March Favorites

Oh, how time flies! Tomorrow's April Fool's Day and today is the end of March. Anyway, I decided to do my March Favorites post and take advantage of my insomnia (gah! >_<).

1. Kanebo Coffret D'Or Powder Foundation - I'm not sure if this is the Beauty Lasting pact or the Silky Lasting Pact. All I know is that I love it! This is my  third Kanebo powder refill. It just goes to show how much I love their powders. Will do a revisited and reviewed post of this foundation soon.

2. Shu Uemura Face Architect Smoothing Fluid Foundation in 974 - Found 974 to be a better shade match as compared to 774 and since then, it has become my new HG liquid foundation.


3. Maybelline Dream Matte Powder - I am on my second compact. I used up the first one and can I just say this is L-O-V-E?! The silky texture and how finely milled the powder is and of course, how it helps keep oilies at bay make this powder ROCK!

4. NYC Lip Sliders Tinted Lip Balm in Sugar Baby - I scooped some from the tin pan since I find sliding it a bit of a hassle and put the lippy on an empty L'oreal HIP jelly balm pot. I love how it keeps my lips moisturized while adding a hint of color at the same time. Review soon.


5. Palladio Herbal Lip Slix in Rosewood - I absolutely have no idea why I tried to sell it before when it is the perfect "almose nude" lippy for me? It does not wash me out because of its peach tones.

6. Clinique Long Last Lipstick in Berry Freeze - I love MLBBs when it comes to lip products so I have not ever worn this alone back then because I don't have enough courage to wear a brick red lipstick when I go out. So one day, I decided to just dab a little of it on my lips and spread the color using my pinky and to my surprise, my lips looked just bitten/stained and I loved it. Been wearing it that way since then.

7. Laura Mercier Secret Concealer - I know I have been too lazy to do reviews lately and I have raved about this concealer before so I will definitely post a review on this really really soon.


8. Browlash Ex Water Strong W Eyebrow - Can you ever imagine using liquid stuff to do your brows? I thought it was crazy. But not until I got to try this. A retractable eyebrow pencil on one end and the liquid liner on the other end. So much easier than using Revlon Brow Fantasy. I'm not ditching the Revlon one, of course, because Browlash Ex isn't locally available. I would have to ask a malditang doktora a favor to grab one of this for me when she goes to HK. Review soon! :P

9. Jill Stuart Blush in 06 Fresh Apricot - I absolutely adore this blush. I love how I can build up the intensity of the blush and control how pink or how peach pink I want my blush to look. Will review soon.

And lastly,

10. Maybelline The Magnum Volum Express Waterproof Mascara - While I do not have The Colossal yet, this mascara will do. Since it does not hold curls very well, I just bring my Shu eyelash curler with me whenever I use this so I can curl my lashes any time I need to.

I did not include non-makeup related favorites but I might on my next Favorites post.

What are your favorites for the month of March?

Happy Thursday, super awesome peeps! :p
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Makeup Goodies! :P

This'll just be a very quick post. I'm sharing the goodies I received in the mail recently and lookie! :P

The goodies I got from Apothica - CARGO Suede Blush in Montebello, Bobbi Brown Shimmer Blush in Pink Coral, and Too Faced Caribbean in a Compact Bronzer in Sun Bunny (2 freebies included). I also received the Maybelline Dream Matte Powder from a girltalker last week. :)

Reviews to follow. That is if I can bring myself to touch the two blushes. :D

Happy Wednesday, super awesome peeps! :P
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Yum Moments: Pan de Amerikana

A big factor that helps me decide on whether I should go back and dine in the same place again is the ambiance. It has to have this "at-home" feel to it and it should be warm and relaxing. I don't like crowded and noisy places, must be a sign that I am getting older and feeling it. :P One of the places I like having quick snacks at is Pan de Amerikana. Look at the pictures and you'll know why.

Look at the windmill-like thingie. It so much reminds me of the cartoons Dog of Flanders. :P

And this guy will welcome you. :P

The place looks magnificent. 

You can play chess on the tables. Just leave your ID and they will give you the pawns and the rest.

My friend ordered Palabok and it's only Php 40! She said it tasted kinda bland so she added fish sauce to it and it then became tasty. I tried it on another occasion and yes, it was a little bland. But for 40 bucks, it wasn't so bad. 

I ordered their Bolognese for Php 80. It looks more like Spaghetti but I stopped ranting because it tasted good. :P I also had their red iced tea for only Php 15. I also tried their spaghetti (on another occasion) for Php30 bucks and it tasted like the Bolognese too. :P

The food on this place is priced reasonably and with such a gorgeous place and friendly crew, who wouldn't enjoy having snacks there or having coffee while reading a book? You can also bring your laptop as they have outlets and wifi. :) The only thing is that you cannot smoke inside the establishment so you have to go outside and smoke. Manong guard is also really friendly and nice. I wasn't able to go there for a little over a week and he said that he hasn't seen me in a while. He would chit chat with me as I puffed on my cancer stick and I found him funny. :P I haven't tried their rice meals but I am planning to do that soon. :)

Have you tried eating at Pan de Amerikana?

Happy Sunday, super awesome peeps! :P
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Product Review: NYX Bronzer #1 Powder

After my very short love affair with NARS Laguna Bronzer, I was keen on finding a bronzer that will also work in contouring the face but has better staying power too. I found that in NYX Bronzer #1. Read on for the review.

Look at the gorgeous strips of different hues.

What I like:
- The texture of the powder is really nice and soft.
- Blends very well with the skin, not patchy nor powdery.
- There are shimmers but are not obvious once on the skin, thus, making it good for contouring as well.
- Does not look muddy or dirty at all.
- Pigmented and a little goes a long way.
- There is a slight hint of orange in it but it's not something that will really scream "BRONZER!!!" and the brown tone is way stronger than the orange tone.
- Staying power is good and lasts for hours.
- HUGE! Contains 33.61g of product and will definitely last for a long, long, long, long, long time. Unless you break it and decide to throw it in the bin, of course. :)
- Did not break me out at all, no allergic reactions whatsoever.

What I do not like:
- Not locally available.
- Can make you look sunburned if you apply just a little too much.
- Might not show up on darker skin tones.

In between: Those who do not like products made in China may not like that fact that it is made in China. But then, aren't a lot of cosmetics being manufactured in China nowadays? :)

Overall rating: 4/5

Will I buy again? I don't think I will need to purchase one in, say, for the next three years or so? This will last me a lifetime. But of course, I'm exaggerating when I say lifetime. And I have a Too Faced bronzer on its way to momma.

Ingredients

Swatch

What's your favorite bronzer?

Happy Friday, super awesome peeps! TGIF! :P

By the way, I have an ongoing GIVEAWAY. You may want to join it!

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Product Review: Maybelline Dream Matte Powder

They say that oiliness is next to ugliness, that's why using a product that helps mattify the face is important especially when you have really oily skin. Who wants to look like a frying pan or a greasebomb, right? I have tried a few touch up powders that did an amazing job in keeping the oilies at bay on my face - MAC Blot and Prestige Perfectly Matte Translucent Powder. But I have been reading good reviews about another drugstore powder - Maybelline Dream Matte Powder. I was kind of hesitant to try it at first because I have tried the Dream Matte Mousse Foundation 6 years ago which turned out to be an epic fail. But then the curious cat in me won over the logical side of me telling me that I don't need another powder because I still have 5 powder foundations, all of which are good as touch up powders because the coverage is light. And I find myself reaching for it almost everyday that I have hit pan and I am more than halfway through the powder. So I decided that it's time to give it its well-deserved review.

First of all, you may notice that there was a typographical error - should have been .com instead of .vom.

What I like:
- The powder is so finely milled and the texture is silky and applies really smoothly.
- Unscented.
- Blends well with the skin.
- Keeps my face matte for hours and works just as well as MAC Blot in my case.
- I love that it works very well with Shu Uemura FA.
- Does not have a chalky or powder finish.
- It has a mirror where you can quickly check your self out.
- The shade Cream/Light 4-5 matches my skin tone perfectly.
- Can be used on its own especially if you want something really light or if you don't want to put foundation on.
- Feels very light on the skin which is just right for a pressed powder.
- Did not break me out, no allergic reactions.
- Inexpensive for $6.99 (when I had a fellow blogger and girltalker purchase this when she was in the US. Thanks again.)

What I don't like:
- Not locally available at malls so you have to rely on eBay if you want to purchase this.
- Packaging is quite bulky.

Overall rating: 4.5/5 An inexpensive yet effective product. For the kind of quality you get, you can't beat its price.

Will I buy again? Definitely! Now that I am more than halfway through my first compact, I decided to get a back up which I will be receiving tomorrow. Can I say I love this powder? :)

Swatch

Have you tried this powder?

Happy Wednesday, super awesome peeps! :P
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Yum Moments: Sandy's Pizza

After a few weeks, here's finally another Yum Moments post. Thursday last week, my friend and I dropped by Sandy's Pizza along Katipunan Extension for late lunch after a meeting. We ordered the 18 inches pizza - Combination and Meatzarella - and 1.5L of Coke that we shared with the manong driver. Here's the pizza.

The pizza costs Php 590 for 18 inches with 12 slices. Not bad, right? The crust was thin and the pizza wasn't oily. There were enough toppings to tickle the taste buds but sadly though, it tasted a little bland for me that I had to put a lot of hot sauce on my pizza. It took them almost 15-20 minutes to serve our pizza but it was alright. Not good if you're starving. The service was so-so, nothing to be delighted about though. I personally didn't like the place even though it was cozy and all. There was no music and I can feel the heat from the outside. The attendant seemed as if she was bored and barely said a word at all. Overall, the pizza was OK but nothing really special at all but for the price and the size of the pizza, it can definitely fill your hungry tummies. :) Will I eat again? Maybe but it's not a place I would look forward to eating pizza at and probably not the pizza I would crave for.

Have you tried Sandy's Pizza?

Happy Tuesday, super awesome peeps! :P
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Product Review: Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Liquid Foundation

Today, I am reviewing Lancome Teint Idole Ultra as this has been long overdue. I have been using this in alternately with Shu Uemura Face Architect Smoothing Fluid Foundation for more than 2 months now and I think this is the perfect time to review it.

The pump

What I like:
- The packaging is sleek and the pump that comes with it is very useful and works really well. It gives you the control that you need when pumping foundation and you get just the right amount of product you want.
- The texture is creamy but not too thick and it is not watery nor runny either.
- Foundation spreads well and it's easy to blend with the skin.
- Gives light-medium coverage so if you want something light on your skin, this certainly fits the bill.
- Does not feel heavy.
- It does not cake.
- Lasts for a few hours on the skin. Even though it does not last as long as it claims it will (14 hours), it still does an amazing job when it comes to staying power. I have combi-oily and sometimes dry-combi skin so I use this when my skin acts up and the oil glands produce more oil than the usual.
- Does not leave a white case on photos.
- Has SPF10. May not be enough but at least it has some protection.
- Shelf life in indicated (which is 12 months).
- Locally available at Lancome counters.

What I don't like:
- The scent is quite strong but it eventually goes away after a while.
- Leaning towards pink tones. Even the lightest shade - 01 - has pink tones in it. (I use 02 Lys Rose).
- Expensive at Php2395 for a 30mL bottle.

Overall rating: 4/5

Will I buy again? I will if they come up with shades that are either more yellow or neutral.

Swatch

The expiration date as indicated on the box together with the date it was manufactured.

Have you tried this foundation?

Happy Saturday, super awesome peeps! :P
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Apothica $25 Gift Card Giveaway!!!

Oh goody! It’s time for another giveaway! Only this time, the lucky winner will not get products from me, but will get a $25 gift card from Apothica (how generous can they get?) instead! If you haven’t heard of Apothica yet, they offer different brands of makeup that you can choose from in case you win this giveaway so feel free to check out their website. Since they carry a wide range of makeup brands, it can be hard to decide which one to get but it would be great to try something from Laura Geller like their gorgeous blushes that will surely add a pretty flush on your cheeks. But of course, it is entirely up to you.

How to enter the giveaway:

1. Via Facebook. Visit Apothica.com on Facebook and become a fan. Write on their wall what you think of their company - 1 entry
      Bonus: Subscribe to their Newsletter to get 1 bonus entry. (Total of 2 entries)
2. Via Twitter. Tweet about Apothica on your own Twitter account – 1 entry
      Bonus: Re-tweet Apothica’s tweet about this giveaway to get 1 more entry. (Total of 2 entries)
3. Through your blog. Write something about what you think of Apothica on your blog – 1 entry
      Bonus: Write about Laura Geller Cosmetics and link it to Apothica – 1 bonus entry. (Total of 2 entries)
4. Leave a comment on this post about how you entered the giveaway together with a link to what you did.

Here are the rules:

- You must be a follower of this blog.
- This is open to both local and international readers. (Apothica does not ship to all countries though.)
- This giveaway starts today, 16 March 2011, and ends on 16 April 2011.
- I will use Random.org to select the winner. I will then give your details to Apothica and they will then verify your information so they can send you your prize via email which contains the code for the gift card. You can use the gift card at Apothica.com, SkinCareRx.com, and SkinBotanica.com.
- Save SkinCareRx as a contact in your email too.

Good luck! :)
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Product Review: Maybelline The Magnum Volume Express Mascara - Waterproof

I have mentioned several times now how much I love Maybelline The Colossal Volume Express Mascara but since it is not locally available, I decided to settle and basically try out what's said to have been the local version of The Colossal - The Magnum Volume Express Mascara. After using it for a little over a month now, it's time to give it a review.

I chose the waterproof variant so I won't have to worry about smudging and having raccoon eyes at the end of the day.

The brush. I was sort of expecting it to be similar to that of The Colossal but it was so much different. (Might do a comparison between The Magnum and The Colossal one of these days.)

What I like:
- Does not have the rose scent that The Colossal has which is due to collagen.
- It makes my lashes darker and look fuller. Though it does not totally volumize my lashes that much, it still makes a lot of difference as compared to my lashes without any mascara at all.
- It still looks natural, like my lashes but better. It is definitely not dramatic so this is for those who wants to keep it simple and natural.
- Although it is not a hundred percent waterproof and smudge proof, it takes a long time - several hours - before I see traces of it on my under eyes, which is not bad at all. Most of the time, I am already on my way home by the time that happens.
- Drying time is just right. Doesn't dry too quickly so clumping isn't much of a problem and doesn't take a long time to dry as well.
- Locally available and price is quite affordable at Php429/439 (someone feel free to correct me if I got the price wrong).

What I do not like:
- While it looks really nice upon application, I find that it does not hold the curls very well. In fact, I feel that it weighs down my lashes. It only takes less than 5 minutes for me to see that my lashes are no longer that curled which disappoints me.
- I find the brush kid of hard to work with. The curved angle with less fibers or bristles just doesn't make sense to me. I end up using the "un-curved" side of the brush. I still like The Colossal's bristles way better than this.

Overall rating: 3.5/5

Will I buy again? I am still on the fence as to whether or not I will re-purchase because The Colossal has my loyalty. The fact that this mascara weighs down my lashes really disappoints me so I would have to think more than twice before buying another one of this.

Curled lashes without mascara

Curled with 2 coats of mascara

Have you tried this mascara? Do you like it? :)

Happy Monday, super awesome peeps!
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Chunky Bling: Swarovski Pearl Ring - White

They say pearls are classic and timeless pieces that will never go out of style, and something that you can wear on almost any occasion. That is why when someone from Chunky Bling told me that I can choose a ring for myself, I immediately chose this one as I knew it was going to be something I can wear any time of the day and wherever I go. When I finally got the package this afternoon, I was really amazed as to how lovely the ring is. Here are pictures.

I love how the light is reflected on the swarovski stones.

It may seem bulky at first but it's no different from cocktail rings. I really love how it looks and even though it is indeed chunky, it doesn't make my ring finger feel annoyed (yeah as if it has a mind of its own). I can imagine this will look nice with almost any piece of clothing especially with a crisp button down polo and jeans/slacks. Or a really feminine dress or a little black dress.

Please do check out their products at Chunky Bling where you can find other really nice accessories such as pearls and swarovski watches and other jewelries at a low cost. :) I wouldn't ask you guys to check out their products if the ring disappointed me anyway. And I wasn't asked to make this post, I just thought I should show you guys how pretty this ring is. :)

Happy Wednesday, super awesome peeps! :)
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Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush Lip Gloss in Cantaloopy

I am not a huge fan of lip gloss basically because they are gooey and sticky and my lips feel weird and thick when I'm wearing some and that is why I love tinted lip balms. And to be honest, I only have one lip gloss left in my stash, after I de-stashed, and that is Stila Lip Glaze in Star Fruit. I love the color and the scent that is why I still have it. When someone gave me this Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush lip gloss, I thought it was pretty but I had a bad experience with VS lippies when I had the Strawberry Fizz one because it gave me migraine. But I actually ended up liking this one and here's a mini review. :P

It looks like a plain and boring creamy white lip gloss at first but it has pink reflects which makes it gorgeous. I wonder if you can see it on the swatch. The scent surprisingly did not trigger my allergic rhinitis nor gave me migraine. It actually smells yummy and fruity and not overpowering. The gloss isn't as sticky as I thought it would be and definitely nowhere near the stickiness of MAC lipglasses so I see myself using it though I am not sure if I would repurchase for myself since I am not a lipgloss girl. Staying power is pretty cool and looks really gorgeous especially on top of any lipstick. It comes in a squeeze out tube which makes it hygienic - no need to do the dunking of the doe-foot or brush applicator most lippies come with.

 

I like layering it on top of any lipstick and my fave one to layer it with is Clinique Berry Freeze. The one on the left is the lipstick swatch, on the right is the one with the gloss.

Lip swatch

Have you tried any Victoria's Secret lippies?

Happy Monday, super awesome peeps! :P
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February Favorites

I'm back with a February Favorites post after almost two weeks of not posting anything and I'm not going to blab why I went MIA for a while. So without further adieu, I present my picks for the month of February in no particular order.

1. Alba  Botanica Acne Dote Oil Control Lotion - I use this on humid and hot days as this keeps my face matte and shine free for a couple of hours. Plus I love the mentholated and refreshing feel to it. Review to follow.

2. Estee Lauder Pure Crystal Lipstick in Crystal Pink -  I now really love this lipstick as it is moisturizing and glossy and I am almost halfway through it.

3. Laura Mercier Secret Concealer 2 - I love how this covers my dark circles, not completely though, but I really like it.

4. Kanebo Coffret D'Or Blush in PK-22 - I love how sheer yet lovely this blush is. A very pretty shade of  light pink that goes on smoothly and blends well with the skin.

5. Jill Stuart Blush in 06 Fresh Apricot - Gorgeous colours, very pretty combination and the texture is amazing. Lovely on the cheeks too.

6. Shu Uemura Face Architect Smoothing Fluid Foundation - I think this foundation is slowly becoming my HG liquid foundation. Blends seamlessly on the skin, very lightweight and I just love how it feels on the skin.

7. Maybelline Dream Matte Powder - I love using this to set my foundation and great as a touch up powder. Powder is finely milled and does not look cakey nor patchy no matter how many times I reapply using this.

8. Maybelline The Magnum Volume Express Waterproof Mascara - I alternately use this with Max Factor False Lash Effect Mascara but I use this more often because I like the formula better. Reminds me of The Colossal but that one is a little better than this.

9. Revlon Brow Fantasy in Brunette - Keeps my brows from being all over the place. From almost non-existent brows to hello eyebrows.

I will be doing a lot of reviews soon and I'll try to blog as often as I used to. February was a really slow month for me.

Happy Saturday, super awesome peeps!

Lesson learned today: Last night was great but nursing a hangover isn't. :P Read more...