Product Review: Purederm Botanical Choice Shiny & Hydrating Mask

Recently, I have been into hair care products since my hair was damaged and I needed something that can bring my hair back to life. I found that conditioners alone were not enough since my hair has undergone a lot of battle and was really not in a good state - they were coarse, dry and frizzy. I have been trying a few brands every now and then and found some that I love with all my heart. But still, the curious cat in me wanted to try something else and I will be sharing the latest hair mask I have tried - the Purederm Botanical Choice Shiny & Hydrating Mask.

What I like:
- It has peppermint so it has a really nice cooling effect. *If you have tried Human Heart Nature's Hair Masks, this one is kinda similar to the minty feel, just a little less cooler though.*
- It has jojoba oil that nourishes the hair.
- My hair feels really smooth and soft after it dried.
- This didn't make my scalp itchy.
- The peppermint scent lingered in the bathroom for a few minutes. I went in again after 10 minutes or so and I still smelled the minty scent.
- My hair looks really shiny and does not feel coarse and dry at all. After all, this is recommended for those with dry hair.
- Since I have permed hair, I shouldn't be brushing my hair when it's dry. My hair was still manageable and I can easily comb through it using my fingers.


What I don't like:
- Direction says it should be left for 5-15 minutes depending on your hair (I assume it's how thick or long your hair is). It's not for those who are in a hurry and have long hair.


Overall rating: 4/5

Will I buy again? Yes, I would purchase this on my own since I received this product for review. Though I am still in love with my L'oreal Total Repair Deep Repairing Mask, a minty feel on my head won't hurt every once in a while.

 
My hair. I wish you can see how shiny my hair looks but I really can't capture it. I promise my hair looks better in real life.

Happy Friday, super awesome peeps! :P

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Product Review: Asian Secrets Lulur Whitening Body Scrub

Exfoliation is important in keeping your skin healthy, radiant, and glowing. There are a lot of scrubs in the market like the infamous spa milk salts (from Abonne and Yoko). I have found them too rough for my skin if used alone and I remember ending up with red patches all over my skin no matter how gentle I scrub with them. So I always use them together with Johnson's Baby Milk Bath to somehow make them a bit gentler for the skin. I like the effect but they are still not gentle enough for me. So when I read about positive reviews on Asian Secrets Lulur Whitening Body Scrub on Girltalk being gentle enough, I decided to grab a small jar of it just to try it out first. After using it three times a week for a month or so, here is my take on this product raved by a lot of girls.

What is it?
Asian Secrets Lulur Whitening Body Scrub is a beauty treatment inspired by a most luxurious Javanese ritual called Lulur. The ritual was originally intended for the bride-to-be in order to beautify, smoothen, and whiten her skin before her wedding day. Lulur originated from the royal palaces of Java, Indonesia and products inspired by this traditional treatment are still used by Indonesian women today.

The benefits of Asian Secrets Lulur Whitening Body Scrub:
- It gently exfoliates the skin and removes dead skin cells to soften the skin and give it a radiant glow.
- Frequent usage reduces skin pigmentation and evens out skin tone by getting rid of dark patches, especially in areas prone to darkening such as the elbows, knees, armpits, and the area between the thighs.
- It contains Vitamin E and Green Tea extract, powerful antioxidants that protect your skin from free radicals to keep it healthy and young-looking.
- It also contains Squalene and Olive Oil that help maintain moisture on your skin.

Directions: Scrub all over your skin especially in the dark areas while it is dry to remove impurities, dead skin, and dirt. Rinse with water. Use daily.

What I like:
- The scent is not overpowering. It smells a lot like Tommy Girl.
- It is very gentle and non-abrasive. Though I sometimes add a bit of Yoko spa milk salt so I can feel the scrubs working.
- It has Vitamin E which is good for the skin.
- My skin feels smoother and softer after using it.
- Never experienced any allergic reactions with this product (I even used it on my face twice but I decided to not go against it being a body scrub).
- Not drying unlike spa milk salt scrubs.
- Inexpensive. PHP80 for 135g jar and the other one is around 120 bucks (I think for the bigger jar which has 200 or 250g).
- Locally available at Watson's and SM department stores nationwide.

What I don't like:
- It can be too gentle for the skin so I get a little bit of help from Yoko.

In between: It contains parabens. This may be a con to some but I think companies will not use it if it is proven to be deadly.

Also, I have not noticed any whitening effect since I was not after it and I haven't paid any attention to it. I just wanted something gentler than Yoko for exfoliation. But some claimed that the whitening claim is true.

Directions said it should be used daily. I think it shouldn't be since it might leave the skin raw.



Overall rating: 4/5

Will I buy again? Yes!

What's your favorite body scrub? :P

Happy Thursday! :)
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Product Review: Nivea Fruity Shine Lip Balm in Pomegranate

Lip balms help keep our lips moisturized and rescue them from chapping, windburns, and even cold sores that's why I love them. I can't wear any lip product without it underneath. That's how I started liking tinted lip balms. I can get away without wearing any lipstick or lipgloss without looking pale. I just love how it moisturizes lips and adding a hint of color at the same time. My HG is MAC TLC in Gentle Coral but I am out of it so I kept searching for cheaper alternatives. One product was an epic fail and a couple of disappointments too but not with this one - Nivea Fruity Shine Lip Balm in Pomegranate.

 
What I like:
- It moisturizes and helps keep my lips hydrated for hours.
- It looks brick-red but turns to a nice pink tint on the lips and even if the gloss is gone, there is still some color left on the lips.
- It is glossy but not over the top glossy as if I put oil on my lips.
- One tube lasts for about 2-3 months even with daily application (in my case)
- Inexpensive at around PHP89 (less than $2). I forgot the exact price but it isn't over 90 bucks.
- Locally available at department stores and drugstores nationwide.

What I don't like:
- The scent. I find it a little too sweet though it fades after a few minutes. I hope they come up with something tinted but unscented.
- There is some sort of taste in it but I can't describe it. I like my lip products unflavored.

Overall rating: 4/5 - I would've given it a 5 if it weren't for the scent and taste. It does its job well in my opinion.

Will I buy again? Yes!

Swatch

Lip swatch

 
Me wearing just the lip balm, no other lippies. (I bought the sunflower headband for my niece but i tried it and realized it keeps my bangs from poking my eyes and forehead so I decided to keep it for myself. I look pretty stupid with a big flower on my head but I like it. :P)

And oh, everything inside the black box with the pink ribbon are products I will be reviewing for you all in the next few weeks. :)

Happy Wednesday! :P
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Product Review: Clinique 3 Step Skin Care System (Skin Type 2 Dry-Combi)

While makeup make us feel good about ourselves and can sometimes boost one's ego, nothing will beat having good skin. As I always tell my friends, the face is already a beautiful canvass and you need to just enhance whatever is there with makeup. But of course, if you have blemished skin, it will need more than just enhancing and might need more covering up instead. I am not saying I have perfect skin, so please don't get me wrong when I say I still feel lucky to have been blessed with skin that isn't acne prone.

I never experienced having a lot of pimples all over my face during my adolescent years. Some of my classmates then had a really bad case of acne and I saw how some of our schoolmates reacted to it and it wasn't a pleasant reaction at all. Some were made fun of behind their backs and it wasn't funny. Back then, I never really bothered taking care of my skin and I only used milk soap and Tender Care baby powder on my face.

But as I got older, I realized how important it is to take care of your skin so I started trying stuff on my face. I have read several posts from people saying how having blemished skin affected their self esteem and I honestly feel bad whenever I read posts like that. I have had my share of break outs with some of the products I have tried. Name it - Pond's, Garnier, Olay, Clean and Clear, Skinfood, Etude House, etc.

See, the problem with most of us is that even though we have already found products that work miracles on our skin, we are never satisfied that we keep on trying new products but still end up going back to those that worked for us. I am guilty of that too. So when I was offered to try some of Clinique's products, I immediately said yes. I was skintyped to have dry-combi skin which is Type 2. So here are the samples I have received and tried from this line.

Step 1: Liquid Facial Soap - Mild

Step 2: Clarifying Lotion

Step 3: Dramatically Different Moisturizer

The experience:

I was really excited to try these products. I have used the Mild Facial Soap and the 7-Day Scrub Cream Rinse Off Formula before and really liked them but I thought they were expensive so I stopped using them and stuck with my organic and facial soaps which gave me satisfactory results.

First use - After using the mild liquid soap, I thought my face wasn't squeaky clean so I used the clarifying lotion to remove the excess dirt and for exfoliation. While waiting for it to dry, I noticed my nose and the skin around it was red and oiling up but I shrugged it off and applied the DDML. It felt greasy but I thought that's how it was supposed to be like. I woke up the following day with moisturized but really greasy and oily face, which I never do when I use water-based moisturizer (Celeteque).

Second use - I noticed having red spots and patches on my face. I know that there is this "purging stage" which I personally never believed in. But still continued to do the three steps. I woke up the following day with super oily and greasy skin. Our helper asked me if I applied baby oil on my face and my aunt asked what I did this time. I checked out my face on the mirror and it looked awful because that was by far the oiliest face I've ever had. I then washed my face only to see allergies on my nose, chin, cheeks, and forehead. Still greasy even after cleansing.

I stopped using these products for about a week to give my skin time to heal. After a week, I started using it again religiously for a week. I got the same results - greasy with red spots all over the face.

Overall, I don't think these products work for me. It could be that I am not really skin type 2. I admit my cheeks get dry and patchy but only on cold months. They do not get as oily as my T-Zone though but there's still shine on most days of the year. I honestly don't believe the purging stage for myself because I know my skin well. Once it reacts on a product, it will never be in harmony with it. It will continuously get irritated that's why I had to stop using these after a whole week of testing. I really wanted to like this skin care system (because I have always loved Clinique Happy and have been using it for 10 years now) but it's just not the right one for me. It may very well work for those who have dry skin though.




Have you found the perfect skin care products for you?

Happy Manic Monday! :P
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Yum Moments: Pastillas de Leche (Milk Candies)

Hey ladies! For the past couple of days, I have been craving for pastillas de leche but I find that some of those that are commercially available can be a little too sweet and I don't have a sweet tooth. So when my friend called who happens to be a chef, I asked him how to make one and he gladly gave me the instructions. I never thought it was that simple. Here are the pastillas I made.

The only 3 things you need:
- Condensed milk
- Powdered milk
- Sugar

What to do:
- Mix powdered milk and condensed milk together until it becomes thick like a dough. Then form into any shape you want. Roll the pieces onto the sugar then eat! :P

Tip: You can add grated cheese or parmesan for cheese flavor. :)

Happy Sunday! :P



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Product Review: Stila Major Lash Mascara

Here's another mascara review that has been long overdue. As my eyes sometimes look small, I dunno why they do that though sometimes they look round, I need something to open them up so no one will ask me if I just cried. Yeah, people sometimes ask me that. :( Anyway, time for the review.

What I like:
- It makes my lashes longer and thicker but still look natural enough and not really dramatic. One coat is enough to achieve that.
- The brush that came with it is easy to work with though it is just a regular brush.
- Separates my lashes and no clumping unless I apply too much.
- Does not sting and irritate my eyes.
- Has a shelf life of 6 months. I have only recently started using this though.
- I am not sure if it is waterproof or not but either way, it does not smudge unless I rub my eyes.
- Locally available at Stila counters in Rustan's though I don't know the price since this was a gift from Chel the Malditang Doktora.

What I don't like:
- Weighs the curls down after a few hours.

Overall rating: 3.5/5

Will I buy again? Maybe not. I prefer mascaras that hold curls very well. :)

On me. (I know it looks weird but I really have no idea why my eyes look as if they were looking at two different spots.)

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Product Review: T. Le Clerc Fard a Joues Poudre in 03 Brun Rose

Here is another blush I have been showing some love lately. Though I haven't totally reviewed it at all (only posted about acquiring it)o, I think this is more like a revisited and reviewed post since I have had this blush for a year now and I have used it only a few times so being able to use this these past couple of days made me realize it's time to finally give this blush a review.

 

 

 

 

What I like:

- First of all, I absolutely adore the packaging.! It looks so classic and even has a vintage feel to it. And it's so small, it can easily fit any purse.

- The shade is a lovely pink-rose that looks really natural on the cheeks. It looks a little bit like GOSH blush in Electric Pink but this one is more rosey.

- Pigmented. It is very easy to overdo this blush so apply it with a very light hand to get that natural looking flush.

- Small as it may seem, it has 5g of product, even more than NARS blushes.

- Texture is really silky and velvety and applies really smoothly.

- Did not cause me to break out, no allergic reactions too.

- UNSCENTED! 'nuff said. :P

- Locally available at T. Le Clerc counters at Rustan's.

What I don't like:

- May tend to look a bit blotchy if not blended well so blending is really the key in making this blush work.

- Shades available here are limited. This was the only shade I saw the the counter in Rustan's Gateway at the time I made my purchase so I didn't have any choice at that time. I dunno if there are more shades available now.

In between:  It may be a little expensive at PHP1150 but with the amount of product you get and the shelf life of 2 years, I think the price is justifiable.

Overall rating: 4/5

Will I buy again? Maybe. I still have this and other blushes to use up. But I really like the packaging!

Trivia: T. Le Clerc has been around since 1881 just like Bourjois (since the 1800's)  which is the sister company of Chanel. 

Swatch

 

 

Weekend's almost here! Yay!

Happy Thursday! :)

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Product Review: Kryolan DermaColor Camouflage Creme in D2

Most, if not all, women battle with dark under eyes either from lack of sleep, stress, or genetics. The quick and easy fix for that is by applying concealers under the eyes to cover up the dark circles or dullness. Of course, nothing will beat getting enough rest and sleep and maybe eye creams for well-rested eyes but if you really do not have enough time to sleep or you have insomnia (just like I do), then concealers will be your best friend. I am using three concealers so far - MAC Studio Finish Concealer, Maybelline Mineral Power Natural Perfecting Concealer, and Kryolan Derma Color Camouflage Creme. I just realized I have not reviewed any concealers at all so I will review all three starting with Kryolan.

 

In comparison to MAC Studio Finish Concealer

What I like:

- It's like a concealer and foundation in one. It can be used as a foundation just like the Kryolan TV Paint Stick that I reviewed last year.

- The shade D2 matches my skin tone perfectly (NC25-NC30 for reference)

- Covers blemishes and dark circles.

- A little goes a long way. A small amount is enough to cover the entire face too.

- Lasts for hours on my combi-oily skin.

- The smallest pot contains 4mL of product, which, I think will last for more than a year since you only need just a dab of the concealer brush on the pot and that is enough for one eye.

- I would consider this product to be cheap since it was purchased in Kryolan, Germany and if I remember it correctly, it was in between PHP600-PHP700 if converted to pesos. Definitely cheaper than MAC.

- It is locally available at Kryolan, Il Terrazzo in Tomas Morato for PHP950, I think.

What I don't like:

- Since the texture is really thick, I kind of struggle just a little bit in blending it. I spend a bit more time blending it as compared to creamier concealers like MAC Studio Finish and Maybelline.

- You have to apply just a verrrry thin layer so it won't cake. I once made the mistake of piling it on and it settled on the lines and caked like heck!

- The scent!!! Smells like granny makeup!!!

Overall rating: 4/5

Will I buy again? Yes, but that would have to wait as I still have this and two other concealers to use up. And I get to have a foundation and concealer in one product so it is definitely value for money.

Swatch

My bare eyes - see the dark circles and the puffy under eyes?

Blended with a stippling brush. Notice how my eyes look rested and a bit brighter? I like its concealing power!

What's your favorite concealer?
Happy Wednesday! :P

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