Ever Bilena Famous Lipstick in Watermelon (Review and Swatch)

Hello guys! What's up? My class doesn't start until 3 pm so I decided I'd do a quick review! I'm trying to blog as often as I can - now that I only have a few exams left until summer comes in again.

So for those of you who do not know, aside from being a BB cream junkie, I'm also a lipstick junkie. I've gone through this phase last year of just checking out every make up counter I know to see what's new in their lipstick line. IT WAS PURE BLISS I TELL YOU! Everytime I get to buy one, the feeling's  like being rewarded for something you've accomplished. Anyways! This lippie is one of those that I bought when I was going through that phase. Its from Ever Bilena's Famous Line in Watermelon.

I super love the packaging. When I first saw this, I mistook it for Maybelline's Jewel Collection as they have striking similarities - the color of the packaging being translucent and in deep red too.

SWATCH:

JEM'S THOUGHTS: 

(I'm sorry if my lips don't look their prime here)

It looks really deceiving on the tube. It looks sort of nude-ish but it dictates otherwise when applied. Its rather pigmented actually. For me the color payoff is really nice - coral with a hint of peach to it. It really brightens up my complexion which is why its one of the very few lipsticks I reach for these days. The finish is a bit glossy, so if you're looking for a long lasting, matte lippie, this isn't for you. But I'd still recommend it anyway just because the color's lovely. Like I said, its not a long lasting lipstick. It will sit on your lips for about 2 hours max, after that, you're going to need to retouch. 

Overall, I'd give it a 4/5. Its definitely worth every cent and I simply can't wait to try out their other shades! I got this for 155php ($3.81) and is available almost anywhere! Haha, seriously though, I've been seeing a lot of Ever Bilena counters these days. I even saw it in 7/11 just a month ago! :) 

Anyways, have you tried any from this line? Do share if you have! Would love to hear from you! 

-Jem

Pinkie's Collection BB/Foundation Review

Hey folks! Today's post would be about this foundation I've been using for about a few months now. I bought this some time in November on a whim because the foundation junkie inside me said so. And also, after trying out one of their lippies which I already reviewed here, I knew I'd be visiting a Pinkie's Collection counter soon.

So when it comes to BB creams or foundations, I prefer those that can go from medium to full, coverage wise, because they are such time savers! Well, I have long accepted the fact that I'm always going to need a concealer if I want a flawless finish, but I'm referring to those days when I want to wear make up and still look human. Ya know, for school wear and stuff wherein you only need to look polished because you're a lady, but not so in a way that its too obvious that you're wearing make up.

This is the shade I got it in: 

And obviously, ze ingredients:

This brand used to be called Pinkie Swear, but later on last year they changed it to Pinkie's Collection because another company in the US has already been named as such. If you've known about this brand for quite some time now and have been using some of their products already, then I don't need to tell you that the products are pretty much the same. Nothing has changed, except the label, of course.

I've been seeing a lot of Pinkies Collection counters lately so if you're not familiar with the brand yet, now's the time to visit a counter!

Now on to the product.

PACKAGING: 

I have nothing bad to say in this department. The packaging is really simple and neat, which is how I would have preferred my bb creams or foundations to be. Its fuss free and straight to the point! I think they're one of those few cosmetic companies who spend very little on packaging BUT more on the product itself. I believe they already updated their packaging so no more sticker labels!

CONSISTENCY: 

The consistency is rather thick and creamy. Its is easy to spread and finishes off dewy so for oily skinned gals like yours truly, a finishing veil is a must if you don't want this product sliding off on your face after hitting the 2 hour mark. For the consistency that it has, I'd say it is better suited to those who have normal/dry skin. However, I do have an oily/acne prone skin so I make this work by always finishing off with powder. No breakouts so far so yey for that!

SMELL: 

I'm not exactly sure how to describe the smell but maybe because its not that bad to begin with. It doesn't have a distinct smell, nor does it have a scent that lingers like Missha Pore Cover bb cream or Skinfood's Peach Sake. But if you do get a whiff of it, it does smell a bit like plastic. Doesn't bother me one bit so I think you're good.

SHADE:

The shade I'm a bit disappointed about. They only have two shades to choose from, one is for pale skinned (light) gals and the other for yellow (dark) toned gals. I am fair skinned but have yellow undertones. See the problem? So I hope they come up with a wider shade range soon! I fix this by using a lighter finishing veil. It does adjust decently enough that my face isn't darker than my neck, but I'm still hoping they release more shades in the future!

COVERAGE: 

I would say medium to semi full, but definitely not full. It is able to conceal minor blemishes but definitely for major ones you're gonna need a concealer.

WEAR TIME:

It stays put for about 4-5 hours, after that there will be signs of it fading. I haven't tried it with primer though because I broke out from it once and since then I swore, NEVER AGAIN. Haha! Well, if you are a primer user and you have no issues of it breaking you out then by all means use one.

Enough talking! Let them pictures do ze talking!

So here's how it looks like upon dispensing the product out.

So just to show you how yellow it is, I decided to put a swatch of my Missha Perfect Cover #23 alongside Pinkie's Collection.

And here's a closer look on the two.

 And because I love you guys, I will show you how it looks like on my skin! I don't usually show my bare skin but because its my way of making it up to all of you, I WILL! Haha! Its not in tip top shape right now so I'm sorry! This isn't for the faint hearted! You've been warned!

But anyway, just to give you a picture of how amazing the coverage is. :D

This is still fresh from application so yeah, its a taaaad bit darker than my neck but its hardly noticeable, noh? Anyways, this is after doing one layer. 

And after two layers! As you can see in the picture below, except for those tiny little bumps that aren't even pimples, I think this bb cream slash foundation did great, coverage wise. LURVE IT! :)

So overall, if you're looking for an affordable drugstore foundation that has decent coverage, this is it! My only beef about this bb cream is that it doesn't have any SPF on it considering that that's the number one thing bb creams should have. Looking at the brighter side of it, that could be a good thing too because you won't look like you have mask on on flash photogs. So I think its better to call it a foundation then? Haha! Whatever! One thing's for sure though, this product is awesome and I can definitely see myself buying another one when I run out!

So how about you, have you tried this amazing foundation yet?! Would love to hear about it if you have! :)

Review: Snoe Beauty Awesome Poresome Microdermabrasion Retexturizing Polish

Hi ladies! Today's post is a review on one of my lovely finds last year. You can find my haul post in here. 

Anyways! I know I'm a bit late as everyone seemed to have already experienced the goodness of Snoe, but you know what they say, better late than never! So here I am, joining the bandwagon, and about to share to you this product my skin seems to agree with lately. 

First of all, I love how its called "polish" instead of the usual "scrub". It gives you that idea of something gentle and easy on the skin. I have always relied on good ole St. Ives to do the trick when I need to exfoliate but  decided to stop it because it left a nasty scar on my cheek area. It could be because I've gone mad with exfoliation but still, its not supposed to do that, right?  So that's why this polish got me - because it claims to clean out your pores without being harsh on the skin. 

So the key ingredients are: Witch Hazel Extract, Azeloglicina (this is my 1st encounter with this ingredient), and Pineapple Extract. 

I bought this almost 3 months ago, and even though I use this 3 times a week, I still have a lot of product left.  That's because a little goes a long way. And don't be like me. Don't think that the more product you put on your face, the more it becomes effective. Remember, its your skin we're talking about in here so be gentle!

DOES IT WORK? 

I've been using this for nearly 3 months now, from the day I bought it, up to know, and yes, I can say it does work, just not overnight. Nothing ever does.

 I discovered a way to maximize its use so what I do is prior to this polish, I steam my face for about 5-10 minutes. Don't have a facial sauna at home? Click here. Don't worry, its free!

Now the logic behind steaming is to simply eliminate clogged pores. Its because when you steam, you perspire, which helps cleanse the skin. It improves the circulation in your face which would result to a more glowing and younger looking skin. When you steam you can use pretty much any scrub that works for your skin type, heck you can even use sugar if you don't have a facial scrub at the moment, but this one works great for me and I couldn't be more happier with how my skin looks now! 

This is by far the gentlest exfoliator I have tried that does what it says it would do without being abrasive on the skin. (A shout out to the sensitive ladies out there!) 

I'm happy to report that after three months of using this product, my once enlarged and visible pores are not as noticeable anymore. They are not completely gone, and if I look closely in the mirror, they're still there, but they are not much of a trouble now. My pores definitely improved because I don't oil up as much now, my make up goes on smoother (remember, your make up is only as good as your skin), and I don't break out as often as I used to. 

If you want to see results, and I'm sure you do, you really have to be patient when it comes to testing a product. Give it time. I'm sure something good will come out of it. :)

Do you recommend? 

BIG YES! :) 

Repurchase? 

I don't see a reason why I wouldn't. It might seem a bit expensive at first (399php or $9.80) but believe me, this jar will last you a loooong time. Its been with me for three months now and as you can see in the picture above, I still have a lot of it left. I think its enough to last me another two months. 

The Bad Bits? 

It would be nice if this had more acne fighting ingredients. Something like Salicylic Acid or perhaps Tea Tree Oil? Anyways, its just something to think about for now. But if that happens, this product would definitely be perfect! 

Another con I see is that this isn't widely available yet. But it shouldn't be a problem because they have an online store. I will provide a link of that below, don't worry! 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

How about you? Have you tried this product yet? If not, what's your favorite scrub as of the moment? Would love to hear about it! 

Snoe Beauty - Shopinas

Snoe Beauty - Facebook

Snoe Beauty - Twitter

Review: GNC Vitamin C Moisturizing Cream

Ever since I was a little kid, my mom already made my brother and I take chewable forms of Vitamin C. I didn't know what it was for then but I take one anyway because it tastes like candy! 

I'm definitely no stranger to this vitamin now because I have been taking one since time immemorial, but it was only quite recently that I discovered the goodness of Vitamin C creams! So today, I can only thank my mom for introducing me to this wonderful vitamin. 

Vitamin C is known for giving protection to the immune system, cardiovascular disease, eye disease, and even skin wrinkling. It is a powerful antioxidant that may help slow down the aging process because as we age, our production of collagen slows down resulting to fine lines and wrinkling. Which is why I'm so glad I stumbled upon this moisturizing cream from GNC, which is not only affordable, but also, does what is says it would do. 

It is basically an oil free moisturizer, which is perfect for those of you who has oily to combination skin. I have the latter so this suited me quite nicely. The scent is a bit overpowering at first but that could be just me because I've always preferred my moisturizers to be fragrance free. However, it doesn't linger for too long and goes away almost immediately. The product I would say has a pretty weird consistency, its like a cross between a cream and a gel, but more like gel. It takes quite a while to sink in, maybe 3-5 minutes, but that's something I don't mind because once it sinks in, it leaves you a really nice canvas for your make up. However, I can't use this alone in the morning because it doesn't have spf on it, so I use a separate one for that, a plus if your foundation/bb cream already has one. 

Here are the ingredients: (Because as usual, I'm too lazy to write it down, haha!) 

1st photo: Upon application 

2nd photo: semi blended 

3rd photo: blended

4th: once absorbed by the skin 

This is a really promising product, and I've just hit pan with it last week. I always wake up to a more supple and glowing skin. But if you're looking for a whitening treatment, this is definitely the last product you should look into because it does nothing but make your skin feel and look healthier. The jar lasted me for about a month with everyday usage, morning and evening, and so far, I don't see any reason why I wouldn't repurchase.

 Its fairly priced at 175php ($4.31) so if it doesn't work for you, use it as a handcream! But I doubt that it won't because its a really nice moisturizer, perfect for an ordinary day here in the Philippines because it doesn't feel heavy at all!

So to sum it all up! 

The Good Bits!

• Affordable (175php/$4.31) 
• Locally available 
• Best suited for those with oily to combination skin 
• Does not ball up under make up
• Does not break me out 
• Oil-free 
• Manufacturing date and Expiration date included 

The Bad Bits!

• No SPF included
• Only available in GNC stores (although it is also available in their online store) 
• Might not suit those with dry or extremely dry skin. 

To check out more of their products, click here! 

How about you? Have you tried this yet? If not, what's your favorite Vitamin C moisturizer? Would love to hear about it! 

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