Snoe Beauty is another proudly Filipino cosmetic and personal care brand that is quickly winning the hearts and pockets of its growing fan base. Though not claiming to be organic or natural, the company seems hell-bent to use the best ingredients both locally and internationally sourced to concoct their exponentially growing product line. The first time I met the brand, they were all about whitening – Snoe White, they dubbed it – a beauty fad I’ve never been particularly fond of. But since then the brand has expanded from this whitening craze to a more comprehensive menu. I review a few of my picks below: Continue Reading
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Healthy Living Makeup and Skincare
Review: Favorite Things from Human Nature
Posted on June 30, 2013In my ongoing yet choppy quest to go organic without completely breaking the bank, I have come to know a true friend in Human Heart Nature (or to me, just Human Nature). The brand is proudly Filipino, pro-poor and pro-environment, its slogan already strumming the right chord on my social conscience. Add the fact that the products are affordable, organic, and effective, well then I am sold. The following are my tried and tested favorites: Continue Reading
If you are someone like me who has gone through enough beauty brands and product reviews, you would have by now inferred two important things about Japanese beauty products: 1. they are potently awesome, and 2. they are unapologetically expensive. Which ups their covetousness factor, obviously. Now not all gold-tagged things from the Land of the Rising Sun perform as outstandingly as promised. Also–an important corollary–I have by no means tried all the Holy Grail Japanese finds, but I have tried enough to make a short list.
Herewith are a handful of Japanese beauty products worth skipping a Green Tea frappe or two for. I sincerely believe that flawless Japanese skin is not only due to amazing genes or something in their water. Perfectionist makeup science helps a lot too. Continue Reading
I was going to wait until I finished the entire pact before commenting on it, but my sister destroyed her Etude House powder and begged for this one, so with my kind heart I bequeathed it to her (with the arrangement that I may demand it from her any time I wish). Anyway, I divert.
Majolica Majorca is the answer to all lovers of Shiseido who cannot survive the pricing. Shiseido items are made of gold, and they price them accordingly, nothing is below Php1,000. For Majolica Majorca, on the lucky hand, nearly everything is below Php1,000. It was a happy day when Shiseido thought to make this brand. And in celebration, I excitedly purchased it’s Pressed Pore Cover.
It looks like that cos as I said, I was happily emptying it (sorry~~). The powder came in that awesomely, intricate container. It was too pretty, and that SHINee sea foam blue color was a 2011 limited edition, so of course that’s what I chose! It regularly comes in black, which is pretty too in a more elegant way (but since I was more childlike than elegant… hehehe)
I am happy to report that it glided on my face as effortlessly as my emptied Shiseido Supplist Power Foundation (which worked magic, let me vow it now). It is a super fine powder, so it absorbs and blends quickly after a little gentle patting. As (I hope) you can see from the pictures though, it has a very light, almost white color, and that’s the only shade it comes in. So I guess it blends well mostly cos it matches my skin tone too.
- Pros: It’s a Shiseido brand for cheap! Only Php895 and it refillable (my Shiseido one was Php1,100 for only the container!) It is a super fine powder and blends very well, stays on long and makes skin feel and look soft.
- Cons: has only one shade in a white-ish cast that might not agree with the darker skin tones. It will be great for fair to medium though, I daresay. Light coverage may not cover stubborn spots.
- Verdict: It’s a good everyday powder for touch ups, and for those days you only want powder over your moisturizer to let your skin breathe. If you want foundation-like coverage though, this is not for you. The product label says you can put it on at night before bed and it will be good for the skin, but I thought that was a bit strange and I did not want to waste it XD
And with this Pressed Pore Cover, I bid you sayonara. Bless my sister’s face well~~
Makeup and Skincare
Review: The Face Shop Quick & Clean Oil-Free BB, Aqua Tinted BB, Dr Jart Rejuvenating BB Silver Label
Posted on July 30, 2011
Since I was gifted a free Saturday, and since random comments about subject products sprout in my head every other hour anyway, I figured I might as well write a review of sorts. A things to know:
1. I don’t own an SLR and I am the laziest picture-taker ever, so I beg your pardon for the crappy pictures. There will be no swatches, no before-and-after pictures, no pictures of my face (shy) in this blog. Ever.
2. Giving the givens: I am Asian, with fair-ish (yellow undertones) combination to oily skin that is still sometimes pestered with spots here and there, and I live in a tropical country often humid and polluted.
Here goes. Since the BB Cream trend latched onto my sister, and irrevocably, to me, we’ve been going through more than what two faces really need in one time. I think the first one we tried was Etude House Magic BB Balm and Missha Silver Matte, but that was months ago, and I’ve already forgotten. Therefore, I will focus on the three products above, all used in rotation.
1. The Face Shop Quick & Clean Oil-Free BB. This BB promises oil control control and light coverage, both vows it delivers sufficiently. It has a nice green tea smell, is relatively easy to apply (better if on top of moisturizer or base), but has no SPF. So people scared of sun damage and early skin aging (raises hand) will want to put sun screen before this.
- Pros: cheap-ish (Php600+), smells super nice and clean, light matte coverage, blends well
- Cons: needs blotting after a few hours
- Verdict: I recommend-ish (God, this blog will have the most iffy makeup reviews ever!). Good for BB cream beginners who want a fresh, no-makeup look. Its ashy color blends well with most skin tones, and melted well into mine. And did I say it smells good?
2. The Face Shop Aqua Tinted BB Cream. This one says it has 70% moisture content including deep sea water, and promises a cooling sensation upon application. Also has SPF 30++. Yes to all! Definitely felt the moisture and its effects on one with oily skin such as mine (failure rests on me). But I bought this one mostly cos it just glides on the skin, and felt like a splash of water when applied.
- Pros: cheap-ish (Php600+), light, dewy finish, very easy to apply and gives a refreshing cool feeling upon application
- Cons: not recommended for oily skin, cos the moisture bit rises soon after application. It must be the deep sea water, but either way, I need to blot a lot.
- Verdict: Probably will work wonders for dry skin. Does not do oil control at all, though bystanders observe it looks dewy on my face rather than oily. It is a bit lighter in color than Quick and Clean, and has a fresh scent. I might buy it again though, as a little thing to take in the bag for emergency touch-ups.
3. Dr Jart Rejuvenating BB Cream Silver Label. Whitening and rejuvenating, purposely for acne-prone skin. We bought it cos my sister once read a blog entry that said a plain girl suddenly looked so pretty after using this (an Internet fairy tale??). It has SPF35, the highest in our collection. This one is thicker, has a grayer cast than the Quick&Clean, and is whiter on the skin after application. Best matched with a fair complexion.
- Pros: super good coverage, doubles as concealer for my eye bags and blemishes. Lasts the WHOLE day, due most likely to its thickness. Not sure about killing blemishes, but mine do not erupt anymore when I continually use this.
- Cons: a bit expensive (Php1400, I think), will not blend well if you have darker complexion, no matter what they tell you. My sister’s face and neck come out in two different colors when she insists on using this. Still requires blotting.
- Verdict: Will repurchase if I am not tempted by another brand. We have decided that you need at least one serious BB cream in your stash, and for this batch, this one is it. I use it on Mondays or on when I have late night dinners/meetings, basically at times when I expect a long day. This product lasts the day and night with me, and just for that, it makes me happy.
Oohh reviewing is fun! Btw, the Face Shop loot is available in malls all over this country. Dr Jart too is available in SM, but I got it for cheaper through the best online seller ever >> http://wehaveit43.multiply.com/
Okay, I think I deserve my P&P replay now.
Coffee on my face – best idea ever. Behold Tony Moly’s Latte Art Cappuccino Cream In-Scrub. The selling points of this product are:
1. Sold by Tony Moly, the newest Korean store in the Philippines, and thus a new place to burn credit 🙂
2. There was a picture of Song Joongki with the step-by-step on this product.
3. It is coffee skin care. How did they know I love coffee??? Best idea ever~~
4. It was sold in an actual cappuccino cup, with an actual spoon (spatula) *hugs cup*
5. The sales lady was super nice and told me the scrub works like Botox and that I look like Ha Jiwon from Secret Garden. I knew there was a bluff in there somewhere, but still I was sold.
6. Song Joongki told me to buy it.
So basically you wash your face then use the spatula to get the coffee-y face care stuff and gunk it all over your face, rub the stuff until you almost taste the coffee, then let it sit for 10-15 minutes whilst you enjoy the awesome cappuccino aroma. Rinse and pat dry. Equals awesomeness! Recommended for use 2-3 times a week.
- Pros: Smells awesome! (can’t say it enough), scrub is fine so it won’t irritate sensitive skin and feels relaxing and soothing. Instantly after I wash it off, my face feels squeaky clean without the tight feeling, and also soft and clear.
- Cons: None that I can think of, apart from that it costs money. But even that is a reasonable price.
- Verdict: Will definitely repurchase. I learned from this product that masks are your best friend during awful Mondays or any other long day. It de-stresses and refreshes the skin at the same time.
I do not know yet of the botox effect. How the sales lady knew I feared skin aging was beyond me. But I’m happy to give this product a try. Mmmmm coffee~~
