What I LOVE: Makeup Blending Sponges

Hey everyone!

Some of my friends ask me how I do my makeup. They know about my acne problems and the dark pimple scars I have and they wanted to know why my foundation doesn't look thick. What I am trying to say is that with all the makeup I use to cover those annoying blemishes, my makeup still looks good and not overly made up (according to them at least). 

What I use are these makeup blending sponges. I've been using these for more than a year and I have loved them since the first day I have used them. They make my foundation look air brushed! No streaks whatsoever! I'm not even exaggerating. The shape avoids leaving streaks that brushes and flat sponges can leave behind and the slimmer top part can reach angles of your face easily for an even application and the pointy tip can be used as a concealer applicator. They also get rid of the sticky feeling you get from thick liquid foundations. They do lessen the coverage of my heavy-coveraged foundations though but I just build them up anyway. :P

I soak these in water until they are soaked evenly. I then squeeze the water out and dry it with a towel. Unlike what the instructions labeled on the packaging of the Beauty Blender, I use a foundation brush or my fingers first and apply the liquid foundation on my face then blend it with my sponges. 

These sponges make the blending of the foundations easier and faster. :D

I have used sponges from 3 brands so far...

The most popular and my favorite is the Beauty Blender. This one started the egg-shaped sponge craze. I wouldn't be surprised because this works really well. It's the best among the three sponges I've used and I will share with you why.

The Beauty Blender is the softest one I've used and it bounces when you lightly dab it on your skin. I think it's because it's the one that can hold the most water and it expands the most out of all the three sponges. Check the photo on the top and the photo above to see how big it got when I wet it. When dry, it was smaller than the two other sponges, but when wet, it got bigger. I'm not sure why but I think those characteristics may be the reason why it's softer. 

I really love this product and I already bought a second one. With proper care, like using the Blender cleanser, it can last around 6-8 months (or even more). The first one I got was still usable at 8-10 months even though some parts at the bottom started to flake off. I love that the life span is long but I don't appreciate that it's so expensive (It's around Php 1,000 on online shops here). Well, I guess I can overlook the price if it gives my foundation a good finish. :D

The second one I got is the Too Cool For School Marshmallow Puff.

This one is pretty affordable... I think this is somewhere around Php 279.00. 

This one isn't as soft as the Beauty Blender but this is softer than the third sponge, which I will mention later. Unlike the Beauty Blender, this one doesn't expand twice its size... maybe just a few millimeters. 

This didn't last too long though. Within 5 months, it started to disintegrate. Haha! I exaggerated on that one, but it just suddenly started flaking off! The pink material started falling all over the place and it was not usable anymore because the parts of the sponge just mix with the foundation. But even with that experience, I still think that this sponge served me well. It still gave my makeup a great finish and it's very affordable!

The last sponge that I've used is from Etude House...

Etude House Baby Doll Puff

This costs Php 378.00. A bit more expensive than Too Cool For School's. This is harder than the other two sponges too. I don't appreciate that it's more expensive yet it's not very soft. Application is not as comfortable (it's not bouncy soft!) compared with the other two.

It still gives an airbrushed finish when I use this so it's still good. I still use this after 6 months but I recently noticed that the bottom started to harden. It gets rough which becomes annoying to use so I think I will be retiring this now unfortunately. 

And those are the sponges I have used so far. I plan on getting another Beauty Blender soon but I am willing to try egg sponges from other brands. 

I always wash them before I use them again. I NEVER use any of these while they still have foundation from previous application. I used the Blender cleanser before which easily cleans these sponges. But if you don't want to spend so much on the cleanser, the dishwashing soap from Daiso is actually a good alternative! I just pump twice the dishwashing soap, rub it at the outside part of the wet sponge then start squeezing the sponge. You'll see that the foundation stains are gone and the sponges are pink and clean again!

Oh, I think it's good to mention that the Beauty Blender and the Etude House Baby Doll Puff are non-latex and are non-allergenic. Not sure with the one from TCFS, I can't find the info on that.

And that's my post about my makeup blending sponges! Do you also use this? What do you love about them? :)

Cheers,
DAWN

MOX Botanicals Lip Butter in Coconut Almondine

Hey loves!

My lips was annoyingly dry this week. Ugh! I really hate it when that happens. Grrrr... But thank goodness I found something that helped me "fix" my chappy lips and I'll be sharing it to you in this post!

MOX Botanicals Lip Butter in Coconut Almondine

You can get the regular sized product (0.2 oz) at Glamourbox for Php 740.00.

The one I have was included in one of my Glamourboxes last year. I only used it twice and my first thoughts were it was too thick and waxy for my liking. I also didn't like the taste and the smell so I just kept it in one of my "will probably use this in the future" containers. :P

Recently, my lips got so chappy and my current lip balms won't work in giving my lips the moisture it needs. That is why I looked for other balms that I have stored that I can use that might help solve this very, very serious problem. I took the MOX one because I remembered I used this on one of my friends who I did a makeover with. I didn't want to apply the balms I use because they were on stick form and was applied directly on my lips, at least with this one, I use lip brushes because I don't dip my fingers onto products in tubs. My friend really had chappy lips so I applied this first and fifteen to thirty minutes later, the dryness lessened. So might as well give it a try for myself and I am happy to say that MOX Botanicals did the trick.

I left it overnight and during the day, I apply it on my lips before I apply my lipstick and after only two days, my lips were back to normal! I still dislike the thick, waxy consistency and the taste and scent, but this sure solved my problem! 

I like that it cured my chappy lips but I still find everything else about this annoying, plus, it's quite expensive! Haha! It's 2-3x more expensive than my regular balms, although it's more hydrating... hmmm... 

Anyway, if you don't mind the waxy texture and the odd taste and smell then you might find this product great. 

Have you tried this product yet? Would you still consider using balms that are too waxy if it works really good? 

Cheers,
DAWN

The Face Shop Diamond Shine Lipgloss in PK102

Hey dearies!

I'll be sharing with you this product that I got in a very cheap price.

We were at UP Town Center and I was able to visit Multi Brand where they sell products from different brands (mostly, if not all, under the Suyen Corp.) that are at 50-70% off. The sole beauty brand there is The Face Shop so I had to check it out and I was able to get this...

The Face Shop Diamond Shine Lipgloss in PK102

I got this for  P197.50 but the original price is maybe Php 400 and above. I can't remember exactly. :(

I'm not exactly sure why these products were sold so cheaply. But while browsing, I saw that some of the boxes had damage (the carton box, not the product packaging itself). Maybe due to the transportation from the country it's from? I am not sure. I also think that some of the products are out of season, especially those from the clothing brands. Anyway, you can check the place out and you can probably snatch a good deal. 

There were various shades available. I can't remember how many (oh dear, I am getting old). I chose this shade because it looks natural but also sweet and warm. It looks so close to the first few lip glosses I bought way back in high school.

Another reason why I bought this is that I really liked the pearly shine and the fine glitters it has when light hits it. I just love the effect!

The product is sheer though. Very different to the lipsticks I use. I think this would look great on top of my usual pink lipsticks!

Anyway, check out the product on my lips. I didn't use any other product on my lips except The Face Shop's Diamond Shine Lipgloss.

It still looks like my natural lips but glossier and plumper! I love the shine and the fine shimmer and I also love that it isn't sticky and the floral scent is very mild. 

Overall, I think this is a pretty okay product. I'm happy that I was able to get it at a very affordable price, but if it were on its regular price, I would have skipped on it. This isn't the usual gloss I'd go for because I prefer more pigmented ones, but this is a nice addition in my stash if I want my regular lipsticks to get a pearly and shimmery glossy finish!

What do you think of this shade? Do you own lipglosses from The Face Shop too?

Cheers,

DAWN

YADAH Vitamin Mist

Hello loves!

I became a fan of face mists recently. I just can't get enough of them! I don't really need constant hydration because I already have oily skin, but I just love the feeling of the mists on skin when you spray them... it just feels so relaxing. Plus, the ones I've used smell great so they really are comforting. I also use mists for setting my makeup, especially when I use powder foundations like the one from Ellana. They make the powder set faster and look more natural.

 I'm on a lookout for different, but affordable brands to try. I found one at Beauty Bar and it's the...

YADAH Vitamin Mist

I bought this for Php 295.00. Very affordable if I compare it to the ones I currently have (e.g., The Body Shop Vitamin E Face Mist).

Yadah is an unfamiliar brand to me right now. I've been seeing the products at Beauty Bar since last year but I haven't tried them out yet until I bought this mist. I saw other variants of the face mists from Yadah, one is for acne treatment and oil control, while the other is for further moisturization if I remember correctly.

You might wonder why I went with this one instead of the Anti-T one (for oil control and anti-acne one). Well, I chose this because I just love how my skin looks more radiant when I feed it Vitamin C (read my review of one of the products I've used that contains Vit C here) and I guess this already has oil control too.

This smells so good! The citrus scent is mild so having this sprayed on the face won't be annoying. The spray itself is okay, not as fine as the one from The Body Shop but it's still okay. It's not like some other sprays that feel like the product is being spat on you. Haha!

Does it whiten? I can't really say because I don't use it on a daily basis. Just when I go out. I use a different one when I am at home. Anyway, if I want to whiten my skin, I think I'd stick to creams for a more even application. :P

Does it help with oil control? I can't really say as well. I use other products for that too and I usually use this with my makeup on. But what I love about this is the soothing feeling when I spray this. It cools my face and makes it feel hydrated. With makeup on, you can't really reapply moisturizer because your makeup would get ruined, but with a face mist, you're saved! And as mentioned on the first part of this post, it's a good makeup setter. I do think that this is a good purchase. :)

Do you like face mists too? Have you tried products from YADAH yet? Which one? :)

Cheers,

DAWN

NOTD : Gold and Turquoise

Hi gorgeous!

Just sharing my NOTD!

It started as an all-gold nail polish but it was just too boring for me so I added this beautiful Turquoise color.

And I just think they compliment each other very well. The colors remind me of a pharaoh's crown. Don't you think so too?

This are the polishes I used for this NOTD.

Ciate Mini Nail Polish in Ladylike Luxe
Girl Stuff Nail Polish in Turquoise

And that's all I guess. I don't have much to say because I'm just too tired right now. I'm sorry. :( But I do hope you like this very simple NOTD. :)


Cheers,
DAWN

Tony Moly Make HD Hair Lotion

Hey guys!

The air is a bit dryer than usual which made my hair more frizzy. My hair mousse ran out and I remembered I bought this product from Tony Moly last October that I haven't opened yet. I figured this would be the proper time to use it...

Tony Moly Make HD Hair Lotion

I bought this for Php 228.00. I thought it was quite affordable for a 200ml tube of hair product. I thought that this will help my curls look better. My hair is damaged and frizzy and I'm open to trying out different products to see what will work best for it.

So let's get to know the product first by reading what's labeled on the tube:

I use this every morning after I shower. I towel-dry my hair first the apply this product. I concentrate it more at the ends of my hair and not much on top of my hair since that area isn't much of a problem.

The product is cream type with a fruity scent. It's not too thick... if I have to use a comparison, it's just like an emulsion, not as thick as a night cream. It doesn't cause any sticky feeling and it doesn't make my hair hard like what hair sprays do.

Check out how it works on my hair:

Left: without product

Right: with product

It does tame the frizziness of my hair as seen on the photos, but not as good as when I use  my mousse. It doesn't help define the curls either... But what it does better is that my hair feels smoother and smells better than when I have the mousse on. I actually think that this is a good product and very affordable too, but I think this will work better with people with straight or wavy hair than to those with permed or curly hair.

And those are my thoughts on this product. What do you think of the Tony Moly Make HD Hair Lotion?

Cheers,

DAWN

Too Cool For School Hot Girl Lip Sticker in Urban Orchid

Hello loves!

I want to share with you this new and very sexy lipstick shade from Too Cool For School!

Too Cool For School Hot Girl Lip Sticker in Urban Orchid

Php 435.00

This is my third Hot Girl Lip Sticker (click HERE to see the others). What I love about these lipsticks is that it's just so bold and vibrant. It's one of the first bold lipstick range I found from a Korean makeup brand. I loved it when I first tried it two years ago, and I still love it until now.

I really like this pocket-sized packaging. It carries 2g of product and this can easily fit in your kikay kit and... your pocket!

The shade is a bright pink shade with cool undertones.

I think this can be a more affordable dupe for one of my favorite lipsticks, NARS Schiap, but this is slightly darker... just a tiny bit. And it also has a semi-matte finish!

See this beautiful swatch? I got that in just one swipe. It's so rich in color!

The vibrant color is so eye-catching and beautiful that it is automatically the star of your look!

Staying power is awesome. It can last a whole day (that is, if you won't be eating or drinking much). And it didn't cause any drying for my lips. It's a really good lipstick and it's something I can wear during the day or night, in the office or at a concert! It can make your look so sexy, girly, and fun all at the same time!

So what do you think of the Too Cool For School Hot Girl Lip Sticker in Urban Orchid? Do you wear shades like this as well?

Cheers,

DAWN

EOTD: Tomayto, Tomahto

Hey everyone!

Sharing one of the eye makeup I did a few days ago.

I don't usually plan what eye shadow and eyeliner I'll put on whenever I apply my makeup. I just go with the first palette I see and that's what happened in this EOTD. What made this special is that the eyeliners I paired the palette with made the colors similar to something. :P

As you can see on the photo above, the colors are a mix of warm pinks, that sort of look like sheer red, different shades of green, and gold. The combination looks good but these colors are usually associated with Christmas... except, the colors are lighter... it reminded me of something else... it reminded me of tomatoes! Haha! And that's why I named this look as such. Can you see tomato-ey colors too?

Anyway, these are the products I used.

Snoe What's Up Brow! Water Resistant Eyebrow Gel Corrector

LORAC Cobra Mascara

Yves Saint Laurent Pure Chromatics Wet & Dry Eye Shadows in No. 7

Styli-Style Liquid Liner in Green

Sephora Waterproof Jumbo Liner 12HR Wear in Green and Gold

Check out more photos of the EOTD below:

So what do you think? Does the tomato-ish color combination work? :)

Cheers,

DAWN