Tag + Award

Wow, it's been quite a while since I have done a tag and received an award. :P

So here's the PHOTO Tag from the lovely Emily. Wait, I remember doing this tag before from Ida when I was still starting out with blogger. :P




I swear this is the 10th photo on my first photos folder. Haha! I saw this picture a couple of years ago and I found it so funny that I saved it on my phone and transferred it here on my laptop.

And here's the award I received from the pretty Kay.


I'm a little lazy to list down names so I am giving this award to all the bloggers out there who puts in a lot of time & effort blogging. You all deserve this. :)

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My Best and Worst Product Purchases in 2009

I have been inspired by fellow bloggers' posts about the best products they have purchased and used in 2009 so I decided to come up with my own. So here are the best and worst products I have bought and used for the past year.




Let me start with the worst or probably the products I regret to have purchased and used.

The 10 Worst 2009 Buys: (in no particular order)

1. Dickinson's Witch Hazel Toner - Yellow Variant
- This product made my skin look dirty and I broke out with it.


2. Charcoal Soap from Saizen
- Dried out my skin and made it flaky and gave me red marks and dried out my cheeks so bad.


3. Garnier Light Cleansing Foam
- Broke me out in the past, I should've known better instead of repurchasing this year to once again give it a try


4. Skin 79 Diamond Collection Star Glow Cheek
- This has to be the worst smelling blush/highlighter ever! Smelled like beans and greens and worse, smelt like a rotten one that I can't stand using it.


5. ELF Sunkissed Bronzer
- It broke on its own after less than 24 hours upon purchasing it so I was not able to use it.


6. False Eyelashes & Glue from Saizen
- The glue stung my eyes so bad and the pair I got was so hard to work with.


7. Olay Regenerist Cleanser
- Olay's supposed to be a good product but I am one of those unlucky bunch who broke out with Olay products.



8. Sunsilk Straight & Sway Shampoo & Conditioner (Green ones from the picture)
- Made my hair brittle and dry. I couldn't touch my hair as it feels annoying.


9. The Soap Factory Tomato Soap
- Broke me out after just a couple of washes.


10. A few more mineral make up
- I know mineral make up breaks me out but I decided to give it one more shot but still, I broke out no matter how nice the finish is and regardless of how long it stays on my oily skin.


The Top 14 Best Purchases of 2009:

1. NARS Blushes
- Being a blush girl, I do not and I don't think I will ever regret buying NARS blushes as these are a few of the best investments I made when it comes to make up. The product is so worth it for the price.


2. Kryolan TV Paint Stick
- The only foundation in a non-powder form that really works for me. Didn't break me out and for PHP1250, I could never go wrong. Beats all the powder foundation I have when it comes to staying power and its ability to conceal my blemishes.


3. Kryolan Anti-Shine Powder
- This kicked MAC Blot's behind when it comes to keeping oilies at bay. You get so much product (30g) for only PHP1350 which will most likely last you for years.


4. Chanel Joues Contraste and Irreelle blushes
- The most I had to spend on a single compact of blush but definitely worth it as Irrelle In Love is my current HG blush.


5. Saizen Charcoal Mask
- Made such raves and became one of the most wanted products in girltalk that it was always out of stock on the first and second waves of raves. Now, there is a lot of stocks at Saizen so feel free to go there and grab a tube or two.


6. PureDerm Strawberry Yogurt Pack & Dual Wellbeing Pack
- Inexpensive yet very effective products. These two are now officially part of my favorite products.


7. MAC 187 and 188 brushes
- MAC 187 haunted me in my dreams and I knew then that I had to have this brush. The most expensive single product I have purchased so far for PHP2950 back then and PHP3050 now, if I remember correctly. Very versatile as this can be used on foundations, powders, and best of all, blushes. :P
MAC 188 is the smaller version of 187 and I use it only for blushes and is priced at PHP2050.


8. Etude House stippling brush
- The most abused brush in my brush stash. Made my 188 and 187 kept in the brush box as I use this pretty much on everything. Works best with NARS blushes.


9. ELF Studio Contouring Blush & Bronzer Duo
- Because of this, I don't have to buy a NARS Orgasm/Laguna duo. Cheap yet a good product.


10. MAC Tinted Lip Conditioner - Gentle Coral
- This has to be my favorite tinted lip balm and is now my HG lip balm. I use this more than I use lipsticks and lip glosses. I use it every single day.


11. MAC Amplified Creme lipstick in Cosmo.
- This has to be my best nude-pink lippie ever! :P


12. EcoTools Brushes
- Talk about cheap with good quality and eco-friendly tools.


13. Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap
- My best friend in deep cleaning my brushes. Makes brush cleaning easy as a breeze.


14. BRAGG Apple Cider Vinegar
- The best and cheapest toner I have tried. Not the best smelling product though. Smells like Tequila.



* I would've also added Aztec Indian Healing Clay as one of the best prods but I have not purchased one as I am using the sample I received form Japjap. :P*

So there you are. My best and worst picks in 2009. I would've added more but I can certainly go on and on and on and this might be a very long post if I do. Plus I already forgot everything that I purchased this year.

Happy New Year, everyone. Wishing you all the best for 2010!

xoxo,


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Product Review: PureDerm Dual Wellbeing Pack

This time, I am reviewing a skincare product I have been using and getting hooked into for a couple of months now - PureDerm Dual Wellbeing Pack. I first read about this product on GirlTalk but when a fellow girltalker sent me a sample of this as a freebie, I was able to try out this product for the first time. I keep on buying this product since then. So here is my review for this effective yet inexpensive product.




What I like:
- You get two products in one sachet. You get a Deep Cleansing Peeling Gel and a Nutritious Vitamin Pack. The Deep Cleansing Peeling Gel helps remove the stubborn dirt and dead skin cells, and gently exfoliates, thus, revealing a brighter skin after use. The Nutritious Vitamin Pack is a yummy fruit-scented wash off facial mask that moisturizes and nourishes the facial skin.
- The peeling gel smells yummy.
- One sachet is good for 2-3 uses, at least for me.
- Cheap yet effective. Priced at only PHP29.50 per sachet.
- Makes my skin feel smoother and softer. Also makes it brighter and feels much cleaner.
- Locally available at most Watson's stores. Not all Watson's branches have this product such as the one in Eastwood and a couple of branches in Marikina.
- The Deep Cleansing Peeling Gel reminds me of the expensive CURE Natural Aqua Gel, only cheaper as this comes with a mask.

What I don't like:
- You have no choice but to buy it in sachets as this doesn't come in tubes or bottles. Bummer. One of these days, I might as well just purchase a whole box of this instead of going to Watson's every now and then just to buy 3-5 sachets.

In between: Sometimes, I think that the "residue" or "libag" I get while using it aren't really dead skin cells but dirt or makeup. But what the heck, this product works for me and that's all that matters.

Overall rating: 4.75/5 because it only comes in sachets.
Will I buy again? Yes. Definitely as this is indeed one inexpensive yet very effective product, in my opinion.

Happy New Year, guys! :P Be safe and wishing you all the best this coming 2010! :)


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Product Review: Revlon Self-Adhesive Fantasy Lengths False Eyelashes

This is my first time to review a product I do not use everyday - false eyelashes. As I have mentioned on my post when I first tried out this product, I am a false eyelashes newbie who had a hard time applying 'em whereas for most beauty bloggers, applying falsies is a piece of cake. So I gave it my best shot to make this review as helpful and as comprehensive as I can. I am reviewing Revlon Self-Adhesive Fantasy Lengths False Eyelashes in Defining.





Pros:
- Easy to apply, no need for sticky glues as it is self-adhesive.
- Perfect for falsies newbies as it is not difficult to apply, very user-friendly.
- It looks natural and not screaming that I am wearing false eyelashes.
- It is not time-consuming as it takes only a few minutes to apply.
- If you mess up the first time you apply it, you shouldn't worry about leaving a messy glue residue on your eyelids.
- My eyes looked more awake when I had it and it instantly popped up my eyes.
- Made my eyes look more defined.

Cons:
- Not locally available. -_-
- After 6 hours, one eyelash fell off my eyes. :( The glue wore off and I am not sure if that was due to my oily lids.

Overall rating: 4.5/5 If only it stayed longer than 6 hours, I would've given it a 5.
Will I buy again? Yes! That is if it becomes locally available.

This is a product that is perfect for falsies newbies like me. Didn't make me feel like an idiot as the regular falsies I have first tried wherein I had a hard time opening my eyes. Haha! I hope you guys find this review helpful and made you want to try this product. To those gals who have this product available at your local beauty stores, do give this a try especially if you are a newbie.


P.S.
Special thanks to Ms. J Lai who gave me the chance to try this product and a few more Revlon products.

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Product Review: Benefit Coralista

I've had this blush in my stash for almost 2 months now and I think it's about time I give this blush a review. I was lemming for this blush for quite some time and I'm glad I finally had the chance to get my hands on it. On to the review.

The pretty warm coral-pink blush

What I like:

- Very pretty warm coral pink shade with shimmer.
- The tropical scent smells really fruity and not overpowering.
- Staying power isn't bad given that I have oily skin.
- One box contains 12g of product which is quite a lot.
- Has a brush included for those on-the-go touch ups (But I never used the brush though)
- The design of the box is really cute!
- Color is buildable. Can go on sheer but it still depends on how much color you want to show on your cheeks.
- I like how it looks natural on me.
-Texture is quite okay.
- It is a bit pigmented. I remember stating on GirlTalk that what I got isn't that pigmented. That is if I swatch it on my hand. But when applied on the cheeks, the colour easily shows up on my skin.


What I don't like:
- The brush that comes with it is quite scratchy and that keeps me from using it.
- Not locally available though there are some resellers but expect it to be a bit overpriced.
- The powder isn't packed well. When you swirl your brush on it, you will see powders not picked up and product gets wasted.
- I don't find the packaging to be quite practical. Since it is made of cardboard, you might be a little wary to put this in your purse as it might get deformed.
- You might get bad apples. The consistency of the blushes vary. Some people claim that theirs is too shimmery, some claim that what they got isn't pigmented.


Overall rating: 3.5/5
Will I buy again? No. I want a blush that I can bring with me wherever ago without the fear of having the box deformed. Plus I don't want to wait for weeks just to get my hands on something I really like.


Tip: Be careful in buying these blushes online as there are a lot of fakes out there! Most of them are from our Asian neighbors based on people's feedback. Check the sticker at the back, there has to be translations of the ingredients in different languages. Research on it as it helps too.


Have a great week, everyone! :)

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Product Review: ETUDE House Model Face Color # 5 Blush

This is my last blush acquisition for 2009. It has been a long time since I purchased a blush so when I saw this, I knew I had to get it. This blush reminds me so much of NARS Deep Throat. Even when applied on my cheeks, it looks a lot like Deep Throat sans the shimmer. So I am going to do a little review on this blush now that I have a lot of time in my hands to blog since I won't be going back to work until Tuesday.

These 2 Etude goodies work well together.

Pros:
- This blush is a very pretty pink-peach shade with shimmers to it that sort of resembles NARS Deep Throat. And it does look like Deep Throat when applied.
- The scent is not too strong and it smells like perfume which I like because my nose can tolerate the scent.
- It is priced at PHP248 for 4g of product. The cheapest among the blushes from Elianto, Skinfood, Laneige, and The Face Shop.
- Lasting power is prett decent, stayed on my cheeks for 3-4 hours despite the humidity of the weather and having oily skin.
- Quite pigmented and not bad for the price.
- Now locally available at Etude House in Megamall.


Cons:

- Not so finely milled, a little powdery. When I dab my Etude House stippling brush, I see a lot of powder at the sides of the compact and product gets wasted.
- There are tiny chunks of sparkles which won't be a good thing for those who don't dig the shimmers of NARS Orgasm and Super Orgasm.

Overall rating: 3.75/5
Will I buy again? I am seriously considering getting a back up of this blush.

Tip: For those who wants NARS Deep Throat but do not want to spend that money for one blush, you may want to consider getting this blush as this seriously looks like Deep Throat on my cheeks.

Etude Baby in between NARS Orgasm and Deep Throat

It looks more similar to Deep Throat, right?

See what I mean?

Swatch:

Have a great weekend, everyone! Ta! :P

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I deserve a little treat

After going to work today, though it is only until 1pm, while everyone else is getting busy preparing for Christmas, I thought I deserve a little treat. So after work, I headed to Galleria with 2 colleagues while the other one just drove us there. Here's my well-deserved reward for myself.



Hey, I only had one. I like mangoes and yogurt. :P The blueberry one was my colleague's order. Yum!



We went to Saizen where the colleagues were amused. I had to control myself from buying some more stuff and I ended up getting just one product.


I dropped by Watson's because I wanted to buy more PureDerm Dual Wellbeing Packs. But I just grabbed a couple more items.


I am so freakin' tired. I had to do a little shopping for my godkids and nieces and nephews. Whew! Traffic in Marikina's really heavy. Jeez! I might be sleeping the whole day tomorrow. :P

Cheetos, anyone? I'm starving.


There goes my treats. :P

Happy Holidays, everyone! :)

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ETUDE House + Saizen Purchases

Wow, I miss posting hauls and purchases here. I haven't bought any make up in more than a month now and I only bought 1 NYX lipstick last week. When I read that ETUDE HOUSE is finally in Megamall, I got excited because their products look really cute. And finally, no need to do pre-orders and play the waiting game. I dragged a colleague along with me and it took us a while to find its location. I now remember the reason why I hate Megamall - I get lost and it is always jampacked that I get dizzy and feels like I want to throw up. But in the name of kikay, I went there. :P




Initially, I was so excited that my heart leapt when we finally found the store. But I was disappointed when I was actually inside and browsing the products. The space was too small you cannot enjoy exploring and checking out the products without bumping into someone else's shoulder. The SA's are nice but they really weren't trained regarding the products. As I was checking out the Happy Tea Time cleansers, I noticed there were 4 variants and I asked the SA what the differences are between the 4 (I think). She onlt said the scent is the only difference among those 4. I'm pretty sure it wasn;t just for the scent but there has to be something else. I'm not pretending to be a know-it-all but if there is really no difference at all, feel free to let me know. But the store was cute overall. The pink tiny baskets are really cute too. There are so many products but I grabbed only two:

1. Happy Tea Time Milk Tea Cleansing Foam - PHP148
2. Model Face Color #5 (blush) - PHP248



Of course, I have to go home with a blush. Maybe next time, I will buy other products when the Christmas season is over. :)

After Megamall, we headed to Galleria and went to Saizen where I grabbed a tube of charcoal masque (my colleague grabbed 3) and I was lucky to spot one Nose Shadow (for nose contouring).



It wasn't much of a Christmas shopping tonight and I am dead beat. Overall, I am happy with my purchases. It isn't much but nothing beats buying something after a long time of not buying anything.

I gotta go now, I'm really tired. :P

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