Hello darlings! I am back after my two-week hiatus. Well, I am still not completely back on track, but I will be, soon. As you all know, I recently moved and the whole process felt really stressful, but I’m happy to report that I survived this difficult move amidst all this pandemic scare. Now, I am surrounded by what seems like endless numbers of unopened boxes and a ton of stuff to arrange. The whole idea of self-care to me nowadays has been thrown out of the window, lol. Oh, how I miss my sheet mask, hair mask, lip mask, hand mask, foot mask, eye mask, and all kinds of masks, hahaha! Yes, nowadays, there’s a mask for everything! I even miss you all my Masking Monday, Pink Wednesday, and Tower Thursday friends! On top of that, I really miss my old home. I feel like I’ve left a part of me in every home I’ve lived in, and moving feels like having a void I can never fill. Only time can mollify the whole thing. On the bright side, I am really enjoying where I am. Even though we’re in the middle of this pandemic, I’ve managed to visit a couple of furniture stores and I’ve hit two antique shops! So, expect to see some exciting photos here in the blog soon, or as soon as I get my stuff in order, hmmp!
Anyway, I will try not to make this post too long. Before my move, I’ve collected a few Chanel nail colors released last Spring and this Summer and I’m showing you their swatches in this post. I’ve also included a beautiful red shade, also from Chanel, but it’s an old release, because as you all know, I love a good red nail polish, but this season’s red has not appealed to me much, so I’m sharing with you my favorite red this season.
Chanel Emblรฉmatique – released last Spring 2017, this is my favorite red shade of the moment. I love the richness of the red tone in this nail color. Though easily dupable, there is something gorgeous and elegant about this kind of red in a Chanel nail color bottle.
For a tutorial on how to do your manicure at home and what products I like to use for nail care, please click HERE. To sum it up, all these gorgeous new nail color releases from Chanel are totally stunning. I’m a big fan of Daydream which at first I thought would not fit for my skintone, but it blew me away. I also love the uniqueness of the Mirage shade and who doesn’t love the rich turquoise tone of Melody?
That’s it for now darlings, I will be back soon for more reviews and photos. What are the nail polishes you’ve been loving lately?
If you find yourself opening and reopening that refrigerator door constantly, well, you are not alone. This whole pandemic situation is making us crave for snacks and sweets. I, for one, is guilty of that. Lately, my local Costco has stocked up on some good fresh mango fruits, so, I’ve got a new mango recipe to share with you in this post.
As you all know, my favorite fruit is mango, and I’m obsessed about finding different ways of preparing and presenting this amazing and delicious fruit. You can even search this blog for more mango recipe ideas once you’re done trying this recipe that I’m about to show you.
This recipe is perfect for this warm weather and is also perfect for those who like fruity desserts. This will surely delight anyone with a sweet tooth, and even for those who don’t like their desserts to be very sweet. Also, this recipe is very quick and very easy to do and this doesn’t really require special preparation. All you need to do is to learn the art of layering. Excited to know how? Read below.
Preparation Time: 30 – 40 minutes
Ingredients:
1 box Graham crackers
Graham cracker crumbs
1/2 can condensed milk
1 box whipping cream
5-6 pcs thinly-sliced mangoes
Materials:
8×8 Baking Pan (glass/ceramic)
spatula/pie cutter
whisk/electric mixer
clear glass bowl
Procedure:
In a glass bowl, mix a whole box of whipping cream along with 1/2 can of condensed milk, then whisk several times. Ideally, you can and should use an electric mixer to make the mixture thicker. I already packed mine since I’m moving very soon, so, I only have the whisk available.
Arrange the Graham crackers as well as you can in an 8×8 baking pan. This is going to be a challenge because you may have to cut the Grahams carefully in order to fit it to the size of the baking pan.
Pour in the whipping cream and condensed milk mixture on top of the Graham crackers. Spread it using the spatula.
Slowly place each Mango slice on top of the mixture.
Repeat the process by putting in another layer of Graham crackers, whipping+condensed milk mixture, and slices of mangoes.
You can stop after the second layer which is what this recipe is meant for, or you can continue up to the third layer or more.
And you’re done. Cover the pan with a clear wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours or store it in the freezer.
You can sprinkle some Graham Cracker crumbs on top of the mangoes (optional).
This recipe is good for 5-9 people if served in small slices. If you’re feeling like not sharing, then it’s only good for one (lol), because this dessert is so good that it melts in your mouth and it’ll almost taste like a one of a kind ice cream. It’s something you don’t always get to taste often, and it’s unique and unforgettable in that sense. However, always remember what the Spice Girls said, “too much of something is bad enough” so, try to balance your sweet cravings with some brisk walks and some cardio. Alrighty?
Hi everybody! There’s been a lot of skincare goodies released recently by several different brands. Most of them are really exciting and really promising. A couple of them have been popping out of Insta, and from what I’ve seen, there’s a lot of raves and buzz about the latest products from Milk Makeup, Laniege, Sulwhasoo, and Supergoop, among other things. Luckily, I got a hold of these latest goodies in mini sizes, and I also got a few beauty minis to review in this post. Do take note though, that since these are in mini sizes, I can only provide a review of my first impression of these products. It’d be interesting to find out how good these beauties will work on my skin with time, and that would mean testing them in full regular sizes. You will know in this review which product warrants a full-size. So, keep on reading.
Givenchy Mini Magic Lip Duo Set (2x: 18 USD) – This mini set is so cute and inside there are two mini moisturizing lipsticks in shades Perfect Pink & Noir Rรฉvรฉlateur. Perfect Pink in natural sheer pink and is perfect for those with fair to light skin tone. Noir Rรฉvรฉlateur is a sheer to deep berry that is perfect for those with light/medium to medium/deep skin tones. These lipsticks adapt to the lips’ pH level, so, they sort of complement and enhance your lip’s natural color. They are definitely both on the sheer side and they are very hydrating like a lip balm. They’re somewhat similar to the Dior Lip Glow.
Milk Makeup Sephora Beauty Insider Birthday Gift Set
Got this little set from Sephora during my birthday, and I really find this set to be very useful because this contains three of my top picks from Milk Makeup.
Hydro Grip Primer (mini/0.33 oz – 1.52 oz: 15 – 30 USD) – This face primer is really one of the best out there. The feel of this is gripping, lightweight, and this really makes the foundation adhere to the skin. I do have this primer in full-size and I really really like that this doesn’t have that silicone feel.
Kush High Volume Mascara (mini/0.13 oz – 0.34 oz: 12 – 24 USD) – I love the shape and look of this mascara because this has dense heart-shaped bristles that are meant for delivering high impact dramatic lashes. This also has hemp-derived cannabis seed oil that moisturizes the lashes for long wear. The color of this is very black and this really fans out and curls the lashes even without using a lash curler. I find that this sets on the lashes easily and this hasn’t clumped nor smudged on me even during these highly humid temps.
Lip + Cheek in Werk (mini/0.21 oz – 1 oz: 15 – 28 USD) – This creamy lip and blush color reminded me of Nars The Multiple or the Bite Beauty Multistick. This is a multitasking product that can work to add color not only on the lips and cheeks but on the lids as well, to achieve that beautiful monochromatic look. I find this to be so easy to blend, and this feels creamy and hydrating. The overall finish of this is satin and the shade dusty rose seems a little too sheer on my light-medium skin tone, but the deeper tones work really well on my skin.
Skincare/Primers/SPF
Kiehl’s Avocado Nourishing Hydration Mask (3.4 oz: 45 USD) – There is no question that this mask is full of very good hydrating and nourishing ingredients, however, I do not like the feel of this at all. This clumps and breaks upon application, making this very hard to adhere to the skin, and this makes me look weird after managing to coat this on my face. This turns my skin into something of a yellow-green or yellow-red-orange-green tone (lol), which really makes me look like a half-banana half-avocado hybrid, or better yet, a yellowing cactus, ha! So, definitely not a fan of this mask.
Sol de Janeiro Coco Cabana Body Cream (mini/2.5 – 8.1 oz: 20 – 45 USD) – This makes me yearn for a tropical vacay amidst all this quarantine lifestyle going on nowadays. I love the amazing blend of coconut sugar, coconut oil, and Cupuaรงu Butter in this wonderful nostalgic cream. This really feels hydrating and not heavy on the skin, and I really love the cute packaging as well.
Milk Makeup Vegan Milk Moisturizer (mini/0.53 oz: 1.7 oz – 19 – 38 USD) – I’m really amazed by the texture of this moisturizer, which feels so rich and so thick yet so light on the skin. This has different kinds of vegan milk ingredients, like fig milk, oat milk, and argan milk, etc. To me, this feels non-greasy even though the feel is very rich and very milky. My skin absorbs this easily and I never had any breakout issue with this. I also think that this will work very well for those with dry skin and even for those with sensitive skin types.
Laneige Hypoallergenic Cica Sleeping Mask (34 USD) – If you like the Dr. Jart+ Cicapair cream, then you’re going to like this new Cica Mask from Laneige. The feel of this very somewhat gel-like yet very creamy and very cushiony. I do love the feeling of this cream/mask on my hands, and on my skin, this feels so moisturizing and so light. But what I really love about this is the fact that just like the Dr. Jart+ Cicapair, this helps to soothe the redness and irritation on the face. This has fermented forest yeast extract and is supposed to be much better than the usual Cica products. I don’t only use this as a sleeping mask, I also use this as a daily moisturizer, which works really well for my skin. I definitely recommend that you get this in full-size.
Sulwhasoo Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Cream (2.02 oz: 240 USD) – This very very luxurious K-beauty cream has a very strong ginseng scent. Also blended with retinol, this cream has anti-aging properties and is meant to enhance moisture. I find this to be very lightweight but has a bit of an oily feel, which really doesn’t bother my skin. This actually makes my skin look and feel smooth given the short amount of time that I’ve used the product. However, due to the price, I’m not quite sure if this is worth having in its regular size. The packaging is really really cute though.
Supergoop! Glowscreen Sunscreen SPF 40 (1.7 oz: 36 USD) – Finally! I have been waiting for a glowy shimmery sunscreen like this. I’ve seen this item popping out of Instagramy lately and there’s a reason why. This sunscreen will be your ultimate Summer vibe because you can wear this alone for that natural and dewy sun-protected look, or you can use this as a primer to enhance the glow of your makeup. This has fine microshimmers and a nice SPF level enough to protect the skin and make it look healthy this warm season. Kinda like you quarantined yourself in a nice tropical island, with all that sun, and with all that glow. Hmmm, imagine that :-).
Dr. Jart+ V7 Priming Moisturizer (1.69 oz: 48 USD) – Not quite a fan of this primer+moisturizer hybrid. I like the idea of it, but the feel and the scent are just off. This feels like a silicone primer and the scent is too strong and too weird. Applying this is not an amazing experience. The product sits on top of the face and my skin doesn’t feel moisturized at all.
Smashbox Photo Finish Vitamin Glow Primer (1 oz: 39 USD) – This may be marketed as a face primer just like most of Smashbox’s popular primer products, but with added Vitamins, like Vitamins B, C, and E. However, this feels more like a moisturizer/primer hybrid than the Dr. Jart+ product above. To me, this feels really creamy and nice on the skin, and my foundation stays on with this. I also like the nice orange scent. So, I definitely recommend that you get this in full-size.
Long story short, I really like and recommend the Sol de Janeiro Coco Cabana Body Cream, the Milk Makeup Vegan Milk Moisturizer, the Laneige Hypoallergenic Cica Sleeping Mask, the Supergoop! Glowscreen, the Smashbox Vitamin Glow Primer, and the Milk Makeup products mentioned in this post. They are worth having in full-sizes.
