Mary Kay's Three Step Skin Care In Check

The title alone gives it away. [Insert weird sense of humor here]

Here's what I took home with me yesterday.

I'm not new to Mary Kay, in fact, I have been using it since my college days. I had oily skin and boy, would I break out and you can't believe my acne especially if the schedule was hectic. But using the Mary Kay products that I had everyday as part of the skincare regimen, my acne subsided and eventually was in control.

Now that the demands of time have changed, skin also evolves. Thanks to Ms Epie of Mary Kay Zamboanga, I now came back to the three step skincare routine.

Here's what I got. I have the Botanicals Formula 3 Moisturizer and 3-in-1 Cleanser, and the Timewise Moisture Renewing Softener. One thing that I really like about Mary Kay products is that the products are really worth it. Some can even last over a year because all it takes is a drop and you are good to go.

Thanks to Mom for contacting Ms Epie and suggesting that I go back to my old skincare routine. I am ready to give this a try and let you know what I think!

Would You Enjoy Chocolate Diamonds On Your Fingertips?

And I am back! It may sound like I've been busy with work, and that fact I do have to confirm. So much for trying hard to be able to update this corner frequently.Four haul posts later, and some weeks in between (work has kept me busy), here I am back to my nail polish features. 

For this particular shade, I can't help noticing that it resembles liquid chocolate diamonds. If you want an idea, here are luscious jewelries that are proudly called chocolate diamonds.

Photo from http://www.kay.com

They look delicious don't they? They are even sweeter to show off. So how can simple women on a budget enjoy chocolate diamonds on our hands? Here's a tip. You can enjoy chocolate diamonds' liquid version. Run to the nearest HBC store you can find and look for the nail polish bottle that closely resembles a rich, dark, brown spectacled color. In my case, I picked up San San's Nail Polish in Burnt Copper.

Pleased with it, I am. With a couple of coats, it sure looked like there were gleaming pieces of bejewelled chocolate diamonds on my nails. You can see the tiny glitters just by looking at the bottle.

And if you must know, this color stayed on my nails for a full week! That's seven days without thinking of changing even if I had new colors from San San. Now I am protecting this precious color as long as I can! With rich nails like these, chocolate diamonds should not be eaten, they should be flaunted!

What Could Be Inside That Bag?

Most of you have been asking for more hauls, and I think that's what I have been posting about for the past week. Hihihi, but it does not stop there. Here's another package from Sample Room and look what's inside! I have observed a few changes with Sample Room's services and I am pleased.

Out goes the brown paper bag, in goes the gift bag

 Instead of the brown paper bag that Sample Room uses a lot, I received a gift bag. Yep, I do pay attention to things like these. Also, instead of the usual Xend strategy where they pass it off to LBC, it was Xend itself that delivered this to my provided shipping address. I was charged Php160 instead of the usual Php130 for the shipping fee because (fair enough), the contents were relatively heavy.

Top view of the bag, there's an VMV Hypoallergenic Armada sunscreen resting on the VS loot

You must be wondering which Vidal Sassoon products I got. Ok here is an itty bitty confession. I have never fully colored my hair nor chemically styled it in any way-ever. Yep. It's because my hair is too thin and too limp and I'm afraid of it being too frizzy and too dry. Want a worse case scenario? I'm even afraid my hair will fall off! As if my normal hair fall days are not enough, huh. So, here I am with the Premium Base Care series, hopefully it would do me good with my hair care routine.

What's inside the Sample Room gift bag. 

 I remember Vidal Sassoon to be one of those brands that my Mom was so fond of. She had this brown and cream hairbrush which she got as a freebie and it lasted for many years! Now the brand is making quite a comeback in the Philippines.

VIdal Sassoon Premium Base Care Shampoo and Conditioner

"Vidal Sassoon Premium Base Care series moisturizes and infuses each hair strand with elasticity to reduce frizz and enable effortlessly lifted styles. 

 RTB Technology:

• Amino Salon Essence-deeply penetrates into hair and targets and helps repair the most damaged parts of hair
• Dual Surfactant Formula-enables deep moisturization of every strand of hair, for hair that's manageable and easy to style

How to use: apply to hair and gently work up lather without rubbing the hair strand against each other"

VMV Hypoallergenics Armada Sport 70

"One of our best-selling products around the world, this powerful protector is beloved for its wow-inducing lightweight comfort and efficacy even in extreme outdoor conditions.

• Impressive PFAs (Protection Factor UVA) are combined with SPFs as high as 70-90 to effectively screen out UVA and UVB rays for active protection against sun-induced skin cancer, photo aging and hyperpigmentation
• Creates a unique barrier-film, an invisible virtual "second-skin" that stays on the skin's surface to maintain protection integrity in and out of water, and while exposed to harsh sun and heat
• Soft, skin-coating silicones give this barrier-film an exceptionally smooth glide and keeps it light, so skin stays comfortable

This sounds promising. I could give it a test on All Saints and All Soul's Day when the rest of the country goes to visit dearly departed ones in the cemetery. This could also work on warm days or during trips to the beach. I really go crazy over sun protection products because I am one ocean-loving creature. 

How's your weekend? Mine has been exciting and I've never felt positive in such a really, really, long time. I feel inspired too. I have to prepare for a lot of things, but most importantly, I have to save for bigger things! I have big plans, and big hopes. 

If you want to check it out, my October International Giveaway is still ongoing. Who knows, you might be lucky and bring home a box of goodies that I have prepared. It ends on October 30, so don't miss out! 

My HBC Girl Gets Kita Loot and Mini Haul

After over a month of waiting, I finally received my prize from the Girl Gets Kita Shout Out Forum by HBC on Facebook.  The reason why it took so long was because it came all the way from Manila and the siege in our city forced most of the shops to close. But every time I would go to the HBC shop in town, I would see if my loot already arrived. So Sis and I stepped in and brought home a small loot too apart from my gift. 

 I know you are curious to see what's inside!

The thoughtful HBC team put together these goodies for me. I now have a Body Recipe Papaya soap, two more San San Nail Polishes to add to my growing collection, Blue Sapphire and Red Gleam, an Allue lip gloss in Cherry, and three Hortaleza Professional hair treatment packs. You can tell that I will be busy in the weeks to come.

 

Apart from that, I went to look for a compact eyelash curler so that I can practice with eye makeup when I have the time. (Work has been occupying my brain lately and I just need a little color and beauty therapy to reset.) I really don't like the bulky and scissor-like ones, I was relieved when I saw this. 

 And if you remember how easily I gravitate towards nail polish, I spent another session looking at the pastel colors this time, so let me introduce the new members of my nail polish family, Purple Breeze and French White. There still aren't any colors from the Holiday Collection, but once there are, you know where I'm headed.

All in all, it was a fruitful day since I went around town with my Mom and my siblings, and I got my gift pack, so I'm grinning ear to ear too. I am also giving you the chance to bring home a box filled with goodies, you can join here and try your luck! Have a good weekend!

Unboxing: BDJ Box October Express It Scene Stealer with Maybelline Philippines

BDJ Box together with Maybelline Philippines have brilliantly brought together over 600 different boxes for bellas to try this month. Looking at all those unboxing photos really made me excited to receive mine. You could tell that I'm one of the last people to be receiving, unboxing and blogging about it but I still have to share my thoughts with you.

So what's inside my Scene Stealer Express It box? Be my guest and scroll down....

 This month's box features the Volum' Express Cat's Eye Mascara. Honestly speaking, I am still in my baby steps when it comes to wearing mascara because you might have noted that I have four-eyes. But it looks promising, with the added collagen and magnum brush.

I was hoping to receive lipstick in my box. I have tried Maybelline Baby Lips in the past but it left my lips dry. Perhaps it's just not really for me. I gave this one away.

I like that this blush comes in two shades and the shade looks promising. I got the 01 I'm Glowy variant and I'm pleased that it is handy and really compact. It also comes with a small blush and this added shade gives me something new to play with.

Another pink in the box, the Maybelline Lumineyes in Wine has a really nice design. I also don't think the applicator on this one will be quite useful for me. But the shades are too shimmery for me, so I think this is one of those palettes that can be used well during the evenings. I really want to play with these already and experiment with looks but I'm still waiting for my eye brushes to arrive. I want to take advantage of my sister being home right now and I can apply makeup on her... But please don't let her know that.

Now I am really excited to try this out. This is my first time coming in contact with a BB stick. It's said to have 8 benefits and could make skin shine-free. I have yet to find out if it goes well with my skin tone, if not, then it will be a loss for me.

Another interesting thing in the box is the Clear Smooth Foundation. It's in Sand Beige. I haven't tried it yet but I really wish from the bottom of my heart that it will work because I would also like to bring a compact foundation with me instead of the loose powder form that I am currently using.

Here are other stuff that are included in the box. I also received a Maybelline card that I could use for discounts when I purchase from Maybelline counters in malls. The only downside to this is that there really aren't any Maybelline counters here in the city.

There is also a voucher here that I could use for a free Lip and Eye Makeup Remover and the BDJ Box curation card.

So what do I think of the box? I really like everything in it except for the Baby Lips balm because it really does not work for me. But other than that, I am pleased with the new addition of cosmetics in my collection thanks to the combined efforts of Maybelline and BDJ Box.