Last haul?!

for the time being of course!

That's because i told myself that i would not really go back to being an impulsive buyer that i was. It's just that one day i realized that i can't save my money because i always buy thing impulsively. I'm sure most of you can related to this. We all have a penchant for buying "things that i need to review on my blog"...

I know you're guilty of this because I AM. During the time that i was so into blogging, i would buy stuff all because i wanted to make a review of it (of course i'm also curious about it). I wanted to be able to contribute something to the blogging community too.... But that was before..

As i did the Project 10 Pan, it made me realize a lot of things... & 1 of it is overspending.

I'm guilty of spending so much on  my vanity... Not only make-up but i'm more into hair & skin care & anything new that caught my eye especially in the beauty section.

Now, i wanted, if not really save(because it is hard to not buy something when you have money to burn,ne?) but to be able to invest in gadgets. I have already decided to buy a new digital camera for now..then afterward i have to buy a netbook..or a laptop maybe...who knows? But that doesn't mean that i would stop buying necessities,ne? It would just mean that i would limit my spending..

Ok, enough about it..
It's time to show you what i got yesterday..

As what i said this would be my last haul for the mean time. I received a notification card from the post office which means that the once that i ordered from Cosme-de.com had already arrived. w00t w00t!

I went to the mall yesterday to buy my favorite shampoo & conditioner... I am currently using Schwarzkopf hair care set that i won from a giveaway but sadly it didn't work for me. I'll do a post about the hair products that i've tried after some time..But i always go back to the The Face Shop's Changpo Magic Straight Shampoo & Conditioner. Review for this amazing product will be posted as soon as i have pictures of it

The SA also gave me a sample of  their tomato soap... Hmmm... It smells good. Maybe i'll really give this a try.

Then i was about to go home when i passed by the department store & remember that i need a neutral nail polish & saw Elianto's line. So i grabbed one & also 2 more then immediately go home...

It was already 2pm by that time & i still haven't had my lunch yet so i told bf that i want to eat together & we met at our favorite restaurant..at Luk Foo Cantonese Kitchen. I love eating at Luk Foo because the food is really delicious!

Then i went to the Post Office to pick up my parcel & went home..finally! The heat is unbearable & i feel like melting!

But my package revived me when i opened it & saw the Fiberwig Mascaras!

I have been lemming for this for like forever! I've wanted to try Fiberwig & i'm just so happy that Cosme-de.com put it on sale & was able to buy myself some half the price! How cool is that?! Plus shipping is free at that site..so it's nice! I also bought a sample pack of Shu Uemura's Cleansing Oil...

There ya go..
That's my story for now...

I'll be getting a new digicam this Saturday so i'm expecting that my pics would be a lot better! So for now, i won't be posting anything. Can't wait!

Hope y'all have a great day!

Jaa ne~!
^_~

Lancome Definicils Pro Mascara Review

I haven't done a mascara review for months now because i stayed away from using mascara since i said before that my lashes seem to be getting weaker & tends to fall every now & then. For the time being i just used false lashes whenever i go out because i want my lashes to take a break from mascara application & curlers. But since it looked  like my lashes are a bit better so i popped open a tube of mascara for what seemed like eternity..


I got the mini size of the Lancome Definicils Pro when i purchased the Lancome travel set-warm. I only got to use it now. Let's see if this mascara is a must-buy...

Lancome Definicils Pro is a twist in the original Definicils. The main difference would be the wand. The original one has a straight wand, while the pro has a curved brush.

I haven't tried the original Definicils yet so i can't give a feedback about it. So i'll just concentrate on the pro. As always, i love Lancome's packaging because i adore black!

Let's start with the wand, i think the wand is great.

With it being curved, you won't need to move your hands so much to make sure that you coat each lashes. It will save you time since it's already suited to fit the shape of the eye. I think that Maybelline Volum' Express also has a curved wand almost the same shape with this & i think the difference would be the bristles. While the Volum' Express' bristles are somewhat scattered all over the wand, definicils pro is somewhat organized like how any usual mascara wands are.

It's only curved... Though i think it could be improved more if they made the edge of the wand smaller so that you can get to work at the outer edge of the lashes or even the lower lashes.Since the end is big, it's a bit hard to apply mascara on areas like so because it would definitely come in contact with your skin & will ruin your make-up...

As for the formula...let us let the pictures do most of the talking.

Here is a pic of my bare eye...sorry for the unkempt brow...It's been awhile since i groomed it. I applied Ardell Lash Growth Accelerator because it's a part of my routine. I did not curl my lashes.

Next, i curled my lashes after the gel has set on it. You'll get to see how short my lashes are... But would you believe that my lashes are actually longer now than how it really was before.

Then i added a coat of the mascara.

While it indeed lengthen & thicken my lashes, but the formula is thick that it weigh my lashes & the curl did not even last for a minute. It just seemed like i did not apply a mascara after all.


But then, on the other hand, it still impressed me because it did not flake & smudge on me. Plus for a non-waterproof mascara, it did not smeared on me really bad when i washed my face!

I said before on my last post that i wash my face every now & then. Since i forgot that i still have the mascara on, i washed my face...splashed water on my face then massage my face with the soap, avoiding the eye area..then i remember that i had the mascara...i ran to the mirror to see if it smeared on me & was surprised that it actually withstand the water!

Sorry about the pic..it's so blurry.. it's already evening & i took this in a hurry. But so that you can get to see what i'm talking about. There's a slight smudge at the top, but nothing so drastic. I did not rub it yet...but of course if i'm going to rub it then that's the time it will smudge, of course. 


Compare to MAC Zoom Lash, this is way better. I remember when i used Zoom Lash, there was a time where i also forgot to take my mascara off & as soon as i splashed water on my face, it smeared so bad it looked like i accidentally poured in all over my eye area. Kimoi!

The formula is waxy... 
What i notice is that compare to asian brands, high-end brands that are non-asian are waxy, which makes it harder for the curl of my lashes to retain it's curl. I prefer formula that is a bit 'wet' because it feels lighter & can maintain the curl of my lashes...maybelline cat-eye mascara an exception because even if it is from the US, the cat-eyes mascara is formulated for asian lashes.

Suffice to say, i don't think that this would work alone for short asian lashes (typical asian lashes are indeed short & straight).


It is sold for $24.50 on Lancome's website.



With all that, this would be my verdict:


PROS:

• no smudging
• no flaking
• no smearing
• lengthen & thicken my lashes
• was able to withstand my water test

CONS:

• the wand could be improved
• expensive
• formula is too waxy for me
• weighed my lashes down

Will i buy it?
Nah...the sample is enough for me. I don't need to try it again.
Now i'm thinking of trying out Lancome's Fatale that has been sitting on my drawer.

Have you tried this one?
Did it worked for you?

Hope y'all have a great weekend!

Jaa ne~!
^_^

~how i broke the breakout cycle~

 First off, this post is how i was able to actually stop breaking out my way. This would be a long (& believe me, this is loooooooonnnngggg! this might be my longest post..) & boring post. What worked for me, might not work for you so it's up to you.If you somehow find the content 'disturbing' then feel free to stop... I would recommend that you keep an open mind about this. I have a sensitive/acne-prone/oily skin on which makes finding products that works for me as hard as looking for needle on a haystack.

I might receive some negative comments here about this post, but i would just want to bring awareness to all of you who are reading this...keep an open mind. It's not easy making a detailed post like this so i hope that in a way you would appreciate it.

Let's get the ball rolling then...

I started out with clear skin when i got interested in make-up. I got so hooked in make-up application that when zits started appearing on my skin i thought that it's just normal. I'm not exactly the type who frets when a zit popped on my face. That's why it didn't bother me up until i made a post about Aspirin Mask & really get into the itty-griity details of acne. By that time, i'm already starting to break out. I realized right there & then that what's happening to me is not just a simple case of pimples, but already acne.

For those who have been with me ever since i started experimenting with different facial products/cosmetics, im sure you know how bad my acne was (i posted pics on my posts) . Again, i switched from 1 product to another thinking that the more products I used on my skin, the better my skin would be. I'm sure you all must have had the same experience with me, that we get all hyped up because we read good reviews over a certain product & we ended up buying hoping that it would be the same with us. Or if not like that, you would try to follow what is supposed to be the 'basic' way of taking care of the skin.

 As i started out my journey in the beauty world, i got caught up in the so called 'basic' & must-do-steps-to-achieve-flawless-skin process. On which is to use products that should suit your need, I have to agree with this too. But it doesn't necessarily mean that you have to start using everything that comes in it. Take for example, those sets of products that are supposed to be used to compliment each other. I'm talking about the facial wash, toner & moisturizer sets that are available.

I have tried a lot of those sets on which they promise to 'give you a rosy glow', 'fights pimples and stop them from coming back', 'promises to whiten your skin and gets rid of blemishes' (any of it sounds familiar?) ...and a lot more..but to no avail, they did not deliver the promised result. I start with the facial wash, then follow with the toner, then of course the moisturizer. I've always been a good girl, when i start a certain pattern i try to follow it because i really want to be able to feel the result, but it really doesn't live up to my expectations.

Those spot treatments doesn't work either. They might work, but they will leave a big blemish on your skin that you would feel so conscious of every time someone would look at you, feeling that they are staring at your blemish.

Since i got so disappointed with everything that i have tried, on which at the end, just made my acne worse (remember my mint julep post?), i decided to just stop using what i'm using & let my skin breathe. Before i decided to use cosmetics, i was blemish & acne-free. So i stopped using cosmetics, did project 10 pan & i did not open my cosmetic case for weeks & had stopped doing an eyelook post

I decided to just stick with using soap rather than facial washes. No added chemicals on my face, no toners, no moisturizers, etc. And you know what, it worked! My acne stopped! Finally!

So, what did i exactly do?

• I clean my face using Neutrogena Facial Bar
• Then pat it dry (pat..not rub)
• Use tomato mask
• Rinse it...wait for an hour (tomato mask is only used at night)
• Then i make sure that i wash my face again using Neutrogena Facial bar 
• Now, in order to lighten my blemishes i use Likas Papaya Soap as my bath soap. 
• During daytime, i wash my face every now & then... 
• Use a green clay mask once a week

Then, when i wear make-up i make sure that i:

• use a make-up base/primer so that there would be a barrier from my skin & the cosmetics
• don't use too much (i can only wear either foundation or concealer)
• make sure i thoroughly remove everything (1st-use a make-up remover; 2nd-use a wet tissue to take off the excess; 3rd-use witch hazel toner to make sure that it's really clean, then finally i wash my face with Neutrogena Facial Bar

Things that i observed:

•  Sometimes, it's better to not use moisturizer

It is recommended that everybody should use moisturizer (even if you have oil-slick skin). But then i notice that whenever i use moisturizer (especially on very humid weather), it made my skin oilier than the usual. Then i stopped using moisturizer & i notice that my skin feels a lot lighter, letting my natural oils do its job.

So, i stopped using moisturizer but i have to wash my face every now & then. It's said to be bad if you wash your face every now & then, but it worked for me. I only use a gentle cleanser so im not exactly stripping all the oils away from my face. My acne stopped when i stopped using moisturizer & wash my face every now & then. This works for me.

Now, during make-up application, i use a make-up base (monolaurin gel)..nothing more... I don't use moisturizer anymore. I hate piling on things on my skin which makes it feel suffocated.

If there are some times when i feel that my skin was stripped off of its natural oils then that's the time that i use moisturizer. I use my trusty ol' Celeteque moisturizer for this.

• Get to know your skin. 

Don't get into the hype of doing everything by the book because it is recommended that you ought to. You yourself know your own skin. If your skin reacted to something immediately, stop it. You might just be doing something bad for your skin, don't continue using it just because it's supposed to be like that. You might have already been destroying the layers of your skin & you're still not aware of it.

Basing on my past experiences (Local Obagi Kit, Kojic Soaps, Strong toners, etc), I realized that instead of helping my skin, im actually just destroying it because i thought that it's really supposed to be like that. Give your skin a favor & let it breathe. You, as a person, needs to take a break from a stressful environment,right? Why not your skin?!

• Use a gentle cleanser

Even if you are using a moisturizer, i think gentle cleansing is still a must. If you use toners & moisturizers, it would already contain a lot of ingredients that works for a specific area... whether it's for skin whitening, pimple-fighting, pore-reducing, etc. Using a gentle cleanser would ready your skin from everything that you are going to pile on apply on. Too much ingredients i think can cause more harm to your skin rather than good. Put yourself in your skin's shoes... Don't torture it...

Don't get me wrong,ok?
I posted this not to tell you to follow me... that would just be plain stupid. I posted this so that you ought to be also be aware that you have choices. You don't have to follow the "SOP" because it has been like that forever... as what i said, do what you know works for you.

Products that did not work for me:
As for reference, i would include little notes on the products that i have tried & some notes on them. If you have any questions, feel free to email me. I usually don't do negative reviews because i prefer to blog about products that work for me & that it makes me remember to keep this product in mind because it's worth blogging about. But now, i'll be mentioning a few of the products that did not work for me just keeping it in 1 post.

I repeat, products that did not work for me might/would work on you

~Local Obagi Kit~
I purchased it on a seller from multiply because it was recommended to me. I bought a set & when i used the entire set, i bought another one just to make sure that i really tested it out, so no one can ever tell me that i didn't give the product a chance. The first day that i used it, it burned my skin..it was like my skin was sunburned (like those third degree burn).

I am almost to the point of crying whenever i apply the astringents & creams. I kept telling myself that the road to beauty is not a bed of roses... no pain no gain... etc. I tried so hard to really follow the routine even though my skin was telling me to stop the torture. But since i wanted to have a flawless skin like how the girls who have tried it had now, i continued. But it was a really depressing & sad product for me. Depressing because for the first time in my life, it dawned on me that we would do everything just to have a great skin..even to the point of burning it just so that the new layers would come out.

I'm pretty sure by now you know that my attempt with it is not successful. It didn't stop my acne, but just burned my skin. I will never try it again & will never recommend it. For me, beautifying yourself should be happy & a good experience..not something that would create trauma for your skin.

~Kojic Soaps~
I notice that the Kojie-san soap review that i made is one of the most popular post on my blog. I will stick with what i said that it is great for whitening. If you are looking for a fast way to whiten your skin, Kojie-san or rather Kojic soaps would be your best bet. But then, i would only recommend this for those that got normal & oily skin. People who got dry & sensitive skin should stay away from it because this product stings a lot to the point that it's already painful!

It will zap the oils out of your skin therefore promoting skin shedding. I have tried a couple of Kojic soaps, plus my local obagi set also included kojic soap as the main facial soap. It is pure torture for my skin.

~Spot Treatments~
Yes, i've had my shares of spot treatments. While it may be true that it could dry zits faster, it would leave you with blemishes so dark you wish you did not set eyes on it. I'm talking about those cheap/drugstore spot treatments (i haven't tried any from high-end brands for it's too expensive).

Of course it stings a bit, just enough to know that it really is seeping down to your skin. But the mark it will leave you will take weeks to disappear. Imo, it's better to let the natural course of pimple run through for it will leave you with blemishes, but not as big & ugly as how these spot treatments do leave. *cough*Clean & Clear Active Clear Acne Control Speed Gel*cough*

~Apple Cider Vinegar as toner~
OMG! This is one nasty stuff!
Smells horrible & works horrible too! I guess the only thing that this is good for is when being used as a dip/dressing. Feel free to read Sis Golden's review, for I agree with what she said. I have also tried using this a hair rinse & i can't stand it myself. I have a very sensitive sense of smell & i became nauseous with this for i can still smell it even after i've shampooed like 3x already...& im very serious when i said this!

~Acne-fighting sets with either Salicylic Acid or Benzoyl Peroxide~
I think they do work... provided that you don't use it every now & then that your skin would be immune to it. I think some have higher concentration of these chemicals that might not be suitable for another skin type. Just be aware that some might not work for you even when half of the world's population promises that it does work for them.

Yes, i'm talking about that brand!
I just wasted my money on it & it's so darn expensive!

I still have the kit that i bought with me & i only use them when i really need to use it.. like when i got new zits that came out. But i don't recommend that you use this as a maintenance. Plus, it's too expensive to be used everyday when you don't actually need it,ne?

~Oil Cleansing Method~
I prefer natural method compare to using harsh chemicals & everything so when i heard of the OCM, i jumped at the bandwagon & said to myself that i know that this would work on me because of the logic behind it that only oil can take away the oil on your skin. Plus i covered everything on my research before actually doing it. Big mistake! This gave me cystic acne. From then, i learned it the hard way to trust my instinct!


~BB Creams~
Now, i might not have tried every BB Creams on the market, but i have tried a couple & it didn't work for me. The finish of BB Cream is good, but it's causing me to break out even more...ekkk!! acne alert!

A couple of the BB Creams that i have tried & didn't work for me are:
-The Face Shop Quick & Clean BB Cream
-Lioele BB Cream
-Skin Food Aloe BB Cream
-Skin Food Agave Cactus BB Cream
-BRTC Perfect Recover BB Cream
-BRTC Perfect Protect BB Cream
-BRTC Gold Caviar BB Cream
-Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream (21 & 23)
-Diamond The Prestige BeBlesh Balm (pink)
-Cosme Hanskin Caviar Gold BB Cream
-Purederm 3 in 1 Beauty Magic BB Cream (black)
-Dr. Jart+ BB Cream (Silver Label)

Again, i haven't tried everything but now looking at my list of BB Creams & knowing that nothing worked on me I think i can gain say that i won't be trying any BB Creams for the time being. If ever i will be trying out a BB Cream again, i'd go for L'egere. But not now..i developed a trauma for these supposed-to-be magic creams!

I think i have tried more but for the love of heaven, i can't remember what others...i lost count on them already since i thought that my condition would be hopeless. I don't want to go to dermatologist although i know that that is the best option for me. I just don't like the thought of someone poking my face...

For now those are what i can remember, again, im stressing that what worked/didn't worked for me might have been/would be your HG items. It only indicates that each one of us have different skin. I'm not saying that now zits don't pop on my face anymore because it would be almost impossible. I still have an occasional zit popping once or twice, but not like before where it feels like a zit is giving birth to twins or worse, even quadruplets!

Listen to what your skin is trying to tell you..this is just the gist of this post...Feel free to try out different products but make sure that you do know the products you are going for. Check the ingredients, look for reviews, know your skin condition,etc...better be safe than sorry.

Wow!
that took a lot of explaining,huh?
hehe

Hope that you find this post somewhat helpful even though it might be confusing.
Let me know what you think & share your experiences in dealing with acne..let us all help each other in overcoming acne!

Hope y'all have a great day!

Jaa ne~!
^_^

Neutrogena (acne-prone) Facial Bar Review

My love for Neutrogena started when i used the Fine Fairness UV Compact Powder. I'm glad that i found another good product from this range & will continue to support this brand. Today i will be giving my thoughts on Neutrogena Facial Bar.

This had helped me a great deal during the time that i was suffering from acne. I never did realize that this simple bar of soap is the answer to my prayers. After spending loads of money on products that i thought would work on me, i was surprised, annoyed, & glad that this one really does work.

Yes...annoyed! Annoyed at myself for not really buying this earlier when my instinct has been telling me to try this instead of all the soaps that i have tried *cough*Kojic soaps*cough*. Who would have thought that a simple bar of glycerin soap can actually do wonders?! I never would have guessed it until i have personally tried it.

This is the description at the back: (feel free to click to enlarge it)

Ok, let me tell you first how i came to use it. I was browsing Watsons one day looking for a soap. This is the time when i decided to stop using those 'facial sets' (facial wash, toner, moisturizer) that doesn't really work. I will be telling you my acne story sometime..im already almost done with it. Then i saw this bar & since i have been really curious with this & it's just P90 (almost $2), i decided to give this a try. I wasn't really expecting that this would actually work on me, but it did!

The first thing that i did when i opened it was to smell it. Ugh! It has a strong, weird scent & was thinking of almost not using it because of the scent. It smells of somewhat glycerin with a hint of spicy musk (the kind that i most smell when i pop open a bottle of men's after shave). Y'all know that i hate products with scents....The scent somewhat lingers on your skin, but you just get used to the scent afterward.

It looks like this:

It's almost translucent brown. There's a note at the tab that actually says that this "melts easily due to superior rinsability", & it's true. So make sure that you keep this in a dry place when storing. It's actually better if you cut it up instead of using all of it. Just like how i did mine. I cut a third portion of it.. kept the bigger portion & used the smaller one.

I remember when i first used mine, i opened it & placed it on a soap dish & uses it every now & then, until such time that i notice that it became softer & the color changed from brown to somewhat whitish. It seems to melts as soon as i touch it & it became gooey that i ended up throwing it away. So from then on i decided to cut it up so to make sure that i use everything.

Let's break it down one by one:

• Pure, Gentle Cleansing - CHECK

This did not control my oiliness. It just stayed the same, but what's great about this is that it won't leave your skin with that tight & dry feeling after using. There are some facial wash that after using it your skin will really feel squeaky-clean. I think it's not a good thing  to use products like that because it completely strips off the natural protection that your skin has. I think it's a must that we all go for gentle cleansing. Even those that got oily skin. We only have to get rid of excess oils on our skin & let the natural oil from our skin do its thing.

• Superior Rinsability - CHECK

It says that it won't leave residue that might interfere with any acne medications. I like this description. Most facial wash out there contains ingredients such as salicylic acid, tee tree oil, benzoyl peroxide & the likes which can really help control/fight acne, but if you pile on other products on top of that, i think your skin will just get clogged up from using too much which might end up in irritations & inflamations, don't you think so?

I like the fact that this doesn't have any added ingredients & i think it made my skin really breathe which made my acne stopped. It was like my skin was suffocated from everything that i was using that's why i developed acne!

• Won't clog pores - CHECK

Need i say more? I think my earlier explanation would prove that this is really non-comedogenic. You can also take a quick look at what i said about it being non-comedogenic over at my compact review.

After all of that, it's time to do a recap...

PROS:

• cheap
• available at leading drugstores/groceries
• really works!
• also available in the original formula

CONS:

• has a strong scent
• melts easily (make sure you keep it dry in between use)

Will i buy it?
It's a staple for me..so YES I WILL DEFINITELY BUY IT!
If i partner it with Likas Papaya, i won't have to worry about zits & blemishes at all! Review for Likas Papaya soap soon to follow...

I'm really glad that i was able to break the breakout cycle with Neutrogena. I'm so happy!
Hope you give this a try too...

Hope y'all have a great day!

Jaa ne~!
^_~

a new template & weekend haul

After endless days of trying to find the perfect layout for my blog, i was able to find the one that i really like. But since i don't know how to remove the header of the said template i just have to satisfy myself with the basic ones from draft.blogger. At first i don't want to use it since i prefer my blog to have a bit of some decos on them, but them as i got disappointed by one template to another, the thought of using a basic design to my blog becomes more appealing.

So after much tweaking on my other blog, i decided to just use this layout for my blog hoping that i'll be able to eradicate any problems that i have & might encounter in the future with the use of other templates. As what i said before, i love black. So, i just have to use a black layout. Though i'm still not finish tweaking it, but for the time being i'm satisfied with how this turns out. I hope that this would be the last time that i'll be changing layout. *crosses fingers*

Let me know if you find something weird in my layout,ok? Now back to beauty blogging...

I went to Robinsons Place last Saturday to mainly buy a foundation brush. I was in a bit of hurry because i have to do some grocery shopping for the stuff that i'll be bringing for our swimming activity the next day. I stopped at the department store first trying to look at some of the brands available. They have Elianto & their foundation brush is really cheap so i bought it since i would mainly be using it for blending concealer instead of using it in applying liquid foundation & also bought the bright green nail polish.

Then before i go home, i decided to pass by  The Face Shop & decided to grab a couple of stuff too. I'm about to run out of my favorite polish remover so i just have to buy it & my white nail polish has become a bit sticky & hard to work with..as for the eyelash glue, i just want to try it. I was a bit disappointed since i wasn't able to really examine it first before buying, but this one doesn't have a glue-like appearance. It's more of a liquid glue... you know those types that they use for eyelid glue? That's how this product looks like. It's in liquid form. I thought that it would have a glue-like consistency...but nope, much to my disappointment. I haven't tried it though. Who knows if it's better than a glue,right? I'll let you know once i've actually tried it.

Then last Sunday, we went swimming too and i swam for hours until my arms & legs hurt. It's been a while since i was able to go swimming so i felt like a kid on the pool & even though the sun was upon us, it didn't stop me. Now i can't wait for our family outing in Subic this coming May. My nails were chipped from all the bumping & scratching that it suffered.

I was swimming from until 11 in the morning until 2pm..yeah, i know that it's the time that we are supposed to avoid the sun..but i don't care. I just had to reapply sunblock and nivea creme on my lips to keep it from cracking. But i had a great time even if i spent most of my time reapplying stuff...lol! I bet the people thought that i was crazy since i kept on reapplying, but i can't help it since my skin never peels even though it was sunburned. 

My natural skin color is a bit pale and since i don't peel, it takes a year at most before my normal skin color returns. So to make sure that my skin doesn't suffer so much i just have to reapply sunblock often. Plus, freckles show up on my chest & upper arms when i'm exposed to the sun for a long time...
(-__-")

So here am i, all toasted and a bit tan from it. But it's ok since i enjoyed it. It's worth waiting a year for it to return..hehe.. I have to wear shades because i don't have any make-up on except for the lipstick. It's not good to apply cosmetics to skin that has been 'abused', isn't it? I really love the Viva Glam Cyndi..i have to buy a back-up of it sooner or later. Is it still available here in the Philippines?

There ya go...
Hope y'all have a great week ahead!

Jaa ne~!
^_^

~a visit to the post office~

I received a notification from the post office yesterday but wasn't in the mood to go there, so i went today instead and i was actually surprised to know that i have a couple of packages waiting for me. I thought i'll just be picking 2...

I had a great time opening each packages. Most are actually prizes from the contests that i've won for the past couple of months.

First is from Linda...

I was shocked when i saw  the mark that was written on the  package... Take a closer look..it says "Missent to Thailand"...LOL! is there even such a word as missent?! No wonder it took 2 months before i was able to receive it. (-__-")

I 'bought' something from her blogsale.

• Maybelline Mineral Power Blush in Soft Mauve II 
• Maybelline Dream Matte Powder in  Beige Medium
• Smooth Away Hair Remover

I'm most excited about the Smooth Away because im tired of shaving my legs every now & then. This would definitely be a new experience for me. When she posted her blogsale i immediately sent her an email, she told me that Steph also wanted the Smooth Away... but only the one for facial use. Woot woot!

Thanks a lot,hun!

I also got the prize that i won from Shiela of the Painted Ladies

I received the

• MAC Woodwinked eyeshadow
• MAC Oh Baby Lipglass

Yay for my first MAC Lipglass!
^_^

Thanks, Shiela!

Also the prize from xLovelyMakeupx....a Skin MD Shielding Lotion!

My mom tried it & she actually loved it! She was asking me how much this if converted to Philippine pesos... Looks like she wanted some for herself! As for me, i'll just be doing a mini review for it 1 of these days...

Thanks Eve!

Last but not the least is from my lovely friend Joanna of JBreezybaby

I also won her & Ezziebells' giveaway. Look at her pretty she wrapped everything!

I won 2nd prize & she got me the Too Faced Easy on the Eyes Set & 2 pairs of lovely jewelry from Ezziebell.

Everything is an eye candy!

The Too Faced set is just soooooo cute! It includes the mini Shadow Insurance & also a mini Lash Injection mascara...perfect kit for traveling!

As for the jewelry...it is awesome!

Another addition for my collection...I just love dangling earrings.

Look how simply gorgeous this one is.. I've had never had a yellow-ish earrings before. So cute!

I rather like this one better since it's so elegant-looking! Love the ribbon & the heart crystal with the pearl on it!
^_^

Thanks to Joanna & Ezziebell!

I can't believe my luck for winning all of these awesome prizes...lucky!
Reviews will be up for some of the products that i will be trying out sooner.

I'm on the roll! I have been  posting regularly. I hope i'll be able to keep this up. hehehe

Hope y'all have a great day!
Jaa ne~!
^_^

ps:
i can't believe it but i think i will be changing templates again since i notice that everytime i post something, the picture won't show up on my dashboard. I want to get to the root of this and i'm thinking it might have something to do with my template...

Etude House Nail Art Pen Review

I bought this as a part of my 2nd haul from Etude House & i've been meaning to do a review for this one but when i cut my nails short i stayed away from any nail products for a while. When i saw my nail art pens i said to myself that it's time to do the review....

Just what the name says, it's just a nail pen..it's not those 2 way nail 'pens' that got a thin brush at the end which can be used too. They actually got 4 shades, red, white, black & pink... when i purchased these, they don't have the pink one available.

The tip looks like so...

Needle-like tip where you get to control the product by squeezing the plastic tube in order to dispense the formula. I think the packaging is nice. In my opinion, it's better than those 2 way nail art 'pens' which is actually more of a bottle than a pen. You get a better grip with this since it's thinner than the regular bottled ones therefore making it easier to use.

You can actually twist it open & add nail polish if you have already used up the formula. It is refillable (but i suggest you use a different brand of polish...)

As for the formula....IT FREAKIN' SUCKS!
Honto ni Daikirai!!

Why?
I'll show you why...

I applied nail polish on my nails just to show you the reason why. I choose different base color so to be able to see it better.

Then i drew a heart using the pens... black base with white nail art pen; yellow base with red nail art pen; sky blue base with black nail art pen...

I let this dry for hours....Yep! Hours! 4 hours to be exact so that im sure it would be dry before i finish it with a top coat. I will use Sally Hansen Double Duty Base & Top Coat for this...

When we usually say 1 coat, it means that we dip the brush once & use the product that we got from it & try to coat the nail or any surface by brushing it over & over making sure that it is equally distributed all over...But when you use this pen, when we say 1 coat, it means you only have to brush the surface once because if you brush twice or thrice, it would spread all over even if you have let it dry for like hours.

See for yourself...

The red heart bled like crazy!
I dipped my brush once then tried to spread the top coat with it & this happens... the black one actually budge just a little, but not that obvious in the picture. The white one stayed put...

I can't tell you how many times i have done a nail art & ended up being frustrated just because i can't apply a top coat to protect it...

Kuyashii!!!
("-__-")

I always end up just letting it stay that way which of course would not last long & would chip at the end of the day.
*sigh*

As what i said, i let that dry for 4 hours... Just think of how awful it would be if you only have very little time to decorate your nails & can't wait for it to dry..?!

I applied strips of colors on my nail & let it dry for 40 mins...& this happened... that's already 40 mins!

I distributed the product by swiping it 3x.... The formula is hopeless!!! I have tried different top coat with this & it's still the same so i'm sure that it is the formula not the top coat.

Ma....ma....ma....
On the other hand, it's just the formula so i can still use the packaging. I can just take out the formula & use a different nail polish, by then i'm pretty sure i'll be able to use it.

I actually kept the formula just for the purpose of doing a review, but now that i'm done with the review i'll be throwing it out...clean it then put the TFS (The Face Shop) polish on it...i like TFS nail products better than the Etude House ones...also the nail polish. The Face Shop all the way!

As for the price...hmmm....i can't exactly remember how much this is but i think it's Php 139... under Php 150 (less than $5) each. I think this is expensive seeing as how the formula really sucks! I don't mind spending a lot of money if i get my money's worth, but not lie this. This is the only purchase that i made that makes me feel really frustrated every time i use it.

PROS:

• refillable

CONS:

• formula is hopeless
• limited stores
• expensive for its quality
• limited shade selection

Will i buy it?
Jodan ja nai! You got to be kidding me?!

I despise this! I won't ever buy this one again...But then since it can be refilled, at least i can do something about it. I would just advise you to save your money & buy a different one with a better formula. I'm sure Sis Nikki's nail art pens are waaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy better than this!

I'm trying to keep an open mind with this product but i can't...my mind keeps on closing all the while seeing the Php 139 pesos flying away from the window. I feel like i've been robed. (-__-")

If you are still willing to buy this, then i won't stop you..maybe i just got a bad batch & this is really a great product... but with what i've experienced so far...you already know the answer to this...

Have you  used a nail art pen before?
What brands have you tried?

Hope y'all have a great day!
Jaa ne~!
^_^

~eyelook: simple gyaru~ (pic laden)

I decided to do another look since it's been a while since i posted something on my 'eyelook' label. I said that i would be doing a gyaru look...although this is not exactly how i do a full gyaru-look, but this 1 is perfect for daytime/school make-up & never goes out of fashion.

The good thing about this is that it won't give you that 'i-have-a-complicated-make-up' look, but it would just give you that simple-yet-sophisticated look If you are used to doing this, it can just take 15 mins at most to get ready. Practice is the key...

Now, i'm pretty sure y'all know how to put foundation, blush & lip color so i'll skip that & just focus on the eye. Since the main point of this look is the eye area, so subtle blush & lip color is recommended.

Depending on what look im going for, i apply the foundation either before i do the eye make-up or right after. In this case, i did my face make-up after.

Hajimemashou ka?

• As always, start with a primer..it will help keep the eyeshadow from creasing, keep the oil at bay & will make the shadow vibrant. I did not bother to put an eyeshadow, but then feel free to add in.

• I'm always having trouble making sure that the wings of my liner is equal. So I always use a pencil liner first as a guide instead of using the liquid liner straight away. It will also help fill in the space between the lashes.

• There ya go... Liner all set!

• I prefer using eyeliner since it is really intense so i start it first by filling the line that i made from using the pencil liner..carefully winging it out..

• Then i thicken the middle part of the liner so to make my eyes look bigger. You don't need to hurry filling it in, take your time.

•  See the difference? Lining the eyes can make such a great difference in your eye shape!

• To really define your eyes, make sure that you fill in the space in between the lash area. You can do it using light feathery upward strokes.

• Next... Put a dark-colored shadow on the outer lower corner of the eye area. It will give the illusion of a bigger eye ear. You can opt for a brown-colored shadow or grayish ones...depending on what you have. The darker the better...

• In this case, since i have the Etude House Tear Drop liner, i just used it. You can go for a shimmery white shadow as a substitute.Ohh..i forgot, but i like how i did my nails last weekend, it's so cool. Just a polka-dotted look..see how my ring finger stands out? ^_~

• Then fill in the inner lower corner of the eye area, extend it until the tearduct area. It will make your eyes look more open.

• Don't forget to curl the lashes! Shu Uemura lash curler is 1 of the greatest!

• At this point, if you have any faux lashes for the lower lashes, then you can just use it. In my case, i just applied mascara to define my lower lashes. I used Maybelline Cat  Eyes Mascara.

Almost done...

• Final touch would be the false lashes & of course...don't forget to groom your brows.

This can actually take just a few minutes if you are already used to doing this. You can still cut the time you spent by using a eyeliner pen since it's easier to use than a liquid or even a gel liner.

Then just do your usual foundation/face routine... Then get ready to go out & greet the world with your best face forward!

I rather like this than the usual western look since i notice that the usual western make-up look uses a lot of make-up therefore altering how you naturally look. This look emphasizes on your natural beauty. All you need to do is to enhance it by concealing blemishes & other areas that needed concealing & emphasizing your eyes.

This is 1 of the reason why i don't get to play with my cosmetics anymore. When i used to pile on a lot of make-up, i developed acne & now that im using less make-up it is almost non-existent! except for the blemishes that i have left from it...

Less is really more!

There ya go!
Hope y'all have a great week ahead.

Jaa ne~!
^_^