Revlon ColorStay Nail Polish, Orly Quick Dry Top Coat and Etude House Nail Remover

Yes you read right, it is not a typo. Etude House, actually calls their nail polish remover "Nail Remover". I was actually scared when I first saw it. Do they actually make sure that your polish is removed to the point that even the nail is almost removed? Rest assured that is not the case, I guess this is just their version of the Nail Polish Remover. (go figure)

First things first, while my hubby and I were doing our Christmas shopping, we saw that Revlon was having a 30% off sale. Too bad, I just replenished my make up kit a while ago and didn't really need anything, I bought a brown-black Revlon ColorStay eyeliner a couple of weeks ago. Too bad I missed the sale =(

Anyway,  even though I didn't really need anything, that didn't stop me from checking out the counter. I was browsing through the different products when I saw their line of ColorStay nail polishes. Nail polish has always been my weakness. I love 'em but I just don't know how to apply them on my nails and I just don't know how to keep them on for a long time. So, after I justified my need for a ColorStay nail polish to myself, I decided to buy one while it's on sale. I chose the French Roast shade which is a reddish brown shade. It costs P300++.

Revlon ColorStay Nail Polish in French Roast and Orly Quick-Dry Top Coat

I  also got an Orly Quick Dry Top Coat. As mentioned many times, I have a hard time apply polish and when I do finally finish applying them, I have a tendency to ruin them almost immediately. So I thought a good quality quick dry top coat would be a good investment. I actually got a Sally Hansen one a while ago but even though it promised to dry my nails within 30 seconds it didn't happen. So when I finished that bottle, I decided to try another brand. The Orly brand is slightly more expensive at P449 but it was easier to apply and it did dry within seconds. I love it!

I applied this French Roast Revlon ColorStay nail polish for our holiday celebrations. It wasn't perfect but I thought it was ok. In fairness, the nail polish did last for a week despite numerous encounters with the rogue sticky tape during the marathon gift wrapping and heavy manual dish washing duties during reunions. I am very satisfied. =)

Today though, I decided to remove my nail polish. It was already starting to chip off on the edges but generally it still looked fine. I just wanted a red nail polish for another reunion this weekend. To remove the nail polish, I used my Etude House Acetone Free Moisturizing Nail Remover. The product promises to take care of your nails by moisturizing them instead of drying them whenever you use them. Hmm.. I was intrigued. I decided to try it. I already forgot how much it costs because I bought it a while back, but it was the most expensive among their line of nail polish removers. 

Etude House Nail Polish Remover, as is (aloe vera oil seperates) and when shaken

The moisturizing part is due to the aloe vera oil that is incorporated into the product. If you let it stand for a while, they actually separate, so whenever you put some product on the cotton ball  you have to shake it to mix the oil and the nail polish remover. Otherwise you'll just get the oil and you're basically just moisturizing your nails. 

I am a bit disappointed with this product. It took longer for me to remove the nail polish. I think it was both partly because of the ColorStay factor and because the remover was too gentle and moisturizing. I also found it irritating to have to shake the bottle whenever I dab my cotton ball, but that's just me. I don't think I'll wait to empty that bottle. It will be a waste but using it is so time consuming!

So there, I just wanted to share my experiences with my new nail products. 

Merry Christmas!

Thank you Lord for the greatest gift of all!

Merry Christmas every body!

America's Next Top Model Cycle 20: Boys and Girls

ANTM's Jourdan

This is my current guilty pleasure, watching America's Next Top Model on cable's ETC channel. When I first found out that cycle 20 will feature both girls and boys, I thought it was a bad idea. After only a few episodes, I saw the models matching up and flirting and I found it irritating! I just knew it!

I don't really follow ANTM episodes but somehow I catch them when I turn on the TV. Note to self: you're watching ttoo much TV! haha. Plus I get really kilig whenever I see Bryan Boy on the panel. Wow! A fellow Pinoy on Tyra's inner circle!

Then the other models I didn't like got eliminated, and I realized that I have been following the competition closely. I have actually a favorite! Jourdan! Her face is so pretty, and she has so much character at such a young age! I mean, divorced at 19, wow! Plus I think she has a good work ethic, she does her best every shoot (best photo almost every week!), she has no qualms about delivering whatever the shoot requires no matter how out-of-this-world and she stands up for what she believes in.

I really hope Jourdan wins this cycle, she really deserves it!

Photo Credit: Pottle Productions Inc

Look young...longer!

What a catchy title huh? Who doesn't want to look and feel young forever? When I was in my early 20's, I used to read a lot of articles about taking good care of the skin, as prevention for wrinkles, crow’s feet, dark spots etc. that will surely come with age… I never really took them to heart, after all I was still young. My skin was still taut and wrinkle free. Now I’m in my 30’s, and I’m forcing myself to come to terms with the fact that we are all aging by the minute, by the second. It is a fact of life. It is also evidenced by the dull face that peers back at me in the bathroom mirror every morning. There is no procrastinating with age. We’ll get old as sure as the sun rises and sets. We can’t do anything about it really except to try to age as gracefully as possible. Here’s how:

• Start a skincare routine. Regular washing of the face before going to bed is not considered as a routine! It involves a process, a series of steps. If you haven’t been cleansing, toning and moisturizing, better start now.
• Use a sun block. Yeah-yeah, I know you’ve heard it all before, ultraviolet rays and stuff right? It is often said because it is true. Our ozone layer is getting thinner at a rapid pace, it is not capable of protecting us from the harsh rays of the sun anymore, we need help. When going out, apply sun block on your face and other exposed parts of your body.
• Be conscious of what you eat. Garbage in, pimply and dull skin out. Try to stay away from fatty foods and alcohol. Load up on leaf veggies and fresh fruits. Foods rich in B complex vitamins will help give you a youthful glow.
• Quit smoking. Not only is smoking bad for your health, it is bad for your skin as well. It causes skin to dry up, not to mention the pucker marks that can worsen with age.
• Have enough sleep. Take in at least 8 hours of snooze so that skins cells can regenerate and undergo repair. Also, night sleep is irreplaceable.
• Smile. No amount of make up can beautify a frowning face. A frown not only uses up more muscles, It also causes ugly frown lines. So smile, even if you feel like there is nothing to smile about… if you look hard enough, I’m sure you’ll find something.

It is a mistake to regard old age as a downhill grade toward dissolution. The reverse is true. As one grows older, one climbs with surprising strides - Sands

* photo from  (http://au.lifestyle.yahoo.com)

The Body Shop's Member's Exclusive

Oops! Found out about this sale only now, on its LAST DAY!! Go ahead and grab this chance!

Start the week by pampering yourself from head to toe! Just present your SM Advantage card or BDO rewards card in-store and get 40% off bath & body, hair products and accessories until TODAY ONLY! 

Hurry and see you at any The Body Shop stores in SM Malls nationwide.

Members' Exclusive!

Celeteque Brightening Multi-benefit BB Cream

Being a woman with large pores, I read somewhere that BB creams are better to cover up my pores. I've tried Maybelline BB stick and I love its effects on my face, the coverage is great but it does clog my pores and quite difficult to remove. 

I decided to try Celeteque's Brightening Multi-benefit BB Cream. I figured that Celeteque is known for being gentle and caring for one's skin. Actually, I was quite surprised to know that the brand offered a BB cream.  Not only does it claim to cover up one's blemishes, with the help of the Biowhite technology, it has other benefits as well as whitening and moisturizing. You can apply it liberally on your face and neck before make up and it will act as your moisturizer, primer and make-up base. It will help the make-up last a bit longer. 

I bought a tube and immediately tried it. Here's my review.  I put a small amount on my hand. It felt smooth and light on the skin. Here are some swatches.

Smell was ok, it didn't smell like old make-up. =) Coverage was light to medium. It was really easy to apply. Too bad the Celeteque BB Cream is available in one shade only. Some might find this limiting as it might be too light for some skin tones. Luckily, it fit well with my skin tone. Having a combination skin though, I found that I had to put on some powder on top of it because the finish is a bit shiny and after a few hours, my T zone was already oily. It is best to have blotting paper ready and to touch up every few hours to maintain matte finish. It was easy to remove too. 

My Verdict:

Good: 

Affordable at less than P300.

Easily available, can be bought at Watson's and beauty counters at SM Department stores.

Easy to apply.

Gentle on the skin, doesn't clog pores

Has SPF 15 and acts as moisturizer and make-up base

Easy to remove 

Not So Good:

Has only one shade

Not a matte finish

Pores still visible after application

Combination/oily skin is oily again after a few hours. 

I like how it is gentle on my skin and that it has SPF but it doesn't really work that well for me as a BB cream. I think I'd just finish my tube but I won't repurchase anymore. I would definitely recommend it for people with dry or sensitive skin beause they won't need heavy coverage and won't be as oily after a while. 

I hear Garnier has a BB cream for Oily and Combination Skin. I'd have to try this once it is available here. 

 

Watson's Nose Pore Strips

Years ago, my mom brought me to the dermatologist for the very first time. I was still in my early twenties and she wanted to get me started on a good skin regimen. The dermatologist said that genetics granted me with big (huge) pores, and there’s nothing I can do about it, except to make sure that I keep them clean so that there will be no blockage that can cause pimples and breakouts. Then she gave me a facial. The facial itself was ok,  what I found really traumatic was the pricking. My huge pores gives me huge blackheads, especially on the nose area. Unlike others who get itsy bitsy white and blackheads, I get really numerous and big blackheads. So the doctor had a field day taking them off. My face was literally red and swollen by the time she finished. My eyes were swollen too by all the tears I shed. It was really PAINFUL! They were all involuntary tears, the kind you automatically get when you get really hurt. My doctor told me that it was painful because it was my first visit, I should make my visits monthly so that my pores will get used to the attack (my words) and it will not hurt as much. As I said, I found that visit really traumatic. My mom had the best intentions but my face hated her for it.

I didn’t return the next month.

It was until I found my blackheads too distracting whenever I look in the mirror that I gathered enough courage to go back to the dermatologist. Same scenario. Same trauma. I even tried to make it monthly just to test if my skin will get used to the pain. I went for four months straight. Still too painful.

Thankfully, I discovered nose pore strips. The first one I tried before was a Chinese brand.  It was initially liquid, but as you apply it on your face, it turns gooey solid. After a few minutes, you peel it off your nose, pulling the stuck blackheads with it. It’s not as thorough as a dermatologist, but it’s not as painful too.

Then I discovered Watson’s sold boxed nose pore strips of various kinds. The brand is Glam Works. There’s the classic, charcoal and green tea. They usually cost P99 for a box containing 12 strips, but when I bought my supply, they were having a sale 2 boxes for the price of one! I’ve already tried the charcoal variety so I decided to try the  classic and green tea variants. I really liked the charcoal nose strips. It really grabbed on the blackheads, but it left a black residue on my skin that I found yucky.  When I tried the classic pore strip, I didn’t leave any residue, but it wasn’t as effective at pulling out the blackheads. I found that it pulled only the big ones, leaving the little ones still on my skin. I’ve still yet to try the green tea one. I hope this is better. Will post my thoughts on this when I get the chance to test it.