Reviews and Other Stuff

Beauty Products First Impressions Part 1.

April 12, 2022 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

Hello. I am starting a new series here on the blog. It is called “my first impressions” of some beauty products seen on social media. I feel like I may be late in trying some of the newest beauty raves on socials, but in this post and the following series, I am going to give you a quick run-through of all the products I have tried in the past couple of weeks. My face has been so busy trying these, so here goes my first impressions of the following:

Base

Kosas Cloud Set Baked Setting & Smoothing Talc-Free Vegan Powder – A sheer setting powder that is ultra-smooth and incredibly soft. The texture is similar to a very fine-milled pressed powder that sets the foundation or wipes off the extra shine from the face. The powder is baked and vegan, which is excellent for sensitive skin. In my test, it is better to use the powder with a fluffy face brush than with a puff applicator because of the soft texture. Overall, I love the product, and I highly recommend that you try it.

Saie Slip Tint Dewy Tinted Moisturizer SPF 35 Sunscreen in Three + Half – I got the shade for light to medium skintones with golden undertones. The product is a tinted moisturizer with a dewy feel. The coverage may be sheer, but on my skin, the coverage looks quite full after using 2 pumps of the product. I believe the shade is very close to my skintone. Therefore, it is very hard to swatch and capture on camera. There is quite a “slip” feel to the product, and I felt the need to set it with the Kosas setting powder, which works really well. The product is packed with skin-benefitting ingredients, and overall, the product stays on the skin for a long time. There is a bit of pilling, but it is better to set it with a setting powder. I love the product because it is vegan. I just wish that it is not quite slippery.

Cheeks

Merit Flush Balm Cream Blush in Cheeky – Cool pink. What a cute blush+lip balm hybrid. I really like the whole roundness and presentation of the product. It is easy to use because it is not like your typical lip balm and blush item. The product is quite large and may look bulky at first, but applying it and finding it inside the purse is a no-brainer. I also love the pigment that lasts a couple of hours on my lips and cheeks. The product is a great multitasker and helps save space, whether stored on the shelf or in the vanity tray.

Patrick Ta Major Beauty Headlines, Double-Take Crème & Powder Blush in She’s That Girl – Soft pink. Why did I not try this before? My friends did not lie. The Patrick Ta blushes are really something else. Something wonderful and totally worth the rave. I like the luxurious rose gold packaging, and the product is well-done. The blush compact contains a cream and powder blush. Both are very easy to blend on the skin and do not require a lot to add some flush to the cheeks. I highly recommend the product and would love to try more shades of the Patrick Ta blushes soon.

Melt Cosmetics Digital Dust Duo Blush in Buzz Kill – Coral nectar and peach champagne. A blush duo that has been sitting on my wish list for months and probably a year. Glad I pulled the trigger on the product because I really like the shades. Speaking of the shades, the duo has a nice metallic coral and peachy glow that I have not seen before in many blushes. That is because each shade is somewhat of a multichrome and is extremely light-reflecting. It is quite hard to describe it, but one thing is for sure — the shades are intergalactically dramatic. Overall, the blush compact is really buzzworthy and as beautiful and intricate as the bees’ honeycombs.

Tower 28 Beauty BeachPlease Lip + Cheek Cream Blush in Power Hour – Sun-kissed terracotta. I see Tower 28 blushes everywhere on social media. It is like a ghost that haunts my feed and won’t leave me alone until I get to try it :-). Now that I have tried the instafamous blush, I can tell you that I am very in awe of how good the product is. The creamy soft texture of the blush makes it very easy to apply to lips and cheeks for a gorgeous monochrome look. Adding to that, the pigment is impressive because the blush lasted 4-6 hours on me. Blending is easy with just a few dabs on cheeks and lips using the finger. Overall, I am very satisfied with the vegan product, and I suggest that you try it ASAP.

Lips

RMS Beauty Hydrating Tinted Daily Lip Balm in Twilight Lane – Sheer berry. At first, I did not have high expectations of the lip balm, but when I tried the product, I really enjoyed the feel of it. In fact, out of all the lip balms and lip products reviewed in this post, the RMS lip balm is probably my most favorite because of the soft and lightweight feel on the lips. The coverage is between sheer to full, depending on the shade you choose. Also, the pigment is very long-wearing for a lip balm. The product also leaves a nice stain on the lips after one application, which is impressive. I like the product a lot, and I purchased more of it during the Sephora VIB Rouge sale.

Gucci Lunar New Year Rouge à Lèvres Voile Sheer Lipstick in 520 Marina Scarlet – Orange Red. What a beautiful brick red lipstick! I was hesitant to try the lipstick at first because I was unsure how it would look on my skintone. Much to my surprise, the lipstick works well with the warm undertones of my skin, and the pigment is legit long-wearing. While I still do not think that I can wear the lipstick every day, but for once in a while glam, why not coconut? A little dramatic lip color won’t hurt anybody, especially if it’s Gucci! And oh, did I mention that the package is SO ethereally beautiful? You have to see it to believe it!

Merit Signature Lip Lightweight Lipstick in Baby – Neutral pink. I kind of want to call the shade of the lipstick as medium nude or simply warm neutral. That is because the lipstick or lip balm hybrid appears to be nude or quite neutral on my lips. While I like the shade, I find that it is not really sheer. The coverage is more of a true lipstick. I am also not a fan of the heaviness of the product on the lips, nor the angular tube design. Also, the scent is very generic. Overall, the lipstick feels somewhat thick and sticky, and the design of the tube is bulky and not comfortable to carry in the pocket. The lasting power of the lipstick is quite average.

Ilia Balmy Tint Hydrating Lip Balm in Memoir – Neutral mauve with a natural finish. The lip balm is my third favorite lip product reviewed in this post. It is not as weightless as the RMS lip balm and not as heavy as the Merit lip balm, but it is something in between. The shade is the next best thing to most pigmented lips, and it is simply stunning. The product is also hydrating, and it keeps the lips hydrated for about 3-4 hours. The coverage is between sheer to full and very buildable. The formula is made of clean ingredients. Also, the tube applicator is recyclable.

Kosas, Kosasport LipFuel Hyaluronic Acid Lip Balm in Flow – Warm beige. I really really like the lip balm so much. It is so lightweight, and it has a nice minty flavor that is so soothing on the lips and gives that plumpy feel. The product is hydrating and long-wearing but does not give extreme shine to the lips. I would have called the lip balm the perfect one ever, BUT I have a love-hate relationship with the tube applicator. I dislike the tube because it is hard to apply on the lips since it is flat and does not suit well with the lips’ natural contours. On the other hand, I love the tube because it is so easy to store and carry because it is flat! OMG! I don’t know. Yet, despite it all. I still love the product, by all means 🙂

Body

Caudalie Moisturizing Vegan Body Butter – A vegan shea body butter that is exceptionally soft and adds good moisturization to the skin. There are many nourishing oil ingredients in the product, namely: grape seed oil, date oil, and shea butter oil. The body butter comes in a hefty lilac recyclable jar that is so pretty and will make you feel like you are getting your money’s worth with the product. The formula is non-greasy and sets on the skin immediately. The only caveat with the product is the almond scent. No matter how light the almond scent of the product is, I am still quite hypersensitive to it. The scent is similar to the Drunk Elephant Sili body lotion and Kamili body cleanser. Those products are worth the try but not worth the hype. Let us all learn to see things beyond rose-tinted glasses (wink wink).

Sol de Janeiro Beija Flor Elasti-Cream with Collagen and Squalane – There are two things I advocate for everyone who is into makeup and skincare. First, use a foundation primer. Second, use or take collagen. We lose a considerable amount of collagen as we age, and collagen helps to replenish the skin’s elasticity and prevents skin sagging. Therefore, it promotes healthy, toned skin and a younger-looking face. What I love about the product is the smooth, creamy texture that gets absorbed by the skin immediately and does not leave a greasy feel. It contains collagen and squalene that promote skin elasticity and moisture. Also, the light floral scent is not overwhelming, and of course, the tube container is pink :-).

Kayali Eden Juicy Apple Eau de Parfum – Fresh bursts of red apple juice mixed with currants and heavy florals surprise you within the first spritz of the fabulous scent. I believe the product really captures the scent of the apple, and the elegant red bottle adds to the whole luxurious look. The top notes spread fresh apple and berries while the drydown dissipates into a non-heady musky floral. Now I understand why this perfume is all over my socials! This is the perfect scent for the cool kids looking for a long-lasting fragrance in a world of constantly fleeting digital trends. Ya gets?

Eyes

Valentino Twin Liner Gel and Liquid Eyeliner in 03 Black and Blue – A new favorite eyeliner of mine. The product is double-ended, with liquid eyeliner on one side and a semi-matte liner on the other side. It is everything you could ask for in an eyeliner because the formula is very long-wearing, smudge-proof, and comes in an elegant red Valentino packaging. I also got the color 04 Black and Marrone which is a great option to have. I highly recommend the product. It is a keeper.

Hands

Touchland Power Mist Hydrating Hand Sanitizer in watermelon – I have always wanted to try the hand sanitizer pre-COVID, but I was not so keen on really trying it back then. Then COVID came, and the Touchland sanitizer was sold out, and it remained sold out for a long time, further intensifying my curiosity to try the product. Upon testing, I find the product to be really impressive for a hand sanitizer. The product is what all hand sanitizers should be – bacteria and virus annihilator (lol), moisturizing, gentle on the hand, and comes with a fabulous range of scents to choose from. The Touchland hand sanitizer contains 70% ethyl alcohol which I cannot even discern because the scent is overpowering in a good way. There is also aloe vera and lemon essential oil, which makes the product perfect as the hand sanitizer of the moment. The container is also unique and easy to carry because it is flat.

There goes my first impressions and thoughts about some of the beauty products that have been trending on social media. Have you tried any of these before?

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Gucci Vernis À Ongles Nail Polish Review + Swatches

April 3, 2022 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

Happy spring, everyone! Let’s start this new season with fresh nail colors to brighten up our spring days ahead!

I have some nail colors from different brands to review this season. One of the brands is Gucci, and I have three shades featured in this post.

The Gucci Vernis boasts an elegant packaging typical of most Gucci releases in the past few years. The cap is elongated and has a very ergonomic design, making it easy to apply the nail colors. The brush applicator is flat and wide, which helps to coat the nails easily with just one or two brush strokes. There is very minimal odor from the nail color because it is plant-based and contains vitamin E as an antioxidant. Also, the nail color is paraben-free, formaldehyde-free, and triclosan-free.

413 Ellen Blush – Light nude rosy blush. A perfect nude nail color for light to medium skintone. On my skin (medium), I find this shade to be too light. The formula is streaky.

414 Peggy Sunburn – Bright coral. A fun coral shade suitable for spring and summer. The closest dupe would probably be the OPI Cajun Shrimp.

25 Goldie Red – True bright red. A perfect red nail color that will suit any skintone.

The Gucci nail colors set and dry very quickly, but a few shades may be streaky upon application. I find that I would need three coats to get the Ellen Blush shade to display on my nails correctly. In contrast, the Peggy Sunburn and the Goldie Red shades are not streaky at all.

Overall, the three shades in this post are long-wearing and do not chip easily. However, I think Gucci should expand the shade range and add more colors with different hues or tones since every skintone is different. Also, Gucci should improve the formulation of the nail colors with streaky shades.

What do you think about these nail colors? What nail colors are you loving right now?

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and more Gucci products below

So Shape Diet Review

March 23, 2022 / FOOD STUFF / 0 comments

Dieting is a very personal activity for a lot of us. That is because every person has different strategies that help them maintain or lose weight. Yet, not all strategies for weight loss work all the time, and not all foods are healthy enough to be considered diet foods. I have had my share of dieting experience and diet tricks that sort of worked, could have worked, and never worked at all, which means that I am very reticent in recommending you a diet plan in this blog. However, I feel compelled to tell you that there is one diet challenge that seems to work for me at the moment, and it really took me by surprise.

The So Shape Diet challenge is a weight control program that originated in France. The program’s goal is to achieve weight loss in a “simple and no-fuss” way, which means that the products in the program are highly innovative, quick to prepare, tasty, and varied.

If you are the busy type, the So Shape program makes everything so easy when it comes to shedding a few pounds while keeping up with your daily activities.

brownie shake

The So Shape products are divided into either shakes or hot dishes. The shakes can be served hot or cold, and they come in different flavors, which I can assure as very tasty. I have a very picky tastebud for shakes and smoothies, and the So Shape shakes definitely passed my tastebud’s scrutiny, lol. My favorite flavors from the So Shape shakes are: brownie, sea salt caramel, cappuccino, and cookie cream. The So Shape shakes can be taken during lunch or even during dinnertime. To prepare it, just follow the instructions on the booklet given to you when you sign up for the So Shape challenge. TLDR: just add 8 ½ oz of water to the provided shaker and add the flavored powder from the sachet, and voila! If the shake is too thick, you can always add more water, use a bit of hot water to melt the powder during the shake preparation, or just keep shaking the shake. For me, the shakes can replace my whole meal, since most of them are around 200+ calories.

cookie cream shake

The So Shape dishes are very interesting because they come in similar packaging as the shakes, but instead of containing the powdered shake flavors, the So Shape dishes contain a powder mixture or flavor of the dish. A separate pack of pasta, such as macaroni, matches each dish sachet. Just like the shakes, the preparation for the dishes is also very easy. Just add 4-5 oz of water to the pasta (use the shaker as a measuring cup), heat it using a microwave or a pot, and then add the dish sachet. I love all the flavors of the So Shape dishes, and I use them to replace at least one of my meals. Every dish from So Shape is very filling, and I find myself no longer reaching for extra meals or snacks.

fusillis and arrabbiata dish

The So Shape challenge directs that you follow their advice or commandments stated in their booklet. Some of the advice includes: keeping yourself hydrated, allowing yourself to eat a free meal, eating lean protein and lots of vegetables while on the program, and trying to hold on to the program for the next three days to get used to the diet routine. This advice or commandments are what I really like about the program. So Shape allows you to diet, yet they remain flexible with what you can eat outside of the challenge. By guiding you on what to food eat and consuming their shakes that are high in protein and dishes in reasonable proportions, diet and exercise have been truly effective for me.

Have you tried the So Shape challenge already? What is your ultimate diet tip?

For more information, check out the So Shape diet challenge HERE.

Note. Products provided by So Shape. The reviews and opinions herein are solely by the editor.

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