Nature Republic Botanical Lip and Cheek (Red Tangerine #04): Review

Summer ain't over until you say it is... Well, at least that's the case here in the Philippines. I'm not sure if I mentioned this before but I have this firm perception that it is always summer here in the Philippines with occasional bouts of rainfall coupled with a little bit of storms here and there, especially during the months of June- September. Unlike other countries that are blessed with exciting four different seasons of winter, spring, summer and fall, Philippines is so different as it is a tropical one. So while other countries in the west are preparing for summer, here in the Philippines, we bid goodbye to the hottest months of our year. Recently, every now and then, we would experience rainfall, an event that was a bit elusive for the past three months. But despite the few bouts of rainfall, it is still pretty hot and humid here for the most part of the day. So before summer give its final bow, I would love to share this specific product from Nature Republic that has become a staple in my makeup kit.

 Shade 04, Red Tangerine

 Nature Republic is nature friendly. :)

This particular product is called the Nature Republic Botanical Lip and Cheek in Red Tangerine. I got this from my most trusted Korean cosmetics online store, Kkochipida. I'm pretty sure you've heard of this shop at least once if you've been following my blog. But just in case, here's some of my previous posts of products I got from her (Charm). I highly recommend buying from her.

 Obligatory swatch is once again not giving justice to the actual product. This was taken with my old camera, for those who are wondering.

Anyway, since orange is a color that I usually associate with summer, I put it to good use for the past three months. In fact, I even made a makeup tutorial using it! And although it is only advertised as a lip and cheek product, I used it as an all over color cream. It's so versatile!

Clicking on the photo above will lead you to the makeup tutorial video wherein I made use of this product. It may be able to give you a better idea of how it functions if you see it in action. Oh, and don't forget to subscribe if you do watch it! ;)

What I liked the best about this particular product is the shade itself. It's the right shade of orange that doesn't make me look weird. The only down side is that because it is a cream product, I always have to set it with powder. Otherwise, it would not last more than an hour. If I do set it, however, it can stay for a good 3-4 hours, which is pretty standard for my oily skin.

To sum this up, although orange is more of a summer color, I don't see any reason why it cannot be used in other seasons as well so I highly recommend that you get one.

Oh, and a special shout out to the best mom in the world-- MY MOM! It's her birthday today! Have fun today! God bless! I love you! <3

Real Asian Beauty: Feature

Two months ago, I got the chance to attend Real Asian Beauty (Kristine)'s Meet and Greet. She scheduled this meet up as part of her numerous birthday celebrations. If you don't know who she is, then you better check the link above. She is one of my all time favorite blogger/youtuber. I found out about her through her K-Pop inspired nail art tutorials in youtube. After going through her videos, I realized that I also stumbled upon her blog at least once before I came to subscribe to her channel. She doesn't only do K-Pop related stuff like nail arts and whatnots. She also does DIY stuff and fashion videos. Her channel and blog is so versatile, you are bound to learn a lot from her. Another thing that I like about her is her down to earth personality. Even with more than 80,000 (Almost at the 90,000 mark! Yay!) youtube subscribers, I never felt like she became too proud or anything of that sort. This made me like her even more. Now, I try my best to watch all her videos and read all her posts. I suggest you do the same thing!

 This is Kristine. Isn't she pretty?

This one is my favorite OOTD of hers. I know I only need to post a single photo to share how she looks like but because this is my blog and I am in control, I can easily squeeze in another photo. ;) Oh, and for more OOTDs from Real Asian Beauty, click on any of the photos. It will lead you to the right link. :)

In one of her blog posts/videos, she announced that she will be doing a meet and greet near the end of March and even though it was hard for me to get around the location of the meet up, I still made it and was even more pleased (of being a fan), seeing as she really is a nice person inside and out.

The meet and greet went by so fast, we even lost track of time. And even though it was just a short 2-hour (or was it 3?) get together, it was still really fun. She even gave us gifts!

I'm sure you've seen the face mask before (I already did a review on this and I love it!) but she also gave us two nail polishes and a lippie! Wow! It was supposed to be her birthday and she even gave us gifts! Isn't she the sweetest?! Thank you so much, Kristine! ^^

I'm excited to try the other products out, especially the nail polishes. I've been saving it up for an event but I don't think I will be able to help myself from using the items soon.

Flexwear Blends II Contact Lenses (Gray): Review

I've been occasionally wearing contact lenses for a good five years now. I don't always wear them on a regular basis. I usually only wear them whenever there's a special occasion or something. I don't wear prescription lenses. I always go for plano. I actually have a little bit of an error of refraction but I can get away with using plano lenses because my eyesight is not that bad. I have a bit of nearsightedness on my left eye and astigmatism on my right but all the same, I can still see pretty well even without the aid of glasses. I sometimes wish I had prescription lenses, though. But the toric ones are super expensive.

 When worn. I actually like my makeup in here. Do you? I made a tutorial on this! Interested? ;)

Anyway, I did not create this post to highlight my lack of funds when it comes to toric lenses. I made this so I can review this specific brand of lenses that my sister got from EO (Executive Optical). It is a three-toned design in the gray family. I particularly have a heart for gray lenses because I think it matches well with my originally brown eyes. Gray lenses offer the right amount of color lightening, without making me look stupid.

This has a diameter of 14mm, which is something that I like. Apparently, my eyes are small and doesn't look good with any lens that is over 14.2mm. I tried 14.5mm G&G Dueba lenses before and I just didn't like how it made me look-- like an alien! I've also tried different Geo lenses and through trial and error, I found out that the maximum diameter that is flattering on me would be 14.2mm. Oh, and just for additional information, this pair can be used up to one year upon opening the vial.

I find that this pair is quite comfortable on the eyes. I wore it for a little over 8 hours and it didn't irritate my eyes. I only felt dryness a little bit on the 4th hour mark. Just to clarify, though. I don't really wear contact lenses longer than 8 hours. I just lost track of time.

To give you more of an idea regarding this item, I will be embedding a video that I made that will show you how it looks like when worn. If you have any questions, make sure to leave them all down below. I would love to hear your thoughts and talk to you, my dear readers. :)

Note: This is NOT sponsored. Feel free to visit http://www.eo-executiveoptical.com/ if you want more information.

Maybelline Baby Skin Pore Eraser: Review

Okay, so here's a revelation-- I sometimes go cray cray when I prepare for a concert. Being a person in between jobs, I spend majority of my time indoors, in front of my laptop, surfing. I rarely go out due to a number of reasons. One, I don't have anything important to do outside. Why waste energy in doing nothing? Two, lack of funds. Because it's been quite a while (won't say the exact number of months) since I quit my old job, my financial resources has been endangered. To keep it from getting extinct, I have this preservation technique, more commonly known as 'declining invitations to dine out' (with friends, of course). Despite all these measures of trying to make do with what's left of my earnings (Don't worry, I'm thinking of getting a job sooner than you might imagine.), I still can't resist the temptation of going to a K-Pop concert, especially if it's 2NE1's and Winner is the alleged guest. So to cut things short, even though I was financially challenged, I made it a point that I got tickets for the show. Opportunities like these don't just mean I get to go and have fun in a concert. It is a window for me to go outside, wear makeup and do my hair. Because I always take loads of photos during an event, I always make sure that I get all primped before any show as well. And because I want to look good in photos, sometimes, buying a new makeup items gets included in my "To Do" list. For this event, I bought the Maybelline Baby Skin Pore Eraser.

"With Maybelline Baby Skin Pore Eraser, poreless, baby-smooth skin is just one swipe away!", says the box that housed this item. This particular product is a base makeup designed to provide you with a better canvas for makeup to apply and adhere better onto the skin. It is supposed to diminish the appearance of pores while making the surface smooth, to make makeup application easier. According to the saleslady that I talked to, this particular product also does a good job in oil control, being the main reason why I chose to buy this product over the Essence makeup base. (Have you tried Essence Makeup Bases? Please let me know in the comment section below!) I figured that a good makeup base with good oil control will be the solution to my skin problems, which will probably be emphasized on the day of the concert because apparently, 'blazing heat' here in the Philippines is not just a phrase but a reality that we have to endure. Imagine 40 degrees with overflowing humidity. I get sticky sweat all over within the first minute I come out of an air conditioned room!

With much anticipation, I applied the product onto the back of my hand to test it out. The squeeze tube packaging was a good idea since I was able to get the product out easily with a good amount of control for product dispensing. The actual product was a translucent (almost transparent) silicone type blob that blended oh so easily with just a swipe, just like what it claims on the box. I didn't see any noticeable change with how the skin looked (physically) but the texture was noticeably softer and smoother, which was something that I totally loved.

 The "blob" I was talking about. ;)

 Semi-blended

Blended

When I tried it out on my face, I was disappointed to see that the pores were diminished but only to a minimum level. I wasn't entirely disappointed though, as the same smooth and soft texture greeted me with much pride after some blending. It certainly made makeup application a breeze. One more salient factor that made me appreciate this product even more was the fact that even though the weather was not entirely conducive for makeup application, my makeup still set amazingly well, without clumping on any part of my face, including my all-time foe-- the sides of my nose! Needless to say, I had a good first impression of the product.

So I went out of the house and placed its longevity to the test. Usually, in the current summer heat, it takes me a short amount of time (about one hour) to notice greasiness all over my T-zone area. But to my delight, the greasiness was kept at bay that after 4 hours, when I looked into the mirror, I didn't find myself repulsive. To be honest, I thought I looked glowy, rather than the other "G"-word. (Greasy, not glistening.)

To sum this review, I am very much happy with my purchase and I highly recommend this especially to those who are in a tight budget as it is very affordable at PHP299. It is also available in all Maybelline counters nationwide. In case you're wondering, I got mine in SM Watsons Makati.

Have you tried this particular product out? Share your thoughts in the comment section below. I would love to know about your experience with this and I'm sure other readers would appreciate more insights in the form of comments. :)

Nature Republic Botanical Eyebrow Mascara (#2 Light Brown): Review

Let me share a fact regarding myself with you. I am scared of bleaching my hair-- both my actual hair and my brows. I am quite fond of hair coloring, though. The lightest I've gone/used would have to be Medium Ash Blonde and that lifted my hair color significantly. Personally, I get really hyped up when I lighten my hair without bleaching. The only problem is my eyebrow color gets left behind. I don't know about you but I just don't really like the look I have when my hair is too light for my brows. But since I am afraid of bleaching my brows, I only have one option left-- colored brow mascara.

Just like in my previous brow mascara review, I tend to use light brown mascara to set my brows in place and lighten them up. Nature Republic's Botanical Eyebrow Mascara in No. 2 (Light Brown) does a good job in doing those tasks. It sets my brows (for the whole day) and it lightens my brows to match my hair color.

The applicator

This would be the second colored brow mascara I've used and although almost every aspect is the same with the other brand, I prefer this one a little bit just because of the applicator. The applicator for this particular brand is a tad bit smaller and a bit stiffer. You would think that I'd stay away from an applicator that is stiff but I feel that the bristles in the applicator gets to brush the hair a lot better than the flimsier ones and it grabs onto each brow hair strand better and keeps it in place. It also doesn't go all over the place since as I've said, it is smaller, so it offers more precision.

For you to appreciate the product even more, I would like to share this video I made in my youtube channel showing you a demonstration of how I use this particular product plus a little bit of a "How I Do My Brows" tutorial.

Let me know what you guys think in the comment section below. I really appreciate it when people comment down on my blog.

Maybelline Smooth Color & Care Refreshing Tinted Lip Balm (Dolly Lychee): Review

Some time ago, I won a giveaway hosted by Jasmine in youtube and among the prizes, I got this tinted lip balm from Maybelline. The items she got were all from Hong Kong since she was staying there, then. Even though we have Maybelline here in the Philippines, I noticed that we don't have this specific product in our Maybelline counters. I mean, I know we have Maybelline tinted lip balms but not in this flavor/ shade. Do correct me if I'm wrong, though. I'm not sure if it's exclusive in Hong Kong but I was glad to have tried this product (since I know only a few people in the Philippines would have this).

  

I'm not a big fan of tinted lip balms in general but I like using this type of product whenever I need to head out quickly to a grocery store nearby. I also like to keep it in my pocket/ bag whenever I go out to keep my lips moisturized and leave a small amount of color in it.

This particular product is not an exception. It does moisturize my face and leaves a slight hint of color. I used it all up last year and I forgot to make a post regarding it. Nevertheless, here's a swatch just so you have an idea before I officially conclude this post.

Tony Moly Tomatox Magic White Massage Pack: Review

I'm not sure how long you've been reading my blog but previously, I talked about having so much back logs. Today, even though it's not a Thursday and a throwback post  is not the trend, I will be talking about a product that I used over a year ago.

 I'm so sorry I forgot to adjust the opacity when I placed my watermark and saved it over the original shot. Mian~

Even though it's been quite some time since I used this particular product, I can still remember my impressions of this particular product. I bought this from SM Watsons Makati because I've heard a lot of good things about it and the sales lady said it's their best seller.

I think the most interesting thing about this product is the packaging. I think it's super cute as it is shaped like tomato.  It also has a  spatula, which I like, because I can then be assured that handling this particular cream type product would be hygienic. It is, after all, contained in a tub/jar packaging. 

I basically wanted to use this because I know it gives an almost-instant result of brightening the face and during that time, I was struggling with a lot of acne scars and hyperpigmentations. Also, as I always say, my skin tone is very dull, if not managed properly.

I use this at least once a week as part of my weekly face pack routine. It is a white cream type product, with a thick consistency. Normally, I stay away from thick products but I feel the opposite when it comes to face masks/ packs. I have this feeling that the thicker the product is, the more concentrated its active ingredients are. I know this is not an absolute thing but it's just something personal.

 

 

I especially like the fact that it smells good and provides instant brightening results. I would definitely recommend this product for those with dull complexions and those who wants to go for a whiter skin tone. I don't only use it on my face. Sometimes, I apply some onto my elbows and my underarms as well.

Let me know what your thoughts are if you've tried it. If not, then I suggest you try this one out!

Nature Republic Given By Nature Orange Mask Sheet: Review

Using face mask/ face pack as part of your regular (weekly/daily) routine will help your skin condition to improve/ maintain its health. Personally, I agree with that statement. Although not a part of my daily routine, I see to it that I use it at least once every two weeks (if I'm super busy) or weekly (whenever my schedule is more forgiving). I actually want to use it more frequently but sometimes I just get sleepy too early that I don't get to.

For almost two years, my favorite face mask has been the Etude House Pearl Extract Sheet Mask. Just a little bit better than the other face masks I've tried and described here, my love for that particular product lasted longer than expected. That was all until I came across this face mask from Nature Republic. I bought this from their boutique in Festival Mall. Yay!

I first tried it about a month ago. I chose the orange variant because I knew that citrus variants tend to be brightening and true to its description, it does a good job in brightening the skin tone!

I actually didn't expect much from this particular product because it didn't look anything fancy. Truth be told, I just bought this mask because I wanted to buy something from the brand that EXO (I know all about the galactic distress that has been happening lately. I hope EXO, SM and Kris gets through this and gets the best result suited for every one.) and SNSD's Taeyeon endorses. (Check out my mini haul here!) It looked just like any other face mask and was priced at par with other brands, below PHP100.

After leaving it onto my skin, I noticed immediate brightening effect. I'm not sure if it was psychological but I've tried countless brightening face masks before and it was the first time I actually felt my skin brighten noticeably. I was really pleased with the result as I almost always struggle with dull skin tone. Also, the usual moisturizing and softening effects did not disappoint me.

Now the best part of my story is the fact that I've been in love with this face mask ever since then that I decided to use it today, the day before the 2NE1 AON Manila Concert! Yes, I will be attending. And yes, if you're able to read this then that means today is the concert day, as I am writing this post last night (if you get what I mean). Do you want me to create a post for it?

The particular sheet mask I'm using is the gift that Kristine of RealAsianBeauty gave me as gift when I joined her Meet and Greet last March. She gave me my favorite mask! And no, I didn't tell her that. It was just a lucky coincidence on my part. Oh, and she gave me other Nature Republic stuff as well and I'm not even sure why I haven't posted about it yet.

Anyway, I have to hit the sack so I will just see you guys soon! (Maybe in the concert scene? Don't forget to say hi!)

Palty Foam Hair Dye in Marshmallow Ash: Review

Hi everyone! I'm not sure if you follow me on twitter but I recently tweeted that I colored my hair recently. Because I will be doing a giveaway along with that hair dye review (which I will be posting soon-- both in my youtube channel and here), I decided to post a written review of this previous hair dye I used. The thing is, I might give away a hair dye from this same brand that's why I'm creating a post even though it's been a year since I used this.

 The ever so pretty Tsubasa.

 Don't leave this hair dye any longer than 20 minutes.

 I think the warning at the bottom says not to leave it for more than 20 minutes for it will turn your hair black. But I'm no Japanese expert so I'm not really sure. I just read it from other blogs. If you happen to know what it really means, do let me know in the comments down below. Thank you!

 Unboxed. :)

And oh, I didn't use this particular hair dye this time around. I will be posting a separate post about that in the future.

I actually already did a video on this particular product but just to make things official and just so my blog followers don't miss out on this, I decided to make this.

Includes before and after shots. :)

I won't be talking about the brightness of this hair dye because the video above would show you how it actually turned out on my face. What I particularly liked about this hair dye, however, is how my hair feels like right after coloring. It made my hair super smooth and straight! I mean, I have naturally straight hair but this made it even straighter, just like when I blow dry my hair in place. It also looked a lot shinier. I didn't really expect this effect upon using this product that's why I was so surprised when it did my hair so much good.

Also, I won't forget how fun it was to 'create' the foam. Overall, I was really pleased with this hair dye and just like I mentioned earlier, I will be giving away one soon. Be on the watch out for that! ;)