You'll be seeing a lot of makeup features here in the next couple of days. That and Lookbook.  I'll try to squeeze in a Burp Guide post or maybe another Just In once I'm done with the photos.

I'm a little busy with work-related things and on top of that, I'm trying to allot more time for our shop.  Gaaaah!  It's so difficult to juggle work, business, blog and other personal responsibilities.  My enemy?  Time.  Have you experienced this as well?  Any tips how to manage time more effectively?  So stressful.

I wanna finish the reviews for all products I bought from my last The Face Shop little haul, so I could start with the lippie post marathon.  Stay tuned for that!

Featuring today, my current mascara!

I'm not picky when it comes to mascara.  How about you?  As long as it makes my lashes thick and long enough, it's fine.  I'll survive.  And yea, let's add, "as long as it's not expensive" - that's important!  HAHA!  I'm also not fond of waterproof type because it tends to make the hair brittle when applied daily.  So, water-resistant is better if you'd ask me.


This one from The Face Shop is called All About Mascara No. 03 or also known as, Power Volume.  It's 3 other siblings are named Base (01), Clear (02) and Power Curling (04).  Pretty straightforward.  No explanation needed.  I guess getting the first two is not necessary (it's up to you).

I love the simple packaging but most importantly, the design of the lid is a nice idea.  It somehow snaps when you close it.  That way, you'll be 100% sure that it's tightly sealed.  I mentioned this because as we all know, this product hates "air exposure" and you'll definitely hate yourself more once you found out that it's all dried up after leaving it open.  Tsktsk.  Has it happened to your dearest mascara before?


The applicator looks like a regular spoolie with short bristles.  I haven't encountered any troubles transferring the product to my lashes specially when getting in between them.  The formula is not too heavy even if this mascara focuses on giving volume.  It's also not too watery, so it won't slip and slide throughout the day.  I have used this many times and so far, I haven't encountered any smudges.  Minimal fallout, yes, but still, not enough to make you look like a zombie.


I did a little "smudge-test" the other day and it passed.  HAHA!  I tried splashing water on my face and then, rubbed it gently.  I noticed that some came off and landed on my under eye area.  If it comes into contact with water, it won't budge.  It might just feel a little heavier though (if that makes sense) and somehow, the lashes sticks together.  If you rub it, you must get your mirror after and you might see a panda.  HOHO!

It's really water-resistant.  I'm not sure though if it's tear and rain resistant too.


It's not available in other colors aside from black.

Time to show you the before and after photos!


My lonely and unnoticeable lashes became perky and more visible after applying Power Volume!  See that?!


I love how it clings to my lower lashes!  It makes them appear longer!  That's the trick if you want to open up your eyes more and make them look bigger.  It surely looks good with white, silver or rose gold eyeliner on your waterline.

• Price
• Packaging
• Gives length and volume - could pass as falsies!  HAHA!
• Formula
• Available in washable/water-resistant
• Doesn't smudge easily
• The brush can get in between lashes making application super easy
• Once dried, stays in place all day - YES, ALL DAY!
• Lifts the lashes
• Doesn't feel heavy
• Works well even with lower lashes
• 1 coat is enough to see the effect
• Minimal fallout

Thanks to Kris for lending me his phone! I was able to restore my photos and now, I can share a Burp Guide post.  Let's make this one simple and sweet (like crepes!).

It's my new fave because of two things. One, their perfect batter - not so thin, not so thick, chewy and soft at the same time.  Ooh, sweet heaven!  And two, their Japanese soft ice cream.  So addicting!


They also serve pastries, cakes, smoothies and many more.



We tried Banana Almond and paid an extra for the ice cream.



What do you think?



your sweetest drug,

I'll act like I didn't lose my phone.  Nothing happened.  Move on.  T_T

Today, I'll share to you a skin care DIY I recently discovered.  But before I start, let me remind you that this might work differently on everyone, so I suggest you to try applying on a very small area first to see if you'll get irritation or breakout.

The star of this DIY...

Baking soda or sodium bicarbonate is an all-around chemical used in cleaning, cooking, deodorizing, personal care, etc.  TLGO.  It's a household necessity mainly because of it's endless list of purposes.  And this orange box right here?  For sure, it's very familiar.

According to a website, it helps regulate pH (potential of hydrogen).  This means that, it will keep something neither too acidic nor too alkaline.  In simple terms, when pH level is balanced, it's neutral and natural.  

Relating this to our skin, a typical healthy skin has a slight acidic pH level 5.5.  If you have dry skin, you have a high pH level (alkaline).  For oily skin, it's the opposite - very low pH level (acidic).  Now, this level gets imbalanced sometimes because of the food we consume, too much sun exposure, stress and many more.  Both conditions can result to acne, wrinkles, aging and other blemishes.

If you feel that your skin is getting a little bit out of control, too dry or too oily, try this simple and cheap remedy.  This will help you bring back the balance and at the same time, thoroughly cleanse your face without being too abrasive.


You have 2 options.  Actually, 3.  The first one is mixing it with water and the other one, with your gentle facial wash (example, Cetaphil).  As option 3, you can also use honey, lemon and any other natural ingredient.  I prefer option B.


The ratio is usually 1:1.  However, you can change this depending on the consistency you prefer.

 
It's really a great exfoliator.  I use it 2 to 3 times a week.  I'm not sure though if it's okay to use it daily.  It feels like a typical facial scrub, but it's finer so it won't harshly rub your skin.


I haven't encountered any breakout yet.  My chin is pimple-prone, just the small ones though and so far, only one or two pop out unlike before.  As for the oiliness, my skin is oily to combination type and I still get a shiny t-zone after several hours.  Still the same.

One remarkable thing I noticed after including this to my skin care routine is the lesser number of clogged pores on the sides of my nose.  I still got several on top though.  Tsk!  Just to clarify, I still use my whitening soap, iWhite Moisturizing Facial Wash and The Body Shop Tea Tree Squeaky Clean Scrub.  I've been bouncing between all these 3, plus iWhite Facial Wash + Baking Soda combination.  For the toner, I use The Body Shop Seaweed Clarifying Toner.

I'm not sure which one is loving my skin the most, but definitely, this combo works for me (so far).  Not to mention the chilly weather lately and my cooperating hormones.  HAHA!

Go and find this superb orange box in your kitchen!  Most likely, it's in the compartment in your refrigerator door.  It's fave spot.  HAHA!

Try this DIY!  BUT again remember, stop using if your skin reacts differently.

Good luck!




your sweetest drug,

Time to show you guys the first item from my little haul from The Face Shop.  First, this brow tint/mascara.

Ever since I bought this product, I then realized how much I actually needed it.  I mean, given the fact that I'm not good with grooming my brows, it's really a life saver because it doesn't just tame them, it also adds color and dimension.

I always use eye shadow powder to fill in my brows just because it's super easy for me and it looks natural.  Well, mine are not too thin and not too thick.  But some of the strands are concentrated in the middle area, so I still need to fill in both sides.


I was really surprised when I saw the price.  It's affordable enough, right?  Like I said, I'm not yet ready to spend at least a thousand pesos for a brow tint (well, actually for all makeup HAHA!) so this is perfect!  I know Etude House has this product too.  If you don't care about the price tag, go for Benefit or MAC.

It's called Color My Eye Brow and comes in 2 colors.  This one is darker.  About the mustache looking logo, I'm not sure about that.  HIHI!


As you can see, the formula is almost the same with mascara.  Even the applicator.  No special techniques needed.  Just brush it on.  What I normally do is that, I start from the bottom and brush (wiggle-motion) upwards.  That way, you can really transfer the product on your brows.

TIP: Remove the excess by sliding it in and out of the lid.  Remember to brush gently then blend it after.  You can also use a clean spoolie brush to apply more pressure and for a more even application without layering on more product.  You can just use your clear mascara's brush - no need to buy a separate one.


A closer look.  The strands are actually longer on one side and almost flat on the other.  That way, you can reach every hair.  But both works anyway.  :)


Here's the swatch.  In natural lighting, your brows will look lighter and the tint will really stand out.  Time to show you the before and after photos.


Sorry for my not-so-clean looking brows.  HAHA!  Truth is, I wasn't able to apply the powder properly because I was in a hurry, so everything's uneven.  :(


Take note, it might look different with gel or wax.  So, I suggest that you just try it.


I prefer full and natural-looking brows at all times.  Less effort.


You can also apply it alone if you really want to make your brows appear lighter.

It's not waterproof, but it stays all day unless you remove it with water or wet tissue.  The formula doesn't feel heavy and it won't make your brows stiff.


See the difference?  I think I made them a little too thick here.  HAHA!


Well-groomed brows are indeed important. They complete the look and frame your eyes/face.  I even know a few who couldn't leave the house without fixing them.  They will choose brows over bra!  :P

I recommend this for first-timers with brow mascara/tint.  It's easy to apply and blend.  However, The Face Shop doesn't have this in many shades, so you'll have to work with either (dark/light).

I'm so happy to have tried this!

Like The Face Shop Philippines on Facebook for more updates.

Before I end this, here's another tip.  "They should look like sisters, NOT twins!" - Michelle Phan

Good luck!



What do you think?



your sweetest drug,

Noticed something????  Something has changed, right???  As you can see, my blog had a makeover.  I'm in love with this new look!  Clean and more readable (I think).  HAHA!  But you can still spot a few errors.  I'll work on that later.  What do you think?

Last weekend, I suddenly felt the urge to change my layout.  After a couple of hours of searching for a template, I finally found my dream blog design (so far).  And after more hours of tweaking the CSS and HTML, I've finally managed to apply my own arrangements and style.  Gaaaaah!  I swear!  I didn't know what to do with the code!  I'm not a PRO.  Luckily, I figured it out later on.

Actually, it looks very similar to the previous one, but this time, I added a "Looped Slider" to show the photos of my recent posts.  It will also direct you to the full content with just a click.

Nuff with that topic.  Now, let me share the stuff for today's Just In post.  Can you spot a product below?

It's a bit funny because I didn't personally buy any of these.  The makeup bag, it's contents and makeup brushes are gifts.  The 2 lipsticks, however are owned by my tita and cousin.  Borrowed them for me to try for a couple of days.



At first look, it might seem like a normal pouch.  But wait til you open it!


Tada!  A detachable cover which can be used as an additional storage.

It's a brush compartment, but it can also hold other makeup such as lippies, pencils, and many more.  It also has a plastic cover to protect your brushes.  Love it!

Actually, this bag from The Face Shop comes with 2 products.


I'm excited about the tint.  I haven't tried it on, so I wonder if it will look better on my cheeks or on my lips.  The other one above is an opaque lip gloss.

And last, Kris' gift.  I'm sooooo happy to have new set of makeup brushes!


This is the Core Collection from Real Techniques.  Basically, these are face brushes.  I'm starting to use them and all I can say is... "sooooo fluffy"!  HAHA!  More details about this product soon!

Actually, my EM lipsticks also arrived today and I have another one from Rimmel.  But no photos yet, so will include them in my next Just In post.


Before I end this, let's do the Quickie Update section.  Sorry if I skipped it last time.  Here you go!

Currently Loving:  I have a new favorite blogger!  She's Candice Chen of Makeup Box.  She creates gorgeous makeup looks, especially eye makeup.  She does reviews too, so check out her site.  I wanna recreate some of the looks, but I'm not sure about my skills.  HAHA!  I'll try!

My LSS:  I Need This by Jessie J.  Her voice is just.... amaaaaazing!

Recently Watched:  The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey - Yea, I know, only now!  HAHA!  Kris told me to watch so I did.  I wanna see the latest one.  I think it's better than LOTR???

ABSpiration Update:  This year, I promised myself to give cardio workouts a chance.  HIHI!

Craving For:  Ramen!  Please blame the cold weather.  :P


Stay safe!  Muah! <3



your sweetest drug,