BeautyMNL Shopping Experience + Haul

For the past few months, I haven't had the time to go makeup / skin care shopping because whenever I do head to the mall, it's always to get some clothes or shoes and knowing me, shopping for clothes or shoes is already time consuming. I do get to do a quick walk around the beauty section at times but only manage to get 1 or 2 products, which is fine, though I miss just taking my time and going through everything I could see. 

Thankfully, I can do online shopping at BeautyMNL which saves me a whole lot of hassle from traffic and tight spaces at the mall especially during this time since Christmas is coming. 

If you didn't know, BeautyMNL the number one beauty site in the Philippines. The reason for this is because they are partnered with brands that you may have seen in and out of social media with all the products that are raved by beauty junkies as well as new brands to try out.

So, as you are entering the site, you can see the easy navigation of the website with their promos, top brands, best sellers, new arrivals and a navigation for the specifics like skin care, makeup, organic ones, accessories and so on. The site also has a price selection option which is very helpful if you're in a hurry but on a budget.

What I like best about browsing through their products is the reviews section. People who has bought these products rate and share their experiences on using it. This is very helpful when picking out which shade would look best and where and when is the product recommended to use for. Some lipsticks offer a photo of how each shade would look on different skin tones which is a must since not every shade will look the same for each person.

So for the shopping cart, it's pretty much on the top of the navigation bar which is convenient for when you need to edit out your cart and delete or add more things into it. Once you're done shopping, you can now proceed to checkout. There are different modes of payment that you could choose from like credit card payment or paypal, bank deposit or even a cash on delivery (though I rarely see this one).

So the waiting game begins! This is usually the most annoying part of online shopping since you would have to wait and wonder when will your order arrive. BeautyMNL has a tab where you could track your orders. You would be able to see if the payment has been received, when it's processing and when it's on its way plus an email notification when your order is shipped / with their courier and on its way to your shipping address.

I did my online shopping during December 09, 2016 (Friday), and usually they do next day delivery, but since it's the weekend, my order was delivered December 12, 2016 (Monday) which is pretty much the earliest day they could get it to my place. Pretty convenient and surprising since shipping at my place usually takes 2-3 working days for it to arrive.



A little disclosure, I've been personally handpicked by BeautyMNL to do a test run of their site.

List of the things that I got (Click the name for the direct link and prices to each of the products).

• Skin Genie: Lip and Cheek Stain Alive! in Christmas Red

I saw that these little things are selling like crazy! I was suppose to get 2 of them, the other one was Rosy Pink but it sold out before I even got to check out. I'm just so into Lip and Cheek tints lately that I'm so excited to try this out.

• Leaders InSolution: Derma Soul Anti-Sebum Mask with Pine Oil

Some Filipino and Korean Beauty gurus that I watch on youtube has raved about this face mask so I really wanted to try it out, but the location where you could buy this was way too far from my place so I'm actually happy that I was able to get this here and I got two.

• Beach Born Dry Shampoo

Okay, so to be honest, I'm all out of Dry Shampoo so I definitely needed one since I don't wash my hair every single day. This dry shampoo has been very well reviewed that I decided to try it out. 

• Nippon Pro Blend Sponge Cleaner

Makeup sponges are one of the things that I take so much time on cleaning and hopefully, this'll lessen the time I need to finish it up.

• Dearberry: Twinkle Lip Gloss

I haven't owned a lipgloss since 2013, and that was the year when "matte" was starting to make its way into the trend of lip products, long story short, I just got sucked in, loved matte lipsticks and never got a lip gloss until now. I remember loving how lip glosses looked on me before so I'm really excited to get back into using it again.

• Makeup World: Pucker Up Matte Lipstick in Dublin

I swear I get lured into buying lipsticks all the time. This one, I saw was really cheap and from a brand that I haven't heard of before. Most of the other shades were already sold out, I picked Dublin instead but hey, it still looks pretty.


So those are the items that I got and just so everyone knows, shipping is absolutely free until December 23, 2016! If you plan on doing some last minute Christmas shopping, now's your chance!

Also, if you are a selfie lover like me, BeautyMNL has a contest running for you to win a Printster polaroid of your pretty face and a PHP 200 BeautyMNL gift certificate. All you need to do is join BeautyMNL's #selfieMNL contest! Click here for the complete details.

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The Minimal Makeup

These days, the natural or no makeup-makeup look has been on trend. Why? Because it's easy on the eyes, minimal amount of products used but still brings out your features. Here I will be showing 2 products that helped me achieved that look

Celina Oil Free UV Block SPF 15 Powder Foundation
P200 @theclosetqueen 

Description:
Celina UV Block SPF 15 Oil Free Powder Foundation
(Refill only; doesn't come with puff and mirror)
*For firm, smooth, and bright skin
*With smooth fine texture 
*Contains sunscreen 
*No mixture of oil
*Comes in 3 different shades: No.1 (light), No. 2 (medium - Best Seller!), No. 3 (dark).
Product of Thailand
14 grams
NOW Php200
SMS/Viber 09173931933

Verdict:
Now, I'm not usually a powder foundation lover and always goes for the liquid foundation ones because... no reason really, I just find them easy to blend on my skin. This however, applied like a powder on my face. I was pretty scared at first since I thought that it isn't like a foundation. The coverage is pretty minimal so you would have to rely on a bit of concealer. After using this product for 5 days everyday, I could really see that it does live up to it's name since my face was pretty much oil free throughout the day or atleast 5-6 hours and knowing me, I get oily after an hour or 2 so I was actually surprised by this. 

Terra Cotta Blusher
P280 @theclosetqueen

Description:
LDM Paris Terracotta Blusher
Brightens the face with its silky pearlized finish. Dab on the cheeks, brow bone, nose, whichever part of your face you want to highlight.
10 g
Php280
Text/Viber 09173931933

Verdict:
This really didn't look like a blush to me but a highlighter. So I used this one for that purpose and it does give a good shine to my skin. If you've seen some Korean models who just has this smooth looking shiny skin, this product actually gives an almost identical look to you. It's super easy to apply on your skin and blend. The only con I would have to say about this is that while it does sink into your makeup, it disappears after 3 hours or based on my experience. Still, it isn't hard to reapply some shine since the packaging is travel friendly a.k.a. you can put in inside your purse and whip it out when you need to without worrying of it making a mess. 

Putting a really thin eyeliner and not  natural looking brows with a nude lipstick does complete this whole look and makes anyone's tired looking face look more awake and natural. Not too overdone but not undone, a look that would bring out your natural features up for appreciation. 

And yes, the puffy eyes game is real since I've been binge watching drama all day for 2 days. So if you have any suggestions, leave a comment down below if you know any shows or movies you think I would like.

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Disclosure: These products were sent to me by Miss Malou of theclosetqueen shop on instagram for free but the opinions are based on my own experience for this honest review. 

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Personalized Touch: Myriad Print Concepts

Wondering what to get for your loved ones but still wanting to have that  personalized touch? Check these babies out! 

Myriad Print Concepts is an online store that accepts custom prints for whichever bag or pouch that you'd like. They do have a bazaar on December 12-13 at Ayala Alabang Village so be sure to check them out if you want to see these bags in person. 

I received these two today and these are the Myriad Pouch. It says "Something to blog about" in Rose gold text. They're pretty tiny and I could've done the design a little bit bigger so that's something to take note of and yes, you could design whatever you want. Be it colored or black and white. Just make sure that the background is white of course if you would want that "transparent effect".

I got this little pouch for my mom for when she arrives in the Philippines this December. A perfect little present with my own personal message. *Hopefully she doesn't sees this post of mine - But I kinda know that she won't since she's really busy atm*

Ordering or contacting them was pretty easy since they do reply as soon as they can. I first reached out to them through direct message on Instagram and sent my design through Viber.

My orders had a little problem or delay with the delivery due to their machine that they use for printing had a minor defect but I'm thankful that they're pretty hands on with the clients and update them for certain things like these with the day it was shipped out or will be shipped out and when you should be expecting it to arrive or if you'll need a specific date for when you want it to be delivered. 

Prices: 

Including the design & Shipping fee will be added:

POUCH - P60 ($1.27)

TOTE BAG - P220 ($4.65)

DRAWSTRING BAG - P200 ($4.23)

So if you wanna check them out yourself, follow them on Instagram or on their page on Facebook.  Hope that you found this useful if you are curious about this brand or if you just want some gift ideas. Comment down below for any more questions, suggestions or requests and subscribe if you haven't already. 

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FTC: This post is not sponsored. I bought the items myself with my honest review for this post.

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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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Life Update

Hello everybody!

So it is finally August, time moves so fast. It feels like just yesterday I was celebrating new year's with my brother and a party with my neighbors. Now it's suddenly my birth month! I will be turning 21 this Wednesday, August 5th. I'm not really planning anything spectacular for that day, I'll just probably head out with my brother to eat and go to church, maybe watch a movie too.

I have also been not posting for awhile and now I would change that because I have a list on what I expect my blog to be and also new content for me to try and do. I really love blogging and eventhough I don't post as much, I still find myself reading other people's blogs which still keeps me on track.

I am also currently still working on a book that I'm writing and hopefully (not that sure yet), I'll be able to put it out for everybody to read. I have also gained a lot of weight from being as lazy as I am and now, I wanna start getting back on track and continue my dream of becoming fit. I'm currently looking at exercise bikes too and would most likely get one within this week or next week since I already have my options and just deciding which one I would get and I will be posting all about it once I have it delivered and tested out.

As for online games, I just recently announced to my guild mates and friends that I have finally quit playing Dragon Nest Sea and would move on to another game. The reason being is not because that I'm really busy but because I've been playing that game for quite a long time, like I was 17 when I started then I'm now turning 21. I practically grew up in that game with all my other guild members that was a lot like my virtual family. I think that I finally got tired of its repetitive-ness every cap having to start with absolutely 0 but nonetheless, it still has one of the most amazing gameplays especially on PVP which makes you have a hard time picking out another game that would compare to the experience this game has given you. My guildies and me do stay in contact and we are discussing what games we should play all together again which is kind of hard since everybody pretty much has different opinions on games that they wanna try out so I doubt that we would all end up on a single game. But some people are willing to try out another game with me which we are currently waiting for the open beta and that is Tree Of Savior. It's an MMO on steam and many people describes it as something quite similar to the 1st Ragnarok game. I however have not ever played ragnarok (Except for the mobile game) and have high expectations towards this game because of all the hype that's circling around it. As for mobile games, I'm on and off playing Toram Online, another MMO Rpg game which actually surprised me that it is so different. It's 3d and open world, the graphics are good too and it's easy to play. Although, it does have issues with other mobile users because it keeps on crashing after you create a character. Another mobile game is Heroes Of Order And Chaos. I have been playing this game for years, it is a tower-defense sort of game and it reminds me a lot of League Of Legends. It does help entertain me when I have nothing else to do and I don't know, it's just a chill game that I like.

For T.V. shows or series, nothing new, I'm still watching Pretty Little Liars (No spoilers! I Promise!) and yes I am very much updated and have also been guilty of rewatching it all over again right from season 1. Can't believe it will only be 2 episodes until the summer finale. I'll be able to watch the next episode on my birthday which I am so excited about  and yes in case any of you are wondering, PLL premiers every Wednesday here in the Philippines just a few minutes after most of you have watched in on a Tuesday ( Took me awhile to figure out all the time difference). I am also currently watching out for some new shows that I would like so if there are any suggestions, do tell me.

I'm also really thinking about putting some blonde highlights on my hair, kind of like a balayage style. Last month was the 1st time that I ever colored my own hair and now I am feeling so confident to play with it. So we will see if I do go through with it.

And yea, I guess that is it and I'm really thinking about what post I should make on my birthday. I have some options already so it may not be just a single post. I'll see what I can do and I will be heading out soon and getting some new beauty products to try out and some new clothes because I have literally been wearing the same comfy stuff all the time and I should probably get new ones that actually flatter my new body shape and still feel comfortable in. I don't know why but my body constantly keeps changing sizes like last year I was super thin and now I got curves, I like either way although sometimes its getting hard to pick out some clothes. Well, whatever I'll enjoy and flaunt the curves I have now before it disappears again (if it will, I don't know).

 Hope that everybody would have an amazing August!

Thanks for reading and until the next blog,

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What I learned from online gaming

Online gaming. I've tried all sorts of these and have only stuck with a few for a while. I'm not a gaming pro or addict but I had a time where gaming was my only "me time" or where it was a place a lot nicer than reality. So I'm gonna list down what I learned all throughout my years of playing all sorts of games and why I think it'll apply with real life circumstances. 

1. Approaching or talking to someone will never hurt you. 

In real life, I always thought that I can't possibly talk to someone due to their popularity or status as you may say because I fear that I may get ignored or be ridiculed. After having to play some games for awhile that involved me engaging with other players, it taught me that having the courage to talk to someone not only lets you get to know the other person, but also makes you have connections. You gain a friend and if you talk to them nicely or introduce yourself appropriately then I see no problem that things would go well. First impressions do last at some point.

2. Having to work hard for what you want.

Whether it'll be practicing your player vs player moves or "farming" for the amount of gold or money in game that would allow you to buy the things you desire is the key to survive in the game. I think from every MMO I played, I was always a hardcore farmer that people would always ask me if I top up or load up using real money to get my items in game. I just told them that I find farming to be the core part of the game and I feel more satisfied doing it. Every step I do in farming helps me to learn more about the game and have more control over my character or hero.

3. Learning the history of whatever game your in, helps you to predict what will or may happen in the future.

Games with an awesome storyline always gets me to enjoy the game even more because besides the fact that it's entertaining, they give you clues on what to expect after you've played for awhile and what you think will be the outcome of the current things that you do in the game. 

4. Be a good follower to become a good leader.

On one of the games that I play, I am a guild master and have lead my guild for quite some time now. I had some success and failures with doing so but I guess I managed to do it because I'm more of my member's friend than their leader. Whenever I make decisions involving our guild, I always make sure that 90% of my members will benefit or agree from it. With that, I think that my guild is pretty successful because they follow your example and agree to work together not just as a team but as a family. 

5. Don't bother with the haters.

Whether your intentions are good or bad, there are just some people who would turn your good intentions around and feel as if you are targeting or attacking them. Having to manage my own guild, I dealt with people who overthink the things I do without understanding my part. With that, I had quite a good amount of people hating me and leaving my guild (some of them I've kicked for their bad attitudes or their passive-aggressiveness). I experienced some of the world chat wars attacking me and I think my only mistake in all of that was answering them back. I have a pretty smart-ass mouth when it comes to situations like that and I could honestly tell you that it never helped and only made things worse. You can't please anyone, so I'd rather you just enjoy the people you have by your side than to deal with those people who hates you for your being. 

6. Don't take your anger from real life to another person who did nothing to you in game.

a.k.a. Trashtalking. I've seen this happen way more than I should. I've also did this and became a victim of it. You came in the game to enjoy and play but then you pollute your environment with problems that shouldn't even be there in the 1st place which causes you and the people playing around you to be out of the mood and bother your gameplay. This just isn't right because being in the game you want to distract yourself and actually do something you want willingly, just play and if you don't feel like talking then don't. I'm sure your friends ingame or team mates would understand. I think this also applies to the work field, learn to separate each of these and this will ensure you to do a better job with the task you are doing.

7. Communication is what makes relationships work.

Being really friendly in the games I play, I gained a lot of friends that are possibly the best human beings in the world. They are the people who you could talk about almost anything and they listen and share their similar experiences too. They may not be in the same country as you but it feels like you guys see each other everyday because of the communication you put into your friendship.

8. Get to know someone before you trust them. 

I have become a victim of this. Whether a person is wanting to scam money from you, hack your account, a catfish (a.k.a. those guys pretending to be a girl or vice versa) or a spy. Yeap, I've had some cases where there was a spy on our guild and the catfish, well I guess you could say that some of them would just want to be really close with other real girls or scamming other guys with their money. I went to a point where I became a bit overboard with getting to know people I'm becoming close to, like if they say they're a girl, me and my best friend in the game would make sure if they're telling the truth and I could tell you, I think we found way too much catfish than we could count. And scammers, these are I think the people who have the most patience. They invest their time on you, pretending that you are their friend but in the end, all they want is your money. I know a lot of people who became a victim of these and I just don't know what to say everytime but just be careful next time.

9. There are just some things that you can't un-know.

So you gained a group of friends that you play with everyday, awesome right? But sometimes... you just think you know somebody and yet you figure things out way deeper about what their motives are. You feel betrayed and track back all the things you said to each other and start to question them. I know someone who had a sudden identity crisis from being a victim of the catfish thing (yes, it happens) and became a mad person about it. You think and think and just couldn't come up with some sort of reason why they think hiding it or being someone they're really not would lessen the chance of being friends with you. I get that I may read on some parts way more dramatically, but I guess I'm just concerned because I invested way too much time with them that I feel that I deserved some truth. Or maybe, it's not about you and you know something that you think the other person should know but you don't have any idea how to even say it, I guess that is what messes you up too. I suggest that if you can't handle the truth, then don't go looking for it.

10. The virtual world is real life too.

I guess being able to play these games and having friends that are in the same country or location as you, you gain real life friends too. I found my 1st ever virtual to reality friend 3 years ago in the game. We met up and just instantly became good friends. We're still friends today and I have been so thankful ever since. She helped me with a lot and became who I am today. I just couldn't imagine my life without a friend like her. After awhile, I gained more and more virtual to reality friends that I met up and hanged out almost every month. It's crazy but they became a blessing to me. I love them all so much. Just remember that before you meet up with them, make sure you are also being careful and that you know you could trust them. There is no harm in being safe. 

11. Meeting your boyfriend / girlfriend from a game is also real love.

I know some people who just doesn't believe in this but after seeing my friend's relationship become one of the strongest that I know of, I think that it is possible and there's just isn't no harm about it. I can't explain it but whenever I see my friends who has relationships from the game, I see a deep connection between them that I think other normal couples don't. I'm not saying that people who have relationships that didn't start in the game aren't real, I'm just saying that relationships that are found virtually is also equal to reality ones, especially when they did meet up and end up together. 

Okay, so I honestly think that I could go on and on about what I learned from online gaming because the experiences are just endless. I do have some friends who don't play online games and whenever they ask why do I like playing so much, I just smile and say I don't even know where to begin. Some of these experiences has helped me to be more open minded and also carry these lessons to my everyday life. I never regret spending so much time in gaming because I loved and love every second of it because of the people I play with and who I became. 

Thanks for taking time in reading this and if you got stories that you wanna share from gaming, comment them down below because I do wanna know! Same thing if you have suggestions or questions just don't hesitate to comment. 

Until the next blog!

♥

Joyce

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