Review, swatches, MAC dupes: 11 shades of Milani Color Statement lipstick

Milani Color Statement lipsticks are some of the absolute best from a drugstore brand. I am so obsessed with them that I got them in....11 colors!

Review and lip swatch: LA Splash Smitten Liptint Mousse in Hermione

I became very curious about the LA Splash Smitten Liptint Mousse after seeing it being offered by a number of sellers on Instagram. I don't know anyone who's tried it yet, but online reviews seemed good overall, so I went for it.

I got mine in the shade Hermione, a medium pink I felt was wearable for my corporate office. Yes, Hermione as in Hermione Granger from Harry Potter, as the brand came out with a collection dedicated to our beloved characters from Hogwarts.


The packaging includes a slanted doe foot applicator. I find this picks up quite a bit of product so I have to press off the excess on the inside of the tube.



The product has quite a thick and sticky feel to me upon application. It can go on a little streaky, so blend well.

The product sets in a few seconds and dries very matte. It gave me a sort of tight feeling on the lips, similar to the tight feeling you get on your skin if you've used too harsh a facial wash. Not the most comfortable, but at least it doesn't crack the lips even if it's drying.



This lasts after eating but gets a little patchy, so I reapplied after having lunch. Some of it came off on my tumbler while drinking.

Overall, this isn't a bad lip product, and it does last the whole day. I definitely like not having to keep checking my lip color while thinking about dozens of other things at work. I do really like the color for everyday, since it brightens up my face without being too in your face. You can wear this with more pared down looks or a bit more dramatic eye.

However, I am not a fan of the less than comfortable feel, so this is not going to be something I'll repurchase or get in different colors.

For a similar effect with a more comfortable feel at half the price, I would go for NYX Soft Matte lip cream instead. I bought the LA Splash Liptint Mousse for P600, while you can get the NYX Soft Matte lip creams between P250-P370 online or at NYX stores.

Beauty buys under P300

Review: Nova Easy Curl curling iron

For years, I have been obsessed with casual curls. I already own two curling irons, but my one-inch Watson's one doesn't heat up, and the curls it creates don't last long. My Conair one at 1.25 inches is too big for my currently mid-length hair.

I am loving the Nova Easy Curl curling iron for my curly-haired ambitions!


It has this plastic outer shell with slats that fit your hair while you're winding strands around the wand. It also has a clip towards the bottom, but I don't use this; it kind of makes me nervous thinking my hair will somehow get tangled in it and burn off. Eek!



Take note that the plugs are rounded. Our electrical sockets at home are flat, but I have an adaptor, so this was no problem.

To use, press the power button and give it 5-10 minutes to heat up. Make sure it's hot enough so that it will actually create a curl; otherwise you'll just be applying heat to your hair without results.

I wind sections of my hair around the wand, hold it in place for 10 seconds, then let go. The plastic shell really helps prevent burns. I can't count the number of times I've gotten (mildly) burnt from a bare curling wand. I'm also really glad this is not a heavy wand. Doing curls on yourself does require some arm strength, holding the iron with one hand while winding hair with the other!



To achieve different-sized curls, just use bigger or smaller sections of hair. This makes the overall look less fussy and more relaxed. Don't forget to alternate directions when winding the hair; doing them all in one direction will make it look too perfect and doll-like. Nothing casual about that!

My hair is thick and has a combination of natural textures - straighter on the top layers and wavier on the bottom. It unfortunately doesn't hold curls very well. While testing this, it was really important for me to see how long the curl would hold. Surprisingly, although the curls loosened after a couple of hours, my waves were still there 12 hours after curling! This was with second-day hair, no styling products used.

The Nova easy curl is available for P465 at @theainstashop on Instagram; less than what I spent for my other two curling irons. It was sent to me for my review. I do not review sponsored items that I do not like because I don't want to say something bad about a free item; this one, I love! This is a styling tool that's easy to use even for beginners, and impressive especially at this price.

Kiehl's: Midnight Recovery Concentrate, Ultra Facial Oil-Free Cleanser, conditioner, and BB cream

It's been over a year (already!) since the first Kiehl's store opened in Cebu. For the longest time, I was only ever using their lip gloss and lip balm. Now that the store's here, I have not stopped using the brand since the opening.

I just wanted to be honest about the experiences I've had with their products. Some are hits, while others are misses.



Perhaps one of the brand's most popular products is the Midnight Recovery Concentrate and is the best thing I've tried from Kiehl's. This stuff replaced my Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair as part of my anti-aging nighttime routine. I don't use this every single night because it is expensive at P2,895 per bottle. But even if I did, it would still last a long time because you only need three drops per use. I put one drop each on my forehead and each cheek, then massage it in. When I remember, I put a drop on my neck, too.

The product absorbs immediately and isn't greasy. Every time I wake up after using this, my skin just looks and feels really supple, healthy and even.

The Actively Correcting and Beautifying BB cream is always with me when I travel. It doesn't streak at all like some BB creams do, provides light coverage to even out the complexion, and really saves me on hot days with SPF50 and no caking. At P1,995, this is an expensive BB cream, so I don't know yet if I love it enough to repurchase.

I have mixed feelings about the Ultra Facial Oil-Free Cleanser. I like that it cleanses the face well without any stinging or tightness. But I've found you really need to use a makeup remover first because this isn't very good at removing makeup. This leaves skin clean and soft, and for P1,095 you get a lot of product in 150ml. (The tube looks smaller than normal because I've cut it open to get out the remaining amount.) For the price, though, I wish it would do more.

The Olive Fruit Oil Nourishing Conditioner is supposed to be good for dry hair. My hair is not particularly dry, but I want to nourish it as much as possible because I do color it regularly. (What was too dry, which was half my length, was chopped off earlier this year!) While the conditioner is good enough because you don't need a lot, and it conditions without weighing down hair, I didn't really see a remarkable difference in the softness or smoothness of my hair. I was expecting more for something that cost over P1,000.

I still like Kiehl's as a brand, but based on my experiences and the reviews I've read online, some products work well on some people, but not on others. I would say save your money with the cleanser and conditioner and splurge on the Midnight Recovery Concentrate instead. I'm still looking to try their other products and will review those in the future.

Review: Bioderma micellar water

Facial mist reviews: NuSkin, Mario Badescu, MAC Fix+, and Clinique

Some of you may have read in my newspaper column last month that I've been curious about facial mists, but I wanted to wait until I finally got MAC Fix+ before I wrote a review about all the ones that I own.




I've had NaPCA by NuSkin the longest. (It's just pronounced as "napca" not N-A-P-C-A.) The bottle says: NaPCA Moisture Mist is a conditioning spray that supplies skin and hair with a quick surge of moisture. Packed with natural moisturizing ingredients like NaPCA, Hyaluronic Acid, and Urea, this oil-free formula helps maintain a constant moisture level in your skin while fighting the drying effects of the environment.

Hyaluronic acid is famed for moisture retention, and I think this mist is the best of the ones I own at adding moisture to the skin without feeling sticky. I use this in the summer especially after too much sun and I don't want to feel hot by applying moisturizer, and also in cooler months before bedtime.

This is in a 250ml bottle. I don't know how much it costs since it was given to me, but it's available from NuSkin sellers in Cebu.

Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs and Rosewater says on the bottle: Once you've tried our rejuvenating facial spray, you won't want to be without it. Use it to set makeup, soothe your skin in dehydrating conditions, or to give your skin a quick boost anytime, anywhere. It also says it's paraben free.

I bought this to freshen up at the office throughout the day, but I find it makes my skin feel stickier within the hour after application, which is the exact opposite of what I wanted it to do. Of all the facial mists I have, this one also has the strongest fragrance. But I like using this at night as the last step in my skin care routine and I seem to wake up with softer skin and no oiliness in the morning. (Yes, I still get a bit oily sometimes on the nose area even while asleep.) I got this 118ml bottle for P445 at Rustan's.

I've been after the MAC Fix+ spray for some time, but it kept getting sold out at the counter in Rustan's. Contrary to what some people call it, this is not a setting spray. The bottle says: A soothing moisture mist that refreshes the skin and finishes makeup. Hold bottle 12" away from face and spray evenly. Use before or after makeup. 

I feel this is better at making makeup look less cakey in its finishing capacity, but does not make makeup last longer. I like to use this after moisturizer and before primer just to add extra prep to the skin. I feel it makes my skin look and feel more supple. I have used it with some of my regular foundations and face powders and I feel my skin looks more natural after. My T-zone tends to start getting oily 3 hours after makeup but with this, the oiliness is held off for about 5 to 6 hours after makeup application.

I like that this has a lock in the cap so that it doesn't spray everywhere if you happen to be traveling, but of all my facial mists, I dislike this spray mechanism the most. It's a more concentrated spritz instead of a fine, even mist. I find I have to tap it on my skin after to help distribute the product. But, I love the effect the product gives me. I might just transfer this into one of the other bottles if any of the others run out.

I bought this 100ml bottle of Fix+ for P1,150 at NAIA Terminal 3 on my way home from Vietnam earlier this week. It's the newest in my collection but I am really enjoying it.

Clinique Moisture Surge Face Spray Thirsty Skin Relief to me seems like the most no-fuss spray. To me, it does not have as much moisturizing power as NaPCA, but I feel it still provides a boost of moisture.

Because of its size, I always bring this with me when I travel. In drier conditions or longer plane rides, I almost always get dry patches and/or a tight feeling on my cheeks, and this is so convenient for freshening up on the plane or when I'm out. I'm afraid I don't know how much this costs since this was given to me by Clinique.

I like using these face mists to amp up my skin care. If you're looking for a makeup setting spray, try the one by Urban Decay instead, which I find really locks makeup in place.

Correctors for dark undereye circles + setting powders

Since college, I have been battling dark undereye circles. No matter what eye cream I use, how well I stay hydrated or how much sleep I get, they're still there. They are not too terribly dark, but they do get that way when I am tired.

This needs to be addressed with a color corrector; concealer won't be able to completely cover dark undereye circles, so the color needs to be corrected first. Corrector just does wonders for making your entire face look brighter and well-rested.

These are the three correctors that I like the most aside from my Naturactor concealer.




All of these powders work very well, especially when I use a smaller setting brush, not a big face brush.

Ben Nye Banana Powder adds a brightening effect because of its yellow hue. The Skinfinish Natural powder provides minimal coverage but is great for setting, also for all over the face. The Laura Mercier powder is an excellent partner for the Secret Concealer; pair these and they're practically cemented on, with no fading or budging for hours, but it's usually more coverage than I need on a day to day basis.

Not that I need more, but after reading my friend and pro makeup artist Kim's recent blog post which inspired me to come up with this post on correctors, I may need to check out MAC's concealer in NW25 to see how well that works on me!

Skip to 1:21 on this video if you want to see exactly how I apply and set my corrector.

Review and how to use Nature Republic Forest Garden Argan Cleansing Oil | Close dupe for Shu Uemura

I adore Shu Uemura cleansing oil, but as we know, it costs an arm and a leg. I saw a Cebu-based seller on Instagram carrying Korean products for lower than retail prices, and this Nature Republic cleansing oil looked interesting to me.



I had never heard of Nature Republic before, so I did a bit of reading online before deciding to buy this. I chose the Argan one for its nourishing benefits. The cleansing oil also comes in a few other varieties, like chamomile and green tea. I like the packaging; it's pretty with the floral design, and the pump dispenses just the right amount.

The instructions on the carton say you should use two or three pumps, but really, just one pump is enough. That's all I needed to remove a full face of makeup - foundation, brows, eyeshadow and liner, mascara, lipstick.

To use, start with clean hands and a dry face. Dispense one pump's worth onto your palms, then massage all over the face. I leave the eye area last so I don't spread my liner and mascara everywhere. I use my fingertips to massage the product over eye makeup. If it feels too sticky or it's not emulsifying enough, add just a little water on your palms, then continue to massage it all over the face. Rinse thoroughly.

I noticed that this does need a bit more rinsing than the Shu Uemura cleansing oil, but I was so pleased with the result that this doesn't bother me. All my makeup had come off and my skin felt really soft and smooth, and clean without that dry or tight feeling that you may get from normal facial washes. Overall, it worked very similarly to Shu Uemura cleansing oil for me and also gave me a very similar result after cleansing, although Shu is just a little bit more moisturizing than this one.

To see if the product had really removed most of my makeup, I followed it up with a toner by Etude House that I also bought from the same seller. Very little excess makeup came off, mostly in areas like my neck and near my ears that I had missed with the oil.

I purchased this 200ml bottle for P550 from Dara Cafe on La Guardia St. in Lahug. You can also view their products on their Instagram account @darabeautymarket.

Breaking, melting and contouring: Fat reduction at Lohas Skin and Slimming Center

Summer means it's time to bare more skin. On many days, the heat just won't allow us to continue wearing jeans or long-sleeved tops, and of course, we have to dress appropriately in swimwear when we go for a dip in the pool or ocean. Exposing more of our bodies can be stressful for a lot of women, with the societal pressure of being thin.

There was no pain through the procedure, which took around 45 minutes. At times when it gets a bit uncomfortable because it feels like a very hard massage, you can always ask the therapist for a quick break.

Review and swatch: Mary Kay liquid eyeliner pen in black

I am one of those people who does not have the steadiest of hands, so when it comes to liquid eyeliner, I prefer the marker type instead of the brush type. I still need to use up my K-Palette liquid liner, but I don't dare use it when I am in a hurry because that one definitely needs a few extra seconds of holding your breath while trying to maintain steadiness!

I have been quite happy with the Mary Kay liquid eyeliner pen:




On my hand it doesn't look like a very deep black, but on the eyelids, it shows up as a true black.The nib dispenses just the right amount of product so that it's not too wet or dry, and one stroke gives full color payoff. It applies very smoothly without any tugging and dries quickly.

Although the tip isn't ultra-fine, you still get a lot of control. You can make the line thinner or thicker depending on how you hold the pen.

After a good 12 hours of wear, the liner was still intact, although faded to a dark gray. I tried rubbing it off with a finger, and it still did not smudge. It washed off easily with my regular facial wash, with no need for makeup remover.

I would highly recommend this if you like the look of liquid eyeliner, but still need some practice with those super-precise brush tips - or just want a very easy-to-use eyeliner pen.

Tip: Store liner pens horizontally and not vertically, so they don't dry out so fast.

This product was kindly sent to me by Mary Kay Philippines. It has a catalog price of P700. In Cebu, Mary Kay is located in Cebu Grand Hotel, Escario Street.

Review: Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Moisturizing Body Oil

Although I applied sunblock on a recent beach trip, I still got sunburned after one hour under the noontime sun. Sunburn is never fun. I dread the stinging and hate to think of the damage the sun has caused to my skin.

I badly needed a heavy-duty moisturizer to help my skin heal and regain moisture, but didn't want anything too thick or heavy since it's summer and already so humid. This light body oil seemed like the perfect solution while I was looking at shelves of moisturizers at the supermarket. I have been using Palmer's body butter for years but hadn't tried this.


I was worried that it might be heavy, but it isn't, at all. I love the formula because it absorbs immediately into the skin without any slick or greasy feeling whatsoever, like other body oils. Skin feels very silky and not at all slimy after use. The healthy-looking, sexy sheen it leaves stays on even after a shower, well into the next day!

I started using it four days after sun exposure. Unfortunately, my shoulders started to peel a week after sun exposure : ( So I suppose the oil could not help prevent the peeling, but to me, it helped a lot with regaining moisture. I don't know how much the oil helped, but peeling did not hurt as it usually does.

On the bottle, it says "Lightly scented, fast absorbing, leaves skin silky soft." Two big checks for the last two items, but I would not agree with that first claim. I don't have an ultra-sensitive nose, but to me, this has a pretty strong, sort of chocolatey scent. The smell seems to fade away quickly after application, though.

When you first open the bottle, you have to unscrew the cap and remove the seal across the top. My tip is to punch a small hole instead of removing the entire seal, so that you don't dispense too much product at once; easy to do with liquids like this.

I use it after showering and towel-drying, as I would use lotion. If you have a bath tub (which not many people in the Philippines do), you can also pour a few capfuls of this into your bath.

I got this 250ml bottle at Rustan's Supermarket in Ayala for around P450. I recommend it if you are looking for a good lightweight moisturizer that doesn't leave that sticky feel, but be warned of the scent if you are sensitive to fragrances.

Review and swatch: Clinique Cheek Pop blush in Plum Pop

I'll admit that what really drew me at first to this product is the gorgeous packaging. I mean, how beautiful is that floral design stamped on the blush and the clear case? After seeing it on my Instagram feed from a local seller and reading a few good reviews online, I made up my mind to get my hands on this. It's also been ages since I bought a Clinique blush.





I'm absolutely thrilled with this product and it's one of my current favorites, and will probably be one of my favorites for a long time. It has the interesting combination of being pigmented but quite translucent at the same time. With most powder blushes, you can tell there is powder sitting on skin. With this one, it's very soft, seamless and natural-looking, but not too subtle that you can't see it anymore.

You can apply a soft wash of color with a couple of swipes of your brush; it's pretty pigmented, but not overly so that you have to be super careful when picking up product and applying. You can also layer on the product for a more obvious flush, without it looking harsh.

I love the color itself. I wouldn't call it plum at all, but more of a berry pink. (There's another one called Berry Pop in this line.) I think it's really flattering on me; not too bright, and will go with many different eye and lip colors.

On my combination skin (cheeks are normal to dry), this lasted for 7 hours before it started to fade. As I almost never retouch my makeup after I've left the house except powder and lipstick, I was pleased to see that this is a long-wearing product.

I think this is a great blush for those who want that really natural-looking flush, want something that is very easy to use and blend - and are suckers for packaging!

I purchased this for P1,050 from Cebu-based seller @le_cose_belle on Instagram.