Review : Shawill Coloring Eyebrow

Hey dears!

So I'm still on my quest to find the perfect brow product. I've already tried some that sort of work but I have to use 2-3 products to achieve it. I was hoping to try a product that can do the trick alone and it has to be long-lasting and sweat proof. 

While browsing the beauty stalls in SM Manila's department store, I encountered this product...

Shawill Coloring Eyebrow
I bought it for PhP 188.00.

I bought it because I haven't tried a liquid liner version for a brow product. I was hoping that it will be an affordable dupe for the popular K Palette Brow Tattoo.

So let's get on with the review.

Info from the label (which is also on the website):

Genuine to your skin for a long lasting radiant beauty.

Unique lasting formula with flexible strokes to create a comfortable, relaxed and natural eyebrow sketch.

Maintains natural-looking results.

I think it only comes in one shade. :P

The packaging is the typical pen type with a cap. The design is sort of cutesy although I think that the font selection needs improvement. haha! 

It has a brush applicator that can create fine lines if applied lightly.

See below the swatches:

I was trying to create hair-like strokes but I guess the lines aren't as fine as hair. It's quite dark too and I already have dark brows. So I suggest that you use it with light hands.

It's sort of smudge-resistant. The photo above shows how the swatches stayed on my hand after rubbing it a few times.

When rubbed with water, some of the product came off, but not too much. It's safe to say that it is quite water-resistant (not waterproof!).

Above photo shows my bare brows. The hair of my brows are thick and dark so I can't just use any brown-colored brow product. I gotta go with the dark shades so this product's color is good enough.

The above photo shows my brow with the product. I really struggled adding hair-like lines because of the thickness of my brows. The strands block the direction of the line I'm trying to make, especially the end of the inner brows part where I just want to add a little more strands to balance it with the darkness of the brow hair next to it.

I need to practice more to perfect it because the shade is just too dark that a small mistake will be very obvious. The problem here is that since I have dark hair strands, I needed to add more... and adding more can either make it too thick and dark because the shade is just dark or it will just look fake or just drawn if I place the lines far away from each other (because as you can see, my hair strands are pretty close to each other, especially the inner area). What makes it worse, it dispenses a lot of product when you press it hard on skin, so be careful!!

I find this kind of brow product really hard to use—harder than the brow pencils which give a more natural finish. :( I blame the darkness of it. I'd rather have a brow product that is sheerer in shade that I can just build up. 

But staying power is pretty decent. It still fades when my skin gets oily but I think it can stay the whole day if I blot and make sure I don't get sweat on my brows much.

To summarize this review:

What I LIKE:

- Decent staying power

- Affordable

- Locally available

- Travel-friendly (non-bulky)

- Brush tip applicator

- Smudge-resistant

What I DON'T LIKE:

- One shade only

- Shade is too dark

- Hard to apply

- Not a fan of the design

Would I buy again?

No. It's too hard to use and I find that the finish is too strong for my brows.

And that is my review! Let me know what you think of the Shawill Coloring Brow on the comments!

Cheers,
DAWN

Nivea Brings the First Deo Serum in the Philippines For the Next Level You!

Hello lovelies!

I'm excited to try this new product from Nivea!!! I just saw this press release today and I can't wait to share it with all of you. Check this out!

 The 1st Deo Serum in the Philippines for the Next Level You 

NIVEA understands that today’s Filipina is more empowered than ever—never settling, achieving more and always aspiring to be better. 

That’s why NIVEA has created the 1st Deo Serum in the Philippines, to help women be ready to take it to the next level. Introducing the NIVEA Extra White Deo Serum! The newest product innovation from NIVEA features a concentrated, translucent serum formula that can penetrate deeper into the skin for deo care protection and whitening like never before.  

 NIVEA Extra White Deo Serum contains 10x more Vitamin C and EvenWhite Technology to effectively and evenly whiten underarm skin in as quickly as 5 days.  

 NIVEA White & Firm Q10 Deo Serum has a quick absorbing formula with a special Q10 ingredient that reduces wrinkles and firms up loose skin on top on its whitening benefits. Now you can achieve whiter, smoother and firm underarm skin. 

 For more information, visit NIVEA.ph, like us at NIVEA Philippines and follow us @NIVEAphils on Twitter and Instagram. 

__________________________________

Okay, so a deo that promises to level up its moisturizing properties (it avoids chicken skin!) and also helps whiten your underarms (I super need this). I have been using Nivea deos for a long time and it works well in controlling sweat and odor. 

I can't wait to go buy one and try this for myself... I think I'll grab the Q10 first. ;)

Cheers,
DAWN

Bath Junkies: Return To Innocence

Good evening bellas!

I recently bought my very first Bath Junkies product from BeautyMNL. I've been using this product for about 2 weeks now and here are my thoughts on it.

Before I go on about their product, here's a little information on the brand as described in BeautyMNL.

Bath Junkies is the first local bath and body brand to compete globally! Their line of soaps, scrubs, bath gels, colognes, cleansers, toners, sanitizers, and sunscreens contain both mood-lifting essential oils and skin-nourishing actives. And you won’t find toxic ingredients here—Bath Junkies is a natural brand. The best part? Each of its products are bundled up in pretty, pretty packaging with a bohemian beach vibe.

Packaging:

I can't really agree with the Bohemian vibe description since the first time I saw the product online I immediately remembered babies. To me, the design of the labels was more an appeal to my more innocent days and memories.

The pump bottle design is also good however, since this company claims to be an all-natural brand, you'd think they'd proudly announce the lack of chemicals in their products by listing them down and giving more details on their product. Nowadays, a lot of people have different things that they are allergic to and it'd be risky for them to just go ahead and believe a certain brands' claim of being organic. I think they should provide the list of their ingredients so consumers can be guided.

Product:

The facial wash is a clear transparent light amber colored fluid. Not too viscous, and non-sticky. It lathers quickly but does not lather too much. It's non-drying on the face nor is it itchy after use. The product smells like peppermint which is reminiscent of candy canes (Christmas feels). The peppermint adds a cooling sensation when the product is being applied/rubbed on your face and during rinse.

I wouldn't really recommend this for individuals with sensitive skin. As I said earlier, there is a lack in disclosure of the ingredients so there's a fair warning that it may contain some of the chemicals or organic materials that you are allergic. Also, as convention would state, gentle, hypoallergenic washes usually do not have any smell and are very bland looking to minimize adding more chemicals to these products.

Skin Changes during use:

So far, I haven't seen any break outs from using this product. My dermatitis also did not flare up. The cooling effect of the product leaves a feeling of an uplifted and refreshed face though I don't really see it when I look in the mirror.

Price and Availability:

It's a great purchase though one I wouldn't do again. It's Php 220 pesos for a 114 ml bottle which for me is a little expensive. For now the product is only available online through BeautyMNL and their facebook page. I have not found any other sites though but if you know any, then please don't hesitate to share with me and others in the comments.

Well those are my thoughts on this product. I want our local products to gain a larger attention so I hope I have helped in their improvement. 

Cheers,

LIZ

The Soapery Oatmeal, Milk and Honey Soap

Hello dears!

Last summer, my sister asked me to buy her some organic soaps, so I asked my friend who uses organic skin products to recommend brands that I could check out. One of her suggestions was The Soapery PH.

I bought around three types of soaps from them, one for me and one for my sis. One of the soaps I bought was the...

The Soapery Oatmeal, Milk and Honey Soap
or simply called OMH Soap.

I'm sure many of you have heard of the good skin benefits of oatmeal, milk, and honey. Oatmeal is known for soothing irritations and inflammations. The oatmeal bits also are natural exfoliators that aren't too rough so it's good for daily use. Oatmeal, along with milk and honey, are good moisturizers and have anti-aging benefits too! Honey is known for it's anti-bacterial quality while milk is good for sensitive skin and getting rid of discoloration (because it also has some sort of mild exfoliation). For more info, you can just google like I did. You'll pretty much find almost the same information and probably even more! 

You can also find some information about the ingredients and the product itself from it's labels:

It's also posted in one of their Facebook post (copy/pasted it incase the photo's labels are too small):

Best Seller Oatmeal, Milk & Honey Soap (OMH)

Php 150/pc. Weighs 135-140g each

OMH soap is beneficial for softening the skin by nourishing it with its vitamin E content. This soap is hence very useful for calming several skin disorders like eczema, psoriasis and skin asthma. Along with vitamin E, this soap is also rich with other vitamins like vit. A, vit. B1, vit. B2 and vit. B6. It is rich with antioxidants that are really essential for a healthy skin and to manage free radicals. Oatmeal, its natural oil coat, moisturize, protect, and gently cleanses while correcting the pH of itchy or inflamed skin back to normal. Milk contains capric/capryllic triglycerides, an effective moisturizer that is favored for sensitive skin and helps calm itchy symptoms of eczema and other skin conditions. Honey has the ability to attract water and aids in the process of tissue regeneration. Helps aid dry skin, reduce wrinkles and acne.
For orders/inquiries, send us a PM or viber us at 0977.822.SPRY (7779). 

I don't have dry skin but I do experience some sensitivity in some areas. I do get easily itchy when the weather gets dry, especially my legs. I didn't experience any of that while I'm using the soap (well, dry weather is quite rare in the Philippines). And my skin didn't get dry even if I use this daily (but there are some instances that I use other soaps just because I'm in the mood for a particular scent). I only have 1/4 of the soap left and so far it didn't gave me irritations whatsoever! I have soft skin every time I leave the shower! Yay!

I cut the soap in half before using because the 140g bar is quite big. It's also a way to "prolong" the soap because organic soaps tend to "melt" faster than commercial soaps. I think i've been using it for the past 2 months (or maybe 3?).

The scent of the OMH soap is very, very mild. It has the classic smell of oatmeal with the slight bit of sweetness. The scent doesn't linger on skin though so good news for those who do not like fragrance for skin products. And it lathers well... quite creamy actually! 

So if you do have some skin sensitivity issues and are looking for a soap you can try, then I can easily recommend The Soapery's Oatmeal, Milk and Honey Soap. I'm quite satisfied with it and I'm thinking of buying another one as soon as I run out of mine. :)

Have you tried The Soapery's OMH Soap? What about their other soaps?


Cheers,
DAWN

Schwarzkopf Bonacure Hairtherapy: Repair Rescue Conditioner

Good evening ladies,

This will be my last review of the Schwarzkopf trio which I bought when I had my hair dyed purple. I've previously reviewed the sulfate-free shampoo and the hair-mousse like conditioner in the middle. So the last will be the small sized conditioner, Repair Rescue.

Packaging:

I don't really like the packaging for the shampoo and the conditioner. The top heavy design does nothing to the product's appeal. The plastic of the bottles are too hard for me to be able to squeeze every last drop of product out of it; additionally, the roundness also adds to my difficulty to cut the bottle in half (again for the purpose of getting every last bit of product out of it). The lid covers, in contrast are made out of thin plastic and break easily. I dropped the shampoo and now the lid's joint is loose.

Product Consistency:

The product is quite light and does not leave a filmy kind-of sticky residue on your hands after application. However, when applied on hair, it does little to de-tangle my somewhat hard, wet hair, and does not feel anything like a conditioner.

Performance: 

When I chose to buy this instead of the sulfate-free conditioner, I was told that this product was used for women with rebonded hair as rebond is very damaging hence assuring me that this was the closest to a hair salon treatment for my hair. I was also given instructions to ensure that I let the product stay for not more than five minutes or else it'll leave my hair hard. Unfortunately, despite following such instructions, I find that this conditioner fails in conditioning my hair. I was disappointed to find out that this expensive conditioner could not even deliver results that a cheaper conditioner could.

Price:

I think the full size will cost around Php 1,000.

In summary:

I do not recommend buying into the temptation of these promo products next time you're in a salon. I guess Schwarzkopf are just not compatible with my hair since they haven't performed well for me; even their hair dyes don't stick as long. With it's poor performance, it's better to stick with cheaper conditioners for your treated hair.

I hope this has helped you a little in deciding whether to go for that promo deal the next time you're asked to buy your salon's products. Do share with me if you had the same or different experience using Schwarzkopf brands.

Cheers,

LIZ

Nippon Esthetic: White Ginger Hydrating Hand Wash

Good evening ladies,

I've been using this White Ginger Hand Wash from Nippon Esthetic Philippines for about a week and I think it's about time to share my thoughts on this product.

It was my first time hearing of this brand so I searched the net to learn more. The brand is relatively young having started in 2006 as a beauty solutions provider. The company upholds their philosophy to redefine beauty hygiene. Their products highlight the Japanese simplicity for precise and flawless makeup application.

 The packaging:

It's a standard 300 ml pump-bottle. The labels are simple and uncluttered. I do like this straight-forward type of design with the labels since it looks so clean but still eye-catching. 

Product consistency:

This liquid/gel soap looks light in the bottle and feels light as well. It's not viscous, nor is it super sticky. The consistency is almost similar to alco-gels which is really great. I always have problems with more viscous hand soaps or shower gels since they're too thick and hard to wash off. I often need to dilute them a lot just so I get the right amount of bubbles and soapy finish when washing. Though those soaps come in handy when you're trying to save up (since diluting them increases the amount available for use).

Fragrance:

I love the smell of ginger. It's a calming and warming aroma for me and this soap is exactly that.

Non-drying property:

My hands feel very smooth after each wash. After rinse, it's not a filmy type of smoothness but just a feeling that my skin was just naturally supple and smooth to start with.

Availability:

The brand and their products may be purchased directly through their website or through BeautyMNL or you can go to one of their stores to purchase,

Overall, I think this is a great product and a good brand to start exploring. I might try some of their products so I am open for any suggestions from you. Please let me know of any of theirs that is worth trying.

Cheers,

LIZ

Chantecaille Mini Brilliant Gloss in Love

Happy weekend, everyone!

Just gonna share a swatch post of a freebie my sister gave me.

Chantecaille Mini Brilliant Gloss in Love

Info from the Nordstrom website:

Details

Brilliant Gloss is a nonsticky lip gloss with vegetal-based cross-linked sugars that naturally and safely plump lips. An innovative system of elastic polymers and shiny emollient oil creates long-lasting wear. Enhanced with green tea to protect and calm lips.

Mineral oil-free
palm oil-free
gluten-free
paraben-free
petrolatum-free
phthalate-free
soy-free
SLS/SLES-free.
Does not contain animal components.

Ingredients

Charm, Flirt, Mirth, Love, Folly, Modern, Glee Ingredients: Polybutene, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Silica Silylate, Hydrogenated Styrene/Isoprene Copolymer,Mica, Dicalcium Phosphate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Green Tea Oily Extract, Pentaerithrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Tin Oxide, Flavor (Aroma). [Limonene] [+/-: Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Iron Oxides (Ci 77491/Ci 97792/Ci 77499), Carmine (Ci 75470), Red 6 (Ci 15850), Red 7 Lake (Ci 15850), Red 30 Lake (Ci 73360), Red 28 Lake (Ci 45410), Yellow 5 Lake (Ci 19140), Yellow 6 Lake (Ci 15985), Blue 1 Lake (Ci 42090), Eosine Y (Ci 45380)]; Pretty, Lucky, Classic Ingredients: Polybutene, Octyldodecanol, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Silica Dimethyl Silylate Mica, Ricinus Communis (Castor) See Oil (Ricinus Communis Oil), Dicalcium Phosphate Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Hexylene Glycol, Bht, Tin Oxide [+/-:Iron Oxides (Ci 77491/ Ci 77492/ Ci 77499), Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Red 6/ Red 6 Lake/ Red 7 Lake (Ci 15850), Red 27/ Red 27 Lake / Red 28 Lake (Ci 45410), Red 21 Lake / Red 22 Lake (Ci 45380), Red 30 Lake (Ci 73360), Red 33 Lake (Ci 17200), Blue 1 Lake (Ci 42090), Yellow 5 Lake (Ci 19140), Yellow 6 Lake (Ci 15985), Yellow 10 Lake (Ci47005), Carmine (Ci 75470), Manganese Violet (Ci77742), Bismuth Oxychloride (Ci 77163)].

Ingredients are subject to change at the manufacturer's discretion. For the most complete and up-to-date list of ingredients, refer to the product packaging.

It's a pale pink shade with shimmers.

It's a mini travel-size tube equipped with a brush applicator.

Here's the swatch on hand

And on my lips

The product is very sheer and as you can see on the photos, it only gave a bright pink translucent gloss and didn't entirely cover my lips since you can still see some of my lips' natural color. I'm not a fan of sheer lip glosses to be honest but what I do like about this is that it can go on top of a lipstick to lighten it and add shimmers for a fun and youthful look.

The quality of the lipgloss is good as it never caused any dryness. It's non-sticky and also not the very slippery kind that annoys me. I don't think it's that long-lasting since it's completely gone when I eat. Haha! 

I guess that's all I can say about this gloss. Have you tried any of the Brilliant Glosses from Chantecaille?

Cheers,
DAWN

Review : Nature Republic Blemish Lab Bye Pore Base

Hello dearies!

As someone with oily and acne-prone skin, it's hard to keep my makeup looking fresh all day. I do try my best to find long-staying foundations, but I also look for good primers or makeup bases for support.

One of the products I've used is the...

Nature Republic Blemish Lab Bye Pore Base
I bought it from their Landmark, Makati branch for PhP 435.00.

What made me attracted to the product is that it promises to make your pores appear smaller and helps control oil.

Check out the product info from the packaging:

And more info from koreadepart.com:

It's housed in a squeezable plastic tube with very minimal design. It actually looks professional although I find the color very dull. It wouldn't stand out when placed next to the brand's other products.

The nozzle is small which makes getting the product out of the tube easy to control.

Here's what the product looks like

When slightly spread

The texture is creamy but not very thick. It's surprisingly lightweight, but if I have to compare it with other primers that refines pore, it's not as velvety soft as the popular Benefit Porefessional nor the one from Maybelline. 

When spread out

when it sets

It's finish is matte but it will take a good 20-30 seconds before it completely sets. 


Here's how it works on my face:

Bare face

With the product

As you can see, it didn't really do much on the pores. It just made my skin more matte. It doesn't have any tint so it didn't help in making my skin tone look even.

With BB cream

My face looked better with BB Cream but I think it's because the BB is really good (review here).

With finishing powder (and I also added concealer on acne scars)

I think that what this makeup base did is that it made the application easier because it made the base (my skin) smoother. I guess it also helps in prolonging makeup, but my BB cream is also long-wearing to begin with.

But in terms of its promises, I have to say that it performed below average. It barely did any difference for my pores and my skin is still as oily as ever. With or without this product doesn't have any difference.

So to summarize:

What I LIKE:

- Squeezable tube

- Locally available

- Sort of affordable

- Light weight

- Smoothens the skin

- Easy to apply and spread

- Matte finish

- No alcohol content

What I DON'T LIKE:

- Barely did anything for the appearance of my pores

- No oil control

- Not as soft as other pore refining primers

- Packaging design is dull

Would I buy again? No. It didn't meet my expectation (and I didn't even set it high since it's quite affordable). I'd rather buy the Oil Queen Cotton Primer from Holika Holika or Ellana Mineral Cosmetics Let's Make It Last Makeup Primer, which are of the same price range. :/

And that's my review of Nature Republic's Blemish Lab Bye Pore Base! :)

Cheers,

DAWN