Tony Moly Berry Berry Magic Lip Tint Review

I just love the weather! ^^ but I would say that it's quite counterproductive on my part as it's getting harder and harder to get up in the morning! lol :D

Yesterday, I went on a date with my bff to see Les Misérables. Grabe! It's 3 hours long but it was sooo good! We were late for the 12:30 screening and debated between just catching the 2:30 screening of Hansel and Gretel or just wait for Les Mis 4pm screening. As there were lots of catching up to do, we settled on 4pm Les Mis and passed time sipping coffee and eating cakes (..and taking pictures and checking in on different social networking sites. lol). Buti na lang, because the hubby told us Hansel and Gretel was so gory, it should have been rated as PG-13! (He took Chino, my little boy, with him to see the movie and I was a little pissed because I think it's not a good idea after hearing the gory details. He assured me the little one didn't see much because Chino fell asleep, minutes after the film started. hehe) Anyway, if you find yourself torn between the two, I recommend Les Misérables :)

As for my Tony Moly Berry Berry Magic Lip Tint review..

This is just a quick review okay. just the important points because I'm *again* late for work. lol ^^

Below is what it looks like. I got Grape from an online seller (190Php. too bad she's not selling Korean stuff anymore. nice pa naman sha and mura lang her products). The two others are Strawberry which is white in pot and Green Apple which is, err, green? ^^ As this is a magic tint, it changes color when applied on lips. As for application, this can be applied as is or with Tony Tint (or any other tint) underneath. Surely you know how to apply liquid tints by now but i'll tell you anyway:  Just three dots on upper lip then three on lower then press lips together to spread tint evenly then apply gloss or balm, like this, for a just-bitten look.

Smell:  I'm loving the smell! True to its name, it smells like grapes *i love grapes!* ^^

Consistency: think petroleum jelly. not jelly-jiggly but it's not too waxy. will not spill out even if you don't put the cap back on properly.

Gloss level: 3/5 for some reason, this is not too glossy on lips which is, for me, just right, because it looks natural. I would say that it is more of a balm than gloss. whatever.

Staying power: obviously not as staining as liquid tints but surprisingly, this does stay long on lips

Coverage: very good for a sheer lip stuff! hides dark lines on lips but not heavily pigmented as lipsticks. I would say it evens out the color of your lips. 

What I like:

gives a nice, sheer berry shade when used alone

it provides moisture to lips when wearing liquid tints so you won't end up with raisin-like, weirdly stained lips.
It is cheap and well, it's a magic lip tint. ^^
looks natural because it isn't too glossy.
Pot is big so it will last you forever!

Perfect for everyday use

What I don't like:

This is quite hard to find, I'm not even sure if it's still available anywhere.
It is in a pot *either you dip your fingers in there or you use a lip brush to scoop it out*

#backtowork. :*

Sample Room: Try Before You Buy Is Genius!

¡Hola! The weather is so nice ~ never a sunny person, I love that it's cold but not raining, perfect for a cup of coffee and a good book! Yay! and my other blog is all set! double yay! ..and guess who got a promotion?! Yes, me!! just last week!! so yeah, life is good and this mom is indeed one happy girl nowadays :)

Anyway, enough about me. Let me just share my experience with Sample Room. Last week, I got to try Sample Room and I'm happy to report that it went really well and I won't hesitate doing it again and again :) The best part is, I paid using PayPal and they didn't give me any trouble ~ that's plus, plus, plus for me because I hate going out to pay and PayPal is the most convenient payment method for me.

I've been following their Facebook page even before the website launch; bookmarked their website; subscribed to their email newsletter BUT I missed their first wave of samples (*blimey* I was away) Judging from the number of their Facebook followers vs my slowness to catch up, I figured it's impossible for me to actually get samples of my choice. However, one morning while checking my emails, there it was, Sample Room's newsletter with a new batch of samples! I went ahead and saw that there were indeed new samples to grab and I was so excited because the brands were impressive (I saw Shiseido, Davines etc) I was torn between Laneige and Davines but Laneige won because it's a sleeping pack ~ y'all know I love them ;) and to maximize my shipping fee, I threw in that Ralph Lauren sample you'll see below. Because I don't live in Metro Manila, the shipping fee is 130Php. I paid via PayPal. That was Tuesday morning. By Tuesday night, my account already reflected the tracking number. Impressive!

Hello Thursday noon, hello Sample Room package! Fast! really impressed!

RL and Laneige from Sample Room Ph

I've been asked many times how it works so here's my answer: You sign up with them, give some information about yourself (skin type, preferences, etc) and you get 100 points. Points are used for getting samples. In my case, RL was 25 pts and Laneige was 60 pts so I only have 15 pts now but when I give my review on these products, I get the points back. I think you'll earn points too if you refer a friend although I am not sure how many. 3 samples max per check out. You don't pay for the samples, but of course, you need to pay for shipping ~obviously.

and this is why I think Sample Room is a brilliant idea: It's because it allows me to choose the products I want to test. This is also the reason why I hesitate signing up for subscription boxes, I know I won't feel good if I end up with things I really don't need or will not use or not even interested in.

so there :)

#wannacuddlebutitstooearly

Skinfood Egg White Pore Mask Review

¡Hola! Would you believe, I contemplated about giving this blog a rest ~just for a couple of months ~ just yesterday? I was thinking of putting up a more "personal" blog, meaning less of my *cookiness* and more of things that really matter ~at least to me. lol :D Also, my work load is kinda killing me these days. Gaah! Anyway, I'm up and giddy because I just made my very first checkout at Sample Room! Yey! *fingers crossed* I hope it will all go well because I paid via PayPal and the last time I did that, I ran into a LOT of trouble and I almost died of heart attack [read TRAUMATIZING post here]

So today I'm going to share my thoughts about Skinfood Egg White Pore Mask. As you can see, mine is still in sachets/sample sizes. This one came with my online order as a freebie and I'm just so glad I tried it because I absolutely fell in love with it the first try :) definitely buying a tub of this!

Skinfood Egg White Pore Mask trial size

I'm a sucker for masks but I try to stay away from masks in sheets. It's really just a matter of personal preference okay? Nothing big and serious :)

so basically this pore mask tightens the pores which is exactly what I need right now. My face has decided to turn into an oil mine and I've noticed my pores are now larger than usual. Eeek! damage control is in order. Pronto!

This seems to be a good idea. Egg = firm and tight, yes? When I was in college, I used to break a raw egg, very carefully separate the white from the yellow, put back the yellow in the fridge ~ to my mama's amusement upon discovering rows of cracked egg shells with just the yellow part in them. lol ~ squeeze a little lemon juice into the white and tada! my very own egg mask!

anyway back to Skinfood.. this pore mask has a very thick consistency and white in color. The smell is a little too strong but it was nice *floral-baby powdery scent?* and not at all offending. It takes a little longer to dry than most masks of same consistency. When dried, it feels powdery to the touch.

I'm quite amazed with the immediate result. I can't say much about the blackhead part ~ my blackheads have this uncanny ability to hide themselves upon enemy approach ~ but the pore size was visibly smaller and my skin felt cleaner and of course, tighter. and that is just one time use, just imagine using it for weeks?! Yes, that's right, that's why I'm buying the tub!

However, please be forewarned that the smaller pores result doesn't last a very long time. Two days after, they were back to their original, vengeful size :(( so maybe that's why this pore mask is recommended to use twice or three times a week. Still buying it though! anything to make those unsightly pores shrink and perhaps with prolonged use, the pores will eventually stay small in size!

#sleepy -.-

Tony Moly Cat's Wink Shiny Skin Foundation Review

Confession time! This is my first ever liquid foundation. lol :D Never a fan of heavy makeup ~maybe because it doesn't really look good on me and with my kind of lifestyle, well, it just doesn't suit me~ I always go for lightweights and natural looking makeup. Just something to enhance what I already have ~the good ones, of course. lol :) Staying power is also a huge plus since I'm not a fan of touch-ups

I've always been curious about how a liquid foundie feels on face though. Months ago, I started testing the ones from Revlon but I find them too thick and the Colorstay line stings so bad. This is another thing to consider when I look for things to put on my face, I need to be very careful NOT to trigger my allergies which means no strong smell, no strong anything.

I was actually looking for a BB cream to replace my "retiring" Maybelline tube ~my travel buddy. What I had in mind was something small and slim in packaging *think Maybelline* so I could carry it with me when travelling. I tested the one from 4U2 [great coverage, inexpensive at 199Php] however I hesitated because its cap didn't look reliable enough for travelling judging from the mess it made with the tester but when I stopped by at TonyMoly, it was love at first sight with this:

Tony Moly Cat's Wink Shiny Skin Foundation #3 Natural Beige 

I know it's not a BB cream! it's not even a BB+foundation. It's just a liquid foundation but when the kind lady swatched it on the back of my hand, I was really impressed! It blended perfectly and I honestly think it made my skin glow. didn't crack or show lines ~you know, I do, sort of, skin "flexing" when testing makeups just to see if the thing can cope with my smiling, frowning etc without showing the eyesore lines. lol ^^ This foundation from TonyMoly passed the test with flying colors. Yey!

Very lightweight but awesome coverage ~on some days it's even okay to go out without applying concealer. #3 matches my skintone perfectly ~has 3 different tones, #1 being the lightest but since the only available tester number at that time was #3 and I was actually okay with it, I went for #3 [no regrets ^^] best of all, it's the perfect size for me!

I've been using this for almost a month and I must say, I'm very happy with this purchase. No irritation so far but has a slight "plasticky" smell upon application which goes away after some time. It stays all day judging from the amount I take off at night vs when I was using just BB cream. I think it's working well with my combi skin, although I usually blot at midday [not too oily on blotter though vs Maybelline liquid BB cream]. Does a really good job in hiding my visible pores so I come out nice and smooth everytime. I'm perfectly okay with the price ^^

I would like to try the green makeup base next time. I heard it's good too :)

#lazywednesdaymorning

Random Tuesday: KFC Mac and Cheese Bites, Starbucks Ice Cream, Munchkins, Pork Floss and A Broom with Bangs.

Tons of work ahead of me today but I'm too giddy to even start one! Tomorrow is our much-awaited company convention ~ i work online [I'm with their offshore department] so this is our first ever! ~ and I'm so excited!!! ^^ I got my hair digipermed last Saturday [will blog about it soon!! really really sucky photos, and I forgot to take pictures of my new 'do with my cutie Korean stylist because I was pleasantly shocked on how he was able to make my hair nice and fluffy despite the language barrier. lol] I'm getting foot spa and mani/pedi later today [half convention-related, half favor to my feet. lol] :)

anyway, I tried KFC Mac and Cheese Bites last week and I wasn't really impressed with it. I really think it should have salsa to go with it and if it actually does then KFC staff should always remember NOT to leave it behind because the bites don't taste good without them. #justsayin'

I was craving for some Ben & Jerry's but I wasn't up for some shopping at S&R so I just looked for them in *several* regular supermarkets. I was able to find a couple of them at Shopwise-Festival Mall but those Starbucks ice cream pints made me squeal with delight! Prices are at 300Php range per pint.

..and then some more..

those Snickers and Twix pints are, i think, 145Php each and Snickers bars and M&M cookie sandwiches are 65Php a piece.

This Munchkins tin pail is sooo cute! we're using it now as a trinket pail and it's still cute. lol :D I heard they're serving red velvet Munchkins in the US. I hope they ~ those red velvets ~ come to the Philippines ^^

I'm inlove with pork floss all my life! My "angkong" [lolo in Tagalog, grandpa in English] used to bring a bag home as "pasalubong" from Binondo [they used to sell them by kilos, i'm not sure if they still do] I sometimes use it on porridge or oatmeal but I prefer eating it as is. ^^ I found a bag at a Lord Stow's branch. I think it's 180Php per bag.

I borrowed this funny looking broom from an auto parts store downstairs [the owner is a grumpy ogre. lol] *wink, wink* I had a hardtime picking up dust but I eventually got them all out. The owner said "Pwede pa yan, may bangs pa" lol :D

so that's it! wish me luck for tomorrow's event! ;)

#giddytuesday :)

Matte Nails Success With Etude House Matte Real Nail Top Coat! Yay!

Hello. Hello :) kamusta naman ang bed weather dito sa Philippines today! Now all I want to do is stay in bed and sleep. lol :D

It took me forever to finally try this matte top coat from Etude House. Mainly because I was having doubts [remember the last time, my "black matte nails" attempt was a disaster and the supposedly matte nail varnish from another Korean brand stained my nails soooo bad] but a blogger friend told me to try this because this one from Etude House really works. Having that in mind, I gingerly picked this up one day while trying to meet the 1KPhp mark [Yey for GWP! I always choose their face masks. soooo good! lol] A bottle sells for 198Php. not bad vs buying online and, anyway, I've been buying from Etude House eversince they opened their Festival branch and so far NOT a single Etude House product disappointed me so I figured, it's safe.

ETUDE HOUSE MATTE REAL NAIL TOP COAT description on box: 

Etude House Matte Real Nail Top Coat turns glossy colored nails into satin matte color for a chic, sophisticated feeling!

Amazing! It did work!

see? see?! ang bongga nya! ^^

Etude House Matte Real Nail Top Coat

Okay! I'm officially inlove with this top coat! I'm going to buy the Jelly Pop top coat next time! lol :D

Just a tip: make sure your colored nail polish is really really dry on your nails before applying this top coat. I was too excited I applied too soon and well, ruined the whole thing so I had to apply the pink nail polish all over again, wait for 30 minutes then apply the top coat. wag lang excited! #justsayin' :D

so over all, I'm pretty much satisfied with this matte top coat - no, I'm waaaaay beyond satisfied! I'm going to experiment with nude and orange colors. Gah, I'm excited! :)

#seizetheday! :*

I'm a Convert! Tony Moly Party Lover Nail Enamel Remover

Whenever I stop by a Tony Moly counter, I never go away empty-handed. True story. lol :D 

That one time the budget was tight, I ended up picking a nail polish remover [Tony Moly Party Lover Nail Enamel Remover]. haha. I was running out of it anyway and for the price and size, it's worth forgoing a box of nose pore strip - which I bought the next day anyway. ;)

Tony Moly Party Lover Nail Enamel Remover 128Php

Party Lover Nail Enamel Remover Description according to their website:

Nail remover which is high cleansing power and low stimulant. Vitamin E and moisture ingredients of Keratin protect nail and sensitive skin around nails

I'm loving this! This smells sweet - not too sweet, just right - and gentler to the nails, methinks, than the other Korean brand I wrote about before. I'm so glad I picked this up as I plan to experiment with my nails following my success with matte nails [just yesterday!] I went ahead and picked up bottles of nude and orange nail polishes. If only I didn't forget to bring my little collection last week [from the "other home" to "this home"], I would have started my solo-matte-nails party last night. lol ;)

#seeyah! :)

Nature Republic Soothing Moisture Aloe 80% Toner Review

I meant to review this a long time ago but my camera sucks so I had to hijack my hubby's phone to be able to get better shots. ;)

This is my default toner because it is very mild and did not trigger my skin allergy. I love the smell too :)

Nature Republic Soothing Moisture Aloe 80% Toner

*lookie! it's almost gone ;)*

Okay, it doesn't do anything special but for me, its mildness is a big plus. My skin cannot stand too strong toners; I won't break out (pimple, acne etc) but as sure as the sun will come up tomorrow, hives will come out - in FULL force!

One word of caution though, people with oily skin, please be careful when using this, as I think it encourages oilies to come out (perhaps it's the moisturizing component of this toner) :( in my honest opinion - and I'm a combi -  oilies will come out in 3-4 hours after application (this is wash-tone-moisturize only). doesn't matter though if you will use it under a mattifier (that is if you prime prior to makeup application)

It's 290Php from Nature Republic Festival Mall branch

so that's it! :)

#mustbemyshortestreviewpostever.

A "What's in My Makeup Bag" Post

..err, i think that should be "pouch", not bag. Bag sounds too big for my makeup things. lol :D

Anyway, I'm going to do a really short "makeup bag" post just to amuse my friends who constantly raid my bag - that's what girlfriends do right? This is my on-the-go, everyday makeup pouch and I think I'm only missing my eye brushes here - which may have been mistakenly placed in my other makeup BAG - yeah, she deserves to be called as bag since her size justifies it. ^^

Note that I don't usually bring with me stuff that I'd hate to lose. I'm pretty much known for losing my things when I'm out especially when with the baby. So here it is, the things that made it to my "makeup bag":

E.L.F. Eyelash Curler
Tony Moly Backstage gel liner #11 Diva Gray
Beauty Credit Lovely Eye Color in Hot Pink
Kiehl's Marvelous Mineral Mascara
Etude House Line Nuance Duo #3 Miss Coral and Cubic Pink
Etude House Soft Touch Auto Lipliner 4 Real Rose
Ever Bilena Advance Perfect Eye Concealer C01 Light
NYX Matte Lipstick in Merlot
NYX Round Lipstick in Spellbound
Alba Botanica Terra Tint SPF8 in Blaze
Maybelline Clear Smooth Minerals BB Cream
In2It Eyebrow powder
Tony Moly Tony LIP/CHEEK Tint #02 Red Apple

The green mesh pouch, I got as a freebie when I bought Garnier's eye cream (i think?) which unfortunately, didn't work for me. Oh well, at least I got something out of that purchase. lol :D There's an insert in the photo showing how the pouch was able to fit everything perfectly and as fickle-minded as I am, the mesh-part helps a lot when I want to replace a product or two in there.

so there, I hope you enjoyed this post as well. Have a nice day everyone!

#lunch@3pm :(

Tony Moly Clean Dew Lemon Seed Massage Cream Review

I'm having a not so good day today and I'm in bad need of milk tea *can you make that a litre, pretty please?* It's review week at work and someone who is "overly" informed has been having the time of her life marking my work with ugly mistake marks. Mind you, my work is far from wrong, she is not even sure if her information is correct and acceptable, she just assumed. *sigh* :(

Moving on, here below is my favorite cleansing cream from Tonymoly :) I honestly think Tonymoly has the best Korean skincare products available locally, either that or i just got lucky, their products suit my skin very well. I've been testing a couple of brands and I find Tonymoly as the most effective for me. My only complaint is that Tonymoly doesn't have a branch or even a tiny stall anywhere south so basically, if I would like a Tonymoly fix, the nearest would be SM Makati, still a long travel from where I am now - well, thank God, not for long. hihi :)

150ml for only 198Php, not bad.

According to Tony Moly Philippines' official Facebook page:

Clean Dew Lemon Seed Massage Cream


This massage/cleansing cream has a skin brightening effect.


Tissue off Type
Contains Lemon extract / 10-Seed extract
For Oily / acne-prone skin
For people with a dark and somber skin tone
For people who want a light massage cream


Php 198

A squirt of yellow, creamy goodness ;)

I'm not a "whitening" type of person anymore - I once was, but not anymore; I'm more into "brightening" products now as I find them more helpful especially when I'm in a lot of stress - which happens a lot these days. Also, I realized, i like my discolorations too. lol :D

This indeed brightens the skin right after use. You can either tissue it off or wash it off with warm water (not tap as it won't completely come off if tap or cold) The smell is hands down LEMON and it can be overwhelming at first (I was ordered out of the room, the first time the sensitive-nosed hubby encountered the smell. lol) It is very creamy, a delight to apply :) What I super like about this cleansing cream is that it instantly melts off oil in the face. I use this in the morning (I hate morning oilies! nakakabwiset lang -.-) as well as when taking off my makeup because it does a really good job of picking up residues left by the oil-based makeup remover. I would compare this to your good ol' Pond's cold cream, yeah, the smell too.

I'm also digging its packaging. I like that it is in a tube rather than in a tub as it is more hygienic that way. very convenient to bring when traveling. It didn't irritate my skin too. While it is effective in melting and keeping the oilies at bay, it didn't dry out my skin so that would also be a plus for me since I have combi skin. 

Except for the strong smell -which you can get used to after some time - there's nothing I don't like about this product. I highly recommend if you're looking for a good cleansing cream :)

#irefusetobeharassed! :D

Nature Republic's Aloe Vera 92% Soothing Gel Review

Ladies and gentlemen, what we have now is yet another late post. lol :D

I've been using this since January and while I'm really impressed with this brand/product, it's only now that I can confidently write a review about the product - okay, okay, I got lazy, that's all. :D

Anyway, as mentioned earlier, I really like using this aloe gel for reasons below.. Nature Republic's Aloe Vera Soothing Gel looks like this:

That clear gel instantly cools the skin. I like using this when my skin allergy is acting up as it has soothing effect. I was not expecting too much from this product as it is relatively cheap at 220Php (tub is big, tbh) but was really impressed when it was able to tame my very angry, very red welts - my allergic reaction to dust. I think this aloe gel is perfect for soothing sunburns too!

According to Nature Republic website:

It contains 92% real aloe that calms the reddened and dry skin stimulated by the sun and provides moisture.

I heard this is Nature Republic's bestseller. I won't be surprised if it really is as the product does wonders to the skin, I can personally attest to that. 

Interestingly, this soothing gel can be used in so many different ways:

I tried it as hair treatment, nail essence, moisturizer and for mild sunburn, and it seems to work as claimed. It's not sticky and has a very pleasant smell. When used on my skin allergies, it kills the itchy feeling at once so no more scratching for me. Not sticky at all when used as hair treatment. While it didn't stop altogether, I noticed it was able to reduce hair fall.

What I don't like though is the packaging. Since it is in a tub, you have to scoop out the gel, dipping your fingers/hands in and out everytime you need to, which is unhygienic, if you ask me. Add to that the fact that its consistency is a little thin/liquidy, making  it doubly hard to scoop out an ample amount in one hand-dip motion. Not really travel-friendly as the tub is huge and really bulky. I think this product is better off in a tube. I'm even thinking of transferring the gel to a bottle with pump so I can bring it with me on travels.

Oh, one more thing, this, i think, is only for mild skin hydration as it wasn't able to entirely combat my scaly reptilian skin. lol :D

yes, I will repurchase, because it is really good. :)

#Fridaybekindtome.kisses! :)

Etude House Lip and Eye Remover Review

..aannd because I've been lazy, I now have an awesome number of blog posts in draft to deal with. lol :D

Anyway, here below is Etude House Lip and Eye Remover. Yep, that's right, lip and eye REMOVER. don't worry though, it doesn't really remove your lips and eyes but it does a superb job of removing your lip and eye makeup. Waterproof makeups are just one swipe off using this baby.

I'm quite OC when taking off my makeup. I just don't want anything left on my face before I go to sleep, no traces of anything whatsoever. and because I got more experimental with makeup lately, I knew simple face cleaning/washing won't do.

Etude House Lip and Eye Remover comes highly recommended by most beauty blogs I follow - and these are hardcore beauty gurus and some are pro MUA so I have full faith in them.

two-toned pretty ^^

"Gentle, yet highly effective, this double formulated lip and eye remover easily and instantly dissolves all traces of make-up for a soothing and moisturizing effect on the sensitive eye and lip area without any irritation."

shake, shake, shake

pH balanced, oil and alcohol free, gentle enough for all skin types but very effective in removing long-lasting and waterproof makeup.

eeww.. only BB cream on my face and look what I got!

..and here is my little "efficacy" test. From top to bottom:  Kiehls Marvelous Mineral Mascara, Tony Moly Backstage Gel Eyeliner Diva Gray, E.L.F Waterproof Eyeliner Pen Coffee, Wet N Wild: Idol Eyes 691 Midnight Black Retractable Eye Pencil

1. freshly applied eye stuff (either waterproof or long-lasting) 2. under running water 3. two drops of Etude lip and eye remover directly on makeup 4. One swipe and it's all gone!

To use, you just have to shake the bottle well then use cotton pads to apply. It works best if you don't swipe right away. Let the remover-solution dissolve the makeup first, especially if you are dealing with waterproof mascaras, then swipe. :)

It doesn't irritate my skin or trigger my allergy which is really good, if you ask me. and I don't have to rub hard   which is a nice plus too. It smells nice. It is oil-based, making my face a little oily after, so I wash my face then apply cold cream, just to make sure nothing gets left behind (see? OC talaga ^^) but judging from the tissues used for removing the cold cream, I think this last step in my makeup removing routine is really unnecessary. I'm not sure but I think I bought this for 190Php+ but surely no more than 200Php! I think, it's a steal ^^

I am very satisfied with this eye and lip makeup remover so no more trying another brand for me. for now. :)

#yesterday'spost,postedtoday.lol ^^

Watsons Deep Cleansing Nose Pore Tape Review

You all know that I am a nose pore strip addict right? For me, SKINFOOD Black Bean Nose Pack Pore Strip is still the best however, acquiring it - even in box of 7 - proves to be a little expensive, especially if I don't really have anything else to buy along with it - as I still have to consider the shipping fee which sometimes costs more than the product itself. So yes, I hoard whenever opportunity presents itself but I knew back then, I need something cheaper as an alternative.

A quick browse through racks of Watsons and this is what I came up with:

Watsons Deep Cleansing Nose Pore Tape

To tell you the truth, I'm not really a fan of Watsons products. Yes, I'm impressed with how big their selections are, in terms of brand-product variety - hell, it's like a big department store of all things beauty! - but when it comes to their own products, I always catch myself a wee bit hesitating. Okay, what convinced me to give this a try is the country, written on the label, where these pore strips were made:  Korea. Well, that's interesting enough for me so I bought a box (10 sheets) for 99Php

So, basically it works the same as any other pore strip. It should clean clogged pores and remove unwanted blackheads.

TO USE:  Wash face and towel dry. Wet nose area (ONLY nose area!!) then with dry hands, peel off the white strip off the plastic film then apply onto your wet nose. Smooth out any trapped bubbles from ridge to sides then leave for 10-15 minutes. Wait until it hardens then peel off. Rinse residue with water or clean with toner. Of course, avoid using on broken, damaged  or sensitive skin.

OKAY, HERE'S MY VERDICT.

I like this pore strip as it was able to pull out blackheads as efficiently as the Skin Food pore strip; okay not 100% but 80% maybe, which is good enough for me as I use this twice a week anyway. What I don't like about it is the type of glue they used to make the pore strip. While the glue grips like crazy on skin (ouchy! ouchy!), it creates fuzz-like threads of stray glue on the edges of the strip that tickle the nose (upon application) - can get really annoying! Aside from that, I'm quite satisfied with this pore strip :) so yes, I recommend it. In fact, I'm down to my last pore strip and will buy another box within the week. :)

#grouchyme.ihatemondays.

Random Tuesday: Skittles, Tokidoki Wallpaper, Kisses, Beauty Credit, Simsimi Nails And Some More Kisses :)

A trip to Subic will never be complete without chocolates and candies, methinks. My kids usually go on a chocolate and candy binge when in Subic and honestly, I don't mind since I indulge too. lol :) *bad mommy!*

Want some? :)

..I grew tired of my iTouch's wallpaper so I decided to look around the internet for a cutesy replacement. I was going for something kawaii, instead I found some Tokidoki wallpapers for iPhone (which is also suitable for iTouch) Oh my, how cute!! here below is my current wallpaper..

Tokidoki wallpaper for iTouch

I don't know about you but my ultimate comfort food would be chocolates. Hershey's Kisses to be exact.  :) They never fail to make me smile :)

..I was lucky enough to be reading Mommy Des' blog when she posted about Beauty Credit's store in Subic. Right in time too as we were just planning to go there the following week. Lo and behold, I found them (and the Korean store next to it that sells Lotte ice cream *divine*) 

Now the sweetest deal would be their 70% off on some products (toner, emulsion etc) , they also have 50% off on cosmetics (eyeshadows, lippies etc) and 20% on BB creams and haircare products. Sweet!! :)

..I painted my nails yellow before we left for Subic, only I wasn't really pleased with the result. Klik nail polish's consistency is too thin that even on 3rd layer, it didn't do a good job on coloring my nails. Good thing we stopped by my sister's place and she let me use her perfectly good Skin Food nail polish in glittery pink (i think it was meant to be used on feet. lol) I painted half of my nails with it and we laughed so hard when we saw the end-result :D

Simsimi nails :D :D :D

..for some reason, my little boy loves to bite me. Take note, only me. My chin is his favorite part of my face to  sink his teeth into. It used to hurt then when he was younger but not anymore since he doesn't bite too hard now. I think he's more conscious now not to hurt mommy too much :)

#holyweek!kisses! :)

TonyMoly Tomatox Magic White Massage Pack Review

FINALLY! I was able to get my hands on this pack - which I was soooo dying to do eversince my "love-at-first-try" with its sister, the Appletox. I could have bought this online but I needed the gel liner too and I figured since there's not much of a difference between its online price and instore, I might as well pick my stuff personally from the store and be able to check out other TonyMoly products too. 

So, last week, being my birthweek, we decided to self-declare a 3day-leave from work and hit the road. I begged the hubby to please make one stop at SM Makati since TonyMoly has a mini-stall inside and it is not really "out-of-the-way". While he was not really keen on this idea *for some reason, he dislikes going to Glorietta*, he relented (Yay for birthday BLACKMAIL! lol) 

Unlike Appletox, Tomatox comes in a cutesy, hard plastic box as seen below.. 

*ogle, ogle* I can't resist not taking a filtered photo of it and posting it up on Instagram. lol ^^

Good thing too, it comes with its own mini-spatula. The Appletox didn't, so I just use my handy-dandy spatula whenever I use the Appletox :)

I like the one with red beads better *because it looks cuter. lol* (I think that was the original Tomatox pack but for some reason it was discontinued, that one was labeled "brightening-something-something" that got me curious in the first place. hohwell..) 

According to TonyMoly's website:

*Tomato extract/solution antioxidant, detox properties to the clear skin *Lemon extract accelerating collagen synthesis, whitening, antioxidant, astringent *Baicha extract Less irritation to skin, whitening property *Houstonia extract It is known as a mysterious herb with 10 kinds of properties of anti inflammatory, antioxidant, anti allergenic, whitening, activating term over to provide clear skin tone. Tomato solution delivers instant brightening, massaging and skin clearing mask effect. Multi functional massage pack.

..so this is my "before-application" photo..

Forgive the eyebags ^^

To use: After cleansing, apply on towel-dried face and gently massage for about 1~2min. After massaging, leave it on your face for 5~10min. Rinse out with lukewarm water and pat with towel. 2~3times use per week or use everyday as needed.

geisha for 15minutes. lol :D

There's a bearable sting while wearing the pack which didn't surprise me considering that it is a whitening/brightening product. The creamy texture works like a mudpack and the smell *ooohhhh* is just lovely. The hubby loved the smell too as it lingered after rinsing (well, you have to use your imagination why he came THAT close after I rinsed the pack off. lol)

..ANNDDD.. this, my dear readers, is the "after" photo..

see? see? evidently, my skin has become whiter/brighter. The computer monitor in front of me may have a hand in it (lighting etc) or the angling of the face, but I was also in front of the computer when I took my "before" photo and just moved a little bit so I'm convinced it's the pack that did it to the skin :)  

However, unlike Appletox, Tomatox didn't leave a thin film of moisturising residue after rinsing so I suggest you use a moisturizer right after the pack. I think this is suitable for oily, combination skin as it can be a bit drying on me.

btw, it's 548Php instore and 550-650Php online (plus shipping)

#milkteahereicome!kisses! :)

DIY Hair Color: Etude House Bubble Hair Coloring! Yey Success! :D

I admit, I'm one of those moms who are constantly worrying if my activities affect my kids' well-being, directly  and/or indirectly so one of the things I decided to forego while pregnant - and a better year of breastfeeding - was coloring my hair. While online resources tell that it's safe, I just couldn't bring myself to take the risk. 

Now that the baby is a year and a half and thankfully, eating quite heartily which cut down the breastfeeding sessions in almost half, I felt that it's quite safe for me to bring back some color to my "blah" mane. I figured a DIY hair dye would be my best option as between work and family, I don't have much time to spend waiting at the salon for my hair to finally and successfully change its color.

This is from my LAST YEAR'S Etude haul. lol :D It waited for me for more or less, 6 months. haha :D 

Etude House Bubble Hair Coloring in Wine Red

One thing I like about these Korean brands is that they really think of the things a consumer will ever need if and when they decided to buy their products. And they make it a point to look cute too! Remember my Tous Les Jours cake? The cake included a plastic cake knife, 4 slim but tall candles and 2 matchsticks. Genius! ^^  See below, here are the things included in an Etude House Bubble Hair Coloring box (Yey for the gloves, wide plastic covering and super nice smelling Silky Perfumed Treatment!) 

..and here is my "Sadako" moment (consider this as my "before" photo)

To use:  Use the wide plastic covering to, well, cover your clothes so any stray dye won't stain whatever you are wearing for this coloring session. Powder your hands so it will be easier to slip them into the gloves. Proceed to mix the pink pouch with large "Bubble" word on it with the solution in the bottle. Just tilt sideways until the bottle feels warm to the hand.

..and this is my "good morning naman" look :D 

mixed and ready :) 

..and don't forget to take off the protective thingie as shown below. It's supposed to stop accidental pumping of the solution inside so naturally you should find it at the bottle's neck.

..pump once..

Bubbly violet! nice! ^^

..then twice.. then again and again until you get your head adequately covered. Don't scrimp, you are not supposed to use leftovers anyway so might as well apply as much as you can. Wait for 30 minutes.

I got annoyed with the plastic covering making all sorts of rustling noise so I decided to just wrap my hair with it ala shower cap. lol :D

Apply the Silky Perfumed Treatment after rinsing and that's it, we're done! 

Not "Sadako"-like anymore! Yay! :)

..and some 7 hours later.. Yay nice, soft red! :)

WHAT I LIKE:

• Didn't irritate my scalp, no sting. well, a little sting upon application but it, soon enough, faded.
• Nice, soft end-result color. 
• No strong smell. There was a smell, yes, but nothing too strong and the treatment cream was able to effectively "mask" the worst of it.
• Cheaper than Western brands, even local. 350Php per box.
• Very easy to use. Highly recommended if it's your first time to do a DIY on your hair.
• Didn't drip, true enough.
• Didn't stain the surrounding skin and the scalp. If it did, it wasn't noticeable.
• No itching afterwards.
• Instant "nagpasalon" look. I was amazed by the result (this is after airdrying my hair) It came out soft and bouncy. For someone with really thin hair like me, this is something close to a miracle!

I had a very nice experience using this product so there's nothing that I don't like about it. Of course, I will repurchase, I'd probably try browns next time. ^^

#evenaklutzcandoherhair!kisses! :)