Monthly Favorites | October 2016

This month has been an emotional roller coaster ride for me that it felt like this month just flew by but not in a good way. I kinda wish I did more of my time but hey, I'm glad I realized that and its time to actually do something productive.

With all the stress and events happening, I clung to just limited items this month that I know would not let me down especially when I have little to no time to actually pay much attention to how I look or what I need, basically what I would call my "go-to kit".

• Unicorn Powerbank

This cute little thing has been my best friend for the past couple of months. I purchased this back in June and I had no problems with using it. It's easy to carry around which is useful especially at times when I'm out of the house.

• Dear Klairs Illuminating Supple Blemish Cream

This has been sent to me awhile ago, going to be a year now in just a few months. I've been loving using this for when I just need to head somewhere that won't exactly need that "made up" look. It looks like it's my skin but better. I'm just obsessed with using it. I also made a review about this product so if you want to check that out, click here.

• Sleek Matte Me Ultra Smooth Matte Lip Cream in Birthday Suit

If you're a beauty junkie like me, you would know that this liquid lipstick is definitely a must-have. Everybody says that the quality is amazing and it's perfect for an everyday lipstick which I could definitely say is true.

• Daiso 5 in 1 Beauty Care Massager

If you've read about my 6 Daiso favorites, then you would know that this is one of them! I use this mainly for when I need to massage my face and for cleansing my face. It just makes it a whole lot easier and makes my skin feel amazing.

• NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in London

This is one of my most natural looking liquid lipstick that I use almost on a daily basis. Though it doesn't last very long especially when I eat, it's easy to reapply and gives that smooth finish to your lips. If you want to read about my review for the other colors that I got, click here.

• Ever Bilena Matte Lipstick in Mauvey

My 3rd favorite lipstick that I've been wearing for months now is this Ever Bilena lipstick. I feel that it just suits every look I want to have. It's pink but not too pink. Really simple that suits whether your going for a day at work or a fun night out.

• Innocence by: Kathleen Tessaro 

This has become one of my favorite books of all time. Maybe because I could relate to some of the events that has happened in the story. Basically, it's about a girl named Evie who has this dream of becoming an actress so, she leaves her hometown to go to London to study drama. Evie experienced a new way of life, learning a lot of things she hasn't experienced before. Then, life just happened and everything for Evie changed. She became a mother who is teaching night time drama classes. Her old friend died but haunts her with the past she tried to forget. With that, everything was about to change again.

That's pretty much my favorites for this month. Let me know what else would you guys recommend me to try or if you tried out any of the products that I mentioned and what were your experiences with it? Leave a comment below and I'll respond when I can.

What were your favorites this month?

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MAC Matte Lipstick in Velvet Teddy Review

Just last month, I went to Duty Free Philippines and I'm not gonna lie that it was pretty intimidating going through their beauty section but I managed to get this lipstick which I have been hunting for awhile but have always been sold out so when I went to Duty free, I immediately asked for the Velvet Teddy shade and they were available! *May or may not have done a victory dance bit here*

Price: 
$19.50 ( PHP 913.80)

What do I think about it?

Firstly, I wanted to have this shade (other than the fact that I love nude lipsticks) is because the shade is pretty brownish with a slight hint of mauve which you may know if you've peeked in my vanity is two of my staple shades. After trying it for myself, I noticed how smoothly it applies on my lips even with my lip's current state (chapped) and it wasn't drying at all and what I would say that it saved my lips from looking horrible. Blends easily and has a decent amount of staying power if you don't eat or drink while using this but if you do, expect it to fade but not to worry, reapplying is easy and as smooth as when you're first applying it to your lips. The downside that I think would draw me back from this product is the fact that it wasn't the shade that I was expecting at all and it did look too pink on me and I expected more of a (like what I described above) a brownish shade. It also really sinks into the lines of the lips which is pretty obvious to the eye and it also does transfer but would still leave some sort of a stain on the lips which isn't bad at all since it looks like it just faded. 

Is it worth the money?

For the quality of the product, I do think that it's worth it but I don't actually see myself repurchasing this because of how it looks on me although I would purchase other shades and would definitely test it out before buying. I would recommend this to girls who have a lighter skin tone because it'll look darker or browner on you which gives that old school brown nude effect (if you know, you're into that kind of stuff).

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Disclosure: I am in no way sponsored by any brand or company that were mentioned in this post. All products were bought by me and the review was based off on my experience from the said product.

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Real Natura Organics Soft Matte Lip Gem Swatches + Review!

To be quite honest, I have never tried out any organic lipstick so I was really excited when real natura organics sent me these last week. I was already browsing through their products before they sent me these because of the other bloggers that I talked to have loved and raved about their products. So I really appreciate the generosity and the opportunity to try them out.

Item Description: (Copied from realnaturaorganics instagram acc.)
Soft Matte Lip Gem
Organic + Vegan
Weather-Proof
SPF 15
Add some natural color to your lips today with Natura Organics line of organic lipstick. Whether you're after a bold red, understated pink or something in between, you'll find it here within our extensive collection. Not only that, but our lipstick line is also entirely free from any potentially skin-harming chemicals, toxins and parabens!


Price:
P659 each ($14.42 USD)

What do I think of this product?
First of all, I love the color selections! Most of them are the shades that I could see myself testing , swatching or grabbing from the counter. The scents are all the same for each of them, scented but smells almost like a powdery perfume scent. I don't know if it's because it's new but nonetheless, not actually bothersome. So I decided to do a little description for each shades. Note that my lips are very pigmented already so this may apply differently to you. My skin is fair if you wanted a general idea on what it may look like on that skin tone.

803 Juicy Orange

If you are into that orange-y lip shade then you'd definitely enjoy this one. It does stain on the lips and the stains looks like you ate a flaming hot cheeto which I'm not complaining, I kinda like it!

804 Sultry Twist  

A red lipstick with an orange undertone. I find this color very comfortable to wear if you are all about the red lip life but wouldn't want to be too bold about it.

805 Coral Mauve 

 Really light pink lipstick. I don't know why but for some reason when I swatch and wore this, all I could think about is Paris Hilton 2002 or back when she had this really glossy bright pink lip. This lipstick does look glossy but has a dry match finish when you wear it.

806 Naked Berry

This is a neon pink lipstick. Perfect if you wanna make a statement or when you are heading to a fun night out. It does leave a stain on the lips almost the exact same shade as when you apply it. Very long lasting.

807 Poppy Velvet

I don't know how else to describe it other than it being a muted kind of red on my lips. Almost looks natural with a hint of an orange-y undertone. Although it's red, I feel that this one is very comfortable to wear as an everyday too.

808 Wine Plum

On all the red shades, this one would have to be my favorite. Actually this one would be my favorite in all of them. It is a deep berry red with cool undertones. I would say that this would be a perfect red for fall or a chill evening on Christmas.

809 Caramel Glaze

This is a nude beige lipstick. I do love my nude lipsticks so I would most likely be reaching out for this the most everyday. So simple and pigmented that I'd definitely enjoy wearing.

810 Cocoa Cabernet

A brown-ish lipstick. Although it isn't that pigmented for me, I find it almost having a red undertone to it. Very cute if you build it up.

Left-Right: Based on the list above.

Is it worth the money?
If you are into organic, vegan makeup then I would highly recommend checking these out because they are all very lovely plus, correct me if I'm wrong, but I was taught that organic makeup does not expire because they are using all natural products. So if you are planning on getting some of these shades but will probably not wear it every single day then it's fine too since it'll last you for awhile.

So that is it for this review and I hope that you've found this useful if you are looking into trying this product out or just want to find an organic lipstick or brand. Leave a comment down below if you have any more further questions or suggestions or if you've tried out these lipsticks, how have they worked for you?

Check out more of Real Natura Organics HERE

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Nail Polish Picks | Fall 2015

I honestly can't believe that I haven't done some nail polish picks ever, well besides monthly favorites where I just practically show 1 or 2 shades that I've been using the whole month. But today, I feel so inspired by fall.. or in the Philippines we now have the "tag-ulan" season. Being me I hoard alot of nail polishes. So narrowing them down to a few of what I'm about to show you for fall was pretty hard but after a few minutes of picking out each one, I'm happy with it. Most of them are in the "berry" side shade because I cannot explain why when I think of fall, I always think about that color. Note: Press the "♥♥♥" to be directed to the item I mentioned and for those without the hearts, I couldn't find them or their website.

1st color that I will include here is one that I featured on my August Favorites post and it is the Play by: Etude House #25 P128 ($2.73 USD). I love that this color is a somewhat a muave pink that I absolutely adore, for sure this is my favorite color not just in polishes. I think that it is quite perfect in matching the weather that we have right now but not too depressing and very feminine and calm to the eyes. ♥♥♥

A darker color is the Caronia Nail Polish in Summer Fling P37 ($0.79 USD). I think, compared to the 1st one that I showed you guys, this one is a lot more bolder and what you would expect to see quite a lot from girls everywhere you go. I always thought that Caronia Nail Polishes are the "on-the-go" nail polish because of how pigmented most of their products are. And like I said, It is a berry-red shade that I absolutely love to look at.

Out of everything that I showed you, I think this is the darkest of them all and it is the Flormar Matte Nail Polish in M10 Extreme Grape P179 ($3.82 USD) (I forgot exactly how much but it is more or less around that price I indicated). It's shade is almost similar to the Caronia one, but since this is matte, it is a bit more muted but will not wash you out. A perfect accessory if you are planning to go to events wherein  this would actually make you look like you made a bit more effort because of how flawless this polish looks on the nails. ♥♥♥

Next is the Paintbox Nail Polish from Bench in the color Nude P58 ($1.24 USD). The name speaks for itself although it does look quite abit more yellow-orange, I think that if you are wanting a nude pick but wouldn't wanna have identical colors as everybody else, then I suggest to try this out. It isn't a boring color and still manages to be simple, eye-catching and matches almost anything. Plus this has a vegan formula so for all cruelty free lovers out there, I recommend this nail polish line, I love it soooo much. ♥♥♥

Lastly is what I used to wear a lot and I'm deciding to bring it back and it is the Sassy colors nail polish in Frosted Sapphire P20 ($0.43 USD). This nail polish does need building up when you apply it because it isn't that pigmented which I am quite thankful for because that way, I can keep applying until I am satisfied without it looking overdone. The fact that it is frosted is what gives it a unique touch that I think is perfect if you are ever planning to go on a night out or you just wanna spice it up from the colors that you would usually wear.

Now tell me, what are your Nail Polish Picks this Fall season?

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Rimmel London Lasting Finish Matte by: Kate Moss #107 Lipstick Review

I have heard of this lipstick brand quite often and a friend of mine asked me to try it out but since Rimmel London doesn't have a store in the Philippines, I had to find an online seller that had the cheapest price in the color that I wanted which is 107 and when I visited the website here (which is the Rimmel US website), I could see that Kate was wearing that shade so I just knew I had to have it because of it's gorgeous deep berry-red with cool undertone shade.

Item Description:  Get the velvet touch. Sumptuously rich matte colour. Sublime comfort. The new winter collection created by Kate Moss.

Price: I got this from @bodyrockers_ph on instagram for P350 ($7.44 USD).

What do I think of this product?
I know that I kinda been late joining the bandwagon for this brand but again, since it isn't available in the Philippines, I haven't heard about it until I started blogging and watching all the makeup guru / junkie / enthusiast raving about this lipstick and I was surprised that it was actually pretty cheap than what I expected considering the hype surrounding it. The fact that it doesn't have a specific name for each lipstick doesn't really bother me that much although the names / numbers at the bottom are just stickers so I'm not sure how that would stay on or clear after awhile.

After trying this product out, I loved how pigmented it is and I wouldn't really need to build it up unless I would want it to appear darker but do remember that it does tend to transfer if you layer on it too much. However, I do think that this lipstick isn't completely matte but just has a semi-matte finish. It tends to sink into the lines of the lips but not exactly drying nor is it hydrating but it will not dry out your lips even more than it already is. After using this for a few days, I always notice the strong scent it has which is a powdery-perfume like smell that actually bothered me. I don't know if it's because it's new or it is just it's natural scent, just thankful that the scent doesn't stick on the lips but it is just in the smell of the product from the tube.

For the longevity, I would have to say that it does last on your lips for quite awhile (I've tried it for about 4-5 hours maxed) unless you tend to eat then it will start to fade out a lot quicker. The fading though, I may or may not be accurate about this but I sometimes experience this outline of the lips when it starts to fade, kind of like it is leaving a ring around the lips meaning the center part of my lipstick will fade but the outer part still has some lipstick left.

Sorry, I had no makeup on besides the lipstick.

Is it worth the money?
Yes and I would actually recommend this to any students heading to university or for someone who is looking for a lipstick that is on the cheap side but has lots of selections in their range. Although, not every online seller has every type of shade so you would need to do your research if you're in the Philippines. It applies smoothly and perfect for making a statement. And I would honestly be purchasing some other shades in the future from this range so I guess I am inlove with this lipstick.

So that is it for this review, if you have any further questions or suggestions, do leave a comment down below and I'll reply as soon as I see them and do share if you found this helpful or if you are planning to get it with or for your friend.

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ORLY Matte Topcoat Nail Polish Review

Hello everybody! Today I will be talking about one of my latest purchase and it is the ORLY Matte Topcoat Nail Polish. I have never owned an ORLY Nail Polish in general so this will be my first try of their product and let's see how it'll go..



Item Description: Matte it up! Turn regular glossy nail lacquer to a unique matte finish. Ideal for creating unique nail art and spot varnished nail looks. Directions: Apply one or two coats over your favorite ORLY nail lacquer for a matte look.

Price: P499.75 ($10.91) and I got it at the SM Department Store at SM Megamall.







What I think of this product?
I have been addicted to matte nails ever since last year but when I always buy matte polishes, there are only limited colors and I get sick of repeating nail colors all the time so when I saw this at the department store the last time I went, I just know that I had to get it because with this, I could turn all of my nail polishes matte on my nails.

In the directions, I think that it recommends using ORLY nail polishes that are not matte but I used my #25 on the Play collection nail polish from Etude House just to give it a try if it would work on other brands too, and the #25 has been my favorite this month, and when I finished applying it, I let it dry for about 5-7 minutes then applied 1 coat of the ORLY Matte Topcoat and it took awhile for it to dry but when it did, it lessened the shine of the nail polish that I used underneath and then I applied another coat and it did turn it completely matte so I think that I am satisfied.

The smell of this product is what I'm not a fan of. It smells like the usual dizzying scent that nail polishes have, I do wish that this would be unscented but I rarely encounter any nail polishes that are actually unscented or have a bearable smell.

Is it worth the money?
For the price, I do think that it is quite expensive for a nail polish because I am used to paying P15 - P200 ($0.33 - $4.37) for a single polish, so it surprised me that this costed so much. Although I do gotta say that I am satisfied with the results and I'm sure that I would use this for a very long time until I run out or it dries out (which I rarely have nail polishes that dry because I keep some of them on the fridge to keep it from drying out). So yes, I do think that if you are looking for something that would make all your nail polishes look matte on your nails, then you should definitely get this.

So that is my review for this lovely topcoat and I hope that you have found this useful or if you already tried it or you could give me cheaper alternatives or you want me to try some other products then leave a comment down below and I'll also try and answer your questions as much as I can. I will also be doing a few more product reviews for this coming days so stay tuned for that one!

Thanks for reading and until the next blog!

Wanna see my birthday haul where I got this and other products as well? Click HERE
Or do you wanna see my previous review about my Stila Liquid Lipstick in Patina? Click HERE

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Birthday Haul!

Welcome back to my blog! If you're new here, Hi! I'm Joyce and today I will be showing all of you what I got for my birthday last August 5th. It's not really that much but I honestly wanted all of these and some are just necessities for me to get since I'm already at the mall.

So first I went to H&M and just got 1 item which is...

If you guys read my June favorites this year, I got the black version of this exact shirt and I have been wearing it all the time, but at that time, they didn't really have any other colors other than black, so when I saw this, I just instantly got it and I love it just as much as I love my black version of this. It is P499 ($10.90)

Next, I went and did a little damage at forever 21..

So I got myself just one of this basic white top because I have a lot of these but I don't have the white one. And sometimes, when I do some mix and matches on my wardrobe especially with my cardigans, I always don't have a really nice white top underneath. Or just maybe put on a simple and clean looking top when it's really hot. This costs P165 ($3.60)

This faded jean shorts was something I've been looking for awhile but whenever I went to the mall, I just couldn't find one exactly like it and when I saw this, I just knew I had to get it plus it was on 50% off so that just really made me so happy because I did need a new pair of shorts since it is super hot in the Philippines and these are exactly what I wear most days. The price of this was originally P1,015 ($22.17) but after the 50% off it was P507.50 ($11.09)

The last clothing piece that I got from Forever 21 is this casual / Bomber jacket. It is leather and I don't care if it is currently super hot here in the Philippines, I just really wanted to own one for so long but it was always too expensive, or if you find a cheaper one, then it would most likely have an awful design or bad quality. I was delighted to see that this was also on 50% off so I tried it on, loved it, bought it. No regrets at all! I'll find some time to actually wear this, I just know it! The price of this jacket was originally P2,055 ($44.89) after the 50% off it was P1027.50 ($22.43).

For accessories, some of what they had there was buy 1 take 1 and just my luck, it was their last day so I got this ring that has a heart and small silver stud that has this little chain connecting to the smaller sized ring that has a dangling stud too. And then the necklace is just like a bar that has some silver jewels in it. The price was based on the higher priced item which was the necklace that costs P139 ($3.04)









So by this time, I was actually getting tired already, (I so need to be alot more fit) so I got myself some drugstore items since I was already there. 

Alright so I got myself some new stocks of the iWhite Nose Pack. This worked wonders for me and my brother so I bought 5 of the small packs which is 3.5ml and a piece costs P18 ($0.39) because I can't get it anywhere near my place anymore, from what I heard it's always sold out. 

Next I got myself a new makeup remover and it is the Purederm Argan Oil makeup remover cleansing towelettes. It has 30 Wet towelettes inside and costs only P79.75 ($1.74) and from trying it for a few times, it removes my whole face makeup even those hard to remove eye makeup with just a few light swipes on my face. So I like this and will definitely be purchasing more when I get the chance. 

I also got myself a moisturizer, the Myra E Daily Sun Protection Moisturizer that has SPF 15 and is 50ml. This costs P99.75 ($2.18). I have used this before when I was addicted to biking and pretty much went out even if the sun is at it's highest. This worked great for me although I stopped that time because I wasn't sure if this was the product that broke me out or my cleanser. I never really knew which one since I started to use new products since then but I am now giving it another chance.

I got a white eyeliner because I've been seeing this trend with using white instead of black ones for the waterline on their eyes and decided to try it myself. I got the Fashion 21 Color Pen '99- White and it costs P85 ($1.86). It is a double end eyeliner which one side is the actual pencil and the other side is a smudger brush. After using this on the day of my birthday, I think that it actually survived the hot weather and didn't really run all over my face.. unless I'm missing something because it's white? Well, I'm pretty happy with it and the product feels so creamy that I don't actually have to push it into my waterline so much just to have it visible and the smudger brush is also useful for smudging the eyeshadow.

And this product, I actually put this on my wish list a few weeks ago and I am super happy that I finally got it and currently playing with it. It is the ORLY Matte Top Coat and it costs P499 ($10.90). I won't be saying much about this product at the moment because I will be doing a separate review for it, all I could say is that I'm excited to actually try it on other colors and how long it would lasts on me. 

Lastly, before heading home, I went to Hortaleza to pick up some hair bleach (Yes, I decided to finally go and do it - Sadly though, I threw away the pack before I could take a picture of it but the brand was Medea P18  = $0.39) I did a ombre / balayage type / style on my hair and it did turn out orange and I will be repeating the process next week and hopefully I'll achieve the color that I want by then. Then I also got myself a cute little blending sponge, it's pink and the brand was actually in Japanese so I didn't understand it, but for sure other Hortaleza branches would have these. I never owned a little sponge like this and the actual ones that I see everybody use costs so much but this one, I only got it for P59 ($1.29). So far, I'm having a really hard time cleaning it but I will say more soon after I get to play with it more. 

I also got some other personal necessities and also a dozen of donuts at Krispy Kreme and my black forest cake at Red Ribbon. 

So that has been the things that I got myself for my birthday (Read my Birthday Tag HERE) and if you guys have the same stuff or tried the things that I actually mentioned here, do leave a comment to tell me your experience or if you have questions for me about these products too and I'll try my best to answer your questions. 

I will be posting I think 1 or 2 more birthday themed ones so stay tuned for that! Thanks for reading and until the next blog!

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