Fashion 21 sent me their newest Ultimate Cover BB Cream a month ago and I had ample time to roadtest it to make a review. This is a 2 in 1 product containg 5 grams of concealer on the other end and 20 ml of BB Cream in a tube. This comes ins three shades (1 , 2 and 3) and costs 225 pesos per tube. 

The first thing I noticed is the protruding concealer placed on the cap of the tube. Everytime I take out the cap of the concealer, I take extra caution because the concealer is creamy and the placement is prone to damage or unintentional chipping especially when opening or closing the cap. I noticed that despite the heat of our weather,the concealer did not melt at all.

The concealer is very creamy and gives a natural dewy finish. If used alone, it has the tendency to move around under the eye area, it also creases and sink in the fine lines or my under eyes and it does not offer much coverage. I love this when used together with the BB Cream because it adds a bit of texture to the bb cream and delivers a medium coverage. This concealer works best for those with redness or uneven skin complexion. For those with dark circles, I recommend mixing it with the bb cream for better coverage. 

The BB Cream has a creamy and lightweight formula. What I loves most about is its creaminess and blendable texture. Compared to Korean BB Creams, this does not have any whitening or anti ageing properties. Thus, I consider this as a light foundation with SPF great for everyday wear. The coverage is light and is buildable to a semi medium coverage. It covers my redness very well and does not emphasize the dry patches of my face. It has a nice dewy finish which need to be set with powder te prevent any makeup meltdown. I do not find the bb cream or concealer to  be long lasting unless when mixed together. When mixed together, they last longer on me than usual. When used alone, I find this BB Cream too creamy for our weather that this product can make my dry skin look a wee bit greasy whenever exposed to humidity or heat. 

This is the huge doe foot applicator I was referring to. I got the shade sand which is the darkest shade. This shade has a neutral undertone and it blends well with my skin tone. It has a tick liquid consistency. It gives off a demi matte finish. Despite having such finish, this does not cling on to dry areas of my face. I also love how seamless this looks even though I have rashes all over. This does not emphasize my bumps and gives off that soft focus illusion. It also works well with my heavy moisturizer. Despite having a thick consistency, this foundation does not cake on me. It can also withstand the scorching heat of MNL.  One  layer does a great job of covering my redness, rashes and even a bit of my undereye circles. This may feel a bit heavy than your usual bb creams but when top off with powder, it sets beautifully.

What I love most about this BB Cover is how it works well with my troubled skin. You know those foundations that can emphasize skin imperfections? This one is not that kind. It does not make my skin itch nor does it aggravate my rashes everytime I use it. This also gives my skin a quick fix of smoothening power which makes my troubled skin looked better. 

For 879 pesos (something correct me if I am wrong), this is my favorite foundation this summer, It is long lasting, has a demi matte finish but is not drying, has SPF 50 Pa ++, it covers up my imperfection with just one layer and it does not cake. 

CONS: This feels quite heavy for summertime especially for everyday wear. So, I use it sparingly because a little amount is enough my entire face. Unlike other foundations I have in my stash, I do not apply two layers of this BB Cover. 

This product is not what I expected it to be. When I swatched this particular shade in Etude House, I swear it has some tint to it that I thought it was gonna  be a nice dupe for the much raved YSL Touche Eclat. I wanted to use it as a highlighting concealer but when I started swatching this pen, it just gives off a sheen/glow. This is basically a liquid highlighter or glow enhancer. 

I have yet to try mixing it my concealer to get the results that I desire in a highlighting conecaler. This cost around 600+ pesos. 

As soon as I found out that I was pregnant, I immediately researched about makeup usage and its effect on pregnant women. And the results left me dumbfounded. I have never been this confused about the results and answers I found online. To be honest, I am still a bit wary on using makeup despite the fact that ny OB Gyne told me that I can still use makeup but I should veer away from long wear lipsticks that tend to have lead in their formulation. As a rule, I have promised myself to stay away from red lipsticks due to the high lead content issue. Days after learning that i was pregnant, I immediately picked this up at beauty bar. My husband was telling me that I do not need another lipstick in my stash but I justified my purchase by telling him that this only costs 325 pesos a pop! Wala naman siyang magawa because a pregy wife needs to be happy all the time. Diba?

I got the shades Passion Candy and Crimson Glaze. This lipstick comes in a black glossy tube. These lipsticks are 100% natural and organic. This lipstick is composed of cocoa butter, subflower seed oil, passion fruit seed oil and natural vitamin E.

These lipsticks have good color pay off. The two shades I got gives off a healthy sheen when worn. They have buttery cream texture making it glide easily on the lips upon application. It has this queer lipstick scent that goes away after a minutes after application.  This does not last long and eventually fades after eating and drinking. I find this a bit moisturizing but my lips right now is super chapped, dry and cracked. This tends to highlight the dry areas of my lips. Despite being glossy or having a sheen, these lipsticks doe not bleed easily.

Last last month, Calyxta invited me to a Brookylyn Brow Party. I was not able to attend due to work reasons but they were kind enough to send me Maybelline Brow Products to Play with. In case you did not know, Calyxta is an online shop that sells beauty essentials from makeup to skin care. They carry various brands from popular ones to hard to find ones. I immediately grabbed the Fashion Brow  3D Palette in Light Brown from the Calyxta loot bag because I wanted to compare it with the 3d Brow Palette in Dark Brown. Maybelline has sent me their Fashion 3D Palette brow early this year. I must say, I am loving this brow kit very much. This has been in my makeup kit for quite some time now and has been a daily essential on my makeup routine. 

This palette is a 3d brow and nose palette containing three colors: 2 powder shades and 1 wax. This palette is housed in a plastic packaging. It does not have a mirror which I really wish it had one so as to make my life easier. It comes with a dual ended brush for shading and outlining. The brush does its job very nicely but it needs to be washed/cleaned after 2-3x use or else blending or applying products will be a problem. I still prefer using my Marionnaud Angled Brush with Spoolie for powder or wax brow product application. 

This palette is very useful in my kit. I use this for my brows, nose contour and at times for a quick wash of color on my lids. The powders are  quite pigmented  and very easy to blend except for the lightest shade on the Light Brown Palette which does not show up on my skin very well. The powders are very good in filling in the brows and the wax is perfect for outlining the shape of the brows and for intensifying the shade of the brows for a 3d effect. The staying power of this brow palette is awesome. Whenever I use this, I noticed that I do not do touch ups at all. It can withstand the humidity and hot weather of MNL. My brow outline and tail does not seem to fade or budge for almost the whole day. (Take note, I have dry skin) It does not irritate my skin. Some brow kits tend to irritate my brows which is prone to psoriasis flare ups. This kit makes my brows look on fleek especially when they are groomed or newly plucked. What I love most about this palette is that it works well even on unkempt brows. With the brow wax, I can create the illusion of cleaner brows or I can even change my brow shape. 

Upper Swatch: Light Brown

Lower Swatch: Dark Brown

The Light Brown shade has a taupe brown wax, a warm light brown powder and a peachy brown highlighter. This looks very natural on my brows and I love the shade of the wax because it does not look too harsh. 

The Dark Brown shade has a dark chocolate brown wax, dark brown taupe shade and a light brown highlighter. This shade is an overall winner. I can apply this lightly on my brows for a more natural look or I can go heavier for a more sleek and defined brows.  The lightest shades works well as a nose contour powder for my skin tone.

I first discovered Kojie San years ago in my attempt to have an even complexion. My arms are relatively darker than the rest of my body which is quite annoying. Kojie San soap is one of the whitening soaps that worked really well on my very sensitive skin. Now that I am pregnant I fear that I will develop darkening one different parts of my body like my armpits and neck. After researching, I learned that Kojic acid is safe for pregnant women. This is great news for soon to be mommies like me who still want to maintain good skin throughout their pregnancy. Also, Kojie San now has a lotion, face and toner for a complete skin care regimen. 

Kojie San was first introduced in the Philippines in 2007 and Kojie San soap is now the number 1 whitening soap in the market. Kojic acid was first discovered in Japan. Kojie San uses kojic acid that is derived from the process of fermentation of malting rice unlike other kojic acid that is obtained from mushroom. Kojic Acid is known for its skin lightening abilities and is also considered an antibacterial and anti oxidant. 

Here is my quick review on Kojie San Products:

My first Kojie San product that I have tried years ago is their soap. Kojie San soap is made of high grade Kojic acid. This promises to to diminish dark spots, freckles, acne spots and even stretchmarks. I usually cut this soap in half so I can use it longer. It does not melt easily in shower. It suds very well on my towel and does not leave an ugly orangey stain. I use this all over my body and leave it for 1-2 minutes so the kojic acid on my skin. This may be bit drying on the skin but using the Kojie San Lotion helps bring back the moisture on the skin. What I love most about this soap is that it does not irritate my sensitive skin. Continued use is advised to achieve clearer lighter skin. A bar of Kojie san soap (135grams) costs 68 pesos each. 

Kojie San Face Lightening Cream

This face lightening creams is made of high grade Kojic Acid and natural extracts. This also contains Rose Hip Extracts that helps in rstoring damage skin. This is a light moisturizing cream that is easily absorbed by the my skin. It does not feel heavy or greasy at all and is perfect during the hot summer weather. It has very light and subtle fresh scent that is not too overpowering. This costs 120 pesos and is by far one of the most affordable and safest lightening face product that I know of. I use this on my face, neck and armpits. So far, I have not experience any irritation using this product.

Kojie San Cleanser + Toner

This toner has a 2 in 1 formula consisting of Ginseng Extract and Rose Hip Oil known for skin firming ability and help smoothen wrinkles. This gets rid of excessive oil to maintain a fresh skin. This has a very subtle scent and is very refreshing.  I use this after washing my face and before applying the face cream. This does not sting my face at all even the areas where I have rashes. This does not feel sticky or greasy. My face feels hydrated after using this product. This costs 75 pesos only.

If you are a bit hesitant in using the Kojic Soap because it might dry out your skin, then this lotion will be your hero. This skin lightening lotion is one of the lightweight lotion I have ever tried. Like the Kojie San Face Cream, this lotion contains Rose Hip Oil which soothes my dry areas and patches. This lotion is easily absorbed by my skin and is perfect for everyday wear because it does not feel sticky at all. This lotion also contains collagen and vitamin e which helps in maintaining skin youthfulness and elasticity.

I am excited to see the results after few weeks time. With continuous use of the Kojie San Skin Lightening Range, I will be showing off a lighter and clearer skin in no time (kahit buntis dapat pretty pa rin noh!).

P.S. What I love most about the Kojie San Lightening range? Aside from being super affordable, the products are PARABEN FREE!!

Kojie San Products are available worldwide at leading super markets, drugstore and selected SariSari Stores

Follow their Social Media Accounts to get updates from Kojie San!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KojiesanPH/

Instagram: @kojiesanph

Are you a Kojie San User? Share your lightening story with me!!

Godbless

Hello everyone! I am back. I have been procrastinating with my blogging duties even though I have been stuck at home for more than a week now. Being at home is so new to me. I wanted to do a separate blog announcement (as if may pakialam ang ibang tao sa ganap ng buhay ko) but decided not to! I am currently 7 weeks pregnant. No, it is not made in Japan pala. hahahaha Our little bundle of joy is made in the PH but I was advised by my doctor for the second week now to have a bed rest due to subchorionic hemorrhage. Good thing blogging is not as stressful as my my main profession. So, enough of my chika. I just want to blog about my favorite find in Japan.

I got this Shiseido 213 lash curler in Japan last March for the price of approximately 230-250 pesos (tax free). I honestly do not have any plans of buying a new lash curler since my Shu Uemura is still looking good despite using it daily for almost three years. But who could resist a 230 pesos lash curler from Shiseido? Right?  It came with an extra rubber pad but I bought two more for only 70 pesos. 

I will be doing a quick comparison of the Shiseido 213 lash curler with my Shu Uemura Lash Curler

The Shiseido Lash curler feels lighter in weight. Shiseido is also a bit taller and slimmer in size. 

Shiseido has a wider curl design compared to Shu Umura. I also noticed that Shiseido has a smoother grip and presses easily and effortlessly compared to Shu Uemura which is a bit stiff. I hope you get what I mean. Ang hirap mag english ah. 

The Shiseido Lash Curler is definitely a yay!!! It is by far my most favorite curler and I love it more than my Shu curler. The wide curl design catches all my lashes from outer to inner corner of my eyes. Despite having short and sparse lashes, this can give a beautiful curl without pinching my lid. I can even curl my lashes starting from the lashes near the lash line to the mid part to the very tips in a breeze, I love how my lashes develops that beautiful all day maximum curl. I also get  a bit of length since I can start curling my lashes close to the lash line. This is perfect for those with short and straight lashes like me. The curl it makes can last half to a whole day on me depending on the mascara used. I love that it offers refills. What I like about this curler is that it is also very light weight and above all,very affordable. 

If you have been following me on instagram - @primadonnarence, you would know that I was not able to contain myself buying this lip gradation in the shade Mauve 1 when I finally saw them in Watsons. I first saw this lip gradation last December in Singapore. I was really amazed on the creaminess and pigmentation of this product when I swatched it at the back of my hand. I am not really a fan of the sponge that came with it but this is definitely one of my most favorite lipstick formula to date.

Product Description: "Available in 8 bright, matte shades, this double-sided lip product will inspire you to experiment with your looks and bring out your unique style and personality. The color stick at one end will give a gorgeous pop of color while the cushion blender tool at the other end will give a sexy, graded look. For a complete trend-on look, apply color on the center of your upper lip and use the sponge smudger to extend the color to the outer edges till the contours of your lips or use it as a matte lip color or a lip liner."

This is a dual ended lip product that comes in a twist up pencil. The lip crayon is retractable. The packaging reminds of a sharpie. :) The lip crayon is slimmer in size making it easier and cleaner to apply along lip lines. The manufacturing date is engraved on the pen itself but other details like ingredients are found on the plastic covering. 

From L-R (Mauve 1, Fuschia 1, Pink 1)

The consistency of this lip crayon is velvety and smooth. The pigmentation is incredible. The dose of of color you get with one swipe is truly amazing. I skip lip pencils whenever I use this product because its form (slim pencil type and tapered tip) together with its pigmentation works as lip liner and lipstick in one. It has a powder finish making easier to smudge to create gradation. It is a true matte with no tinge of sheen at all. It is also non sticky and feels very lightweight. The lip color is soft and creamy. 

This lip color has an awesome staying power.It can stay on my lips for hours like 5-6 hrs sans eating and drinking. What I love about this the most is that it does not dry out my lips at all. It does not also highlight the dry/patchy areas of my lips and lip lines. 

I am just not a fan of the lip gradation thing. I have innate dark lip lines and this did not work for me at all. I love using the lip crayon as a normal lipstick and the formula is definitely one of the best I have tried!

Pink 1 is a blue based barbie pink. I am not a fan of this shade because it seems too waxy for my taste and it does not apply evenly on my lips. 

Mauve 1 is one of the first colors I fell in love with. I bought a tube before and this is already my second one from Maybelline. When swatched at the back of my hand, it looks like a brownish rosy shade but when worn the lips it turns into a medium brown ala Kylie Jenner nude lipstick. I really love the shade because it flatters my skin tone. 

Fuchsia 1 came out as a surprise for me. This is  magenta hot pink with hints of purple that looks scary on the tube but looks amazing on the lips.  I super love this shade more than Mauve 1. This is not my ordinary lip color but it makes my lips look well defined and is so pretty when worn. Paired with a pink blush, this is definitely one of my top summer lip color!

My skin has been at it worst despite the warm weather. Half of my face is currently covered with rashes and I can not even use my steroidal cream to treat them because my doctor advised me to stay away from steroids. :( I knew some people who have oily skin who dread applying moisturizer because it adds up tons of greasiness to their faces. Summer is here but it is no excuse for me to scrimp on moisturizer. During this season, I opt for a light weight moisturizer but I noticed that there are still dry patches that peek through.Luckily,  I have found a solution to my dilemma. There are two skincare steps that I discovered that has been keeping my skin hydrated and plump this summer without looking like a grease ball.

Use Moisturizing Facial Masks

One of the best option to stay hydrated without overwhelming your skin with thick creams this summer is using facial masks at night. Using Facial Masks deeply nourishes the skin. It keeps the skin moisturized, increases elasticity and replenishes lost nutrients. Using facial masks at least 3x a week this summer helped moisturized my dry skin very well. Leaders Insolution has got the best moisturizing masks in the market. I have tried a lot from this brand and my personal favorites are their Coconut Biomask with Blueberry and Aquaringer Intense Hydration. My skin feels plump and renewed whenever I use these masks. Now, I never have to worry about my dry patches anymore even if I am only using a light moisturizer for daily wear.

This summer, it is not only your face that need some extra care but your under eyes need it too. Skin under the eyes are very thin and sensitive. Thus, it is prone to a lot of skin issues like wrinkles, lines, puffiness and discoloration. They are also a quick victim of sun damage.  Aside from using an eye cream,  I recently discovered this gem from Leaders Insolution that truly is life changing.  For someone with puffy and discolored under eyes, this is an immediate eye therapy. This is a 6 in 1 eye therapy that helps in wrinkle refinement, brightening, soothing, nourishing, moisturizing and has anti oxidant properties. This is a 20 minute eye gel enriched with Broccoli Extracts, Berry Extracts, Snail Mucus, Marine Collagen, Adrenosine, and Green Tea Extracts. 

 This eye patch is a water soluble gel that adheres instantly on the skin. It gives a cooling effect that is very soothing. This is paraben free and fragrance free as well. It does not feel greasy when worn. It feels light on the under eyes. It did not cause my skin to develop any milia which I always fear whenever I use under eyes creams/products.  I leave this on my under eyes for 20 minutes and afterwards, my skin feels very hydrated and it somehow lessened the puffiness and appearance of wrinkles under my eyes. 

This costs 498 per box and consists of 5 pairs of eye patches. 

Friendly Tip: Try placing the facial masks and hydrogel patch in the freezer for a few mnutes before using for that extra shot of cooling and soothing sensation.

Visit Leader Ph Website to know more about their products.
Godbless