Jen of the Shopping Queen's Christmas Giveaway!

Heya lovely readers! Want to score some really cool prizes this yule tide season? Then join Jen's amaaazing giveaway featuring Urban Decay & Mac! :)

Click HERE for the link! 

Its open internationally, and the most amazing part is, there will be 6 winners! Not just one, but 6! First prize is Mac Lipstick in Creme Cup & the the other five lucky winners will get an Urban Decay Ink For Eyes in Demolition (dark brown). 

BEST OF LUCK LADIES! 

Total Skin Saver: Zen Zest Tea Tree Oil

Dealing with breakouts is not as easy as they make it sound like in commercials and advertisements. Its not an overnight sort of thing where you wake up the next day and bam!! Your blemishes are gone, like they've taken the day off or something. The truth about it is that there are no shortcuts when it comes to skincare. Finding alone the products that will work for you is already one thing, and sticking to it long enough to see results is another. So, if you hate pimples as much as I do, well then, allow me to share to you this wonderful oil that I'm currently in love with! Its Zen Zest's Tea Tree Oil!!

This wonder oil is known for its anti bacterial properties. Simply put, tea tree oil is best for treating acne and has been proven to be more effective than 5% Benzoyl Peroxide. Before TTO, I used Panoxyl in treating pimples, and I'm happy that it dries my pimples in only a matter of days. But what I'm unhappy about is that it leaves dark spots behind. And its not an ordinary "dark spot" by the way, its the kind that needs micro peeling to get rid of. I've read that people have had the same results with Panoxyl so I decided to stop it because its not doing my skin any good, besides dry my pimples up. Now its just lying around somewhere in my room and I am never going to touch it again, ever.

And I'm glad I've made the switch!

It comes in a small bottle with a built in stopper to control the amount of oil you wish to use. For spot treatment, you don't need a lot especially if you have dry skin, so I suggest you go easy with applying. You don't need a lot for this baby to work its charm! 

What I love mostly about this oil is that not only does it treat acne, it also lightens dark spots. They're less noticeable now, and unlike Panoxyl, doesn't leave brown spots behind! 

JEM SAYS!

This is the first Tea Tree Oil that I've tried so I have nothing else to compare it with. I haven't tried the ones that come in soap forms because I believe they're a bit drying based on some reviews that I've read , so I guess this one's more forgiving on my combination skin. As of now, the only brands that I know that carries TTO is The Body Shop & GIGA. I really can't comment on how well they work but they're likely to yield the same results as any other tea tree oils out there. 

If you're feeling a little thrifty, go for TBS, and if you're on a budget like me, then go for Zen Zest's! This is really affordable at 150php ($3.66), GIGA is around 160-170php, whereas TBS is around 400-500php. The only con I see as of right now is the smell. I get that that's how medicated oils are supposed to smell, but it might be off-putting for some. But you'll get used to the smell eventually. It pays off anyway! Like i said, TOTAL SKIN SAVER! 

AVAILABILITY: 5/5 

PRICE: 5/5

PACKAGINg: 5/5 

EFFECTIVENESS: 5/5 

SMELL: 4/5 

BUY AGAIN? ABSOLUTELY! 

How about you? What's your favorite spot treatment at the moment? Do share! 

Review: Zen Zest Coconut Hair & Body Oil

Zen Zest is a brand from the Philippines popular for their fragrances, home ambiance and body care products. Now, the reason why I love to visit their counter every once in a while is because aside from their affordable prices, they also never run out of promos and new products to offer, and if you are always as curious as I am, you would just feel the need to try it out for yourself! Now, let's get on with the review, shall we?

The oil itself is housed in a green translucent bottle that comes with a pump. I think its fairly priced because for only 220php ($5.38), you already get a 164ml sized bottle. Note that this isn't pure VCO, only 70% as seen in the picture below.

The reason why I bought this in the first place was that I needed something to aid my dry hair.  I've heard so many great things about VCO and its ability to revive dull hair, among other things. Considering I was never lucky with anything that has oil in it as its main ingredient because it weighs my hair down, I still went on with buying this. I'm so sad to report that this isn't for my hair because like other oils I have tried, this also weighs hair down. It left my hair looking oily the whole day, like I did not take a bath for days! I just hate bad hair days because it is enough to ruin the rest of my day, and I'm pretty certain I'm not alone on that. I had no choice but to put it in a bun just so its less obvious.

Of course, I wouldn't let this sit around just because it didn't work for my hair. So I began using this as a replacement for my usual body lotion. I like to use Silka or Nivea but I love the former better because it has SPF in it. Now, I am not exactly into whitening my skin, not because I'm already fair, but because I just feel that healthy skin has to come first before anything else. So what I do is that I apply this all over my body after shower, as I normally would a lotion, while my skin is still a bit damp. 

AAAAAANDDDDD! 

After two weeks of using this oil , I noticed that my skin is smoother and whiter, which came to me by surprise because it said nothing about whitening. If anything, my skin looks healthier! Even my mom, who is forever a fan of Nivea lotions, asked me to buy her one! And if you're worried about whether it feels icky during the day, my answer's no!  Its the kind of moisture that lasts the whole day, and yet doesn't feel sticky or weird on the skin. 

DEFINITELY WORTH REPURCHASING! 

:)

How about you? What body oils have you tried and came to love? Do share! 

-JEM

Nikki's International MAC Giveaway!

Want to win a MAC lipstick of your choice? Then join Nikki's international MAC giveaway by clicking here!

Good luck ladies! 

:)

Ellana Minerals: Lip & Cheek Tint in Ruby

I'm always on the look-out for a lip tint that has a decent staying power and yet does not dry out the lips. It seems that all lip tints have that tendency to leave our lips a bit dry and lucky for us, that can be remedied by applying balms prior to the lip tint. But what about those who simply do not have that much time to spare in prettifying themselves? Like students, career women, and basically those who are on-the-go? Enter Ellana Minerals Lip & Cheek Tint. 

This product promises to deliver the two things I look for in a tint. Ideally a tint has to be two things:

1. Long Lasting

2. Moisturizing (or at least, does not dry out the lips)

Let's see about that!

The tint itself comes in a 20ml transparent bottle with a pump to dispense the product out. I'm not that psyched with how its packaged because I'm pretty sure they could have done more in that department, but that's fine, for now ts just something to think about. The real deal here is whether this product will deliver or not. So just read on if you want to find out!

There are actually two shades to choose from, but I chose the shade in "Ruby" because I think that will compliment my warm skin better than the other one which is a bit too red for my liking. 

According to Ellana Minerals: 

What it is:

"One of our best sellers. Gives a gorgeous, rosy glow that lasts the whole day. Gives a sheer make up look while moisturizing your skin. Doesn't dry easily, giving you enough time to blend."

How it works: 

Aloe Vera Extracts that soothes and moisturizes 

Fragrance free

When blended out:

The color is leaning towards coral with a slight hint of red to it. It looks very pigmented when blended out but when you try it on your lips, it looks really natural.

So now here are my bare lips for reference: 

And here's how it looks like on my lips: 

This photo is taken immediately after applying the tint. As you can see, my upper lip has not only been covered, it also left it dry. 

The Good Bits:

• Affordable (180php or $4.38)
• Locally available 
• Long lasting 
• "Ruby" suits those with fair skin with yellow undertones

The Bad Bits: 

• Drying 
• Easily stains your fingertips 
• Can only be removed with soap and water 

Who would you recommend this to? 

• Women who are looking for an affordable, yet long lasting lip tint. 

Would you buy this again? 

• I don't think so. And besides, I still have so many lip tints to finish! 

Where can I buy this? 

• I bought this at The Ramp, Crossings, in Trinoma. For more information on Ellana Minerals, click here.

Your Rating: 

3/5 

How about you? What is your favorite cheek and lip tint to date? Your thoughts are more than welcome! 

As always...

JEM 

GoHalainn's Giveaway: Skinfood Cleansing Travel Set

Hi ladies! Do you want to win this cleansing travel set from Skinfood? Then join Halainn's giveaway by clicking here! :)





This travel set contains 20 ml of each product: 

Skinfood Black Sugar Deep Cleansing Cream
Skinfood Egg White Pore Foam
Skinfood Glacier Water Multi Gel
Skinfood Green Tea Deo Wash 
Skinfood Citron Scalp Care Shampoo 


Good luck to us ladies! :)

Review/Swatch: Revlon Super Lustrous Matte in Pink Pout

I remember this one time when my best friend said to me, " "Alam mo ang hilig mo sa pink lipstick!", which should  translate to "You really do love pink lipstick"! when we were waiting for our German professor last semester.

 Even though that's about 6 months ago, I still remember it all too well because it came from someone who doesn't love make up and yet is able to notice the difference it makes. Don't get ahead of me, my best friend is a girl, and as much as she wants to love make up too, she can't because she has been suffering from skin asthma ever since she was a little kid. Its true though, what she said. I've always had this thing going on for pink lippies because I don't think anyone can go wrong with it! Its such a wearable color that screams fun and brings about the spirit of being young! Talk about instant age lifters!

So enough of that. Let's move on to what this post is all about. A review/swatch on Revlon's "Pink Pout" from the Super Lustrous line.

According to Revlon:

"Beautifully rich matte color glides effortlessly across lips.

 Straight from the Runway shades! Suede-like, cushiony feel 

and with maximum color impact. Beautifully rich shades."

As usual, here are my bare lips for reference: 

The formula of this particular line of Revlon's  is what I would rave about rather than the color pay off. Because even though it has a matte finish, it doesn't leave my lips looking flat out and dry. Its not exactly moisturizing but its not drying either. This is really perfect for me because I have mentioned in my previous posts how much I prefer those with matte finishes because it stays on longer. 

As for the color pay off. Well.

I'm not that disappointed with this shade because I can imagine this would look great on smokey eyes. But for day time wear? I'll have to pass. For some funny reason, I just can't stop thinking about Nicki Menaj whenever I have this on and luckily, no one has said that to me yet. I just feel pale and dead wearing this lipstick alone. Maybe if I add a little bit of eye make up, it will look better but that's just too much for school wear, right? I'm pretty sure I'll get to use this properly in the future when I have to attend parties and whatnot. But when worn alone,  it just doesn't go well with my warm skin so you're pretty lucky if you have cool or better yet, neutral skin.

I'm already planning on getting my next Revlon lipstick. If you have any suggestions, just comment down below! :)

The Good Bits: 

• Locally available 
• Affordable (Got it for 350php or $8.52 when Watson's went on sale)
• Doesn't dry out my lips
• Has a decent staying power
• It has no overwhelming scent 

The Bad Bits: 

• Doesn't go well with my warm skin 

Who would you recommend this to? 

• Those people looking for a lip shade they can partner with smokey eyes or any type of look that requires minimal lip wear. 
• People with neutral/cool undertones looking for a matte lipstick that doesn't dry out the lips. 

Your Rating: 

3.5/5 

How about you? What is your favorite pink lipstick to date? Share your thoughts because I just love learning from you guys! 

Jem

Chic Sassy Mom's Giveaway!

Oh how I love Korean cosmetics! My blog can pretty much attest to that. :))

 I think its really amazing because they're not only cute and fun to use, they also WORK and live to their claims! Which makes them even more worth it, right?

So check out Chic Sassy Mom's Giveaway!

How amazing is this loot, seriously?!

(This giveaway is open to PHILIPPINE residents only)

Here's what one lucky winner is going to get: 

One (1) Winner of these:

Skin79 Mini Lip Gloss
Innisfree Jejubija Anti-trouble Starter Kit
Skin79 VIP Gold Super BB Cream (Thanks to KPop Collection!)
Etude House Dressing Room Shower Gel
3 x Assorted SkinFood Masks
4 x  Somang RedFlo Camellia Shampoo
2 x Dermal Mask Sheets
2 x Nature Republic Mask Sheets
SkinFood Magic Hair Pad
SkinFood Gold Kiwi Gift Set
2 x Innisfree Eco Science Wrinkle Spot Essence


So what are you waiting for? Join now & get a chance to win all of these!

Good luck ladies!

Review: Tony Moly Luminous Goddess Aura BB Cream SPF 37

If you read my blog, you would know by now that BB creams will always have a special place in my heart. I love experimenting on different types of BB creams, not because I haven't found the right one yet but because they have all these too-good-to-be-true claims to do wonders on your skin all the while giving you your desired coverage, and you just have that urge to see it for yourself. They're basically enough to make the make up junkie inside of you  go "Oh my gosh I have to get this right now and try it out for myself!" 

You may not utter those exact same words but just so you get my drift. :)

Koreans really do have a knack for making cute and clever designs, don't you think? A surefire way to catch anyone's attention I tell ya! So here I am, with yet another review on another BB cream from Tony Moly, which I'm sure most of you have hard of. Its called Luminous Goddess Aura. 

What a fancy name for a BB cream don't you think? 

This BB cream comes in a no nonsense nozzle-type tube with a pink transparent cap. The product is a tad bit watery, which only makes sense because this is a moisturizing BB cream so if you have oily skin, be sure to have a good setting powder because this alone is not enough if you want it to last the whole day. It has SPF 37 which is perfect for an ordinary day here in Manila. You may or may not skip sunblock, whatever floats your boat. :)

Here's how the box looks like: 

What Tony Moly claims:

So you're supposed to mix this with the Aura Beam, which would cost you another 700php or so. Here's a little tip if you really are pegging for that "luminous"/dewy whatever you call it, look, but don't want to spend on it. Mix this up with a teeny tiny bit of oil (I like to use sunflower oil from Human Heart's Nature) and you'll see, it will work just as good as when you use the beam.

Ingredients:

When blended out: 

This is my problematic side of the face just for reference: 

As you can see, upon application its a few tones lighter than my neck. Yup, that's a common problem with bb creams so to fix this, I use a darker setting powder. 

Below is a picture after putting on concealer & setting it with powder. Except for those tiny bumps, I think this bb cream did well, coverage wise. 

The Good Bits: 

• Locally available
• Affordable (748php or $18.14)
• Has SPF 37
• Ideal for dry skin because of its moisturizing properties 
• Covers skin discolorations & minor blemishes 
• Not heavily scented 
• A little goes a long way so a tube should be good enough for 6-8 months
• Does not break me out
• Good for all skin types (my combination skin surely loves this!)
• Doesn't settle on dry areas and instead gives moisture to it

The Bad Bits: 

• For those with extremely oily skin, apply primer beforehand and set it off with a good finishing powder. Always carry around a blotting paper in your make up bag should you feel the need to retouch by midday. 
• There's only one shade available. 
• The shade is on the light beige side and is much more ideal for ladies with pale skin. I am on the warm side so a darker finishing powder is a must for me to pull this bb cream off. 
• Not a full coverage BB cream so for those with pimples to hide, concealer is still a must.

Who would you recommend this to? 

This is ideal for all skin types but obviously this would fit those with normal/dry skin better. 

Your Rating: 

4/5 

I would have given this a perfect 5 had it not been for the poor shade selection.

So how about you? Have you tried this BB cream yet? If not, what's your favorite to date? Would definitely love to hear about it! Let's chat! 

As always...

JEM

Jen of The Shopping Queen's birthday giveaway!

Jen of The Shopping Queen is having her birthday giveaway! Join now by clicking here and get a chance to win these lovely prizes! 

What's at stake: 

Australis Mint Condition Lipgloss in Happily Every After

MUA Lipstick in Shade 2

MUA Lipstick in Shade 11

Savvy Lipstick in Guava

Savvy Lipstick in Nude

L'Oreal Microliner in Black

Max Factor Vivid Lipliner in 100 Pin-up Pink

Benefit Tan About Town kit with Some kind-a-gorgeous, Hoolah and Bad Gal Lash Mascara


Good luck, Ladies! <3 

HAUL POST: Snoe Beauty, Zen Zest and Drugstore Make-up

Hello lovely readers! I'm back with a haul post, one that I haven't done in a loooong while. So yesterday, my best friend and I went to Trinoma to grab some coffee after school and just make "chika" because we realized its been so long since we had a heart to heart talk, especially now that she's in a "serious" relationship (her words, not mine).. But hey, I'm pretty sure we all have that one friend! Haha! We were supposed to see Breaking Dawn since my friends have been raving about it, but decided to just have coffee because...I don't know.. I guess talking about someone else's life and ours, is much more  fun! So check out my haul!

Some of the stuff I got was from Landmark, and the other ones are from Watson's (SM North). When I found out that Watson's was having a 10-20% off on all items (which ends today I think) I immediately grabbed my friend after our coffee date!

SNOE BEAUTY: 

This is pretty much the reason why I agreed to go to Trinoma with my buddy. MEAN! Haha! But seriously, I've been wanting to try out their products ever since they hit shelves because they always get positive feed backs from beauty bloggers. And I just realized that the year is about to end and I haven't tried a single Snoe product yet, I mean, how unfair is that? :))

Watch out for my individual reviews on these babies!

Awesome Poresome Microdermabrasion Retexturizing Polish (399php)

                                     S Skin Stem Cell Sunblock Cream SPF 30 (169php)

Hair Heroes Intense Argain Oil (499php)

                    This came free with the Stem Cell but buying it separately should be 139php

ZEN ZEST 

So I was supposed to get the Tea Tree oil and just the TTO, obviously I ended up buying more than that. But  I realized, I needed a treatment because my hair isn't exactly its prime right now. I've been putting it into a bun/ponytail lately because of the extremely hot weather here in Manila, and trust me, unless its super duper hot, I wouldn't tie my hair up because I've always preferred it down. Still road testing these two so watch out for my reviews! :))

Tea Tree Oil (150php)

Zen Zest Coconut Hair & Body Oil (220php)

DRUGSTORE MAKE UP: 

These are the stuff I got from Watson's.. Oh the things you end up buying just because of SALE! Crazy, I tell ya!

So among these three, which would you want me to review first? 

Maybelline Pure Liquid Mineral Foundation in B02 (399php)

Revlon Matte Super Lustrous in Pink Pout (350php)

L.A. Girls Pro conceal in Beige (around 230php)

So what do you think of this haul post? Your thoughts are mooooore than welcome! 

See you on my next blog!

As always...

JEM

Who has Twitter & Instagram?

And because I'm a lot more active on both Twitter & Instagram, why don't we follow each other there for more updates? Click on the following links and let's support each other all the way! Toodles!

Twitter (@jemimahreyes)
Instagram (@somegirlnamedjem)

Review: Rucy's Vanity Lip & Cheek in Red

Hi ladies! Today's post is going to be about this brand that I'm sure most of you haven't heard of. I found their cute kiosk when I went to Starmall (Shaw) a week ago because I was supposed to buy the Magic Pink Cream from Sophie Martin but unfortunately for me it was out of stock. Just when I thought I was going home empty handed,  I came across Rucy's Vanity!

So anyhoot. The SA was kind enough to answer all my inquiries about the brand, and I'm guessing she gets that a lot since she sounded like she knew what she was talking about. Turns out, Rucy's Vanity is a Korean brand that is just starting to make a name here in the country so they're sort of new in the korean make-up scene. Admittedly, I was sort of doubtful at first because of its price -  they're all so cheap eh! I haven't seen a korean BB cream being sold for under 200php (or less than 5 USD), I mean, have you? But that was all cleared out when the sales lady assured me that all products are FDA approved. So the first thing that I got was this tint, the reason I was in that mall in the first place! I guess the Magic Pink Cream's gotta wait.  :D

Probably the first thing that got me here was the packaging. Its small at 8ml but you only need a small amount anyway so this right here will last you a long time. And besides, if you run out you can always get yourself one because its uber affordable. If you're wondering how much I got this for, and I know that you are, I got this for only 70php ($1.70).

I have read a number of reviews on different Lip and Cheek tints from different brands and they all have one thing to say, they're drying. So far I have only tried the tints from Ever Bilena, Nichido and Tony Moly, and yes, I do love the color pay off BUT I wouldn't buy them again as they dry out my lips especially on a humid day. And a humid day means EVERYDAY in Manila. LOL

 So when I saw that this is a moisturizing Lip & Cheek tint, I was all keyed up! The first thing that I did when I got home was to try this on my cheeks! 

As much as I want to show you a picture of me wearing this tint on my cheeks, I can't. I'm currently breaking out due to PMS but I promise to post one when it clears up. 

You only need a small amount of this product if you want to apply this on your cheeks. You certainly don't want to look like a clown, now, don't you? This size right here should be enough to cover both the apples of your cheeks. Take note that blending is key to achieve that natural flush. 

See how pigmented it is? That's why blending is so important! 

So now I'm going to show you how it looks like on my lips :)

Here are my BARE LIPS for reference 

And TA-DAAAAA!

THE GOOD BITS: 

• Affordable at 70php ($1.70)
• Moisturizing 
• Long lasting (especially when used as a cheek tint)
• Non-comedogenic 
• Has collagen for more plump lips
• Has good color pay-off

THE BAD BITS: 

• Only available in Ever Gotesco and Starmall 

And finally, here's me wearing the tint on my lips! Excuse my unruly hair! Haha! 

How about you? What do you think of this product? Your thoughts are MOOORE than welcome!

Thanks for reading my blog!

See you on the next one!

As always....

JEM