Unboxing Deco Art X Crafts Delight Beach Please Kit

Because of a weekend trip to the Eleven Islands here in Panubigan, Zamboanga City, I suddenly remembered that I have the perfect crafts kit to complement my experience and to journal with. Deco Arts and Crafts Delight launched a crafts kit in a box May of this year that’s just perfect for any beach theme. After all, BEACH stands for Best Escape Anyone Could Have, clever huh?

Best Escape Anyone Could Have (BEACH)

The kit came in a flat white box. I’m keeping the thank you card and using it in my notebook, nice prompt for gratitude if you ask me.

I begin all interest with washi, and for this kit there’s two, the umbrella and printed starry washi. And there’s my shell prop which I brought home some time ago, years ago maybe.

Washi from the kit

Here’s the collection of journal cards from the kit. The more colorful top ones are freebies from any purchases from the shop, (this isn’t my only purchase) the set doubles as a travel journal cards on the side. The bottom journal cards are the ones that are included in the kit and the cutest ones I like are the Waves, Lemonade and Bikini journal cards.

Summer and beach journal cards

The dividers are cute, and my favorite is the seashell, though the bikini one is also cute.

Dividers

 There are ten ephemera stickers and I really like the fishies, the seashell and pink lemonade.

Sticker ephemera

Lastly, the stickers feature functional, matte sheets that can be written on. I like the boxed quotes, they really relate to what summer and beach days are all about. I like the Weekend banner on the third sticker sheet and the cute beach accessories.

The sunscreen bottle can be a good reminder for me to always be equipped with sunblock and to remind myself that prevention of sunburn is always important.

Functional stickers

What do I think of it overall? The kit could have used some more beach or ocean themed washi for this kit. But I have some seahorse and seashell washi already. But the stickers and journal cards are something that I can definitely use.

The Beach Please kit is no longer available, but there are other kits to be launched from Deco Art and Crafts Delight. Be sure to watch out for announcements on Instagram, that’s where I place my orders.

Deco Art Instagram

Crafts Delight Instagram

Disclaimer: This is not a paid post. All opinion are the blogger’s own.

Unboxing Déco Art X Crafts Delight Tara Viaje Kit

It’s been a while since I’ve done an unboxing of a stationery kit, but this is sure one way to break the monotony of my blog and you know me, anything travel is always worth turning a head to.

For this month, Deco Art and Crafts Delight decided to launch a vintage travel themed stationery and crafts kit and boy oh boy, did it arouse my curiosity. Another reason why I raised my hand to this edition is because I have another leisurely travel scheduled next month (hello, long weekend) and it’s definitely going to be very useful for me.

I always prep a traveler’s notebook every time I leave, whether it’s standard or pocket sized, what’s important to me is preserving the memories, writing down thoughts and experiences while in transit especially if they involve the significant people I’m traveling with.

So…. On to the unboxing….

Burnt edges of Chinese Newspaper add a nice touch to the package

The packaging alone is a nice surprise, the twine and burnt edges of the Chinese newspaper ties up  with the vintage travel theme nicely. 

What's inside the wrapped package

Onto the other additions in the kit are two washi tapes, a wooden stamp and a crystal pen in a beautiful copper-ish color. Mental note: test it out later. The washis are a constant in any Deco Art and Crafts Delight subscription kit but the pen and stamp are a new addition to this set. Still a welcome touch. 

Vintage travel themed washi

Here’s a close up look of the washis.

More paper goods

A peak into some more of the goodies in the kit, there are doilies, ephemera, stickers and journal cards.

Journal cards 

Looking at the journal cards, my favorites are the vintage map, Say Yes to New Adventures, and My Goal Is To Run Out Of Pages In My Passport. That’s not far from the truth, sista!

Sticker ephemera 

Now the ephemera stickers are small, so I didn’t take them out of their little plastic pouch because I’m afraid to lose some in case. This reduces the need to bring a good glue during travel next month so it’s easy to just write away all the thoughts and experiences. 

Loads of vintage travel stickers

Lastly, there are the functional stickers that come with almost every monthly kit. But I think the newer additions are the washi strips and larger boxes. I'm not really a fond of the icon stickers but I guess I can find some use for my daily planner at work. 

It’s the first time that Deco Art and Crafts Delight launched a full kit and with the unboxing of this one, I can say that so far, so good. I hope that they can continue the vintage theme, like café, or fashion. But in case a mermaid kit comes up, you can expect that I’ll be one of the first to also sign up for it.

Would you care to get a box of this kit too? Simply reach out through Insta! As of this publication, there are only 2 kits left so you better hurry!

Deco Art Instagram

Crafts Delight Instagram

Disclaimer: This is not a paid post. All opinion are the blogger’s own. 

Unboxing: Skin Food Exclusive by Saladbox March 2014

Saladbox's March 2014 offering is a Skin Food box

This box was sent to my old shipping address and I had to pick it up from my auntie's house thinking that it was the stationery (I have a weakness for stationery but I'll discuss more of that later.) It's supposed to be my third box, my December slot was moved to March, and even though I have not received my Clou manicure set as promised way back when I was supposed to receive it in the first box, Saladbox's social media representative told me that it will be sent separately. (I'll update this post once I have received it.)

So what's inside the Skin Food box?

March 2014 is all about Beauty Recipes and the Skin Food partnership hints about the selection

Sitting at the bottom of the box is Skin Food's Black Sugar Perfect First Serum. Don't be fooled, the brown paper bag is meant to contain the sampler and the cotton pads on the left, so yep, it's empty and just cushioned the items on top. How does it apply to me, I really am clueless about how to use it. The instructions on the label are all in Korean and the back of the curation card is hardly helpful. Ask everybody's best friend-Google, apparently many beauty bloggers have already written about the Black Sugar Serum and most of them are raving about it. Perhaps this will help me with my problematic forehead?

The Watery Berry gift set is a travel sized pair of toner and emulsion. I still have my regular freshener and moisturizer, this could do for some backup or when traveling. They have a mild fragrance and seem to be gentle. 

I believe the highlight of the whole box is the Black Pomegranate Premium Kit.  Two counts so far for a toner and emulsion-there's also a cream and voluming serum. I have no idea how to use this and the instructions at the back of the box are again in Korean, so I will once again turn to Google.

 

Just a few personal rants and what I think of the whole box in general:

• The contents of the box are repetitious, it would have been helpful if there were a mixture of tools or cosmetics and not just skin care

• Speaking of skin care, I have no idea if these products are for oily, combination, dry or aging skin, the labels are all in Korean, if they curated the contents of this box according to my profile, it should be for oily but I have no way of knowing

• It's supposed to be the March box, I received it on the second week of April  

The idea of teaming up with an award-winning and innovative brand like Skin Food was a good move for me, but not enough to make me into a Saladbox convert. Of the three-month subscription period that I signed up and paid for, I'd have to say only the first and third boxes neutralized my expectations for a bit. The second box which I received for December was just a box of sachets of Paula's Choice skin care that wasn't even worth the subscription fee. That's all that was for December- the season of joy and giving. I didn't feel the Christmas spirit then, it was just meh. I've decided not to post an unboxing too, but I still have the photos.

Something tells me that I should close the chapter on Saladbox for now and just wait for the Clou manicure set to arrive. The brand should amp up their game if they want to play in the field longer. Besides, there are other impressive local brands that they can team up with. All it takes is doing homework.

Looking back, I'll try out the Black Sugar Serum and see how it turns out.

I hope you are having a good weekend. It's time for some pampering and revitalizing. Tell me what your plans are ayt? Enjoy!

Unboxing: 13 Piece Sampler Buffet from Beauty Selection by Aliza Sim

 

When the good news broke, I decided to reward myself just because. I also found Beauty Selection by Eliza Sim at Happy PH. This Sampler Buffet has 13 products and comes in a cute pink travel pouch in kiss prints. Perfect for Valentine's  don't you think? Can you believe I did the unboxing in a hospital room of all places? I was playing watcher and keeping my mom company when she was confined for a weekend. The confinement didn't last long thought because she was insisting to go home because she badly missed her dog! Dog lovers, yeah...

I'm also grateful that the bag included perfume samples because fragrances give me an idea on which scents to write about for my next On Fragrances post. I have another feature coming up though!

The bag also has some hair care products, I received Rockaholic Hair Spray in travel size and a Technician Color Care shampoo which I gave a try in the hospital room.

 

These are my favorites in the bag. The Urban Decay Primer Potion will go well with my Naked 2 Palette and I already am impressed with this brand. I already emptied my ELF Primer wand now I have this to play with.

The Escada Shimmer Powder is really cute and handy. Its powder is perfumed. Although I'm not really a fan of shimmer, I am willing to put this on exception simply because it's one of those feel good products that I can use to give me a boost. The puff is small but still very useful.

I'm quite grateful that I got this bag that's not just an assortment of mumbo jumbo. I actually can use some of the products here especially for travel since I'm anticipating another trip at the end of the month. This turned out to be a feel-good bag and I am so enjoying it!

Do you see some products here that you would want me to review? I'm thinking of doing a quick spotlight on the fragrances already. Let me know!

Unboxing Salad Box October 2013, Not The Best Experience I've Had So Far

Last September, when Salad Box announced that they were having their anniversary during October, I immediately felt that there were redeeming hopes of Salad Box impressing its subscribers once more. What made me go for this idea was the promise of this:

I subscribed for the 3 month box for October-December, and was thinking that I could use the items in this box for new looks and to experiment with color for the season. Well for one thing, the boxes were sent late. Unlike the other subscription boxes which could be expected around the middle of each month, Salad Box sent the October box already at the last days of October, and it arrived here around the first week of November.

The curation card says it all right here. At the back of the card it also says that the second batch of Clou Pearl Manicures got stranded in Customs so Salad Box will be sending it over together with my November box. So, they better keep that in mind...

I've started using the Sakura Foot and Heel Lotion already and I think I'm about to empty it. That's what I get for receiving 50ml samples, it has a mild and fresh fragrance and also feels cool to the touch. It's also my favorite between the two because I compulsively reach out for it every time I look at my dry feet. Hmm, it's got some use to me after all. 

As for the Hand and Nail Cream, it seems to be made of the same formulation as the Foot and Heel Lotion, but I would have preferred a more citrusy scent. It's a good moisturizer though.

The thing about the Duchess Sofia Makeup Brush Set was that I was expecting them to be a pro set, not just a travel set. Refer to topmost photo. But at least this could serve as a handy set for travels because I gave my previous set away to my sis who needed one. I've been using the powder brush together for the blushes that I have and it's become a staple in my bag too. 

As for the White Musk by Alyssa Ashley, it's a small sample which I gave away to my brother. I tried it for the first time to work one Friday and it was a warm scent that was quite relaxing and similar to Celine's Oriental Summer. But White Musk is minus the sweet tail that comes with Oriental Summer. 

And... I'm still awaiting the Clou Pearl Manicure set. Oh look and it's already December. Where could my November box be? 

Giveaways:

Everbuying 11 Pc Bamboo Brush Set

Second Anniversary Giveaway

Unboxing August 2013 Pretty Fix Collections

Unboxing Pretty Fix Collections August 2013

"These are all so useful for me!"

That's my first reaction when I saw Pretty Fix Collections' August lineup. I don't mind receiving back to back boxes from PFC because I do know that I will be using most of the products. 

So let's proceed to the box's contents individually, shall we?

Goody Double Wear 2 in 1 Headwrap Necklace

 I'm not really a headband person but I am super fond of necklaces! So that means I can find a use for this and might look good on just plain tops. It's also nickel free.

Wet N Wild Waterproof Megalength Mascara in Very Black

I don't really wear mascara everyday but I do know that it's something I can use to play with or when I finally get to sign up for some makeup classes or just play with different looks over the weekend. 

Maybelling Makeup Remover Eye and Lip

 This is just so cool! It's got layered bases which remind me of a trend back in the early 2000s of double-scented body sprays that also came in layers which bottles you had to shake before using so that the "scents combined". I don't know bout the "Eye and Lip" part but I think it would have been better if it came as a full face makeup remover. But still, I can use it.

Wet N Wild Natural Blend Mineral Foundation in Tan

Two products in one, I get mineral foundation and an application brush that comes in a stackable system to save space-smart eh? I haven't tried it out yet but I am keeping my fingers crossed so that it's a keeper for me. 

Wet N Wild Natural Blend Mineral Foundation in Tan 

The case keeps the brush clean and protected and the powder dispenser is stacked and organized to avoid throws and spills in your kikay kit.

Hard Candy Button Your Lip Ultra Wet Lip Gloss and Automatic Lip Liner Set in Berry

 As you can see, I got only one color from the 3 that were featured in their August Collection on Facebook. This was supposed to be the icing on the cake from the August Collection from PFC but I was told that they already ran out and replaced the other 2 with a Maybelline Fruity Jelly lip gloss which I just gave away to someone for a birthday present. But at least I get a berry-coral shade which suits my skin tone just fine. Again, it's something that I could use.

So what do I think about the August Collection?

It's already a bargain for me. If I bought all of these separately, they may have cost more, so I'm happily satisfied with all of them. I'm getting over the Hard Candy thing but I'm now curious as to what the September Collection has to offer...

Are you feeling lucky? I have two giveaways ongoing and you just might win!

Sun Putty Giveaway

August Collaboration Giveaway

Unboxing July Pretty Fix Collections

So what does any self-confessed beauty enthusiast do when she misses a beauty box subscription of two months? She looks for an instant haul, that's what. If you are frustrated of almost all subscription boxes going sold out most of the time, you still have other options. Luckily, there's Pretty Fix Collections on Facebook.

How is it different?

For a new company, Pretty Fix has the smart idea of offering beauty enthusiasts the joys of unboxing beauty essentials monthly- not bad for a newcomer who is slowly gaining recognition all over FB. It also addresses the issue of always sold-out beauty box subscriptions.

Pretty Fix differs from the other beauty subscription boxes by taking the element of surprise away. All the items are posted in their Facebook account prior to order and payment. So if you are looking for a quick and pretty fix to restock your vanity with items that you need- you know where to go. That's just the thing about Pretty Fix Collections, they curate the items according to a beauty enthusiast's needs- this gives good value to the subscription fee of Php 599.

The July Collection is one such box. It consists of ELF products... and... well... here are some photos- yeah, you can see for yourself...

I divided the PFC haul in two, the eyes and nails division:

ELF Brightening Eyeliner Pencil in Black

ELF Eyelid Primer in Sheer

ELF Flawless Eyeshadow in Golden Goddess

 Here is another neutral eyeshadow palette for me to play around with, though when my Mom saw this, she announced first dibs on it already. Okaay... 

Face It Gradient Nails in 03 Very Very Red

 I guess this is the influencing factor for me to be attracted to the July Collection, along with the neutral eyeshadow and the primer. It's also easy to apply because as you can see below, the bottle caps are numbered 1, 2 and 3. Again, Mom announced first dibs on it. Sorry Sis.

I'm tempted to play around with this already.

And for those nail polish mistakes, I like that PFC included this Nail Remover Pads that is Lemon scented in the box. I just like citrusy stuff-cleaning products, bodycare products, air freshener, you name it. I need to turn away from the messy cotton ball-polish remover combination and restock on some more pads soon. 

So what do I think about Pretty Fix Collections' July Box? 

I am really pleased. Not bad for a pretty fix in an instant, the products in here are real beauty essentials, something that can be found in a working girl's bag and during emergency beauty fixes. All of the products in the box are worth the subscription fee, though I can't help feeling that something a little extra could have surpassed it. But I can't wait to play around with these. 

My August Unboxing of PFC to follow. It leaves me wondering now, as to what Pretty Fix Collections has in store for the September box.

I still have two giveaways ongoing!

Sun Putty Giveaway-4 Jars To Bring Home

August Collaboration Giveaway