BLK Cosmetics' Newest Collection, My K-Beauty Starter Kit | Review

BLK Cosmetics' newest collection finally dropped last week, and it's something that k-beauty fans will surely dig in! This summer collection promises quick Korean look, that is easy on the wallet and will fit even the smallest vanity kit. 

I got my K-Beauty Starter Kit just before its official media launch, and here's my jeongjighan review!

Inside the kit are the core items of the collection: BB+CC Cream, Intense Liquid Color Eyeshadow and Lip & Cheek Water Tint. 

There's also a preppy guide on how to use the products, plus cool kyeopta stickers!

BB+CC Cream Stick (Price: 499 php)

It's not the usual foundation stick, because it combined two of my fave bases: BB (Blemish Balm) and CC (Color Corrector). Also, it has a built-in brush with super-fine bristles. I got the shade "Ivory Beige", which suited my skin tone, though I'm not quite happy with its scent.    

It is easy to apply; gives a slightly dewy glow, but certainly won't create a full coverage. You must blend it using the brush because it does do the job---making pores appear less visible. 

Intense Color Liquid Eyeshadow (Price: 299 php)

I chose "Cute" since it's the lightest and the most natural among the available colors. It is pigmented and glides well when applied with the sponge applicator, but I prefer blending it with my finger instead. Further, it gives off a nice shimmer, and can also be used as a highlighter too!

Lip & Cheek Water Tint (Price: 249 php)

For the tint, I got "Cherry". It has a light fruity smell, with a gel-like texture. It adheres on the lips really well and stains nicely. 

As a lip tint, it sets the bar a little higher than the rest. However, as a cheek tint, I find it hard to blend. Since it stains well, it leaves tiny marks on the cheeks, making it look patchy. I guess you just have too apply it indirectly (place it on your fingers first, one cheek at a time *smiles*).

Now here are the swatches:

Now this is me after using the products. I shot this outside, so I can show you how it will look like under natural lighting. (messy hair tho, still in my "pambahay" hoho!). I was able to create a Korean-inspired look in less than 5 minutes!

That's it! I'm really happy about this collection because it made makeup application really quick, easy, yet effective. So if you are a busy gal or a lazy beauty junkie (like me), you better include these items in your makeup kit---ASAP! 

Beauty shouldn't be complicated, at all times :)

Saranghae,

Budget-Beauty: Fashion 21 Double-Up Mascara | Review

So I was browsing my Facebook feed when I saw Martha's post (blogger behind The Beauty Junkee) about this mascara from a local makeup brand. The overwhelming reviews by beauty bloggers like her made me even curious, like I want to get my hands on it---ASAP! Is it really worth the hype?

I've tried it for myself and here are my thoughts:

THE PRODUCT

The packaging is slimmer and longer than my current tubes of mascara. Metallic red in color (obviously, haha!), but the shade of the body is different from the cap (which quite bothers me for some strange reasons). But in general, it's sleek and easy to handle, which is good. 

The wand is made of fine bristles which distributes the product evenly on the lashes. It is very easy to apply too.   

THE VERDICT

It was love at first swipe! 

I don't have long lashes that's why I either get lash extensions or apply layers over layers of mascara, just to achieve doll-like peepers. And this product became my instant favorite! True to its claim: It can "double-up" your lashes, twice the original length!

The product doesn't create lumps on the lashes and coats each hair perfectly---extending while parting the lashes beautifully. It will only require 3~4 coats to make the lashes appear longer and a bit fuller. And when I tried removing it with water, it formed chunks, which easily slid down my lashes---no need for mascara remover!

The only downside of this product are the following:

1. It is not totally smudge-proof 

2. It is definitely not water-proof 

3. It cannot increase the volume that much

Though it's not perfect for summer, still, an awesome product for daily use. 

(On the picture below, I applied 5 coats of mascara on my right eye lashes. Look at its difference with my normal lashes!)

I totally recommend this product because for only 239.00 php, you have a great quality mascara  which is very affordable yet can function like a pro! 

If you have tried it already, share your thoughts below! Don't forget to share this with your girlfriends! Like, Share and Follow!

Let those peepers do the talking :)

Cult-fave: Lucas Papaw Ointment | Review

I first saw this red tube in a makeup tutorial video by Anne Curtis, when she used it as a lip moisturizer. The said video is posted below for your reference, and my goodness---it was way back 2014!

So after 4 years, I am now digging into this cult beauty favorite! I want to share why celebrities love it, why I swear by it, and why you should keep one inside your purse---every day. 

THE RAVE

I am a fan of "Bag Raid" videos, especially by local and international celebrities. Well this red tube made a lot of appearances already, being a staple item inside the bags, purses and even vanity kits of some well-known media influencers. 

Even bloggers are crazy about it! Majority of the write-ups praised and even recommended the product, given its not-so-affordable price tag.

[images from google]

THE PRODUCT

Lucas Papaw Ointment is a yellowish topical gel which can soothe and heal boils, burns, cuts, cracked skin, rash, splinters, open wounds  and insect bites. 

Ingredients:

39 mg/g Fresh fermented papaw(papaya)

Pharmaceutical grade Petroleum jelly

0.1 mg/g Potassium Sorbate

Balsam of Peru for perfume

Wax (as the base) 

Based in the southern Brisbane suburb of Acacia Ridge, Lucas’ Papaw Remedies is an Australian-owned family company, which was founded by Dr. Thomas Pennington Lucas in 1911. Over four million tubes and jars are produced every year---with no single advertisement, yet it's inside every woman's bag across Australia. 

Lucas Papaw is available in 15g and 25g tube and 75g and 200g tub. Sold at online stores for 450 to 800 php. Just this year, Watson's made the tubes available for 399 and 599 php.

[image from google]

THE VERDICT

So how did I got my first tube? A friend at work offered the 25g tube to me for 350 php only. I was hesitant at first because to be honest, that ain't cheap for an ointment. But when I look for the prices online, oh boy, I grabbed it with two hands! 

It is indeed a wonderful product, here's why:

1. It solved my "chapped lips" problem in a snap

2. It heals tiny cuts and wounds real quick (no ugly scars or marks)

3. It relieves dry skin instantly (I use it along my jawline)

4. It soothes skin irritations caused by insect bites and dry weather 

5. It makes a good moisturizer for dry cuticles, elbows and ankles (I use it every night!)

Yes! I totally love Lucas Papaw :) Gave the first tube to my BF's sister though...good thing my boss went home to Australia a couple of weeks ago---he secured ten 25g tubes for me! Am indeed very lucky! Won't run out of supply for months, or even years for sure! (too much exclamation point, I cannot.. *giggles*)

I'm sure you'll get a tube for yourself after reading this review, well you should! Share your thoughts with me by commenting below :) 

Thinking of running a giveaway, your thoughts?

The papaw hoarder,

Satisfy cravings for burgers, chicken and fries at The Black Apartment | #FridayFoodTrip

Who wouldn’t love juicy burgers and tasty fries on a Friday night? errr..I mean, afternoon!

There's quite a handful of burger houses near our place, serving the basic snacks to perfectly cap off another tiring week. And one definitely stood out because of its unique interiors and extensive menu. With a grumbling stomach, I visited the famous Black Apartment a few weeks ago, expecting to taste not-so-ordinary burgers, chicken and fries.

THE PLACE

The exterior is literally black. It’s a duplex house painted in black, adorned with wooden accents. The parking area is quite big, which is kinda impressive (since this is a common problem among food hubs, well I guess they are just expecting a lot of customers too). Inside, the area is very spacious, with wooden tables, chairs and couches. I have noticed that there is still provision for expansion, since they have only utilized the first half of the apartment. Lighting is great, as I was able to take good photos with just my phone; ventilation is pretty nice as well because it’s air-conditioned and not congested. 

THE FOOD

I am with Mr. J, so we ordered two burgers with fries, chicken wings and shakes.

For the burgers, we ordered the “Tenant” and “Chubby Roommate”, both includes plain salted fries. There was only one flavor for chicken wings so we tried it, the “Hot Chicks Next Door”. For the drinks, we opted for fruit shakes, “Mango Lychee” and “Mango Banana”.

The burger tastes ordinary at first, but as I munch, I noticed a few remarkable stuff in it: The bread was ‘pandesal-like”, very tasty and toasted just right. Moreover, the beef patty was really tender, thick, but a bit bland. All other ingredients were fresh and nicely assembled. 

On the other hand, the chicken is below par at first glance, but when I tasted it, my goodness, it’s unexpectedly delicious!—good flavor, tender and spicy! Lastly, the shakes simply matched with all the flavors in my mouth. I love the smoothness and the balanced taste of the ingredients—you can really taste the mango, lychee and banana. 

THE PRICE

It is hard to decide whether the prices on the menu are just right or a bit expensive. It will certainly depend on the item. In general, the prices can be justified by the quality of the food, especially for the burgers and shakes. But for the chicken, I’m a bit disappointed with the serving, too far from what is on the menu (others can even have unlimited chicken wings for only 200 pesos), hoping they could serve bigger portions or just increase the number. 

THE SERVICE

From the security personnel, to the cashier, to the one who assisted us, I can pretty much say that all have been trained to be very accommodating, quick and nice. It was good that after we finish our food, one of the staff approached us to ask for comments and suggestions. I gave them my honest remarks though, and that made me feel good as a customer. 

There are still a lot to try on their menu, that's why I’m so certain that I’ll be visiting them again any time soon (gotta try those rice meals and milkshakes!). 

If you are planning to visit The Black Apartment, they have two branches, the one that I've featured here is their Bahayang Pagasa branch. See details below:

Always share good food with family and friends, 

The Face Shop: Miracle Finish BB Power Perfection Cushion | Review

After being able to control the “oiliness” of my face (Thank God for water gel moisturizers!), I already ditched my matte foundations and went back to my “dewy” bases. And just a month ago, I was lucky enough to try The Face Shop’s Miracle Finish BB Cushion, and oh boy, I fell in love with it.

So what’s with this product that makes me use it every day?

(Before we proceed I just want you to know that my skin type is a combination of oily and dry skin: Oily on my T-zone and dry on my cheeks and jawline)

PACKAGING

Let us first take a look at its packaging: The gold and black combination is simply elegant. It’s just the same size as with the normal cushions, but quite bulky for a small makeup kit. But the good thing about the packaging is the fact that it doesn’t peel off nor fade (which usually makes most of the makeup products look “overused” and unappealing after several uses). Moreover, the product name is engraved beautifully on the cover—so princess-like!

Inside is a mirror, which is extra magnified (so nice!), I can see the details of my face perfectly. It also has a soft puff applicator, a cover and a cushion (which holds the BB cream). 

COVERAGE

The  shade that I got is V201 Apricot Beige. It's just right for me and doesn't oxidize (darkens) after several hours---it even makes my skin look brighter. 

It has a light to medium coverage, concealing most of the blemishes, redness and visible veins, but not 0to the point of being “flawless”. I admire its consistency which is neither sticky nor heavy, because if it’s the other way, that will be a great problem especially with our country’s weather. More so, it gives off a healthy kind of “glow” or should I say “dewy” effect.

STAYING POWER

Does it last the entire day? Surprisingly, YES! However, it's not as perfect as the initial application. I have noticed that my T-zone and cheeks became a bit shiny (beyond dewy but not really so oily) at the end of the day. Though when I set the under eye area and T-zone lightly with loose powder, right after application, it would appear less shiny all-throughout the day.


Now this is me wearing the BB cushion. As you can see, my under eye circles are still quite visible, as well as some of the tiny blemishes. But generally, it's nice on the skin, very lightweight and natural-looking.

ADDITIONAL FEATURES

It's good that it contains SPF 50+ and PA+++, which will double-up your sunscreen's power! It smells nice too :)

PRICE

If bought here in the Philippines, it would cost 1,095 PHP. Though it's in the borderline of affordable and high-end makeup bases, I would still happily spend a thousand bucks for such a great quality cushion. Don't worry, it can last for a couple months!

FINAL VERDICT

Packaging: 5/5

Coverage: 4.5/5

Staying power: 4.5/5

Price: 5/5

Overall: 4.75

Hope you enjoyed this review, more kbeauty stuff to come! Just COMMENT your thoughts and review requests below :)

Always glow as bright as your dewy bases,

My Daily Skincare Routine | glowing and blemish-free skin

Probably the most requested blog post, ever! And now I’m ready to share the updates on my skincare routine. Hopefully after reading this, you’ll be encouraged to focus more on skincare---like me!

If you have been following me since 2015, I already shared my skincare routine twice, featuring different products. Since I have a slightly problematic skin before (oily and with zits), I tend to skip from one product to another, while following a basic routine: cleanse, exfoliate, tone and moisturize. But after two years of experimenting, I have finally discovered the routine which suits me best, as well as the products which miraculously solved my skin’s issues. 

Won’t keep you waiting, so let’s start! 

The Routine

The most important thing that you must remember here is to strictly follow your daily routine, no matter how busy or tired you are. No skipping. No excuses. 

I have two routines: one for the day (or morning, before I put my make up on) and another one for the night. They are exactly similar except for the additional steps I do before going to sleep. 

Cleansing 

I’m a fan of double-cleansing, for it has done great wonders for my skin. If you wear makeup almost every day, you must do this so you’re sure that nothing is left on your skin before you go to bed.  I always start with micellar water because it removes make up and dirt effectively. Next would be washing my face with a very mild cleanser to remove the remaining dirt, oil, etc. Well some of you might think that too much cleaning will strip the natural moisture of the skin, but don’t worry because it won’t. As long as you will not use strong cleansers, your skin will not be harmed even if you do this two-step cleansing ritual. 

Toning 

I honestly take this step for granted before, and just found out that it is indeed important. Toning preps the skin so it will absorb the succeeding products better. Never opt for astringents, but rather choose the hydrating type of toners. I don’t use cotton when applying my toner, I just simply pour generous amount onto my palm and pat it on my face. Fresh!

Moisturizing

This one involves 3 products for the day and 5 products at night, which keeps my skin healthy and hydrated. 

During the day, right after toning and before I put some make up on, I start with an “essence” which is a concentrated liquid packed with vitamins for the skin. This will be followed by “serum” which targets a particular skin dilemma, and for me that’s dullness / paleness. Next is my favorite, the “eye cream” which keeps my eye area wrinkle free and healthy-looking. 

At night, I still do everything mentioned above, plus these: I wear “cotton sheet mask” at least 3 times a week (not every day because that’ll be too expensive) or whenever I’m so stressed. I pop it in the freezer first, for a couple of minutes, before I put it on—so nice and cold! Lastly, I'll put on my “sleeping mask” which makes my skin look ‘blushing’ the next day. 

Eliminated Exfoliation

If you noticed, I already eliminated “exfoliating” on my current routine. Why? because I believe that the use of face scrubs only damaged my skin before, making my pores bigger and my skin oilier. But still, stripping off dead skin cells is necessary to reveal a youthful glow, that’s why I have a scheduled facial with diamond peel session at least once a month. Let the experts to the proper exfoliating!

The Products

My routine may seem so ‘elaborate’ and you might think that I’m spending a lot on skincare. Well I actually spend more on skincare than makeup, in contrast to what others think of me. But luckily, I found good products which aren’t that pricey, just right for daily use. 

Cleansing: 

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water 

Neutrogena Pure Mild Facial Cleanser

Toning: 

Nivea Pore Minimizer Toner 

Moisturizing: 

Skin Potions Snow Fresh essence

Skin Portions Tomato Juice serum 

Etude House Moistfull Collagen Eye cream

The Face Shop cotton sheet mask 

Skin Potions Snow Berry sleeping mask 


I am not saying that you should use the products that I'm currently using. If you have the same skin type, combination of oily and dry, these products may also work well with you. What I can suggest is for you to follow a strict skincare routine and be very patient in looking for the best products which will suit your special needs. 


So I hope you enjoyed this post :) If you have questions, just leave a comment below! Show some LOVE, share this with your friends!



Still, true beauty lies within...

GladKing Haul | Makeup Tools for less!

One of the activities I did last January 21st (my birthday!) was to scout for new makeup and skincare products. And so, on top of the list is to visit this store which caters very affordable makeup tools, accessories and equipment.

GladKing Philippines is already well-known among beauty junkies and probably one of the most popular to-go shops for thrifty makeup artists. But since it was my first time ever to visit their shop, I’m looking forward to score some great items that won’t break the bank. 

They have a newly-opened hub located inside Festival Mall in Alabang. The store is not that big, which makes it so congested as shoppers flood inside. I was left in awe after seeing the makeup tools and beauty stuff! Just wow! However, there’s not much though (because I was really expecting to see “a lot”) but at least they have almost all of the important items, in acceptable variety. 

If you would want to complete your set of makeup brushes, in different colors and design, you can definitely achieve that in less than 500 pesos. You can also have unlimited supply of false eye lashes because they are so cheap here. Plus, they also sell beautiful train cases which will unleash the inner MUA in you!  

So let me show you what I have found inside:

Brushes, clips, etc...hair styling goals!

Handy train cases (i'm eyeing the transparent one, in silver) 

Sponges in all shapes and colors

I really want to own a train case, the one with bulbs  

But realized that I don't want to spend a fortune for it...haha!

Oh hello magnetic lashes! been wanting to try these  

More lashes...have you tried wearing such? 

So in general, this shop has the all the basic stuff that you need when it comes to makeup and hair styling. Yup, not everything though, but still a good place to visit if you are just starting with your passion in beauty. But of course, we cannot assure the quality, so you must be really good in scrutinizing the items before purchasing. 

After an hour (or more, I cannot really tell), I found myself smiling over a basket filled with what I think are just the “necessary” items; got them all for more or less 800 pesos only!

Let's make them look presentable on a flatlay...

There you go! I will definitely comeback again and buy more makeup brushes and false eyelashes. Hope you'll share your haul with me too! Comment them below or tag me on Instagram [@missgdiariesph] and Facebook [Miss G's Diaries]. 

Thank you for reading, see you on my next post!

Always be wise in your pursuit of beauty,