Reviews and Other Stuff

BareMinerals Gen Nude Matte Liquid Lipcolor Review

June 19, 2017 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

Hello Monday Guys! Have you checked out the latest matte liquid lipsticks from BareMinerals? They actually have two lineups, one for the nude shades called the Gen Nude Matte Liquid Lipcolors and another one with bolder colors which are called Statement Matte Lipcolors. They’re pretty the same in terms of formulation but I kinda prefer the shades in the Gen Nude line, not to mention that there’s 20 of them.

These Gen Nude Matte Liquid Lipcolors from BareMinerals (0.13 oz $18) are cream to matte liquid lipsticks that’s ideal for anyone who loves matte liquid lipsticks but couldn’t stand the drying effect of it, and also especially for those who already suffers from dry lips. The formula of these lipsticks is lightweight and pretty much comfortable. I love the light cocoa scent and I also like that they’re very well-pigmented and very wearable.

The closest liquid lipstick in comparison to these is the Burberry Liquid Lip Velvet (reviewed HERE), but I think these BareMinerals Gen Nudes are slightly creamier. Though the effect is matte, these doesn’t really dry down like most matte liquid lipsticks, instead, they just kinda settle into a velvety matte effect. They’re definitely not transfer-proof, but no worries because these are so pigmented that the colors won’t even fade from your lips.

Finding the right shade or shades of these creamy matte lipsticks can be quite a challenge because there’s a lot to choose from. Eventually, I settled on two shades that I really love, one is a muted pinkish beige and the other is a muted rosy mauve.

Bo$$ – Dirty Pink Beige. Such a badass name for a lipstick, don’tcha think? This shade will definitely make you feel like the boss because it’s a beautiful warm pinkish beige that looks very natural and also sort of edgy. This would be great as an ideal everyday lip color that’s similar to Burberry Liquid Lip Velvet in Fawn No. 05.

Juju – Deep Rosy Mauve. I don’t know where they got this name, but whatever it is or whatever it means, I love this shade. It’s one of those perfect muted rose shades that you can wear anytime in any kind of day.

I find the packaging of these lipsticks to be somewhat simple but sturdy. Even the brush applicator is also sturdy and it applies precisely on the lips. For the price, well, it’s hard to complain since these are slightly more affordable than the other matte liquid lipsticks out there.

Overall, I’d give these lipsticks a 4 to 4.5 because I love their non-drying effect and I love the colors that are available. They’re great as everyday lip colors especially for those who loves matte-textured lipsticks.

What d’ya think of these?

The BareMinerals Gen Nude Matte Liquid Lipcolor is available at QVC, Ulta and Sephora

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Philosophy Take a Deep Breath Oil-Free Oxygenating Gel Cream Spf 30 Review

June 16, 2017 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

Here’s a moisturizer of the moment that feels like a breath of fresh air. The Philosophy Take a Deep Breath Oil-Free Oxygenating Gel Cream (2 oz for $37) is just simply the kind of moisturizer you’d want to have in this warming weather. It feels lightweight and very invigorating, especially with its fresh and subtle green tea scent.

It’s a gel-cream formula that’s not only oil-free, but it also acts as an antioxidant and anti-pollutant, thus allowing the skin to breathe. With the added Spf 30, this moisturizer will protect your skin any time of the day. On top of that, It doesn’t feel sticky and it gets absorbed easily within seconds.

The formula is very hydrating and it spreads into the skin easily. No need to put a lot. It’s one of those moisturizers that are multitaskers and the kind that anyone with a combination, oily-prone, or even dry skin will need to have in their purses. This is so versatile and it saves you the time of applying additional sun protectors on the face. You can also definitely wear your favorite non-Spf foundation with this too.

Somehow, there’s a few things that irked me about this moisturizer, even though it’s almost perfect from its texture down to its scent. I noticed that the formula is quite runny so it tends to spill easily if you’re not careful when opening the cap. Also, the tube is made of a very thin plastic that it squeezes out the product very easily. I also noticed that mine came with almost half of the tube empty. It’s like there’s not enough product in there. It’s a pity because I really love the formulation of this moisturizer, especially nowadays that it’s kinda hard to find a lightweight moisturizer with good amounts of Spf in it.

Overall, I’d still purchase this moisturizer and I recommend it to you all. I think you won’t be disappointed with this, just take heed of the few downsides and I’m pretty sure you’ll love this a lot just like I do.

The Philosophy Take a Deep Breath Oil-Free Oxygenating Gel-Cream is a limited edition product and available at QVC, Macy’s, Nordstrom, Birchbox, Ulta & Sephora

T.G.I.F!

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Battle of The Best Foot Creams; L’Occitane, O’Keeffe’s, Kenzoki, Caudalie & Sol de Janeiro.

June 14, 2017 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

And the best foot cream goes to… well, not yet, that’s too soon. Hey Y’all, this post is dedicated to all those who loves their feet, obsessed about their feet, likes to google other’s feet (haha!), or are suffering from calluses and dry cracked heels. Also, even for those who have unsightly feet, foot fetishes, or just simply are foot crazies. This post is for you and for all of us.

Admit it, it’s not every day that we get to have gorgeous and well-conditioned feet. Our feet take a lot of beating for the most part of our lives and it’s hard to make it look pretty or presentable all the time. A few weeks ago, my feet had been looking like the Sahara Desert. My heels were dry, cracked, and they were starting to hurt. It was also starting look slightly discolored. Oh my, what a disaster! like it’s not enough to have elephant feet, now I have Sahara/Nevada desert feet? Oh no, this can’t go on, I immediately went into resuscitating my feet and grabbed the nearest hand cream I could find. I wore socks at night to keep the moisture on my feet, however, even though the hand creams somehow helped, I wanted something a lot thicker and even more moisturizing. I’ve tried the good ol’ Vaseline but it’s too greasy and wouldn’t be absorbed by my feet easily. So, I embarked on a few weeks’ journey of looking and trying for some good foot creams. The result has been fun and interesting and has helped my feet back to its normal state or ever better.

Here’s what I found out.

L’Occitane Shea Butter Foot Cream (5.2 oz $28) – This hefty foot cream has 15% Shea Butter and it smells like pure lavender. The tube looks similar to the popular L’Occitane Hand Cream, so be careful not to confuse the two. This is the first foot cream I purchased and it’s so creamy just like its hand cream cousin. It took a few minutes to be absorbed by my feet, but it felt good and it kept my feet hydrated which slowly healed my dry cracked heels. The lavender scent can be too much, even though it’s meant to be relaxing to the senses. Apart from that, I love that this tube is huge and that I can use it for a long time.

Caudalie Foot Beauty Cream (2.5 oz $15) – A cream that smells like sweet grapes or citrus, much similar to Aveda Hand Relief Cream. It smells really great at the beginning but it gets too sweet later on. This cream is tricky to use. The first time I used it, there was a lot of pilling, so much so that it was uncomfortable, annoying and messy. I realized that the trick to prevent pilling is to not put a lot of it. Just a little bit goes a long and this cream will work wonders. It’s creamy, it gets absorbed easily, and it makes the feet feel smooth the next day.

O’Keeffe’s for Healthy Feet Foot Cream (3.2 oz $8.84) – A cute and cheap foot cream that you can find almost anywhere. I expected a lot from this popular foot cream. It’s marketed as a cream for extremely dry feet, however, in my experience, it’s actually quite the opposite. I can’t seem to love this cream because even though it’s creamy to the touch, it was actually just sitting and waiting to be absorbed by my skin. Somehow it felt thin and couldn’t penetrate into my dried alligator feet. So off this goes to a friend. Ciao!

Kenzoki Barefeet Fantasy Massage Balm (2.7 oz $26) – A luxuriously packaged foot and ankle cream that smells like fresh flowers and slightly cherryblossom-ish. The packaging is velvety and the cream has rice essence, Cupuaçu, and Shea Butter. It gets absorbed by my skin easily and it feels smooth and creamy. The scent is not overwhelming and you don’t need to use a lot of the product.

Sol de Janeiro Samba 2-Step Foot Fetish Care (3 oz $27) – This cream is supposed to come with a foot board so you can exfoliate the dry rough areas of your feet. Unfortunately, and I don’t know why, mine came without any foot board. Even the ones that are currently sold in store don’t seem to have any included foot boards anymore. But anyway, this cream felt slightly less creamy and somewhat thin, but my skin absorbed it easily. The scent is not like the Bum Bum Cream, but more like the Açai Body Power Cream.

So, Here are the awards:

Best in Scent: Kenzoki Barefeet Fantasy & Sol de Janeiro Foot Fetish Care

Most Creamy: L’Occitane Shea Butter Foot Cream

Runner Up for The Creamiest: Caudalie Foot Beauty Cream & Kenzoki Barefeet Fantasy

Best in Value: Caudalie Foot Beauty Cream & L’Occitane Shea Butter Foot Cream

Best Overall: Kenzoki Barefeet Fantasy Massage Balm (my most favorite of all)

So, there you have it! these are some of the best foot creams I’ve ever tried. Some are really good, while a few are somewhat meh. The good ones are what saved my feet from becoming a disaster. I’ve been using them regularly especially at night while rotating each brand from time to time.

The L’Occitane Shea Butter Foot Cream is available at Sephora, Dermstore, Nordstrom, and L’occitane.com

The Caudalie Foot Beauty Cream can be found in Sephora

O’Keeffe’s Heathy Foot Cream is available here: Amazon, Bed Bath & Beyond, Target, & Walgreens.

Kenzoki Barefeet Fantasy Massage Balm is available only at Sephora

The Sol de Janeiro Samba 2-Step Foot Fetish Care is also available only at Sephora

Have a great day everyone!

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