Review: Foot Appeal Foot Peeling Mask

Warning: Some photos might be too eeekky, not for the faint-hearted ;)

I've been very busy this couple of months and had no time to blog (excuses!). So let me end that three-month long hiatus with this zombie-gore-fest yet every-girls-secret-weapon foot beautifier! Ha!

Ok, we all know guys love a pretty face and of course sexy body..but they are also very keen on well-manicured, pretty feet! Too bad,  not everyone have the time and money to splurge on nail salons and foot spas, so what's the best way to do than to start fresh, like baby fresh skin on your feet. C'mon, peel it!

Foot Appeal Foot Peeling Mask

This Foot Appeal Foot Peeling Mask (399-499php) is so easy to use. Here's what I did (you can also read instructions written on the box):
1. Open the box, pull off 2 socks-shaped plastic.
2. Cut the plastic on the dotted line.
3. Wear as socks, make sure to tape ends so as not to spill contents (better if you wear fitting socks outside)
4. Wait for 60-90 mins.
5. Remove fitted socks and the medicated plastic socks.
6. Wait for 2-3 days. Feet will start to peel, do not pull!
7. Wait for a week to complete the peeling process.
8. Voila! Callous-free, whiter feet!

After 3 days, feet started to peel on toe areas.

eeeek day 3

After 5 days, major peeling! Some peeling on the top of feet also.

eeeek day 5

Ok enough of the gore-fest! It took around 1 1/2 to 2 weeks for the whole feet to peel but no need to worry because it is not painful, just a bit uncomfortable :D You can buy this at: First Aid Greenbelt 3, Shopwise, Unimart...for me, I just asked my friend to get me one hehe :D

Enjoy!

*check their facebook page here

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M.I.A!!!

I've been MIA for a couple of days (or weeks) because I was busy with my surgery and just got out of the hospital last week and still recovering. Yep, I did undergo the knife..(or tubes) but I really have a good doctor, Dr. Chiaoling Sua-Lao, so everything's ok. If you ever want to know more about this surgery or my doctor, just drop me a line and I will try to answer your queries.

Soooo...yep I missed a lot and that's also equivalent to zero mall hopping!

As I am now a prison here at home, I've got nothing else to do but sit, read some Anne Rice, play Sims 3 etc..and shop online yay!

So what did I buy? I got Hairagami Total Hair Makeover Kit, Salon Express Nail Stamping Kit and some items from Monkee Business (still waiting for these items to hit my doorstep)

the hairagami and salon express nail stamp kit

I do get to go out today because of my check-up, so I made sure to drop by Watson's and got me some nail polish from China Glaze (I got the Stellar and Diva Bride).

I also got the time to try that Foot Appeal Foot Peeling Mask. So that's a lot of products to try and review (plus the lip sticks I got the last time).

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Review: Benefit's Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow! Foundation

I've been lemming for this foundation for weeks! And as you can read from my last haul post, I bought this first week of April. So, let me get started with my review as I am very much excited with this product.

Let me give you a little background on my make-up habit: NONE. Ha!

I don't know how to use a foundation, a sponge, how to pick the right blush, how to use eyeliner, basically I know nothing about make-up! So I try to watch videos, read forums and buy stuff to try. I got interested with Benefit's Hellow Flawless Oxygen Wow! because I read that it's so easy to apply, just like some tinted moisturizer...and true enough it is!

(dreamy...haha) 

I bought this at their Greenbelt 5 boutique for 1900php (not cheap!) and got the color in beige (as suggested by the SA). As for the scent, I don't think there is any so no problem with that.

(a free sample of Porefessional Pore Minimizer inside the box :D)

I then searched for a way on how to apply foundation over at Youtube, and figured that a penny size is enough!

(taken with  a flash, a bit of a white cast but still ok :D)

I tried to use my fingers, it blends well but I read somewhere that using a wet sponge will provide a more flawless finish. So I bought some cheap sponge (I'm a cheapskate hehe!) and tried to wet it and voila! It really is easier and the finish is dewy. As for the coverage, I think it is buildable from light to medium to heavy. But I would rather stay with the light-medium range, I hate looking too made up so I still got some spots uncovered (I think a concealer will do the trick for this)

So here it is!...Gaah I'm soo excited. Note: Camera used is only a camera fone (yep, no P&S camera yet)..no flash just bright living room light 

(too light coverage, see that spot on my chin, ok don't mind the mole on my lips hehe)

Ok, so I road tested it last weekend on a wedding I attended in Tagaytay (not as hot as Manila) and after four hours, oil started to build up on my t-zone. So yeah, lasting power is not that much, but hey, I still love it to bits :D

(road tested it when I attended a wedding last weekend)

How about you? Have you tried this foundation?

Scent - 5/5

Value - 4/5

Effectiveness - 4/5

Repurchase - Yes!

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Review: Snoe's Here Comes the Sunblock

Summer heat is getting verrrrry hot with each passing day! We all know how harmful these UV rays are, and I don't want to give a lecture on this one again (we all hear these things anyway e-v-e-r-y-d-a-y even if it's the rainy season). So let me give you a review on one of the sunblocks I have tried from Snoe, the Here Comes the Sunblock.

(photo from Snoe Beauty)

From the Snoe website, this product claims to moisurize, whiten (and instantly whiten), and protects skin from damage. It has anti-oxidants, is non-greasy, and paraben-free. This product contains:

• De-ionized water
• Dimethicone ( Cetearly Dimethicone)
• Cethyl Alcohol
• Prophyl Alcohol
• PPG, Cropolymer
• Bengkoang
• Papain Enzyme
• Glutathione
• Allantoin
• Sodium ascorl Phosphate
• Tecopherol
• Phenoxyethanol
• Zinc Oxide
• Titanium Dioxide
• Neheliupan BB
• Ascorbate
• Beeswax
• Aloe Vera Extract
• Lycopene
• Fragrance

Ok, Here Comes the Sunblock is SPF 45 (that's a good one). Unlike other sunblocks, this one is non-greasy(point!) and the fragrance is pleasant (for me anyway, another good point) or tolerable for some.

BUT...it claims to instantly whiten the skin and it does in a very mediocre way. I mean, don't expect that your skin will really be fair instantly. After applying, your skin will only get this whitish chalky cast which for me, is really not good!

( see how hard it will be to get an even BODY skin tone everytime? you have to blend really good!)

Of course I don't want to look have this uneven white patches on my skin! I mean really, this is hilarious. Ha!

Scent - 4/5

Value - 4/5

Effectiveness - 3/5

Repurchase - No (because of the "instant white effect")

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Holiday Haul! Make-Up Starter

I've been MIA this whole holy week, mostly because of the work-ups with the doctor and I just needed really to take a break (it's emotionally draining, really). So I went on mall hopping and got me some retail therapy!

Ok, I've been thinking what to buy if I wanted to start my make-up kit. I already bought some brush (and mineral make-up) from Ellana when I TRIED using mineral make-up last year. I think that will do for now, I just have to clean them as they are gathering dust in my closet.

After some magazine reading (at the doctor's office) and people watching (or staring) at Greenbelt, I then realized that the best facial enhancer is a good lipstick.

As I am really a beginner at this, I tried first the most affordable brands. So I bought:

• Avon Ultra Moisture Rich in Deep Pomegranate
• Avon Ultra Moisture Rich in Barely There
• Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter in Lollipop

...and then, as it is already April and if you read my lemming post, I am reeeeaaaaalllyy looking forward to grabbing this Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow! foundation...sooo....I got one in beige yay!!! I also tried to get some affordable lip and cheek tint, so I got the In2It L/C tint in peach.

Will post a review as soon as I tried everything on. I am sooo excited! Is this a nice make-up starter or what?

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Review: Snoe's S Skin SPF30 Stem Cell Sunblock Cream

As I have seen you luvvies are interested with this product line, might as well make a review of another product from Snoe, the S Skin SPF30 Stem Cell Sunblock Cream.

(photo from Snoe)

I bought this because the moisturizer I was using at that time has no SPF (Lush Celestial), and I was noticing some sun spots (dark spots) on my face. Another thing is, you know my fixation right now for anti-aging creams right? Their claim on "stem cell" in this sunblock cream bought me!

From the Snoe website, this product contains:

• Dimethicone (and) Cetearyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
• Water
• Isonyl Isononano.Te
• Cyclopenant Asiloxane
• Sorbitan Isostearate
• Lauroyl lysine
• Polyglycery-4
• Isostearate
• Hexyl Laurate
• Sesamum Indicum (sesame seed oil)
• Diazolidinyl Urea (0.20%)
• Lecithin
• Citric Acid
• Deionized Water
• Sodium Chloride
• Titanium Dioxide
• Iron Oxides
• Xanthan Gum
• Fragrance
• Cetyl Alcohol
• Steryl Alcohol
• Propylene Glycol
• Phenoxyethanol
• Rh-Oligopeptide-1
• Lecithin
• Butylene Glycol
• Phenyl Trimethicone
• Glycine
• Tricetereth-4 Phospate
• Vitis Vinifera (Grape)seed Oil
• Sodium Hyaluronate

It claims to: 

• Reduced wrinkles
• Firmir skin
• Smoothed hydrated skin
• Protect from UV damage
• Make up glides more smoothly
• Toned skin
• Even skin tone
• Dark spot prevention and repair
• Over all luminous white skin
• Refined skin texture

The first thing I noticed about this product when I opened it was the pink tinge. Aside from that, it has a very thick, creamy consistency and a very strong fragrance (though I am not really bothered by it, I think the scent is ok)

(thick pink cream)

At first I thought it will bring a very white cast on photos with flash, but you can see here that it is not really the case with this sunblock cream...well maybe a bit.

(shot comparison: hard vs soft light)  

I like that it makes my face smooth and my pores smaller when applied. Maybe the effects on wrinkles and whitening will be visible after weeks of use, but I cannot really attest to that as I am using a night cream and an eye cream.

Aside from being a sunblock cream, they claim that you can also use it as a make-up base. I tried this once, and never again. Ha! Everything on my face just slid off (tint and highlight), so maybe it's better to wear this alone. I also find it kinda heavy for a very humid climate, so better use this inside with the aircon on, or you can use it outside if the weather is cold.

Scent - 3/5

Value - 4/5

Effectiveness - 3/5

Repurchase - No (Not as sunblock cream, I really find this very heavy on the face, but will still use sometime as it makes my pore look smaller)

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Review: Snoe's Hair Heroes Intense Argan Oil Conditioner

Hair Heroes Intense Argan Oil Conditioner is one of my hauls from Snoe.

Let me give you a bit of a background on my hair. I have very thick hair and it is naturally wavy. I had it rebonded since 2006, then permed and colored last 2008 (rebonded 3 months after that), then rebonded again 2009, permed 2010 rebonded 2011, colored last quarter of 2011, and now thinking of getting it permed again and colored (for the roots)...So basically, my hair should be pretty much damaged and brittle right?

Well, not really. You see, I am a fan of conditioners and hair treatments. I lather my hair everyday with lush conditioners (veganese and american cream) and once or twice a week with hair treatment (lush retread). But doing this routine is keeping a hole in my pocket...a very big one.

(photo from Snoe)

So when I read about this Hair Heroes Intense Argan Oil Conditioner, I immediately tried it. It is way cheaper (around 400-500php for a 250ml bottle) than other lush products plus zero sulfates! You can also see and feel that the consistency is very thick, and I love that when it comes to conditioners.

From the Snoe Website, this product contains:

• Argan Oil: Split-end protection. Restores damaged hair, providing remarkable shine to dull hair. It not only prevents hair damage due to styling and outdoor activities, but also improves elasticity and reduces hair loss due to breakage. 
• Wheat Protein: Anti hair-breakage efficacy by more than 80%, anti-inflammatory, Moisturizes 
• Milk Protein: Protection and repair of dry and damaged hair 
• Moringa Extract: Protects hair against environmental stress/pollution 
• Strengthening effect on hair fiber: hair strength: + 38% 
• Conditioning /repairing effect: improvement of hair surface:+ 64% 
• UV Protection: protection of hair keratin quality after UV radiation: + 64% 
• Indian Senna: improves hair surface, rendering hair softer and brighter 
• Aids in making your current color maintain its vibrant sheen. 
• Cucumber Extract: Anti-oxidant and moisturizing properties. Helps maintain healthy scalp. 

It claims that you can use it in five ways (like as a cleansing conditioner, conditioner, deep treatment mask, de-tangler, leave-on treatment) but I only use it as a conditioner. 

my very thick colored hair...no split-ends and looking healthy! 

And so far, I'm loving what it is doing with my hair. My hair is soft and more manageable. It is healthier and it also smells great! I don't know about some of the claims that it will straighten your hair. I think it will only make your hair manageable and your strands not straying away, but straightening your hair is a bit far-fetched in my opinion so don't be misled by this. I think your hair will look straight if it is normally straight, but if you have this curly hair, hmm...oh well.

my hair, braided by my friend (he used the paper so I can see the braid coz I'm wearing black). he didn't comb my hair so it's a bit messy :)

Scent - 5/5

Value - 4/5

Effectiveness - 5/5

Repurchase - Yes

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Lemming: Benefit's Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow!

One of the problems of being a late bloomer is that I find it hard to distinguish what foundation suits my skin because:

• I have no idea what my shade is 
• I find it hard to get a foundation that won't settle on the wrinkles on my face and get flaky on some of my dry spots (you know, the aging skin prob or whatev) 

Right now, I am trying Revlon Photoready in Medium Beige and I think it is kinda ok, but let me use it for a week before I make a review. 

But then I saw this, Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow! 

(photos from Benefit Website)

And I totally got intrigued and curious so I went to the nearest Benefit shop (Greenbelt 5). Too bad it's still unavailable (the SA told me it will hit their shelves by the first week of April). Ohhh I am really excited and giddy with this, I read a lot of good reviews and can't wait to try it for myself! I love liquid foundation (well, I only have one foundation so...hmm) because it is easier to blend, like playing with watercolor or something and I read somewhere that it does not settle on the fine line of the skin (no cakey face!). I hope that it is true though...Ahhh let's see about that, I will definitely get this next week!

P.S
You can also order this online through the Benefit website.

What about you? What are your current lemmings? 

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Snoe Beauty Haul!

I woke up one day and thought:

"hey I need some spf for my aging skin and some whitening for dark spots here and here..and here." 

But being a late bloomer, I do not know what I need and what kind and where to buy! So I browsed my favorite forum which is GirlTalk and looked for something that would fit my needs.

As if on cue, I found this thread about Snoe Beauty, very interesting indeed (anything with "beauty" sounds interesting anyway). And found out that most of their items contain SPF whitening ingredients.

So I went to the nearest retailer in my area (Glorietta) and bought some items to try out.

• Here Comes the Sunblock (claims to instantly whiten and with SPF45)
• S Skin SPF30 Stem Cell Sunblock Cream (stem cell sounds good for aging skin, right?)
• Happy White Ever After Premium Whitening Massage & Bath Treatment Oil (because hubby and I need some massage oils *wink*)
• Magic Apple Whitening S-Rub ( I don't know, I'm really not a fan of scrubs and bits, but I like the scent so I bought it)
• Hair Heroes with Intense Argan Oil
• No. 9 Snoe White Exfoliating Oatmeal Beauty Bar
• No. 5 Vitamin C rich Calamansi Beauty Bar

As I do not have a decent camera, I cannot share swatches or whatevs right now. But I will try to get me a decent point and shoot (okay, I have a dslr, but it's too bulky to use and I'm just lazy like that) or...just review without photos? Oh well, just watch out for my review on each item.

P.S.

You can purchase Snoe Beauty products online or check out the branch near you.

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Oh Wait!

I just started with this blog yesterday and I am having visitors already! That means I have to work double time, because as you can see my blog is not ready yet!! The posts were from my tumblr blog (which took a lot of time for stupid me to discover how to move here to blogger) and I am still trying to figure out how to go about the layout and the content.

Ohhh bear with me dear readers! But I do hope the posts and reviews helped you in some way.

xoxo

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Review: Angels on Bare Skin

From the Lush Website:

Sometimes the best ideas are the old ones. This cleanser is based on an age old formula that uses the best of ingredients to amazing effects.

Angels on Bare Skin evens out skin tone, reduces redness and improves the health and appearance of your skin – giving a natural healthy glow.

The ground almonds in this product release their goodness and turn to an almond milk on your hand when you add water.

Almond milk has been used in many parts of the world for centuries as a toning and brightening ingredient.

We have mixed this with kaolin, to absorb grease and gently cleanse, vegetable glycerine to soften and moisturise the skin and a beautiful blend of essential oils, all chosen for their abilities to balance and tone the skin.

We then sprinkle the mix with lavender flowers as we roll it. Angels on Bare Skin is made from 100 percent natural ingredients – because when nature is this good, you don’t want to mess with her balance!

This is basically a solid that turns to a cleansing milk when you add the water. By taking out the water we have taken away the need to add preservatives – which makes this much kinder on your face and does not upset the skin’s own microflora. 

It is hard to tell you in words how fantastic this product is. Only by using it will you know its full value.

This product contains:

Ground Almonds (Prunus dulcis), Glycerine, Kaolin, Water (Aqua), Lavender Oil (Lavandula hybrida), Rose Absolute (Rosa centifolia), Chamomile Blue Oil (Matricaria Chamomilla), Tagetes Oil (Tagetes minuta), Benzoin Resinoid (Styrax tonkinensis pierre), Lavender Flowers (Lavendula hybrida), *Limonene, *Linalool.







I’ve been using AOBS for more than a year now. The first time I used this, my eyes went saucer like because I can see how my skin transformed overnight! I got soft looking, dewy skin with smaller pores! Well, maybe it was because of the AOBS and Vanishing Cream combo but I never stopped using this cleanser since then (I had to give up vanishing cream after the trial pot, waaay too expensive but still planning to get one).

Aside from soft, moisturized skin, I had no problems with zits too, although I still get the occasional zits especially if it’s the time of the month.

I love it’s relaxing scent, and soft almond grains. It may not be the easiest product to apply, but I got used to it. A tub lasted for about 1 1/2-2 months (I wouldn’t make it last longer than that as I just use my fingers to scoop it) so it is kind of expensive (495php).

Another thing to consider is to apply moisturizer after this cleanser. I noticed after months of using this that I tend to get some dry rough patch on my cheeks if I skip on the moisturizer.

Scent - 5/5

Value - 3/5

Effectiveness - 4/5

Repurchase - Yes

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To Review or Not To Review

Lots of items, can’t wait to finish all my lush product reviews so I can start with snoe beauty!

Drop a note if you want me to review a certain item from Lush or Snoe :)

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Review: Lush Lemony Flutter

From the Lush website:

Softens hard skin all over the body, especially the cuticles. We made Lemony Flutter to soften your cuticles; it’s our thickest cream out there. It’s so good at softening your cuticles and nourishing your nails that Lush customers have been using it to soften and nourish lots of other body parts like their feet, elbows and knees. Fortunately, it’s a very reasonably priced cream, so you can afford to use it as widely as you wish. Take more care of your extremities and invest a small sum in a Lemony pot.

This item contains: Fresh Organic Lemon Infusion (Citrus limonum), Shea Butter (Butyrospermum parkii), Beeswax (Cera alba), Lanolin, Soya Oil (Glycine soja), Organic Cold Pressed Avocado Oil (Persea gratissima), Organic Cold Pressed Flaxseed Oil (Linum usitatissimum), Mango Butter (Mangifera indica), Extra Virgin Coconut Oil (Cocos nucifera), Castor Oil (Ricinus communis), Perfume, Organic Cold Pressed Wheatgerm Oil (Triticum vulgare), Lemon Oil (Citrus limonum), Lavender Oil (Lavandula angustifolia), Tagetes Oil (Tagetes minuta), Chamomile Blue Oil (Matricaria chamomilla), Triethanolamine, Stearic Acid, Cetearyl Alcohol, Gardenia Extract (Gardenia jasminoides), *Citral, *Geraniol, *Citronellol, *Limonene, *Linalool, Methylparaben, Propylparaben





When I first saw this tub, my first impression was “this small?!” and the rubbery-lemony scent was not impressive either. But as I was looking for something moisturizing enough for my cuticles, I still bought it.



I scooped a pea-sized amount and dabbed some on my fingernails and toes (a little really goes a long way), and scooped a generous amount (a bit larger than pea-sized) for my callouses, heels, etc. With this, I knew that if I don’t use this twice everyday, I will go beyond the expiration date! I mean, really, you can really get a lot of this stuff from this small pot!

You don’t have to wait a week or month to notice the difference, you just need to apply this once! My nails felt moisturized, my toes are not the usual white-dry, dirty looking anymore! They are nourished and moisturized. After weeks of using, my callouses seemed softer now and even prevented new ones! (On the sides of my feet)

I still use this even after the expiry period (about a month already) because it still got the same texture, consistency and smell. And I am only using it on my feet and not my face (I wouldn’t dare take that risk) so I guess that it is just okay.

All in all, this is a great product even if I didn’t like the smell.

Scent - 2/5

Value - 5/5

Effectiveness (Results) - 5/5 (after using once!)

Repurchase - Yes

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Review: Lush Celestial Moisturizer

From the Lush website:

Every ingredient in this cream has been carefully chosen because they are angelically good on sensitive skins. 

We put the petals from fresh dove orchids in almond oil and leave them to steep overnight until they give up their goodness into the oil. We then take that oil and add almond milk, cocoa butter, vanilla infusion and vegetable glycerine to create a delicate cream that will moisturise without inflaming difficult skin.

Skin is a permeable layer that regulates moisture in and out of the body.

It is important to keep sensitive skin moisturised, because when the skin becomes dehydrated it can become more sensitive than usual.

Thin, dry, sensitive skins need to be kept soft and moisturised. 

Celestial moisturiser has been specially formulated to create a light barrier on the skin to stop the loss of moisture and keep sensitive skin feeling calm.

This item contains: Vanilla Water, Almond Oil, Almond Milk, Glycerine, Cocoa Butter, Fresh Dove Orchid Extract, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Triethanolamine, Methylparaben, Propylparaben





A little background on my skin: I used to have acne prone skin when I graduated from the university (21 yrs old). Yes not in my teen years, and maybe it’s because of staying til 5am almost everyday! After 4 years since that acne attack, my skin stayed clear most of the time (got a little pimple maybe if it’s the time of the month) because of the prescription drug my dermatologist gave me. Then I went into this phase of using all organic products. I used all of them at once that made me break out again (found out that the culprit was the shampoo I used)! I then moved to the hypoallergenic brand VMV (the one for combination skin) and it cleared my skin again, but after months of using I felt that my skin got rough and looked like there are dead skin cells that stayed on my face even if I was using their face scrub. My skin then got very dry and flaky, peeling at my cheeks, my nose, etc!

I tried celestial because I needed that “greasy/oily” feeling I’ve been reading on reviews. And since it’s made for sensitive skin, I went ahead and bought it (good thing it is one of the cheapest moisturizers from LUSH). The first week I used it, nothing happened! My skin was still dry (parched) and I was a bit disappointed. Good thing I had a diamond peeling session that week also and it removed the flaky, dry skin on my face. After a day or two, I noticed that my skin was not that dry anymore, and after 2 weeks my skin is now back to normal.

Together with Angels on Bare Skin, my skin is now healthier, no breakouts and I can feel that it calms my skin especially when I’m feeling stressed and my chin and cheeks get itchy.

The only downside with this moisturizer is that it has no spf, but like all lush products, it smells very nice! Like almond or vanilla or chocolate, sweet but not overwhelming. And a little goes a long way, a tub may last me for 2 or 3 months as I use it morning and night time.

 Scent - 5/5

Value - 4/5

Effectiveness - 4/5

Repurchase - Yes

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