My Current Skincare Routine

Hi! Howdy! Rainy season has officially started. Gone are the days of intense sweating and practically staying in front of the fridge just to ease the hot feeling. Anyway, I wanna share my current skincare routine. Basically these could be bought in department and grocery stores but the special stuff are from my derma. :D

For the past months I have stuck to a firm routine of skincare products. I like trying new products and seeing how they would suit my skin but since my skin has been acting out lately I promised myself to stick with this routine for a while. I really want to try products from Lancome, Clarins and Estee Lauder when it comes to skincare but since my wallet is not suited for those products yet I'm on the lookout for those products that can work without breaking the purse. Though honestly I would not settle for something cheap but will not work well on me. I'd rather buy something more expensive but will work well. 

Removing makeup

When I was younger I have ben removing makeup with just plain facial foam and water but then i noticed that even after washing my face thoroughly there still traces of makeup once I apply my toner that's when I begun my search for that cheap but effective makeup remover. I prefer cleansing oils since it effectively removes waterproof makeup. I've got a couple of sachets of Shu Uemura cleansing oil. I've used up 2 sachets already for about a month. Can you believed that? I only use a few drops on my face and massage it throughly then I add water to emulsify it and viola soft, smooth, clean face.

Cleansing

I use my derma's glycolic facial wash. It is really gentle. I never experienced any stinging or irritation even with constant use. This bottle in picture has 10% left after I've got it last January. Costs me around Php300 if I am not mistaken.

Toning

I've been an avid fan of Celeteque. They're products are all effective and affordable. Before I use their oil control toner but the alcohol content is not really for me. I loved that it makes my pores less visible but I hate that it makes my skin feel tight. I tried the alcohol free variant which has witch hazel extract and I love it to bits. A few days ago I've started using again my SkinWhite Advanced Whitening Facial Cleanser since I want to speed up the lightening of my acne marks.  It has alcohol too but I love that it contains Niacinamide and Salicylic Acid. Niacinamide is known for whitening and Salicylic Acid for prevention of pimples.

Moisturizing

Also got a couple of sample sachets of Physiogel AI Lotion which I really love. It is very moisturizing and it calms down irritated skin. There was a time when my skin is peeling from excessive acne solution I applied for my acne and it is the ONLY moisturizer that covers the peeling skin. Another moisturizer I love is Celeteque's Hydration Facial Moisturizer. This one has dimethicone in it which is silicone. Silocone based products tend to clogged my pores but this lightweight moisturizer never clogged my pores. I love that it helps my liquid foundation applies more smoothly.

Weekly

My weekly routine would just be Mint Julep masque, scrubbing my face with Pond's Facial Scrub to lift dead skin but I'm thinking of buying either St. Ive's Apricot Scrub or their Microdermabrasion variant. Not yet sure. :)I also apply calamansi juice on my face to help lighten acne marks.

AM

1. Wash face with my derma's glycolic facial wash

2. Cleanse again with either Celeteque Alcohol Free toner or SkinWhite Advanced Whitening Facial Cleanser

3. Apply Clindamycin Solution from derma

3. Prep skin with either of the three: Celeteque Hydration Facial Moisturizer, Physiogel AI Lotion and Olay Total Effects Day Cream in Gentle

4. Apply sunblock gel from derma

Then MAKEUP!

PM

1. Remove makeup using Shu Uemura cleansing beauty oil premium A/O advanced formula

2. Wash face with glycolic facial wash

3. Cleanse again with either Celeteque Alcohol Free toner or SkinWhite Advanced Whitening Facial Cleanser

4. Apply Clindamycin Solution, Glowing Solution, Superwhitening Cream and Tretinoin gel.

WEEKLY

1. Cleanse face with Pond's Antibacterial Facial Scrub

2. Apply Mint Julep Masque

3. Wash face with water and remove all traces of the masque

4. Apply calamansi juice and leave for 1 hour

DIY: Using Tea Bags as Beauty Treatments at Home

Lately, I’ve been drinking hot teas in my pursuit for a healthy living lifestyle. I particularly like Jasmine Green Tea but I also love Chamomile scented teas.  I love that my bowel movement is doing good and I actually feels extra fresh. Last week I had an idea of using tea bags as beauty DIY treatments. Since I’ve been drinking a lot of teas why not use the bags first before throwing it out. Right?

I researched a lot of fun and amazing beauty treatments, compiled it and would like to share it to you.

A study concluded that ½ cup of green tea have the same antioxidant possibility as 1 kg of a fresh fruit! That’s pretty amazing for ½ cup of tea! Who here consumes 1 kg of mango in one sitting? I could finish a cup of green tea in 2 minutes! It is pack with vitamins that fight free radicals and also a known anti-inflammatory agent. Take note that black teas might cause staining so if you’ll leave it for a while test it first somewhere else. It is best to use green tea if you won’t rinse the tea for a while.

Fix for Tired Eyes

Using two teabags place it first in the fridge. Once needed place one teabag over each eye and allow to stay for about 15 minutes. I love doing this on my rest days also known as my beauty rituals day. This makes my eyes feels fresh and alive from all the strenuous work. Sometimes I also soak cotton pads in my 2^nd round brew and lay them on my eyes. Researchers say that tea is capable to penetrating tissues of the eyes. It is also proven that tannin (a component of tea) reduces swelling and antioxidants help eliminate inflammation. Also the caffeine helps shrink the appearance of blood vessels.

Acne Control

Recently, I’ve been suffering from cystic acne maybe caused by my raging hormones. Since tea has anti-inflammatory effects applying it topically may do the trick. I place a warm teabag on the acne for 10 minutes then I let it dry. I like doing this before going to sleep. Like I said a while ago tea helps reduce swelling, so application over that red pimple would do the trick.

Refreshing Toner

I think green tea is the best tea aside from being high in strong antioxidants and pack with vitamins. It also offers sun damage protection by scavenging free radicals. Can you believe that? You could actually use this in the morning prior your sunblock to aid in protecting skin. Cool right? It doesn’t feel greasy or anything at all.

I just add water again to my tea bag and let it steep for 5 minutes. Then I soak my Konjac Sponge for another 5 minutes. I then gently massage the sponge on my face and would let it dry on my skin. I’ll rinse it after 30 minutes.

It would also good to use the freshly “brewed” tea as ice cube toners. I place them on the freezer and take it out on hot afternoons apply it on my skin. Instant refreshing toner!

Sunburn Relief

Tannins are great in soothing sunburn. Let teabags steep for about an hour and refrigerate to cool. Soak a cloth and apply on the affected area. Also lightly compressing the burned area would help. Do not rinse and repeat as desired. I never experience sunburns since I’m always wearing sunblock.

Power Feet

Soak feet with the freshly brewed tea for several minutes. Do not rinse and pat dry. The tannins in tea help fight odor-causing bacteria. Also take note that wet or damp feet is a great breeding ground for bacteria so never wear socks when feet are still damp and always use socks whenever using closed shoes. Using this tip wouldn’t work if you don’t let your feet dry.

Maybelline Makeup Remover - Lip & Eye

I bought my new HG mascara but it is so stubborn to remove! My EH Lip and Eye Makeup Remover is not working much on it. I asked the Maybelline sales attendant if there Eye & Lip Makeup Remover works on their waterproof mascara and she said yes! I just got the small bottle since I wanna road test it first if it works for me.

What the company says about their product…

Bi Phase makeup remover to remove lip and eye makeup

Why You'll Love It

·         Efficient & Easy: Instantly removes all eye and lip makeup, even waterproof and non-transfer.

·         Gentle: Formulated for sensitive eyes, it is especially very gentle for the delicate skin around eyes.

·         Ophthalmological and Dermatologically tested

·          

Expert Tip

Shake well before use. Soak a cotton pad with the lotion and apply on your eyes or lips.

Same with EH Lip & Eye Makeup Remover, this too comes in a twist-off cap. The opening is just the right size just like any toner. This comes in a plastic bottle too so no worries that it would break easily if I drop it.

This has a mild scent like a baby oil. This makeup remover has two distinct layers too, the water and the oil part. I have to shake this well before using so that they blend together. It is quite easy to blend it together once shaken up well. This isn’t greasy or oil but it leaves a small amount of film over my eyelids. This residue could be remove simply but any toner or soapy water.

Just like my old EH Lip & Eye Makeup Remover I have to soak my eyelids with the product to effectively remove the waterproof mascara. Soaking up my eyelids helps it loosen the stubborn mascara. I think I have to soak it for over 3 minutes and move the cotton pad in a left to right & up and down motion for 2 minutes to remove all the mascara.

I love that this doesn’t sting or gives me a blurry vision. I really push the cotton pads on my eyelashes to remove all the stubborn waterproof mascara and I never experience any redness or irritation.

I have no problems removing MAC Girl Boy Brow Set Gel and my MAC Rebel lipstick. MAC Rebel lipstick sometimes leaves a stubborn stain that even after brushing my teeth there’s still stains left. So I use this one. I love that this instantly removes the stains and leave my lips moisturize, soft and smooth. I then wash my face with soapy water (which also removes the residue from the product all over my eyes and also on my lips). I love that it rinses off easily.

I usually broke out on eyebrows happily I never broke out with this one even though it has oil in it which is known as a comedogenic product. Breaking out near my eyes is really painful and embarrassing! :D

Ingredients

What I Like About It

·         Removes eye & lip makeup effectively

·         Doesn’t sting or gives a blurry vision

·         Easy to remove residue

·         Has a mild scent

·         Moisturizing on my lips

·         Locally available

·         Affordable

·         Dermatologist & Ophthalmologist tested

What I Don’t Like About It

·         Takes time to remove waterproof mascara

Final Thoughts

Good thing that I got the smaller bottle first. I don’t think I’ll repurchase this if I ran out of makeup remover. I want to try something that really removes waterproof mascara in a breeze since I bought this because of my waterproof mascara. It pays that you really try the product first before buying the full size. All in all still this makeup remover will not put to waste since I just have to be patient with it until I finished up the entire content. 

HG Red Lipstick: MAC Ruby Woo

A true cult favorite retro red. Currently my HG red lipstick ;)

According to MAC…

Ruby Woo is very matte vivid blue red

When I first saw this in person (my own tube) I was a little disappointed that it looks like a normal red color common in drugstore brands. I was pinning for a bluish retro red straight from the tube but I was wrong.

When I tried it, oh for crying out loud! It is the nicest red I ever tried. It looks like the lips of retro girls. Since I’m a fan of retro stuff this is definitely in my alley. I think this shade would look good to everyone! It would suit light to dark tones. I also noticed that this makes my lips look whiter or is it my new toothpaste? :P Morena girls don’t need to worry if this would suit them even this has strong blue tones. It actually looks great!!! This doesn’t make me look old but more sophisticated and classier. Oh I love it to bits!

When I first tried it, I didn’t prep my lips at all. My lips are in a normal state and the lipstick actually glides well with tiny bit dragging. Looking at my lips on the mirror it looks more like pin-up red I’m rooting for. I love the matte texture since I don’t like shiny red lips. I usually wear my favorite Fire & Ice matte by blotting excess moisture. ;)

I love that this is very pigmented and opaque. One swipe and you get nice red lips and two or more gives a bolder look. Not that one swipe when get any attention but it is wearable. Sometimes I just pat it several times to give a nice tint on my lips then apply my Nivea Strawberry balm for moisture. I rarely apply anything on my lips prior to application of this lipstick since I want its color to be what it is!

This makes my lips feel a little drier than usual so it’s a big con but I don’t know why my lips lately is in a good shape so I rarely reach for lipbalms.

I only wore this at night or sometimes late in the afternoon since I find this too bold in the morning like I’m going to party or I’m so sosy! Hahaha! 

I love that I don’t need to wear blush or even eye makeup since this makes my face brighter and prettier! :D I just groom my brows, apply gel liner to upper lash line and mascara and I’m good to go. A flawless base too is a must since redness in the skin may not look good with this bold red lips.

This may look garish if not applied properly. I always make sure to apply a red lip liner to outline my lips and avoid the lipstick to go over the outline. It doesn’t look really nice if the lipstick isn’t even or even perfect. :P  

Staying power is good! Just don’t eat!!! This would be remove totally if you eat anything even from drinking. So in my case, I make sure to remove all traces of lipstick when I noticed that it is already fading since patchy lipstick doesn’t really look nice. I read that some girls complain that this settles on the outer outline of the lips after eating. My answer to that is to wipe off the excess lipstick on the outline of my lips :D it wasn’t remove on the outline not because it settles there but it is the remaining lipstick left after eating.

Swatch

What I Like About It

Perfect matte retro red
Pigmented and opaque

What I Don’t Like About It
Bleeds if I don’t apply carefully or when I don’t use lip liner
Could be drying at times

Final Thought

I love this color to bits and I would definitely repurchase if I finish this tube! Even though this is a little bit drying I still reach for it whenever I needed a bold, powerful lipstick! MAC’s range of red colors is really to die for! My next target would be Russian Red and Lady Danger. 

Etude House Proof 10 Eye Primer

Long time no blog! J I’ve been busy with my new work. Lo and behold, I got this primer from my mail a few weeks ago. I ordered it from a Korea based Filipina selling Korean stuffs. It was discounted for about 30%! Woot!

I don’t usually wear eye shadow since I’m a lipstick/ blush girl. I like to wear super bright lippies and wear it with a subtle blush or sometimes my shocking NARS Exhibit A blush. :D but then, I’ve been wanting use my eye shadow palettes since they are already piled up. I only have drugstore brands for my eye shadow palettes so I really think that I definitely need a primer. I want to buy Artdeco eye primer but since I’m not yet a pro I could use something like this first and practice my way! Now enough of the blabbing! :D time for the review!!

What the company says about their product

I’m so excited to use this! So, the other week I applied it first in a patting motion on my eyelids let it dry for a while. I didn’t use any base eye shadow and a translucent powder over my eye shadow anymore so I could really see how long it would stay on my lids. It actually stays on my lids for about 8 hours with minimal creasing. :)

Under fluorescent light

With flash

This actually made my eye shadow looked more intense and vibrant. Look at this swatch on my inner forearm. :) See how lively and strong that color is?

This is my perfect match for my drugstore eye shadow. Though there are times that I want my eye shadow to be just sheer as it is I only applied this primer with a very a little amount, thru this way I won’t get a very intense outcome but it would only avoid creasing and will make my eye shadow stay put. 

Since I don’t wear eye shadow every day, I use this to lengthen the staying power of my eye liner San San Eyeliner Pen. I love that it didn’t in any way affect the application or look of my eyeliner, still the same color. Though my San San eyeliner is water resistant it sometimes smears on, through this primer I have no worries even though I walked under the rain.

I tried applying it on my brows too before applying my In2it brow powder and it did last longer!

My eye makeup doesn't come off until I have to take it off. :) I have no problems in removing this product since I also use my Etude House Lip & Eye Makeup remover. They work well together! :)

The packaging is a con!! :( similar to the old UDPP bottle.

Here is the ingredient list for girls with sensitive eyes

What I Like About It

·         Survives my super oily eyelids

·         Makes my sheer eye shadow more intense and vibrant

·         Makes my eye makeup lasts longer (eyeliner and brow powder)

·         Can be used as a primer for brow powders too

·         Spreads easily and doesn’t create dry patches

·         Not sticky and dries fast

·         Lesser fallout for my powdery eye shadows

·         I only use a tiny amount and I’m all set!

·         Transparent packaging allowing you to check how much product is left

·         No skin or eye irritation experienced

·         Locally available and affordable at Php298

What I Don’t Like About It

·         The bottle is like the old UDPP which will be hard to use once it is almost empty

Final Thought

Not only that it allows me to apply my eye shadow makeup more beautiful it helps my makeup stay as it is all day. It survives that heat, sweat and humidity that I always encounter on my way to work. This is a budge proof eye shadow. La la la, this is love.

Jelly Shoes

So, I've been addicted to jelly shoes ever since I laid my eyes on the Patchuli Jelly Wedge from Melissa... But the price is quite steep for me.

If you are not familiar with it here are some of the pictures from their Singapore FB. :)

Lovely right? :) I also love this new design... It is called V Becks.. Hmm.. Reminds me of Posh spice :D

I super duper love it that I wanna buy it right away! (I have this terrible addiction with wedges) but then when I learned that it costs SGD170 which is costs around P5000.... I wanna cry! :)))

But then around the first week of May, ASIANVOGUE posted this picture on their wall. And I was... No No No... This can't be true!!!

Sweet huh! And it only costs P1600+. How nice is that??? I'm contemplating on which color to get.. I like the black one more.. But I already have lots of black shoes... What do you think?


And oh! There's an ongoing giveaway on their site. Check it out before it ends, join now! :) 

Sophie Lipsticks

Ever Bilena Pinkflame – Sophie Ice Pink – Sophie Summer Pink – Sophie Mango Peach

Loving this lipsticks! :)