Reviews and Other Stuff

Favorite Haircare Tools

September 17, 2020 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

Hello all! In this post, I’m going to be rounding up some of my favorite haircare tools of all time. A lot of these tools are sort of old, yet, they still work very well. And because they have such good quality, I haven’t been tempted to update them. Also, I’ll give you my two cents regarding what I think about the very popular Revlon Hot Air Brush that everyone seems to love nowadays. Excited much?

Read on.

SinglePass Compact Travel Styling Flat Iron – This is my favorite travel iron. I take this with me all the time because I really like its compact design and its lightweight ergonomic style. This comes with a dual voltage, and the plates heat up easily. This even has a safety plastic case for easy storage and to prevent burns or potentially melting other surfaces. For me, this is super reliable, and has used this in almost all my trips; both local and overseas.

BodyWaver 1.75” Professional Ceramic Styling Iron for Waves and Volume – This is another one of my T3 faves, although this tool takes some getting used to for it to work really well, at least in my opinion. And that’s because this may feel a bit bulky although still very light on the hands. I usually use this to curl the tips of my hair in a sort of outward motion while positioning the barrel vertically. I believe this works very well for medium to long hair. The really good thing about this is once you develop a technique on how to use this efficiently, your curling process goes really fast because this heats up quickly.

GHD Eclipse Styler (new version – Platinum+ Professional Performance 1″ Styler) – This is a prior version of nowadays’ GHD Platinum. I haven’t tried that one yet because I never felt the need to update this really solid styler. This has been working well for me for years and looks good as new. In fact, this is my main hair straightener, and the T3 one above is my go-to for traveling. This tool heats up easily and notifies you with a sound. The heat is constant all over the plate, so it distributes evenly on the hair. Also, this doesn’t get too hot, so as not to damage the hair. You can also use this as a curler.

Babyliss PRO Nano Titanium Bambino Compact Dryer – This very small hair dryer is so easy to pack, so cute, and totally packs a punch in power. This isn’t foldable though, but this is a lot smaller than most travel hair dryers I’ve seen out there. The really nice thing about this is even though this may look like a kids’ hair dryer in real life, this will still dry your hair in minutes.

Bestool Boar Bristle Hair Brush – I’ve always wanted to have a boar bristle hairbrush because it helps to distribute the natural oil all over the hair and prevents frizz and split ends. This brush from amazon comes with a detangler and this really works to massage my scalp and prevent oil buildup.

Cricket Technique Barrel Hair Brush 2 inch – If you don’t have a curling wand or curling wands are not your thing, use this big round brush with your hairdryer to create big luscious waves. This brush distributes heat all over the hair because of its hollow barrel style. All you have to do is wrap the tips of your hair around this brush (away from your head) and heat it using your blow dryer. Voila! I love this a lot and this is so easy to use. Also, very inexpensive too.

Harry Josh Ultra Light Pro Dryer – A favorite among celebrities, this very cute, mint green, compact, and lightweight hair dryer is so powerful that this really dries the hair within minutes. This may not be a dual-voltage dryer (unfortunately), but this will really hasten hair drying time for medium to long hair. This has ion technology to eliminate frizz, and in my experience, my hair looks silkier whenever I use this as opposed to using other hair dryers.

Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer and Volumizer Hot Air Brush – Lastly, I couldn’t resist but write about this very interesting hair dryer+hot brush hybrid. This is that perfect 2-in-1 hair tool that you can use easily and can give you a polished look within seconds. This is not really a hair straightener, but your hair will look a bit straighter with this. I think this is more like a blow dryer that gives you a salon blowout in minutes at the comfort of being in your own home. This can create a nice wave but won’t be as defined as with a wand curler. Nevertheless, the waves that this will create are really beautiful, I would say a la Kate Middleton, lol. I love this a lot even though this is bulky to store. I also love the affordable price.

There goes my faves in haircare tools. What are yours?

SHOP THIS POST

Cat Care Essentials

September 10, 2020 / PET STUFF / 0 comments

Hey cat lovers! In this post, I’m sharing with you some cat care essentials that I like to use for my kittycats. As what you might have read in today’s pandemic world, felines are prone to acquiring the vid. So, I take good precautions regarding my cats’ health. The following cat care essentials I’m going to list below are part of my daily and/or weekly cat grooming routine. Without further ado, check out how I care for my cats, as demonstrated by my kitties: Bibi & Dodo.

First of all, I like to check my cats’ temperature. I use the baby rectal thermometer from Vicks (linked below). I like using it because it’s really tiny and gentle on cats. If you’re not sure or not familiar with using rectal thermometers, I suggest you consult your vet or a health care provider. The normal cat temperature is between 100.5°F and 102.5°F or 38.1°C to 39.2°C. I usually check my cats’ temp monthly or whenever I notice that they’re not feeling well.

From there, I go from head to toe, or whichever my cats want first.

I usually start by checking their ears. I like moistening a soft cotton pad (check out my top picks in cotton pads here) with the Virbac Epi-Otic Ear Cleanser and clean the outer part of my cats’ ears. I also soak a few cotton tips to reach around the ridges of the ears, but I don’t push or go all the way down since that would not be safe.

Next, I use a small otoscope to visually their inner ear. I don’t push it all the way, just enough to see if there might be any presence of ear mites. These mites usually resemble a coffee ground texture in the ear. FYI: Examining a cat’s ear is the opposite of examining a human ear; where you pull up and back. With a cat’s ear, you pull slightly down and forward.

I then proceed to check my cats’ eyes. I look for discharges and retinal scratches. If there’s nothing wrong, I don’t put anything on them. If there’s a slight irritation around the corner of the eye, I usually clean it with a presoaked eye wash pad (linked below) and put a drop of Vetericyn Eye Wash which is a very mild antimicrobial eye wash for slightly irritated eyes. If your kitty has swollen or very irritated eyes, and seem more serious than a light scratch, or tearing a lot, you have to consult your veterinarian.

After checking the eyes, I check my cats’ teeth. Brushing a cat’s teeth is always a challenge. It’s always a good idea to start brushing their teeth while they’re young, so, the process gets a bit easier with time. My cats still don’t like, but they tolerate it, and I’ve got a whole lotta persistence, lol. Cat brushing is more like dry-brushing, where you use a small toothbrush designed for pets, a flavored toothpaste, and perhaps a bit of water. So, no Colgate or Crest here :-).

After brushing, I proceed to trimming their nails, using a pet nail trimmer. I only trim a tiny bit on the tip, and not go all the way up. In that way, they can still scratch and climb. This is a very challenging activity because this requires sharp attention and precision. Your cats might move while you’re trimming their nails. So, I suggest having a partner to do this, or position yourself behind the cat and stabilize them with your upper body. I prefer a tall table and plenty of light whenever I do this. Usually, this is the part I don’t like the most.

Lastly, I do the part that my cats like best – brushing! Now, some cats may have a preference as to what kind of brush they like. Some like a scratchy brush, while some like it soft. My cat Bibi likes the Furminator even though he doesn’t really need it because he doesn’t shed a lot. He also likes the LoveGlove which is a silicon glove full of little knobs that catch his fur and simulates as a hand. The Kong Zoom Groom is also his fave, which is a detangler made of silicon. Dodo, on the other hand, likes a kitten slicker brush, even though he’s not exactly a kitten anymore, lol. I use two kitten slicker brush on him to get a good coverage. They also serve as his toys which he likes to bite. This chunky bean has a lot of fur :-).

In general, most cats don’t like water, although I have one that thinks he’s a mermaid, lol. From time to time, I like to use a Waterless Cat Bath to refresh my cats’ fur. You just soak a soft cloth or paper towel in it, and let it dry. It usually dries fast and is very gentle on cats. Also, another good product to have is a Styptic Powder, which is a good first-aid product for pets, just in case they get a cut.

That comprises my cat care essentials and procedures. If you’re in doubt about doing these procedures, please consult your veterinarian and also read the ASPCA Complete Cat Care Manual. If you have any suggestions or tips on how to care for your pets, DM me or comment below.

Always have fun with your pets!

SHOP THIS POST

Disclaimer: No cats were harmed in this post and I wasn’t scratched. Although, there were some attempts, lol 🙂

FabFitFun Summer 2020 Box Review

September 3, 2020 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

Hello There! Time now for another FFF Box review. Check out what’s inside my box this Summer.

Wander Beauty Baggage Claim Gold Eye Mask – This is a repeat for me. Got this from my previous FFF box, way back when I first subscribed. I actually don’t mind receiving this again because this is so helpful at my current state, lol. I love how moisturizing this is and this prevents undereye dryness. I put this on at night and this feels so relaxing.

Riddle Oil Original Roll-On – There isn’t much scent to this oil because this is ideal for layering with your favorite roll-ons or any kind of perfumes. However, if you’re very sensitive to scents, you might like wearing this alone because this is extremely subtle.

Zoë Ayla Ice Roller – I’ve always wanted to have this and I’m glad this showed up inside my box this season. This is like the popular jade face roller with a cool shot, and this sure feels coooold. I love putting this inside my mini-fridge, then I massage this on my skin. This helps in tightening the pores and in waking you up due to its cooling effect.

MakeupDrop Hybrid Makeup Applicator – I love how this makeup sponge has two sides; one for blending and one for application. It’s easier that way because it saves me time. I don’t have to constantly reach for my brushes when I’m in a hurry to put my foundation. I still love the beautyblender, but this is really useful.

Kate Somervile Goat Milk Moisturizing Cream – This moisturizer is so light and so milky. It’s not your typical thick or whipped hydrators, so my oily-prone skin absorbs this easily without any reaction. I also like that this isn’t greasy, so any skin type can pretty much use this one. Also, the packaging of this is really pretty.

Isaac Mizrahi Loves xo, Sienna Vase – How cute is this flower vase?! I totally love the design, color, and size of this vase. This can handle real touch flowers and even real flowers that might be a bit heavy especially when added with water.

Draper James Straw Bag with Floral Scarf – This bag is my ultimate bag this Summer. This is so pretty IRL. I love the cute floral scarf in it, and the bag itself is so light and can hold a lot of stuff.

Business & Pleasure Co. Cooler Bag – This lunch bag played a significant role during my move a couple of weeks ago. I’ve used this for both business and for pleasure, lol. In fact, I’m still using this and I’ve stuffed this with makeup and snacks all at the same time. This can hold a lot, even a few bottles of water. Also, this really keeps the food fresh, and my skincare fresh as well :). I also love the cute design of this and the handle is adjustable.

And there goes my FFF Summer box. I think this has been a very fun box. I enjoyed the stuff I received. What’s inside yours? What are the products you’re hoping to receive this Fall?

SHOP THESE PRODUCTS INDIVIDUALLY BELOW

or visit fabfitfun.com to subscribe.