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New Skincare and Beauty Minis Review

June 22, 2020 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

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 Révélateur. Perfect Pink in natural sheer pink and is perfect for those with fair to light skin tone. Noir Révélateur 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 Cupuaçu 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.

Have you tried any of these yet?

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Favorite Body Oils

August 17, 2018 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

Hey All! One of my latest skincare obsessions are the dry body oils. I’ve been crazy about them that I pretty much hoarded every single body oils I could find, LOL. I tested several and a lot of them are really good, but I do have some personal favorites that we will be talking about today.

A lot of these dry body oils are great for the summer and are also perfect for the coming Fall and Winter. They’re not the typical oils you commonly associate with massage oils or some other oils that are wet, shiny, greasy, and sits on top of the skin. Dry body oils are different, they’re very lightweight, quick-absorbing, non-greasy, and they moisturize the skin very well, even better than most body lotions. Some of them can be also used as hair oils. They’re basically ideal for those who cannot stand the feeling of using body creams and lotions on their skin. Speaking of body creams, check out a review my favorite body creams, lotions, and body butters HERE.

Back to dry body oils, they’re relatively a new trend though they’ve been out for quite some time. A lot of them have been popping out lately in several different packaging and ingredients, and they’ve been well-received by the general public. So for this review, let’s take a closer look at the dry body oils I absolutely adored.

With Shimmers

Darphin Soleil Plaisir Sultry Shimmering Oil (1.7 oz: $55.00) – This body oil gives a nice subtle shimmer that makes your skin glow. It has a soothing floral scent like a rose and something herb-like. The kind that makes you imagine you’re in a spa. This oil sets well on the skin and it hydrates well. It’s not greasy and it’s not sticky. The packaging is small enough to fit inside a purse, but for its price, it’s a little too small. However, you don’t really need to use a lot.

Tom Ford Soleil Blanc Shimmering Body Oil (3.4 oz: $100) – What can I say? this is one sexy and sultry body oil. I love the shimmers of this and it’s really hard not to notice it. It makes the skin glow and sparkle in a gorgeous way. The formula doesn’t feel sticky, it’s quick absorbing, and it’s also not greasy. The scent is alluring like a warm beachy tropical fragrance. On top of that, this body oil’s bottle looks so luxurious and so pretty, you can’t help but stare at it all the time. There is also the Rose Gold version/shade of this which has been recently released, and I can’t wait to try it.

Sol De Janeiro Glow Oil in Ipanema Sunset (2.5 oz: $35) – This body oil will definitely give you that extreme glow and sheen, and it has a nice scent that lingers for several hours up to the next day. The scent is similar to the Bum Bum Cream, only it’s a lot stronger and kinda pungent at first. I love this body oil for its massive amounts of micro shimmers, but it can feel a bit sticky and thick if you use a lot, and it may transfer and stain the clothes as well. However, if you apply just enough product on the skin, then this oil can moisturize and sinks in the skin quite well. Apart from the pungent scent, I think the packaging could be improved by using a pump so that it’ll be easier to control the amount of product dispensed from the tube.

Without Shimmers

Clarins Sunscreen Care Oil Spray SPF 30 for Skin & Hair (5 oz: $36) – I love this oil especially when I spend a lot of time outdoors and whenever I don’t feel like wearing the usual sunscreens or even the cream ones that tend to get sticky on my skin. This is one of the few body oils with added SPF that doesn’t feel sticky and greasy on the skin even after hours of staying under the sun. There’s not a lot of this type of body oil formulation nowadays, and this one sets on the skin immediately and it can also be used for the hair. It also smells amazing. I have a lot of love for this body oil and this is my fourth bottle already since last Summer.

Fresh. Fresh LifeBody Oil (3.3 oz: $48) – This oil is probably the thickest and warmest oil of all the body oils mentioned in this review. This also doesn’t feel so “dry”, but a bit sticky and it takes a while for it to set on the skin. This has a nice sweet lemon scent that moisturizes the skin but its formula is a little too moisturizing for this Summer. This is more like a made-for-Winter type of body oil. Additionally, this has a nice beautiful heavy glass packaging that looks sleek and simply pretty, especially the marbleized cap.

Clarins Tonic Body Treatment Oil (3.4 oz: $64) – This is the body oil my preggo friends swear by. They said this basically tones the skin and reduces the appearance of stretch marks. You’re supposed to apply this while in the shower and then rinse thereafter, but with me, I apply this right after showering while my skin is still damp and this oil feels so soothing and relaxing since it smells like lavender. I haven’t noticed any improvement on my stretch marks yet, but I did notice the firming and toning effect on my skin, which is amazing.

Kiehl’s Creme de Corps Nourishing Dry Body Oil (2.5-5.9 oz: $17.50-$34) – This has got to be one of the best-scented body oils I’ve ever tried. It has vanilla and something else I cannot quite discern, but it’s good. The performance of this body oil is just perfect, from its non-sticky, non-greasy, and lightweight formulation, to its hydrating ability, I cannot say anything off about this. I love its easy-to-apply packaging, it’s quick-absorbing texture, and I can only wish that it comes in a shimmery formula as well.

Nars Monoi Body Glow II (2.5 oz: $59) – I was so curious about this body oil before trying it, and when I finally did, I felt like I didn’t really like its strong gardenia/jasmine-like scent. However, after a few hours of using it, I seem to like its drydown, which became something like a light floral tone that stays on the skin and to the clothes even up to the next day. The oil itself doesn’t feel greasy or sticky and it moisturizes my skin excellently. Also, its packaging looks simple yet unique and beautiful.

Moroccanoil Dry Body Oil (1.7 oz-3.4 oz: $29-$48) – This body oil is as good as Kiehl’s and it has argan, avocado, and olive oil. The scent is kinda fruity and floral and this pretty much sinks into the skin immediately. It’s a very good body oil that doesn’t feel heavy, sticky, or too shiny. Instead, this has a nice silky texture that leaves skin feeling soft and hydrated throughout the day.

Caudalie Divine Oil (3.3 oz: $49) – This is another great body oil with grape, sesame, hibiscus, and argan oil, plus antioxidants. I love its floral fruity and woody fragrance. The bottle of this feels really robust and it has a sprayer that throws a very fine mist of oil, perfect for a more controlled application. I love that this is fast-absorbing, light, non-greasy, as well as non-sticky. This is even great for the hair.

Overall, I love dry body oils. They’re just so easy and so quick to use. I love that they set fast into the skin and that unlike most body lotions, I no longer have to worry if they’ll transfer to my clothes, or whether they’d feel sticky, greasy, or too warm. If I have to choose my top 3 of all the oils reviewed here, it would be first – the Tom Ford Soleil Blanc Shimmering Body Oil, second- the Clarins Tonic Body Treatment Oil and the Sunscreen Care Oil SPF 30, and third would be the Kiehl’s Creme de Corps Dry Body Oil or the Caudalie or the Moroccan body oil.

What’s your fave dry body oil?

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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