Reviews and Other Stuff

Month: February 2017

Laura Mercier Flawless Skin Mega Moisturizer SPF 15 Review

 

 

laura mercier flawless skin mega moisture review spf 15

 

My skin has always been on the oily side, but lately and usually during winter I noticed some dryness around my lip area and below my cheeks, yet still my T-zone remained oily. Iโ€™ve been searching for a good moisturizer to deal with my skin issue and I wanted it to be really moisturizing but at a good price point. I happen to have a sample of Laura Mercier Flawless Skin Mega Moisturizer for Normal/Dry Skin and I really really liked it a lot, so I checked the price of its regular jar size of 1.7 oz and at $53 it seems like a very good deal. There was also another kind of this cream, the ones made for Normal/Combination Skin which I have yet to try, but I decided on the first kind because the dry spots onย my faceย are really flaking and have never been relieved by most moisturizers I’ve tried.

 

laura mercier flawless skin mega moisture spf 15

 

The thing that made me love this cream is its intense hydration to my face. Itโ€™s extremely hydrating but at the same it didnโ€™t weigh on my skin. It completely moisturized the dry spots around my lips and below my cheek area. I usually it use it at night and my skin stays moisturized the next day.

 

laura mercier flawless skin mega moisture spa 15

 

Apart from the intense hydration that this Laura Mercier Flawless Skin Mega Moisturizer gives, I also notice that it seems to soothe the redness of my face. In fact, I donโ€™t think Iโ€™ve seen a lot of moisturizers like this. Probably La Mer? They both have the same silky and lightweight feel on the face while having this luxurious texture.

 

Laura mercier mega moisture spf 15 cream

 

The smell of this cream is very interesting, something like a blend of spf, lemon and egg. LOL. But itโ€™s not an annoying scent, in fact, the scent of this Laura Mercier Mega Moisturizer is very mild. Speaking of Spf, well, the only drawback I might say with this cream is the low spf, but it doesnโ€™t really bother me since I mostly use it at night. When used in the morning, as what itโ€™s supposed to be, I find that this really works well with my BB or CC Creams or any foundation without an issue. Although you may have to be careful and not use a lot of this moisturizer during the summer because it might make you look too oily.

Verdict. I love this moisturizer and this is definitely one of my holy grail for being one of the best winter facial moisturizer that also works well on oily skin. For sure Laura Mercier Flawless Skin Mega Moisturizer Spf 15 will be repurchased several times.

 

For previews and sneak peeks, follow on Instagram: @reviewsandotherstuff

 

 

Ulla Girona Spain

ulla girona catalonia spain streets

 

Last November, My familyย and I took a trip to Barcelona Spain. I’ve been to Barcelona several times before, so it’s definitely not my first time to the city. We have relatives there, in fact, a lot of them, so we usually visit them at least once a year. They don’t exactly live in the center of Barcelona, so from BCN airport, it would take around 45 minutes to an hour to get to where my folks are. From there, we usually visit different cities and villages outside Barcelona, like Besalu, Pals, and Girona. Take note that these are some of the places where several scenes of the HBO series Games Of Thrones were filmed. These places are known for their medieval sceneries. It’s as if you stepped back in time.

From our latest Spanish sojourn, I’d like to take you to a village in Girona, called Ulla (Uol-lya). Now, the Catalans have a tricky way of pronouncingย that place, but as a foreigner, I suggest you pronounce it with the best of how you can. Not a big deal. Ulla is a very smallย village which is 1 hour and 41 minutes from Barcelona Airport. It’s so tiny that most probably it won’t take you 30ย minutes to roam around by foot. It’s like a one or two block neighborhood if I’m not mistaken. Getting there is tricky because there’s a couple of roundabouts, tiny streets, fields, turns, etc. You might need a local to get there, or have a map or GPS and rent a car. I’m not even sure if there’s any hotel there, but you can definitely find some around Girona. There are also no restaurants if I’m not mistaken again, and there’s very low cellphone coverage, especially when you’re in roaming mode for sure. Basically, it’s a place to unwind and disappear a la Gone Girl. Or let’s just say, to go off the grid or lay low for a while. But there are people living in this quaint village and they seem to live a stress-freeย life. My kind of life, our kind of life.

 

ulla girona spain Catholic Church sundial

 

From where I stayed, which is a family vacation house, there’s an old but charming Catholic Church nearby and from what my relatives said, it still conducts mass from time to time. I did hear the Church Bells ringing one early morning. But I didn’t see any churchgoers nor the priest inside.ย 

 

ulla spain church

 

The Church’s ground is very pretty with simple plants and trees. It is inย itself very medieval-looking, stoney, and ancient. I particularly love the picturesqueย sundial located at the top side of the Church’s building.

 

ulla girona spain

Apart from the one and only Church that this village has, the tiny streets of Ulla areย simply exotic and beautiful. You could sense the authentic and rich Catalan history while glancing at their ancient but tough-looking doors and terraces. The place is always sunny and simplyย breathtaking.

ulla spain street

Depending on where you’re looking, you might be able to see some of the neighboring hills from Ulla. The houses and streets are of course also made of stones, cements, gravels, and bricks. As with any places everywhere in Spain, soccer is a big passion. So you might find kids playing it from time to time. As with the Catalans, it’s always Forรงa Barรงa!

 

Restaurant Can Bach Sant Feliu de Boada

 

Since I mentioned that there’s no restaurant within Ulla, ourย relatives took us to the nearby Sant Feliu de Boada, another province of Girona but within 13 minutes drive from Ulla. We went to Restaurant Can Bach which serves Spanish, Mediterranean and European food. The restaurant itself has a very nice ambiance, the food is affordable and delish. I recommend their Botifarras and Pan Tomaquet with Jamon Iberico de Bellota. I also suggest that you walk around the grounds of the restaurant because it’s so traditionally unique and romantic. There’s also a place for kids to play. P.S. I love the photo of the grandpa sitting near the restaurant on a late afternoon siesta above. Such is the Spanish Life!

 

ulla spain residence

 

Ulla is a small and laid-back village with an old-world feel. It’s simple yet interesting and theย houses and streets are well-kept and well-preserved. The weather is always exciting to behold, full of blue skies and lots of sunshine even throughout the winter. The people are low-key, kind and friendly. Not to mention the food which isย always superb. You may feel like there’s not much to do in there because there’s not a lot of stuff around, but the village is already a sight to see, and you can always visit some other neighboring villages nearby, but if you visit Ulla at least once, it’ll be a visit worth remembering for a lifetime.

To visitย Barcelona, click here

To visit Girona, click here

Too book a hotel in Girona, click here

For restaurants near Ulla, click hereย and here.

 

 

 

Kevyn Aucoin The Contour Duo On The Go Review

 

kevin aucoin the contour duo on the go

 

Hello Everybody! ย I’ve got an exciting contouring product to introduce to you all. The Kevyn Aucoin Contour Duo On the Go. It’s a little contouring compact that’s great for traveling or to keep in your purse. Isn’t that awesome? now we get toย contour and define our cheekbones wherever we will go. Love it already!

I first discovered this teeny tiny compact contour (about the size of a business card) when I forgot my Smashbox Step-By-Step Contour Trio (reviewed HERE), which we all know are quite tricky to blend. I saw Kevyn Aucoin’s Contour On The Go close to the checkout line of Sephora and I immediately grabbed one because I really really needed to contour my face no matter what. I cannot get out of the house without my contour. In fact, I would die if I cannot contour. LOL ???? So yeah, off I went and got myself a new contouring product.ย 

 

kevin aucoin the contour duo on the go review

 

The two shades of this compact, composed of a highlighter and a bronzer are each roughly around the size of an eyeshadow pan, or perhaps the size of a stamp or even slightly larger. It’s really an itty bitty contour compact, but it works like a charm. The formula is quite sheer but buildable, and it’s crease-free. Though the shades might be more on the cool side, this Kevyn Aucoin The Contour Duo On The Go works really well on my medium skin tone. The highlighter gives a sheer and subtle glow to illuminate the face, while the bronzer gives a natural definition to my cheeks and jaws. Makes me feel like Nefertiti Queen Of The Nile, but really, am just going to the Gas Station. Hahaha! Why not coconut?

kevin aucoin contour duo on the go swatches

 

I think this Kevyn Aucoin The Contour Duo On The Go contour compact is really great to have. It’s perfect to carry anywhere and it really helps to define and sculpt your face no matter where you go. All that you’ll need is a good travel contour brush, and I recommend the bareMinerals Retractable Precision Brush.

 

Thanks for reading guys! and keep on contouring!

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