All the Vanity Blog :: Beauty, Fashion & Shopping

Everyone of us has a product/accessory or two that we definitely hold on to it like forever. For instance, ever since my love for Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler grew, I never hold back to it!

That’s why when I lost my old Shu Uemura eyelash curler, I didn’t hesitate getting the same again. What I love most about this curlash is its perfect tong-like structure that makes eyelash curling much easier, without getting my eyelids caught up to it! The black silicone rubber is just really, really sturdy, and gives me the perfect curls sans pulling off my lashes.

Price is at $19 apiece (about Php 1,100). There’s also a 24k gold limited edition that sells for $24.

On the other hand, I’m looking forward to get the mini eyelash curler soon for the hard-to-reach side lashes. It’s so cute to boot!

Although I didn’t get this Kiehl’s lip balm in particular, I recently stashed in Kiehl’s Lip Balm with SPF 15 in 30G.

I used to own the non-scented lip balm #1, but I just got rid off it the moment it smelled really funky. Good thing, my recent Kiehl’s lip balm is sweet-scented with the hint of peachy-red color. It also belts a higher SPF than the former. Best of all, it comes with a slanted tip for better, more precise application.

Kiehl’s Lip Balm with SPF 15 has a slanted tip for more precise lip application.

Just like my former lip balm, Kiehls lip balm with SPF 15 soothes my chapped lips in pronto! I also love its scent that somewhat lingers upon application. It leaves my pucker shiny yet not sticky, relieved and chap-free. The color, on the other hand, didn’t really do much in making my lips redder; that’s why, I hafta put on some lip tint first before swiping it up with the lip balm.

Price: $9/Php 650

Albeit mineral makeups can be quite messy, there’s no denying that they’re simply one of the gentlest cosmetics ever invented! This is why, I recently got a bit of an MMU haul from Dollface Cosmetics.

Dollface Mineral Blush & Mineral Finishing Silk Swatches

So here’s what I’ve got:

Dollface Mineral Powder Blushes in Cinnamon Roll (med pink matte shade), Plum Pudding (berry shade with shimmer) and Strawberry Smoothie (light orange-pink  matte shade).

Swatches without flash (Top-Bottom: Cinnamon Roll, Plum Pudding and Strawberry Smoothie)

With Flash

I also got Dollface Cosmetics Oil-Absorbing Mineral Finishing Silk in Butter Pecan Ice Cream (light shade with yellow undertones)

Swatch without flash

With flash

Verdict?

I must say I love all of them! I’m so fond of using each everyday, since they don’t cause any breakouts even after hours of wearing them.

I really, really love the silky matte finish that the mineral finishing silk leaves. It effectively nixes oil and shine, and keeps my skin naturally matte for hours!

Regarding the mineral blushes, I either use Cinnamon Roll or Strawberry Smoothie coz both of them leave a natural shade of pink on me. I usually prefer Strawberry Smoothie should I just want a hint of pink with my medium-light to light skin tone, whilst Cinnamon Roll is best used should I want additional colour for a more flushed look. I find Plum Pudding shade to strong for me. Plus, I’m not really into shimmers for an ordinary, everyday look. So I guess, it’s reserved for special occasions!

I’ve been battling dandruff for years, and I haven’t tried any topical product that works and cooperates very well with my flaky scalp. For somehow, my dandruff problems were put to a halt during the time I was taking isotretinoin (anti-acne oral medication that shrinks oil glands, keeping the grease at bay). But, I must say taking this drug requires a great deal of patience and effort, since it entails so many contraindications–something that I won’t risk to try again. I stopped taking the med ever since my skin cleared up, and so my dandruff boo-boos started to show signs.

I started loving Kerastase when I got Oleo Relax back then, but I got little to no time spending on such meticulous hair treatment. Recently, I got Kerastase Oleo Relax Nuit, a night time leave-in treatment which smells and works wonders as well in making my hair uber-soft and more manageable (reviews soon!).

Left: Kerastase Specifique Bain Gommage Shampoo, Right: Kerastase Specifique Fluide Purifiant

Much to my dandruff annoyance, I also got Kerastase Specifique Bain Gommage. It’s an anti-dandruff shampoo meant for dry hair. My hair has long been dried out, so I got this instead of the oily hair variant. For more aggressive treatment, a coupled it up with Kerastase Specifique Fluide Purifiant, a leave-in serum that purifies, softens and re-balances flaky scalp for a much lasting dandruff-free hair.

The verdict?

Soothes Itchiness, But Does Not Totally Eliminate Dandruff

I have used the products for 5 days straight. I must admit that I’m not super happy about the products, although I’m glad that the shampoo somewhat helped soothing the itchiness sans over-drying my hair. The purifying fluid, on the other hand, perhaps contributed in lessening the flakes.

Unfortunately, both still didn’t do a lot in completely nixing all the dandruff, albeit I could say that it virtually minimized the dandruff by a bit, something that cheaper products could also do (such as Nizoral).

On the other hand, both smell kinda good; you’re gonna like it if you’re a man ‘coz they smell somewhat masculine.

Oh well, I guess I hafta give it a chance and use it for some more time. If all else fails, I’ll keep on searching for the right anti-dandruff product/s for me. I’m eying to get something from Phyto soon. Until then, icky flakes will still continue to haunt me.

Damage: $29 for Bain Gommage and  $34 for Fludie Purifiant

A few weeks ago, I went to The Body Shop to finally get myself some  DIY waxing strips, so I can nix those icky stubby hairs in the comfort of my own home, instead of braving myself to go to the nearest salon sporting my hairy Chewbacca legs.

I love buying stuff from The Body Shop, coz they just smell so good. I’m keen to get something from their Japanese Cherry Blossom line one of these days. They’re soo pink, and smell so girly!

Anyhoos, I got the Sugaring Roll-on Hair Removal Wax and Cotton Hair Removal Strips. Since I forgot to get a pack of reusable cotton strips, I tried using the disposable ones first.  Here’s the claim:

Ultra convenient, easy to use pre-coated wax strips to remove hair quickly and effortlessly. Ready to use in seconds. -The Body Shop

Ther verdict?

Just like TBS’s claim, I found it very convenient and easy to use. Waxing has never been so effortless. Just warm the pads by vigorously rubbing the strip between your hands, and then peel apart and put the waxed area on the skin  (hence, my legs). Press firmly and repeat the “warming” procedure. Finally, pull the strip against the direction of hair growth–and, voila, hairless legs in pronto!

It may leave a wax residue after use, so make sure to stash a bottle of body oil so you can slather it after the whole procedure. This will help you remove the sticky residue, and make your gorgeous pair of gams gleam as well!

I could say that of all DIY cold wax strips I’ve tried, such as Sally Hansen, this is by far the best! I really prefer waxing than applying depilatory creams or shaving. Depilatory creams will leave you hair-free for only a couple of days, which is the same as with shaving. Moreover, shaving could make the hair coarser and thicker in the long run. I don’t think anyone of you will want to have a pair of hairy legs like that of your boyfriend’s.

Price is at Php 300-ish, although I got it half the price because of the ongoing discount. Yes, they’re currently on sale [in the Philippines]!

No, I didn’t get a receptionist’s job.   A few weeks ago, I ought to deserve a quick break from having bad nail days. Ever since I relocated to Eastwood, I haven’t been frequenting Ortigas-Shaw area–Shangri-la Mall to be exact. I was a loyal Nail Spa customer then, so not going for a long time seems like forever that my nails are starting to scare me.

That’s why, I didn’t mind checking out Dashing Diva‘s newly-opened branch in Eastwood Mall, since my pedis were indeed in dire need of pampering. The nail salon caught my attention with its lovely rose pink interior. I heart!

I tried one of the lavish treatments available called Spoiled Diva Pedi for Php 600. Really expensive, eh? Wait till you know what’s in store for you!

First, the technician put some lathering foot bath and had my footsies soaked for a while. It was kinda daunting esp that the water was really hot! Never mind, I thought, for as long as I could still bear the heat.

Then,  she [technician] brought out some plastic wrap. I had no idea what she’s gonna do with it, until she put some solution on my soles and covered both of my feet with the plastic wrap. I was a bit weirded out. I figured out later on that the solution was to make my soles (and calluses) softer. After wrapping, she started cleaning. I felt bad for her at that moment. lolol.

After the painstaking task, she grabbed some contraption  from her stuff, which appeared to be a microdermabrasion wand (like Clarisonic). It felt so amazing that I forgot to steal a snap on it, because it was the first time my feet ever experienced something suuper vain like that! It felt soothing as the pads ran through my legs, with the microbeads gently sloughing the dead skin cells off of it.

The spoiled brat diva treatment didn’t stop there, my now exfoliated feet underwent another exfoliating treatment–using sugar scrub this time around! I oh-so-loved it… It almost brought me to slumber.

(more…)

A package came a week ago containing my small haul of Korean beauty product samples. And so, I had a chance trying out Skin Food Gold Caviar Lifting Prime Skin for the first time. It’s an anti-aging primer with Russian Caviar and Nano-gold Ingredients that helps moisturize the skin and improve its elasticity. The ingredients sound luxurious, don’t they?

I remember hearing from someone that the quest for keeping the skin from premature aging starts at age 25. I haven’t reached past that age, but I believe the earlier the better!

And yes, though the term moisturizer quite haunted me in the past, I’d say this moisturizing primer is simply a must-have addition to my ever-growing skin care/makeup armament. Here’s why:

Hydrates the skin sans over-moisturizing, leaves skin softer and smoother

I never religiously used a moisturizer during my teenage years since my face was so sensitive and overreacting then. Hence, rich, creamy moisturizers often aggravate my oily, greasy skin condition. Given so, they also give me the worst breakouts you can imagine! That’s why I try to lay off using them as much as possible, since I believe that my skin is well, if not, over hydrated with all the gunk of sebum on it. However, this has changed when I started working few years later.

The oiliness has lessened, and from very oily, it has become a combination of oily skin on the T-zone and normal-dry skin on the V-zone. At times, I feel that my skin is way too dry. To cut the crap, this is when my love of moisturizers all began.

Going back to the product, the gold caviar lifting prime skin does not leave a greasy feeling most moisturizers do. For me, it gives just-enough moisture my skin needs. It’s not that emollient, which I like the most. However, I don’t think it has enough moisturizing capabilities on those who have extremely dry skin types. Additional potent moisturizer should be followed, had the skin been quite dry.

I have also started to feel that my skin has smoothened since I started using the product. Unsightly bumps and roughness were reduced.

This actually perfect for someone on-the-go like me who sometimes apply as little skincare and makeup as possible esp when rushing to work! I can wear it alone sans applying another moisturizer.

Breakout-Free, Dewy Finish

Another thing I love about this product is that my skin didn’t react to it! There were no breakouts occurred. Also, the gold caviar lifting prime skin has a watery, creamy consistency that is easily absorbed by the skin. It doesn’t leave a sticky feeling, and has a light, dewy finish. I don’t have to wait for a minute or two before applying base makeup. It also does not make makeup cakey or streaky.

It may be bit pricey for about Php 1,874 ($ 38.66), but it’s definitely worth it. 

I recently went to the beautiful island of Boracay in the Philippines for a weekend beach trip with friends. Of course, whilst the weather was a bit gloomy on the first two days of our stay, slathering on sunblock was still a must-do.

The sun may hide and the clouds may conquer the vastness of  the sky, but the killer cancer-causing UV rays won’t!

So I got to stash in Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock SPF 50. This is my current fave since it is the ONLY sunblock my oily face can stand!

I must say, I wasn’t really much of a fan wearing sunblock everyday, until I met this. Sunblock tends to be too greasy on my face, causing more buildup. More buildup means more face trouble in the future–count the zits in! My second favorite is VMV Hypoallergenics Armada SPORT in SPF 70, since it belts a higher SPF. The problem is, most VMV Armadas, even at SPF 30 (the lowest SPF they have), feels greasy on my face. However, I don’t have any problem using it with the rest of my body.

Going back to Netrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock, here’s my RAVE review.

Lightweight, Non-Greasy Feel

Truly, Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry Touch Sunblock lives up to its name. Its lightweight formula gives a just-right matte finish. This is really perfect for those who have very oily skin and acne-sufferers like me. Though it’s not really meant for oil-control, it won’t surely cause your skin to grease a lot. You can wear it alone or under makeup, and I’m pretty confident it won’t cause any caking, streaking or buildup on your foundation.

Mild Scented, Breakout Free

I love its mild scent, unlike other sunblock that kinda smells gross–like chemical! Ah yes, just as I said earlier, it won’t cause you breakouts!  Well, as for me, it didn’t cause a single dot. So, it’s skin-friendly, and is suited for all skin types.

Also, I heard it comes in SPF 70 and even 100[!] should you want extra sun protection.

Best is: the price! It only cost me around Php 550 (around $ 11.34).

I thought about using Garnier products as a challenge to see if I get positive results after 30 days or more of using them. It all started when I got the loot from my mission a couple of months ago. All I can say is, so far, so greattt!

First on my review list is this Overnight Whitening Peeling Cream from Garnier. I was never a fan of night creams, because they’re too heavy and/or greasy on my already-greasy skin. There’s rarely a night cream that suits all skin types. And as for my skin which is sadly oily and acne-prone, most night creams I tried gave me horror stories to tell.

Garnier Light Overnight Whitening Peeling Cream’s Claim

This Garnier night cream is infused with pure lemon essence and natural peeling fruit extracts that exfoliates dark skin cells and peels off dullness as you sleep, revealing fresh and fairer skin in the morning. Not only will it lessen dark spots, but it will also prevent your skin from further darkening.

Away from external aggressions, night is the ideal time to reinforce whitening action. With the combined attributes of Vitamin C from lemon essence, Vitamin CG from herbal extracts, and the natural peeling fruit extracts, you’re sure to wake up with a healthy glowing, visibly fairer and more even toned skin! You will never have to walk in the dark again!-Garnier

Apply a liberal amount at night (after cleansing and toning), and wake up fresh and dewy in the morning!

Verdict: Evens out my skin tone, and helps clearing out my skin!

This is one of the very few night creams and moisturizers that my super sensitive skin agree with. Garnier Overnight Whitening  Peeling Cream didn’t cause any adverse reactions on me. It didn’t  irritate or break my skin out! So, it’s safe to assume that it really did a big help in gradually clearing my skin from those nasty zits I’ve been suffering for more than a decade.

Now, I’ve never loved my skin like this before (scratch the pre-pubescent years, ‘coz my skin was flawlessly awesome then ). Worry not, ‘coz this won’t actually make the skin peel, which is a common aftereffect of chemical peeling treatments. I guess the term applies on its ability to strip off skin’s dullness. However, I notice that it didn’t actually lighten my skin tone up a notch, but it surely helped to even it out particularly in fading those dark spots and blemishes. My only concern is that it feels a bit greasy after application, so I always make sure to use a considerable amount (say, pea-size will do), rather than slathering a dollop of product on my face. Nevertheless, no scary breakouts were ever recorded the day after, just fresh-looking skin!

I’m confident to say that I’m on my way into finally having a virtually blemish-free skin!

Best of all, it’s really affordable! A 50ml jar only costs Php 329 (about $ 6.73).

It’s been almost 3 months now since I’ve started religiously using it and it’s still halfway full!

At last,  I got a wee bit of labor of love as I’m gleefully typing here in my blog. You see, work starts pouring in on my day job, so I hafta desert this blog for a while.

Hence, I think it’s time to share a secret about this face powder I’ve been using for a while. Shu Uemura Loose Face Powder in Sheer has this certain “magic” in making my face look radiant in just a few swipes and stokes! I’ve been using this for months. I kinda stopped on the first few tries, suspecting it aggravated my acne condition. But, then again, I couldn’t just resist putting it as a makeup finish. I came back giving it a second try, and I’m still using it today. Best of all,  I’m confident to say it wasn’t really the acne culprit, since I haven’t been severely breaking out for months!

Shu Uemura Face Powder Sheer Claim & Use

This face powder promises to leave skin luminous and glowing with vitality. It gives sheer and transparent finish, and is great for highlighting facial structure & shape. It comes with a velvet-textured puff designed specifically for sheer powder application.

You can use it alone or as a makeup finish. You can use a powder brush in lieu of the puff for application.

Gives Matte yet Glowing, Lightweight Finish

So here’s the verdict: Shu Uemura Sheer Face Powder surprisingly gives my skin matte yet glowing finish. Most of the time, I use it to effectively set my makeup. It neutralizes the sticky, greasy trace left by most creme/liquid foundations. I’m using the loose face powder in sheer colorless, which gives me a transculent finish. I definitely love how lightweight it is, which clearly makes my skin breathe amidst all the powder set on my face. Not to mention, it makes my makeup look natural, as if I’m not wearing anything at all!

Also, I use this powder alone for retouch, and it never fails to zap the oily sheen in an instant. It gives me a fresh vibe after, as if I just redid my makeup.

Tip: for oily skin types like mine, be sure to zap the excess grease off using an oil control film (tissue paper will do as well) before application, lest it may feel weirdly heavy on skin or the powder may cake or streak.

Messy & Limited Staying Power for Oily Skin Types

Lucky for those who have normal to dry skin types, coz this powder might just last all day on you. But, for me with super oily skin type, it doesn’t stay long enough.  I’d give it a couple of hours or so, before oil starts to pour in. Well, I guess, I should be getting the matte variant then!

Since it’s in a loose consistency, expect it to be messy.  That’s why, I tend to put some cloth over my lap when applying to prevent the excess powder from spilling over my garb.

Price: $33/ about Php 2,400