantic rose color and perfume."

The coral rose perfectly describes the color of this blush:  it's like an old rose combined with the brightness of coral.  Like I said, it gives this natural sun-kissed effect that just brightens the face and can be used on a daily basis whether your at school or office or just doing some errands.  Let's just say that the color is pretty safe, simple, natural and laid back and even if I apply this thrice on my cheeks and forgot to blend it, I won't worry that I'll look like a clown.

Just look at the swatches below:  I applied the blusher thrice on the bottom swatch while the upper one is just lightly tapped and it just blends well with the color of my skin.

I also love the tin can packaging of this blusher with its metallic bronze/gold rose color and the size is just perfect for us girls who do not have a large makeup space.  The puff that comes with it also looks cute and perfectly fits the shape of my cheeks.  And even if this is in powder form, it can last the whole day that is IF I won't be sweating and wiping my face too much.

If you wanted to read my intro with my blushers then you can check out my A Touch of Blush post and might as well look into my ELF Color Stick and Studio Blush entry (just click on the names and it will directly lead you to the post).  Thanks!

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A Touch of Blush

According to Oxford Dictionaries, blush is a reddening of the face as a sign of embarrassment or shame.  But even with this definition, I find myself putting a blusher more often now as it gives a nice color to my cheeks and an overall cheeriness to my pale face (how weird that people find something beautiful/pretty on an awkward situation).

So far I only have 4 blushers and let me tell you, I already think that this number is too much.  I'm a person who normally don't re-apply make-up and always think that before I can hit pan them, they are already expired ready to be thrown.  Also, I'm just starting with make-up and don't want to spend too much money experimenting (in the eye shadow division, I already failed) but I'm happy to report that I'm lucky with blushers and I will be sharing them with you in the coming posts.

I'm not an expert in reviewing make-up but when I think about how I started with skincare products, I also don't know anything and up to now I'm still learning so be patient with me and salute me good-luck :)

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The Baby's of Maybelline

I cannot understand why my photos look "muddy" and extra grainy when I upload them here...anyone experience this too?  It's already bugging me big time and already applied all the solutions that I searched in google but failed!  Anyway, let's talk about the two babies of Maybelline that I have.

Maybelline Baby Skin
Poreless.  Baby Smooth.  Lightweight.  Breathable.
"On contact, translucent gel melts on skin and instantly erase pores, imperfections, lines and creases.  Skin looks instantly transformed into a perfect smooth canvas.  Skin is shine free, even and baby smooth.  No burden to skin.  The secret?  Cherry extracts, known for their antioxidant properties."

The translucent gel does smoothen the skin with velvety texture, however it blurs rather than erase by filling the gaps of the skin making foundation or bb cream easier to apply with evenness.  In my case, this doesn't make my skin shine free.  Just upon application I can see shininess that progresses as the hours go by that after around four hours, my face looks oily without really being oily (I have dry skin) so I suggest to use this sparingly about around half a pea size is enough for the whole face and neck.  More than the said amount, my face will look oily and feels heavy by the time I'm eating lunch.  I love that it doesn't feel sticky though and I'll believe in the words of Maybelline that it doesn't clog pores.

and here's what the baby skin pore eraser looks like

The next baby is the Maybelline Baby Lips in Smoothing Cherry
SPF20.  Instant 8 hour moisture.  Rejuvenated lips in one week.
"The next generation of lip balm is born, from Maybelline New York.  Adult strength care for baby soft lips.  Instant 8 hour moisture-  Shed away rough dryness for supple, smooth, and cushioned lips all day long.  In one week rejuvenated lips- It's proven:  Centella essence increases cell turnover to literally transform your lips, fine lines reduced, elasticity increased, suppleness increased."

I mainly use this now when I'll be under the sun for more than 30 minutes because of it's spf which is the only reason why I'm keeping this lip balm (for now).  Aside from the spf, I semi hate it because it makes my lips sensitive even after the week promise, it's like anytime my lips will bleed.  It does moisturize though when I just freshly apply it and smells like cherry too.

By the way the Baby Skin Pore eraser is said to be a dupe of Benefit's Pore Professional.

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Missha Time Revolution Night Repair Ampoule

Let's take a moment to admire the purple bottle of Missha Time Revolution Night Repair New Science Activator Ampoule.  This is just the sample size in 10ml but the packaging looks so good even it's golden box and the leaflet that came with it (together with the Time Revolution First Essence, I posted a photo in my instagram and you can visit this post to know how they look like) is so beautiful.  I've been using this ampoule for more than a month now and I still have 1/3 product left so paying $8 is so worth it specially because it works so well on me.  By the way, this is said to be a dupe for Estee Lauder Night Repair but the ingredients of Time Revolution Night Repair Ampoule looks more "juicier" to me (for the list, you can check Missha US site).

Description:  Highly concentrated essential ampoule to help make flawless and sleek skin through promoting skin's original and natural power to improve skin condition every day.  Triplex-Activating System providing 3 benefits at a time:

1st:  Bio-Tech Activator:  Various lactic acid fermented ingredients help vitalize skin and improve skin damage from external harmful situations.  2nd:  Skin Power Activator:  Scientific damage recovering system considering skin condition helps active ingredients being absorbed effectively to the skin.  3rd:  Essential Activator:  Pro-vitamins increase skin's own adaptability and provide synergy benefit with following skincare.

Dual functional cosmetic of Wrinkle Repairing & Whitening.  Dermatologist tested.  Clinically tested.  Mild formula for your precious skin.  Paraben-free, Artificial colorant-free, Artificial fragrance-free, Ethanol-free formula.

Directions:  Before applying serum, apply appropriate amount over the face following skin texture.  Pat lightly until fully absorbed.

A mouthful of description but they are so true!  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.

I skip using essence and serum with this plus: because it's summer, I sometimes skip cream or emulsion and this still moisturizes my skin:  just a toner, eye cream and this is enough for my dry and sensitive skin.  The brown ampoule is a bit sticky but lightly massaging it all over the face and neck (don't forget the neck) helps the skin in absorbing it faster.  I'm already use to different kinds of smell of skincare products so the scent of this one is mild for me and I'm happy that it's free of artificial fragrance although I read some reviews that despises its smell  (I'd rather put something on my face that smell like this ampoule than with something that smells like flowers yet full of artificial scent).

And like what I said in my intro,  I've been using this ampoule for more than a month and in my estimate, 10 ml can last for 2 months because just a little really goes a long way.

Missha Time Revolution Night Repair New Science Activator Ampoule is so good to me that I'm putting it on my list that I will surely repurchase after I'm done with all the ampoules and serum that I have.

p.s. as of 6/4/2014:  Missha is so nice to us guys...just received a message from Missha Philippines saying that they're giving a special promo for the trial set for only Php980 (instead of Php1100) and it's free of shipping plus of course samples as freebies so if you wanted to get the trial set of The Time Revolution Night Repair 10ml and The First Treatment Essence 30ml then better text or call Noemi Ronquillo of Missha Philippines at 09178302763.  Here's the message:
"Hi Arya! I read the messages to you of your followers and I would like to offer a special promo to you and your followers. We have the special trial set of the first treatment essence, 30 ml and the night repair ampoule like the one in your blog, 10 ml. The SRP in our stores is php 1100 but I am giving them to you for php 980 with free shipping. We will also include some sachets of BB Crean and CC Cream for your fans to try. They can call or text me, Noemi Ronquillo of Missha Philippines 09178302763"

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The Body Shop Brazil Nut Beautifying Oil

I know, crazy editing of photo up there but I'm liking it.  I've been down lately so some splash of color is very much welcome.  Anyway, I'll be sharing with you this "weird" product from The Body Shop.  Weird in a way that I can't find in the net how dry oil really works but I find this really amazing and I keep on praying that The Body Shop will offer some kind of promo to all their dry oil.

The Body Shop Brazil Nut Beautifying Oil is a dry oil that is for body, face and hair.  It is supposed to be an all in one product but I only use this on my body as my face react to this badly like a mini zit will appear after just a couple of application and  it just won't work on my hair.  BUT on my body, this works wonderful as it just sinks in to my skin leaving it soft and smooth (and the longer I use it, the smoother my skin gets) without the grease of an oil or even from the lotion.

Aside from Community Fair Trade Brazil Nut Oil, there are other three precious nut oils in it namely kukui, sweet almond and Community Fair Trade marula oil.  I'm not sure how these oils smell but this dry oil so so sweet like a concoction of sugar and caramel then sugar and caramel then sugar and caramel (and on and on and on) that I wouldn't be surprised if there are ants crawling on my skin.

I also find this convenient to use.  While my skin is still damp, I spread an ample amount all over my body put my towel on and before I could find the clothes to wear for the day the dry oil already sunk in to my skin (way faster than my usual lotions).

Tried dry oil lately?

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Etude House Baking Powder

You may deduct from the photo above that a.  it is well love, b.  overly use and c.  has been with the owner for a very long time.  I've been using this Etude House Baking Powder Cleansing Foam Moist for around 6 months (turning 7 this end of May) and finally it's time for me to say something about it (and nope Etude House is not selling baking powder but it would be cute if they are selling one...I imagine it in a cute container and I will tell people "I bought my baking powder in Etude House and look at it's cute packaging!", okay stop the nonsense and on with the details!).

Description:  Formulated with Baking Powder to penetrate and cleanse deep within pores to remove makeup and residues.  Maintains rich, smooth lather for moist sensation.

How to use:  Wet face and dispense small amount onto hands.  Lather and apply foam to face, gently massaging entire area.  Wash and rinse thoroughly with warm water.

I mainly got attracted with the "cleanse deep within pores" because my pores on the cheeks area look big although I have dry skin meaning my pores attracted lots of dirt and oil.  The rich, smooth lather is a bonus:  it's so foamy and dense it reminds me of a shaving cream (so if you suddenly ran out of shaving cream, you can just use this as a quick substitute).

This foam cleanser is refreshing not only because of its lemony scent but also because it feels like it removes all the gunk in my face every after use especially this summer where all my skin do the whole day is sweat.  On cold weather days though, I feel that everyday usage of this cleanser just strips all the oils of my skin leaving it dry, tight and sensitive so I only use this every other day for the first two months of the year.

If you're a foam lover (like me), use this with a cleansing brush or a konjac sponge to create an abundant amount of foam:  just a pea size of this cleanser is enough to cover not just your face but your neck as well (and sometimes my pits too hehehe, it seems like it also removes deodorant and helps in removing b.o.).  Although, my pores are still visible they have improved and is less noticeable than before.  It will also help if you use warm/lukewarm water in cleansing the face as it will loosen the unnecessary oils clogging the pores.

Now if you're going to ask me, "can this remove make-up" - I'll just state my usual answer:  I don't know, I always double cleanse whenever I put makeup and this cleanser is just an assurance that everything has been removed and that my face looks and feel fresh and clean.

That's all for this cleanser and share your favorite cleanser or your favorite Etude House product with me :) (I love EH 's collagen cream).

Till then, Arya

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May 2014 Haul: Basics

Whenever Watsons go on sale, I go a little cray because I can get the chance to get basic stuff at a discount even if the discount is just 10% to 20% off.  I also took advantage of The Body Shop's buy 1 get 1 promo and got body butters and bb cream.  Then got a pair of shoes from divi and a sunglasses from a mall back in my province.

I'm going back to baby friendly body cleansers because my skin gone really sensitive lately.  Got lured with Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser's buy 1 get 1 free promo but I have to use it before September 2014.  I guess I can't go wrong with Dove Gentle Exfoliating Nourishing Body Wash because Dove was always recommended by my doctor when I was still a kid and Johnson & Johnson's Baby Bath.

For hair, I just got some conditioners and a hair treatment.  Herbal Essences Hello Hydration seems nice and since I love the hair treatment, I also got the Naturals by Watsons Olive Conditioner as a backup.  I'm making my own hair treatment now but when lazy days strikes, I'll just use HairFix Hair Treatment Deep Repair which has Argan Oil and Aloe Vera (seems like every drugstore stuff now claims to have argan oil).

Thanks to The Body Shop's anniversary sale I finally got the Chocomania body butter which I got at 40% off plus I also use my points from my card so I almost got it for free.  My sister and I take advantage of the buy 1 get 1 promo on the Olive body butter and the All-In-One BB cream (almost or all their make-up we're on sale and got tempted to get some eyeshadows).  The red box is a freebie, all thanks to the nice SA for reminding me.

Lastly a pair of shoes from the infamous Divisoria which is only $7 hehehe and a sunglasses which I like very much (surprisingly! I am not a fan of sunglasses before) and the price my goodness is $1.50 and I saw the same one in the mall here in Manila for $7 (I guess the case cost $5.50?).

Very basic and I hope I buy much much less next month.

Till then, Arya

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ElishaCoy Snail Hydrogel Eye Patch

Whenever summer comes to my mind I think nautical: blue stripes, boat, ship, anchor and also pirates, which has nothing to do with the product that I'll be sharing with you today (random thoughts strikes again!) but it's place (literally) has something to do with summer.  I love putting my masks in the refrigerator for a more refreshing and cooling experience, apparently I have this ElishaCoy Snail Hydrogel Eye Patch in the fridge since last year, mama mia CRAZY me!

Description:
ElishaCoy Snail Hydrogel Eye Patch
Containing 70% all natural snail slime
Containing purified snail slime, the gel gives your skin a cool feeling, rich with moisture and nourishment for your skin, while tightening your skin to give the long lasting moisture you desire.

How to use:
Remove clear film from the patches and fasten adhesive sides to areas beneath the eyes.  Remove patches 15-20 minutes.

Tried different kinds of masks but this is the first time that I tried a gel type which is actually cooling (very summer appropriate) and convenient because it somewhat sticks to the skin so even if I bob my head up and down or left and right,  the gel patch is still under my eyes clinging to my eyebags.

Lucky that the ElishaCoy Snail Hydrogel Eye Patch doesn't smell like any snail, it actually doesn't have any scent but getting the gel out of its case is kinda hard because of the slipperiness.  The essence is just enough or maybe because it just got stuck in our fridge for a very long time that the gel patch; which by the way is thick and is like a semi-harden jelly, just absorbs almost all the liquid.  10 minutes after application, the patch seems to run out of essence but appears to be still wet and cool so I just let it stay for another 10 minutes by this time I felt a bit of itchiness in my eyes.  After removing the patch, my under-eyes is moisturize sans the stickiness and look less tired.  I don't know about the tightening part but the coolness (very much appreciated this summer) of the patch makes up for it.

Not a necessary item but a gel patch's presence is much appreciated by a dry, tired or puffy under-eyes.

Till then, Arya
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KB Collagen

Everytime I post about a skincare product that is collagen based, there will be comments like "Collagen is effective if taken orally". Well thanks to KB, I now take collagen tablets.

Why collagen and why I'm a bit addicted to it? Well, collagen is naturally present in our body and is vital in strengthening blood vessels and for our skin's elasticity and strength.  As we grow older, the amount of collagen in our body decreases and that's when wrinkles and other skin issues appears (by the way I'm no expert and just read these stuff from the net).  There are many ways to bring back collagen into our system like injectables or by taking supplement like KB Collagen.

"Experience total revitalization with KB Collagen as it brings you the most complete system renewal packed in tablet form.  It contains Fish Collagen to replenish stored collagen the body begins to lose at the age of 20.  Collagen is important in maintaining skin health as well as the structural integrity of joint cartilage.  The Cartilage extract blended into the KB Collagen helps relieve swollen joints and heal the body naturally.  The Silk Peptide Pearl Powder and Pearl Coix Extract work to complement the Fish Collagen in reviatalising the skin and gives it a natural fair and pinkish glow.  CoQ10 is included in the blend to help maintain a healthy cardiovascular system.  Vitamin E is added to provide anti-ageing qualities.  Swallow Nest Extract and Vitamin C complete the formulation to help strengthen immune system."

Ingredients:  Fish Collagen Peptide (200mg), Vitamin C (40mg), Cartilage Extract (20mg), Silk Peptide (10mg), Vitamin E (8mg), CoQ10 (4mg), Bird Nest Extract (2mg), Pearl Powder (.6mg), Excipients: Dextrin, Cellulose, Stearic Acid, Calcium, HPC

I'm glad that Vitamin C is already included in the formulation because I read that it is needed in the collagen absorption (note, I forgot the exact term).  It is suggested to take 1-3 tablets a day before breakfast ro before sleeping.  Since it says in the box that I have to consult a doctor if I have any special allergy, I just took a tablet for three consecutive days (stubborn me) and I wouldn't lie, I feel a little bit itchy.  So I changed my intake to a tablet every other day until the itchiness went away (around a week) then I went back to taking 1 tablet per day and so far so good.  After around 3 weeks, I noticed that my pale skin has a bit of pinkish glow and overall my skin smoothen especially my arm area (and I hope my underarms too, soon).  My premature wrinkles and laugh lines are still in place but at least I don't see new ones.

and this is how the tablet looks like

For questions or if you wanted to know more about KB Collagen and other KB products, you may contact this number: 09178005836 or visit these websites: www.ilovekb.com or www.yumeimise.net.

Here are the Other products of KB:

KB GlutaNAC plus Rosehips (whitening)

KB Collagen (anti-aging)

KB Dermafirm Vitamin C Peeling Gel (check my post about it here)

KB Gold Premium Soap (whitening and anti-aging)

KB Silver Alpha Arbutin Soap (whitening)

KB Premium Whitening Lotion (whitening body lotion with SPF30)

KB Underarm Whitening Spray (triple acting solution to underarm problems)

KB Whitening Body Powder (whitening with Vitamin C)

KB Magic Towel

KB Teeth Whitening Pen

KB Rosehips 

If you wanted to have a pinkish glow and supplement the amount of collagen in your body, KB Collagen can help you.

*The KB Collagen was sent to me by KB for review.  My views stated here was based on the results after taking the tablets.  Even if I got the product for free, I still review like before.  The only difference is that I always mention the name of the product and link it to the sender's website :) a simple gesture of my thanks

Till then, Arya

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KB Rotenyu Meguri Japanese Body Scrub

When I watch Naruto (manga/anime series) before I always want to also go to a hot spring complete with a towel in the head and just relax.  I did once finally in Coron in an open area one with the nature (sans the towel since I was not prepared) and it was oh so good, it's just so relaxing and it made my skin soft and smooth instantly.  Wouldn't it be nice to experience it every now and then?

After a stressful and sore (because I practice yoga again) week, I finally used the KB Rotenyu Meguri Japanese Body Scrub (the blue one) which was given to me by KB/Yumeimise.  Okay to be honest I thought that this is just like the scrubs that you apply directly on the skin but this is more like the salt scrub or the bath bombs that you dissolve on a hot water but this only this one from KB says to have the following effects:

"KB Rotenyu Meguri Japanese Body Scrub is good for removing dead skin. It also removes unattractive body odors. This multi-purpose scrub may help relieve the following conditions: Heat rash, eczema, pimples, chapped skin, frost bite, dry skin, bruise, sprain, shoulder stiffness, nerve pain, rheumatism, lumbago, sensitivity to cold, hemorrhoid, coldness before/ after giving birth."

To use, just mix the the scrub to 200ml hot water (hot but tolerable) and sink into your bath tub, in my case I have to slowly pour it into my body because...well I do not have a tub.  For a more relaxing feel,  I put a face mask and a hair mask on and a towel on top of my head and let the faucet slowly drip some droplets of water.  After 5 minutes, I started to gently rub my skin and there goes some dead skin cells.  Instant effect includes skin smoothening and relieving of stiff and sore shoulders.

KB Rotenyu Meguri Japanese Body Scrub has 4 variants:  Green, Blue, Orange and Fuschia Pink which actually represents the color of the scrubs.  The blue one has an herby-florally scent which didn't appeal to me at first but became a relaxing smell in the end.  A 30g sachets cost 69 pesos and if you have questions or wanted to know more about this scrub and other KB products, you may contact this number: 09178005836 or visit these websites: www.ilovekb.com or www.yumeimise.net.

Here are the Other products of KB:

KB GlutaNAC plus Rosehips (whitening)

KB Collagen (anti-aging)

KB Dermafirm Vitamin C Peeling Gel (check my post about it here)

KB Gold Premium Soap (whitening and anti-aging)

KB Silver Alpha Arbutin Soap (whitening)

KB Premium Whitening Lotion (whitening body lotion with SPF30)

KB Underarm Whitening Spray (triple acting solution to underarm problems)

KB Whitening Body Powder (whitening with Vitamin C)

KB Magic Towel

KB Teeth Whitening Pen

KB Rosehips 

If you wanted a DIY or at home hot spring like experience, KB Rotenyu Meguri Japanese Body Scrub is a good and an affordable option.

*The KB Rotenyu Meguri Japanese Body Scrub was sent to me by KB for review.  My views stated here was based on the results after using the product.  Even if I got the product for free, I still review like before.  The only difference is that I always mention the name of the product and link it to the sender's website :) a simple gesture of my thanks

Thanks for reading. Till then. Bye!