Hortaleza MD Illuminous Plus Facial Soap

note:
I'm warning you in advanced that i have lots of pictures of my face in this post. I don't usually do this but this soap had convinced me otherwise, so to provide you with pictures that you can use to judge for yourself. this is embarrassing as f*ck for me but i'm doing this for the love of you all.
XD

I tested out a new soap, although i love my Orange Peel & L-Glutathione Soap to death, just because im quite curious to see how other soaps would fare after my finding "THE ONE" soap.

I'll not lie & tell you that i found a better soap than my favorite but i will tell you,people, something... this soap is the only soap that made people compliment me on my skin.

Confusing,huh? I'll tell you why later...

Now question...
How many of you know about glycerin soaps?
You know those "clear soaps" that you mostly see on bath sets, they are just simple glycerin soaps.

Glycerin is a humectant, clear liquid that is a by-product of the soap-making process. Humectant means that it attracts moisture to your skin. Soaps were produced before by combining oils & lye, the end result of it would be soap & glycerin. It is also sweet & is also use for baking & cooking purposes too! Au naturel~

As i made my research i read several claims that other soap manufacturers would strip the glycerin off of the soap. The reason is that these manufacturers also sells lotions,creams or moisturizers together with the soap. Again, glycerin is humectant which means that it will attract moisture on your skin so you won't need anything else to moisturize your skin because your skin will be hydrated anyways.

So i guess this is the reason why most companies who manufactures facial soaps/washes also have moisturizers that they sell together with it,huh? Not saying that you should stop using moisturizers just because you are using glycerin soap,mind you, if your skin is naturally dry then you have to apply moisturizers. (how many "moisturizers" did i use back there?!haha)

Since glycerin soaps contain natural oils it is better in removing oils too. Remember the idea behind OCM? That only oils can take oils off? Well, i'd recommend using glycerin soaps better than OCM!

Glycerin Soaps doesn't lather much. Why?
It doesn't contain sodium laureth or sulfate or any of those agents that makes shampoos & soaps bubbles like detergents. The said chemicals actually dry out the skin. I'm pretty sure that you know what i'm talking about. The reason why we love using facial wash is because you feel squeaky clean after usage. The natural oils are stripped off the skin, that's why.

So now that we got that little info out of the way then we can go straight to the product itself.

Illuminous Soap is specially formulated for lightening blemishes & dark spots. I guess since it contains arbutin so you can use this to address hyper pigmentation as well.

The ingredients list..

It has what they call as TinyWhite (which is combination of Glutathione & Arbutin) which i think is formulated for skin lightening purpose.

By the way, did you know that Arbutin is better than Hydroquinone?
Hydrquinone can cause skin darkening in some cases, on which is a lot worse because there's no way for you to reverse the effect of it, based on what i read. So you have to be wary when using hydroquinone. Do your research first before it's too late.

So it's good that they used a safer alternative for their skin lightening soap,no?

I'm sorry but i seem to have deleted the picture of the product accidentally while i was cleaning out my HD so i just took a picture of the soap when i washed my face a few minutes ago. hehehe

I have been using this for a month now & i can already see the effect. Not only me, even the people around me has seen a subtle glow. My cheek area has that natural flush that i almost look like i had a blusher on.

Tsk!
I hate this part.. where i have to show pictures of my face...
-_-"
but i know it has to be done...
I just never feel comfortable posting pics of my bare face though.. Im sure you could understand no matter how good people say your skin is, posting your pic on the net for every one to see is like being caught naked in a public place over & over. lol!
Plus the fact that i have to scrutinize each & every picture that i'll be posting that i'm sick & tired of my face already after deciding what i'll be choosing. XD

Well then, here goes nothing...

Remember the picture that i posted before when i did my review on the Physician's Formula Mineral Wear Powder? I'll be providing you with the full on pictures of it so you can see for yourself...

My skin is almost clear & blemish-free already except for the zit on my cheek, but im already happy nonetheless so i posted it as reference. Take note of the redness on my cheeks & it may not be too obvious here but there are some pigmentation on the apples of my cheek. Click the 2nd picture for a better view...

Now, I'll be showing you a picture of my face just this morning (October 29,2012) right after taking a shower.

Of course, my skin will be really clean because i just took a bath. I took a picture right after bathing so that you can clearly see if there still any pigmentation left. You can click it for a better view.. i can already vouch that my skin is clear & there are no underlying pigmentation unlike the pictures that i took before.

Now, here is a picture that i took just a few minutes ago... same day of course with the picture on top.

The rosy glow on my cheeks may not be obvious but it's there, believe me! People kept on telling me how naturally flush my cheeks are. 

I really hate this part because it feels like i am complimenting myself because im not really the type of person who do so, but just trust me in on this. I went to a party yesterday, i did not put on any make-up at all but i saw that my cheeks are flushed already. I have washed my face but it's just there. No need for any powders or anything! I even stopped using my Benetint days ago because i don't see the use of it.

This is the main reason why i like using products that are made locally!

They are specifically made for filipina skin so you know that what you are using is something that would agree on your skin. yay for local products~!

It's really liberating to finally free myself from using make-up!

I am already confident enough to go out & brave the big bad world with just a tube of lipstick on my bag.

hehehe

Now, i don't want you all to get excited over it. Please finish reading this post first ok? hehehe

There are still some things that i want you to take note of about this soap.

Yes, it's glycerin & it's humectant... but please be advised that this is not pure glycerin soap so you may still need moisturizer after usage. If you just want a simple glycerin soap then feel free to try out their Puressence facial soap of the same line.

In my case, i felt a need for a little moisture so i use a tiny bit of Watsons Collagen gel or L'oreal Youth Code Essence the first few times that i use it. Now i can get away with not using any but i still apply my essence or gel as much as i can.

Hortaleza MD products are recommended for people ages 18+.

I'm not really a professional so i can't go into details about each & every ingredients in their products so use at your own discretion. Please don't ask me if it's ok to use it if you are 15.. because i am using it now & i am 28 yrs old already. So the experience that i have over using this is because of my developed & "not-so-young" skin anymore.

A pretty bird told me that HBC is coming up with an anti-acne product specially designed for teens next year.  You might want to wait up for that...

My skin has been acting up again because of hormones but i'm happy to report to you all that i don't have any zits! yay for that!

PROS:

• locally available (at your HBC stores)
• very wallet-friendly (P65 only!)
• it worked for me (hello, rosy skin!)

CONS:

• might not be available internationally

Will i recommend it?
Well,i'll let you judge that one after seeing my pictures.

^_~

This is already very cheap but if you want to maximize your money's worth then you can cut this up in smaller pieces. Glycerin soaps tend to melt faster than ordinary soaps so just cut a small piece, then store the bigger piece for later use.

If you will be asking me the ultimate question of "which is better, illuminous or orange peel soap?", i would not really know what my answer will be.

I don't want to be called biased because Orange Peel cured me of my acne, but Illuminous gave my clear skin a more refined & rosy glow so i can't really say. I don't know how Illuminous would fare on acne though because i used this with clear skin. So please don't subject me to a life or death option. hahaha!

Hortaleza MD Soaps are available in different variants:

• Acnesol (for pimple control) P65
• Puressence (mild skin care) P60
• Total Solution (skin exfoliating) P60
• Illuminous (skin lightening) P65

I have tried Acnesol for a few times but since im not a fan of tea tree oil so i'm just not enamored to it.hihihi

But please try out their other variants for your different needs. 

I stand by with what i believe that every skin is different. 

What works for me might not work for you so you have to keep your options open to different choices.

I might not be able to cover everything on this post so feel free to shoot me any questions on the comment box.

Hope you all are enjoying your day!
Jaa ne~!
^_^

ps:
Product sent as sample. I did not receive any monetary compensation for this post. Opinion shared is personal view & is no way influenced by the company. Use at your own discretion.

Physician's Formula Mineral Wear Loose Powder Review

I can't remember when was the last time i opened my traincase & played with my make-up. Yesterday, i just had this sudden urge to put on make-up & it was fun!

I wanted to don bright eye make-up but i remember that i don't have any mascara or even lash glue to complete the look so i just decided to opt for the safe choice which is to go neutral.

This also gave me a chance to fully use my new Physician's Formula Mineral Wear Loose Powder sent by Tamera.

Y'all know that im not a foundation user. I'd rather just use a finishing powder as my base instead of a full-on foundation so this was perfect since this is a loose powder. You can use it alone or over make-up. I decided to use it as my face base. I'd let you decide how the coverage would fare for it.

Let's get to know it first...
Just click it to read the description.

It claims to be:

• Oil-free
• Fragrance-free
• Talc-free
• Hypoallergenic
• Non-comedogenic
• Dermatologist approved

That sounds nice,no?

On to the packaging...

Housed in a big plastic container with a dome-shaped top unlike other ordinary loose powder container. I like that the cap fits exactly as i hate to have powder or my brush rolling inside my bag just because the cap is loose.

It includes a free mini kabuki brush, that is completely awful & useless. Do yourself a favor & buy your own mini kabuki brush. The product might be hypoallergenic, but im not sure about the brush! LOL! I got rid of the brush asap & replaced it with my very own mini kabuki brush.

It includes a brush holder to keep it in place. Yay for that!
You see that circular plastic at the side? That's when you get to use the powder as the brush holder act as the lid to the product.

I just hope that the tab won't break off after plenty of lifting & bending!

Then, on to the product.
Mine is in Translucent Medium & i have to say that it suits my skin pretty well!

The product is indeed fragrance-free.
I hate it when i opened my loose powder then the scent of it just comes straight to your nose, punching you senseless! That goes to Coty Finishing Powder!

It's really very light & disappears on the skin as soon as you blend it in.
See for yourself.

I think one is really meant to be used a finishing powder but if your skin is good then you can also use it alone. My skin had improved ever since my acne days so i can now go out without any make-up at all & not feel embarrassed so i use this as my foundation.

My skin is far from flawless but i think this powder was able to at least even out my tone. Here's a picture of my bare face vs with it on.

I got uneven skin tone with mainly redness on the cheeks but this powder was able to do a decent job of covering up my red patches. One more thing that i like about this is that it doesn't look like you put on pounds & pounds of powder on your face because it looks dewy! Wow for that!

It blends so well on my skin that it makes my skin look almost flawless!
It's not cakey & doesn't feel heavy which is really really like!

Now, the downside, i tried applying it alone (no moisturizers, primers beforehand) & it made my skin itch a bit. I was testing it out to see if it is indeed non-comedogenic & i didn't break out. So happy with it being really non-comedogenic but the itchiness sorta bothers me.

I applied it like how i usually apply make-up (complete with essence, gel & primer underneath) & i still felt a little itch. It might be because im not used to applying anything on my face anymore? Well,it doesn't break me out at least but the itch still bothers me.

Another thing that i don't like about it is that it doesn't have oil-control. tsk! I have to have oil films with me all the time. I have a combination/oily skin so i definitely need products that has oil control. This one would be great for normal to dry skin.

I still use this every time i go out but since i don't go out that much so i don't expect any break outs from this anyway.

Now, let's summarize everything!
PROS:

• non-comedogenic/hypoallergenic
• fragrance-free
• talc-free
• dermatologist approved
• provides a light coverage which can easily pass as a foundation
• feels light
• skin looks dewy
• not cakey
• dual-purpose: foundation & finishing powder
• the applicator (brush) is separated to the product

CONS:

• made my skin itch but didn't break me out
• bulky packaging
• doesn't have oil control

Will i recommend it?

Yeah,sure!

It looks nice on my skin & everything so i would recommend it. About the "itchy" issue for me, maybe it's just me because i know how sensitive my skin is so maybe it's just me but since i didn't experience any break-out so this one is still a nice product.

Where can you buy it?

You can purchase it at Tamera Online for $14 (it's on sale!). It ships within the country so you can be sure that you'll get it.

Have you tried anything from Physician's Formula?

What finishing powders/foundation are you currently using now?

Hope y'all will have a great day!

Jaa ne~!
^_^

ps:
Product sent as sample. I did not receive any monetary compensation for this post. Opinion shared is personal view & is no way influenced by the company. Use at your own discretion.

MAC Magically Cool Liquid Powder in Truth & Light

I just want to get this out of the way so i'll make a short review...

I'm trying to make up for my lost blogging time by posting up some of the products that i had been using but just haven't made a review on. It just dawned on me that my pictures are accumulating all because i haven't been blogging as much as i want to.

Ok, first things first, this product that i bought late last year as a part of my Christmas gift for myself... haha!

I have been a fan of any face products that has a cooling sensation. I said before the time when this was first released on the Venomous Villains Collection that i will be getting it by every time i drop by MAC, it's not available. I was so happy when they decided to permanently have this one. Yay!

MAC claims that it is formulated with 70% water...
Interesting,huh?

They have 3 shades available which are Truth & Light, Honey Rose & Cajun.

Cajun is too dark for me, while Honey Rose is more of a shimmery finish rather than a blush.

Truth & Light, while it is a sheer shimmer, you could easily use it as an all-over powder as long as you don't put too much. It is really finely milled so it can easily blend on the skin without it being too shimmery unlike other highlighters. It sinks on your skin that would result in a dewy finish rather than shimmery so that's really good!

I'm sorry, hunnies, but i lost my pics of it so i'll just be linking this post over to Temptalia so that you can take a look at the swatches. Pls click HERE to be directed to it.

I used mine as a finishing powder.
Yes, i can dust it all over my face .. yay for that!

I would hesitate using this if i still have a bad skin condition but since my skin is way way better than before, so i can get away with sheer shimmery product as a setting powder. I will not recommend it if you have large pores, acne marks/scars & also fine lines. Since this will just enhance things that you wanted to hide.

It works great as a subtle highlighter if you dust it twice on the area that you want to highlight.
I prefer using my Drizzlegold in highlighting though because it has a better shimmer effect compare to this. I think Honey Rose is better suited for highlighting than this.

As for the cooling sensation, it's not that strong. I was expecting that it would provide something like a chilling sensation! hahaha!
This is more of like a breezy sensation if there is one. lol!
It still feels nice though.

Now, one thing about this is that it has a funky smell.
I guess it got something to do with it being made up of 70% water. It doesn't smell bad but it has that different smell & it gets stronger as time passes by. It's not really bad but it just smells different. i can't explain the scent though... hmmm...

That's it! haha!
Told you this would be a short review.

PROS:

• has a cooling sensation
• dual-purpose; can work as a highlighter or setting powder
• its MAC so packaging is sleek & sturdy

CONS:

• a bit expensive - $30 a pop
• has a funky smell

Will i recommend?

Sure, especially if you are a fan of products that has cooling sensation but otherwise, you can just buy a cheaper highlighter. hehehe

This was my last MAC purchase. 

I'm not that much into cosmetics these days because my nail art addiction is currently the one that's active..haha!

Are you a fan of products that has cooling sensation?

Hope you all are enjoying your day!

Jaa ne~!
^_^

Crayon Nail Hardener

Just a short review to keep my blog going for a while..hehe

What’s your favorite nail hardener?

I always thought that nail hardeners are just pretty much the same. I have used a lot of it because I want to make sure that my nails will go strong despite it being exposed to acetone every now & then, which makes your nails brittle.

I said that I’ve tried a lot, I mean they somehow work but it’s not something that really wow-ed me. Not until I’ve tried this one hardener that wow-ed me for the price! I was able to feel result after a couple of days!

Presenting, Crayon’s Nail Hardener

Obviously, it’s a Japanese brand basing on the packaging. Hehe

I saw this at Watson’s on SM Valenzuela. I’m just not sure if this is available in all Watsons though. I don’t think so. It’s sold for Php 90 (I think). Anyway, price range of Crayon products is from Php 70 to Php 90.

If you can understand Japanese then feel free to read the description. Please tell us the translation for it too,ok? Hehehe

This one too...

I can’t understand it but one thing that I am sure of, this works!

This is the only hardener that I purchased again.

I only repurchase if I know that it really works.

It is a tiny bottle though but it really works, I swear!

What can i say more aside from the fact that it does work. It's a nail hardener, so it did harden my nails. Less chipping & peeling, if i use it together with a cuticle oil.

It tends to get thick pretty easily so make sure that you keep the cap really tight after every use..

Oh, & speaking of the cap, once you open it you'll be greeted by a stopper.

I guess this just means that the product is kept fresh until the time that you use so you don't need to worry about buying something that is already thick & goopy.

You just attach the brush on the cap itself then you're good to go!

As what i said, i haven't tried any good nail hardener for this price. I have bought 3 bottles of this already!
The only problem for this would be the availability. Unfortunately, i do not know other Watson branch that carries Crayon. If you know anything, pls free to comment for reference.

PROS:

• cheap
• it works
• in a cute yet sturdy packaging
• product is sealed shut to ensure you of good quality

CONS:

• availability (available in selected Watsons only)
• tiny bottle - only 8 ml
• could get goopy once you reach halfway the bottle

Will i recommend it?
Of course!
As what i said, im on the 3rd bottle already! hahaha!

If you can find this, make sure you get it,ok?

So, what's your favorite nail hardener?

Have a great day!
jaa ne~!
^_^

Clarins Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch Review

Primer... a product that not a lot of beginners know of.
A product that i've received tons of questions of.

What exactly is a primer?
Basically make-up primer acts as a barrier of your skin from the make-up. It also makes the foundation adhere on to your sin a lot better. Though there are a lot more benefits that each & every primer has but the main purpose of a primer are the said 2 reasons.

Now, let's talk about this primer that had received lots of raves from make-up mavens.

Clarins Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch Make-up Base.

Housed in a cute red glass jar, this little gal could easily become your best friend! It comes with a free tiny spatula.

You can read the leaflet that was included on it. Just click it for a bigger image...

Here is the ingredients list:

A silicone-based primer!
I know i said before that silicone breaks me out but i just feel like this primer could make a difference.

This is how it looks like...
It's fragrance-free & goes invisible when you apply it on your skin.

Since it's silicone-based, it glides smoothly on the skin. It could easily smooth out uneven surface like scars, blemished areas & open pores. As what some users say, it makes the skin "as smooth as a baby's bottom" & i agree!It does make the skin velvety-smooth!

A little goes a long way!
I hope you'll be able to see the difference of how it looks like with it on. If you took a closer look, you'll see the fine lines almost disappearing. I took the pic right after i applied it. I should have given it a few minutes to settle before pictorial.

The difference might not be obvious but you can feel how this fills up your pores!

As for my thoughts...
I did not experience any major breakouts but it did cause whiteheads on continued use. I can't use it for everyday, but it's ok since i mostly just stay at home. I make sure that i have this on when i go out just because i like how smoothly i can apply my foundation on, i think it prevents splotches & caking too because it really makes the foundation adhere on your skin better.

Now, no matter how this makes my skin really smooth it turns me off (not the whitehead-causing problem). It doesn't have any oil-control at all. tsk! What a shame! Every time i put this on, i have to make sure that i have oil films or a pack of facial tissue. It seems like this makes my skin oil up more, maybe that's the cause of my whiteheads.

I don't have any problem with it before when i still got combination skin but since it has become too hot lately, my skin went from combination to oily. *sigh*

So i would only recommend this for girls with normal or dry skin only.

I got mine on StrawberryNet. You can click HERE.

PROS:

• diminishes fine lines, wrinkles & enlarged pores instantly!
• scent-free
• disappears on the skin! no color that could alter your foundation
• locks moisture on the skin; won't ever make your skin feel dry
• includes a spatula
• packaging is really sturdy!
• a little goes a long way

CONS:

• no oil-control
• could cause whiteheads (imo)
• might be expensive (but it's worth it!)

Will i buy it again?

Nah, this could last forever on me because you just need a very little amount to cover the skin. 

Will i recommend it?

Well, i would really love this if only this has oil-control but that doesn't stop me from loving this because i can now understand why most girls go ga-ga over this. It is a great primer for normal/dry skinned girls but sadly, not for oil-skinned ladies like me.
:(

Have you tried this?
What's your favorite primer?

Hope you all have a good day!
Jaa ne~!
^_^


ps:
Product sent as sample. I did not receive any monetary compensation for this post. Opinion shared is personal view & is no way influenced by the company. Use at your own discretion.

SanSan Matte Finish Liquid Foundation Review

Remember the guessing game that i posted days ago?

Unfortunately, no one was able to guess what foundation i used. Know why? Just because this is one foundation that a lot of people might not have even tried using. I would not even guess what foundation was used..haha!

Anyway, i'll just be adding the prizes on my next giveaway.
The answer is the SanSan Matte Finish Liquid Foundation!

I said before that i'm not really a foundation user but when i drop by at HBC during their sale period i bought 2 shades just because i'm not really sure what is my shade. But HBC was generous & gave me the rest of the shades so i already have all of them.

They have 4 shades...

from 1 to 4, with 1 as the lightest & 4 as the darkest shade.

As soon as you twist it open, you'll be greeted by their unique 'dispenser'. It's a spatula!

You would be able to control how much product you need as opposed to pumps that you can't even control. Though it could be a bit hard to get the desired product since this one is runny. Maybe they could substitute a dropper instead..lol!

 Here's a swatch of their shades...

I would describe them as 1 & 3 with yellow undertones while 2 & 4 got pink undertones.
I said that it is runny & it provides light but good coverage. I'll tell you about the coverage later.

You can get all 4 of them & still be able to use all of them.
You don't believe me? Check this out!

See how you could come up with different shades when you combine all of them?
Why can you still use all of them? Several reasons...

• darker foundations can be used to contour your face, whereas light shades could be used to highlight it. Since this is a matte finish you would be able to control how sharp you want your contour/highlight to be.
• depending on the season you could either go from a shade darker or lighter than your usual tone. This one is more obvious for countries that has 4 seasons but you tend to be a bit lighter during winter season just because you don't go out that much while as for summer season you tend to be taking advantage of the sun & freshen up your tan,ne? that's why it's better to make sure that you have at least 3 foundation in your stash!
• You can use the different shades of your face foundation even on your body to even out your skin. 

Since we are still talking about the topic of shades... my shade is a cross between 1 & 2 or either 2 & 3. I like that i can easily adjust it based on my skin. I said that 2 of them got yellow tones,ne? I think that you really have to add a tiny bit of pink undertone to get the perfect blend so make sure that you grab another bottle when you purchase,ok?

With that said, let's go the ingredients list:

Now let's talk about coverage.
I find it disturbing every time i post close-up pictures of my skin just because you can see everything. hahaha!
But of course, a close-up shot is a must,ne? That's how much i love all of you! LOL!

As you can see, I got red patches on my skin coupled with a few acne marks & blemishes.
This foundation was able to cover all of them.

This is how i look like without the foundation.
I just took it now because i forgot to take a pic of the before & after foundation. Anyway, it would still be the same face.. hehe

Hello, pale me! haha!
I didn't even apply any lip balm on. tsk tsk tsk...

This is how i look like with the foundation on...

Sorry about the junk at the background.
I took pic at the back of our house just because the light is good there. hehe

I know it doesn't look too obvious that i had foundation here. That's the good thing there,ne? It looks so natural you can't even tell if i had any at all! You can only know the difference if you really scrutinize it! Look at how even the color of my cheeks are with the foundation on.

Since this is runny, it doesn't feel heavy or cakey on the skin.
When you apply liquid foundation it's better to use a wet make-up sponge as opposed to using brushes. This is something that i had proven on my foundation experiment. I had used foundation brush, contour brush, buffer, stippling, kabuki, etc but none of them was able to give me the flawless finish that make-up sponge can give.

I understand why girls are going bananas on beauty blender (though i haven't used it) just because a sponge is something that you should not make light of.

I might be raving about the coverage but not really on the wear time.
Again, the reason why i don't wear foundation is because i perspire a lot. I just get annoyed every time i try to wipe my face & i would see my foundation on my hanky. Transfer-resistant foundation doesn't work on me when i sweat so i just don't bother with foundation at all.

How much more for this? This is not transfer-resistant & it can't stand my skin when it sweats. XD

So i'll leave the wear time blank... Just read other blogger's review on that.
However, I can vouch for the coverage just because it really is good!

I can't remember the exact price of this but I know that this is less than 200 per bottle.
I think i even got my first 2 bottle on sale period at only 100 each! How's that for the price?! Very affordable! So wait for the sale period if you want to save a few more peso but let me tell you, paying for the full price is worth.

PROS:

• locally available
• decent coverage
• no heavy feeling
• glides smoothly on the skin
• affordable
• can be blended easily

CONS:

• runny texture
• limited shades (i suggest you buy 2 bottle to custom mix your own shade)
• it has that coconut-ty scent & i'm not a fan of coconut scents... actually i prefer my cosmetics to be fragrance-free

Will i buy it?

I did & i will buy it again once i used all of them though i don't think i'll be buying it anytime soon. hehe

Will i recommend it?

Of course!

If you are on a budget & is still looking for a nice foundation then you just have to try this. i didn't experience any break out on this. Well, i had a primer on so i'm not sure. hehehe

But my skin reacts easily to something when it doesn't agree on a certain product & i didn't experience any irritation at all so it means that my skin is ok with this!

Just make sure that you apply a finishing powder to top it off,ok?

^_~

This is the finish look, i top it off with Eshiko Ultra HD Powder. 

I have to say that HD powders really look nice to finish the look! Makes everything look so flawless!

Cam whoring time!

This foundation makes it easy for me to even out my skin from the neck below. Everything just looks so even!

What i used in this look:

Primer-Clarins Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch

Foundation-SanSan Matte Finish Foundation in 01 & 02

Cheeks-Benetint

Brows-ELF Studio Brow Kit in Medium

Lips-Ever Bilena Matte Lipstick in Love that Red

Finishing Powder-Eshiko Ultra HD Powder

Make sure you give this foundation a try,ok?
Nothing to lose!
By the way,did you know that they already have online shopping?
Go to their website to give it a try!

Hope you all will have a great weekend,ladies!
Jaa ne~!
^_~

Make sure you join my current giveaway,ok?
Click HERE for more info.

ps:
Product sent as sample. I did not receive any monetary compensation for this post. Opinion shared is personal view & is no way influenced by the company. Use at your own discretion.

Miss Kat AM & PM Face & Body Soap Review

 Did you remember this soap from when i visited the Noel Bazaar late last year?

I guess it's high time for me to make a review about it.

The packaging of the Miss Kat AM/PM soap is gorgeous,huh?
It's really unique by itself... 2 soaps in 1 box! The AM yellow soap is for morning use (obviously!) & the PM blue soap is for evening (of course!).

You can read my initial thoughts on THIS POST for reference.
100% natural! Yay to natural ingredients!

I've talked with Nelly who started these soaps & she said that she had personally tried each & everyone of their products. She herself suffered from acne before & understands how hard it is to deal with acne that's why she formulated her own.

What impressed me the time when we were talking is that she doesn't claim that this one soap will work for everyone.  She knows that every person's skin is different so if something doesn't work for you she could recommend another.

That's why if you are planning to try her soaps i recommend that you buy the trial pack first which consists of 5 mini soaps. It would contain the am & pm soaps, the 3 in 1, 24kgold, & the argan soap.

Anyways, on with the review...

AM Beauty Bar

Soap Idea: Clear it!Our AM beauty bar clears moderate acne and bacne and regulates dull oily skin. It dries out pimples fast that visible result can be seen in just3 days! leaving you a healthy-looking skin!

Direction: Start your day with our AM beauty bar! Lather over  face  in 1 to 2 minutes and you’re done! Visible results can be seen in just two weeks.

For first time users,do patch testing by applying small amount of product for 5-10 minutes. If no irritation occurs, continue to use the product.

Ingredients: glycerin soap base, BHA, Kojic, Calamansi, Borage Oil, Cantalope fragrance oil, black beads

This is how the AM soap looks like...

It smells sweet! What a nice way to start your day!

^_^

I feel like you could get a sugar rush just by sniffing this bar...LOL!

PM Beauty Bar

Soap Idea: Heal it! Our PM beauty bar will wash away those ugly acne marks , evens skin tone and tighten those large pores but never over dry leaving you a healthy-looking skin!

Direction:  Use PM beauty bar before bed time. Lather over  face  in 1 to 2 minutes and you’re done! Visible results can be seen in just two weeks.

For first time users,do patch testing by applying small amount of product for 5-10 minutes. If no irritation occurs, continue to use the product.

Ingredients: glycerin soap base, BHA, Kojic, Papaya,Borage Oil, lux fragrance oil, black beads

• No artificial hardeners
• No harmful colorants
• No artificial bubble enhancers
• No harmful preservatives
• 100% BIODEGRADABLE
• 100% VEGETABLE SOAP
• HIGHLY MOISTURIZING

The PM soap smells nice too.

The only thing that differs with the scent is that i think this has somewhat a powdery scent compare to the AM.

Now i'll tell you about my experience...

I am sticking with what i said about how my skin can't stand kojic acids, click HERE to know why.

That's why i am most hesitant to try these 2 because it contains kojic, but it didn't sting at all! That's why i'm so glad that i can finally experience the benefit of kojic acid on my face minus the sting.  Of course this doesn't only contain kojic acid but other ingredients as well.

Now, i don't have acne anymore so i can't really attest how this product will fare for those with acne but what i can say is that the claim for 'visible results can be seen in just two weeks' could most probably be true. Why?

3 days after using this combination i felt a small bump on my jaw area. I thought at first that this product is not good because i got a zit but it just so happens that i had my monthly the day after. When i realized that it was because of hormones & not the soap itself i continued using it to see if it could stop my soon-to-be-pimple.

The next day it became a pimple but wonders! it wasn't the kind that is really red & angry-looking. It was actually just a tiny red spot so i surmised that the soap might have done its job because before they will be really red once it's already a full-blown pimple during my post-acne stage. I continued using it for a week & sure enough, it dried up within the week!

So i guess i would agree to what they claim that visible results could be seen as early as 2 weeks (but not for acne, because again, i don't acne anymore).

Now, these are things that i would just like to point out:

• 2 soaps for a day

Personally, i find it a nuisance. I mean i've gotten used to using just 1 soap for morning,afternoon & evening washes. I wash my face every now & then. Oh please, before you go saying 'That's not how it's done,Thia. You should just wash your face 2x a day.", i'll just tell you that i know what works for my skin & i find out that i was able to stop my acne by that.

So when i have to wash my face in the afternoon i was like, 'uh, do i use the AM or PM?"
LOL! I just used the Am though, but the point is i find it a nuisance to switch soaps every wash time. But this would sit well for those who got separate products for morning & evening!

• i don't think you can buy a separate soap

Anyway, you're supposed to use both for 1 day,ne? So i guess you'll be able to use them up both at the same time.

• smells too sweet

At first i find the scent nice but later on i seem to have 'gotten tired' of the scent. I find the too-sweet scent to be somewhat nauseating. I have a sensitive sense of smell & i wash my face every now & then that's why but if you do not wash your face every now & then like how i do & love the scent of this then good for you.

• doesn't lather that much

Hey, that's good! It means that it doesn't contain harsh ingredients that could strip your skin's natural moisture. But for someone who is used to/loves products that lather you might not like it.

• this lasts forever! hahaha

OMG!
These soaps are amazing! I have used it for my body too & it's still whole! Of course i've used much but to think that i started using this december of last year & i still have 1/3 left is just simply amazing! I remember Nelly saying that it could even last for 8 months as long as you just wet your fingers then lathering it on a part of the soap. I agree! this could last for months!

These are just the things that i want you to know so that you could decide if you'll want to try this. You decide for yourself if the things that i wrote at the top would fall on the pros or cons,ok?
Let's summarize,of course:
PROS:

• locally made with 100% natural ingredients
• locally available
• gorgeous packaging
• it works!
• it lasts for a long time (i just have to stress on this!)

CONS:

• can only be bought online (i think?)
• not internationally available
• could be a bit expensive at first (it's sold for P249 per box of 2 soaps)

Will i buy it?

Nah. Since this lasts for a long time i think these 2 are enough for me.

Note: 

I stopped using this already just because i am getting nauseous with the scent but it doesn't mean that i didn't like it.

Again, i highly recommend that you buy the trial pack first so you'll know what works for you. they even have argan oil soap! I'm sure most of you know the benefits of argan oil,ne?

^_~

Make sure you visit their WEBSITE because you can get a free beauty book! How awesome is that?
You can really tell that they care for you! Kudos to Miss Kat!

Hope you all are having a great evening,hunnies!

Jaa ne~!
^_^

ps:

Product presented as sample. I did not receive any monetary compensation for this post. Opinion shared is personal view & is no way influenced by the company. Use at your own discretion.