Healthy Options

Yahoo! I got my Healthy Options card last week! Mom and I combined our purchases so I was able to get one. Mom has had her own card for a few years and now I have mine too.

Healthy Options is one of my favorite stores and I've been frequenting it more recently. Been buying organic and natural products from there most of the time now even my little girl's sugar fix (ie. Vitamin C lollipops). No mall trip is complete without me dropping buy even to just look at what's new. And I almost always find something. I hope they have more organic beauty products available soon.

Stila Cheek Duo

Stila's Cheek Duo in Pink Glow.

From Sephora's website:

"Nothing says sunkissed like delicately flushed and blushed cheeks. Designed to work with any of the eyeshadow trios, this cheek color duo has been baked on a terra cotta disk for a sheer, never chalky application. The duo includes beautiful shimmering bronze and rose shades."

I love it! It has 2 shades of pink in 1 pan with one a light pink and the other a more bronzey one. It costs Php 995 (around $20) at local Stila counters. I got mine at Gateway more than a week ago. The girls at Girltalk say it's been out of stock since. I'm lucky to be able to get it when the counter has been open for just a couple of days yet. (Most of the testers even of the lip glazes were unused and I was the first one to use them!).

This Cheek Duo has an aluminum casing (they previously used the cardboard casing) with the blush in a dome shape like other baked blushes (MAC, Laura Geller). It looks shimmery at first but it isn't. It applies and blends well on the cheek and is pigmented. Once applied it gives a natural glow or a slight sheen, like radiance blushes of mineral makeup companies (which I am a fan of). The good thing is it lasts for more than half a day on my oily skin.

The lighter shade can be used as highlight and the darker one as contour for the cheeks. I wish Stila had other shades of the baked blush but there is only 1 for the Cheek Duo. The other blushes are in the pans or palettes and the lip and cheek stain.

Swatch:

No breakouts or itchies the whole week I've been using it. I'll definitely use this the whole month coz I'm promising myself to use 1 blush for a whole month. That way I'll get to use more of each blush and rotate them all.

Since Stila says this goes well with any of the baked eyeshadow trios, that's definitely going on my to-buy list (even if I said no more eye shadows!). I've been lemming for those since last year.

FOTD:

Face:

Stila Oil-free Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30 in Medium 03

Dreamworld Cream Topping Clay/Silica (I forgot what shade)

blush:

Stila Cheek Duo in Pink glow (both shades mixed)

eyes:

Neutrogena Mineral Sheers in Sand

lips:

Avon Glazewear lipgloss in Darling Pink

Eyeko Nail Polish 50% Off

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Kreativ Blogger Award

Thanks to Gayle for passing this on to me.

To accept this award do the following:

1. Thank the person who nominated you for this award.

2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog.

3. Link to the person who nominated you for this award.

4. Name 7 things about yourself that people might find interesting.

5. Nominate 7 Kreativ Bloggers.

6. Post links to the 7 blogs you nominate.

7. Leave a comment on each of the blogs letting them know they have been nominated.

7 Things about me....

1. I've been battling acne my whole life (since high school) and even though my skin is clear now I am still battling it daily with topical medication, oral meds. and regular visits to the dermatologist.

2. I still don't know how to put on eyeshadow properly. I have a lot but I rarely use them and just put on mineral foundation, blush ang gloss when I go out.

3. I love going to the mall even if I don't buy anything. It's like my exercise (the walking part).

4. I hate going to the gym! That's why I stopped after going for only 4 months last year. I just started again for 1 week now but at home because we bought an elliptical bike. It's not the need to lose weight but more on the need to be active for health reasons. Also I need to lose some inches bec. all my clothes don't fit me anymore. I recently bought clothes and was surprised (not really) that I went up a dress size (XL for local brands and L for foreign brands! S**t!!!- Oops, sorry for the bad language).

5. I love going to the movies. More so than watching TV or DVD. We have a huge collection of DVDs at home but I haven't watched even 1/4 of it. I prefer the big screen.

6. I avoid eating pork and beef and prefer fish and chicken. Maybe that's why my little girl's favorite food is FISH! Also, with Filipino foods that mostly have pork or beef like sinigang, I only eat the veggies there. I don't eat tocino, longganisa, or those kinds...in other words I'm not really fond of Pinoy food, sorry.

7. I'm a hoarder. I love hoarding skin care products, bath products, mineral makeup. Okay that's it, enough said.

I don't know who else to tag so whoever wants to do this tag go ahead! I tag you.

Organizing

At long last, I finally organized all my eye stuff yesterday and the night before. Those are eyeshadow pigments you see there in the baggies. I have more than 200 colors and those in the photo are only 3/4 of it.

I put them back in the card holder by color so it would be easier to look for what I need. I also put all my shadows in palettes, pots, jars and tubes in one basket and a tray in my makeup drawer so I would be able to USE them. I housed them before in an organizer box but didn't have easy access to it so I rarely used them the past year. Hopefully I can practice more now since I really suck at putting on eye shadows.

In addition, I discovered so many shades that I didn't know I had. Still, I keep being drawn to the same kinds of shades over and over again. I am also so tempted to get new ones especially those that are newly released and in pressed form (Stila, The Body Shop, MAC, etc.) but I try my best not to buy coz I know I already have similar colors and I don't regularly use them. Gotta continue to keep myself from being lured by all those pretty colors. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Just for fun: Pop Shop

I bought this from my Fullerlife/Sarah Lee lady (also my Avon lady) just for kicks. It costs only Php 99 (or around $2). It's a Mood Magic lipstick and I chose the yellow color (Yellow Cheer) which transforms to pink when it touches your skin/lips.

Cute huh? Surprisingly it is moisturizing on my lips. It is sheer but can be more pigmented when applied heavily as I did in the photo. My DD is having a fun time playing with it.

Anew Rejuvenate Night Revitalizing Cream

My previous night cream post is my HG night cream. Again, I've strayed to try out something new.

What is my current night cream?

The Anew Rejuvenate Night Revitalizing Cream from Avon.

Product description:

PM lightweight gel-cream that works while you sleep so you awaken to skin that looks fresher and more vibrant.

-Mini Extraction Technology: helps visibly shrink pores

-Exfo Smoothing Complex: resurfaces skin

-Revitafresh Technology: makes skin look even and smoother

I've been using this for a few weeks now. It is gel like in consistency which is easily spread across the skin and easily asorbed. It is not greasy and has a light floral scent. Good thing it is not too strong and dissipates right away so it doesn't cause me headaches. It felt very light on the face and made my skin so soft right after. It doesn't make my oily skin any more greasier because of it's texture.

What I like most about this is that it really delivers. After a few weeks use, the pores on my face do seem a bit smaller and smoother. I can't say anything about fine lines though coz the fine lines I have are under my eyes and I don't use it on the eye area. Also, my skin is a bit brighter.

I got this from my local Avon lady and it costs only Php 749 for the 30gr jar. I think that's around $15-16, a far cry from the $32 it sells for abroad. They also gave freebies during the promo period:

A burgundy bag and a full size Anew Rejuvenate 24 hour eye cream (retails for Php 600, $12-13) which I also use. Now I have a back-up jar :-)

***

I would probably alternate the use of Anew and Olay because I do like them both. They offer different but good results to my skin but I can not use them at the same time. Too much moisture. And they might react with one another. Maybe every 2-3 months is better.

Stila now available in Manila

We now have STILA available locally!

I read from another blog that Stila was spotted at Rustan's Makati and I saw it today at Rustan's Essences Shangrila. The Stila counter has been open for 3 days now.

The counter had all the basics available at prices much cheaper than in the US.

**All photos from Stila website.

The Smudgepots were only Php 600 ++ or around $13 while in the Stila website they cost $20.

The Eyeshadow Trio costs Php 900 ++ (less than $20) while in the US it is $28.

I have always been curious by tinted moisturizers and the counter had the 2 tinted moisturizers there: SPF 15 and the oil-free SPF 30.

Being the SPF fiend that I am I tried out the different shades (6 shades) of the SPF 30 on my arm. The darkest available is Medium 03 which the SA said was my shade since she, who was much lighter than me, wore the Medium 02. I didn't want to leave empty handed so I bought it for Php 1,150 ($23). This retails for $36 in the US!!! Much cheaper indeed!

I will post my reviews once I've tried this out. I was just so excited to tell all you ladies in Manila that Stila is here.

NOTD: Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear in Gunmetal

I don't know if these are new shades or a new line because I haven't really used Sally Hansen polishes except for the nail treatments.

I read about the new shades at Girltalk and looked for them at PCX. I saw all the shades and they are really pretty. I only got Gunmetal because the other shades look similar to what I already have. They retail for Php 219.

Swatched with basecoat, no topcoat:

no flash, indoor

with flash, indoor

Gunmetal is a greyish blue shade leaning more toward the blue side. The formula is not runny but not too thick either. It appliesdeasily and I got bottle color in just 2 coats. Maybe I'll try the other shades but not now. The new China Glaze and OPI shades are calling my name.

Makeup Mix Shop Haul

My recent haul from the Makeup Mix Shop.

I got 3 e.l.f. nail polishes, e.l.f. blush and eyebrow kit, MM gel liner in Cocoa and an Avon Magix Tinted Face Perfector.

Love everything I got and would do individual posts on these soon once I've used them.

Click HERE to shop or click on the Makeup Mix Shop logo on my sidebar.

Maybelline Clear Smooth Minerals Luminous Blush

I prefer mineral makeup from the home-based women-owned companies because they are more pure, you can try out samples first and have a personal touch. Nothing beats that plus they are more affordable.

This is maybe the second time I've tried out minerals from a mass market brand. I tried out Maybelline Clear Smooth Minerals Luminous Blush just out of curiosity. I've read about this in a couple of blogs and let's just say I was enabled.

They had 4 shades available at the counter I went to and the shade I got, Gentle Pink, was the only shade that showed up on my arm when I tried out the swatches. The other shades were too light or sheer for my medium toned skin. After searching, I saw that there are darker shades available in the US but they go under the name Mineral Power. It cost Php 499 for the kit which includes a pot of blush and a kabuki brush. I like the packaging because it included instructions for those who don't know how to use minerals.

The amount of blush in the pot is the same as the 20 gr. jars from mineral makeup companies. It just looks bigger because of the cap. The kabuki brush is scratchy so you can throw it away. If you take a look at the ingredients the first one on the list is TALC!!! How can it be mineral makeup if it has talc?!? I guess these companies are just riding along the mineral makeup wave even if they're not using pure minerals. Anyway, I'm glad it's the blush that I got because I occasionally use traditional blushes just not foundation.

***How come there is no talc in the ingredients list from Mineral Power available in the US? Just wondering.

The blush itself is finely milled and has tiny shimmers in it. It is very sheer on my cheeks and I needed lots of layers for it to show up. Maybe because the shade is not dark enough to show up on me? The shimmers aren't noticeable once the blush is blended. It stayed on my oily skin for a few hours (3-4) without primer. I just wished it were more pigmented because you will definitely finish the whole pot in just a few months time. So unlike the real mineral makeup brands where all you'll need is a few crumbs because they're very pigmented.

swatched thickly at the back of my hand

blended in

For daily use around the house or doing errands this will do (in my case). Otherwise I'd definitely stick to my good ol' trusty pure mmu from smaller companies.

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Olay Daily Renewal Cream

I don't think I've posted anything about night creams yet so here's my first one.

For 2-3 years now I've been using the Olay Age Defying Series Daily Renewal Cream. It contains Beta-Hydroxy Complex which renews moisture to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It is for all skin types but beneficial for acne-prone skin because it contains Salicylic acid. It is oil-free, non-comedogenic and greaseless.

It is light on the skin and contains a light fragrance typical of Olay products. It is a cream but dries up easily once applied. Face is not shiny even when you wake up in the morning. It has prevented new lines from appearing on my skin and is probably one of the reasons that keeps me "young-looking" and I am in my mid-30's!

I am now on my 4th jar and sad to say it is not available locally. I get mine from drugstore.com for $9.99 per 2 oz. jar. I once got it from Malaysia thru a CP from my friend there. Sometimes I get bored using just this and stray from time to time but still I go back to this after trying out something new for a few days.

I will continue to use this unless something better comes along.

Lumiere Sale Mini-Haul

Lumiere Skin & Beauty Bar is one of the mineral makeup companies that I patronize. Their Cashmere blend of foundation is one of my HG mineral foundations.

Ingredients (Cashmere):

real silk powder, serecite, titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, boron nitride, iron oxide

It's for all skin types and coverage is light to medium buildable. Although it is not heavy coverage like I prefer, it still looks so good on the skin and is my go to foundation for very hot and humid days or for days that I don't need to cover too much. I also match Medium Warm perfectly with no need to mix shades.

Anyway, thay had a good sale a month ago with a discount code and with their 30 gr jar sizes all on clearance because they would be shifting to a bigger size jar. I took advantage of the sale and only ot 2 items- a backup of Cashmere foundation plus a FS jar of Island Sands.

Island Sands is one of Lumiere's Silk Radiances and is described as "nude tanned pink with a light glowy finish". I've ordered a lot of the Silk Radiances before in full sizes but only have a tiny vial of this one. The Silk Radiances are like highliters and I use them on my cheeks. They have a very light sheen which makes you look like you're lit from within. Really beautiful...and addicting to collect.

Previous posts of Silk Radiance swatches are here and here.

VS & ON Haul

My haul from the recent Victoria's Secret mid-year sale and Old Navy (all items I got were on sale):

All of them are for hubby and DD except for the pair of tortoise shell sunglasses for me.

I got undies from VS. I love boyshorts because they don't hurt my inner thigh area unlike other kinds that cut thru due to the elastic. Also they don't usually show under shorts, pants or skirts so no VPL!

I read good feedback for the LE Beauty Rush Pool Party line but almost everything was out of stock so I only got the body splash in Frostea. It does smell like iced tea only sweeter. A good pick me up. The others are 3-in-1's which I am a fan of although not necessarily from VS (BBW and Philosophy got me addicted on these). I got Honey Do and Juiced Berry. Honey Do smells like honeydew or melons...yummy! Juiced Berry was left behind and my friend will ship it to me so it's not in the photo.

Edit: I got Juiced Berry today and it smells so good! Like strawberries but not too sweet.

And here's my little girl hamming it up for the camera modeling her shirt and my shades:

I just love sales! Who doesn't?

Blogger keeps posting when it shouldn't

Damn! I keep scheduling posts but blogger keeps on posting them. It's very frustrating!

This has been happening for a few months now and I don't know why. I try to cut and paste whole posts to new scheduled posts but it still keeps posting them.

Grrrr!!!!!!

Neutrogena Wave Power-Cleanser

I was so excited to read in other blogs that Neutrogena Wave is finally available locally. It has been on my lemming list since last year but haven't really gotten around to ordering it from the US. I was looking for it last Sunday at Greenbelt and Rustans but couldn't find it.

We went to Mall of Asia yesterday (we waited after the funeral procession of Tita Cory has left Roxas Blvd.) for hubby's orientation for their PSGS convention which was conveniently cancelled when we were already near MOA. I was bent on finding this item so I headed to Watson's and found the Wave when we got there. Yipee!

It costs Php575 for the set including a battery and 14 refill pads. A separate box of 30 refill pads cost Php 400. I got the set to try it out.

It is pink which is the only color available (I know there's a blue and green one too) and small to easily fit one's hand. The pads you just stick to the velcro-like surface, wet the pad well and start the gadget. Move it around your face until the cleanser from the pad foams up and massage.

My thoughts?

It wasn't really an earth-shaking experience for me. The cleanser feels cool like mint on the skin and face feels soft after but I feel it's the same as a facial scrub. Actually, my facial scrub feels better.

The massage the vibration gives does feel good but I don't see how different a microfiber cloth used on the face would be. It would probably exfoliate more.

Yes, I am a little bit disappointed but will continue to use it although not daily since I already have the gadget. I would reuse the pads for 1 or 2 more uses with my own cleanser because they could be pretty expensive in the long run. It would be a waste of money on my part if I toss the Wave aside. Besides, it still is a bit fun to use.

***

Eek! I just found out from my favorite online store Drugstore.com that they now have the Wave Duo. It has 2 cleansing speeds: 1) Gentle cleansing and 2) Deep Pore cleansing. Now that would probably be so much better.

Now that I think about it, the reason I am disappointed with this one is because it is gentle. Yup, that's it. I am used to going to dermatologists all my life (because I have had bad acne since high school) and monthly diamond peels, chemical peels, etc. that the Wave seems to do nothing for my skin.