{Weekly Buys} Past Few Weeks

Heya all!

This post is waaaaaay overdue. I've been busy for the past weeks that I completely lost track when I bought these. These weren't all bought on the same day, so I'd call it an "accumulated" list of buys in no particular order. :) Also, pardon the still "crappy" photos and if the prices aren't indicated in some as I lost the receipt. LoL!

These were on sale, down to P60. :) My BabyLove enjoys her new book. 

Lavender and Chamomile Gel Hand Soap. These are Buy 1 Take 1 for 99php! :) This lasts quite a long time. ;)

Honey and Milk Scented Cream Hand Soap. This came with the above with the Buy 1 Take 1, and is actually opened already before I took a photo. Haha. 

CO Q10 & Yogurt Facial Mask. I've been seeing this quite a lot until they finally went on sale! This originally cost 44php each I think, but now, they are on sale, 2 for 59php, so I thought it was the best time to try them out! You gotta wait for the review about this. ;) Planning to get the other variants so that I could finally test them out and, at the same time, take advantage of the sale. 

Nichido Concealer Pencil and Makeup Palette. I was just meaning to get the concealer pencil. But, they weren't sold on the counters (don't know if they are getting discontinued. I hope not 'coz they're fairly good). They were for Free with this palette, so I decided to take it anyway as it just costs 100php. Not bad. 

St. Ives Fresh Skin and Blemish Control Apricot Scrub. 66php each. My skin needs some extra TLC as the bumps and remaining acne is starting to get on my nerves. So, decided to get these small tubes to test them out first before I buy the full size. :)

Fashion 21 Perfect Stick. I got this in Almond (darker shade) and Natural Beige (lighter shade). Since I ran out of concealers, I decided to try these babies out. I think these cost 185php each. 

My BabyLove's Magnetic Letters. 120php for the big tub. Another thing she enjoys a lot!

Maxi-Peel Exfoliant Cream and Exfoliant Solution. In addition to my scrubs mentioned above, bought these to try and hopefully could get rid of my annoying bumps. Tried out the cream first, and if these still don't work out, I'm trying the regular solution. :)

So, there ya have it. Now, I'm wondering if you use any of the above mentioned products? Let me know in the comments section below so I could see if some products work for you or not, and if you have any suggestions of stuff I should try in the future when I'm able to buy 'em. *wink wink*

See my previous Weekly Buys post here.

Cheers!

Add it to your boards!

{Vanity on a Budget} Review: Essence XXXL Shine Lipgloss in Rock On

Yes, I know, I know. I am back yet again with another review. Well, actually, it was a long planned post, but due to some pending work I have, my blog posts have been shoved off to the corner for a couple of days. So, while I have the free time, I am now composing the posts.

Anyhooooo...

Today's review features another Essence product. Do you see a pattern here? LoL! Yes, I love Essence products, if that isn't that obvious yet. Anyways, enough with the babbling and on with the review, shall we?

Essence XXXL Shine Lipgloss in Rock On. Sparkly, eh?

Shade name: Rock On. It's a really nice grape color. 

Ultra glossy, moisturising and non-sticky. 

The wand.

The Essence XXXL Shine Lipgloss costs 135.00php if I am not mistaken. I got the shade Rock On which is a nice purple-y, grape color. Smells really fruity, too! I think all their lipglosses and lipsticks smell yummy and fruity, which I LOVE!

I got this for the main purpose of getting into the fall trend in a really subtle way. I know we don't really have that season, but since the days are getting gloomier and colder, I thought, hey, why not? Just because we're from the Philippines doesn't mean we can't adapt into the fall season's makeup trend.

Anyways, going back. Not really sure why it's called "XXXL Shine". Probably 'coz it's ultra shiny? I did not notice any plumping effect, so I guess that's what it meant.

Let me go through the things I like and don't like about the product.

Pros:

• Affordable at 135.00php. The tube is really big. Sorry I wasn't able to take a size comparison of it. But if it helps, the whole tube with cap on measures 4.5inches in length.
• Has a nice fruity smell to it. Warning: You may be tempted to lick your lips! ;)
• Lipglosses often are very, very sheer. And, I actually thought this is quite sheer, especially when swatched alone. But, boy, was I wrong! It is very pigmented, and it gave just the right color for me over my bright, red lipstick, which was what I'm going for.
• It is indeed ultra glossy, moisturising and non-sticky as it claims. It does not accentuate flaky lips which is a plus for me as I tend to get dry lips often.
• Although it's sparkly, you won't feel the glitter at all on your lips, unlike other lipglosses in which the glitter is coarse and feels annoying.
• Lasts quite well, except when drinking. May have to reaply after eating/drinking.

Cons

• May tend to create a white film in the inner lips, so make sure to wipe away excess after application. Also make sure to check every hour or so to make sure it did not develop a white film. 

Now, on with some swatches. Sorry, I did not take any lip swatches as I am not yet confident showing my lips (or face) on closeup. Haha! I haven't found the best way to take such photos. I always find that when I do, it looks so awkward and unattractive. LoL. All photos were taken without flash.

No base underneath; Natural Lighting

No base underneath; Natural Lighting

Rock On Lipgloss over lipstick bases, Natural Lighting. Top: Matte Lipstick in Glamour by Nichido; Bottom: Matte Lipstick in Offbeat Pink by Ever Bilena 

Over lipstick bases, Natural Lighting. A closer look on the Offbeat Pink shade.

Over lipstick bases, indoor lighting. 

Over lipstick bases, indoor lighting. 

Over lipstick bases, indoor lighting. 

Pretty, eh? The main purpose why I bought it is for me to make my bright red lippie more wearable when it's not summer or when I'm not feeling bold or glamorous for a bright red lip. The lipgloss topped over the red created a nice wine shade which I really have been wanting! And for a more subtle color, a pink instead of red works really well, too!

If worn alone, you can look really sickly with the purple gloss. It looks like you are having hypothermia! LoL! Not attractive. So, I suggest wearing it over a red, pink, or a purple colored lippie. :) 

Overall, I really LOVE this gloss. I've been ignoring this actually a lot of times at the counters, only to realize I'm going to love it. 

Hope you liked this review. 'Til my next product review!


Cheers!

Add it to your boards!

{Vanity and Me} My Essence Cosmetics Collection

Can you tell that I love this brand too much? Haha! Although I may not be a die-hard collector as I do not really get to use makeup on the daily basis, so I basically just pick up stuff that I don't have in my stash yet.

This was just a quick share. I still haven't got my camera which I sent in for repair, and I couldn't get hi-res shots of some products. Hence, the rare reviews. When I don't have the camera, I tend to get lazy as I am not really satisfied with smartphone cam shots, especially for products.

Anyways, hope you liked my little share. Will update the post with the products seen in the photo.

Cheers!
Add it to your boards!

Product Empties Collection [June to August] - Part 1

This post has been sitting in my Drafts for quite some time now and definitely needs some attention before the empties pile up! LoL!

Anyway, who doesn't like empties, right? Well, it's kind of ironic, for who would want an empty bottle of product. But, for me, it's an accomplishment, as I get to see the products I've actually used up in the span of 3 months! Woot, woot! Yay for me!

I am sharing now the products I've used up, maybe throw in a little review whether or not I liked the product. :) Products are listed in no particular order.

This I got from a gift pack from Celeteque during their promo from last summer. Well, I can't really say if this was good or not, since this only contained 5mL of product, not enough to really test it out. Maybe I will try sometime. Repurchase? Maybe. 

This has been sitting in my bathroom for months, and I finally finished it up! LoL! Not repurchasing anytime soon as I still haven't found my HG conditioner yet, and I don't think this is it yet. 

Well, I know I kinda cheated on this photo. But, I used it all up actually after taking this photo. Haha! I did not want to take out my camera and transfer files all over again, so decided to take the photo. Repurchase? YES! Already have a replacement for this acually, and this is my 3rd bottle already! It's not drying and doesn't smell bad like other nail polish removers.

This got me into the "shower gel" bandwagon! I never liked the idea of Shower Gels/Body Washes as I feel I waste products. But, boy, I liked how soft it left my skin feeling! This was given to me by my relatives in the US, but found that we have this here, too. So, I will definitely repurchase, just not soon.

This is so affordable yet I like it. It may not be at par with high end hair masques or deep conditioners, but I love this. For ~160php, I mean, you can't go wrong! This smells SOOOOO GOOD, I would say of strawberry candies? Hair doesn't stay soft as long, but I use this twice a week, so doesn't really matter. Repurchase? YES!

This is a discontinued product already. These did not last long in the market. Well, I did continue using it, however, the cream/gel part (don't know which, haha!) already dried up and clumps. So, it's something to throw away!

I've been having breakouts lately, maybe due to the weather. Not severe though, but I think this helps. :) Repurchase? Already did! Though I may not next time as I want to try other brands :D

My 2nd Body Wash/Shower Gel I've used since my first one. Only costs ~70-80php, but smells really good! I actually want to try the new scent, Rose something. So yes, definitely a repurchase! 

I still have a tiny bit left which I just use for cleaning up the shape of my brows when I mess up.  Otherwise, it's an empty for me since I can't use it for its real purpose anymore. Repurchase? Yes! Definitely. Though I am trying out other brands first.

Victoria's Secret Hand and Body Lotion in Coconut Passion, Pure Beauty Treatment Essence Water (for hair), Garnier Multi-Action Cream, Johnson's Baby Cooling Bath (for my BabyLove). The Garnier Cream I got from a contest held by the brand itself, the lotion I got as a gift, so I won't be getting those again. As for the Essence Water, I am not repurchasing. Nothing bad about it, but not impressive as well.

I may have missed out on a couple more items, so I will doing a follow-up post to this and make sure I get everything else pictured! That's how proud I am and want to share EVERYTHING I used up! LoL!

I'll end my post here, and I want to know if any others use the same products I used, or what your recent product empties are. I'd love to know! Til' my next post!

Cheers!
Add it to your boards!

Weekly Buys [August 30 / September 6]

Hiya my dear readers!

I'm starting another series of posts which I am actually not sure whether or not I should pursue it, but, I decided to give it a go anyway. Since me and my BabyLove♥ go out every Friday for a quick stroll and bonding time, I decided I'd share what we get/buy at the mall while we're out. It could be anything from toiletries to "kikay" stuff, so do let me know if this is something interesting or not. :)

Anyways, for the first post of these series, I'll share my buys for August 30 and September 6, which are long overdue! Because of the cold, bed weather, I've been so lazy to get up and transfer my photos from my camera to my computer as it requires me to fumble for my camera cable, connect my camera to my laptop, yadda, yadda. It makes me really want to get those WiFi smart cameras that won't require me to attach my camera to the laptop anymore. Hopefully, I could get one for myself soon (wishful thinking!). Anyhoo, on to the items.
Add it to your boards!

{Vanity on a Budget} Vani-tip of the Day: Restoring Dried Up Cream Eyeshadows

I am back with another "Vanity" post. LoL. Sorry to all my "guy" or non-makeup wearing readers as this is something probably that does not interest you much. LoL. But, I'm a girly girl, and even now that I am a mommy, I can't help being one. Hihi!

Anyhoo....

**Disclaimer: I am not, under any circumstance, a professional. The tips and reviews I share are based off my own experiences and own opinions. I simply share what works for me, hoping it would help others. I only share what I know would benefit others and in no way intend to cause any harm. :) Just thought I'd clear that up.

This is a follow-up post regarding my previous review on the Essence Stay All Day Eyeshadow. In the review, I mentioned that the product I picked up was practically dried up, and that I have found a way to, at least, temporarily melt it to a blend-able or workable consistency.

Cream and gel makeup products tend to dry up really quickly, regardless of how expensive or inexpensive they are. Especially if they are in little jars where you take the whole lid off to expose the product. It's because it comes in contact with air every time you open up the jar, causing the "liquid" part to evaporate, leaving you with a solid product over time.

Dried up makeup is NO fun at all. Imagine spending your hard-earned money only to find out that the product dried up in only a couple weeks of use - such a waste! I first encountered this problem when I had my very first cream eyeliner from ELF Cosmetics. I loved that the product was practically smudge- and budge-proof after it dries, but I hated the fact that it dried up so quickly! I have been in the search since then for a way to "revive" cream makeup, but none of them worked. Well, maybe the Glycerine method would, but I find it hard to get a bottle of it (if anyone knows where to easily get this, please tell me!!!). I once got one at Watsons, but I lost my bottle of Glycerin (which is still full) and when I went back to Watsons to get one, there is no more on the shelf. So this method is a scratch for me.

I could go on and on with ALL the methods that I've tried (which did not work!), but I don't want to make this post longer than it is already at this point. So my secret?

If you still haven't guessed what it is, it's actually a Mug Warmer (~100-150php at Divi)! :D

Yep, I found a better use for this mug warmer than it's real purpose (it never keeps my coffee hot. Haha). I just had the random thought of putting my cream eyeshadow on it, and guess what! It did melt it to a blend-able consistency! **Caution: Allow product to be cool enough to apply! You don't want to burn your eyes!** Below are photos of my now melted eyeshadow. You can clearly see I was able to make a dent in the middle.

You might ask, "Why not just dunk the product in very hot water in a bowl, or boil it in water?" Well, I did try both. But, allowing the product to sit in a bowl of hot water wasn't enough since the water would cool down quickly. I did not want it to boil in water as I'm afraid it my "burn" the product, same as what might happen if you microwave it. The mug warmer's heat is sort of regulated, and not hot enough that it would burn the product. :) I never tried putting a bowl of hot water on the mug heater, though. LoL!

I just simply leave the product there for 5-10 minutes, or until I get my face prepped, then remove it from the warmer for it to be cool and ready for use! That's it! Really easy and simple.

Notes:

• I don't recommend reviving products that have dried up due to expiry. O.o Don't blame me for any complications if you do. :D
• To prolong the life of your cream/gel makeups, transfer a small amount to another clean container/jar (you can get one at Watsons), and keep the original jar tightly sealed in a cool place, away from sunlight. I saw this from YouTuber name Koren. This should keep it from drying up caused by opening the jar every now and then.
• With my Essence Cream eyeshadow, this is only a temporary fix and would not keep it "soft". So, I usually just heat it up before I'm ready to use it. Haven't tried with other brands. :)

Sorry for such a length-y post with all the explaining. It sure is one long post just for a tip. LoL! But, better well-explained than not, right? 

'Til my next post!

Cheers!
Add it to your boards!

{Vanity on a Budget} Review: Essence Stay All Day Long Lasting Eyeshadow

Hello, my dear readers!

I am back again with another (Uh-oh, here it comes!) review!  Haha! I hope you haven't got tired of these yet, but, oh well! I've been enjoying making reviews lately of stuff I rave (and loathe!), so why not, right?

Today's review will feature the Essence Stay All Day Long Lasting Eyeshadow (whew! That was a handful!).

I forgot to take a photo of it with the price on. But, if my memory serves me correctly, this is 259.00php, or let's just round that off to 260php.

Anyway, before we proceed with the actual review, Essence is a UK drugstore brand. You can find Essence cosmetics in some SM Department Stores (well, now known as SM Store).

For a drugstore brand, Essence works really well for me! I've been wanting to have this eyeshadow for quite some time now, and finally got myself one along with my other Birthday Goodies which I blogged about about a month ago. Also, unlike some "so-called" drugstore brands which are priced really expensively, these have really affordable prices, and for me, I do get more than my money's worth. ;) Don't get me wrong, I do love other drugstore brands even if they are quite expensive, as long as they work for me. LoL!

Anyhoo...

I got this in the shade 09 For Fairies. I would describe it as a Rose Gold color with a gold undertone (or specks/shimmer to be more precise). But, even if it does have shimmer, it is very subtle! In fact, you can wear it alone without anything else in the daytime if you are really not into applying makeup. I got compliments from my cousin when she saw it, and she is not fond of shimmer. But, when she saw me wearing this, she said she likes it a lot. :D

Following are some more photos, followed by my Pros and Cons for the product.

A closer look. It has a dome shaped lid (sorry, i forgot to take a side view of it)

09 For Fairies. Contains 5.5g of product. Ingredients of the product are not listed, but it did indicate that this product contains Carmine for some people who may have a reaction to it.

 

Ugh! A really crappy photo, the true color did not show. But, here's to show you what the product looks like.

Applied with both a base and without. The lower, more shimmery one is without the base, and right on top (which is barely visible) has a base. 

My thoughts....

This works as a base on itself. In fact, I prefer to use it without a base as it patches up more when I have something underneath it. The gold specks/shimmer clumps up when I use it with an eyeshadow primer/base. So, I like to apply on by itself. Plus, based on the photo, I think the real "pretty" color showed up better without the base.

Pros:

• Stays on for most of the day! No base needed! It's a base in itself. LoL
• Worth the price. I only need a tiny amount to put on my lids. 
• I like the smell. It's a "nutty" smell, like hazelnuts or something. I really can't tell, all I know it smells like a yummy, smelling nut. :D

Cons:

• I got a dried up product (see photos below). :( Boo-hoo! And you can't even check it in-store because it's sealed. But, I remember quite well that the sample I tried out back then is of a squishy, creamy consistency, but this one I got is really solid. 
• And because it's dried up, I find it quite hard to apply. It takes a long time for me to "even" it out. Again, I blame it on a dried up product.

I attempted to take a lot of shots so you could see how dried up the product was. It literally has shrunk and a space can be seen at the side of the container, which is common in cream products.

Now, isn't that a bummer? 

Well, aside from the fact that it has dried up, I still really like it and I use it EVERY time I go out. You can put on any color on it anyway, so why not? Haha. And I plan to get some other colors since they are really good on-to-go eyeshadows!

Plus, I found a way to "melt it down" and make it workable at least every time I use it, which I will post next. This method of mine also works for dried up cream eyeshadows! :D Interested? Let me know in the comments below if you want to know how. 

Cheers!
Add it to your boards!