Archive for January 2014
Nails: Inadvertent Brocade
Posted on: January 31, 2014
- In: Nails
- 8 Comments
Isn’t life interesting? I find that even when you don’t plan things, something good happens. I am quite the planning freak, so I do freak out when events cause sudden changes in my schedule. I’m trying to improve though, as this is not a really healthy reaction to life.
It’s kind of what happened to my most recent mani. I merely wanted to test drive my new Konad nail stamping set (won it from Geek Girl Manila!) and it turned out to be better than I expected! I’ll make a formal review of the stamping set soon, but I wanted to show you my first-ish attempt at nail stamping.
As base I used Dazzle Dry Morning Dew. Let me show you this color, which I just swatched recently.
For stamping, I used OMG Gold Digger. As I mentioned in my swatch post, this is one of the thickest formulas I encountered so far, which led me to decide on using this as the stamping polish. It took several tries, but I finally got the hang of the stamping process. Here’s how it turned out, after applying top coat.
Not that bad eh? I thought it looked very much like green brocade, like this.
Image credits: Everything Indian Etsy Shop
I love how things turn out for the best. My practice stamping created a brocade-like pattern and color that I didn’t really plan on. Here are some more shots of the nails.
Last December Dazzle Dry Philippines had a sale, and I immediately grabbed some items from my wishlist. Today I will show you the swatches from the shades I purchased: Arctic Sunset, Blueberry Sno Cone, Morning Dew, and Pixie Green with Envy.
First up is Arctic Sunset, one of the shades in their last collection of 2013, the Bloggers Mystery Collection. The moment I saw the swatches from the participating nail artists, I immediately zeroed in on this one. It’s a rather cloudier white compared to White Lightning. The feature of course is the embedded microglitters, white and silver. Unfortunately it’s very hard to capture on photo, but it’s very evident in person. I used two layers here.
Here are some outdoor shots of Arctic Sunset.
Next is Blueberry Sno Cone. It’s a really nice bright blue that pops out and can really complete an outfit. I’ve been running out of my samples of blue polish from the Afternoon Tea collection. I chose this one to be my mainstay blue, and I don’t regret that decision one bit! It is a little sheer and you can still see my nail line even after using two layers.
Here are some outdoor shots of Blueberry Sno Cone.
Lastly we have Morning Dew. This is from the limited edition Esnavi Live collection. I really would have wanted to get all three shades but due to limited funds I got only this one which is my favorite of the three. This is a really interesting shade of green; it reminds me of wet moss, which I guess is why it’s named Morning Dew. I’m very happy to add this to my collection of greens! I used three layers here to get a nice deep moss green. I didn’t take outdoor shots because I used this as base for a nail art, watch out for it! This is the only one here that has no top coat.
I also bought a glitter topper since it was actually the most sulit to buy during the sale (all polishes were at Php400!). I’ve been wanting to get this Pixie Green with Envy for the longest time, and now I can finally try it! This is part of the Faerie Fantasy summer collection last year, and I already have its partner green, Me d’Forest Queen. This has crazy amounts of glitter, large and small hexes in green and small rounds in either black or really dark green. I layered it over Arctic Sunset here, two coats.
And of course, the outdoor shot.
I am so in love with my Dazzle Dry haul! There is a reason why I have so much of it, and I still have a long wish list of shades! Which one did you like the best?
Dazzle Dry is available in the Philippines online, and is cruelty-free.
- In: Unboxing
- 3 Comments
Six months after the first ever Glamourbox Special Edition, Glamourbox releases its second one, this time from Snoe! Ever since GB announced a partnership with Snoe (they carry a huge amount of Snoe products in the Boutique) I have foreseen, or at least hoped pretty hard, that they will release a special edition from Snoe. They didn’t disappoint! Glamourbox opens 2014 with a bang with this awesome Special Edition Snoe Glamourbox!
Warning: Photo-intensive post ahead! [You can click on each photo for a bigger size.]
Unfortunately, unlike the Avon Glamourbox, the Snoe box just came in the standard Glamourbox print. It doesn’t really detract from the experience, but I am a huge fan of limited editions and would have wanted a Snoe-printed box to go with the Avon one. 😛
Here is a sneak peek which I uploaded to twitter a few hours ago. Check out that big bottle teasing us with surprise goodness!
This is the welcome card for this month. I like how that white burst really pops out and is a great representation of the new year. I will show you the back of it at the end of the post.
Here are the contents of the box when you remove the welcome card. Check out those awesome products! Let me show them to you one by one, in the order of preference.
Let me first confess that I was hoping for a makeup-leaning box, but instead we get a more bath and body concentrated experience. I don’t really mind, honestly, since I do get to try Snoe products that I wouldn’t have thought of trying.
In any case there is still one makeup product in the box: the Snoe Poudre Extraordinaire. I’ve seen a lot of rave reviews of this product, notably from Liz of Project Vanity, and I’ve been wanting to try this ever since. I received this really cute sample tub, and I think the shade is the lightest, Vanilla Creme. This is a mineral powder that contains acai berry, and claims to protect the skin from free radicals, tightens and smoothens fine lines yet totally blends naturally into the skin. Let us also not overlook the fact that this has SPF. I have no idea how much product this sample has, but the full size of 35g costs Php799. It didn’t come with a brush or sponge applicator.
The next one in my favorites list is the biggest item in the box: Snoe Hair Heroes Agent Zero Cleansing Serum. It’s an all-around cleanser made specifically for sensitive skin (yay!), and contains no fragrance, sulfates, and silicones. It can be used for both hair and body, and claims to be gentle enough even for babies. I’m so excited to try this out! Check out the label design, I like the tux detail that supports the “Agent Zero” theme. Props also for having the manufacture and expiry dates clearly printed on the back. This is the full sized bottle (250ml) and costs Php599. This product alone pays back the cost of the subscription (Php595).
I was very intrigued by this next product: Snoe Body Ritual Recipes Whipped Body Frosting Lotion. I had originally thought, hey that’s a really cute pink bottle. A closer look shows that the bottle is actually transparent, and it is the product that is actually pink! It’s a lotion filled with goodness in the form of Vitamin E, papaya extracts, and SPF15, and smells really great too! I love lotions and this is a welcome addition to my arsenal. This looks to be full sized, 150g, which costs Php249. It’s a little more expensive per gram compared to the Human Heart Nature body butters.
Next we have a new form of the Beso Balm: the Bedside Besobalm Deep Moisturizing Lip Treatment in Pink Pout Pucker. It’s made to be used while sleeping, how cool is that! It’s also perfectly timed, as the cold weather is wrecking havok on lips. The welcome card claims that it “creates luscious pink lips”, so I’m thinking this has some amount of lip color/stain as well. This full size 4g tube costs Php249.
We now come to a pair of soaps that Snoe was originally known for. These are both whitening soaps called Snow White Beauty Bar, and the variants I got were Organic Papaya and Lightening Licorice. The Organic Papaya one is an exfoliator and aims to treat blemishes and dark spots, while the Lightening Licorice is supposed to brighten and nourish skin for a younger complexion. While I am not really interested in whitening, I like interesting soaps like these so I am happy to receive them too. Each of these soaps is 150g and costs Php139. Again check out the manufacture and expiry dates printed on the back.
Lastly we have the Snoe Fizzy Clean Foaming Hand Sanitizer. I am honestly not a big fan of fancy hand sanitizers as I am perfectly content with my bag mainstay (Bench Alcogel). Snoe’s hand sanitizer is supposed to be a quirky one because it foams up. This one is 50ml and costs Php179, which is really quite steep for a hand sanitizer. The bottle is also huge and obviously contains liquid, which makes it not quite portable.
My impressions of the Snoe Glamourbox Special Edition: This is a much awaited box for me, and it mostly delivered! I like the fact that I get to try products I wouldn’t normally consider buying, and I still get to try a makeup item as well. Snoe is also (as far as I know) cruelty-free so I’m really quite happy about that.
Value review: The total value of this box, excluding the poudre sample and the hand sanitizer, is Php1375. This is already more than twice the box cost of Php595! I really don’t mind the fact that a lot of that is just one product (agent zero) because I still get to try all these interesting items. Admittedly, this is also way less than the average box value of Glamourbox (Php1800) but keep in mind that I didn’t include the value of the poudre sample and the hand sanitizer. Again I am so so pleased with the Special Edition, and I’m really looking forward to the next one!
You can read more about the Snoe company at their website, and you can browse prices at their online store. Snoe products are available in various locations and can also be found at the Glamourbox Boutique.
Recycling my Glamourboxes
Posted on: January 16, 2014
- In: Musings | Nails
- 9 Comments
I’m sure you are aware of the resting bitch face. Urban dictionary defines it as “a person, usually a girl, who naturally looks mean when her face is expressionless, without meaning to.” Fortunately, I don’t have that, but I do have what I would call resting sad face. Apparently I look sad or depressed when I am expressionless. I have more than one person per week come up to me asking if I’m okay, when I was actually feeling pretty upbeat! Maybe I need to smile more…
Anyway! I would like to share with you one of the ways I reuse my empty Glamourboxes. I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned it before, but Glamourboxes are pretty large and sturdy and really quite reusable.
Since the boxes are nicely sturdy, I use them as trays/containers for my nail polishes. Here you see one and a half Glamourboxes holding my favorite polishes and nail art equipment. I also use another box as a tray where I put my selected supplies so I don’t need to bring an entire box of polishes every time.
Here’s a closer look at the individual trays. This box is where I put my (growing) collection of Dazzle Dry nail polishes. On the corner is my lone Rescue Beauty Lounge lacquer.
This one holds my “other” brands. I have here a surprising amount of OMG polishes and a bit of Girlstuff, Models Own, San San, Essence, and Etude House. There’s also lone representatives from Misa, BYS, and Bobbie.
Finally this one holds my nail art supplies. Most of it is actually from the Nailinator as I won one of her contests.
Writing this post makes me realize that I might have a bit too much nail polish (you don’t say?!). At the same time, I also feel like my boxes can hold a bit more bottles and there’s that really horrible nagging thought that I have maybe five more unused Glamourboxes hanging around. I…I’m addicted, aren’t I?
How do you recycle your subscription box boxes?
- In: Swatches
- 4 Comments
One (well, three) of the things I received from Kira’s surprise christmas gift is this trio of Silk Naturals Mineral Eye Colors. They come in these cute screw-top tubs, and sealed when opened. The shade colors are printed on the lids.
Sonic is a white sparkly shade, which is a little sheer. Charmed is a nice metallic green that I immediately fell in love with. Thistle is a matte deep lavender which can make interesting smokey looks. Here are the swatches on my arm.
I can’t wait to try them out on my eyes!
Silk Naturals is available on their website, but unfortunately they no longer ship to the Philippines. You’ll have to use an intermediary (in the U.S.) and have it shipped here. Silk Naturals is cruelty-free.
Nails: Models Own Fuzzy Peach
Posted on: January 13, 2014
- In: Nails | Swatches
- 2 Comments
One of the things I got for myself last christmas is a pair of Models Own polishes that has been on my wishlist for a while. Honestly I would like to buy all available colors that Glamourbox carries but well, money is limited. I narrowed my choice down to my top two: Fuzzy Peach and Blizzard. Today I will show you swatches of Fuzzy Peach.
Fuzzy Peach, as the name suggests, is a nice peach shade. It is definitely not fuzzy though! In fact it is pretty bright and loud, and leans quite a lot to neon. I love it!
Indoors the neon-ness of it shows a lot more.
Outdoors it somehow becomes a little more fuzzy.
It applies quite well and dries fast. It also works well with the Dazzle Dry system.
Models Own is cruelty-free.
FOTD: Mega Taray Office Look
Posted on: January 11, 2014
- In: FOTD
- 4 Comments
Makeup is such a versatile tool and can really change a girl’s look if done correctly. I was able to use this to good effect when I needed a severe office look to help me face one of my toughest challenges as a manager. I wanted a “mega taray” look because I wanted to project a certain image.
Red lipstick is the centerpiece, a shade I don’t normally wear to the office and something I would usually associate with the word “taray”. I supported it with a light blush, dark brows, and some pinkish-red eyeshadows.
Products used:
Face
Barenaturals Face Primer
Colour Collection Age Defying BB Cream
Avon Ideal Luminous Blush in Peach
Essence Mattifying Finishing Powder
Eyes
In2It Eyebrow Powder in Eyebrowns
Essence I Love Stage Eyeshadow Base
Ellefar Princess Chifon Eyeshadow Palette in Twilight (upper right)
Nichido Naturally Beautiful Palette (third from the right)
Fairydrops Platinum Mascara
Lips
Ofra Lipstick #202
Avon Ultra Glazewear Lip Gloss in Fiery Red
I would love to hear your thoughts about this look!
Haul: November-December
Posted on: January 10, 2014
- In: Haul
- Leave a Comment
Last month I was not able to put up a haul post, so I am doing a collective haul post for these past two months.
Celeteque Clarifying Shampoo
I’ve already posted an initial impression of this clarifying shampoo, and I can say that this is such a great product! It resets your scalp and rids it of product buildup. In addition it also somehow conditions the hair, making it soft and silky. Just a note of warning: this shouldn’t be used more than once a week. This retails for Php200 for a 250-ml bottle.
Fabulosa Rings and Necklaces
I received a simple necklace from Fabulosa in my Secret Santa Glamourbox. I loved it so much that I immediately purchased three ringsets. About a week later Fabulosa held an auction for more of those simple gold fashion necklaces, and I won it! I now have four new necklaces (the fifth will be included in a giveaway!). Fabulosa’s Amanda is so personable and easy to deal with, and I am looking forward to getting one or two of the statement necklaces. The ring sets are normally Php350 (set of 3 rings) but if you purchase two or more sets it goes down to Php300.
Paper Chic Studio Washi Tape Set
One of my purchases at the World Bazaar (same day that I visited Bloggers United 6) was this washi tape set from Paper Chic Studio. This is my first experience with washi tapes and so far my daughter is loving it. Myself, I’ve only tried it on a cannister of ear buds and my it looks fab. I got this set for only Php50.
Gift from Kira of Elegantly Wasted
Let me just gush like the fangirl I am. One of my goals when visiting Bloggers United 6 was to meet as many of my blog heroes as I can. Kira of Elegantly Wasted is one of them, and luckily enough I did get to meet her there! She is so sweet and charming, and she didn’t mind so much that I looked quite dorky in this photo (check out her rad necklace!). After a quick chat and the photo session I took my leave. It was therefore quite a shock when she sent me this gift, and wow I was flabbergasted when I opened it. The pack included a cute desk calendar, a bliv face mask, three samples of a VMV cream cleanser plus a voucher, Maybelline Color Sensational in Tinted Taupe, a sample of Benefit They’re Real Mascara, and three pots of Silk Naturals mineral eye color. Holy wow! Did I mention wow? Thanks so much Kira!
Models Own Nail Polishes
As part of my holiday order from Glamourbox Boutique (I gave away gift sets to my girlaloos), I got myself a couple of polishes I’ve been lemming for a while now. These are Fuzzy Peach (a nice bright pink-leaning peach) and Blizzard (a color-fest silver gliter topper), Php365 each.
Glamourbox Tote
This very useful canvas tote from Glamourbox is a bonus item when you purchase more than Php2000 worth from the Boutique. I easily went over the minimum when I went christmas shopping and got this wonderful tote.
OMG Nail Polishes
A chance trip to Landmark Makati brought me to the OMG display shelf, and I was excited to see some new shades. I bought three for myself that day: Jive (a deep blue), Happy Hour (a shimmery dark purple), and Gold Digger (a bright metallic gold). I’ve already swatched the first with great results. Each bottle of polish costs Php19.75.
Nail Glue
That same trip to Landmark got me a bottle of nail glue. I need this to try out my new nail studs which I won from The Nailinator‘s giveaway. I think this costs Php40 or thereabouts.
Solemate Flats
I am typically not a flats person, as I prefer going around in socks-and-shoes/boots combo. My office christmas party required a filipiniana attire and I needed appropriate shoes for it. Luckily I saw these black Solemate flats with some sort of woven texture and can readily pass for filipiniana. Solemate at SM Makati was having a sale, buy-1-take-1 of selected flats for Php399, so I got this nice cream pair with bow detail as well. I think I am now a convert! These feel so nice and comfy on the feet!
Sample Room Haul
On the 11th day of christmas I grabbed a Colour Collection Age Defying BB Cream CoQ10 & Green Tea Extract SPF45 and a Sappe Beauti Drink (Fiber 8,000 mg with L-carnitine), all for 140 points. I enjoyed my first CC BB cream (reviewed here) and I expect I would enjoy this one as well. And since I had extra points, I grabbed that beauty drink as well just to try it out.
Dazzle Dry Essentials and Nail Polish
Dazzle Dry had a holiday sale where all items in their store got a major discount! I grabbed myself some essentials, two bottles of Nail Prep (Php100 each) and a top coat (Php400), as well as four bottles of nail polish at Php360 each. I was able to score the following shades: Arctic Sunset, Morning Dew, Pixie Green with Envy, and Blueberry Sno Cone. Can’t wait to show you my swatches!
Becoming Sleek 