Review/Swatch: Maybelline Colorsensational Moisture Extreme Lipcolor in Soft Azallea

Yes, another Maybelline lipstick with a very long name...why do they create long names for lipsticks is still a mystery to me. Fortunately, with their long name comes a wide range of colors and finishes for a good quality drugstore lipstick.

This was actually one of the "impulse" purchase that I've mentioned in my past post when there was one time that SM Northedsa was having a one-day weekday sale that I think, not many people knew about...including me. Fortunately, my sister-in-law and I were there and of course, we got a little crazy with almost everything..hehehe!

At that time, Maybelline was having a 30% off on all items so, I grabbed the opportunity to try their lipstick which I have always been planning on trying anyway and I bought this:

Maybelline Colorsensational Moisture Extreme Lipstick in Soft Azallea

This was the first lipstick that caught my attention at that time...I guess you could say, it was "love at first sight" hahaha! Surprisingly, I haven't seen any reviews or swatches of this lipstick. It's quite disappointing that people would pass up on this beautiful lipstick color.

Natural light:

As you can see, this looks like a bright rose pink w/ a hint of berry...and no, it's not fuschia pink.

 W/ flash:

Comment:

Pros:

- it is a cream finish

- quite moisturizing, but you still need to apply lipbalm before the lipstick for smoother application.

- staying power is amazing!

- pigmentation is great!

- stains the lips which will look like you only applied a lipstain and honestly, it still looks great.

- from my experience, this shade brightens my face, making it look more alive!

- smells good...like watermelon.

- glides on smoothly.

- affordable, especially if you buy maybelline products during sales...I bought this for P209.30 only

Cons:

-none!!!

Natural light:

sorry for the crappy photo. 

w/ flash:

Note: if you apply this lipstick straight from the tube, you will get the full effect of the pigmentation it gives. So if you want to get a sheer wash (like a lipstain look), apply a small amount of lipcolor on your lips, then dab and spread the lipcolor with your finger. 

 ...Yes! I will re-purchase this lipstick again and I will try more shades soon!!!

Swatches: Orly in Gumdrop

I know there are many swatches and reviews about this nailpolish for quite a long time now, so I'll just show you pics on what it looks like on me. 'nuff said.

Natural light:

Artificial light:

 Artificial light:

w/ flash:

this is what it would look like if it's a matte finish with glitters on top.

just click on the picture for a closer look.

Swatch: NYX Round Lipstick in Sierra

Just a quick swatch on my latest NYX lipstick collection.

I'm slacking a bit on featuring my collective hauls for the past months because I seldom buy makeup stuff anymore...I don't know why...maybe because I've found a new hobby (photography, swimming and designing stuff)

If I find the time, I'll just blog my collective haul from the past months in another post.

Anyway, I bought this online from getsophisticated for P160.

Natural light:

 w/ flash:

Swatch:

 Natural light:

I know, I look a bit fair in this picture...it's because I don't go out much anymore..I'm stuck inside my cave.

W/ flash:

w/ flash, you could see the yellow undertone of my skin.

Comment:

At first, I thought that I made the wrong choice on this lipstick because it looks brown in the tube..I was like, "Brown?! Why would I want to look like I smeared chocolate on my lips?!" but actually, it turned out to be like terracotta/orange which surprisingly suits me well! Another great orangey nude color for me!

Review: Celeteque Facial Moisturizer

I can still remember what my dermatologist has told me, "you only need to put on moisturizer when NEEDED." meaning, I only have to apply it on dry areas of my skin since almost the whole area of my skin is oily already.

After quite a traumatic experience with almost a full blown breakout, I've learned my lesson to not (ever) believe in what almost all people in the world believes..."You still need to apply moisturizer even if your face is already oily"...Yeah, I've heard that many times before...and I'll slap myself if I will believe that shit again.

Now that my acne is under control and my scars have faded immensely from how horrible it looked like in the beginning, I'd rather believe my dermatologist and my gut feelings, thank you!

Now, the question is, what moisturizer will I use that is non-comedogenic, hypoallergenic, fragrance-free, oil-free, especially formulated for sensitive skin, no coloring added and affordable? Many people would say Cetaphil, but I tried that in the past and all I can say is, we're really not meant for each other...hehehehe!

So, temporarily, Celeteque would be my moisturizer for now.

I only bought the smallest one (50ml) for only P149.00 (I think) in Watson's

They also have bigger sizes of this, but because I use moisturizer sparingly, this little tube lasts quite a long time on me.

Other information that you would like to know:

Directions

it's good to know that they also indicated the expiry date unlike other products in the market.

 Brief Description

Ingredients:

 I know, some of the ingredients are quite alien to some of us, so just ask Mr. Google.

Comments:

Pros:

- did not cause any bad reactions/breakouts.

- feels like you're applying water on your face.

- non-comedogenic

- fragrance free

- hypoallergenic

- no color

- not sticky

- dries into a matte finish...it looks like you did not put any kind of moisturizer on.

- moisturizes and calms my skin when it's irritated.

- affordable

Cons:

- it's just a simple moisturizer..that's it. If you're looking for any kind of anti-aging, whitening and all of that hokus pokus of pure awesome-ness, you're not going to find it here sorry.

What it looks like:

my son was a happy volunteer in the following pictures:

Review: Aqua Massage Cellulose Sponges

A few months ago, I blogged about these cellulose sponge that I want to try (out of curiosity) in one of my hauls. I'm not really the type of person who likes to use many different kinds of bath products and tools in one go. Just a decent smelling soap (like Ivory, Dove, Olay,etc), any kind of exfoliator (loofah, washcloth,etc.) shampoo and conditioner and I'm good to go. I can proudly say that I'm pretty low maintenance in the bath department since I can remember.

So now, out of impulse buying again, I bought these cellulose sponges that I think I can live WITHOUT after trying all of these. It's not that it's not a good product, I just don't see a necessity of owning one of these.

I bought all of these at Watsons,  if you're wondering where I got it...

Aqua Massage Cellulose Sponge

for Kids

This sponge is actually for my son, and according to his observations:

 (I interviewed him while giving him a bath)

Comment:

Pro:

- It's not scratchy.

- It's soft.

- It dries quite fast after use.

Cons:

- absorbs too much soap.

- too smooth to use as an everyday mild exfoliator.

- it smells like a combination of algae,dirt and plant. (Take note that I've washed the sponge 3x before using it on him.)

- Price: P94.75 (only for this? seriously?!)

This is what it looks like without the plastic wrapper. Mango shaped sponge.

 Aqua Massage Facial Sponge

I bought this because I thought that this would have the same texture (which is smooth and soft) as the facial sponge that are used by my dermatologist...hmm..I guess I was wrong...

Comment:

Pro:

- it can be used as an exfoliator, but use a very light hand when using it.

- I also use this to remove bentonite clay mask on my face.

- used this on the nose area where my blackheads reside and I think it's quite effective (temporarily)

- bought this for P49.75...quite affordable.

- dries quite fast after use.

- easy to clean.

Cons:

- too rough for sensitive skin...I used this once with a heavy hand and my face felt like I scraped my face on the pavement...not a good feeling I tell ya!

- smells like a combination of algae, dirt and plant.

Aqua Massage Body Sponge

I bought this for myself to use as a mild everyday exfliator. I guess this is gentle for sensitive skin 'cause it says "GENTILE"

Actually, I regret buying this because it's not only quite expensive, I has the same texture as the cellulose sponge that I use on my son...same texture cellulose sponge + higher price = epic fail

Comment:

Pros:

- not scratchy and soft.

- dries quite fast after use.

Cons:

- too smooth for my liking. I need something that is smooth at the same time it should also has the ability to mildly exfoliate the skin.

- same smell like the others (algae,dirt and plant)

- expensive..P104.75

This is what it looks like without the plastic wrapper...it looks like a typical car sponge...maybe I'll just use this for the car...

Swatch/Review: Maybelline Moisture Extreme Lipstick in Born With It

I can't believe that this is my first Maybelline lipstick. I mean, I love their products (especially their foundations) because it doesn't give any kind of bad reaction to my skin, but I never thought about buying lipsticks from them...I really don't know why...maybe because the saleslady always scare me away before I could fully "examine" their products in peace? hahaha!

Maybelline Moisture Extreme Lipstick in Born With It

Price: To be honest, this was only given to me by my mother when she went to Canada, so I don't really know the exact price of this in the Philippines...but acc. to other Philippine beauty blogs that I've read, It's P299 here.

Natural light:

w/ flash:

Comment:

Pro:

- It smells good...like watermelon.

- not sticky.

- quite moisturizing.

- not really that pigmented for my lips, but it is buildable.

- I guess, it's not that expensive?

Cons:

- none so far. (^_^)

Will I buy more:

- sure, why not!

Swatch:

Natural light: (Sorry for the blurry pic)

W/ flash:

Review/Blabber: Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Complete UV Waterlight Lotion SPF 50+ PA+++ and My 2 Cents about Organic and "Non-organic" Skincare

As some of you know, I have to change my skincare completely because of my skin condition and my very complicated skin type which makes it harder to find a product in the market that will suit me.

So far, I've already found my current skincare products: (which I will have to review individually soon)

 moisturizer (which I think I will use and re-purchase for a long time because I love it)
 facial wash (which is quite good and I've already grown to love it)
exfoliating wash (which is really gentle on my skin)
acne treatment
mask

and SUNSCREEN (the hardest to find because you don't know if it will suit your skin or not.)

The only skincare I haven't found yet that suits my skin is toner. I still don't know if I'll be needing it or not.

But first, I'll only be reviewing my CURRENT SUNSCREEN. I'm emphasizing CURRENT here because up to now, I still have mixed feelings about this sunscreen. Don't worry! It did not gave me any kind of bad reaction and it works very good actually, but I don't feel that this will be my HG sunscreen.

Originally, I've been recommended by my derma to try Cetaphil suncreen, but as some of you know, I don't like the feel of Cetaphil on my skin. I've also researched reviews about this and it is actually a very good sunscreen too, but comparing the performance of Neutrogena and the Cetaphil...I think they are just the same. The only downside of Cetaphil (P800-P900+) is that it is more expensive then Neutrogena (P460)

So for now, I'll keep on using and purchasing Neutrogena because I'm on a budget too.

Here is the packaging:

This Neutrogena sunscreen line has 2 variants, one for dry skin and one for oily skin. I chose this one for oily skin. It comes in only one size with the variant for dry skin being a bit bigger than this one. You don't really need much to apply this on the face so it's ok that it has a quite small packaging.

here's a picture showing you how to use it, store it, etc.

the description of the sunscreen.

The ingredients...I know some of you may freak out like "OMG! there are so many chemicals in there, blah blah blah...Organic is always better crap line" Pls. be more open minded about products. This has almost the same ingredients with Cetaphil (which is specifically made for SENSITIVE skin).  

I'm not against using organic products because I use organic stuff too! but using organic stuff doesn't always mean that it's already ALWAYS safe to use. I just want everyone to be more open minded and not be one sided about things. I've studied Pharmacology and Toxicology for quite sometime now and I was surprised to see MORE poisonous things coming from PLANTS than from VENOMOUS ANIMALS combined!! These mix of ingredients will not be created if there is a very very very big possibility that it will kill you. Well-known skincare companies may be money-hogging opportunists, but I don't think they are dumb enough to go on a suicidal jump and give us products that are not relatively safe...I can't say anything about the not-so-well-known ones though..

and... People should also be cautious about organic products that are jam-packed with combinations of oh-so-good organic plant-based ingredients because you won't know if the combination of these products may have a good or bad reaction to our body. It's understandable and believable that it will work if you are using ONE plant by-product that has its specific kind of benefits to your body, but have you thought about it's pharmacodynamics if it's combined with another plant by-product?

We always have to remember that EVERYTHING IN EXCESS, MAY IT BE GOOD OR BAD FOR US IS STILL BAD.

and don't get me started on organic, plant-based products are "cruelty-free"....Oh c'mon! stop making me laugh!

Anyway, here's the swatch:

very watery like it's description.

and once it's blended...

beautiful matte finish.

Comment:

- quite affordable compared to other sunscreen with oil-free, matte formula (P460)

- has a matte finish

- blends and absorbs easily.

- did not give me any new breakouts or any kind of bad reaction.

- controlled my oils at bay for at least 6 hours which is great!

- did not leave any white cast on my face.

So far, so good....

Review/Swatch: My NYX Round Lipglosses and Megashine Lipgloss and another addition of Cream blush in Boho Chic

So far these are my lipglosses from NYX. (ordered online from digitaltraincase in multiply)

I'm not a big fan of lip glosses usually because of it's lack of pigmentation that I want, the goopy feel on my lips and because it doesn't even last for more than 30 mins. on my lips....and hair sticking to my lips! nightmare!

That's why I'm very picky with my lipglosses and so far, Etude House Peach water Glosses are still my favorite ones...about the NYX lipglosses...hmmm..I'm having mix feelings about these...

Anyway, here are the swatches.

My round lipglosses:

DOLLY PINK

Natural light:

artificial light:

Swatch:

Natural light:

w/ flash:

the flash washed out the true pigmentation of the lipgloss...it should be more pigmented than in the photo, but you can sheer out the color if you want.

MAUVE

Natural light:

artificial light:

Swatch:

Natural light:

w/ flash:

TRUE RED

Natural light:

artificial light:

Swatch:

Natural light:

w/ flash:

I'm pleasantly surprised how pigmented this is for a lipgloss! 

Comment:

Pro:

- it's quite affordable (P200)

- I LOVE THE PIGMENTATION!!

- love the texture! Not too runny, not too sticky.

Cons:

- not readily available locally.

- the smell is sometimes unbearable!! It smells like citrus car-air freshener. Sometimes when I apply too much and lick my lips, it feels like the smells tranfers to my tongue, making me nauseous. C'mon NYX! you're already very rich by now to change the smell of your lipglosses!

My Megashine Lipgloss:

BEIGE:

Natural light:

I don't know why they call this beige...it doesn't look beige to me.

w/ flash:

w/ a bow on top:

Swatch:

Natural light:

w/ flash:

Comments:
Pro:

- great pigmentation for a lipgloss.

- better formula than the round lipgloss which means better texture and feel on the lips.

- a bit steeper priced than the round lipgloss, but it still quite affordable (P260)

Cons:

- not readily available locally.

- The SMELL. Although it has a better smell than the round lipgloss, it's still making me nauseous sometimes because it smells like my son's fever medicine or cough syrup. You can do better than that NYX.

and another addition to my cream blush collection:

BOHO CHIC

Natural light:

artificial light:

Swatch:

Natural light:

w/ flash:

I'm kind of disappointed by this one because it has shimmers in it...Many gals like this, but I'm the rare ones who doesn't like extra shimmy-shine on the face.