China Glaze Polishes

Last night my friend S. of Beautynomics and The Mineral Makeup Blog dropped by to give me a couple of nail polishes I ordered from way back.  

I got China Glaze polishes in TTYL and Unplugged.  In a previous post I said that I got Unplugged from 8ty8beauty.  I totally forgot I ordered this and wasn't sure if the order pushed through since it was a few months ago.  Turns out it did so now I have 2 bottles.

China Glaze TTYL:

- a holo finish in nude peach

no flash

with flash

China Glaze Unplugged:

- red based brown with gold shimmer

no flash

with flash

Unplugged is a beautiful shade of brown.  Can't wait to use it.  

AVON Magix Review

I've used my new AVON Magix Face Perfector SPF 20 a total of 2 times.




My verdict? My new HG mattifier!



Seriously, this is love. The box says it keeps the face matte for 10 hours. I haven't had it on my face that long. At most for 7 hours maybe but it did keep my face matte.


Last time I wore it was Friday of last week. I was busy running around fixing our papers, passports for our trip next week. It was also VERY hot and humid. I think the news said it was 38-40 deg. Celsius that day. (Probably why I was so thirsty all the time). I was sweating buckets but my face was still matte. Matte but not flat :-)


I didn't break out and good thing is it has an added SPF 20. I hope we get this locally soon because it is only available in AVON US sites. (I had to ask someone to CP it for me after hearing about her good review on it).

Blusche Mini Haul

My pre-order Blusche brushes are here!

I pre-ordered them last September primarily because they looked like the EDM long-handled kabuki which I so love. I've been making my EDM ghost cart with a few LHK brushes in it but this Blusche deal was better. The brushes were inexpensive and I didn't have to pay higher shipping fees (only $1 since they ship locally, owner is a Filipina based in Canada).

Included were sample tubes of Blusche's new skin care line, Naturally Upper Canada Hand & Body Lotions. They were in Pressed Olive Avocado and Cranberry Mojo Orange scents and both smell so good!

So here it is with an EDM comparison.

Blusche brushes

EDM LHK vs. Blusche LHK

Don't they look exactly the same?

EDM (L) vs. Blusche (R)

Even the density of the bristles is exactly the same. The only difference is that EDM's has their logo :-) I'm thinking they probably got this from the same manufacturer. Blusche's cost less than $6 each with the pre-buy.

Nail Stuff Haul

I love nail polish!  I mainly use them on my toes and rarely on my finger nails (weddings only). I like any color that captures my fancy.   I do my own nails that's why I like having good nail treatments.  I go to the salon for my nails rarely.  Maybe once a year or twice at the most mainly for the foot spa treatment for special occasions .  I really can't afford to go there weekly or bi-monthly like most of my friends (and my mom who goes weekly!).

My recent haul from 8ty8beauty are the following:

 

China Glaze Unplugged (brown - red)

OPI Brand New Skates (dark gray shimmer)

OPI Baguette-Me-Not (coral)

Poshe Fast-Dry topcoat

Poshe Nail Polish Reviver 2 oz.

The 2 OPI shades are from the most recent collections.  I've always wanted to try Poshe's topcoat bec. it says it can dry polish in 1 minute to touch and to the nail in 5 minutes.  I've been using Jessica's Quick-Dry but I ran out of it and Orly's Sec' & Dry but I want to try something else.

The Poshe Reviver in 2 oz. could not be shipped internationally bec. of it's big bottle.  I had my whole order shipped to my cousin in CA, USA instead.   This one is to "revive" the rest of my polish collection which have turned thicker as time passes.  Now I'll be able to get more use out of them. 

** All photos from 8ty8beauty website.

6 Non-Important Things About Me

Tagged by Jamie.

1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself.
4. Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs.
5. Let each random person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website.


6 non-important things about me:

1.  I was traumatized by a relative that's why I don't drive.  I do have an expired license though.

2. Sweeping is my favorite household chore.

3. I only have 2 pairs of heels (that I use maybe once a year)!

4. I love to read the newspapers from cover to cover (even the ads).

5. I can live without a cellphone.  I leave it at home most of the time except when going out for more than 3 hours.   Even when at home, my phone is sometimes left in the bedroom the whole day.

6. I sleep early (9:30-10:30pm, latest at 11pm).

I'm tagging:

Inan

LT

Frond

Shen

Thi

Ann

New Haircut :-)

And the first thing my DD said to me was: "We have the same hair!"

LOL!


new haircut

Last haircut I had was 7 months ago in a layered shoulder length style. I think my hair grows pretty fast. Before this cut my hair length is down to 1/3 of my back.

I seriously doubt it would still look this nice after I shampoo it tomorrow :-(

I also got myself a new pair of glasses 'coz my other pair gives me serious allergies at the temple area due to it's metal frame. I'm allergic to nickel that's why even my belt buckles I need to coat with a clear nail polish or I'd have a terrible rash across my tummy area. This includes any earring that's not real gold. My earlobes are picky huh? I can't even wear those lovely earrings made of beads, semi-precious stones, crystals that have wire or metal hooks or posts.

Anyway, here's me. I don't have anymore mmu on since it's kinda late and I've washed my face already.


new glasses

Eyeko (bec. of Titty)

Uh, I've been looking at Eyeko's site since I don't know when. Then here comes Titty announcing a buy 2 get 1 free with free international shipping AND a code for a free gift (E102)!

What does an easy prey like me to do? Go buy online LOL!

I got:

Eyeko Cream

Eyeko cream

Eyeko Fat Balm in Strawberry

Fat Balms

Eyeko Sexy Eyes Palette

eyeshadow

All for 10 GBP.

**Photos from eyeko website.

Some CP Hauls

From Erika:

The AVON Magix Face Perfector!

Can't wait to try this out. I hope it does keep me oil free for 10 hours like E.

Plus it has SPF 20 :-)

From Aileen:



creme & brushes

I won her contest over at her blog Shades of U. My prize is the Bikini Zone Creme. Also I was asking her to CP me some Maxine's Mop brushes and she found some. Thanks so much!!!

Thank you again Erika and Aileen. Lots of cyber .

Top 5 MMU Companies

Tagged by Whitney.

Now I'm probably the last one to do this :-)

List has more than 5.  I really can't narrow it down to just 5 so I'm doing this alphabetically.

Aromaleigh

I love almost all the products I got here (excluding the foundation).  Very good CS, freebies galore, discount coupons for every order.  Love the lipsticks, glosses, Perle Powders, Coquille Powders, Eye Shadows, URFP, Pure Concealer.... well almost everything.

Dayna's Minerals

l love the Glows, blushes and eye shadows.  Lovely lady and a favorite "Voxer" eg. love her minerals :-)  Still have to try out the newer foundation shades though.

Dreamworld

Now this is one of the companies where I like each and every product I've tried.  From foundations (Luna formula is my HG) to blushes, eye shadows, finishing powders, glows, lippies, I like ALL of them.  Top notch CS too in the person of Ellie who never fails to answer all my emails even if she's so busy.

EGMinerals

The new kid on the mmu block (for me).  Fell in love with the Cover Me foundation formula which is truly awesome.  Controls oil the longest for me.  Love the different varieties of finishing powder too.  Blush and e/e choices are vast you wouldn't know which one to choose.

Lauress

Their Minimalist formula gives me a very photogenic look all the time.  It's so light on the face considering the very little ingredients used. Their Finishing Powders also control oil very well.  I haven't tried the blushes or lippies but have tried the e/s freebies I got.  It's the foundation that makes it one of the top companies for me.

Lumiere

Cashmere formula is very comparable to Lauress for me.  Love this esp. for very humid days.  Another favorite is the Silk Radiance line.  I have I think 5 shades and would get the other darker ones soon (once the $$$ rate goes down).  Was hooked on their blushes and e/s previously.

Joppa

HG foundation and finishing powder for me.  The eye shadows are also good ones, not being very shimmery.  They are more neutral shades I can use everyday and the blushes are very pigmented.  You can also get them in refill bags to save on $$.

Silk Naturals

This company makes one of the most wonderful lipsticks and glosses for me.  They are the 1st one to introduce the make your own foundation shade concept for those finding it hard to find their shade.  The blushes and eye shadows are also pretty.

Sweetscents

I haven't tried the foundation because I don't know what shade to choose.  I love the Green Tea Rejuvenation formula and the Hide-A-Pore powder.  Also the Champagne glow is my HG "not a blush but gives me color" powder for everyday use, even when I go to the gym.  These powders control oil effectively for me.  The best thing? They all are really inexpensive for a huge size of 1 ounce bags.  These would last me years!  Joan, the owner, is also such a sweetheart, answering all my questions.  I've tried out a lot of the products just from the freebies she gives me per order which I assume probably cost more than my order itself.

Physician's Formula Mineral Wear Quad

I ordered this thru a local seller online yesterday and I got it today! Super fast huh? The wonders of local courier companies here in Manila :-)

My first time to try out anything from Physician's Formula. Lots of good reviews for the Quad e/s and I was previously eyeing this shade at drugstore.com (and planning to order it next year). Good thing I saw this plus a few other PF products but I only got this one.

Physician's Formula Mineral Wear Quad in SLATE

PF Quad in SLATE

Slate Quad

Bottom has a mirror and 2-ended applicator.


Bottom compartment

ingredients

It's not purely minerals but the other ingredients don't really bother me.

Swatch (reverse order of photo above):

 with flash

 no flash

The 4 shades are soft shades that I like and some are matte and others are pearlized. All swatched above with one swipe of the finger. The darkest one can be used as a liner and the lightest as a highliter. I'm sure to use this quad often coz I like shadows that I can just grab and use. These are also neutral shades that can go with anything.

I'll try to use them tomorrow. Hmm, I haven't even swatched the palette I got last week and now I have a new one! And to think I rarely use eye shadows, at most 1-2x a week or none at all. Today I didn't even wear any foundation when I went out- just my finishing powder/ illuminizer Mix and sheer gloss.

Another Mail Day

2 Hauls came in today.

From Evan's Garden the Clarity Lotion for Oily Skin (I forgot to take a picture of this). It came in a huge box (as big as the StrawberryNet box) and I was surprised that there was only a small jar inside.

From StrawberryNet:

box

My orders came individually wrapped in silver paper.

gift-wrapped

Bliss Sunban Face SPF 30+

H2O+ Aqulibrium Mattifying Moisture Plus

H2O+

Freebies that came with my order:

free

Stila lipglaze stick in Blackberry

Cameleon palette

eyeshadows on 1st layer


blushes, lippies and brushes on bottom layer


the whole palette


This is such a pretty palette, very convenient to bring for travel coz it contains everything you need without being messy. I don't think I can give this away for Christmas.


The Bourjois blush in Tomette that I ordered. Packaging is so cute!

 the very cute packaging

includes brush and mirror


in natural light

Swatches of the blush:

with flash


no flash, in natural light

I had the order marked as a gift and they included a gift card. The words however were so funny:

Zosimos Botanicals Primer Prep

Zosimos Botanicals Primer Prep

Description on the website:

"Suitable for oily skin, those who require light coverage or t-zone areas. Instructions: Shake well before use. For best result and to avoid streaking, apply with sponge provided. Dab onto areas of concern on face and neck, avoiding the eyes. After allowing the product to dry, buff with a flocked sponge. Apply mineral powder foundation.


Ingredients: Water; Hydrolyzed Silk; Mica; Titanium Dioxide; Iron Oxides.


Note that Liquid Silk has a naturally distinctive odor."

I have the trial size of this primer in the shade Rattan. Even though the powder foundation in Rattan looked light on me, this primer's shade was a bit darker (but still a bit light). It mattered little because the primer was going to be covered with foundation in my shade anyway. Once I finish my trial size which is a few more uses away, I will get a darker shade. So shade issues aside, here's my initial review.


Primer Prep

The trial size comes in a cute and tiny spray bottle. You have to spray it carefully because it comes out in a fine but strong mist that could splatter your clothes if your hand is near you (like what happened to me with the first use).


primer on my hand

The primer itself is a thin liquid and I applied it on my face using my clean fingers. It dries fast that you have to blend it in real quick. Around 2 short sprays were what I needed to cover my whole face and I was ale to blend it well without drying using the 2 installments. I didn't detect any "distinctive odor" though.

The finish on the face is matte. Perfect for my oily skin. It does feel slightly tight when it dries but the feeling goes away once I've fixed my foundation with a setting mist. If it were in the right shade for me, I could use this as a light coverage foundation.

It made my foundation last the whole day and I didn't have any ugly oily breakout. Just the usual slight shine on my T-zone but lesser than if I didn't use any. It does make the face smoother for mineral makeup application. I didn't break out nor get itchy from it. I still have to test it for a longer period of time since I've only used it for 2 whole days.
If it continues to do well for me, I'm going for a full size definitely.

Here's a photo of me with just the Primer Prep on after 6 hours. There is a slight shine on my T-zone but that's because I didn't use any finishing powder and other mmu. Also, the primer looks light on my face so don't mind that.


After 6 hrs.


I haven't found any primer that would really keep away the shine for a full day and I don't think I will. I have very oily skin and I live in a very humid place which doesn't help any. At least this primer does help in keeping oil under control for me.



** This is my opinion with this primer. It may differ for other people under different conditions.

Never let yourself go....

Yup, that's right. Hubby told me to never let myself go ugly!

Does that mean I have the license to ...... splurge?

Yes and no of course. This means I can go and spend (hubby's money) if I need to get skincare stuff (and mmu?) but I also have to watch out how much I spend (this part is more for my conscience).

We were watching a TV show (I forgot what it was) and the topic was on keeping yourself looking good even when you're married with kids. I have a few friends who've let themselves go after having a family even though I knew how much they cared about what they looked like, what they wore (belt has to match the shoes, stuff like that) when we were younger. Well, we both said we shouldn't be like this so in my mind I was justifying my purchases.

Okay, I guess this post is indirectly about justifying what I've been hauling lately LOL! But still this means that I am taking care of myself by keeping myself looking decent and presentable and keeping fit (I'm going to take up kick boxing next month).

So, I'll go and browse more websites and see what else is new on the skincare part. I haven't bought any new mmu lately. Maybe coz I've realized I already have so much, huh? Been buying clothes most of the time now, both for me and my DD (and for hubby sometimes).

*********
Last week I bought a couple of tops for myself.

I got these from a local online store that makes clothes for mommies and daughters so there's a mommy version and a daughter version of all tops and dresses. They're approximately $20 for a top for moms.

*Photos taken from Katricewear.


bubble top


pinafore top

This is for my DD which I bought for her birthday this week:


pinafore top

I got us both pinafore tops coz they look so pretty although good thing there was no more size in the white one for me. I'm not really into the matching tops for me and DD.

I also got myself undies from La Senza. I got all boylegs & 1 hipster coz they're so comfortable and don't dig into the thigh part.

Those in the photos are exactly what I got plus a few other plain colored boylegs (I couldn't find a photo in the website). I got the 5 pcs. for $25 at the store and I've heard that these fit great and they do! I'm gonna get myself more next time.

I haven't tried on their bras though and they also have the 2 -For $ for this. At least now I won't have to get any from Victoria's Secret bec. the $$$ rate has gone up and I'd have to pay shipping plus tax to ship them over to my cousin's place in CA. The La Senza ones I got turned out cheaper.

********
I'm preparing for my DD's birthday lunch at school this week. Bought loot bags, ordered her cupcakes and I'll just order the food tomorrow. She's so excited and keeps telling people she's 10 y/o when she's not.

Will post pics of her B-day when it's over.