Review: Nature Republic Soothing & Moisture Aloe Vera 92% Soothing Gel

Good evening ladies,

I recently ran out of face moisturizer so I went in search for a replacement. Fortunately, this all happened during Nature Republic's sale, so when I asked their SA for a great moisturizer with a very affordable price, she suggested this Aloe Vera Soothing Gel.

This is quite a big tub of gel and is a feature that makes it affordable.

Here it is opened.

The consistency is basically like any hair gel. It's clear and feels a little watery when applied.

Here's the ingredients list and instructions on how to use.

I actually love this product for various reasons.

1. The product is very versatile. As you can see, the product can be used in various ways. I've tried almost all of the indications, except for after shave, nail and sunburns. I have to say that it is quite effective.

2. It's a great substitute for water-based moisturizers. Actually substitute is not the word I'm looking for since in my opinion it is way more hydrating than any water-based moisturizer I've used before. It's not what you'd call a water-based moisturizer but it just kind of feels that way.

This product, when applied gives the same feeling as when you just finished washing your face. It dries quickly and leaves your face feeling smooth and cool. It's really perfect for these dry summer days.

3. Perfect summer moisturizer. Although this product may not be as hydrating as a lotion or cream moisturizer, it has the advantage of not feeling very heavy and icky during summer. The problem I have with cream and lotions is that they just feel too heavy on the skin during these months. They kind of add to the discomfort of the hot summer weather when you apply them, however, you have no choice but to apply since the weather dries your skin and leaves you flaky. This product however, feels very light and cool after application, the just-got-out-of-the-shower feel. :)

4. Again it is hydrating, soothing, and cool to the skin. I've previously mentioned that my sebaceous dermatitis acts up when my skin dries up, and although I can cure it using steroids, it's not good that I use steroids on it a lot as it can thin out my skin. So my other alternative is to hydrate my skin by putting lotions. Problem is, lotions and creams tend to sting or have that burning feeling when you apply it to an irritated area or an inflamed area. This product, does not have that... probably one reason why it's perfect for sunburns. And it's proven to be quite effective, in about three days of twice a day application, and the redness and itch and flake are just about gone. :)

5. Good enough make-up base. It's great when you're going for that hydrated glowy skin look.

The only downsides I found while using this is that:

1. It's not really effective as a hair care. I'm not sure if it's because my hair still has residual wax or what not but this product stiffened my hair more... But then again, I'm not sure if the promo is telling us that it can help tame hair or smooth out hair.

2. A little messy and hard to control the amount. With this product you only need a pea-sized amount for the face but since it's in a tub, it's hard to control the amount you get, and when your taking the cover off, it starts to get really messy. But since, it dries quick and is not sticky, it's a little less messy than body butter or lotion. 

Will I buy again?

YES, absolutely. :)

Cheers,

LIZ

Bourjois Blush Sculpting Duo Effect in Warm Pink

Hey everyone!

How's your vacation so far? 

Liz is currently preparing for their Easter celebration while I, on the other hand, am just chilling in my room creating this blog post and probably do some drawings afterwards.

For tonight, I'll be sharing with you a simple swatch post of a blush duo that my sister brought for me to try from AU...

Bourjois Blush Sculpting Duo Effect in Warm Pink

This is quite a different blush compared to the usual shades my sister used to buy. She is way tanner now so her choice of makeup shades shifted drastically.

The packaging is nice. It's not bulky and it looks really neat with the mirror and the transparent window where you can instantly see the shade inside when the compact is closed.

It comes with a brush applicator though the brush isn't really so soft.

This warm pink really compliments her very warm, tanned skin. I wish I had a pic of her wearing this but unfortunately, she's back in AU now. :P

Here's a swatch post on my arm

These shades are basically a semi-matte base and a highlighter. They go hand-in-hand to create a very bright and glowing finish to your cheeks.

Here I am wearing the blush.

I just use a subtle amount since it is quite dark on me. But this blush isn't very pigmented so you will have to swirl your brush a few more times to get any color from it. The powder of the blush is smooth too, not chalky either. 

So have you tried any of the shades of Bourjois Blush Sculpting Duo Effect?

What do you think of it?

Cheers!

DAWN

Snoe White Exfoliating Oatmeal Scrub and Beauty Bar

Hey loves!

Tonight I will share with you a double review once again but from the same brand - Snoe Beauty! I've been loving some of their skin care line that's why I'm willing to try out more products from them...

The products I'll be sharing my thoughts on are items I bought some months ago. They were together in a promo (only bought both for Php 388.00) which saved me around Php100.00... Nice deal, eh?

Snoe White Exfoliating Oatmeal Beauty Bar and Snoe White Exfoliating Oatmeal & Milk Whitening Scrub

Let's go over the Beauty bar first...

Snoe White Exfoliating Oatmeal Beauty Bar

A bar is around P139.00 each.

Some info from the website:

With real oatmeal grains for gentle and effective exfoliation

• Relieves dryness, restoring skin’s natural balance
• Helps to soothe skin irritation and reduce discomfort from skin problems
• Mild, exfoliating soap with whitening action that rejuvenates and softens the skin

Active Ingredients: Oatmeal, Goats Milk, Jojoba Oil, Papain, Vitamin C and E , High Grade Coconut Oil

This bar was recommended to me by the SA since I was looking for a beauty bar that mildly exfoliates. And true enough, it does take care of removing my dead skin cells and reveals a brighter and smoother skin. Although it is exfoliating, it never made my skin dry and it always leave my skin feeling soft and smelling like sweet milky oatmeal. Yum!

Besides doing it's job so effectively, it never gave me any skin irritations. Most probably because it's mostly organic. You will also see some bits of oatmeal in the bar that helps with further exfoliation!

This soap lathers up well. Very foamy which I really like since I feel cleaner when I wash it off. It's probably just psychologic but I just feel like it washes the dirt off my body when it's foamier. Haha! But just like most organic soaps, this bar melts faster. A tip from Liz is that you cut the soap in half or in 3 equal parts so that it will last longer.

Since this sort of does some sort of mild peeling, you should always remember to use sunscreen... well, even if you don't use this, you should always wear sunscreen. :P

And now, the Oatmeal Scrub...

Snoe White Exfoliating Oatmeal & Milk Whitening Scrub

Some info from the website:

Oatmeal

• Relieves dryness, restoring natural moisture balance to aid in healing minor irritations.
• Gently removes dead skin cells, to reveal softer, smoother looking skin.

Milk

• Rich in vitamins A, D, and E.
• Aids in strengthening skin’s resistance to harsh elements.
• Combats dehydrated skin while exfoliating outer layers of the epidermis.

The ultimate opulent bathing indulgence. It dates back to Cleopatra, who used milk for its rich texture and moisturizing qualities. Snoe White’s Exfoliating Oatmeal & Milk Whitening Scrub uses real milk in the formulations to carry milk’s intrinsic benefits forward.

A delicious way to exfoliate, it is sure to feed your hunger for beautiful whiter skin. Pleasure your body with this appetizing body scrub fortified with Oatmeal that is guaranteed to bring out your inner radiance and polished glow.

How to Use:

Apply gently to wet skin in circular motion. Leave on for 3 minutes, and then rinse off with water.

Warnings:

For external use only. Discontinue use if signs of irritation occur. Do not use on wounds or broken skin. If eye contact occurs, wash with water immediately. Do not swallow product. Keep out of reach of children.

Ingredients:

• Sea Salt, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Carboxymethyl Cellulose, Nonfat Dry Milk, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Meal, JuglansRegia( Walnut) Shell Powder, Cerica Papaya Extract, Fragrance, Citrus Microcarpa (Calamansi Extract), Goat Milk Powder, Yellow 5, Yellow 6

The bottle is sold for Php 349.00 each.

As you can see on the labels (and all products from the brand), you have a complete set of info from product description to ingredients and warnings, even the manufacturing and expiration dates and Batch Code Number!

I use this twice a week usually at my back area and once a week at the rest of my body. It helps exfoliate further my skin. You're probably wondering why I need so much exfoliation... it's because I have so much dark marks from acne at the back area (Curse my acne-prone skin!!!) and the combination of both really made these marks lessen- these products really brighten them!

I use this while I take my shower/bath. I massage it on wet skin gently. The scrubs are gritty and just enough to exfoliate the right amount of dead skin. I like my scrubs gritty but not too rough which can be harsh to the skin. I'm not much of a fan of the scent of this one. When you rinse it off, the skin is so soft and smooth! I feel so young!

And for the scent... I guess, though I like the milk scents, it's just too salty smelling for my taste. :P

And before I forget, I love the packaging! This is for both products. I just love the design and the materials used for Snoe products. It's comparable with products from abroad! I'm a fan of whoever designs them! :)

So that's it for this double review. Obviously, I like these products a lot and they really go hand-in-hand! I'll definitely purchase these again but probably try other scents first. Haha!

For more info on Snoe and their products, visit their website, Facebook, or Twitter!

Have you tried these products yet? What are your thoughts on them? 


Cheers!

DAWN

My Gift from Kiehl's!

Hello guys!

Yesterday, I went to Shangri-La Plaza and stopped over the Kiehl's branch there to pick up their gift for me...

And here it is!

Their new Actively Correcting & Beautifying BB Cream!!

Yayyyy! 

You're probably wondering why I got this generous gift from them, right?

Remember when I blogged about their newest store which is at Shangri-La Plaza? Well, they happen to like it and decided to send me a gift all of a sudden. How thoughtful, right?

Just check out my shared post from facebook below:

I didn't expect they would do this... but they did! And I'm ever-so-thankful! :D

I got the shade Natural which I think is the right shade for me.
I can't wait to share with you my thoughts on this in my review which I shall post sometime soon!

And they also gave me a handwritten letter! So sweet!

So anyway, I'd also like to share this amazing place in Shangri-La, Plaza.
My brother and I ate here for dinner...

It's called Balboa and their signature Balboa Pizza is a must-try! I swear! And their white chocolate panna cotta is yummy!

And also, don't forget to stop by and check out Kiehl's newest boutique at the new East Wing of Shangri-La Plaza! :)

That's all for this post! Have a great long vacation, everyone!


Cheers!
DAWN

Weekend Divisoria Haul Part 3: The Clothes

This is going to be the third and last part of our weekend Divisoria haul.

Here are all the clothes we bought. :) Well worth the money if I may say so...

Mama's blouses

Blazers for me. Found a faux-leather jacket! Happy shopper... although it wasn't the best bargain of the day.

Stuffs me and my sister will share...

long skirt

Blouses

Dresses

Lastly, my mom's peach gown. We slashed off 150 pesos off the original price of this one! haha! Worth it! :)

Anyway, that's all the stuff we bought. Hopefully we get to do an OOTD (our very first) in the future with these finds. :)

'Till the next haul post.

Cheers,

LIZ

Review: Bifesta Cleansing Lotion

Hello ladies!

This is actually a long overdue reply review for Ms. Iya Boto...

So, sorry to keep you waiting for this review... but here we go.

I used to always use Cetaphil lotion for removing my make up... but then I started to not like the feeling of lotion on my eyes and I started to notice that I'm not really able to get all the make-up off, and I keep rubbing my eyes just to get all the products off them.

So I turned to our ever favorite make-up artist for advise and found this little video:

I initially wanted to buy Bioderma, since well, that's what she's using. But it is really hard to find locally and I'm not too great at buying stuff online (plus I don't have any means to pay for online purchases). So I scoured for a water-base make up remover that was cheap enough for my budget but is good enough for eye make-up removal.

Then Dawn told me about Bifesta. We bought ours at Landmark in Makati. I'm not sure if you can find it in other branches. Anyway, I would have to say that it's performance is quite comparable to Bioderma. 

I follow Lisa's eye make-up removal routine using Bifesta and I find that it pretty much wipes my eyes clean, no nasty residue that looks like you smudged your eyeliner or you cried with your make up on. It just depends on how long you keep the wet pad onto your eye.

So let's go point by point.

1. Does it remove waterproof mascaras or any waterproof make-up at that?

- yes it does. It just depends on how long you keep the wet cotton pad pressed onto your eyes... The longer the better. And if you're not the nagtitipid type, 3-4 pumps would be awesome. But if you're planning on making it last... stick to 1-2 pumps and press it on for longer.

2. Does it remove fake eye lashes?

-yes, it melts the glue very efficiently for that very smooth, no ouch removal of your fake lashes.

3. Can it remove really brightly colored lipstick?

-yes, it wipes your lips clean as a whistle. But I'd advise you to wash your lips with water afterwards as the after taste isn't so nice. :)

The Bifesta line comes in four formulas: Moist (for dry and sensitive skin), Sebum (for combination-oily), Brightup (for dull and flaky skin), and Agecare (for mature skin).

I'm using the Sebum one, although I'm currently using it for eye make-up removal only and rarely for my face since I use cleansing oils for that... but this is also a great product to use for the whole of your face just depends on how you want to use it I guess. :)

So there you go. Our short review for the day! I'm celebrating my last day of exam with a good nap so off with my make up. :)

Cheers,

LIZ

Weekend Divisoria Haul Part 2: The Shoes

Hello ladies,

Sadly, only my mom and my sister bought shoes. My mom deemed that I've already bought a lot of stuff for myself (clothes mostly) so she did not want to buy me any. Anyway, at least I got to pick her shoes and she quite liked them... something different from her usual shoe choices.. :)

These pair, I really wanted them to for myself... but since my mom did not want me to buy anymore, I convinced her that they looked really good on her... which they do... but still, there is that little secret plot of getting her to buy them so I can use them too. Hehe. :)

Mom's jean strapped shoes. She wanted to buy the black leather one but we told her she always buys black leather straps... time for a little change. These denim pair work just as good as the black strapped ones for office or for any other semi casual event. Out with the thinking that denim is only good for casual Fridays.

These lovely pair of heels are a great find for my sister whose school requires them to wear heels (wedge shoes excluded) that are all white (even the heel has to be white). Quite a demanding requirement just so you can graduate. They are the hardest to locate! But nothing is impossible to find in Divisoria! If you look hard enough that is.

So anyway, those are our shoe purchase... part 3 will be the clothes. Tune in for that! :)

Cheers,

LIZ

Etude House Sweet Recipe Dear My Jelly Lips-Talk in JBE101

Hey beauties!

Are you a fan of translucent lipsticks?
I'm very much in-love with bold colors that I barely have any lipsticks that are on the sheer side right now.

So anyway, I got this lipstick from an event by Etude House a few weeks back... 

Etude House Sweet Recipe Dear My Jelly Lips-Talk in JBE101

This is at Php478.00.

Here's what's on the packaging:

Here are further product descriptions from the press kit:

Jelly textured lipstick supplies moist shine and sweet colors for long wear comfort.

•Xylitol : Sweet Flavor

•Bilberry, Sugar Cane, Sugar Maple, Orange and Lemon extracts

•Translucent Colors

•Fruit Jelly Fragrance

•Moist Shine & Jelly Bean Texture

As seen in the descriptions above, this lippie is translucent so I wasn't really looking forward on using this.

And it's yellow.
When I saw that it was yellow, I first thought that it must be one of those magic lipsticks that changes color after application. But it's not. So thank goodness that it is translucent or else I don't think I can casually wear yellow lips. :P

This lipstick smells so good! It smells like a lemon-flavored jellybean! Yummmm! 
It doesn't taste like it though. There's barely any taste actually. And there's also a lovely engraved design on the lipstick bullet though you can barely see it in this picture. I think it looks nice as well as the packaging. SUPER CUTE!

Here's a swatch on paper

and a swatch on my hand

It does give a moist finish. It looks like it's just water.

Here are before and after pictures:

Bare lips

With the product

It really gives an instant shine. My lips look very moisturized... It doesn't just give the moisturized-effect on your lips but also moisturize them as well! It also leaves a few shimmery/glittery effect too. There are fine glitters in it! This also has a buttery feel to it so it glides quickly to the lips.

Since this doesn't leave any color on my lips, I think this is more like a lip balm and lipgloss in one. The other shades give better color - now those I can say are lipstick, lip balm, and lipgloss in one. This lipstick range is available in 6 shades. 

So what do I think about it?
This particular shade, I'm not a fan of. Probably because it doesn't give any color. It's just a plain lip balm with a very watery effect... a quite expensive one at that for a lip balm. But I'm willing to try the other shades, especially the JPK002. :P

Have you tried any of the lipsticks in the Sweet Recipe line of Etude House? Which one? :)


Cheers!
DAWN

Weekend Divisoria Haul Part 1: The Necklaces

It's been about a whole year since my last Divisoria visit and boy did I shop! haha! Today, my mom, my sister and I all went to Divisoria for some clothes for Easter Sunday (Easter Sunday is a pretty big event in our family... so we really prepare for it. ^_^). Just to give you a preview of all the stuff we bought... here is a pic of my mom's bed and all the stuff we bought.

So... the first of the many stuffs that we hauled that I'm sharing, are these pretty necklaces we bought at 168. Got them for a really good deal cause my mom is "barat" (good at haggling).

Here are their pendants upclose. :)

  

See how pretty they are? My mom practically begged the owner to bring down the price and even used the fact that we had almost to zero money for transpo to return home just so she can get them cheap. :)

Anyway, more haul post to come after my last day of exams! :) Wish me luck so I pass all the tests and be one more step to becoming a doctor.

Cheers,

LIZ