Watsons Stretch Mark Minimizer

I was an athlete back in the day. I dabbled into different sports and martial arts that is why I have a bunch of stretch marks especially on my thighs as I was a figure skater for several years. I never mind having them but I guess when you grow old, you become more conscious of your body, I saw this body butter in one of my Watsons sprees and for a little over 200 pesos, I just had to have it.

This is a thick cream but gets absorbed by the skin really fast. I have deep stretch marks on my thighs and I’ve noticed a difference in just 2 weeks of using this product. I probably used this for a couple of months. I stopped using it just because MB got me a tub of Palmer’s body butter which is also for stretch marks. When that runs out, I will go back to using this product again.

My stretch marks definitely became lighter. I have deeper marks on my right thigh than my left. The ones on my left are hardly visible now especially when my skin is stretched. 

Watsons products keep surprising me. They are affordable and high quality. This will definitely be a staple in my vanity.

Love and Beauty Grapefruit Lotion

It’s no secret that I love citrusy scents. That’s the reason why I got this. We had this at Hyphen but now it’s sold out.

It’s a very affordable body lotion that smells divine in my opinion. It’s non-greasy and leaves my skin smooth for a short time. I have very, very dry skin and only Aveeno works but I don’t like using Aveeno everyday as it is very heavy on the skin so I use other lotions. I just apply several times during the day to compensate.

This is my current body lotion. I have been itching to finish this tube just because I’m excited to try all the lotions and body butters that my best friends gave me for Christmas.

Surprisingly, I didn’t get any allergies from this lotion considering it’s not from a well known lotion brand. It’s a good everyday lotion if you have normal skin. The scent also lingers on my skin for a long time so that’s a plus.

The Body Shop Vitamin E Face Mist

I’m not a huge fan of face mists just because I forget to use them but when I saw this on sale at The Body Shop, I couldn’t resist. This was a part of my Christmas gift loot so I got it at a very low price.

It’s no secret that vitamin E is good for your skin. I used to take vitamin E capsules until my doctor told me to stop as I have so many meds already. This is a good alternative. I use this at night before going to bed but now that I find myself at home more often, I’m using it during the day after taking a bath. Instead of using a moisturizer, I spritz this on. I don’t like heavy creams when I’m at home especially during summer. I can already see that this is going to be my best friend in the summer.

I don’t think you should use this if you have oily skin. I have combination oily (on T-zone) and dry and I still get breakouts if I use this consecutively for several days so I take breaks after around 3 days. I skip two days then use this again for another 3. If you still want to try this, do it slow. Just once a day and then observe your skin. At first my skin itched but that’s my normal reaction to a new product. Now I just don’t put a lot to avoid itching.

This is also a great travel companion for you to freshen up your face before your plane lands. We all know how the altitude dries up our skin.

I can’t remember the exact price of this product but it’s a good buy and it will last you a long time.

Versailles Nails

You already know that I got the Etude House Princess Etoinette Versailles Nails collection. This is #02 Versailles Dress. Here are swatches:



From top to bottom: Rococo Pink, Versailles Lavender, Dressy Purple.  I also used the nail stickers with each shade.

I used the Jelly Pop top coat with the Rococo Pink. Big mistake. My nail polish was chipping the very next day. I didn’t apply any top coats for the other two shades and they lasted around 2-4 days each. This set costs a little over Php400. I like Etude House’s nail polish sets but sometimes they can be very expensive. This set will take a break until February as January is green nail polish month for me.

The Body Shop Tea Tree Foaming Cleanser

I mentioned a while back that my TBS Tea Tree Cleansing Gel was almost finished so I went to TBS to get another bottle. It was out of stock and they only had this foaming cleanser. This is more expensive at Php700+ but they were on sale that day and so I got a bottle. Plus, I didn’t have a choice as our facial cleanser was running out.

This really foams up. I need about 2 1/2 pumps to cover my whole face. It has the same effect as the gel cleanser. MB likes this better because of the foam. He hates using shaving creams so he uses cleansers instead. He mentioned that he still likes The Face Shop cleanser better so I will get him a tube soon.

As for me, I’m pretty satisfied with this and will continue buying it. Oh, one more thing. One reader mentioned that tea tree causes allergies so you better do a patch test before using any tea tree products.

Something New to Look Forward To

I’ve updated my makeup stash yet again. Here are a few things I’m excited to use. I will post a review for each one eventually but I’m sure you are already familiar with these.

In My Bag

It’s been a while since I made a “what’s in my bag” post. I just read a similar post in another blog and so I thought I’d blog mine too. I blog this for myself so that I can see how my stuff changes from time to time. I also like seeing what other ladies have in their bags. Some have tiny purses while some carry half their rooms (like I do). I’m trying to cut back back on the stuff that I bring but it’s really hard. Here’s the latest:

Let’s see now. I have my two phones – one for business, one for personal. Below that is my polka dot pouch. Then I have several kinds of tissues (wet wipes, feminine wipes and facial tissues). To the right are my makeup kit, pencil case, license, card case, mints and pen. At the bottom is my shawl. I always bring a shawl as I easily get cold even during summer. I need to keep my body warm all the time to avoid getting a fibromyalgia/polymyositis attack. (Which reminds me, I need to update my shawl collection.)

The blue polka dot pouch is from Bench. I just love the cheap pouches at Bench! I buy one every time I go there. This is a double zip pouch which is great because I can separate my stuff. The pink makeup kit is Kenzo. Here’s what’s inside:

Inside the blue pouch are my keys, a small flashlight and whistle (which MB gave me); a comb which I got in Lucban, hair ties, a tiny hair clamp, a small bottle of Elizabeth Arden Pretty for when I forget to spritz some perfume before going out; hand sanitizer and my TBS hand cream.

I downsized my makeup kit so it now includes only my Paul & Joe compact, Kleenex oil blotting film, Bobbi Brown pot rouge, Carmex, Revlon lipstick and Aranaz mirror. I just changed makeup kits that’s why there are only a few things inside. They will probably pile up in a few days.

When I'm out for work or errands, I usually bring my Aranaz or MNG bag as they are bigger. I like to keep some snacks in such as pretzels, gummi bears, hard candies or caramel chocolates. I need to keep my sugar up when I'm on the run as I get dizzy immediately. I also have my KOR with me all the time which MB bought for me. It's getting old and soon I will need to replace it. 

The bag is my old rose purse from Charles and Keith;

This is an old bag and it’s starting to chip. I’ve been looking for cheap bags at SM Parisian but they have not released a new collection yet. My bag collection is a mix of cheap and good quality bags. I stopped buying ALDO bags because the leather chips off really fast especially when not in use. Charles and Keith is better. Actually, SM Parisian is better that’s why I’ve been waiting for the new collections to be released. By the way, MB and I looked at some bags at SM last week and there’s a BOGO promo going on for Parisian bags. We were in a hurry as the mall was about to close so I wasn’t able to take a good look at the stuff on offer. You might find something you like so check it out if you’re in SM Makati.

I’d love to see what you ladies bring with you everyday in your bags. Leave a link in the comments page so that I can see!

Sunday Shopping

I was stuck in the house for several days because of the flu and I couldn’t wait for Sunday because I was planning to do some serious shopping. The problem was, most of the things that I wanted to buy were out of stock! Pffttt…

But at least I was still able to buy a few things. My last pair of Havaianas broke about 2 weeks ago. It was the pair that my best friend A gifted me about 3-4 years ago. It was also my last pair of rubber slippers that I use at home. I had several pairs before both Havaianas and Ipanema. They broke one by one and my oldest pair remained. I still have one pair of Ipanema’s in the car which I don’t remove. I’m using cheap slippers at home but they are a bit slippery. My mom saw them and told me to buy a new pair. I told her I was waiting for Havaianas to go on sale so that I can buy 2 pairs. Luckily, Havaianas was on sale last Sunday!

MB bought me 2 pairs:

Periwinkle

Pink

The base is gray. These are 50% off. The printed ones are 30% off. We were able to get these for roughly Php770 each. I‘m not very particular with the design as I only use these at home, when I pick up MB from work or when I travel. 

I haven’t bought slippers in several years except for that crazy Ipanema shopping spree my mom and I did a year or two before (which is posted here). I love hoarding stuff that I regularly use when they are on sale. Most of my things now were bought on sale – clothes, some makeup, toiletries, books, accessories, bags, etc.

I also got a few pairs of earrings from my store, Hyphen.

We have new stocks which will be delivered tomorrow at our PBCom branch. I got some for myself as my earring collection needs an update. There will be new earrings, necklaces, belts and dresses tomorrow. Check them out on your lunch break!

Glamour to Go Fairy Edition

This is the Too Faced Glamour to Go Fairy Edition Palette:






This is also one of my travel palettes. I use this with the Estee Lauder palette whenever I travel. The eyeshadow shades go well with Estee Lauder’s. It has 8 eyeshadows, 1 blush, 1 lipstick and 1 bronzer. It also has a big mirror but no brushes.

Here are swatches:

Color payoff is much better than the EL palette. This is also a day to night palette. We carried this at Hyphen. This palette was damaged so I got it for myself. I fixed the broken brown eyeshadow by applying alcohol and pressing it. I can’t remember what I used to press it but if you have a circular pan, you can use a coin. just be sure to wash the coin first and sanitize it then wrap it in tissue then press. You can also just use your fingers.

I love the blush in this palette. I use it alone or blend it with the EL blush. The lipstick also has a nice neutral look. The bronzer is what I like best with this palette. I used to skip bronzers for my everyday makeup and reserve them for special occasions but after careful scrutiny of my face, I feel that bronzers make me look more made up and give my face dimension so now I always use bronzers. I just go light on the contouring for a day look.

The eyeshadows last long with a good primer. The lipstick and blush are okay. I love this palette. If I wasn’t such a makeup addict, this palette is more than enough for a travel makeup. If you are low maintenance, this palette is all you need. I think this was Php1,500 at Hyphen.

Forever 21 Love and Beauty Lippy

At Hyphen, it’s funny when we have new products and people ignore them. When that happens, I usually just get them for myself. No use in letting them sit there. When I do that, that’s when people start asking for them. It’s insane, I know. Take this product for example.

I absolutely love the color and I don’t know why people are ignoring it. When I wore this one time at the store, some clients were asking for it. Pffttt…



This is a good lipstick. I don’t even have lip balm underneath and see how it looks so glossy. The texture is like a combination of lip balm, lipstick and lip gloss. That’s what you get from one tube.

This is a very affordable lipstick at only around Php200. It does not last long but I don’t care. It looks very pretty and I can always re-apply.

My Gold Palette

You can’t see how gold it is here because the gold cover keeps reflecting the light but it’s really gold. This is the Estee Lauder Pure Color Palette.




It features 6 Pure Color Eyeshadows and 1 Signature Silky Powder Blush. There should be some blushes on that bottom compartment which I removed.

Here are swatches:

The eyeshadows are Hot Cinnamon Shimmer, Sepia Sand Satin, Amazing Grey Shimmer, Winking Periwinkle Satin, Intense Violet Matte and Wild Sable Matte. The blush is Nude Rose which you can barely see in the photo. I can barely see it on my cheek too so I layer it and blend it with another blush.

I got this palette as a GWP from Estee Lauder US. We did not carry this here. I also use this as a travel palette. You can go from day to night with this palette. I’m not a huge neutrals person but I mostly use the neutrals in this palette. I also use the blue often. I think I stick to regular makeup when I’m in a different place as I’m always on the go. I don’t have the time to plan my eye look so I just go with no-brainers like neutrals.

I’m glad this was a GWP. If I had bought it, I’d be disappointed as the color payoff is not so great. I have to layer the eyeshadows so that they will at least show. They also don’t last very long even with a good eye primer. At least they don’t give me allergies.

Sephora Lipstick Palette

If I’m not mistaken, this is the special edition Sephora Lipstick Palette that they produced to support the fight against breast cancer. We carried several palettes at Hyphen and of course, I took the last one.

I only use this palette when I travel. It’s very convenient to bring in my purse as it’s small and light. It has 8 shades, a brush and a big mirror. It beats bringing several tubes of lipstick. When I travel, I like to have my complete makeup arsenal but who says they have to be big, bulky and heavy? Palettes are always my travel companions.

Here are swatches:

I never realized how pretty they look, especially the red one, until I processed the photos. When I took the shots they look ordinary to me but they really look pretty here.

These are not exactly long-wearing lipsticks but they last for a good amount of time. They’re non-drying but I still apply a coat of lip balm underneath.

I also like the fact that I can use my finger to apply them when I’m in a hurry. I’ve used all except 3 – the red one (which I now regret), the dark, almost brown shade 2nd to the last and the last one which is white in the palette but is actually just a shimmery gloss.

This palette will last you from day to night. If you can find a lipstick palette, buy it. It will be very useful on your vanity and when you travel. We’ve got several trips lined up this year and I’m hoping to use this palette more.

The Body Shop Big and Curvy Waterproof Mascara

I bought this mascara at The Body Shop event which my bestfriend M and I attended late last year. I think the original price was around 700 pesos and I got this at a discounted rate. I don’t pay retail for items that I’d like to try. I wait for the sales especially at TBS where they always have items for sale.

Here’s the wand:

There is a pink tube which is the regular mascara. I never wear regular mascara as I end up with raccoon eyes and what if it rains or I suddenly find myself crying? I always use waterproof mascara.

This mascara disappoints in that aspect. It still smudges a bit on my under-eye area after several hours. I don’t know if my skin is too oily but my other waterproof mascaras do the job well.

I like the wand that does not make the product clump up. It also separates my lashes giving each one a nice coat.

The product does not dry up quickly and I often find myself with splotches of black all over my face. Sometimes my hair gets caught up with my lashes and then the  mascara on the hair sticks to different parts of my face. You get the point. So what I do is I blot my lashes with a piece of facial tissue. Yeah, like blotting your lips except you’re doing it with your eyes. That gets rid of the excess mascara.

As for the big and curvy claim, I have long lashes so I guess I’m not the perfect guinea pig for this product. If I curl my lashes properly and apply this mascara properly, then I get big,curvy lashes. I think it will do a decent job with shorter lashes.

I have very sensitive eyes and I’m glad that this mascara doesn’t irritate them. Unless, of course, I wear this 7 days a week then my eyes itch. Make sure to remove everything before going to sleep if you have sensitive eyes like I do. This can be completely removed with my Etude House Mascara Remover, Cloud Bubble Oil and Clinique Take the Day Off Cleanser. This is a good everyday mascara that I’d recommend to gals who want to splurge a bit on their makeup. It’s a good investment and will last you 3 months.

VS Camouflage FX Concealer Palette

I am slowly catching up with my backlog posts. I’m down with the flu but I’m really inspired to blog. I spent the morning taking photos of the products that I will blog. Hopefully I can get them all done today.

Here’s a concealer palette that’s been sitting on my vanity, waiting to be featured in my blog:



It’s made in the US by Victoria’s Secret. We carried this at Hyphen and this is the last palette. Apparently, this is what the makeup artists use backstage for the VS Fashion Show. You can mix the shades to create a custom shade.

It features 3 concealers and 2 correctors. The green one is used to counter redness like blemishes and the apricot one is used to correct dark spots. The apricot one is very good if you have dark skin. I tried the apricot corrector once when I had really dark under-eyes and it works. Actually, one of the MAC’s senior makeup artists suggest to use apricot for Indian and Middle Eastern women. It blends beautifully with their skin tone.

This concealer smells like clay and the product itself is a bit hard. The texture is similar to ELF’s Cover Everything Concealer. They smell the same too. I don’t use the brush that comes with the palette. With this type of concealer, I use my fingers. I warm the product up first using my fingers and then apply. I make sure to blend, blend, blend as it will surely cake if not blended properly.

I haven’t tried using this for an event or special occasion but I’m pretty sure that it will last as the VS people use it for their shows. I’m almost done with my Benefit Confessions of a Concealaholic kit and I will use this palette soon.

Princess Etoinette Lipstick

I’m sorry I can’t give you the exact shade of this lipstick. There are just too many serial numbers at the bottom of the tube that I can’t see the shade clearly. Plus, I’m too lazy to look for the box. It’s very easy to spot this shade in the boutique as this is the only bright lipstick in this collection (as far as I know, based on the colors presented to me).

As most of you know, I got this in Cebu. I think there are only 2 shades left in the Market! Market! boutique.



I just love that this line has my initial. = )

Here’s a swatch on my lips. The lipbalm underneath is Maybelline Baby Lips, the lighter pink one in my collection.

This lipstick costs Php700+. I was shocked too. I’m disappointed with the color payoff and the lasting capability. It looks really nice in the photo because the Baby Lips already gave my lips a bit of color. I have to layer the lipstick to achieve that shade. Also, the color does not last long. Just a couple of hours or so then it’s gone and I have to re-apply. It completely disappears when I eat. Now I am suffering from coughs and cold so I have to cover my mouth every now and then and that adds to the disappearance of the color on my lips.

So, if you buy this lipstick, you are actually paying for the packaging and the name. I probably won’t throw the tube away once I finish this as it will look nice on my vanity. I won’t buy another tube. I have my heart set on another lipstick collection. What’s your experience with the lippies in this line?

TreSemme Hair Treatment

I got this at Watsons for Php139 a few months ago. If you can recall my post about the Dove Hair Treatment, I mentioned that this was my replacement. I’m happy that it did not disappoint.

The product is very thick and stiff so you won’t need a lot. I have long hair and I only use a small dollop. I made the mistake of using so much on my first try that it took me a while to rinse it out. I use this treatment twice a week and I really enjoy the results. Cousin C even commented the other day that my hair was “bagong hair spa”. I asked  how she knew and she said that my hair was very soft and very manageable.

This product smells like something out of a salon. I guess it really is for professional use. At that price, I will definitely buy this again! One jar will last me several months.

More Gifts and a Shoe Purchase

MB and I received some last minute Christmas love from our family in Singapore:

Bossini and Aeropostale shirts

Citigems charm bracelet and Versace wallet

Thank you V and K for the gifts!

I also purchased a pair of wedges from Charles and Keith just before we went to Cebu:

Correction, MB got this for me. He usually just lets me shop and reimburses everything when he comes home from work. Isn't that a nice setup? *evil grin*

It’s very surprising that I didn’t like anything at So Fab and wandered off to other shoe stores. I was even more amazed that Charles and Keith carried my size! A pair of shoes actually fit me! This is a really good pair as it’s comfortable and stable. The sides are adorned with gold ridges. They’re so gold that they look like reflectors, LOL! they really look pretty though. I’m hoping to find more shoes in my size in this store. At least now I have 3 stores to choose from – SM, So Fab and Charles and Keith!

Shopping!

I’m back ladies! My family and I went on a trip to Cebu last week. All we did there was eat and shop. Here are a few things I bought.

So Fab! was on sale at SM Cebu and I found this pair of loafers that I wanted to buy a few months back here in Manila. They ran out of my size and I was lucky to find a pair in Cebu. Unfortunately it was not on sale even though it was directly under the 10% off sign. The SA said that only a few selected items were on sale. Well, that’s false advertising for you.

My sister saw an Etude House boutique and immediately told me. Of course I had to go inside. I bought these:

This is the Princess Etoinette collection that I’ve been dying to buy. Unfortunately, the blush line has not reached Cebu yet and when I checked Etude House here, they were out of stock already. I was also shocked at the prices of this collection. I only bought 2 things and my bill was Php1500! The clip is a GWP.



I will post a review separately.

And we had to buy some pasalubong for everyone!

Otap

Otap, rosquillos, Peanut Kisses, Dried Mangoes, etc.

It’s great that they have ecobags at Shamrock! We also bought a few kilos of dried danggit, pusit and dilis at Taboan Market. It was a crazy trip and we definitely had fun! My mom said that we will go back soon as her shopping urges have not been satisfied. = )