Empties: May 2015

I thought that I'll be leaving the month of May with my Bambam on my arms, but I guess he is taking his time and still is enjoying his luxury suite inside my tummy. Nevertheless, I am so happy that he is going full term - as I am 38 weeks last Friday!

Off! Soft & Scented - effective and safe mosquito repellent with soothing chamomile.

Vitress Instant Relax Cuticle Coat - there are actually five variants of Vitress specified to create different hair styles and care for specific type of tresses. This product contains special serum that wraps and seals strands to protect hair from damage while giving hair that extra shine and smoothness for instant straight hair.

Vitress Heat Protect - a must use hair product if you're planning to soak under the sun or at least use hair tools like straighteners, blowers and curlers.

Celeteque Brightening Anti-Aging with SPF 16 - another sample tub from BDJ Bpx. I love to use this as a day moisturizer just before applying make up

ELF Gel Liner in Black - smooth and glides on easily until it dried out. :O The plastic container wasn't that reliable.

Maybelline MasterLiner in Brown - you just have to be very careful in using this as hard hands may break the pencil. :/

Maybelline HyperCurl Volume Express - my non-existent lashes became visible and thicker. Pain in the *ss to remove if you don't have proper makeup remover. Celeteque cleansing oil does the job (removing mascara) well.

ELF Eye Primer & Liner Sealer - I didn't enjoy this product, not in a bit. The eye primer is too thick and it doesn't help on keeping my eye makeup in place, it melts away. IDK if it is because of the humid weather or because I put too much, I tried putting as little as possible with failed result. The container itself is not very sturdy because it's made with plastic - I dropped and break the liner sealer spilling the liquid. Sad.

Nature Republic Lemon Balm and Aritaum Fresh Essence Mask in Hydraulic Acid - some of my goodies that I got from Korea! :) In instantly makes my face softer and smoother.

MJ Morning Glory Parfum - unisex perfume that last for a day.

Cycles Sensitive Diaper Cream – Just like any other Cycles Sensitive product, it is fragrance-free, hypoallergenic and paraben-free. This got my back whenever baby pass a hard stool that irritate his skin, and it is also good on irritated genitals that was soaked in urine - sometimes we tend to forget to change/check diaper in time hence this happens. A thin layer is all I need when it comes to my baby, a swipe of thin layer of this and the redness will disappear after a while.

Victoria's Secret Body Splash - in Sweet Temptation is a lush sensual fragrance with a hint of sweetness.

Ever Bilena Daily Sunblock Whitening Lotion - I didn't see any whitening effect and it's a bit heavy on my skin so this is better used when you're inside an air-conditioned room with a some errands outside.

Avon Solutions Sun - has SPF 30. It's in a spray bottle for easier use and is in liquid/water form hence easily absorbed by skin, lightweight but makes your skin look oily/shiny which is a good/bad thing depending on your preference. Definitely not for photo ops.

Skin White Whitening Facial Cleanser - good makeup remover and cleanser in one on days when I'm too tired to have a decent face wash before going to bed.

Natasha Shimmer Cologne in Paradiso Maui - perfectly used as a cologne and body glitter in one. Shimmer will stay the whole day while you have to reapply at least once to keep the fragrance strong enough. Glitters and scent to accessorize!

Kojie San Lolita in Fantasy - a cologne spray perfect for summer. Not too strong and gives a sweet scent of freshness.

United Homes Ferusulfate Iron - cheap iron supplement in preventing and treating iron deficiency anemia and also safe for pregnant and lactating women.

Vidal Sassoon Shampoo and Conditioner - first off, thank you so much BDJ Box for sending this over. It leaves hair feeling silky smooth without feeling heavy on my scalp. Manageable hair - clean and conditioned.

Physiogel Cleanser - more about this here.

Happy to abide my adieu to these useful products so that I could get my hands on new ones that are worth to try. Hello June! Please rain my way with more blessings! :)

November Mini Haul!

Collective mini haul for the month of November includes goodies from Korea, random online shops and mall sales! :D I'm still sleepy but I'm too giddy to finally post this haul and maybe if I'm not yet tired will do a review on my favorites!

Secosana structured bag in toffee

Omni White Soaps

ELIZABETH: OOTD from Terranova & Toothpick

My outfit! :) 
Blouse - Terranova
Denim - Toothpick Jeans

My shoes from People are People ..

my FOTD! :)

Foundation - Ever Bilena BB Cream

Face Powder - Maybelline

Eyebrows - in2it

Lipstick - Apple

White Eyeliner - Kajal pencil

live, love, laugh,

Beth

ELIZABETH: FOTD Inspired by MARIAN RIVERA

My FOTD Inspired by MARIAN RIVERA! ;)


Sunscreen I used on my face.. SPF50 for face and body from Celeteque..


Foundation I used.. ;)


Concealer from Revlon..



Fake Lashes from Daiso Japan..


Eyelash glue from Daiso Japan..

Face Powder - Maybelline
Face Powder - Careline
Eyebrows - In2it
Lips- Nyx


Live, Love, Laugh,
Beth :)

ELIZABETH: Prenup Makeup (When You Want to Look Fresh Under The Sun)

This post is all about the things I did to make our prenup shoot fun, amazing and awesome! :D

Note that this post is not about bragging but it's about having your dream "prenup" come true without hurting your pocket, or your fiance's pocket for that matter. hehe

About me: I pamper myself the day he asked for my hand in marriage. (So, I could flash my best smile on the big day) aside from that I'm proud to say that I didn't hire anyone for my hair and makeup. Youtube is your bff and google is your sister! Aside from having a sweet fiance, I'm lucky to be blessed to have a girly girl for a mother-in-law (which is a plus if you're doing your own makeup!). She (my then future mom-in-law) helped me straighten my rebonded hair and on choosing the right kind of falsies and the rest was on me. I put my makeup on!

The sun is scorching hot and my secrets?

-Keep it light. You have to look like yourself - the best version of you. Highlight the assets and hide the flaws.

-Primer. Myra E Sunblock. Revlon Primer. Ever Bilena BB Cream and Maybelline Oil Control Powder. Yes, you don't have to buy the most expensive to be your best, you just gotta go and find your HG (holy grail - the product that works best with your skin). If you are doing DIYs, maximize what you have and since you're aiming to be just you, why not use product you use everyday? ;)

-Be yourself. Smile. Not the fake smile that's holding your stomach in or sucking your double chin in smile,smile your genuine smile. Smile like there's no camera following you around and flirt! Flirt because you have all the right! This is where you should do the PDA master's degree level! Hahaha

Other products:

Eyebrows: In2It eyebrow palette

Lips: Simply Pretty balm, NYX lipliner and ELF lipstick in pink

Cheeks: Careline blush in pink

See my nails? No, I didn't let anyone touch my nails, it's pure DIY baby. Stay around to find out how!

Live, Love, Laugh,

Beth

Empties: April to June 2014

My empties could have been a monthly post as intended but life got me busy it made my bag unorganized and empties unposted.

Bag, schedule, life. One word. Mess.And I like it!  #optimist #bringiton All Inclusive by Judy Astley will keep me company.

Of course, I wanna get on track and move on, cleaning my vanity by emptying products that lives there like forever is a good detoxifying habit! :)

Taya Beauty Amazon White Clay Thickening Conditioner - more of this here.

Pond's Anti-Bacterial Facial Scrub with Herbal Clay - I love the smell and it's refreshing after wash feel. Does the job well too.

Block & White Natural Pearl - that I used as a hand cream. It has UV protection and whitens skin at the same time.

Splash Hair Polish Hairdressing cream - finally, I'm ready to get my hands on my other

Taya Beauty goodies.

Anew Vitalizing Cream - again. It did break me out so I just used this as a makeup remover mostly. The sale tag kept me buying this, I always give in! Temptation, temptation! lol

L'Oreal Youth Code - Alas! This is a bittersweet goodbye. Why empty out on me? Why now that I'm used on using your dropper? (I tilt the jar as I'm typing this, hoping to get the last juicy drop! I did! And oh it smells a-mazing still!) Well, maybe because it done its part. I think I'll be saying hi to another bottle of Youth Code AFTER I finish all of my serums in my stash.

Ever Bilena BB Cream in Oriental shade - I used my Too Cool for School BB Cream as highlight with this as contour. Great match! But I think it would be awhile if ever I decided to try this out again. I'm now on my first bottle of Revlon Colorstay liquid foundation in 360 Golden Caramel which I cannot see on Revlon's kiosk at SM Aura! Boo! [but not really, if you know what I mean? ;) ]

Johnson's Baby Lotion in Milk - do I have to say more?

Johnson's Baby Lotion in Pink - classic.

Myra-E Shine-Free Face Powder in Light - Packed with Vitamin E with SPF 15 and hypoallergenic!

ELF Two-Way Cake Foundation - has SPF 15 but seriously, the packaging needs an upgrade it looks cheaper than other cheaper local two-way cake foundation out there!

Slimmers World Gentaflou cream - perfect for just got burned facial warts and zits. :)

Maybelline Hypercurl Volume Express Waterproof Mascara - 2nd tube. I think I'll skip using mascaras for now, since I'm using Lavish Lashes for the second time around. I decided to give this a try again despite of my not-so-good first time try. Talk about SECOND CHANCES! Ha! (If we are as close as lovers are, you'll laugh so hard you could skip your crunches!)

Sebamed Liquid Face & Body Wash - this is one in my list of snatch-from-the-cradle products! Sorry Clyde! :P

Yves Rocher UVBeauty Shield - SPF50, PA++, lightweight. Does the job like a Mafia boss.

Celeteque Tri-Benefit Power Cream - first off, thank you so much BDJ Box and BDJ Power Planner for these cute samples. Now on my last sample tub and ready to buy the regular size. (Looking for my BDJ Lifestyle card! :P)

Hygienix Hand Sanitizer - this is a bag resident. Keeps you your hand clean. Door knob clean. Toilet bowl clean. Just clean. and smells wonderful too.

Palmers Cocoa Butter Formula Scar Serum - I use this on my pregnancy tiger stripes and heart surgery scar. It does lightens the area and tightens the skin as well. It also reminds me of Willy Wonka and his Chocolate Factory.

That's it! Let's wish more products to go so that more will come! Haha! Love all, trust a few and do bad to no one because you sure will reap what you sow!

P.S. Karma will get you where it hurts the most. ;)

Empties August 2013

Gahhh! i fully wrote this post for three times now and I always accidentally delete everything for some reason and it all went gone! I wanna punch a Janet Napoles and skin her bebe gerr alive anytime today! Now, if only she wasn't that sick?! Again, for the fourth time (Good thing this "Empties" is somewhat a let-go unwind post therapy...) here are my empties for the month of August 2013!

Last month's empties was a success! I'm so proud of myself I patted me on the back and said "thumbs up for good riddance!"

This month's empties was humongous! I'm so proud of myself I need to pat myself on the back and say "two thumbs up for good riddance! Great hobby it should be a habit!" - I was thinking of doing my empties on a monthly basis as I initially attached the month and year on my previous empties... to (1) encourage myself to consume everything I have on my vanity - so I (2) could finally say something about that something since I could have said something about it when it was still quite new - say half of it was still full but due to a hundred reasons and excuses, last drops was consumed and am still mum about it... until now! :) - hence (3) will be aware that I don't need to buy "that thing that will go perfectly with ..." "that new brand of .../line of... "and "this thing that will match, complete, complement, blah blah blah yadah yadah yadah..." since I still have some things (similar) to finish up first and lastly, I believe having my monthly "empties" is a way to personally somehow (4) cure impulse shopping and hoarding (5) avoid "things i regret buying" and (6) future resentments like credit card limit charges! #ehem All this (7) while creating a list of "holy grail products" in my head. :)

So anyways, empties included here are a mixture of our family's recent favorite products and new random finds... Starting from upper left clockwise...

Avon Naturals Whitening Face Lotion -  in rose and rose-hips. I had nothing much to say to this product except that I'd used this as my makeup remover and moisturizer wrapped in one bottle on times when I'm too lazy to clean my face out of makeup especially when it's on the wee hours of the night. As a daily moisturizer, a pea and a half-size is enough for my entire face and neck to avoid excessive oil due to hot weather just like what I would normally do in any other moisturizer out there, but when I know I'll stay on an a/c room, I slap this on whenever I remember to do so. Hint: I put this on an arm's length away. ;)

Etude House Oh M Liquid Eye Liner - that I bought using my BDJ discount coupon last year. and a random black bear eyeliner that I got from Bonchic. Now I'm stuck with an ELF Gel Liner for smokey eyes and a Maybelline Masterliner in Brown for neutral looks that I won here. :)

United Homes Calactate & Fersulfate Iron and Anlene Total - my two over-the-counter everyday maintenance. For hair loss, sleepless nights and nursing a year old infant. :) Totally, love the taste of Anlene and I'm currently trying the chocolate flavor and will go back to vanilla because I decided I'll alternately the flavors. I wish they had it in Hazel flavor as well though just like Anmum! :)

Vitress Hair Polish in Strengthening - I'm ready to try another variant from this Vitress hair polish line anytime soon! :)

GOODSKINLAB Intense Clarity + Smoothing Peptide Serum - I bid my bittersweet goodbye before chopping off its tail while repeating "Off with its head!" with the Queen of Heart's baritone. Dramatic. But seriously, scooping the last cream out of its tube? It means quality at its best! This could have been my holy grail - replacing primer and moisturizer when I'm on the go since this really holds my makeup together and silky smooth face canvass just right after application! It glides on seriously! I'm so happy I get the chance to try this product by winning it on a GSK giveaway held by The Beautinomics way way back... My hopes are still up though, that this brand will find its way back here in the Philippines just like the ZA Cosmetics everyone is talking about! :) #staypositive

Maybelline Shine Free Cake Powder - in 04 Honey with SPF25 and PA++ stays true to its promises of

• All day Shine COntrol
• UV protection
• Fairer Skin
• Conceals
• Long wear
• Smoothes
• Evens
• Non Comedogenic

The only turn off? Its formula is too brittle, it cracks and breaks easily. Guess what? I'm one of the few that got a broken cake! Just my luck! That leads me to give in and spill the beans - I really didn't used this up, it just dust my makeup kit and anything it got in-touch with it until its gone. So hey Maybelline New York, I need a refund refill! Yes a refill would suffice! ;)

ELF Healthy Glow Bronzing Powder -  in warm tan. Nostalgic. This is my first ELF makeup product after I've been swept away for face paint passion! And Michelle Phan's tutorial using shimmer bronzer as contour and eyeshadow makes me love this more. Another must-have when you're on the go and ready to run! :)

Cortizan - be it pimple, rashes, inflamation, fungi whatsoever, my family would just dab a cortizan! Its our ointment holy grail if that makes sense. Less than Php200.00 a tube.

4Life Transfer Factor Riovida Bursts - that I talked about in my last month's empties.

4Life Transfer Factor Glutamine Prime - for less than Php3300.00, you'll get 180 capsules of building blocks that'll

• help you fight stress and avoid depression
• mood stabilizer - bipolar bears are out!
• more energy reserves - if you're a mom, nursing a year old, working and at home you need to reserve all the energy you could surely use for extra extra :)
• encourages your body to produce glutathione - whitening was not my priority (although I have several whitening products) but this will make you fairer while
• protecting your liver - love your liver not your liquor
• glutathione as body's antioxidant to fight free radicals

What are you waiting for, grab a Glutamine Prime now! You need it!

Sesou Haul Empties - including Giga Baby Insect Repellent Spray, Milea Baby Baby Cleaner and Human Heart Nature Spray Sanitizer. That is actually our 2nd Milea Baby Cleaner - my best friend when water is no where!

Sunsilk Smooth and Manageable Shampoo and Conditioner - is my every month favorites, can you tell? Can't believe we used up 3 refill sachets of Sunsilk pink, I guess Sarah G.'s irresistible commercial holds true to the family. I however find that the conditioner didn't really conditioned my hair so...

Dove Hair Fall Rescue Conditioner - is my perfect match! Sunsilk pink shampoo + this Dove conditioner = good smelling tangle free hair! It's love! I skip the Dove shampoo partner 'cause it tends to make my hair oily!

Black Beauty Shampoo in Crystal - yup, I ate up my words. This is my 3rd bottle and still counting!

Avon Skin So Soft Silky Moisture replenishing lotion with argan oil -  this sounds weird but at first, the scent of this lotion reminds me of coffins and burials, of small violet flowers used to that sad occasions... but as my nose adjusted (can't resist the organ oil goodness) and so, I'm done with the first bottle and since I bought two of these, I'm down to use the next last bottle. I'm not so sure if I would go buy this SSS lotion again, I might try another brand. But the argan oil - so we never know! Argan oil is good!

Johnsons Baby Powder - in pink included in my Johnson Baby Haul

Johnsons Baby Cooling Bath and Milk Bath - Last summer, I gave my babe a treat by switching to Johnsons Baby Cooling Bath, its like minty cool and he loves it too! And, later on we return to our love at first smell - the milk bath! It reminds me of my newborn baby Clyde! P.S. our first love was the orangey no tears formula!

That's it! Hello September! I'm so happy! If you're following me on my social media then you know why! Hint: Google Nexus 7! Ow Em Ji!

Maybelline Clear Smooth Aqua Gel Foundation

As much as I love liquid foundation, I have too oily skin. So I only get to use them when I know I'll be stucked on an air conditioned room, or better yet, stucked in Baguio, which I'm not most of the time. I hunt for an oil free, water based foundation and at last I found

Maybelline Clear Smooth Aqua Gel Foundation

here are the swatches with flash and with out:

What I love about it is that it's water based - oil free, hence perfect match for my oil-factory glands! Alas, it is also a perfect match for sensitive skin because its hypoallergenic as well! I feels light and it has a matte finish, another perfect product for flash photography! Perfect on-the-go! But you just have to make sure you blend it fast because it dries fast and doesn't need to be set with powder. It's affordable for a decent product that could last for a whole day. :) If you have visible blemishes and acne marks, you should fill them out with concealer because this is not that good on hiding imperfections and although it has a limited number of shades, I guess most of Filipina skin would fit on the range. :)

What other brands of gel foundation would you recommend? :)

xoxo,

Gerilen ELinessete

Maybelline - Color Sensational Lip Liner in Toast 25 Reviews + Giveaway!

Reviews from MakeupAlley.com:

I originally set out to the Maybelline section in search of a nude liner in the ColorSensational section called Nude (20). I had heard about it from a Youtuber. I picked it up, but then noticed the color next to it, Toast (25). Toast looked a bit more "nude" to me, but I stuck with the Nude one because it was the one mentioned in the video. However, it began to bug me as Nude didn't look that Nude on my lips...it looked peachy brown. So I did my research and went back and got Toast and the Clear lipliner (which is awesome by the way). Toast is sooo much better as a nudish lipliner than Nude on my NW20 skin, rosey brown lips. I can wear Toast alone and have it look right or as a base under any of my lippies (same is true for the Clear liner as well). So don't be fooled by the name. Toast might be your "nude" lipliner of choice.

Have been using maybelline lip pencils for years. I much prefer the pencil types to the push up types as they usually go on more easily and don't break. I loved the 20 shade in nude but I went to get another one as it was only 1" left and they didn't have it. So I picked up toast 25 and I have to say I think I prefer it. It's very natural looking. Lip pencils really help to make your lips look fuller and the colour remains most if the day. None others that I have tried have been as effective as maybellines. I'm a lifelong repurchaser of these!

Toast may be the most underrated "nude" shade in the drugstore shelves. Well, at least that is for fairer girls such as myself, with moderately pigmented lips and roughly NC/NW 20-25 skin. 

Wanna grab one for free? Join our ongoing giveaway here!