My Lucid Intervals

Happy Sunday to all!

I discovered the wonders of face masks years ago. It is definitely an immediate skin care remedy esp. for those with super dry skin like mine. Through the years, using face masks became a basic part of my self care routine but when I became a mom, I got lazy in my skincare game. I sometimes find masking too tedious because 15- 20 minutes seemed too long for a working momma like me. When I saw UFO by Foreo Sweden in a vlog of a Korean Youtuber, I was very curious about it. I found the UFO very ingenious!! Imagine cutting your 20 minutes masking time to just 90 seconds but getting better results due to the hyper infusion technology and led light.

When Foreo Sweden asked me to review UFO, UFO masks, and Bear. I was beyond thrilled!!! UFO came with a charging cable, a plastic stand, and one pack of Make My Day Mask. The first thing I did upon receiving this device is downloading the Foreo Sweden App. The foreo app showed me how to use the UFO and guided me throughout the entire process. For every use of the UFO, you need to scan the bar code of the mask that you will use. Then, it will automatically operate or give you a unique treatment specifically based on the type of UFO - Activated mask you use. Meaning each treatment may combine the warmth of thermo therapy and t-sonic pulsations or all three - thermotherapy, cryo therapy, and t-sonic pulsations. With the Foreo App, you can also customize you own, power mask treatment routine by controlling the level of t-sonic pulsations or choosing thermo or cryo therapy for your treatment. Oh, it also combines led light therapy. The three led lights of UFO are: RED - stimulates cell production while firming and lifting the skin, GREEN - brightens and evens out skintone, and BLUE - anti-inflammatory and anti- bacterial. By playing with the customization tool of the Foreo app, I discovered that I can combine the different led lights which can turn into WHITE - reduces puffiness and PURPLE - toxin elimination.

After learning how to operate the UFO device, masking became such a breeze. UFO is truly a revolutionary device which brings a spa like treatment at the comforts of your home. The app voice over guide makes the whole process even more relaxing! I love the entire 90 second treatment routine and I sometimes do it 2x! I sometimes make my 2nd treatment a customized routine. I usually choose cryo theraphy with green led light or red led light depending on my skin condition. Each UFO activated masks pack contains enough serum that I can use for another 2-3x application (manual).

The mask itself is made of ultra soft micro fiber which feels gentle on the skin and is developed and made in the land of Kbeauty - Korea. Make sure to properly clip the mask in place to prevent it from moving.

I will first feature the two original masks - the Make My Day and Call It A Night Activated Masks. The Make My Day Masks has Hyaluronic Acid + Red Algae Extract as its key ingredients. This is very hydrating amd gives my skin a healthy glow. It also protects the skin with its anti-pollution

barrier.

The Call It A Night Mask has Ginseng + Olive Oil as its main ingredients. I really enjoy using this mask at night. This is easily aborbed by my skin and I noticed that my skin feel revitalized and more nourished after using it. Both masks do not leave my skin feeling oily or greasy.

I really enjoy using UFO during the day time and most especially at night time. I also felt that the serum of the masks penetrated into my skin better with the use of UFO by giving my skin instantaneous glow, plumpiness, and moisture all at the same time.

Foreo also gifted me with their premium masks which I use in rotation together with these masks. I will feature them in a separate blog post. :)

You can watch my short video demo on how to use it on my instagram: UFO by FOREO Sweden

Here's how my skin looked like after using the Make My Day Mask. Can you how it somehow blur out my pores and gave my skin a healthy glow?

Overall, I am obsessed with this smart facial mask device-- UFO!! Using it really feels so relaxing and I love the immediate benefits it gives my skin.

The only con? The price of the device and the activated masks are a bit steep but they are worth it (imho).

You can purchase your own UFO here.

Have you tried UFO?

What are your thoughts on this?

Godbless,

Donnarence

Wrote by donnarence

Hi everyone! Happy Monday to all! I bought this Clio Pro Eye Palette on a whim. A beauty blogger/pro mua friend suggested this palette and I did not think twice in purchasing it. I got this online through Shopee (singsing.ph is the name of the shop). The shop where I bought this palette is situated in Korea. I made sure the product will be shipped from Korea to ensure that it is authentic. When buying through shopee or other online platform, make sure to read reviews of the shop. I bought this palette for 900 plus pesos.

I am loving eyeshadows, eyeliners, and brow products lately since the eyes are the only ones seen when wearing a mask. Since my eyeshadow palettes are mostly neutral and warm, I wanted a pink eyeshadow palette for a change. The shades of this Clio palette have autumn vibes and are deeper than the original Pro Eye Palettes. This palette contains pinks, browns, plums, and purples. At first, I was not ecstatic about the shades until I started playing with the colors. I then realized that I can create everyday eotds to glam makeup looks with this palette.

The palette contains matte shadows, shimmery shadows, and creamy shadows packed with chunky crystal glitters. The palette contains shades that works best when use alone (like the one color eyeshadow look) or in creating complicated eyeshadow looks. The chunky crystal glitters are really pretty. They can immediately change the texture and transform look of matte or pearly eyeshadows once layered on top. The matte and shimmery shadows glides smoothly when applied and have a silky texture. They do not appear patchy even when applied with the fingertips. Their pigmentation is really nice and buildable. The matte and shimmery shadows also don't feel powdery and have no fall outs. I find the three eyeshadows with crystal glitters very tricky to apply and tend to have a lot of fall outs. It is actually my first time using eyeshadows with crystal glitters and I think applying them on top of cream shadows or misting the brush with a mixing medium will help lessen the fall outs. I really love the iridiscence and lustrous effect the glittery shadows give.

The shades are have autumn vibes and are deeper than the original Pro Eye Palettes. This palette contains pinks, browns, plums, and purples.

My swatches do NOT justify the unique colors of the glittery shadows. Overall, I am very happy that I purchased this palette. I am also excited to play and create different looks using it.

What is your current favorite eyeshadow?

Godbless,

Donnarence

Wrote by donnarence

The buntis went a little crazy shopping for BLK products a few days ago but I had to control myself. I really wanted the whole line for both Universal 2.0 and Fresh Collection. I bought them through SM Delivery Call To Deliver and got my orders on the same day. I was really looking forward to the swatches of the Tints and Lipsticks on the day this collection was released. Sadly, I had a hard time looking for clear swatches. Most available swatches online were done under yellow lighting or through videos. Being the tita that I am, I stil appreciate clear arm and lip swatches.

Let me share with you how we do it back in the days 😆 Tita Blogger mode on.

Now, let me start with the review. I got three shades of the Airy Matte Tints. Initially, I wanted all shades but I decided to get nude colors since my stash are filled with warm browns already. The Airy Matte Tint is a lightweight liquid lipstick. Its consistency is runny. I like applying it with the use of my pinky finger to spread the product all over my lips and to blot it faster for a matte finish. Is it budge proof/ transfer proof? Yes, depending on the amount of product you apply. When I applied 2 thin layers on my lips, it took almost 30 minutes for it to completely dry. Unless completely blotted out, there will still be a faint color transfer. Despite its matte finish, it really feels comfortable on the lips. I wore this for 5 hrs and my lips did not experience dryness but it did flake a little. So, make sure to still moisturize your lips before using it. The matte finish also highlighted a bit of my lip lines but its not too noticeable. The opacity of these tints are superb. The color is very rich and it completely covers my dark lip lines. The color selection for this line is SUPER PRETTY (all caps para mas intense). All shades will surely look good on all Filipina skin tones. The nude shade like Clay did not wash me out nor turned me more yellowish. These tints have a pleasant sweet scent that I really like. This costs 379 pesos each. I find this very affordable and budget friendly.

These tints come in a pretty clear plastic packaging and has a flat doe foot applicator.

Shade description (Note that I have medium skintone with lots of yellow undertones. For reference, I am a Mac NC30):

Clay - this is more of russet shade which is a warm brown with hints of peach. This is a perfect nude for me.

Nutmeg - it is a bright salmon color with hints of orange. This color may seem too loud especially when swatched on the arm but the shade looks more subdued and very pretty when worn.

Bare Nude - this is a muted peachy pink shade with brownish beige base. It looks similar with Nutmeg on my arm swatches but this lighter and more muted. It looks really pretty. I bought this because of Seo Ye Ji who often wear nude lipsticks on It's Okay Not to Be Okay 😆

It lasts fairly well and may even last all day sans eating. Haha For reference, I ate noodles in the photo above and the color Nutmeg stayed in place. The color on the inner parts of my lips were the only parts that faded.

For the Lip Switch, I only got one shade. There were no available swatches online except those from BLK store in Lazada and most of the time, I don't trust swatches from brands because they look different from the actual colors. There were few swatches from content creators but most of these swatches were incorporated in a video and I had to rewind, pause, and screenshot time and again to compare shades. Ughh. Tita na ako. I can not keep up with videos. I still prefer photos for swatches. Anyways, I got the shade Macchiato because it was highly recommeded by Chuchie Ledesma. She is the mua who did the makeup for BLK Universal 2.0 ad.

I like the twist and switch refillable concept of this lipstick. The shade Macchiato is a beautiful warm reddish brown. It is a very pretty everyday lipstick that will surely look good on all Filipina skintones.

Compared to their original BLK All Day Lip, this lip switch has a more demi matte finish. It hugs the lips fairly well. It feels lightweight too and feels comfortable when worn. For comparison, the All Day Lip has a creamier formula. The lip switch has retained the rich and vivid color opacity. TJE Lip switch can also cover my dark lip lines with just one application. It does not highlight the dryness or cracks of my lips. I experience a little bit of flaking after the 5th hour of using this product but it is not too bothersome.

For reference, I have the original All Day Lip Cream in Caramel and Toffee. On my arm swatches, they look very similar with slight difference on undertones. Caramel is a bit more pink, Toffee has terracotta tones, while Macchiato is more red.

Overall, I am very happy with my purchases. I highly recommend these products to my readers especially the shades that I got.

Have you tried the newest from BLK? What are your thoughts?

Godbless and keep safe,

Donnarence

Wrote by donnarence

Having psoriasis flare ups and being pregnanct is probably the worst combo. I have tried asking permission from my OB to allow me to use certain medicated creams as advised by mg dermatologist but she did not give her clearance. Presently, face has large red and scaly patches. My psoriasis patches are very obvious. The least I could do is to use skincare products that may help alleviate the redness and flakiness of my psoriasis patches. Two of the products that I enjoyed using are from A'pieu - the Madecassoside Ampoule and Madecassoside Cream. I am almost finish with both products and luckily, I have a back up of the cream version.

The key ingredients of these products are Centella Asiatica Leaf Water Extract which is known for its anti oxidant properties, helps in boosting collagen production, and has soothing/healing effects. These products are also infused with Niacinamide which is known for brightening dull skin and evening out the appearance of pores and uneven skin. Thankfully, both ingredients are safe to use during pregnancy.

The Madecassoside Cream is a cream gel hybrid making its consistency rich and balmy. It may feel a bit siliconey but it gets easily absorbed by my dry skin. This cream moisturizes my skin immediately once applied. Since it has a siliconey texture, it preps my skin really well for makeup application. This has a slight herbal scent which I like. Before my pregnancy, I really enjoy using this as my daytime moisturizer. It works well on cold weather (tried it during the fall season in Korea) and also during hot humid days in Manila. Now that I am pregnant with psoriasis flare ups, this helps a lot in soothing my flare ups. I notice that it somehow alleviates the redness and flakiness of my flare ups but sadly it does not totally eradicate my flare ups (I really need steroidal creams for medication).

The Madecassoside Ampoule has a watery consistency and does not have any scent. It feels very light and runny. Like the Madecassoside Cream, this helps soothes and calm my irritated skin. It is adds a bit of hydration but is not too moisturizing like the cream variant. I like using the cream and ampoule together especially on cooler days.

Overall, I really love the cream version of this product. As for the ampoule, I prefer ampouls that are more viscous because of my dry skin.

Can you recommend soothing moisturizers/ products? What are your favorites?

Godbless and keep safe!

Xoxo,

Wrote by donnarence

Hi everyone! I hope all of you are doing well. I know it has been a while since I wrote something. I truly miss sharing with all of you my beauty finds and favorites. I am presently 24 weeks pregnant with my second baby (yay!! And it's a boy again!haha). This second pregnancy has helped me gained additional pounds aside from the pounds I gained during the first pregnancy. On top of that, my psoriasis flare ups showed up on my face. It is quite disheartening that I cannot use any steroids to tame down the redness and to stop it due to my pregnancy. Also, my lips is drier than before. I often have dry chapped lips and it does not look good at all with lipstick. Due to this, lipbalms have become my bestfriends. These are my favorite lip balms that I currently use in rotation.

My ultimate favorite is the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask. I got this sample in Myeongdong last October, 2019 and I have been trying to use it sparingly. This lip mask does wonders to my dry chapped lips. This has a glossy finish and is quite thick for everyday wear. I use it at night time and despite its thick consistency, I use it even during the day. It immediately hydrates and soothes my dry lips. I will definitely get a full size jar once I finish this sample.

Next on my list, is the best buy of them all. I got this Nuxe Reve De Miel Lip Mositurizing Stick on sale for 200 pesos during a shoppee sale. Surprisingly, I received a free Rose Micellar Toner and a canvass bag as freebies! I have been using this lipbalm religiously for months. I use it daily and it is evident on the the size of the remaining lipbalm bullet that I am loving this to bits. This gives off a very nice glow on the lips. This is not heavy at all and works well with most of my lip products (tints, lip pencils, and lipsticks).

The third on my list is another one from Nuxe. I asked my bff/ super friend to buy it for me when she was in Europe because it costs less there. This is the Reve De Miel Balm or Honey Lip Balm. This one has a very different texture than the rest on the list. This is akin to a thick butter balm and applies velvety matte on the lips. This does not have that dewy finish like most lipbalms and works well with matte lipsticks.

Last is the Glossier Cherry Balm dotcom. This is a very popular product online and I was so excited to receive it as a gift from my Aunt. This has a very strong cherry scent which I am not fond of but the texture of this lipbalm is really nice. It is emollient and goes on smoothly on the lips. It also delivers a very subtle pinkish red hue when applied. I love using it on its own or with just a lip liner pencil for a quick everyday makeup.

From left to right: Nuxe Honey Lip Balm, Nuxe Nourishing Reve De Miel Lip Moisturizing Stick, and Glossier Cherry Balm Dotcom

What are is your favorite lipbalm?

Godbless and keep safe.

Xoxo,

Wrote by donnarence

Happy 2020 to everyone!!! I have bought a lot of products (both skincare and makeup) last 2019. To be honest, I really really wanted to share my thoughts on them with you but I was too lazy to open my laptop and blog. I was on the verge of doing micro blogging through instagram. Luckily, I downloaded the blogger app and this will make blogging easier for me as I can upload and edit photos just using my phone. So ayan, sana hindi na ako tamarin magblog. Hehe

For my first post for 2020, I will review a product that was on my wishlist for months - MAC Studiofix Complete Coverage Cushion Compact. Ang haba ng name ng product na to ha!!! I wanted to try this because when I swatched this at the MAC store I was really amazed by the coverage plus this compact was heavily marketed by korean beauty bloggers. Basta Korea ang ang nag advertise, go go fo ako diyan. Haha Also, this cushion have a great shade selection. The korean cushions that I have tried were lighter than my skin tone. I was very hesitant to purchase this because of its hefty price (Php2,200). Luckily, I scored this cushion for only PHP 1,600 at the Duty Free sale ( Thanks to my very good/ super friend, Vaks, for purchasing this for me). The packaging is a bit bulky but I love the posh mirror/glass design of the cover. This contains 12 grams of product.

It comes with an ordinary cushion puff. Not a of the puff. Mas maganda yung puff ng korean cushions

I got the shade NC27 which suits my medium yellow skintone. Althought, the shade NC27 has warm peach tones but it is not noticeable when applied.

Do not be fooled by the swatch at the back of my hand!!! This cushion foundation does not have matte finish at all!!! In actuality, I was surprised that this foundation has a dewy finish. I was thinking this is comparable to the studiofix fluid foundation (which I love for years) but I was mistaken. This Cushion foundation is really hydrating but it tends to be a bit oily for our humid weather. A good matte powder is needed to set this foundation or else, you'll end up looking like a greaseball by mid day. As for me (with dry skin), my skin looks radiant and healthy whenever I use this as a base. Although, this works best on my skin when I have less to none skin bumps or psoriasis flare ups. It does have the tendency to highlight my bumps and texture. MAC claims that it is long wearing and water resistant. I agree with the long wearing claim. Despite having a glowy finish, this lasts whole day on me provided I set it properly with powder.

Coverage wise, it claims to be full coverage but it is not close nor comparable to the coverage of the MAC Studiofix foundation. For me, this Cushion Compact has a medium coverage that effectively covers my red patches, psoriasis flareups, and can even conceal my dark undereyes. This can also blurs out my lines and makes my skin look flawless. This has SPF 50 PA +++ but I have yet to test if it has a flashback.

Cons about this compact? This takes forever to set when layered with my skin care (toner, moisturizer, sunblock). It also feels quite sticky. This cushion compact also cakes badly!!!!Grabe! With our humid and hot weather, this cushion makes my skin oilier than usual. I really think this is best for colder temperature / weather.