Weekend Haul, Lacquer Love

Judging by the photos that you see here, I think you already get the teeny-tiniest, itty bitty idea that............ I do.... I do... I do.... like NAIL POLISH! 

There....

It's all out... 

Whew. 

Check out my not-so-impressive nails here, here and here. 

The thing is, I already have quite a collection, but I don't really post and write about my NOTD that much, because I have my plate filled already everyday with work and other stuff that seem to creep up on my to-do when I am already awake. 

After J picked out his laptop to replace the old one which already wanted to give up, we got the chance to walk around and well, here's what I got in two separate shops in just a single afternoon! 

I have always wanted to have clean and neat French manicures, so that explains-"justifies" the Chic Nail Design Two Way Pen and Brush in Ivory.

Next, Bobbie has a new line - (well, new because it's the first time I have heard of it!) called Wondernails, and I will be showing you how it works (gritting my teeth in fear) because accordingly, a clear coat can spell the difference between the matte effect or so...

And I got the OMG in First Date because I needed to compare another color in pink that will be appropriate for work again.

You know, San San is beginning to be a staple in terms of nail polish for me. I picked up another bottle of the clear top coat, then I have Cloudy Gray, Warm Blue and Raspberry Peach. And because I am a sucker for bar soaps, I reached for the Allue milk bath soap.

Please don't ask me for the total amount because that will only make me squirm in embarrassment. I am now thinking of moving the nail lacquers to the big plastic container already.

But I promise, nothing goes to waste because I do share some of them with my aunts who also have an Achilles heel when they spot the little bottles on my vanity. I am keeping them organized as best as I could.

Saying "cross my heart, hope to die" is rather harsh, isn't it? 

Crimson Portia, Hello October

I have never dedicated a post to anyone before, but I think it is  about time that I did.

Today, my grandmother is celebrating her 80th birthday and so the whole family is together, including the rest of the senior citizens in our family, to wish her a very happy birthday. Because her favorite color is red, I thought of doing my nails in red.

Red is her favorite color and I even used red on most of her invitations and labels. Thus, today's color is for her, Portia.

Here are the red, crimson red and not-so-red that I have in my vanity.

I used San San's basic transparent coat (which is fast running out) for the crimson theme, and there is Cherry Blossom and Vamp (Regular) both from Bobbie. For the more glittery version, there is the Face It Gradation Nail Kit in Very, Very Red from my Pretty Fix Collections Haul.

This is what Bobbie's Cherry Blossom looks like. Up close it looks more like a deep pink that has lots of shimmer. I've never gone to see cherry blossoms in person, but if the petals were are dark, and microscopic, I think that's what they would really look like.

As for Bobbie's Vamp in Regular, it's kind of a bit messy to apply, but hey I did it. I had to get the help of cotton buds dipped in polish remover to clean up the sides. (Admittedly the glitter takes away the attention of the messy application.... Alright you can shoot me!)

This is what Face It Gradation Nails will look like if you had short nails like me. The first polish acts as the base coat and it is more of a sheer pink than red. There is the "gradation" from itty bitty glitter, to medium sized (as seen in the middle) to the bigger sized glitter as on the tips. One thing's for sure, the Gradation Nails Kit definitely did not miss out on all the glitter. 

That's it for Crimson Portia, I am officially welcoming October on a more positive note because Mom's birthday is also coming up. Can you keep a secret? I got her a beauty box and I yet have to see how she reacts! =) 

Have an awesome weekend! 

I'm currently putting together some stuff for a giveaway and all you have to do is stay tuned so you won't miss out! 

Review: Garnier Lightening Peel Off Mask (Light)

I've been ultra busy these days, please forgive me...

My plate is full of writing, formatting, proofreading, editing-but that's for my regular job. My blogging activities do mirror my duties at work-but a gal has to prioritize. My past post here was all about thoughts, you can see the way I write and voice out my rants and raves- so unlike blogging... But....

I have decided to try my hand (or head) at another review.  The Garnier Lightening Peel Off Mask was innocently just sitting in a layer of my drawer organizer, and I decided to give it a spin. This is one of the surprise goodies the sweet Jannie shared with me. You see, I ran out of facial scrubs and badly needed to exfoliate, my skin was showing the signs of dreary, hyperpigmentation again, and so- I decided that Garnier and I should have a pretty good time. Initially, my brother announced interest on it but I said, what the heck, there's enough for the both of us.

 

Squeeze a little of the yellow and lemon-scented susbtance on the clean face and let it dry for a few minutes until it feels stiff. You can see that my forehead is flooded with the signs of stress, and it is shiny with a thin layer of the mask.

After a few minutes of waiting, the mask can already be peeled off, just like a second skin to reveal.... 

There are two ways to go about it, either you trust your fingers so much to do the peeling, or you enlist the help of a cleansing or cleaning facial sponge and do it slowly with lukewarm water to peel it all off. I just enjoyed ridiculing myself in front of the mirror with my own hands. Besides, it smelled fun! (Alright, that was weird of me to say.)

Is this face selfie-worthy already? You should know by now that I am not used to the term selfie, nor am I really a fan of taking selfies. But to each his own!

Pros

• Fresh, citrusy scent 
• Gentle on the skin
• Quick drying
• Easy to peel
• Deep cleansing and exfoliating 
• Good for two uses
• Reduces oil and sebum
• Non-irritating

Cons 

• No immediate lightening effects observed 
• Needs at least two uses to achieve intended brightening effect 

 Do you enjoy authentic Japanese beauty products? There's only a few days left to join my Wawaza Giveaway! 

Do stay tuned because I have prepared a huge October giveaway for you guys! Mwah! Clues: Did you know that apart from Cancer Awareness Month, October is the month of Fiesta Pilar Celebrations among Zamboanguenos? That's just something for you to look forward to here at Raisie Speaks...

My Eyes Are Getting Smaller- Arguing Over Saving Private Ryan (1998)

Photo from wildlandfireleadership.blogspot.com

One reason why I don't want to share rooms with anyone is because I value sleep. I love my sleep. I need sleep. Especially if I want to wake up motivated and rested for the next working day.

Last night my Sis was already in bed when she woke me up with a question, as if it were a matter of life and death, only to find out if Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson was in Saving Private Ryan (1998) together with Tom Hanks. I said no, it was Vin Diesel. (I know for sure because I am a huge fan of Vin Diesel, I have a crush on him ever since he became triple X.)

She insisted no, it was The Rock. I said no, it was Vin Diesel. I should know because I follow Vin Diesel and most of his movies, yeah, you too Jason Statham and Ethan Hawke, I am watching you!

So it took her about half an hour to realize and admit it, yeah it was Vin Diesel. You should know my Sis, she wants to win possibly every argument.

Now that she succeeded in waking me up, I went to tossing and turning my way back to sleep. This was a really unfortunate time to stay awake because of the red alert status in our area too. I could really use as much sleep as I could get in order to stay awake at work.

Now that I am at work, I feel my head becoming heavier and heavier and my eyes are becoming smaller and smaller. I already have small Chinese eyes and now the most that they resemble are tiny, little slits. I am now depending on caffeine to keep me awake until lunch.

Product Spotlight: San San Nail Polish in Perfectly Pink

 

Even before the urban warfare started here, I got the chance to pick up new nail polishes from HBC in the city thanks to my ever constant shopping companion who understands my need to be girly girly. Apart from the Rosy Blush that I picked up earlier, I also got these two shades of additional nail polishes in Perfectly Pink and Seal Brown.

One thing that I really like about the San San nail polishes from HBC is that they are long-lasting and don't chip that easily. Let me elaborate later on. But why Perfectly Pink and Seal Brown? For one, I wanted to see how subtle of a pink the shade will look on my nails, and for the latter, I am a huge sucker for anything dark brown. Really, let me show you a collection of all my browns later, ok?

 

I find that you can get really good value for these 12ml bottles, because at Php 37 each they sure can last long with a decent amount of topcoat for protection.

Perfectly Pink is too frosty for me, but I think this will do for the outdoors or during travels and trips to the beach. It is super feminine, but I find it too attractive to be worn to the office. But I am keeping this shade with me just in case, especially for weekend trips with friends and loved ones.

Don't forget to join my Wawaza Authentic Japanese Products giveaway, this is your chance to do so, it is extra special, don't let it slip you by!