Beauty Run at Watsons & Beauty Bar

I don't know about you, but for whatever reason whenever I'm out at the mall and doing some shopping, I always leave out the necessities aka basic things that I need everyday. So, I made a beauty necessities run at Watsons and Beautybar a few days ago. I then realized that I want to share what I typically get whenever I go to these shops, plus the new things I wanted to try out.

• Carmex

PHP 149.75 Watsons

I recently emptied out my Carmex lip balm which I use whenever I feel like my lips are chapping. It does its job whenever I put it on, it moisturizes and helps my lips restore itself to make it look and feel smooth. It's an easy solution for me whenever I'm having a hard time managing my chapped lips, so I just keep grabbing a new one whenever I empty the one I've been using. 

• Kojie san sleeveless READY deodorant

PHP 99.50 Watsons

I haven't really found a staple deodorant that I like or stick to, so I'm just trying out new things here and there. That time at Watsons was the first time that I saw this product, I'm familiar with the brand because I always see their soap but I never saw a deodorant. It says that this deodorant offers anti-perspirant, anti-bacterial, lightening and has 48 hours odor and wetness protection. This product smells a lot like soap that isn't overpowering and it feels lightweight on my underarms, like it isn't sticky at all. I would have to test it out a few more times to see if I really like it.

• Gatsby Powdered Oil Clear paper

Watsons

This one I feel like is a no brainer for me. I depend a lot on my oil control sheets every time I'm out of the house. I usually go for the normal oil control sheets of Gatsby but when I saw this which is the "powdered" version, I just wanted to try it out. From what I experienced based on the three times I used it, it isn't powdery but when I pat this on my face, it looks like I applied a really small amount of baby powder and it prevented my face from getting oily again for a few hours. So far I like it but then again I would have to test it out more just to make sure.

• St. Ives Fresh Skin Apricot Cleanser

PHP 199 Watsons

I was browsing through the face section of Watsons because I needed a new cleanser but I wanted to try something new and I was surprised to see that St. Ives has a cleanser. I didn't hesitate to get it for myself because the St. Ives apricot scrub makes my skin look and feel really smooth. When I got home, I did realize that this cleanser has some beads in it and it says on the back of the product that it is recommended to use for 3-4 days in a week, so this wouldn't really be an everyday cleanser. I've used it once and so far it made my skin really smooth, but I'll be using it a bit more just to make sure if I do like it and decide when I'll be using it.

• Penshoppe Sexy Shimmer Body Spray

PHP 199 Watsons

 Okay, so maybe this wasn't really a necessity but I like taking random photos and I have some ideas that may involve me needing this product. I have yet to try it and I'm excited to see how it will turn out in photos and in person. Nothing really much to say about this other than I am kind of obsessing with shimmery, dewy looks so we'll see if this product would let me achieve that. 

• Hollywood Fashion Tape

PHP 650 BeautyBar 

I am always struggling with my clothes not staying in place. I have used countless of pins, hair ties or whatever I need just to keep my clothes from revealing too much than what I have wanted. I get that I could just change and wear something different if I have such problems with the clothes that I wear, but sometimes I just need or really want to wear something and feel 100% confident and safe in it. I feel that this would help with that, so I picked it up and I will make a more in depth review of this so stay tuned for that one. 

• Happy Skin Express Gel Polish

PHP 249 BeautyBar 

In the past few months, I have not changed my nail color. I always choose my 2 go-to nail colors and I feel like I wanted a change of shade so I tested some gel nail polishes from Happy skin because they look really pretty and can be used without having to have a UV lamp. The shade I picked is Dreamer and it still kinda looks similar to what I typically wear, but still different. Also making a review of this soon but here's a sneak peek:

What are your go-to beauty necessities that you always pick up and restock on?


Disclaimer: I am in no way sponsored by any brands or companies mentioned in this post.

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Cathy Doll Picks!

Lately, I've been discovering more and more products that I love from Cathy Doll. I always loved using Korean products because they probably give the best results for my skin. Whether we admit it or not, Koreans (atleast, most of whom I've seen) has amazing skin, so why not try out products that are Korean inspired?


To start things off, I am in no way sponsored or have been sent these products to review or test out. I purchased all of them with my own money due to curiosity and in need of a new skin care product and makeup.

• Acne Solution Serum Foam Cleanser

PHP 299 at SM Megamall 

I've been using this product the longest out of all of these so I could definitely say that it has worked wonders for me. I started out using the sachet version because a) I wanted to test out the product first if it would irritate my skin or not and b) because they didn't sell the larger or tube version at first. I bought like 3 of the sachets to use for 2 and a half weeks just to see a hint of results, by then I felt that my skin has been feeling and looking okay with this and at the same time, they started selling the bigger version so, I immediately bought it. The saleslady that was assisting me at that time told me that this is a cleanser and toner in one, so I wouldn't have to worry about using an additional product as a toner after using this.   

• So Happy Berry Yogurt Peeling Gel

PHP 499 at Robinsons Department Store in Robinsons Antipolo 

This was actually a product that I was kind of iffy about buying due to its price and how fast I'll probably go through it. So again, I tried using the sachet version which I bought from the same place, it costed about PHP 49 (more or less) for a single one. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the sachet is good for one use only since it doesn't exactly have a seal and it doesn't contain a whole lot of product inside. 

So, when using it, you apply it all over your face by doing a circular motion with your hands. This tends to remove some inactive skin cells from your face (you will actually see and feel it falling), and this happens quite quickly so I'd rather you do it on the sink in your bathroom to avoid the mess it's going to make. After that, you just rinse it and your done. After using it, you would notice that your skin looks brighter and feels smoother. I would say that it is worth the price since you only need a small amount every time and I only use it twice or a maximum of 3 times a week depending on how my skin feels.

• 99% Aloe Vera & Snail Serum Soothing Gel

PHP 199 at Robinsons Department Store in Robinsons Antipolo 

I'm not exactly sure if this is a new release, but I haven't really seen this before. If I did, I probably skipped it due to the fact that snails actually give me the creeps but hey, curiosity lead me into buying this when I first saw it. But anyway, my skin has been going through a weird phase wherein sometimes I have really oily skin, but then a few weeks later, I'll suffer from very dry skin. To be honest, I don't know why, probably due to my diet or lack of sleep, I've yet to find out. Due to my experience with the 2 skin care products from this line, I decided to browse through the Cathy doll stall again and I saw this which wasn't really there when I last visited. It says that this product can be used as a skin moisturizer anytime your skin is feeling dry. So, that's what got me interested, since I needed a decent moisturizer and my skin was definitely feeling dry at that time. Also, the price isn't all that bad compared to the last 2 that I bought. I now use this for my face all the time because I could actually feel that it's working, like my skin is definitely moisturized and the stickiness of this product after putting it on your face lasts only a few minutes until it sets in and gives a smooth finish. I only use about 2 pea size amounts on my face so, I guess this would last me a little bit longer than expected.

• AA Matte Powder Cushion Oil Control SPF 50 PA +++

PHP 449 at SM Megamall

*Price not exactly sure since I keep seeing different prices online, but yes I only bought it for 449 a few weeks ago.  

This is the newest product that I decided to try on their line. If you're a beauty junkie like I am, you've probably heard of this cushion foundation that almost everybody is trying out. Seriously though, it is quite a trend since it's practically a foundation, concealer and powder all in one because it has coverage and sets by itself. Also, it has SPF which means you don't have to worry about putting on sunscreen especially when you're a person who is practically always on the go. I have been researching about good cushion foundations and have decided on trying out some other brand, though I was going back and forth if I should buy it or not especially when the price range is above a thousand pesos (what if I won't like it right?). I again, browsed through the Cathy Doll stall to see more products that they have and I stumbled upon this. First of all, I like that it said Matte on it because my skin honestly handles being dewy on its own most of the time so, matte has been a perfect choice for me. It also says that it is an AA Powder cushion. On the box, it says that this product includes the 9 effects of AA which are auto aura, whitening, moisturizing, covering blemish, cooling, sun protection, oil control, quick step using, tone correcting, that are all of which, what most of us are looking for when buying products similar to this. Second, the price was what I considered reasonable since comparing it to the other brand that I first saw, it is a lot cheaper.  

Top: No makeup, Bottom: With AA Cushion Powder (Just used my Cathy Doll Eyelash Curler, more details below)

So, I tried it and I have to say that it covered all of my insecurities and problems on my face. I have spent less time doing my makeup due to this because it means less time for blending, concealing and setting. It didn't fade throughout the day as I feared that it would, but even if it did, I wouldn't really have a problem of reapplying it since it doesn't crease or have signs of product build up. I also noticed that I don't feel my face getting all greased up in the middle of the day when I use this, so I could definitely say that this is perfect for people who has oily skin. 

• Eyelash Curler

PHP 179 at Robinsons Department Store in Robinsons Antipolo.

Okay, I get it, some of you may think that Eyelash curlers are easy to find since they're practically everywhere which are much cheaper or more expensive. Hear me out, I've been using cheap eyelash curlers for awhile and I always experience pressing into my eyelashes too much that my lashes either breaks or falls out. I never really looked into that too much, but I decided to pick this one up since I thought that I may need a new one since I lost my extra curler a few weeks ago. I could definitely tell the difference from my PHP 18 eyelash curler that I got at a store near my place. This one from Cathy Doll felt like I wasn't pressing into my lashes too hard and I didn't need to do it over and over again for my lashes to follow. Another addition to that is, I haven't experienced my lashes falling out like I've witnessed from using my cheap curlers. This also includes one replacement rubber pad for when you want to change the ones that are already placed into the curler. 

What are your favorite products from Cathy Doll that you would recommend me to try out? Don't forget to tell me what other lines of products that you're interested for me to give my top picks on down on the comment box.

Check out more of Cathy Doll HERE.

Disclaimer: These are my personal picks from this brand that are based on what I've tried so far and what I would actually recommend people to test out themselves. But please do remember that our skins are different, some things will work for me and maybe not so much for you and vice versa, so I would also advise you to do your research first if you are curious about a certain product. 

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Product Empties | August 2015

Hello everybody! I think that it has been awhile since I last posted a product empties entry so now I managed to finish up some products until the very last drop and write about my experience on using all of them. I do wanna say that not all the products I have here are what I actually like and I just finished it because I didn't really wanna waste it and also because I wanted to make sure of what I experience and think about the specific product. 

For bath / shower products...

First off is the Tresemme Expert Selection Platinum Strength Shampoo. P125 ($2.67). I had really high expectations for this product all because I keep seeing all these girls that recommend these have such fabulous hair ( I know, I shouldn't really believe everything I hear) and this didn't really do anything amazing for me, I do like the scent though and it lasts for awhile on my head (unless I'm sweating the whole day ofcourse) but anything else, I think its a nah /  meh for me. I would still try out other Tresemme products in the future because I do really wanna prove myself wrong.

If there's a shampoo, there is a conditioner. Herbal Essences Color Me Happy Conditioner. I think for the size of this product, it costs around P210 ($4.49). Alright, so this is the product that I really love. Most of the time, I have colored hair and I always used to have problems with maintaining my hair color and when I used this, my hair color lasted for awhile, some little ones have faded but not at all noticeable. So if you ever have colored hair and is looking for a conditioner for it, I highly recommend this product and I would repurchase it again soon and would also wanna try out the Shampoo version of this if there is any because whenever I go out and look for it, I only see the conditioner. Also, it has a lovely scent that I'm kinda addicted to.

For Skin care...

Next product, St. Ives Blemish Control Green Tea Gel Cleanser. Forgot how much this costs, but more or less P299 ($6.40). I think I have been using this product for quite awhile now and just managed to finish it recently. I really wanted to like this product because of all the positive reviews I keep seeing, but sadly, it didn't really work that well for me. I have no idea why but whenever I use this, I keep having these little pimples on my face and also, I find this pretty difficult to use because of how painful it is on my skin. Maybe it's just me, but I loved their scrubs, just not this cleanser.

The iWhite Nose Pack. P18 ($0.39). Me and my brother has finished a ton of these little sachets for the past few months. Being as cheap at it is, I think that it is definitely worth the investment. It does it's job which is to remove the blackheads and also tightens up the pores. It also isn't that much painful to remove. I actually gave 1 sachet to my friend and she also loved this product that I think she is now buying some of her own. 1 sachet, for me lasts until 4-5 uses, it isn't resealable but it's fine even if I leave it in my drawer just like that, just make sure that there's no excess product dripping from the packaging. Speaking of excess product, the only down side from this is how messy the application is but yeap, comparing it to it's price I think that it isn't too bad. So if you see this around, do try them out.

For Scent..

I have the Guess Seductive Perfume. This was actually a gift from my mom and she got it from Israel so I'm not sure how much she got this for. Not gonna lie, at first I was pretty reluctant to use this because I seem to think that the scent is quite different than how I'm used to. It doesn't smell bad, but it kinda reminded me of being on pageants and the atmosphere just practically reeks of this scent, but the good kind not the hairspray everywhere kind. But when I did start to use it frequently, I do experience random people asking me what scent am I using or trying to guess it with other brand names.It isn't my holy grail perfume, but I still like it for a professional or meeting someone kind of day. So yea, another recommendation from me and I would actually repurchase this again when I can (and if I have the money).

For Makeup...

I have just recently finished up my Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow Foundation and I just have the travel sized one from a package that I bought back in May. For me, having oily skin, I didn't quite enjoy this product after awhile. It does provide a good amount of coverage, but having it to battle against the humid weather in the Philippines, it's kind of a disaster. I did a more in depth review on this product HERE if you guys wanted to know more of it.






Last product is my Benefit Roller Lash Mascara.  P1,700 ($36.37). If you have been reading my blog for awhile, you would know that I practically raved about this product so much because of how good this actually is. The only downside I have for this product is the price. Being someone who doesn't go out or need to put on makeup every single day, I think that this isn't that worth it for me. And if you haven't known by now, mascaras only tend to last for about 2-3 months before they expire, so having to keep using this once I opened it was quite a struggle because I got that feeling where I don't wanna use it all up too fast because of how expensive it is and then there's I have to finish up this mascara soon or I'll waste my money that I used to get this. Putting it in the fridge does help to lengthen the days where it won't expire, but still, if you are more of a budget friendly beauty junkie, I wouldn't really suggest you to get this. But if you are, and if you do love to put on makeup most of the time, then I can assure you that you will not regret this product. I have a more in depth review on this product HERE just incase you need to learn more about this mascara.

So that is it for my Product Empties and I hope that you guys have found this useful. Also, do comment below for any more questions involving these products or if you have any other suggestions that are quite similar to what I've shown you that you'd think would work well or better. 

Thanks for reading and until the next blog!

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